This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
OOC: Welcome back!
Xel recites the poem at the different trees marked with sigils, but notices no weakening of the barrier.
OOC: I'm providing details about the magical aura because Xel cast Detect Magic, but you can't use the spell to disarm the trap. Based on what you've learned, you must recite the poem, then touch the sigils in the correct order. If you touch them in the incorrect order, the barrier will not fall; you will also trigger any traps that are still active. You'll need to recite the poem again for another chance to bring the barrier down.
Speaking of active traps -- all the evocation traps have been triggered, but some of the necromancy traps are still active. Xel knows this will animate any corpses located near the trees.
HDP rolls hit dice and wakes up with 5 hit points.
"Mein Gott," the Herr Doktor Professor says as he regains consciousness. He seems amazed to be alive.
Xel instructs Epos and Khial - "It would be best to move the remaining corpses as far as you can from this place. There still is present a magical trap that will animate them like the creatures we have already fought. I think for the magic to work they need to be near the tree but I cannot say for sure. To be certain that they will not be a threat in case they do animate, severe their limbs from their bodies. Maybe this will at least prevent them from moving if I am wrong."
Xel explains to HDP: "Well Herr Doktor, we are not "out of the woods" yet. Xel inwardly smiles - apparently living on the edge will make anyone, even himself, crack the lowest of puns and find them amusing.
Epos pokes the corpses with some fallen branches to test for any reaction. OOC: Assuming no effect... He constructs a clumsy sled to help move the corpses a bunch a time 80 feet away from the ring of trees until there are none left.
Epos is able to move the corpses away from the trees without incident.
"So have you three finally figured out how to bring down that magical barrier," the Herr Doktor Professor asks with pointed acidity. Xel, Epos, and Khial suspect the Herr Doktor Professor is feeling better -- his usual snarkiness has returned.
OOC: Please tell me in what order you plan to touch the sigils.
Epos talks to the group: Xel mentioned earlier that the trees have some relation to Tiamat. To wit:
"Given that the sigils on the trees which serve as the anchors of the barrier all have the Cult of the Dragon sigil carved into them, the reference to Tiamat in the poem and the deaths of the goblinoids from the traditional breath weapon attacks of evil chromatic dragons (with five trees which represent each of the five heads of Tiamat), Xel theorizes that there might be a way to either deactivate the barrier or allow a person passage. Using the clues from the poem, Xel suggests touching each sigil in a counterclockwise fashion, or as the poem mentions, from left to right - starting from K11, L9, K7, H8, and finally I12. This hopefully will allow us entry to the clearing. He cautions the party that this is only a theory and quite possibly be wrong."
Now, I have know knowledge of this K11, L9, K7, H8 and finally I12. I passed it off as Wizard speak, that was intended to fly over a beggar's head -- the monk feigns an insulted expression -- But on the, ahem, albeit, minuscule (the monk ribs xel with a teasing smirk) chance that Xel's conjecture is correct, perhaps we should try it in that order. Or perhaps we should try to follow the order, left to right, of Tiamat's heads, with the sigil representing the middle head as the 3rd one we press.
"So you haven't brought the barrier down yet," the Herr Doktor Professor asks, incredulous. "I've walk back from the land of the dead into the land of the living! What have you three done in that time?!?"
OOC: Maybe you guys should start pressing the sigils? Give me the order in terms of dragon's heads, since you've already correctly identified (through very painful trial and error) which tree is meant to represent which of Tiamat's dragon heads.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Xel dryly states: "Just be thankful you were able to make it back at all."
OOC: Can I get the order of the heads from weakest to strongest?
Religion Check: 12
History Check: 22
OOC: And just to double check, is there any chance Xel has come across or heard about the poem , in connection with Tiamat or the Cult of the Dragon? It may be a common verse when it comes to those who worship Tiamat.
OOC: Nothing in what Xel has read about the Cult of the Dragon gives him any insight into the poem. Does your order of heads from weakest to strongest conform to the types of dragons? If that's the case, you would press white, black, green, blue, then red. Is that the order in which you press the sigils?
OOC: Yes, from the weakest dragon head to that of the strongest. From left to right - from weakest to strongest.
Xel straightens out his robes as best he can.
Xel tells the group: "Let's try this again shall we. I hope that Mystra is kind and that this works else I fear I may end up seeing her much sooner than originally anticipated. Epos, Khial, HDB, some distance behind me when I do this and please do keep in mind where the attacks reach so you are not in its range of effect. We have experienced the attacks firsthand or have seen the aftereffects so please be guided by the scorch marks and blackened earth. I suggest you have bandages and the whatever medical aid we still have ready if this is once again unsuccessful since I may need the help."
Xel tells HDP: "I do hope this treasure we are seeking is worth all this effort."
OOC: Xel waits for all the preparations to be be made and his companions to get into position. He will cast Detect Magic again if he feels that it is close to expiring. Once everything is ready he will recite the poem and press the sigils in the order of white, black, green, blue and finally red.
To Xel's enhanced sight, the barrier wavers after he recites the poem, but strengthens again after the final sigil is pressed. That isn't the correct combination.
He also notices that the remaining necromatic spells were triggered, but since there were no corpses nearby (thanks to Epos), no zombies or skeletons rose up.
OOC: What is the left to right position of Tiamat's heads, in traditional Faerun ethos. Assuming this is common knowledge, Xel will try the process again - reciting the poem and pressing the sigils in the suggested order (following the left to right position of the heads of Tiamat as seen from her body, with the red head (being the center head ) in the middle of the order.
Xel adopts Epos' suggestion. Warning again the companions to be alert.
"Why do you not press the sigils yourself, Epos," the Herr Doktor Professor asks.
OOC: Anyone can press the sigils after reciting the poem, even non-spellcasters. From left-to-right (from Tiamat's perspective, or from an observer's?), what are the sigils Epos wants to press: ? - ? - Red - ? - ?
Epos recites the poem, and then starts pressing the sigils in color order from Tiamat's left to Tiamat's right, taking cues from Xel as to which is which (OOC: Sorry don't know the order, which is why Epos passed it off to Xel)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Khial wanders to M17 and vigilantly watches as the rest of his companions try to solve the sigil problem. "I think my distance is far enough from this point", he thinks to himself. He performs a stealth check just to make sure nobody jumps him from behind: 25
Xel's magic-enhanced eyes see the magical barrier drop. At the same time, everyone sees an open chest suddenly appear in the center of the grove. The Herr Doktor Professor barrels past everyone to get to the chest first.
OOC: Everyone earns 100 xp for finally defeating the Dragon Grove trap.
The Herr Doktor Professor begins to unceremoniously throw items out of the chest. These include a sturdy wooden box that hits the ground with sound of breaking glass, a large sack with the unmistakable clink of coins within it, a scroll that opens to reveal a map, and an orb made of some smoky crystal. As the orb hits the ground, a sinister voice begins to speak from it:
"Captain Dar of The Chill mercenary company -- as agreed following your meeting with our representatives in Scornubel, you will find here the first part of your payment. Your mission is to disrupt the trade routes along the Sword Coast by attacking any and all merchant caravans you can find. Remember not to concentrate your activities within a single area! We want the great cities of the region on edge and jumping at shadows. If they are kept busy trying to find your mercenaries, they will be unable to investigate our activities until it is too late. Once we succeed, we will honor the second part of our bargain and use The Chill as the foundation for a new standing army of the Cult.
"Once you check the map provided for you, you will find that the caches containing the other parts of your payment will be found throughout the Greypeak Mountains -- from their foothills to their very peaks. This was done for two reasons. Firstly, whether you like it or not Captain Dar, you will now be forced to keep your forces on the move -- at least if you want to keep getting paid! Secondly, use the coin we provide to recruit from the hobgoblin, goblin, and bugbear tribes that live in the Greypeak Mountains. Remember that, per our contract, any treasure you take from the caravans belongs to The Chill. The larger an army you field, the more plunder you will be able to acquire."
The Herr Doktor Professor ignores the message from the orb, however. He lets out a cheer as he pulls an old but well-made lute from the chest.
"At last," he says, and starts to wipe the dust from the lute with his sleeves.
OOC: Are the Chill mercenaries still operating at this point, or have they been stopped with the downfall of Tiamat? Would Epos have heard any news about this as he moved along the roads?
OOC: The Chill is a mercenary hobgoblin band (most humans just see them as bandits, though) that has been operating in the Sword Coast region for almost two hundred years. They lie low from time to time, but they eventually resurface again. That's common knowledge to all of you. Make a Charisma check (from talking to others, etc.) to see if you've learned anything more.
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OOC: Welcome back!
Xel recites the poem at the different trees marked with sigils, but notices no weakening of the barrier.
OOC: I'm providing details about the magical aura because Xel cast Detect Magic, but you can't use the spell to disarm the trap. Based on what you've learned, you must recite the poem, then touch the sigils in the correct order. If you touch them in the incorrect order, the barrier will not fall; you will also trigger any traps that are still active. You'll need to recite the poem again for another chance to bring the barrier down.
Speaking of active traps -- all the evocation traps have been triggered, but some of the necromancy traps are still active. Xel knows this will animate any corpses located near the trees.
HDP rolls hit dice and wakes up with 5 hit points.
"Mein Gott," the Herr Doktor Professor says as he regains consciousness. He seems amazed to be alive.
Xel instructs Epos and Khial - "It would be best to move the remaining corpses as far as you can from this place. There still is present a magical trap that will animate them like the creatures we have already fought. I think for the magic to work they need to be near the tree but I cannot say for sure. To be certain that they will not be a threat in case they do animate, severe their limbs from their bodies. Maybe this will at least prevent them from moving if I am wrong."
Xel explains to HDP: "Well Herr Doktor, we are not "out of the woods" yet. Xel inwardly smiles - apparently living on the edge will make anyone, even himself, crack the lowest of puns and find them amusing.
Epos pokes the corpses with some fallen branches to test for any reaction. OOC: Assuming no effect... He constructs a clumsy sled to help move the corpses a bunch a time 80 feet away from the ring of trees until there are none left.
Epos is able to move the corpses away from the trees without incident.
"So have you three finally figured out how to bring down that magical barrier," the Herr Doktor Professor asks with pointed acidity. Xel, Epos, and Khial suspect the Herr Doktor Professor is feeling better -- his usual snarkiness has returned.
OOC: Please tell me in what order you plan to touch the sigils.
Epos talks to the group: Xel mentioned earlier that the trees have some relation to Tiamat. To wit:
"Given that the sigils on the trees which serve as the anchors of the barrier all have the Cult of the Dragon sigil carved into them, the reference to Tiamat in the poem and the deaths of the goblinoids from the traditional breath weapon attacks of evil chromatic dragons (with five trees which represent each of the five heads of Tiamat), Xel theorizes that there might be a way to either deactivate the barrier or allow a person passage. Using the clues from the poem, Xel suggests touching each sigil in a counterclockwise fashion, or as the poem mentions, from left to right - starting from K11, L9, K7, H8, and finally I12. This hopefully will allow us entry to the clearing. He cautions the party that this is only a theory and quite possibly be wrong."
Now, I have know knowledge of this K11, L9, K7, H8 and finally I12. I passed it off as Wizard speak, that was intended to fly over a beggar's head -- the monk feigns an insulted expression -- But on the, ahem, albeit, minuscule (the monk ribs xel with a teasing smirk) chance that Xel's conjecture is correct, perhaps we should try it in that order. Or perhaps we should try to follow the order, left to right, of Tiamat's heads, with the sigil representing the middle head as the 3rd one we press.
"So you haven't brought the barrier down yet," the Herr Doktor Professor asks, incredulous. "I've walk back from the land of the dead into the land of the living! What have you three done in that time?!?"
OOC: Maybe you guys should start pressing the sigils? Give me the order in terms of dragon's heads, since you've already correctly identified (through very painful trial and error) which tree is meant to represent which of Tiamat's dragon heads.
Xel dryly states: "Just be thankful you were able to make it back at all."
OOC: Can I get the order of the heads from weakest to strongest?
Religion Check: 12
History Check: 22
OOC: And just to double check, is there any chance Xel has come across or heard about the poem , in connection with Tiamat or the Cult of the Dragon? It may be a common verse when it comes to those who worship Tiamat.
History Check: 10
OOC: Nothing in what Xel has read about the Cult of the Dragon gives him any insight into the poem. Does your order of heads from weakest to strongest conform to the types of dragons? If that's the case, you would press white, black, green, blue, then red. Is that the order in which you press the sigils?
OOC: Yes, from the weakest dragon head to that of the strongest. From left to right - from weakest to strongest.
Xel straightens out his robes as best he can.
Xel tells the group: "Let's try this again shall we. I hope that Mystra is kind and that this works else I fear I may end up seeing her much sooner than originally anticipated. Epos, Khial, HDB, some distance behind me when I do this and please do keep in mind where the attacks reach so you are not in its range of effect. We have experienced the attacks firsthand or have seen the aftereffects so please be guided by the scorch marks and blackened earth. I suggest you have bandages and the whatever medical aid we still have ready if this is once again unsuccessful since I may need the help."
Xel tells HDP: "I do hope this treasure we are seeking is worth all this effort."
OOC: Xel waits for all the preparations to be be made and his companions to get into position. He will cast Detect Magic again if he feels that it is close to expiring. Once everything is ready he will recite the poem and press the sigils in the order of white, black, green, blue and finally red.
To Xel's enhanced sight, the barrier wavers after he recites the poem, but strengthens again after the final sigil is pressed. That isn't the correct combination.
He also notices that the remaining necromatic spells were triggered, but since there were no corpses nearby (thanks to Epos), no zombies or skeletons rose up.
Try again!
Epos suggests to Xel to go from left to right of Tiamat's heads, with red as the 3rd sigil pressed...
OOC: What is the left to right position of Tiamat's heads, in traditional Faerun ethos. Assuming this is common knowledge, Xel will try the process again - reciting the poem and pressing the sigils in the suggested order (following the left to right position of the heads of Tiamat as seen from her body, with the red head (being the center head ) in the middle of the order.
Xel adopts Epos' suggestion. Warning again the companions to be alert.
"Why do you not press the sigils yourself, Epos," the Herr Doktor Professor asks.
OOC: Anyone can press the sigils after reciting the poem, even non-spellcasters. From left-to-right (from Tiamat's perspective, or from an observer's?), what are the sigils Epos wants to press: ? - ? - Red - ? - ?
Epos recites the poem, and then starts pressing the sigils in color order from Tiamat's left to Tiamat's right, taking cues from Xel as to which is which (OOC: Sorry don't know the order, which is why Epos passed it off to Xel)
Epos is very sure he's close to the solution ...
OOC: Give me the exact color combination, please.
Epos presses White-Blue-Red-Green-Black
Khial wanders to M17 and vigilantly watches as the rest of his companions try to solve the sigil problem. "I think my distance is far enough from this point", he thinks to himself. He performs a stealth check just to make sure nobody jumps him from behind: 25
OOC: At last!
Xel's magic-enhanced eyes see the magical barrier drop. At the same time, everyone sees an open chest suddenly appear in the center of the grove. The Herr Doktor Professor barrels past everyone to get to the chest first.
OOC: Everyone earns 100 xp for finally defeating the Dragon Grove trap.
The Herr Doktor Professor begins to unceremoniously throw items out of the chest. These include a sturdy wooden box that hits the ground with sound of breaking glass, a large sack with the unmistakable clink of coins within it, a scroll that opens to reveal a map, and an orb made of some smoky crystal. As the orb hits the ground, a sinister voice begins to speak from it:
"Captain Dar of The Chill mercenary company -- as agreed following your meeting with our representatives in Scornubel, you will find here the first part of your payment. Your mission is to disrupt the trade routes along the Sword Coast by attacking any and all merchant caravans you can find. Remember not to concentrate your activities within a single area! We want the great cities of the region on edge and jumping at shadows. If they are kept busy trying to find your mercenaries, they will be unable to investigate our activities until it is too late. Once we succeed, we will honor the second part of our bargain and use The Chill as the foundation for a new standing army of the Cult.
"Once you check the map provided for you, you will find that the caches containing the other parts of your payment will be found throughout the Greypeak Mountains -- from their foothills to their very peaks. This was done for two reasons. Firstly, whether you like it or not Captain Dar, you will now be forced to keep your forces on the move -- at least if you want to keep getting paid! Secondly, use the coin we provide to recruit from the hobgoblin, goblin, and bugbear tribes that live in the Greypeak Mountains. Remember that, per our contract, any treasure you take from the caravans belongs to The Chill. The larger an army you field, the more plunder you will be able to acquire."
The Herr Doktor Professor ignores the message from the orb, however. He lets out a cheer as he pulls an old but well-made lute from the chest.
"At last," he says, and starts to wipe the dust from the lute with his sleeves.
OOC: Are the Chill mercenaries still operating at this point, or have they been stopped with the downfall of Tiamat? Would Epos have heard any news about this as he moved along the roads?
OOC: The Chill is a mercenary hobgoblin band (most humans just see them as bandits, though) that has been operating in the Sword Coast region for almost two hundred years. They lie low from time to time, but they eventually resurface again. That's common knowledge to all of you. Make a Charisma check (from talking to others, etc.) to see if you've learned anything more.