The final clue, what else is there, JLH and He that Sees
Subject The final clue
Salix, thinking along the exact same lines a Mund is glad he kept his mouth shut. ;-)
From: Josh
Subject The final clue
OOC: Can anyone list in order the creatures we faced? It's been so long I can't remember.
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
OOC: I am in a real quandry. I have a good idea of the solution, but it would likely be beyond Harp to reach this same conclusion. Let me just say that Mund and Salix are thinking about the right rooms, just in the wrong way (I think).
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
I don't think anyone has said anything about there being only 7 members since Salix's unfortunate misstatement a while ago. There are 7 doors in front of us, but that is unrelated to the number of member (I think). The question is how to determine which door to choose given the "clues" we have been given. Like I said, I have an idea (as does everyone, I'm sure) but I want to hear other suggestions. I can defend my idea, but I do not know if it is correct. I want to see if anyone else comes up with the same anwer.
From: Mark
Subject The final clue
Surin mentioned 7 doors and 7 party members.
From: Karl
Subject The final clue
Salix thinks hard. "There were 6 braziers in the fire room, right Surin?" He looks to the halfling for confirmation. "And there was only one fountain in the water room, as far as we could see, right? If we take "water" from "fire", or 1 from 6, we get 5. Unless someone has a better idea, I think we should choose door 5."
(OOC - To be fair, Kevin's comments below made me think of this.)
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
Mund hears Salix's idea, then goes over to the wall to examine the writing. He's new to this whole reading thing, and still has to sound out the words as he reads them. The other party members can see him counting on his fingers. Somebody tries saying something, and Mund quickly hushes him, trying to concentrate.
"That makes a lot of sense. Of course, the same line also gives us #1: "The one that can take Water from fire Succeeds." But almost nothing in this hellhole has been straightforward, so Salix's idea is probably righter."
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
Jason, sorry for my earlier reply. I had not seen Ashley's comments as Surin.
From: Karl
Subject The final clue
Well, if we try mine and yours turns out to be right, I'll owe you a pint. Sound good?"
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
"Fair enough. Anybody have any better ideas? Number Five sounds good to me."
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
Harp listens to Salix and Mund talk about which door to choose. It seemed odd that Mund was giving suggestions on how to solve the riddle. No matter what, Salix's reasoning seemed sound, but who was Harp to think. Harp looks over to Allistair and asks his opinion.
OOC: Assuming Allistair does not have any other ideas, Harp will give the OK to start with Door 5.
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
It's 'cuz Mund hasn't been brainwashed into thinking that he must be a dummy because he's strong, unlike Harp. :p
From: Derek
Subject The final clue
Allistair nods in agreement with Salix's reasoning. "I'm afraid that I don't have any further insights to add. Door 5 seems like a good idea to me too. If we're afraid of being wrong, we could try having Surin flying or spidercrawling down the 5th passageway, since most of the traps in this place have been pits. That would protect us from that kind of trap. Also if any other trap is triggered by stepping on the floor we could bypass that too."
From: Ashley
Subject The final clue
Surin is a little nervous about being expected to go through the door by himself, but shrugs it off to answer Harp. "I don't much know what to expect in there, but I think Salix is onto something. Seems obvious now--I feel like I'm always being too hyperliteral for this place...Anyways, if things go south I can get out of the way pretty fast, probably better than anyone else, and Ally seems to be onto somethin' with the pits and that spidercrawl spell."
Surin reads the inscription again, hoping to catch anything that might have evaded the group so far, but his eyes fall on the line about facing peril and he doesn't much feel like reading it anymore.
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
"If you don't feel like going through first, I'll do it."
From: Mark
Subject The final clue
Did Ashley only send this to you Porter? I did not get it.
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
She send it to the whole group.
From: Randy
Subject The final clue
I didn't get the original email either.
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
Actually, I didn't get it through the list either.
From: Karl
Subject The final clue
"It was my guess," Salix says. "If anyone should face it first, it should probably be me."
From: Karl
Subject The final clue
Oddly enough, I did.
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
"Whatever. I don't care. I'm just itching to get the belk out of here."
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
"Salix, it is your idea, and it feels right, but this task is being done at the request of my Order. If you will, I will go first with Surin, while you come behind us with Mund. I don't think stealth will help us now.
Come, my little friend, just a short while more, and we will be out of here."
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
OOC: I'm getting ashley's mail.
From: Josh
Subject What else is there
OOC: Isn't anyone else curious about what devious things the DM has planned for us in those doors? Maybe there's good treasure along with baddies....
From: Porter
Subject What else is there
I've been wondering the same thing myself.
From: Derek
Subject What else is there
Yeah, like all the good treasure that's been in all the other rooms with baddies...
From: Karl
Subject The final clue
"I didn't not ask for the spider's grace today."
From: Porter
Subject The final clue
:lol:
From: Jason
Subject The final clue
I got Ashley's emails with no problem.
Ragnar is happy enough with the decision to go through the fifth door.
From: Josh
Subject What else is there
Meh, so we kill more baddies. We're too badass to die.
From: Kevin
Subject The final clue
OOC: I guess its possible there could be treasure down the other hallways, but it is also possible that Jennifer Love Hewitt could show up on my doorstep and ask me to marry her, too.
This place has given no indication that by choosing the wrong door do you get something. We might be able to defeat the challenges behind the doors, but by completing the dungeon/Testing grounds, we effectively beat them, gain the XP, and we don't get beat up ourselves.
If Kal wants to come back and peek down one of those other hallways, I am sure we can arrange it.
From: Mark
Subject He that sees
Harp and Surin take their place in front of door # 5. The others spread out through the room, keeping a few feet from all the walls. Both kneeling, Harp turns to Surin. "You ready little one?" Surin nods and Harp pushes open the latch on the door. It swings inward silently. Harp can hear Allistair and the others let out the breaths they had been holding in. "Well at least nothing dire happened. Must have been the right choice. The only draw back is another door." 50 feet away, down a 10 foot hallway is another door. This one looks to be made of gold or some such. Harp calls the others forward. "Come, I think we are at the end."
Harp rushes forward, his desire to complete the mission getting the better of him. Sure that they have reached the end of the path, he hurries forward toward the new door. Mund catches him just as he is ready to throw the golden door open. Grabbing the 1/2 orcs hand as it reaches for the door latch, Mund stops Harp. "This may be your mission, but you're not going to get us all killed now. Let Surin take a look." Harp's face turns into a sheet of anger and Mund knows that the 1/2 orc is just about ready to attack him. In fact he is sure that he is about to be in the fight of his life. His hand is on his axe and he is readying it when he sees something strange.
Harp's face becomes calm. The anger that had just been there flows out of him. "Mund, you are right. Please forgive me." The barbarian is not sure what to say. Damn it. He had almost wanted Harp to fight him, and now the 1/2 orc was peaceful? What was going on. Shrugging his shoulders, he turns back and Surin speaks up. "No traps that I can find. It's ok to go." Mund motions for Harp to open the door. Harp signals for everyone to kneel and the 1/2 orc does.
The gold door opens into a large room, 50 feet north south and 70 feet east west. The party has entered on the north wall. There are no other obvious doors. There is an obvious throne near the middle of the back wall. It is very large and very ornate. There is an old man sitting on the throne. On the right arm of the throne is a globe of crystal or glass. On the west wall is a large table, covered with what looks to be gold and jewels and weapons of all sorts. On the east wall is what looks to be a large empty table. As the party is taking this in a voice comes from the alter.
"Oh get up, get up. That damned bard Lane had to go put that line in the first room. Every one who gets this far thinks that they have to come groveling or I'll blast them to smithereens. Get up and come forward. You've beaten the challenges. You have nothing else to worry about now." The old man is standing on the dais around the throne, gesturing the party to enter. He is tall, about 6', not heavily built. He has pale skin, white hair and is dressed in robes. The robes have a pattern that makes one dizzy if it is stared at too long. He has a small metal object in his hand that is just under a foot long and no more than several inches wide. His voice seems stronger than should be coming from some one who looks so old.
OODM: What do you do? New dungeon map and new room map.
From: Porter
Subject He that sees
Mund strolls in, looks the man straight in the eye, and asks, "Who are you, and how do we get out of here?"
From: Kevin
Subject He that sees
Harp looks around carefully as he gets up and slowly enters the room. There is a peace in his heart like he has not felt in a long, long time. Even just a moment ago, he had been ready to rip the heart out of that overbearing, uncouth Mund, but now.... nothing but peace. As he enters the room and sees the dais and tables, he becomes more concerned with formalities. He was a representative of the Order and he had to put on a good face.
"Well met. My name is Harp. I am a member of the Order of the Silver Sword. My companions and I were sent on a quest by the leaders of the Order - we were to recover one of the gems of the crown of Besied Valorshield. If what I have been told is right, that would make you his friend, Lothnar? Am I correct?"
As his is saying this, Harp is moving into the room slowly keeping his eyes only on the man on the alter.
From: Ashley
Subject Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennefer Love Hewitt? Ugh, you are such a guy. :P
From: Josh
Subject He that sees
Kal lowers his head in respect, and keeps quiet.
From: Porter
Subject JLH
I've never understood why she's popular.
From: Kevin
Subject JLH
She has a modicum of talent, she's not unattractive, she's single, and she has "huge tracks of land" as the Pythons would say. Not saying I want to marry her, just have her improve the family gene pool. My wife would have done the same with Patrick Swayze or Sting.
From: Porter
Subject JLH
There are about a million single, attractive, untalented actresses with large breasts in Hollywood. Color me unimpressed.
From: Mark
Subject He that sees
"Who am I?" The man laughs. Mund finds that when he is 10 feet away from the man his forward motion is stopped. It is like he has walked into a wall that he can not see. "I am, as the young 1/2 orc has said, Lothnar, creator of this place. As to how you get out of here, I get you out of here, when our business is done. But that is getting ahead of ourselves."
The old man turns to Harp. "Yes I am Lothnar. Friend and advisor to Bresied Valorshield. In most things he listened to me and took my council. The only thing Breezy didn't listen to me about was his preference in bards. He always did like those that were over the top."
He looks up at the entire group as they enter. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Maybe for some real food? Not that crap those spells and prayers make?"