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Tomb of Horrors IC (Inevitable Corpses)
Jam Warrior
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Your thoughts go back to that crowded tavern meeting. The vast array of odd characters filling every corner of the crowded back room, some chatting nervously, some loudly boisterous, other silently watching. As wide and odd a collection of adventurers you'd be hard pressed to find but they had all been gathered by the same summons and rumours. Someone had figured out a way to beat 'The Tomb' and he needed able bodied adventurers to carry out his plan. Whether through any genuine belief that he had something or merely a morbid curiosity, you had come to hear the plan and you were far from alone.
'The problem' explained the unassuming looking wizard as he stood before the crowd, 'is that Acerak's legacy was built to last. Many a man has attempted to keep his treasures safe beyond the grave by putting it behind trap after trap. But like bees to honey the pillagers will always come and put those traps into action. And when triggered, traps fail. Mechanisms break. Beasts die. The lucky adventurer finally overcomes all possible defences by climbing over the corpses of those that have gone before. The pit trap fills with the dead, the mess on the wall gives away the location of the hidden blade, the dread guardian chokes to death on one two many armoured bodies.'
He paced back and forth, enjoying the rapt attention of the crowd, 'Acerak built his tomb differently. He has traps, oh so many traps, but soul after soul has met its end in his halls and the vile art of his creations operate as slickly as ever. Reports from rare escapees have told of a continual magical renewal, sometimes taking days at a time, but inexorably undoing all progress any have made into making the place safe.'
'How does one beat such a system? Volume! The old ways are still applicable. The persistence of many will overcome the traps as always but the flow of bodies must be consistent and constant. Beat the machines before they can reset! And learn from the fallen before you. The problem with such a strategy before has always been the wards that guard the gates to the tomb. Acerak knew the limitations of his traps and as such has created a barrier that only allows five souls within his tomb at a time. No magical message may pass in or out, and the sixth soul that attempts to enter?' He holds up a blackened skull, 'Acerak's magic is potent still. In this way he ensures that none dare enter until the machinery of death within has had time to reset and await its next set of victims.'
'And thus ladies and gentleman, I present to you, the artifact that will beat Acerak finally. The tool that with your aid will undo his final challenge once and for all.'
'The Orb of HSURGREZ!'
'Keyed to the life force of the brave tomb explorers, should a nasty accident happen, the orb will fly back through the tomb to the entrance, carrying with it a record of the exploits of those within and an instant message to the next awaiting adventurer that the wards are safe to cross and continue the push. Thus armed with the knowledge of those that went before, eventual victory is almost certain!'
After that your memories become blurred as the drinks began to flow and everyone had an opinion to share on the wild scheme. But here you are, small marble like orb nestled in your clothing, standing at the bottom of a long set of stairs deep into the hillside and with the gate to the infamous tomb before you.
Of course you had nothing to gain from the wizard's schemes. None had gone before you carrying the orbs. But you were off to conquer The Tomb anyway and the wizard had payed a significant up front fee to you and your companions to kick off his relay of the doomed. No doubt he hoped that upon your passing he could then charge the next adventurer an even greater fee to join his elaborate plan.
Seeing the smug look melt from his face when you return laden with treasure to show him for the fool he is will only make your victory over The Tomb all the sweeter.
'The problem' explained the unassuming looking wizard as he stood before the crowd, 'is that Acerak's legacy was built to last. Many a man has attempted to keep his treasures safe beyond the grave by putting it behind trap after trap. But like bees to honey the pillagers will always come and put those traps into action. And when triggered, traps fail. Mechanisms break. Beasts die. The lucky adventurer finally overcomes all possible defences by climbing over the corpses of those that have gone before. The pit trap fills with the dead, the mess on the wall gives away the location of the hidden blade, the dread guardian chokes to death on one two many armoured bodies.'
He paced back and forth, enjoying the rapt attention of the crowd, 'Acerak built his tomb differently. He has traps, oh so many traps, but soul after soul has met its end in his halls and the vile art of his creations operate as slickly as ever. Reports from rare escapees have told of a continual magical renewal, sometimes taking days at a time, but inexorably undoing all progress any have made into making the place safe.'
'How does one beat such a system? Volume! The old ways are still applicable. The persistence of many will overcome the traps as always but the flow of bodies must be consistent and constant. Beat the machines before they can reset! And learn from the fallen before you. The problem with such a strategy before has always been the wards that guard the gates to the tomb. Acerak knew the limitations of his traps and as such has created a barrier that only allows five souls within his tomb at a time. No magical message may pass in or out, and the sixth soul that attempts to enter?' He holds up a blackened skull, 'Acerak's magic is potent still. In this way he ensures that none dare enter until the machinery of death within has had time to reset and await its next set of victims.'
'And thus ladies and gentleman, I present to you, the artifact that will beat Acerak finally. The tool that with your aid will undo his final challenge once and for all.'
'The Orb of HSURGREZ!'
'Keyed to the life force of the brave tomb explorers, should a nasty accident happen, the orb will fly back through the tomb to the entrance, carrying with it a record of the exploits of those within and an instant message to the next awaiting adventurer that the wards are safe to cross and continue the push. Thus armed with the knowledge of those that went before, eventual victory is almost certain!'
After that your memories become blurred as the drinks began to flow and everyone had an opinion to share on the wild scheme. But here you are, small marble like orb nestled in your clothing, standing at the bottom of a long set of stairs deep into the hillside and with the gate to the infamous tomb before you.
Of course you had nothing to gain from the wizard's schemes. None had gone before you carrying the orbs. But you were off to conquer The Tomb anyway and the wizard had payed a significant up front fee to you and your companions to kick off his relay of the doomed. No doubt he hoped that upon your passing he could then charge the next adventurer an even greater fee to join his elaborate plan.
Seeing the smug look melt from his face when you return laden with treasure to show him for the fool he is will only make your victory over The Tomb all the sweeter.
Streever - Mike - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2416
PepiPopa - Aleksander - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2437
Farangu - Terios - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2445
Steelhawk - Derek - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2449
Fondor_Yards - Ferdinand - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2417
Daniant - Arjhan - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2965
PepiPopa - Aleksander - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2437
Farangu - Terios - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2445
Steelhawk - Derek - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2449
Fondor_Yards - Ferdinand - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2417
Daniant - Arjhan - http://4e.orokos.com/sheets/2965
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!Ready
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
!Ready
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
And that's it. He slept the sleep of the dead, and now, he is standing with four strangers and a bit of a hangover.
"Look, let's get something straight from the start," he says, gesturing with his daggers. "I'm a two-bit thief, a small times con. My life is over anyway--the only reason I wasn't executed was I volunteered for this suicide mission. Way I see it, my odds of dying are still pretty close to 100%, but let's say we make it, yea? Let's say we get the stuff and we get out!" His eyes blaze, and his companions see the charisma that let him swindle and cheat his way into the King's dungeons. "Then we ain't gotta worry again. And 'sides, that wizard swore he'd compensate my kid with my share if I didn't make it, so what do I got to lose?"
As he continues talking with his daggers, one comes alarmingly close to the strangely accented speaker. He steps aside, frowning.
"Name is Mike Moustaches," he says, swiftly replacing one dagger as he smoothes his glorious and full moustaches. "Named for these." he says, almost apologetically. "Pleased to meet you gentlemen and all that shit. Let's get a move on."
!ready
!Ready
3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
Derek winks at you with his last statement. he is a handsome example of a human being. Tall, dark hair and flawless goatee. Dressed in expensive clothing mainly in blue and grand cloak. A magnificent amulet is around his neck, and fine gloves on his hands.
"After you."
!Ready
You all stand just off the north edge of the map. It's not at all that I haven't got around to doing tokens yet.
The first light brought to bear on the corridor ahead reveals a flare of colour undimmed by the passage of time. The walls and ceiling 20 feet overhead are smooth plaster frescos illustrated with interior and exterior scenes. Herds of cows graze in open fields. A wooded copse conceals wolves on the prowl. Slaves of various humanoid and monstrous races go about their labours under the whips of fiends and other cruel creatures.
Certain of the frescoes create the illusion of an interior space. A wizard's workroom is guarded by two jackal-headed humanoids. A library stands filled with many books and scrolls. A torture chamber holds a barred door behind which some fiendish creature lurks. The workroom fresco seems to contain some kind of 3D element jutting out into the corridor but you'll need to get closer see any more.
The floor of the corridor is an equally colourful mosaic of stone, set with a distinct 2-foot wide path of red tiles snaking its way south. At the far end of the corridor the path forks, one path leading straight ahead to what appears to be a giant green stone head and one disappearing to the east out of view.
Declared intentions from all five players please.
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
Dungeoneering = 28 Note: Derek has theDungeon Experience & Deep Sage feats
Insight = 14
History = 29
Sniffing at the air, he disdainfully looks at the stones and the walls, seeking some sort of pattern.
There must be something here, he thinks. Two paths. One a giant face. Some images that look like... a box? and a door.
"I don't like it," he says, as he inspects the floor directly in front of them. He's searching for some sign of... different. A crease? A seam? He's not sure what he's looking for. He's trusting his instincts will be of some use.
Perception: 1d20+13 16
Thievery: 1d20+16 24
3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
"Oh boyce! I'm so exzited I've gots goosebimples!" Frederick exclaims as he crosses the threshold into the dungeon.
Pointing them out to his colleagues as they file behind him he cheerfully explains that if their eyes aren't up to the task of spotting them, if they were to give a hard enough smack to an adjacent bit of ground then a trapdoor will often reveal its position through sound and movement. Just make sure you're not standing on one when you try this.
Note: Throughout The Tomb, an athletics check can be made to sound the floor and check all adjacent squares for trapdoors. As this a pseudo perception check the DM will make the roll.
Note scale, one square = 10ft x 10ft
As you travel the length of the corridor you notice that subtle runes are hidden in the mosaic pattern of the path and spell out a message as you follow the path.
You all ponder these verses but your previous experiences offer no extra insight into their meaning.
Don't bother rolling any skills for the pretty poem.
Terios' examination of the library picture reveals nothing more than an elegantly painted frescoe. A figure in the room could be Acerak at study in his earlier years. There is no text to read or search for hidden meaning as the scale of the painting has rendered all writing into a thin wibbly line.
Moving along and examining the other major painting elements of interest he comes to the torture chamber picture. This portion of the fresco illustrates an iron door that evidently confines some sort of a horrid creature (its clawed and scaled hands grasp the bars of its small window) that can be loosed to torment prisoners. Again no hidden meanings or elements can be discerned.
Finally coming to the workroom, he sees that the two jackal-headed human figures in this painting are portrayed as if holding bronze chest, but the chest is real and protrudes slightly into the corridor. The chest is clearly hinged so as to allow the lid to open. Any closer inspection is hampered by the fact that the fresco stands directly over the northernmost of the potential trapdoors that Mike has identified.
Reaching the end of the corridor, the party are now able to clearly see the two elements at the end of the fork in pathway.
A fork of the red tile path leads directly to a leering great green devil face set in the mosaic at the corridor’s end. The devil’s mouth gapes wide and empty, large enough for a man to step into. It is dead black, emitting no hint of light and allowing none entry.
The other section of the red tile path leads into a white mist filled stone archway. As you approach, three large stones that are embedded in the arch start to glow. Each has a different hue, yellow on the lower left, bluish at the top of the arch, and orange on the lower right. The swirling mist completely blocks all vision through the arch.
Derek's internal monolgue is going ten to the dozen as he racks his brain whilst advancing down the corridor.
What magics are there? How could he ask such a simple question? Magic was everywhere in this place! A haze of enchantment hangs in the very air around him. He'll have to be much more specific in his investigations if he wants to pick anything up there.
What does he know of the Tomb and these paintings? Nothing particularly insightful. The frescoes appear to illustrate various scenes from the life of Acerak and they indeed match up with some of the tales he has heard, but with a figure as steeped in myth and story as Acerak, picking out the real life from the legend is pretty much impossible. Certainly nothing specific had been mentioned of this corridor by past escapees of The Tomb, but that was unsurprising given the fog that clouds the mind of any who leave and robs them of the knowledge of the traps within. The most that can be ascertained from them is that, true to legend, Acerak's tomb contains both honey and poison in abundance. Treasure to tempt and traps to guard.
Does he have a bad feeling about this? Too bloody right he does. And that's good. This was no place to relax and let down your guard and he knew it.
3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
He sets about methodically poking at and tapping near the devil's mouth, looking for any sign of a trap. He's also examining the sides of the mouth for any signs of hinges, moving parts, or similar.
"Sounds like we can go either way, and no real guidance on it. But it did say to watch out for green."
"The colors of the glowing stones on the arch...they can combine to form the colors in the poem, don't they? Yellow and blue for Green, Yellow and Orange for Red, and Blue and Orange for...Night, apparently? It said to watch out for Green, and that the color of Night was for those of valour, which I am not. But apparently, we just have to sacrifice something metal and magic, and we can make our way through the Red path."
The minotaur waits to see if the others agree with his hypothesis.
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
"What if it's the demon mouth that is for people of valor?"
Frederick then sighs, "I vas never good at zeese puzzle fings..."
"Gents, I beleive that while we are in this hallway, that we should check these trap doors. If two of them are indeed fortuitous, it could lead to great treasure and perhaps further clues to the portal. It says to check the wall....it seems the Jackals may point to something greater? Assuming death can be avoided."
Derek frowns at the pit trap thats under the chest.
"If we open the trapdoor, I could cast Tenser's Floating Disk and give Moustaches here something solid to stand on as he works..."
"Lets find out"
Arcana vs. Glowing Stones = 24
"I was RIGHT! HA!"
He stares right at Derek.
"You and your magic can just suck it"
He then looks at the box in the wall. "Can we push open the box with a pole or something? That way we're not standing right over the trap door when the box opens."
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
"Ah, don't let it fizzle your spells, magic-man. I've got a killer of a hang over."
3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
Squatting down on the safe ground, Mike gives the trapdoor outline a hefty whack. Nothing happens. He tries again a few times. He can feel movement which confirms that the thing does indeed move but it seems that it is not responding to pressure or impact from above indicating that it is probably safe to stand on.
He reckons he could try to make a more directed assault on where he suspects the hinges and release mechanism will be hidden (Thievery) to either trigger the release from a safe position (you roll) or disable it and jam it in a closed position (I roll).