Foo for You (Part 2)
Before you lies a hallway filled with traps, the arcane sigils signifying doom and death mark every surface from ceiling, to walls, and floors. The room you're in is comfortably large, and the one at the end of the hall isn't visible due to the door marking it. As you contemplate the hallway, the door that led you into this room - and your only exit out of the tower - seals itself shut and is quite simply /gone/. You are left alone in echoing silence, trying to figure out how to move forward.
Erendriel takes a deep breath, and turns to face the others. "If someone else wants to experiment, I can't stop you. But it's a huge risk. If they were like, just on the floor, I could spider climb past them. But they handled that. Which means there are probably other raps to take out flyers, too. Should we just go home and report all we know?"
Malik squats down, keeping a fair distance away from the runes. "Right," he sighs. "So. Only way to go is ... forward." He glances over his shoulder, looking curious. "Five gold pieces says that shorting out the spell somehow would count as 'damage to the tower', and that sounds like it'd be bad." He glances down the hallway, taking a deep breath. "Alright," he says. "Who's the best at tying a really secure blindfold?" Which is apparently his way of volunteering as the test subject.
Seldan, who had been about to volunteer for the very thing Malik is suggesting, pauses a moment. "A moment." He quickly casts a spell, studying the hallway and pushing a lock of hair out of his face a few times as he does so, the last time irritatedly.
GAME: Seldan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13 GAME: Seldan rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)
Erendriel shakes her head. "I'm not walking down there blind, and I don't think any of us should. I really think it's a dangerous idea."
Malik looks at Eren, shrugging. "There's no other way to go," he reminds her, thumbing back over to where the door disappeared. "If you've got other suggestions, I'm all ears. Otherwise..." He spreads his hands to the side. "I'm all for Option B. What's Option B?"
Hun'rar ponders "I could try the hallway, with my eyes closed. If I was better this wouldn't be an issue." he puts his shield and sword on his back. "Unless we have other plans?"
It takes Seldan a few moments, but he shakes his head sharply and rubs at his eyes, as if he's been staring into the sun for too long. "Agh. The only magic in the hallway is the sigils," he tells the others, still covering his eyes with one hand and looking very much as if he has a headache for his trouble. "The other enchantments on the tower are harmless. The sigils cannot kill us if we do not look at them.”
Erendriel takes a deep breath, and looks to Seldan now. "Question. Is each rune independent, or are they all one big enchantment?"
"They are independent." Seldan's answer is not quite curt, and he continues to rub at his eyes.
"Then there's nothing to debate," he tells the others, pulling a length of scarf out of his bag and already starting to tie it around his eyes. "Just scream if I need to get out of the way of something, yeah?" Seems that the young wizard is determined to move forward, rather than staying here. "We've got a better chance at getting out of here alive if we don't run into whoever tends to use that door. Someone walks in and finds a bunch of strangers in here, what do you think they'll do? They put -death- wards all over the front hallway. Something tells me they're not big on uninvited guests."
Hun'rar reaches out to Malik "Allow me, if there is something at the end of the hall I can take it on my armor." he says making his own blindfold. "Gilead protect us all."
Erendriel shakes her head and watches Malik. "The problem is once you're past those and inside, then you're trapped BEHIND them, right? No windows, no doors. The roof is probably sealed too. You're trapped inside behind the runes."
Hun'rar walks along the hallway with his armored fingers running along the wall. "So good so far..." until he bumps into the door, stepping into the next room and taking the blindfold off.
Hun'rar looks around the room, examining what he sees. "So good so far!" he calls back down the hallway. "Just keep your eyes closed!" he adds as he turns to examine the magic circle.
Erendriel folds her arms and calls out "And what if there are NON magical traps on the other side, and you're too blindfolded to see? It's not too late to come back!"
Malik watches the man's progress curiously, looking to Erendriel again. "You realize that no matter which side of the death runes we're trapped on, we're still trapped by death runes, right? Does it really make a difference?" He points down the hall. "At least -that- way might have something we can use." Though he glances over to Seldan, asking, "You ok? Can't imagine that was terribly pleasant." And then, down the hall to Hun'rar. "STILL ALIVE? NOTHING'S BLEEDING? OR MELTING? OR BURNING?"
Isaac stands with the group inside the tower. He keeps with the group, his sword drawn juuust in case. He watches Hun'rar as he moves down the hall. "Hnnh." He grunts.
Seldan looks up after a few more minutes. The spell is long gone, and he blinks, readjusting to the gloom of the tower. "All right." He pulls up the hood of his cloak and pulls it down over his face, securing it. "We can stand here or we can learn." He ventures down the hall in the same manner as Hun'rar, with one hand on the side of the hall.
Malik secures his own blindfold, following along after the two that already went down that path. "Time's wasting."
Erendriel sighs deeply. "It's on your heads if something happens to me doing this." she insists. "I warned you it was a bad idea." She then closes her eyes, covers them, and crosses. "You'd better watch me every step and make sure I don't get hurt going across." she continues to complain.
On the other side of the death-defying walk through the sigils there is a huge room. The floor of which is covered in a massive circle. A magic circle with esoteric symbols crossing one another and worked into the very stone you stand upon. The stone is splattered with blood and littered with broken arrows. It has the look of a battle which has been done here, but one that has long since passed. The blood is dried. Though there's no sign of dust. To your right is another huge door like the one slightly ajar behind you leading to the hallway.
GAME: Hun'rar rolls knowledge/arcana+2: (4)+15+2: 21 GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/arcana: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Erendriel rolls knowledge/arcana: (18)+9: 27 GAME: Malik rolls knowledge/arcana: (10)+8: 18
Erendriel opens her eyes and uncovers her face when she's clear. Then arriving, she stares at the circle, throws up her arms, and waves them letting out a yell. "Oh my god. Don't open that door. Not unless you want um.. a Duke of Hell to be summoned here. While we're trapped with death runes behind us. Totally bad guys."
Malik steps up to the others, removing his blindfold as he looks at the chaos inside. His eyes widen a bit, as he cocks his head to the side curiously, looking over to Seldan. "So. Um." He points to the wreck on the floor. "Biggun said not to break anything, but. I'm kind of wondering how he would know? All of this looks pretty broken to me." He looks around at the dried blood. "Unless this is what's left of the last people that broke something. Seems like there'd be more scorch marks though."
Once Seldan is clear of the hallway, he pulls the hood off. More magical sigils, but he seems distracted by something else. Stepping to one side so as not to block the door, he scans the rooms, his gaze unfocused for several seconds. He doesn't answer Malik immediately. "There is no evil here. Not right now." Only them does he look over at Malik, then back to the magic sigils in the room. "I cannot say, but I think it unwise to take the risk."
Hun'rar nods "Well then, however much I would like to fight evil and summon a demon whose ass we can kick, why don't we continue onto the next door. Are there any more traps there?" he asks the others as they saw the death trap.
GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (3)+8: 11 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (19)+8: 27
Erendriel takes her sweet time, crawling on the floor, wandering around, looking very carefully at every corner of the room, ceiling, and floor. "Ok I really can't find anything else. Just the door controlling the summoning circle."
You open the door to the next room and are met with a vision of opulence. This is a room full of carpets and cushions. A small table set with some kind of figurines that float on clear glass surfaces is in the middle of the room. Books line the walls in expensive-looking bookcases. The cases themselves have glass doors that reflect oddly back your own image though you can't quite put your finger on how it's different. There's a staircase far from you leading upwards, and aside from the beautiful surroundings done in shades of black, gold, and purple... the room is empty.
GAME: Erendriel rolls knowledge/arcana: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Erendriel rolls knowledge/local: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
Hun'rar looks around "Appears like this place has already been ransacked and looted. Suddenly I am doubting that we will find very much. We should keep going though, carefully." he adds looking at the stairs.
Malik steps up to the door, looking into the next room. "So... color coordination is key, but the blood on the floor is no big deal." He nods, crossing his arms. "Good to see that people keep their priorities in order as they advance in the arcane arts." He glances past someone's shoulder at the mirrors, seeming to fix his attention there for a moment. At the strange reflections cast there, even if he can't quite figure out why they're -wrong-.
Isaac seems to hum. "A study, looks like." He seems to only add that much to the overall observations. He does look around, though since his arcane knowledge is pretty much zero, he's not useful right now.
Seldan is deep in thought, looking around as the group troops up the stairs. The reflections get a glance, but he quickly looks away. "A fight was not likely to have been in the wizard's plans, but he is not here."
GAME: Seldan rolls appraise: (19)+1: 20 GAME: Erendriel rolls appraise: (2)+2: 4 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (14)+8: 22 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (14)+8: 22
After a moment, he blinks, though, and looks again at the glass. "It is not glass, but crystal," he says finally. "Extremely expensive, and fine enough to enchant. It is possible that some of the figurines are indeed enchanted."
GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (3)+8: 11 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (5)+8: 13
"Who builds a tower in the plane of fire," Malik starts, ticking off the point on this thumb, "guards it with a giant whatever-that-thing-was," he adds, ticking the point off on another finger, "and then lines it with death traps," he finishing, ticking off the third point, "if they're not planning for a fight?" But he offers a little shrug, letting the others lead the way. "This just seems so -- strange. So clearly planned, but so out of joint. It's jarring."
GAME: Malik rolls Perception: (16)+6: 22 GAME: Seldan rolls perception: (18)+2: 20 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Isaac rolls Perception: (12)+2: 14 GAME: Hun'rar rolls perception: (18)+0: 18 GAME: Malik rolls will: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Seldan rolls will: (19)+12: 31
There are two doors on this level, and the staircase which continues to lead upwards. It's a simple stone room with nothing very interesting in it save the two doors and the previously mentioned staircase.
Hun'rar steps into the room and looks around "So two choices...." he says looking at the door before he freezes in place and slowly turns around, his fingers start to extend into razor talons and his teeth lengthening into sharp fangs. "Behind us..." he says slurring his words through the large teeth.
It's quick. Quicker than he would have expected. Malik looks up, his eyes falling on another one of those strange mirrors, this one seemingly filled with crawling insects. That's when the magic grbas him, before he can steel his mind. He feels himself drawn up into the mirror, the world inverting until he's looking down on the others, a bug in place of where he was just standing. Darkness surrounds him on every side, save for the image conjured beneath him of the others.
He runs a finger through his shaggy hair, a low growl starting to come from his chest. "FU--!"
Seldan looks around them as he reaches the top of the stairs, then looks at Malik, and -freezes-. The silver crystals on the back of his midnight-blue cloak flash suddenly, as of many colors, then fade away again. "Ware the mirror!" he warns, hand immediately going for his blade. "Malik is trapped in it! That's an insect!" He's staring hard at Malik, not where Hun'rar is staring.
It /is/ a bug. A giant bug with huge waving antena waving at you. It's brownish in color and without much ado it charges straight at Hun'rar. Meanwhile the rest of the insects trapped above the mirror /inside/ the mirror wiggle /their/ antena seeming to anticipate their own release.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+15: (2)+15: 17
The bug charges right up to Hun'rar, getting in his face with its waving antenna, but it's large pincers meet only armor and nothing else. The sound of mandible against metal is ugly in the ears, but it means that Hun'rar isn't injured and that's what's really important.
GAME: Malik rolls Disable Device + 4: (10)+8: 18
Malik drops to the ground, running his hands along the surface, looking for -some- mechanism that might help him here. Any flaw in the glass, or strange sense in the magic. But naturally, he finds nothing. The surface is polished and smooth, and he's stuck on this side of it, for the moment.
GAME: Seldan rolls weapon1+2: (10)+7+2: 19
Before Seldan can move, the bug charges after Hun'rar. He can't worry about the others right now, so drawing his sword, he turns and closes ranks behind the carapaced creature. The sword flashes with a hint of golden-silver light deep within in, but his aim is faulty, and it skitters off that brownish carapace.
GAME: Erendriel casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17 GAME: Erendriel rolls ranged: (3)+7: 10
Erendriel sees the bug when everyone else alerts. Unusually slow reaction for her. But she fires off fire at the thing, not managing to hit it, and backs up a bit to keep her distance.
GAME: Hun'rar rolls melee-2+2: (18)+15+-2+2: 33 GAME: Hun'rar rolls melee+2-2: (10)+15+2+-2: 25 GAME: Hun'rar rolls melee+2-2: (2)+15+2+-2: 17 GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d4+13: (2)+13: 15 GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d4+13: (3)+13: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+15: (1)+15: 16 (EPIC FAIL)
Hun'rar lashes out with razor sharp claws and fangs, the tallons scoring deep strikes as Hun'rar channels his inner Draconic fury.
The bug continues to wave its antena feebly at Hunrar. Well it's one antenna. The other one got chopped off by the swing of a claw. It seems quite irritated with it's currently injured condition, but its attacks are to no avail.
GAME: Malik rolls Disable Device + 4: (14)+8: 22 GAME: Malik rolls Reflex + 2: (6)+6+2: 14
Malik takes a breath, reaching into his vest to find one of those little tools that he carries with him at all times. He closes his eyes, using the little piece of metal to feel along the surface of the ... glass? Sure, we'll go with glass. There, in a small part, is a flaw. A tiny point that's too subtle to be felt with the fingers. He raises his fist, slamming the sharp end of the metal into the weak point, shattering the surface as he spills out, landing in a slight roll. But now, there's a bug to deal with too, and potentially sharp objects falling around.
GAME: Seldan rolls weapon1+2: (18)+7+2: 27
GAME: {*} Seldan rolls 1d8+3+1: (5)+3+1: 9
Swinging sideways didn't appear to accomplish much, so Seldan changes his approach, turning the blade as if to pin it neatly to the tower floor. This approach finds paydirt, punching through the carapace and into its innards.
GAME: Erendriel casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17 GAME: Erendriel rolls ranged: (9)+7: 16 GAME: Erendriel rolls ranged: (5)+7: 12 GAME: Erendriel rolls 4d6: (13): 13 GAME: Hun'rar rolls 2d4+26: (6)+26: 32 GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d4+13: (1)+13: 14
Hun'rar can't quite get a good bite on it but on the other hand does he really want to bite a bug? His claws do find purchase however, one finding a weak point and driving deep into the soft innards of the insect, ichor flowing out. "Gross." is all Hun'rar has to say.
Seldan pulls his blade out after the bug slumps defeated to the floor, and examines it. Eeeuw. A quick cantrip, and the yellowish-green entrails lacing the blade vanish as if they never existed. He sheathes the blade and looks around for Malik, fairly slumping in relief as he spots the other man amid the shards on the floor. "Are you all right?"
GAME: Seldan casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13
Erendriel takes a deep breath when the bug is down, and has seen that Malik is out and apparently fine. "So, guys. We were hired to investigate. We promised not to break anything. And almost every single room we've been in has um, been trapped and trying to kill us. Are we sure we want to keep going up? That big guy outside is nice and I don't want him mad at us."
Even as you talk the shards of glass from the mirror rise up off the ground and fly up into the air. Repairing the mirror as if it had never been broken.
GAME: Erendriel rolls spellcraft: (12)+8: 20
Hun'rar nods to Erendriel as his fangs and claws recede back to normal teeth and fingers. "Seems like, this place looks like it has been looted already, the blood we saw likely from others trying to infiltrate this place. A shame considering what we have passed but prudent all the same." he adds with a sigh.
Malik stuffs the little took back into his vest, smoothing it out seamlessly. He looks like he's about to step to answer the other questions, but then glass is levitating back upward toward the ceiling, causing him to sidestep the sharp debris. "Been worse," he finally answers, giving Seldan an easy smile. "Compared to you guys, I was relatively safe. Nothing was trying to -eat- me." Though he keeps his eyes decidedly downcast, avoiding glancing up at the reflection again now that the mirror is seemingly repairing itself. Fast learner. "Going back isn't really an option. The door's gone," he reminds them. "Pretty much the only way out is gonna be through, assuming there's an 'out'."
Erendriel shakes her head and pats her pack. "Malik, we can use the scroll to get back to the prime material plane, so we can make our report. And let me tel you something. Whatever just mended that mirror, it wasn't directly related to the mirror. That was some OTHER high level mending effect on that. Which means it's possible we're being watched. It's possible our friend outside may now try to kill us the moment we step outside."
"If we leave now, our report will be incomplete, Erendriel," Seldan points out. "We have come this far, and can leave when we choose. I would see this through. He nods to Malik in acknowledgement. "Her blessings that it was but one of us trapped." He looks around, but pointedly not up, for their next path.
-TBC