No Rest for the Dead in Avlor

OOC - For the DM, just so I can visualise it, is the lock part of the chest, or does it have a padlock?  Was thinking I could potentially use thieves tools to lock the chest once the whirlwind is contained.

Ooc: So Shale here is the strongest (+2mod) of those of us immune to poison and I could give myself guidance to help. However, if Jarl is willing he could change into a strong beast and then I could help. Once we have some clear space we just have to wait out the rest of the 10min for it to dissipate.

DM, you said it would be Str vs DC, and not Str (Ath)?

I can maintain concentration on a spell while wildshape, does that mean I can also choose to drop concentration while wildshaped? Also, does whatever I transform into have the benefits of the Feast, or would I have to try and pick something that has a high strength and is also immune to poison?

Quote from ceuk24 >>

OOC - For the DM, just so I can visualise it, is the lock part of the chest, or does it have a padlock?  Was thinking I could potentially use thieves tools to lock the chest once the whirlwind is contained.

 It's part of the chest but you can still try to relock it with thieves' tools.

Quote from Saute_Monkey >>

DM, you said it would be Str vs DC, and not Str (Ath)?

 Yeah, I think this is just a brute strength thing, not so much a trained one. For help on a skill check I would normally require that both characters have proficiency to grant advantage; for a straight strength check it still feels like someone stronger should be more effective at helping than someone weaker, so I'll say you can have advantage and use the sum of your modifiers. (This is very much homebrew, to be clear)

Quote from pocketmouse >>

I can maintain concentration on a spell while wildshape, does that mean I can also choose to drop concentration while wildshaped? Also, does whatever I transform into have the benefits of the Feast, or would I have to try and pick something that has a high strength and is also immune to poison?

 You can definitely drop concentration. I haven't been able to find a definitive ruling on benefits granted on a spell, but I don't see any reason you wouldn't carry over the benefit (if you picked something vulnerable to poison, I guess I'd maybe say that downgraded immunity to resistance or something). I think the only things you don't retain are things specifically called out in the wild shape text, or abilities that you physically couldn't use in your new form.

“I can transform, but if I do that I won’t be able to cast any spells until I transform back, so someone else might want to be ready to counter whatever spells the other chests have, though I don’t mind being a buffer in case they have more targeted spells.” (In wildshape Jarl is willing to be the one in front of the chest if someone opens the lid from behind, to tank any damage if it’s not an AOE spell)

OoC: I can also use Enlarge and make someone double their size and 8 times as heavy if that helps.

OOC: Enlarge also gives advantage on strength checks.

     "So we trying to stuff this thing back in the chest?" Shale stows he staff and shield and walks over to the chest. He spits in his and and rubs them together. "We ready to do this?"

(Once unlocked we have ways to open the chests - I think - without anyone having to 'tank' the damage.)

Balian

Fidgeting with an assortment of small tools used to poke, prod and manipulate, the half-elf mock-salutes the genasi with a grin.  "Ready when you are, boss.  Let's see how good your chest-wrestling skills are."

So are we doing Wildshape or Enlarge?

OoC It's a significant spell slot for Enlarge and it only lasts a minute

Yeah, so long as we get another short rest Jarl can recover his wildshape, so he'll go ahead and wildshape into a Crag Cat.

Ok, so Jarl and Shale are going to try to hold the chest closed while Balian tries to lock it? Jarl or Shale, make a DC 16 STR check at +5 with advantage. If that's successful, Balian, make a Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check.

   Shale says a quick prayer for some help and gives a nod to cat-Jarl. "You ready to kill the wind machine?"

Str check 16

Between reliable talent and expertise, Balian can't actually fail his thieves' tools check, even blinded, so we can skip the roll.

Together Jarlcat and Shale manage to feel their way to the chest lid and hold it closed against the pressure of the magical cyclone within it just long enough for Balian to make his reverse lockpick attempt, which he does with flair despite being unable to see what he is doing. The chest is now locked with much of the noxious gas sealed inside, and the remaining gas cloud leaves a 10 ft gap on the east and west ends of the room, stopping just before the two other chests, and a 5 ft gap on the north end, stopping just before the bookshelf with the brain on it. The desk remains in the cloud.

Squiggles would like to investigate the bookshelf, looking to see if it can be moved or if there might be some sort of trigger in it.

Investigation: 19

OoC: Good. Lord. These. Rolls. 

It's mounted on iron braces that appear to be bolted into the stone. You don't see any indication of a trigger or anything movable about it.

"Maybe I should set the *bookcase* on fire?"

DM: How heavy is the desk? Is it movable? Could we drag it over?