Tomb of Horrors IC (Inevitable Corpses)

Jam Warrior

From what he hopes will be a safe distance, Derek walks up and down the hall firing magic missiles at each orb in turn. For a majority of them the force impacts with the stone wall and nothing more occurs. However as he works his way down the west wall...

As the magic bolt disappears through the illusory surface of the orange orb being held by the painting of the mummy, a dozen or so spears cause you to jump as they stab out through the orb's face and into the room before whipping back out of sight. After catching your breath and moving on, the same spear trap is found to be hiding behind the Bronze sphere being held by the lamia.

The east wall is also found to have two more illusionary orbs, the black sphere held by the hydra half way up the corridor and the red sphere held by the skeleton at the end of the hall with the glowing mist filled arch. With both of these the magic missile simply disappears through the illusion out of sight and elicits no response.

streever

I suspect black is for those of valor--which could mean us? but maybe only lawful good? lets go through the red one, which may stand for blood, and lead to a place where we can dump a useless magic item

Farangu

"So...Black or Red? Hydra or Skeleton?"

streever

"I'd rather face a skeleton than a hydra. I'd rather steal 10 copper off a merchant then seduce his daughter, actually, but I guess that ain't one of the offerin's, here, lads. Let's go through the skelton."

Fondor_Yards

"Come on, let's go through the black one. If the poem was about this, then red will be safer, but I've never fought a hydra before. Besides how big of a hydra could be in here anyways, I can barely fit through these passages."

Steelhawk

With a flouish and a wave, Derek invites the meatshield and scout to go first, gliding into his position in the middle of the marching order.

Jam Warrior

Another crawl way leads on from the red orb. After 40 foot of travel directly away from the hall, the tunnel ends in an abrupt turn to the right and small hatchway. Gently poking the hatch open with a weapon reveals a 30ft square room. The room is barren and empty apart from three closed chests set into the stone floor. Each chest is 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet high. The first chest gleams gold. The second is untarnished silver. The third is oak bound with thick bronze bands.

Steelhawk

Rising to his feet, still atop his ever present Tenser's Floating Disk, Derek glides over to the chests and does his thing, checking for magical traps and other perils.

Arcana = 26

Once finished, he relays any pertinent information to the party and waves Moustaches forwards. "Your turn, good sir."

streever

"It's obviously a trap," Moustaches says, cynically. "Pit 'oles with spikes 'ave gold 'ere, so treasure chests are bound to 'ave traps."

Mike will carefully evaluate the area around the chests, poking at them with his crowbar: Thievery +16

Jam Warrior

You can tell there are magics within the chests but can discern nothing of their nature. The chests are magically bound to the floor and will not be able to be moved from their positions.

Nothing you can see indicates the chests to be locked or trapped, nor can you see anything within the room that might indicate a death trap.

Closer inspection does reveal the chests to have a thin poor quality plating of gold and silver over iron.

streever

Mike points out the cheap plating of the chests to his allies. "I think it's a trap. I'm not openin' em for anything."
Jam, does the bronze chest look cheap too?

Jam Warrior

It's just bronze bands on oak, but it looks genuine.

Fondor_Yards

Which of course means that it is the one that's trapped. And the one I'd probably go for...

Taking a step closer to the third , Ferdinand crouches and gets a closer look at the chest. "I'd say open this one if the others look fake."

Fondor_Yards

Reaching down, Ferdinand opens the bronze chest.

Jam Warrior

Good show that man.

With a burst of white light, an enormous skeletal figure erupts from the oaken chest, its twin scimitars lashing out.



Initiatives please!

streever

"AHHHHHH" Mike screams in frustration, veins popping out of his neck. "Don't touch ANYTHING!"
Initiative: 1d20+8 16

Steelhawk

"Ha ha!" Says Derek from a corner of the room, where he can be heavily protected by meat shields, "Of course it was trapped with an evil fiend inside!"

Initiative = 24

Farangu

Initiative = 14

Fondor_Yards

"Well then Mr.Smarty pants you should say so instead of just standing there in the corner picking your butts! I didn't see any of you coming up with an idea over there."

Initiative: 28

streever

"I said they were trapped! We're just here to get to the end and out. Next time we skip the chests," Mike fumes, moustaches bristling in a vivid display of frustration.

Jam Warrior

As the skeleton unfolds before you, it ends up towering over your heads. Whatever it once was when alive it was clearly not human.

Aleksander was behind the monster as it stood up and with a wink a finger to his lips he stealthily approached it from the back. Without turning to look, the skeleton shot out a blade in his direction and deep into the man's stomach. The same wink on his face, Aleksander slumped to the ground dead. This was not a good start.



Counting the hall of doors as an encounter, you all have an Action Point back.

Rubble is difficult terrain. Also being very loose, anyone running, charging or being forced to move through it must make a DC13 Acrobatics check or fall prone at the end of that movement.

Chests provide cover if crouching or prone behind them. Treat as difficult terrain for movement or hop over with a DC 13 athletics.

Skeleton Blade Guardian
Large natural animate (undead)

AC:24
Fort:23
Ref:26
Will:23


The Init and Status List
28 - Ferdinand: 64/64
27 - Skeleton 292/292
24 - Derek: 54/54
16 - Mike: 63/63
14 - Terios: 70/70

Ferdinand to kick off.

Fondor_Yards

Angered by the casual death of his most recent companion, Ferdinand takes the chance to run around the beast before it could strike him, and smashes a left hook into it's skull. "Great spirits he didn't last long, let's hope the next one isn't as stupid as the last two."

Spoiler:

Move Action: Open the Gate of Battle to A5
Move my speed+2*8*, during the movement I don't provoke AOO from the first enemy I move from *IE him*.

Standard: Open the Gate of Battle vs Reflex
Attack: 1d20+13: 28 Success!
Damage: 21+7= 28 *the extra 1d10 for being at max health I forgot to add to the first roll*

Me and Terios are now flanking

Stone Fist Flurry of Blows: 11 Damage

Skeleton down to 253/292.

Skeleton is Up.

Jam Warrior

You're not flanking but you still hit.

The skeleton moves to the centre of the room and then starts to madly whirl, filling the air with flying blades that buffet and slice the party. Derek and Mike find themselves thrown in the direction of the unopened chests. Seeing one party member escape its hail of blades, the skeleton makes an extra directed attack in Terios' direction, but the minotaur fends off the blow easily with his shield.

Spoiler:

Shift to B3/C4
Rain of Steel in a close burst 3 to hit everyone Vs Ref. Attacks from left to right.

Ferdinand
1d20+13 → [17,13] = (30)

Terios
1d20+13 → [1,13] = (14)
Miss

Mike
1d20+13 → [16,13] = (29)
Hit

Derek
1d20+13 → [14,13] = (27)
Hit

Damage 3d10+6 → [1,6,8,6] = (21) plus slid 2 squares.

Mike and Derek are slid into the unopened chests. If they want they can attempt a save. Success meaning instead you fall prone in the square before the chest.

Ferdinand and Derek must test Acrobatics 12 or fall prone due to being slid over the loose rubble.

ACTION POINT

Scimitar Vs Terios AC
1d20+15;3d10+6 → [7,15] = (22)
1d20+15;3d10+6 → [8,6,2,6] = (22)
Miss!

The Init and Status List
28 - Ferdinand: 43/64 See within spoiler
27 - Skeleton 253/292
24 - Derek: 33/54 See within spoiler
16 - Mike: 42/63 See within spoiler
14 - Terios: 70/70

Skeleton Blade Guardian
Large natural animate (undead)
AC:24
Fort:23
Ref:26
Will:23

Hold off on next turn until we find the result of the sliding.

Fondor_Yards

Ferdinand is easily able to stay standing as he gets shoved backwards.

Spoiler:

Acrobatics Test: 1d20+14: 23 Not that I could fail with a +14 mod anyways.

streever

FAIL I am slid. I also tried to use my parrying dagger's daily power to negate the attack, but failed.

Steelhawk

With deft footwork and concentration, Derek Deepdelver, manages to surf on his Tenser's Floating Disk. Staying upright and outside of the chest.

Save Vs. Treasure Chest Imprisonment = PASS!!!

Acrobatics vs. Falling Prone = PASS!!!

daniant

Out through the hatch in the wall bursts an angry-looking dragonborn.

"Death's Curse! This place is a veritable labyrinth of animated corpses! Hey, a skeleton to kill!"


Initiative: 1d20+4 10

Jam Warrior

Derek surfs to safety on his disc and ends up hovering just over the golden chest but not touching it.

However, as Mike is pushed forcefully into the silver chest it springs open, offering him a brief glimpse of a smaller box within before the air is filled with black darts. Whether the sudden appearance of the Dragonborn is related to the chest trap is a mystery that may never be solved, but it seemed to pop up at just the wrong moment as it is caught in the trap's attack along with the rest of the party and flung against the wall.

Spoiler:

Dart Trap vs reflex of everyone in the room. Moving left to right.

Ferdinand
1d20+15 → [3,15] = (18)
Miss

Terios
1d20+15 → [4,15] = (19)
Hit!

Mike
1d20+15 → [10,15] = (25)
Hit!

Arjhan
1d20+15 → [20,15] = (35)
Crit!

Derek
1d20+15 → [9,15] = (24)
Hit!

Damage 4d6+1 → [6,3,2,3,1] = (15) and pushed 2 squares.

25 maxed for Arjhan.

Derek can sense the magic charging again within the chest as it gets ready to fire again unless action is taken.

Spoiler:

Standard action for [Skill] check to attempt to disarm.

The Init and Status List

Spoiler:

28 - Ferdinand: 43/64
27 - Skeleton 253/292
24 - Derek: 18/54
18 - Dart Trap (had its go this round but will act here in subsequent ones)
16 - Mike: 27/63
14 - Terios: 55/70
10 - Arjhan 55/80

Skeleton Blade Guardian
Large natural animate (undead)
AC:24
Fort:23
Ref:26
Will:23

Derek up

Farangu

Nice to have you and everything, Daniant...but your entry could have been better.

daniant

Farangu wrote: »

Nice to have you and everything, Daniant...but your entry could have been better.

I don't have to take this from a guy who can't even hit a GIANT GLOWING UNDEAD SNAKE.

Now let's see Steelhawk get that trap out of here so I can kill me some skeleton.

Steelhawk

Derek takes a quick glance around the room, to see if anyone else noticed the treasure chest getting ready to try and kill them all again. But no, they were all focused on the big giant skeleton in the room. Typical.

I don't know which skill would be more apt. Arcana or Dungeoneering (with the feat that lets me disarm traps with it) so I rolled them both.
Arcana = 19
Dungeoneering = 23

Jam Warrior

Both thievery and arcana equally applicable so we'll assume you picked the highest mod (and hence lowest roll). Also you had to move adjacent to the chest to do that so pick a square.

Derek glides over and turns his magical brain to unpicking the magic of the dart trap. The stress of the situation is clearly flustering him though as he makes no progress in the complex task.

Mike up.

streever

Which chest is it, Jam? Mike will take care of it. Thievery: 1d20+16 34 Let me know which chest so I can post my move action.

Jam Warrior

Silver. The middle one.

Mike dives into the chest with his dagger and starts shaving off and scratching the metalwork to reveal runes beneath that he gets to work defacing.

Trap 50% disarmed! Also I swear I wrote the following before but must have accidentally deleted it.

The hail of darts shoot, not so much where Ferdinand is, as where he was a moment ago.

Moving 3 squares in your turn adds +2 to Defs versus the dart trap.

Farangu

Am I up?

Fondor_Yards

Yes Terios is up after Mike.

Farangu

The hefty minotaur does not like surprise skeletons and traps. He attempts to share this displeasure with the skeleton.

Move to C2, Word of Diminishment hits for 11 damage.

daniant

Arjan seizes the opportunity to introduce himself.

"Hello there fellow adventurers!" He hops on top of the the silver chest Mike and Derek were disarming (move to D4) and reaches over to shake Derek's hand.

Derek feels a whole lot better about his situation. Lay on Hands, I spend a surge, you get your surge value + 5.

"My name is Arjhan and I hate the undead!" He swings wildly at the skeleton.

Ferdinand up.

Steelhawk

Derek likes the new guy! Friendly, and his handshakes come with healing!

Derek will take position at F3, and hopefully the chest provides cover. Derek should now have 36/54 HP

Fondor_Yards

What rune did you use with word of diminishment? Also my ki focus gave me resist 4 vs his attack, unless it's too late now.

"Ha let's hope your better than the last, these things like to fight!"

Spoiler:

Move: To B5

Standard: Crane's Wings vs Fort
Attack: 1d20+13: 29 Hit!
Damage: 1d10+7: 11, and I don't push it.

Free: Stone Fist Flurry of Blows: 11 damage

With Farangu's 11 it should be down to 220.

Resist 4 vs it's attacks till the end of my next turn.

Skeleton is up Next.