Three go forward, vacation
Subject Turn
I will try and get a turn out at lunch today.
From: Mark
Subject Three go forward
After a quick discussion on tactics Mund, Harp and Allistair head towards the two open doors. The mage and the warrior stop at the corner while the invisible barbarian moves towards the door to the fire room. They do not see Mund but they do see the door swing quickly shut. A small sigh of relief comes from where Mund must be standing. The two soon hear Mund next to them again. "OK folks, by my guestimation I only got a little time left on this no seey stuff, so let's get a move on."
With Harp next to the door and Allistair about 15 feet back from the door Mund takes a step into the room. He takes a careful step down and gently places his foot into the water. It is about a foot deep. The fountain in the middle continues to spout water.
OODM: OK do you make any noise, thrash around, anything? Mund has one foot in the water and one foot on the dry floor outside the room.
From: Porter
Subject Three go forward
OOC: How is that last statement OODM? It seems like the exact kind of question a DM needs to ask. ;)
No, Mund does not. He'll stand there for a few seconds as still and quiet-like as he can. If Harp doesn't say anything else, he'll walk back to Allistair and Harp and say "Well, I put my foot in the water, and nothing happened. Alley -- let's drop those spells of yours in there and let's get gone."
From: Kevin
Subject Three go forward
Harp agrees, getting ready to pull the door closed after Allistair throws in the fireball.
From: Kevin
Subject Vacation
OOC: I am the next person in line in this world to take vacation. I will be travelling starting this Friday through Sunday the 23rd. I will have intermittent access to computers and will check in, but hereby give control of Harp to my brother, who has the best idea of what the big lug would do.
Hope we have some fun.
From: Derek
Subject Three go forward
Allistiar will follow Harp and Mund's suggestions, chucking in a fireball as soon as they are ready. He will follow thier lead as to run away or stay and investigate.
From: Ashley
Subject Three go forward
Surin makes his way to the doorway so he can see the goings on, keeping an eye out just in case something tries to take them by surprise.
From: Jason
Subject Three go forward
Unless Harp has Ragnar doing something else, Ragnar will be standing in the wolves' room by the door to the hallway, ready to pull it shut behind the fleeing party members if it comes to that.
From: Josh
Subject How far
OOC: How far are they from the rest of the party?
Fire in the hole
Subject Three go forward
50-60 feet I think. I would have to check the map.
From: Mark
Subject Fire in the hole
With Mund's comment, Harp motions the barbarian back from the room. He signals to Allistair and steps to the side so that the mage can have a clear shot into the room. Allistair takes out the pinch of sulpher from his puch and chants the spell for a fireball. Aiming it at just past the fountain, he releases the energy and it flies to the spot he had picked. In an instant the room explodes into fire, whisps of it flickering out of the door. Over the sudden hissing of water boiling Mund thinks he hears the sounds of a crashing wave.
As soon as the fire retreats, Mund steps in and closes the door as fast as he can. Just as the door closes he hears something forceful hit the door on the other side. The door shudders a bit and some water dribbles from underneath the bottom lip. But the door stays closed.
OODM: Ok what now? Rest or attack?
From: Porter
Subject Fire in the hole
Mund gets behind his brother and the Orc, gives them both a shove, and says "Come on, let's get out of here!"
From: Mark
Subject Distance
They are closer to 80-85 feet from the door way into the hallway.
From: Kevin
Subject Fire in the hole
Harp will go along with Mund's suggestion, not yet knowing what Mund has heard, but trusting in his judgement.
Resting and water
Subject Resting
Mund hears the crashing sound behind the door and water seep beneath the threashold and rushes to his brother and Harp, pushing them back towards the door into the room. So violent is his movement that his contact with two dispells the invisibility. "Back from the door, move it now!" he shouts, huslting the two away from the closed door. The mage and the 1/2 orc do not hesitate and turn and hustle themselves out of the room. Once there Surin closes the door and follows everyone out to the main room.
Mund relates what he heard and saw as he closed the door. "Mund, " Harp says " I think I speak for you brother as well when I say thanks. Let's hope that that door can keep whatever that thing was in that room, or at least until we can rest." Mund blushes a bit at the compliment. "Ok, I know it has not been that long since we rested up, but lets set up a schedule so that Allistair and Kal can get their spells back and then Ragnar, Salix and I can do our meditation."
"Mund, why don't you, Salix and your brother discuss what you saw and see if those two can come up with any ideas on how to take these things on. I would really like to finish those two rooms and maybe another before we have to rest again. "
"Brother Ragnar, I think it might be time to use some of those scrolls we were given. I don't like the idea of using up half of the healing grace we can get before we even start next time. I think we should heal up Ran and Mund since they took most of the damage in the fight against those dog things."
OODM: Ok the party is resting over night/24 hours. Please do what role playing you want to do.
From: Porter
Subject Water
Am I correct that Mund didn't see anything besides a pool of water?
When Mund put his foot into a foot of water, was that a foot in or a foot of depth?
Did the water seem to be behaving naturally?
From: Mark
Subject Water
He did not see anything that set off any alerts in his head (Spot check).
The water was 1 foot in depth.
What Mund knows about water is related to how often he showers. :) But no the water did not wink at him or talk to him or flow up hill. Or at least not that he noticed. (Spot check).
From: Porter
Subject Water
How did the water stay in the room? Was it like a gigantic swimming pool?
From: Mark
Subject Water
Yes, I guess. I thought I said that Mund had to step down to put his foot on the floor in the room. The floor of that one room is a foot lower than the floor outside the room. The wate is just at the level of the door.
From: Derek
Subject Water
So if I understand what happened corectly, there was a huge wave that crashed into the door after he closed it: in other words, the water rose up and crashed of it's own volition, not because Allistair's fireball created the wave itself?
From: Mark
Subject Water
MUnd is not sure. He did not actually see anything. He shut the door as soon as he was able after the fireball.
Resting and healing
Subject Resting
OOC: Coming from beautiful Charleston WV.
Mark, Harp will ask Ragnar about how he came to the Order while they rest. Just trying to get some of his backstory out. This probably would have happened on the trip to this site, but I never got around to it.
Talk to you guys later.
From: Porter
Subject Resting
Mund pulls out his lute and starts singing some songs of his childhood.
From: Mark
Subject Resting
They were belutetiful.
From: Jason
Subject Resting
As soon as Ragnar realizes what Mund intends, he starts spilling his entire life story to the whole group as loudly as possible.
From: Jason
Subject Resting
Ragnar nods aquiesence to Harp's command to heal Mund and Ran using the scrolls they've been provided. Since he had two scrolls on hand in case of emergency in the last battle, he immediately gets up and walks over to Mund. Pulling out the scroll, he says "You're clearly still hurt from our first encounter. While I cannot restore you to full health, this should at least ease most of the pain and help you sleep this night." He then uses a scroll of CSW (ooc: I'm pretty sure they're CSW, but my character sheet said CMW. Do you remember which they are? Let me know and I'll update my sheet accordingly.) IC: He does the same for Ran, as well as using his 5 0 -level blessings to cure what he can for whoever is most injured.
When he finishes, Harp approaches him and says "I'm pleased your order sent you with us. Your skills and your faith have served Heironeous well in this quest. How did you come to join the order?"
Ragnar, who had been frowning at Ran, wishing he could do more. Upon hearing Harp's question, he smiles with amusement. "There aren't too many dwarves in the service of Heironeous are there? Nor are there many in Gort from so far away as myself. Well, if there's any one responsible for where I am today, its Heironeous. But if there are two," he turns to look again at Ran, "the second would have to be your father, Ranthir."
Ragnar's past
Subject Ragnar's past
ooc/So, I'm not cutting my post off here because I think its like dramatic or anything. I'm hoping others might become involved in the roleplay.
From: Porter
Subject Ragnar's past
Mund puts down his lute and pipes in asking Ran "Hey, isn't your pa some wort of big shot back in the city?"
From: Kevin
Subject Ragnar's past
Harp, knowing something of Ranthirs background from the time he had spent with him earlier, waits to see how his friend responds.
He is also curiuos as to how Ran's father is involved in Ragnar's story.
OOC: Last night in Richmond, VA. Heading to Philly tomorrow. Will not be able to check e-mail until late afternoon.
Ranthir's father
Subject Ranthir's father
Ranthir looks up at the mention of his father. He doesn't remember ever hearing of Ragnar before this mission but he had not really paid attention to his father's life or anything he had said since his mother died. There seemed to be an opportunity here to learn some of what he may have missed.
"Ragnar, if I may ask, how do you know my father and how was he involved in your joining the order?"
From: Mark
Subject Healing
I am fairly sure that the party was given 10 potions of Cure Light Wounds and 10 scrolls of Cure Moderate Wounds. The CLW heal 1D8+3 and the scrolls heal 2D8+3.
From: Jason
Subject Ranthir's father
"He is indeed a 'big shot' back in the city, though I certainly didn't know that at the time. This was several years ago, when my mother and I were living in a small village in the Wildlands. The entire village came down with a deadly illness in just a few days. A couple of elderly men and several infants had already died... everyone was sick...
One morning Sir Corrin rode into town, just travelling through on the road. We'd put up signs warning travellers away, but he ignored them and came straight in and started helping the people. His own quest was of great importance, but he stayed with us an entire week, healing everyone that got sick, comforting those who had lost family... He never spoke an impatient word; only later did I learn what an important journey he was on, and how respected he was in the city. Before he finally continued on his way, he made it possible for my mother and I to return to our ancestral home in the mountains of the far reaches. We'd dreamed of doing that, but were never able to. He also left us a short letter, enabling us to receive help in any temple of Heironeous we passed. I later used that letter to help convince the elders in the temple at Gort to accept me in the order, in spite of my age.
"Your father is a truly inspiring man, and after only a few years, I realized that I wanted to dedicate myself to the same vision he had. Heironeous does not have many dwarven followers, but I've never regretted my choice."
From: Derek
Subject Ranthir's father
Allistair raises an eye from his studies as he hears Ranthir mention his father. Allistair knew from his time living among the elves that half-elven were often touchy about one or both of their parents. Allistiar didn't know much about Ran's past, but he had gathered that Ran was raised elven and had been estranged from his father for much of his life.
Well, whatever Ran's feelings were, at least he always seemed to be very tactful about it. Tact was something that Allistair felt they could use a bit more of, remembering some of the earlier arguments between Kal and his brother. These recent battles and brushes with death had seemed to mellow both of them out a bit, though.
After Allistair finishes memorizing some of his spells, he takes a short break and goes over to talk to his brother. He looks around to make sure that Kal is out of earshot. (no point in stirring up a hornet's nest) "Mund, you mentioned earlier about you having lived with orcs for a while. How did that happen? And wasn't it dangerous for you? Whatever a person's feelings about orcs may be, generally orcs don't care for the company of humans too much."
Mund's history, resting
Subject Mund's history
"Everybody says that orcs don't like humans. From what I've seen, though, it's humans that don't like orcs. Treat an orc like folk, and chances are he'll treat you like folk."
"Especially if he knows that you'll crack his head if he doesn't," Mund adds with a savage grin.
"There were a few orcs that hung out at the Pregnant Whore -- do you remember that tavern? Anyway, I hung out with with them despite Mom and Dad's objections. I must have looked like a pretty silly kid trying to out-orc the orcs, but they took it in good humor."
"I helped them out a few times against some elven raiders, and impressed them enough that I and ended up joining their band. I didn't have the brains to go to some big-city university like you did, brother. These axes", he says as he flexes his biceps, "and those orcs were my ticket out of that hole we grew up in. If it weren't for them, I'd probably still be there, scratching the dirt and dying of some plague."
Mund smiles wistfully as he remembers good times. "So I left home and lived with the orcs for about five years. It was a great time for me. I learned whatever anybody would teach me -- running, weapons, boxing, and summoning the spirit of the great Bear-Totem."
"I guess the wandering bug bit me, and about two years ago I left the band. While traveling on my own, I, well, I met Quarion. He's been hiring me for odd jobs here and there ever since. And that's how I got stuck in this unnatural place," Mund says with a grimace.
From: Mark
Subject Turn
I will write something up later tonight.
From: Mark
Subject Resting
The party settles down for another days rest. Stories are told, songs are sung, gear is repaired, wounds are healed. Ragnar pulls out the scrolls from his back pack and moves around the party, checking for wounds. He uses one on Kal (heal 9), two on Mund (heal 17) and two on Ranthir (heal 27). Looking everyone over, the cleric decides to use his most basic healing prayers on Mund, who still has some burn marks on his arms.( Heal 5) (Jason mark off 5 of the scrolls of CMW.)
Harp sets up the usual schedule. The party uses one of the earlier rooms as an outhouse, hoping that they will not have to spend a whole lot more time in the testing grounds. Surin and Salix break out the rations and cook a couple of meals for the companions, Surin showing an amazing grasp of how to use some of the herbs and spices that Salix keeps on him.
As they talk and time passes, Allistair brings up a point. "You know, we now have 8 of the 11 keys, if I read that inscription right. Only three more rooms to go. They have been getting more difficult. Remember the ogre in the first room? That seems so long ago."
OODM: If any one wants to do any more role playing please go ahead. Otherwise I will write something up tomorrow afternoon.
Elementary my Dear Mund
Subject Elementary my dear Mund
The night passes, faster for some then for others. Watches are kept, stories told, meals are eaten, weapons and armor mended. Both Mund and Salix seem to have an internal clock that lets them keep track of time, at least a general idea of what time it would be if they could see the sun and if they were even back on Kelavan. When it comes time for the entire party to wake, Harp calls every one to attention.
"From my talking to Mund, Salix, Ragnar and Allistair, we think it likely that we may be facing some sort of elemental beings. I know nothing about them and the others do not know much more. We are split on certain things. For example, would a water creature be more or less vulnerable to fire? I would think more but something could be said for the other way. I think we learned from those fire breathing dogs and things that use fire may not be damaged by it. So my question is, how do we want to proceed with these two rooms? Obviously one at a time, but which one first? I know that several of us have ways of protecting people from the effects of fire and heat. Salix, do you know of any way to protect people from the effects of water?" Harp looks at the group, looking for suggestions.
OODM: OK discuss.
From: Porter
Subject Elementary my dear Mund
"OK. I've got some questions."
"Would these "'mentals" be damaged by normal weapons, or only by magic? If I tried to wrassle with one of them, would it burn or drown me?"
From: Karl
Subject Elementary
I just updated my spell list. I'm going to have to ask you to trust me that I wanted to memorize "Water Breathing" and "Endure Elements" before reading the turn below. It's true, seriously.
From: Mark
Subject Elementary
Not a problem. I actually wanted this discussion to take place before spells are memorized/prayers are prayed for. This was Harp's planning meeting on how/what to prepare.
From: Ashley
Subject Elementary
"Any innkeeper's wife can tell you that water makes quick work of fire most times. Using water against a fire creature seems the easiest choice, but I wouldn't put it past a magical creature to not work diffrently. Mund has a point about magical weapons -- those that's got 'em should probably use 'em, and get as much an edge as we can. I didn't get a good look at the layout of the rooms, but you think someone might be able to get invisible like before and sneak around to do damage from behind?"
Surin is mostly throwing ideas out, but if the invisibility idea flies, he'll volunteer in place of the big, noisy, non-sneaky Mund. It might not work in practice because of the invisibility-not-working-if-you-attack-someone thing.
From: Porter
Subject Elementary
OOC: Invisibility works *until* you attack, so you'd probably get one good backstab.
Unless these creatures can see invisible. Which I wouldn't put past them. <_<
From: Mark
Subject Elementary
This is what is called a learning experience. At the school of hard knocks. :)
From: Karl
Subject Elementary
Salix listens to the discussion with interest. Finally he speaks up. "Do we even have any confirmation that there *are* creatures to fight in these rooms? Do we *know* more than that one room is very hot and the other is full of water? Isn't it possible that the test here is to simply get past the water and fire and find the key hidden somewhere in there?
"It would of course be foolish to proceed without being prepared for a fight, but maybe there is a way we can avoid fighting. I have a prayer that will grant the protection of Obad-Hai to one of my choosing who would then be able to endure fire or ice for a day. Perhaps one of us could be blessed in this way and be granted the invisibility that Allistair so remarkably conjures, and search the hot room for the key. If he sees an elemental or other creature, he can retreat and tell us, or perhaps lure it out for us to fight in the common room.
"As for the water room, Obad-Hai can lend the gift of breathing under water. This gift I can grant on any of our numbers or all of us, but the more to whom it is granted, the shorter the duration of the gift. But even if all of us are so blessed, we should have over an hour to search the water room. Granted, invisibility won't help there if we leave a void in the water where we stand."
From: Karl
Subject Elementary
Salix adds "I should mention that the protection from elements is only for environmental protection. If there is another fire-dog, for instance, his breath will still hurt you even with this protect of which I speak."
From: Derek
Subject Elementary
Allistair speaks up again. "If these are indeed elementals, which Salix is prudent to point out has not been entirely established yet, but if they indeed are, I do remember learning a few things about such creatures from other planes in my studies."
"Due to thier extraplanar nature, elementals are generally more difficult to hurt than ordinary creatures. So Mund will want to be careful because there is a strong possibility that his non-magical weapon may not be able to harm them. Also any elemental will be immune to attacks from its own element, so it is safe to say that if there is a fire elemental in the fire room that my fireballs will not effect it. However, a fireball should have full effect on a water elemental."
"Also, elementals often employ some kind of special attack based on thier element. A fire elemental might throw fire around, or a water elemental might try and pull you underwater to drown you, etc."
"From what we saw before, if there are indeed elementals in those rooms, simply opening the door didn't seem to provoke them in any way. Nor did Mund actually stepping in the water room have any effect. After shooting a fireball into the water room and closing it, a huge wave crashed against the door, which could have been the water elemental reacting, or could have just been a wave created by the explosion."
"Based on this, I suggest that we all go into the room, open the water door, and then stand back while I throw fireballs into the open door. If there is a water elemental in the room, and if it then rushes out and attacks us, that is to our advantage, because a water elemental would probably want to stay in the pool of water where it could use the environment to it's greatest advantage. So if it rushes out and attacks us, we fight it and defeat it. If it for some reason cannot or will not leave the room, then I'll use all my fireballs on it first to soften it up before we charge in to destroy it."
"Once the water room is clear, then we can try a similar approach on the fire room, only I won't have any 'water balls' to throw at it. I could just shoot a magic missile in there, or we could throw a bucketful of water from the water room in."
From: Porter
Subject Elementary
"Can anybody magick up my axe so that it can hurt these guys?"
From: Jason
Subject Elementary
You can count on it! Ragnar plans to ask for at least 2 magic weapon blessings tomorrow.
From: Kevin
Subject Elementary
Sorry, long day getting to Boston. Mark, take what liberties you need with Harp. He will pray for what ever prayers will benefit the group the most, and will be VERY willing to be in the front line with his magic sword.
From: Derek
Subject Elementary
OOC: Clarification on the elementals. I misunderstood what 'damage reduction' meant.
IC: Allistair clarifies that normal weapons will also be able to harm an elemental, but any attack must be of sufficient damage or it will just be absorbed without effect.
Planning
Subject Planing
Kal aproaches Ragnar:
"I think it would be a good idea if we coordinated spells. My strengths lie in offensive spells, I am accustomed to having elvish preists around to handle defensive and healing spells. What sort of powers does your God grant you?"
From: Mark
Subject Planning
Any other planing? Or do you want me to write something up for Harp?
From: Randy
Subject Planning
Ranthir is in favor of trying the water room plan first. Chuck a fireball in with the door open and see what happens. If nothing happens, he will volunteer to enter the water first.
From: Kevin
Subject Planning
Harp agrees - water room first with fireball and Sailx's little fire ball if needed. Mund, Ran, and Harp at the front, with whatever protection spells they need.
OOC: Does Salix have the ability to call on a small thunderstorm? I know he can call lightning, but can he make it rain? That might be usefull against the fire when the time comes. Or maybe something cold - I assume that Salix and Allistair have stated all that they "know" or assume about elementals.
From: Karl
Subject Planning
Salix cannot call rain. He can only call lightening. It's energy, so it ought to damage both water and fire elementals if we encounter one.
Ready to go
Subject ready to go
Harp looks around the group. "Are we settled then? We go after the water room first. Allistair starts off with another fireball and Ranthir and Mund will then enter the room. Ragnar will have blessed their weapons. Ragnar and I will wait at the door as a reserve. Salix will have given them the water breathing blessing, just in case. Am I missing anything?"
From: Josh
Subject Ready to go
"What do you want me to do?"
From: Karl
Subject Ready to go
Salix can give the water breath blessing to both of them, or everyone. The duration of that spell is 2 hours per level divided by the number of people blessed. I don't think we'll need the blessing for a whole hour, do you?
From: Mark
Subject Ready to go
Harp thinks for a moment. "Mund, the room looked to only be 30X30, right?"
Mund nods."Yep, they both looked to be the same size."
"Let's put it on the three of us who might go in then Salix."
"Kal, you stay back here and keep an eye on this other door. If this is a trap of some sort, your job is to stop whatever comes from that door. Got it?"