Phlegm
Number of posts : 801 Registration date : 2007-04-26
| Subject: Stony Ground Tue 22 Jul - 17:13:56 | |
| Stony Ground
Having rested and recuperated we cautiously examined the far end of the corridor where we discovered five humanoid shaped alcoves. I clambered in to one and was immediately clamped in and hurtled to a nearby chamber where I was deposited onto a multi coloured floor, There were four colours of squares and my starting square was illuminated.
I cautiously made my way across the room, the squares lighting up at each new step until I reached the statue of a king on the far side guarding the exit with an outstretched arm. Exiting to the corridor beyond I lost consciousness and recount the rest from the account given me by my comrades afterwards.
Having seen me disappear into the wall, the rest of the party followed in the same manner as soon as possible. Zionestes, Roscoe and Saladin stayed behind whilst the others took the same trip. They were concerned at the coloured squares on the floor and could detect magic throughout the room. They could also see my body on the far side.
Eldras spider climbed across the room avoiding the whole floor colour issue only to collapse as I had when he reached the other side. Barakor tried to pick his way across and was injured when he stepped in the wrong direction, as was Ripven and Holly. The last three arrived only to find all of their predecessors in a heap having fallen asleep as soon as they reached the far side, though Holly had fruitlessly searched the statue first.*
*Sadly not the only statue we would encounter
Roscoe managed to cross with no problem and also searched the statue, discovering the last segment of the key when he clasped its outstretched hand. Zionestes then had an epiphany, crossed the room in a straightforward manner uninjured, turned to share his revelation, and promptly fell asleep. Saladin was also injured making the crossing, but having crossed we all awoke.
Zionestes revealed his insight: The room was a chessboard and we had to cross the room making moves as if we were the chess piece that started on the corresponding starting square. Roscoe and I had escaped injury as Kings; Barakor should have moved diagonally only, Holly and Saladin were rooks, Ripven and Zionestes Knights. D’oh!
We proceeded without further incident muttering darkly about Zionestes’ communication skills until we reached the final mirrored wall complete with the keyhole. We used our completed key and entered a chamber with eight seats. On a hunch we all took seats, no sooner had we done so and the chairs launched us into a chute that sent us tumbling into a mist filled room.
We were somewhat disorientated but gathered our wits* and began a systematic survey of the room. We could only see ten feet because of the mist but there was a light source somewhere at least. We formed a chain and circled clockwise** we were attacked from the air after completing about 300 degrees. A Hieracosphinx swooped down and tackled Barakor.
*Make that non chess playing wits ** Or would have done had they been invented
Eldras decided that a grappling hook would be a great way to fight a flying monster and then decided to try and leap off the dwarf on top of it with a rope. He failed to achieve anything much with this uniquely ineffective tactical approach, designed principally to show off his amazing dexterity and little else.
No sooner had we slain the beast than three pteranodons swooped in to attack and we were forced to endure Eldras tactical improvisation 101 again whilst the rest of us killed the monstrous dinosaurs.
We found the lair of the sphinx, liberally lined with gold and silver and we gathered up close to 3000 gp plus a potion and magic mace that we assigned to Ripven who had aided the combat with his spiritual hammer, (though I felt my magic missiles and ray of enfeeblement were frankly more effective).
We took a flight of stairs that we located in the mist nearby and emerged onto a level that was overgrown with trees and impenetrable undergrowth. A maze like path took us deep into the forest accompanied by strange sounds of unseen birds and insects. Twice we separated only to find ourselves meeting up again as paths twisted back on themselves or dead ended.
Twice in this green hell we were attacked by su monsters dropping from above. I immobilised one with a snake sigil and the other five were despatched in tough close quarter action. We continued deeper into the forested maze and emerged into a clearing where a hooded figure was tending her rose bushes. I naturally hailed the stranger who turned and … well that’s all I remember for a bit.
The figure was a medusa and it had turned Holly and I to stone. Zionestes hung back rather than risk exposure but the rest attacked the fell hag. Eldras tried to reflect its own gaze and almost succeeded, but no cigar. (One job!) Ripven took a bite from the poisonous snake hair but the creature was finally felled from behind by Roscoe. In a chest we discovered a fabulous horde of gems, another potion and bracers of defence that went to Eldras despite him not being n the highest need.
Joy was somewhat tempered by the loss of Holly and I (So they tell me anyway and I do wonder if there were any other goodies they stowed whilst we were out of the picture but hey…). Zionestes now revealed that he had been given the amber ring by Faffleen. He had warned that it was almost expended and should only be used in an emergency. Because it brought Faffleen’s power to bear Eldras wondered if we could use it to try and gain further assistance.
Eldras made mental contact with his fellow Allerzoi with some difficulty and channelled Faffleen’s power through Barakor, who is by the way, apparently the most intelligent party member. Both Eldras and Barakor were badly injured and drained by the experience but were able to channel Faffleen casting Stone to Flesh through the aether and apparently according to a throw away remark made by the mage, through time as well.
I recovered as did the monk, but we were both pretty shattered so it was fortunate that the ring threw out its amber mist for the last time and we all succumbed to a deep but troubled sleep…
Kravaine Characterisation & Roleplay 20 First to try the transport module 100 Ray of enfeeblement 50 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Snake sigil 250 Medusa treasure 2500 Total 3880
Eldras Characterisation & Roleplay 40 Avoiding the floor room 12 100 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500 Channelling Faffleen 500
Total 4300 Barakor Characterisation & Roleplay 20 Healing 50 Mentioning chess in room 12 20 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500 Channelling Faffleen 500
Total 4250 Holly Characterisation & Roleplay 20 Searching the statue 50 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Putting The DM in his place 50 Tactical advice on Medusa 100 Medusa treasure 2500 Total 3680
Saladin/ Grom Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500
Total 3660 Ripven Spiritual Hammer 50 Healing 50 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500
Total 3760 Roscoe Discovering the last key part 250 Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500 Total 3910
Zionestes Hieracosphinx 150 Sphinx treasure 500 Pteranodons 60 Su Monsters 250 Medusa 200 Medusa treasure 2500
Total 3660
Name Class 2nd Class B/F Cumulative Target Current Level Kravaine MU* 4268 55,787 60,045 95,001 ( 7 Eldras T* 4730 50,173 54,903 70,001 ( 7 Barakor F* 2338 C* 2338 26,999 26,999 29,337 29,337 35,001/ 55,001 (6/7) 5/6 Holly M 3680 44,542 48,222 98,001 (7) 6 Grom/ Saladin F* 4026 45,931 49,957 70,001 (7) 6 Roscoe T* 4301 34,578 38,879 42,501 (7) 6 Zionestes C* 4026 47,088 51,114 55,001 (7) 6 Ripven C* 4136 38,597 42,733 55,001 (7) 6
*EP Bonus applied 20.7.14
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