Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

Giving a lopsided amused grin at Velan's statement that they could both walk on their feet, she wasn't sure if he thought he could carry her or if he simply didn't want to be carried by her. Either way, it was a non issue now thankfully. She watched as the wizard set forward and tensed, her smile dropping as the blades were activated. But watching him reach the other side safely made her shift her weight on either feet, glancing backwards over her shoulder before sighing. "Maybe we should have done the duo thing after all... Maybe now that I know it's comin', it'll help me avoid it better." She called out after the rest of the group. Dilly dallying only a little longer, the elf murmured a small prayer for Guidance before attempting to recreate what Velan did to make it safely across. 

DEX Save: 6
Guidance: 1

Danica darts across the area of the bladed traps, ready to spring to safety if necessary... but the traps do not trigger. 

Climbing the ledges and following the tiles marked by Ran, the five of you are all able to bypass the rest of the traps.

Any who climb the last ledge come face to face with stone door.  The ceiling here is 9' high.  The door has no discernable latch or handle.  It has the grid mentioned before, and certain squares are still magically illuminated as in the pattern shown in post #998.

Making high quick steps as she sprinted across the way, Danica skidded to a stop before glancing backwards in mild confusion. "Didn't think I was that fast...huh. Any guesses as to why it didn't go off for me but did for you?" Nodding over at Velan before focusing back on the others. Thanks to the easily marked tiles, she trailed behind, always looking back to make sure nothing would take them by surprise. Looking over the door with the illuminated squares, she glances back once more but not out of paranoia. "Ye think we need to stand on those squares for the door to open or just walk across em again? Or....touch the squares on the door?"  The sailor hazarded a weak guess. 

The touching part was quite simple to check. Meili did it without even thinking, almost instinctively. If there was no effect what's so ever, she would nod and walk back to the first "correct" square farthest from the door.

Mica helped pull Danica up to the ledge in front of the door, happy to have the whole group together again.  As Meili touches the tiles, he places one hand on his axe and looks around for any traps or threats that react to her actions.

“I honestly don’t know if I feel offended that this thing triggered only with me or just happy that you didn’t get hurt.” He said reflecting the possibility that the trap reacted to his blood. Considering it didn’t trigger with Mica or Danica, it certainly didn’t see to respond to the presence of primal magic. “It may have something to do with the spellcraft I can use, but it can also be a simple different of luck. Either I was too unlucky or you was lucky enough for it to not tricker. Either way, you may be right about the back carrying thing.” And saying so he snaped his fingers, temporarily dismissing his familiar into a pocket dimension. “Ninlil.” The wizard called as the owl appear on his shoulder, seemingly from nothing. “Now we are in an even number.

Velan casted his eyes upon the next section of their way. Maybe, just maybe, he had heard or read something about this kind of door. Much like the druid he doubted it wouldn’t be trapped and they would easily get by. 

“I think it is worth the try. I mean, this thing is most likely magic but maybe there is a physical way to open it too.” He suggests observing the door, trying to remember if he saw or read anything about this kind of structure.

Notes: Does Velan knows something about this kind of door? (Intelligence Skill [Velan has the same bonus in all Int skills] check below).

21

Velan:

Meili:

Meili put her palm on the square and slightly pressed it.

1

Meili, you press your palm on the bottom-most of the lighted squares.  The light goes out when you touch it, leaving three more lit squares.  Touching the rest of the lit squares in order, moving up, the all are extinguished one by one.  Upon pressing the last square, the door shudders.  Velan, you see the outline of the glyph of warding illuminate.  There is a low rumble, like thunder, and the glyph rotates like a combination lock, before it falls off the door like sand.  

With the sound of rushing air, the door breaks loose from its seal and slides open, revealing a final room at the end of this trapped corridor.

The floor of this dusty, 40-foot-high, 20-foot-wide chamber is littered with dinosaur bones. Webs stretch from the walls to a 30-foot-tall central pillar, coiled around which is a narrow stone staircase, its steps covered with dust. Carved into the pillar are reliefs of a man carrying a crocodile. The reliefs follow the stairs to the top of the pillar, on which sits a large, beautiful, ceramic jug.  The staircase that spirals around the pillar is 2 feet wide, and each step is 1 foot higher than the one below it.

Not even thinking about potential traps (careless, probably, but Meili got caught in the moment) she pressed one square after another extinguishing the light. It seemed counterproductive, so, when the door shuddered Meili almost jumped in place. But then watched with the open mouth the reveal of the last secret of this strange temple.

"It really worked," the girl whispered as if still not fully believing. "Do you think it is safe to step in?" Not sure, she searched around for a pebble or a bone (outside the door) to throw in first.

Meili tosses a pebble into the chamber.  It skitters across the floor leaving a little trail through the dust.  Nothing else happens.

Mica watches as Meili’s pebble scatters harmlessly through the dust and enters the room.  He moves to look at the nearest set of bones, trying to determine what animal they belonged to and if they were used in some type of ritual  “How did these dinosaurs get in here?”  His eyes turn to the jar at the top of the pillar “Now what do you think is in that? Probably something good, they put an awful lot of tricks in between the front door and here.”

Perception: 11.

Survival (for the bones): 11.

.

“I doubt it is safe, at least entirely, considering that the door the just opened was rigged with a Glyph of Warding. A spell that function as an explosive rune or contain in itself the effect of a different spell all together. The caster can decide what exactly triggers the activation of the glyph and if our way here is any indication I would say the one we avoided had a damaging spell.” But for how long could that particular glyph be inscribed? The wizard honestly would love to take his time studying the spell. There was so much history and arcane knowledge that he could extract there. Alas, there was no time. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the bones are there to hide further traps. Maybe they reanimate and attack us the moment we step inside.”

It was a classic defense mechanism in dungeons and Chultean magic, specially tied with religion, seemed to enjoy the use of Necromancy. If I was a necromancer, Velan thought, those bones alone would make for a treasure trove.

“The only thing I see is that jar. Maybe it is magic?” He was half tempted to attempt fetching it with Mage Hand, but in all likelihood the thing was to heavy for the rudimentary spell. “I think we will need to use the carrying on the back strategy again.” He concluded scouting the chamber with his eyes, trying to notice any more trapping.

Investigation Check:  24

Meili nodded. "If Mica is willing. Would be easier to reach too. The jug does look important... What do you think is inside?" Of course, to answer this question one would have to get there. And judging by the bones around, the answer could be less thrilling, but Meili was now to curious to simply wait.

Mica:

 Velan:

Mica kneels next to one of the piles of bones “These look like the pack dinosaurs we saw back at the port. But they are young and there are no signs of violence.  Perhaps they were sealed here as an offering or guardians?”  He looks up at Meili’s comment “Yes, let’s see what is in the jar.  Climb back on my shoulders if you think it will help.”  He helps Meili get settled on his shoulders and then moves to the staircase, looking intently at the staircase for any sign of traps.  Perception: 16.

.

Mica, the stairs show no sign of tripwires or other perils.  However, they are narrow, curved, and rise sharply.  With Meili riding on your shoulders, balance is difficult.  Both Meili and Mica must make an acrobatics check against DC 10.  As long as at least one of you succeeds, you are able to maintain your balance and reach the jug.  If both of you fail, you stumble off the staircase each taking 2 bludgeoning damage from the fall.

Ran watches Mica and Meili as they try to balance as one. While they work at that, he makes sure to keep watch in case they set something off and danger shows up quickly.

Perception: 6