Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Grimgravy]

Pondering the mystery of the pillar's constructions, Rhenmyr gives a section a tentative push trying to see if it will rotate into alignment.

 

[nikolokolus]

It doesn't budge and based on its mass you reckon it would take a giant to get it to move.

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

Can I map out handholds to climb up to the spear/shield? Do the carvings seem to tell a coherent story or do they look independent? If the former, how does the misalignment affect the story?

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

There is no coherent "story" from one tier to the next; each scene seems independent. What it looks like though, is that the pillar's sections were assembled shoddily, or perhaps the pillar has shifted on its central axis over time and moved the sections out of their original alignment?

On the positive side, it seems as though there are enough gaps between the sections that you are somewhat confident that you could pull yourself up (a 4d6 Dexterity test, 3d6 if a thief, monk, assassin or barbarian).

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac in shock mentions to Urash what he found. "Urash, this iconography depicts Arawn. I am shocked by this. Maybe the Picts and Kelts were more alike long ago than I was led to believe." Cormac pulls out his parchment and pen and begins to copy as much iconography as possible. "I think I will study this later, if I can make more sense of it."

 

[L'ennui]

"Interesting, friend! To be honest, I sometimes mix up your average Pict and your average Kelt... to an outsider's eyes, at least, you are not so dissimilar!"

 

[Grimgravy]

Growing impatient waiting for the bard to return, Rhenmyr leans his makeshift pole against the column and tries to climb just high enough to use the pole to try and knock the items down.
Climbing (15): [4d6] = 19

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr climbs up about five feet, grabs the makeshift pole and starts trying to hit the spear and shield. Unfortunately the pole bends and flexes quite a bit and proves to be very unwieldy. Moments later you fall into the pile of furs; unscathed but a little embarrassed. You quickly realize that it's probably not feasible to knock the shield and spear off of the peg this way. For one thing, the pole doesn't seem strong enough (or controllable enough) to realistically lift the tether between the two objects, that is slung over the wooden peg.

Hint

Here's what it's going to take to succeed using your current plan of attack: A successful climb check up to the spear and shield and then lifting the two items off of the pllar by hand. If you fail, you fall 20 feet but only take 1d6 points of damage because of the furs. This can be attempted muiltiple times if you want.

If you want to change tactics and try to cut the tether that holds the spear and shield with a ranged attack you must hit AC 18. any thrown (edged) weapon or arrow that misses is going to stick into the pillar (50%) or possibly shatter* (50%). You can keep doing this until you run out of arrows or throwing weapons. A succeesful hit for even 1 point of damage will cut the leather thong.

EDIT: *a thrown weapon might shatter, it will need to pass a saving throw if it hits a stone section of the pillar

 

[Grimgravy]

"Bah! Uselss!" Rhenmyr tosses the makeshift pole aside tries another ascent. Climbing (15): [4d6] = 14

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr climbs up the precarious surface of the pillar. To your chagrin a couple of sections of the pillar palpably "wobble" beneath your feet and hands, but you make it to eye level with the shield and spear.

Up close you immediately note their expert craftsmanship. The small bronze shield's surface is covered with intricate etchings of stylized snakes in intricate knot patterns around the edge. Similarly, the short-hafted spear is forged from a solid piece of bronze, with embossed scales along its length and a stylized viper's head for a point.

All that stands between you and possession of the spear and shield is to simply lift it from its wooden peg and drop it to the floor below.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Well, here we go..." Rhenmyr takes the time to examine the pegs the spear and shield hang from. If they don't look trapped or pressure sensitive, he takes the the spear first. Holding it head up as low as he safely can, he drops it the the furs below. He repeats with the shield if he can't sling it over his back by the thong.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr takes a moment to examine the peg for any obvious traps. Unsure what to look for, he shrugs his shoulders and hopes for the best. He lifts the spear with his left hand and gently lifts it. To his great dismay and horror the unweighted peg immediately recedes into the pillar and a great groaning, creaking noise begins to fill the chamber and a deep rumble reverberates off the chamber's walls. A second later the pillar's segments begin to rotate against each other -- the wood sections clockwise and the stone anti-clockwise -- and little bits of stone and earth start to rain down from the ceiling overhead.

Spoiler

Really sorry to do this to you buddy. Truly.

I need two rolls: First roll a saving throw to see if you fall from the pillar (or if you can jump cleanly on to the furs). Second roll "initiative" (not initiative per se, but your reaction timing is important in this trap as to when you act and what happens in a given initiative segment).

 

[Grimgravy]

Spoiler

Damn those ancient tomb builders and their superior engineering! It's been fun, guys.

To Save: [1d20] = 10
Initiative [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

nikolokolus From the other room, do we hear the great "groaning" noise when the mechanism springs into action?

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Damn those ancient tomb builders and their superior engineering! It's been fun, guys.

To Save: [1d20] = 10
Initiative [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4

Rhenmyr is hurled from the pillar and thrown into a corner of the room falling damage [2d6] = 7

Adding to his woes a large block of stone falls from the ceiling right overhead (roll another saving throw, but add +4 to the roll)

Spoiler

nikolokolus From the other room, do we hear the great "groaning" noise when the mechanism springs into action?

A low rumbling sound fills the rest of the tomb and a vibration radiates up through the floor. Something "bad" appears to be happening (everyone roll 3d6 wisdom checks to pinpoint the source).

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Wis roll vs 13:[3d6] = 9

 

[nikolokolus]

Wis roll vs 13:[3d6] = 9

You definitely sense that the source of the disturbance is coming from the direction where Rhenmyr is located. It sounds like a cave-in.

 

[L'ennui]

Wisdom roll vs 10: [3d6] = 9

Urash stiffens at the ominous sound.

"Oh... this can't be good."

He hesitates for a moment, looking at the hole through which Rhenmyr had crawled, but soon lets out a sigh of resignation, not seeing a way to help his certainly endangered comrade.

Urash starts running and makes for the exit through which the thugs and Rashid entered the tomb.

 

[nikolokolus]

Urash is jolted from his trance momentarily, but he maintains concentration on his transcription and doesn't have to start anew deciding that the entire tomb might be in danger of collapse, he abandons his transcription and makes haste for the exit.

Brule extends a hand as Urash carefully picks his way around the pit, His eyes go wide, "What in the Hag's name is going on in there!?"

 

[Grimgravy]

To Save: [1d20+4] = 15+4 = 19

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

[3d6] = 15 VS Wis 16

 

[nikolokolus]

To Save: [1d20+4] = 15+4 = 19

Rhenmyr lands hard on the tile floor as large blocks of stone begin to rain down from the ceiling. Additionally, the pillar looks like it's about to topple as it totters and careens drunkenly in the air. Looking up from his back, Rhenmyr sees a large stone block hurtling toward him and just in the nick of time rolls out of the way before it craters the floor. In the north end of the room (about ten feet away), the shield and spear lay under a small pile of rubble. You are fairly certain you are going to have one shot at getting out of here before the whole thing comes down on you in matter of seconds.

OOC

So here's the deal. You can get out of the hoard room with a 3d6 Strength or Dexterity check (your choice). Meaning you leap for the opening on your move and haul yourself up. If you do anything else (like try run across the room to snatch up the spear and shield) and then evacuate, the test increases to 4d6

 

[nikolokolus]

[3d6] = 15 VS Wis 16

Cormac listens intently as the groaning intensifies and the vibrations in the floor reverberate. You watch as Urash goes streaking down the hallway, but you are not quite as alarmed -- you're fairly certain that whomever built this place left a nasty surprise for tomb robbers, but that the rest of the complex is probably safe (for now).

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

Oops! Thought I'd finished the transcription already.

Coming up to Brule, Urash slows to a jog and finally stops.

"Something collapsed, not sure what but it sounded big! I... I thought the whole place would be crashing down on us. Looks like it's holding for now... blasted tomb."

If there are no further alarming noises after a few moments, Urash will carefully walk back to the room.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Oops! Thought I'd finished the transcription already.

Coming up to Brule, Urash slows to a jog and finally stops.

"Something collapsed, not sure what but it sounded big! I... I thought the whole place would be crashing down on us. Looks like it's holding for now... blasted tomb."

If there are no further alarming noises after a few moments, Urash will carefully walk back to the room.

OOC

No worries. No materials lost, just time which was about one turn so far (six total to learn it)