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[D&D&D&D] I poke them, you chop them. That's teamwork. (IC)

WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
edited September 2010 in Critical Failures
Debate and Discourse and Dungeons and Dragons
Ravnica-Forest.jpg?t=1279214303

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."

H.P. LOVECRAFT

Welcome to D&D&D&D!

A few rules to start us off: all the dice rolling will be done in Orkos. All OOC text in this thread should be posted in spoilers, along with links to your rolls. The OOC thread can be found here.

The adventure will be, largely, made up as we go along, though I have an overarching plot already figured out. This game features six brave adventurers. They are:

Solleb, the Dwarf Fighter
Arian, the Elf Cleric
Pieter, the Half-Elf Rogue
Adrian, the Human Druid
Ludious, the Dragonborn Paladin
Requine, the Human Fighter

The Beginning

You startle awake in a fit of coughing. A thick mucous resettles itself in your throat as you lurch forward, gasping in the dust and stale air. You feel a lingering tinge of urgency, but it fades from your mind as you stand slowly, attempting to regain your bearings.

You look around you, and see five others, each also attempting to lift themselves to their feet in between bouts of coughing. They are familiar to you, but you can't recall how. You can recall their names, their dispositions, and various tidbits of biographical knowledge. Yet you can't remember how you met them. You delve back into your memories to attempt to see what else might be missing, but it's unclear to you. You recall who you are, your whole personal history, but you can't seem to remember why you're here or what you've been doing for an indeterminate amount of time into the past.

You cautiously scan your surroundings. You're in a medium sized room. It appears quite old, and quite dark. Tall, ornate columns of reddish brown stone stretch towards the ceiling. Dusty mirrors are fitted into indentations along the walls. At one end of the room is a sealed door. At the other is a raised altar.

Winky on
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Posts

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Slowly getting to his feet, Arian glances around the room, bewildered. The altar catches his eye and he hobbles toward it for a closer look while his companions sort themselves out.
    Religion Check on the altar = 19.

    Also: Woooo!

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter rises, one hand discreetly checking hidden pockets as he clears his throat. He takes a moment to straighten out his armor, gripping but not drawing his rapier as he looks around the room. His face a mask of simpleminded confusion as he tries to figure out where they are and is there further danger.
    I make a perception check. Perception: 1d20+6 13

    Thomamelas on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter senses no immediate danger. Aside from the five others gathered in this room, there is not a trace of any other living thing. He notices that quite a bit of dust has been shifted around on the floor here. This place has been disturbed only recently, within a day or two, and before then not for an incredibly long time. There is also a shattered flask.

    Arian approaches the altar in the middle of the room. Immediately he recognizes the symbols and etchings that run along the altar and the wall behind it. Signifiers of knowledge and wisdom, and silhouettes of figures that represent The Self. From what he can judge by the construction of the room and the ornate carvings, it appears that they are in the center of a temple of some sort, built to honor and hold some ancient artifact. His suspicions are confirmed by the presence of a large indentation from in the center of the altar, where it seems that some object was removed. As he contemplates what it could have been, a memory suddenly sears into his mind.

    They've got it. They've taken it and we were supposed to stop them.

    Along with the memory comes a lurching sensation of immediacy. Adrenaline pumps through his veins.

    Winky on
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Adrian's moan is stifled by his mask. He smacks his lips and blinks, and realizes he feels as though he'd gone on a bender the night before. Two bottles of wine in one evening had defeated him time and time again and left him reeling for days to come. He considers downing a healing potion to get rid of the headache but decides it would be a poor use of resources.

    As he sits up, stinging insects begin to to crawl out of the folds of his armor, and the ones that occupy his mask begin to fan his sweaty face. Adrian reached out with his mind to any nearby insects or forms of life - perhaps they could tell him where he is.
    nature roll

    Nature: 1d20+9 19

    okay got it. this is my first time playing pbp so I may need some pointers : P

    Casual Eddy on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Adrian's mind reached out across the stone of the ancient room. In the distance he could feel the presence of dozens of skittering cockroaches, who had lived long within the confines of the dark spaces of this structure. They were riled. Giant foreign creatures had stomped through their domain recently, bringing blinding light and exotic smells from the outside. But they had left the way they came, leaving nary a crumb.

    Reaching even further Adrian could feel the presence of scattered desert beetles, far above his head. From this he could logically deduce they were deep beneath a desert. The beetles had sensed the lightest vibrations across the dry desert soil, a retreating host of footfalls in the distance. Or perhaps, advancing?
    Eddy, make sure you link your rolls from Orkos. Not that I'd imagine you cheating, but it's just a good habit.

    Winky on
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter fakes a stumble over to where the shattered flask is. "Hrm, I wonder if this is recent?" he absently states to no one in particular. He begins to examine it with his investigator's kit.
    Investigator's Kit gives +2 to perception checks for things like this. And holy crap did I botch this. Perception: 1d20+6+2 9 He'd also like to discretely note any findings in the journal. What check should I make for that? Stealth? Thievery?

    Thomamelas on
  • Dread Pirate ArbuthnotDread Pirate Arbuthnot OMG WRIGGLY T O X O P L A S M O S I SRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine's limbs twitch as she sits up, her heavy armor weighing her movements down. She coughs and spits a glob of phlegm onto the dusty floor in the most unladylike manner possible. Hacking and cursing, she pulls herself up onto her feet, instinctively bringing out her shield and sword and scanning the area.

    "How much did I drink last night?" she moans. "And who are you losers? Urgh, I need to get out of here."

    Requine scans the room.
    Dungeoneering check.
    http://4e.orokos.com/roll/20517
    9

    Dread Pirate Arbuthnot on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter attempts to carefully examine the remains of the broken flask, but even with his investigator's kit, the low light and his clouded mind make it difficult. He notices that there's no liquid around it, which means that either it was empty or the liquid has all evaporated. He also notices that it appears as though the flask were shattered deliberately, not simply dropped.

    He furtively jots down these observations in his journal, but as he finishes scribbling in his notes he makes a peculiar observation. All the other pages are blank.
    Whenever you want to hide something you're doing from the other players do a Stealth check. For this one I'll just give it to you.

    Winky on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine attempts to summon her dungeoneering knowledge to place herself. However, she can only bring herself determine that whatever she did drink last night, it must've been great. She glances about and determines that they're all in a dark room. Yes, she's pretty sure of that.

    As she shuffles forward a bit, however, she does happen to make an interesting observation. Looking down to the spot where she had been lying, she notices a dark trail of what appears to be dried mucus trailing between where she'd been and a small slit below a mirror in the nearest wall. A quick glance confirms that it's the same for each of the others. A dark trail connects the spot where they'd been lying to one of the slits on the wall.

    Winky on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    "They've got it. They've taken it and we were supposed to stop them!" Arian repeats.

    "I don't know what it means, I just know it," he continues. "There was an object on this altar and we must recover it. I can only assume the rest of you know as little of what has happened here as I".

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Adrian clears his throat.

    "I, uh... ahem. Well - you people, I think something is... coming? Or going maybe. I don't know. One of the two."

    He rolls over on his side.

    "Look just tell me if they're trying kill us or something, I totally wouldn't be surprised at this point."

    Casual Eddy on
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter takes the waterskin out of his backpack, taking a deep drink to clear the taste in his mouth before offering it to the group, reaching into his backpack and retrieving a sunrod, covering his eyes before it turns it on and gesturing to the door.

    "Killing us would have been much easier while we were out. Perhaps this is the way out?" His voice cheerful, almost perky.
    Perception: 1d20+6 19 On the door.

    Thomamelas on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Arian moves over to have a second look at the broken flask.
    Perception Check on Flask = 29 (1d20+11)

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    OOC:
    I guess since we're not in combat, it's not as important we run a turn at a time? I get the feeling some people [tiny]ME IS ONE[/tiny] are eager to get things rolling a little more

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • LudiousLudious I just wanted a sandwich A temporally dislocated QuiznosRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Ludious staggers to his feet and looks around solemnly. He clears the phlegm from his throat before speaking in a quiet, but gravely draconic accent.

    "I am here. I do not know why I am here, but it is Bahamut's will. You are my allies, and whatever task is ahead of us is meant to be."

    He then kneels and bows his head for a moment, seeking the guidance of his god to gain insight into the task ahead.
    Religion Check =7 [1d20=3+4]

    OOC:
    Oh snap I guess he's not very devoted today.

    Ludious on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    When Arian speaks his words aloud, each of the others in the room suddenly feels it to be true as well. Deep inside each of them, a small, primal voice, so different from the one they speak with now, yet most certainly their own, screams "They've got it. They've taken it and we were supposed to stop them." Each of them experience the rush of adrenaline. But then, for each of them, it quickly subsides.

    Arian examines the remains of the flask, and recognizes it immediately. The flask must've been full of an alchemical knock-out gas. When thrown, the flask is designed to burst open and release a cloud of gas that, when breathed in by those caught unaware, knocks them unconscious. Arian should know, he owns a flask of it. Or he did, as reaching into his pack he finds it missing.

    While it's easy to immediately recognize that as the source of the groups unconsciousness, it wouldn't explain their memory problems.

    Ludious kneels to make a prayer to Bahamut for guidance. But he is suddenly overwhelmed with a dark emptiness. It is as though his god does not even recognize him. This is much more serious than any time he has temporarily fallen out of favor before. He is overtaken by a feeling of distraught abandonment.

    Meanwhile Pieter shines his light on the large stone door, carefully examining it. The construction of the door is strange, as though it is more strongly fortified from the outside than from within. It is sealed shut, but rather hastily. He determines that a strong push could possibly force the door open.
    Yeah, it's fine if you go out of turn with the investigation/exploration/social parts. Though I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to do what they want to in each part, and won't move on until everyone has gotten a bit of it.

    Also, feel free to use the OOC thread for OOC discussion.

    Winky on
  • CorbiusCorbius Shepard Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Soleeb staggers awake with a few more loud coughs and choice words.

    "Ohh that must of been a fine night of Ale to lead to this."

    He checks his essentials, making sure his axe is still ready for whatever is to come.

    "Right then, who are you lot and where is the action?"
    OOC: I'll be a little slow with the uptake since I haven't done a pBp before, sorry.

    Corbius on
    wrexsig1.jpg
    PSN: Corbius
  • Dread Pirate ArbuthnotDread Pirate Arbuthnot OMG WRIGGLY T O X O P L A S M O S I SRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine rolls her eyes.

    "Look," she says dryly. "I'm sure you're all scintillating company. Really. I bet you're a hoot. But I want to go home and rest this hangover off without having to look at your ugly faces and listen to your dumb voices. I'm sure you understand."

    She sheathes her weapons and turns towards the door. Without a further word, she pushes her shoulder up against it, grunting with effort. Her face turns red with the strain.

    Dread Pirate Arbuthnot on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine manages to put just enough force behind the door that it grinds open, opening into another dimly lit room.

    Winky on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Arian peers into the room.
    Perception Check = 12 (1d20+11)

    And by "peers into the room", I mean "doesn't peer into the room"

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    It's hard to see in the darkness. It is a smaller room. There are six statues, but it is difficult to make out their features. The walls are covered in mirrors, some clouded, some warped, and others broken into shards that are embedded into the wall. Eerily warped reflections peer back at anyone who looks at them.

    Winky on
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    "Hold on," Adrian says. Dozens of insects crawl from the folds of his armor and flit out into the room, scouring it and searching it for danger.
    Perception: 1d20+9 17

    Casual Eddy on
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter's hand moves to the hilt of his rapier as he peers into the room, sunrod in his left hand as he thrusts it forward and over Requine's head.

    Thomamelas on
  • CorbiusCorbius Shepard Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Soleeb grips his axe firmly as he advances slowly into the room.

    Corbius on
    wrexsig1.jpg
    PSN: Corbius
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    The insects fail to trigger or detect any traps, though none of them are able to land on the reflective surfaces strewn throughout the room. It is almost as though they are repelled by an invisible force.

    Additionally, a number of the insects land on one of the statues, they seem drawn to it, and buzz about it excitedly.

    Winky on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Arian hefts his morning star and mutters an oath to Kord. As he prepares to enter the room with his companions he studies the statue which attracted the bugs.
    Yeah, ugh... Arcana Check on the statue: 11 (1d20+5)

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter moves into the room, eyes drawn the shards of broken mirrors. He looks at the mirrors in closer detail, choosing the surface of one of more pleasant looking ones to tap with his sunrod.
    Perception: 1d20+6 21 Checking the mirrors to see if they have dust, booby trapped or if anything simple seems...off about them.

    Thomamelas on
  • CorbiusCorbius Shepard Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Solleb takes a closer look at one of the statues, namely the one farthest away from Adrian's insects.

    Perception: 1d20+1 18

    uhhh I am an idiot and can't get the roll to link correctly.

    Corbius on
    wrexsig1.jpg
    PSN: Corbius
  • LudiousLudious I just wanted a sandwich A temporally dislocated QuiznosRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Ludious joins the others and peers into the room, staring at the statues. He closes his eyes in thought and attempts to recall if he has ever seen statues like these before and what they may mean.
    History: 1d20+1 17

    Ludious on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    "Kord would not stand for this tarrying!" exclaims Arian as he strides into the room.

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter moves to tap his sunrod against one of the mirrors, it bounces off without a sound, and appears to never actually touch the mirror. At the same time, the illuminating light of the sunrod allows him to see his distorted reflection quite clearly. There is a distinctly sinister and hostile aura about the image.

    At the same time, Arian, Solleb, and Ludious move to examine the statues. It does not take them very long to recognize the figures they depict. Ludious quickly realizes his historical knowledge would be irrelevant. The statue is of himself. Likewise, Arian discovers the reason the insects were so drawn to the statue he moved towards: it is the image of Adrian, complete with tiny stone bees fixed to him. Solleb finds a stone reproduction of Requine grimacing back at him. The six stone statues depict the six individuals present.

    As they all step into the room, the door behind them suddenly swings shut, sealing immediately. A bright white glow begins emanating from the base of the statues, lighting the room.

    In each of the party member's heads, a clear, commanding voice can be heard. Each of them hears it as their own voice, in their own native tongue.

    "You who seeks the Knowledge of The Self; you have faced many trials in pursuit of answers, many tests to prove your purity, to prove that you reject the corruption of The Unknown. But this final test is most important. To truly seek Knowledge, one must know which Knowledge they lack. What most crucial Knowledge of The Self do you not yet possess? Speak it. Speak that one part of The Self that you must Know to become complete."

    Winky on
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Pieter lets out a long torrent of elven cursing, casting aspersions upon all of the gods, and proclaiming a pox upon wizards and artificers everywhere. He does not repeat himself. Stepping forward with a grimace "I am missing knowledge of my past. I can not know who I am without knowing what I have done."

    Thomamelas on
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Adrian tilts his head downwards and speaks low, so low only his insects hear him.

    "I don't know how to fix myself."

    He rubs his hide mask with gloved fingers. His hive hums reassuringly.

    Casual Eddy on
  • CorbiusCorbius Shepard Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Solleb lets out a hearty laugh, thinking about wizards and their foolish tests and traps.

    "Ha! Well I don't know where the pub is in this place for starters!"

    Corbius on
    wrexsig1.jpg
    PSN: Corbius
  • Dread Pirate ArbuthnotDread Pirate Arbuthnot OMG WRIGGLY T O X O P L A S M O S I SRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine stares at the statue, looking furious.

    "What is this ridiculous, over-the-top, ludicrous, nonsensical..."

    Memories of a philosophy class her mother once enrolled her in, a failed attempt to teach the brash Requine culture and patience, flood into Requine's head. She scowls, her teeth grinding together audibly.

    "What do I need to know? I need to know where are some faces to smash, some gold to collect, and a way to get back home and have a pint! Wizards are so stupid, I swear to the Gods."

    Dread Pirate Arbuthnot on
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Adrian rubs his temples and sighs.

    "Honestly? You wake up in a strange place and witness an ancient statue of yourself and all you can stutter about is ale?"

    More and more insects swarm around him as he speaks.

    "Let me give you a word of advice. When destiny chooses you it is rarely a good idea to pretend it didn't."

    Casual Eddy on
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Arian hesitantly states, "Self?"

    Edit/Clarification:
    Attempting to "Speak that one part of The Self that you must Know to become complete"

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • Dread Pirate ArbuthnotDread Pirate Arbuthnot OMG WRIGGLY T O X O P L A S M O S I SRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Requine whips her head around, a brick red tint beginning to creep up into her neck and cheeks. Combined with the red hair, the effect is supremely unflattering.

    "Listen," she snarls, "Destiny is the sort of thing that palm readers and priests like to make up, and then they waggle their fingers at you and shout 'OOOO YOU'D BETTER SHAPE UP!' I'm sure that with a little effort we'll figure out what's going on and it'll be so incredibly mundane and stupid that you'll feel like the idiot you are. I drank too much last night, so that's why I woke up in a strange place. That happens all the time. Just ask Lady Pendagon. I woke up in her geraniums once with six of her personal guard around me. As for the statues, maybe some stupid wizard got bored and is just mucking with our heads. I don't trust wizards much. They're stupid."

    Requine, now worked up and on a roll, takes a few steps closer to Adrian and leans forward. Her nose is nearly touching his bandages and her eyes glint.

    "And I'll thank you not to sass me. I don't take sass from anyone who can't even show their faces. You might want to bathe a little, change those bandages when we get out of here. I've never stunk so bad I have a cloud of flies after me."

    Dread Pirate Arbuthnot on
  • LudiousLudious I just wanted a sandwich A temporally dislocated QuiznosRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Ludious scowls and watches the exchanges in silence for a while, raising an eyebrow at Requine's speech.
    He shakes his head and sighs and looks towards her with a sad expression.

    "One who lives in a world so full of gods, both petty and good, who use their servants to fulfill their goals, should not show such ignorance of Destiny. One can choose their own path so long as a power greater than they deems it so."

    He then turns back and faces the statue of himself. Before speaking softly, "As for me, a humble servant of Bahamut, my path seems clear to me. Defend the righteous, cast down the oppressors, and foil the plans of the followers of Tiamat and all others who follow the path of wickedness. But...I pray that one day I can know that my life of devotion was..worth it. That this constant struggle has truly made the world better at all. That is what I wish."

    Ludious on
  • WinkyWinky rRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    After each has spoken, the glowing light from the base of the statues begins to dim. A long, silent moment of darkness passes.

    Quite suddenly, the statues flare blue and the voice in each of their heads speaks again.

    "You have failed this test."

    A low hiss pervades the room, the mirrors that line the walls begin to change. The images inside of them warp. Their surfaces bulge, and begin pouring out of their frames. First like liquid, then solidifying into twitching masses. They are reflections come alive. As though the party's broken and clouded images were in fact the visages of horrible aberrations that existed just past the mirror's surface, now broken through into this world. The reflection of Ludious crashes forward through a clouded mirror, his edges ill-defined, his features blurred and ambiguous. The reflection of Pieter slinks through the twisted portal, his proportions exaggerated, stretched and warped. The reflection of Adrian floats into the room through a dozen shattered fragments, each separated piece hovering in unison, his entire shattered form moving as one.

    The party scrambles to get into some type of fighting formation before the six twisted reflections finish bursting into this world.

    Map:
    2re0hfs.jpg
    The squares with the letters are the statues of each of you.
    Roll for initiative and pick a spot that is at least one space away from any of the twisted reflections.

    Winky on
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