Start of #Sharn buffer: Wed May 07 21:07:51 2008 [17:12:52] * Mauz (lol@fl-67-233-187-249.dhcp.embarqhsd.net) has joined #Sharn [17:16:40] [The group prepares to return to the Cogs, giving Mari time to craft a wand of invisibility and Phanos time to practice with his mole-claw-granting magic.] [17:17:17] [Eventually, the day arrives and the party ventures into the Cogs, trying to get to the entrance to the caved-in Citadel without being caught by Daask.] [17:17:20] [Session Start] [17:17:26] [SKILL CHALLENGE!] [17:17:40] [:O] [17:18:43] [CRAB BATTLE!] [17:19:46] [The party must make 4 successful skill checks before making 2 failures to reach the Citadel unnoticed. They make try to sneak using Hide or Move Silently, use social skills like Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Intimidate to ask for directions and ensure sealed lips, or Knowledge Local to get by on their own.] [17:19:55] may* [17:33:56] [After one close call in which Loharath inadvertantly insulted a hobgoblin's honor by asking him to lie about seeing the party, the group makes it to the tunnel overlooking the caved-in entrance to the Citadel, expending only 5 charges from the Wand of Invisibility so far.] [17:34:28] [The entrance to the Citadel is partly excavated, however, by a team of Warforged who are working even now.] [17:34:51] "Dey workin to be clearin de entrance, Wes sure ya." [17:34:58] [The group sees them from a far enough distance that they aren't immediately noticed by the toiling warforged.] [17:35:39] "Maybe I gives us de moley hands, den yous makes us not seen, den we go, ya?" [17:36:35] * Loharath nods [17:37:25] Sounds good to me. [17:37:31] * Phanos takes a head count, including his plant dogs. [17:37:50] "Seven time!" [17:38:08] * Mauz looks alive, well, and only slightly flustered. "Not my idea of a fun time on the town, but we yet live." [17:39:08] Right... [17:39:58] * Phanos rubs his hands together until they move too rapidly to see, like the hands of a burrowing creature. Eventually, his hands grow long, dirty-looking claws that would be quite good for digging. He taps his dogs and the rest of the parrty, giving them similar, but fully functional mole-handish things. [17:40:09] "Right den girl. Go with de inviso." [17:41:41] * Marianysa makes with the zapping. [17:42:17] * Mauz makes a face, but shrugs and gets down to business. [17:42:41] * Phanos orders his dogs forward towards the excavation site, hitting the loose rubble and rummaging through it with his dogs at his side as he does. [17:42:55] [Seven wand charges later, the group is invisible and rushes the caved-in entrance, burrowing into the dirt clogging it.] [17:43:13] [The Warforged immeidately scatter, expecting a rock-slide.] [17:44:43] [Moving through the dirt, feeling with their clawed hands, the party is able to make out that the stone-walled maze is partly ruined by the cave-in, allowing them a somewhat less winding route to the middle of the Citadel.] [17:46:27] [The stone floor is obviously shattered near the center and the party is able to dig it [17:46:58] 's way lower, to the area where they originally experienced the white-out and subsequent loss of time.] [17:47:31] [The area has ben excavated though, and there's a 15 foot drop from the packed-dirt ceiling to the cleared-out floor.] [17:48:32] * Phanos pulls out a rod from the top, shooting it against the cieling and holding onto one end, lowering himself down safely and leaving the rope for the others to descend. [17:49:10] * Marianysa climbs down after Phanos. [17:49:51] * Loharath climbs down the rope and draws his swords, igniting them. [17:50:02] * Aurora follows throguh [17:50:51] * Mauz heads on down, muttering 'mind the gap' to himself. [17:52:04] * Phanos has his dogs slide down, gripping the rope with their mouths, as well. When everyone is situated, he recalls the rope. [17:52:09] "Handy, dat ya." [17:53:54] Yeah [17:54:00] * Loharath nods. "Sure is." [17:54:10] Just glad my hands are back to normal. [17:54:24] * Phanos touches his own skin, brushing it over carefully as if his hands were covered in paint, making his skin flake and thicken into a black, solid bark. [17:54:58] * Aurora gets her bow out and looks around [17:55:34] (Place yourselves on gametable) [18:02:25] "Dey done clear it out heah ya. I and I notice it probbo not dem der robuts dat doned it neadah." [18:03:25] ((Transpose robot with metal mans please.)) [18:03:51] Yeah... [18:03:58] Onward? [18:04:13] "Well, lesa go, ya. Stah chesty mon aint gon show hisself up non." [18:05:33] * Loharath nods and begins heading down the corridor. [18:05:47] * Aurora follows [18:06:44] [The group squeezes through the barely cleared-out corridor into the next room. A shattered mural lays at their feat and beyond is the ruined interrior of Mauz's former accomodations at the Citadel.] [18:07:21] [More slabs of ruined mural litter the floor, any magic in them long shattered.] [18:08:24] Weird [18:08:37] (Not really. There was a cave in.) [18:09:24] * Mauz doesn't look like he's doing anything. Just... being there. And grimacing. [18:09:37] ... here again. [18:09:45] Yeah... [18:09:58] "I not happy bout it eidah mon. Too many close quahtas caves metink." [18:10:12] Keep together and keep aware. Let's get through this. [18:10:21] [Beyond the ruined chamber, however, are a pair of metal doors broken and off their hinges, skewed and now subsumbed into the excavated tunnel leading further into the Citadel then anyone of them has been yet.] [18:10:23] Right. Let's keep going. [18:11:38] Three by two, I'll take the lead with Aurora, then Mari and Phanos, then Mauz. The dogs can take the back. [18:11:44] * Marianysa shivers a little. [18:12:48] * Aurora nods [18:12:49] Fair enough. Let's just get this overwith. [18:13:35] (Yes, lets. Update your positions on gametable faster, please.) [18:16:07] * Loharath moves down the hall, blades ahead of him [18:17:01] [The tunnel begins to slant sharply, possibly recreating a ruined staircase, heading downward.) [18:17:54] [At the end of the slope, stairs are clearly defined, the effects of the cave-in lessening so the worked masonry of the corridor becomes less ruined and more solid as they progress.] [18:19:09] * Loharath heads down the stairs, bracing himself [18:19:31] "He like to walk out front." [18:19:39] * Aurora moves down, carefully [18:22:58] * Loharath walks to the doors. "Mari, can you check and see if these doors will kill us if we open them? [18:23:01] * Mauz tags along, although he looks just a touch ill now, as if remembering things he'd rather not. [18:23:05] [Shortly after the stairs, the hall is solid and sturdy, sporting a pair of metal doors with horrible images engraved upon them.] [18:23:43] On it. [18:23:56] * Marianysa steps forward to examine the doors. [18:24:01] [The relief on the doors doesn't try to enter the viewers minds like the mural, however. It doesn't pretend to lure them in with pleasant images. There's just rape and torture and death.] [18:24:36] ugh [18:25:40] "I and I dont seen de worst grafeety in dis place ya." [18:26:42] We're doing a good thing by breaking in here and killing whatever lives inside. Nothing that knows the grace of the Flame or Host would live in this hellhole. [18:27:44] * Marianysa mutters "Found something...gimme a minute." [18:28:17] What's that? [18:29:54] Eh? [18:30:25] ...hell. [18:30:52] What's wrong? [18:31:14] You alright? [18:31:21] * Marianysa lets out of a sigh of relief. "Thought I triggered it for a second there." [18:32:40] Got it! [18:32:48] "Good ting, girlie." [18:33:07] Whew. [18:33:26] [Mari carfully removes the needle and disposes of it.] [18:33:56] * Loharath kisses Mari on the forehead. "Good job. I knew you could do it." The needle gone, he flings the door open and stands in the doorway, scanning the room. [18:34:29] ... it's always those kinds... [18:34:30] * Marianysa blushes and grins goofily. [18:34:44] Wonder what's behind here that's so important they had to trap it. [18:35:39] Whatever's down here, it's sick enough that they don't bother hiding the horrible shit. And important enough that they want to make it harder to get in. Let's murder it. [18:36:07] Sounds like a plan. [18:36:21] "It probly wanna murdah us anyweigh." [18:36:50] [Loharath kicks the doors open with a resounding echo. The chamber beyond is easily 150 feet across, if not more. It is circular and at the center of the room is a shaft that stretches down beyond the site of someone standing at the door. An eerie red glow emanates from it, and a blast of warm air hits the party as the doors fly open.] [18:37:57] * Loharath frowns. "I wasn't ever told how to deal with rooms like this." [18:38:25] * Marianysa draws her swords. [18:39:00] [The red glow from the central pit is enough to illuminate the chamber.] [18:39:09] * Aurora gets her bow ready. "Think this might be one of those places that explodes or collapses if something powerful is taken out?" [18:39:38] * Mauz recoils... but dark, vile energy crackles between his fingers nonetheless. "Only one way to find out." [18:39:40] * Loharath nods. "Could be. I was warned about them. Let's get ready to run or dig our way out." [18:40:16] Right. [18:40:37] "Someone go looka-down it." [18:41:10] Cover me, Aurora. [18:41:32] Right. [18:41:44] * Loharath heads to the edge of the shaft, looking down it as best he can without getting close enough to be dragged down it by some fireproof, tentacled monstrocity. [18:41:45] * Aurora has her bow ready. [18:42:01] * Aurora keeps it levelled and remains on high alert. [18:42:05] * Marianysa follows closely behind Loharath. [18:42:08] See anything? [18:42:18] * Mauz hangs back, but definitely looks to be on his toes now, nausea mostly replaced with apprehension. [18:43:17] [Heat visibly rises from the central pit, and the air gets drier as Loharath approaches. He gets close to the edge and can see clearly that hundreds of feat down is a river of lava, moving slowly.] [18:43:18] * Phanos turns to Mauz. Whats de mattah mon?" [18:43:33] Just lava! [18:43:51] "You ear dat? Its just lava mon." [18:44:00] Just being here. [18:44:04] And while lava tends to be associated with evil, it's not evil in and of itself. Looks like we might have got a false positive. [18:44:13] "Same ting wit me zombos." [18:44:15] Yeah, but... what's it doing here? [18:44:25] Who would go through the trouble to bring lava into Sharn? [18:44:34] (Uh, what?) [18:44:52] "We AH on de bottom level, ya, goes right to khybah, it do." [18:44:59] (It's a *river of Lava* and you're *underground*) [18:45:04] ( ... :downs: ) [18:45:22] (And the industrial part of the Cogs with all their foundries and oppresive heat? Lava.) [18:45:35] (I really like the idea of Aurora assuming that someone shipped a bunch of lava into Sharn for their evil lair) [18:45:38] ( Huh. I thought it was just fire. ) [18:46:15] I don't know if it's just a false positive. [18:46:20] This place was locked and trapped. [18:46:25] There has to be some reason. [18:46:41] * Marianysa moves around the outside of the room, looking for doors. [18:47:48] * Phanos looks up, scanning the ceiling. [18:47:49] [Mari moves around to the opposite side of the room, and she gets within 30 feet of the door that leads deeper into the Citadel...] [18:48:03] (Phanos spot check now) [18:49:50] [Suddenly a scorching ray fires at Mari, from a spot on the ceiling Phanos's eyes just passed over.] [18:50:07] "Comin from de roof!" [18:50:27] * Loharath looks up, weapons ready [18:50:44] * Aurora points her bow up. [18:50:58] [Suprise Round] [18:54:24] [Another shimmering blue ray lances from the ceiling toward Loharath] [18:55:53] [Now with a clear indication that something's there, the party makes out two 4-foot-wide orbs, hidden among the stone of the ceiling. And then their eyes open, slightly smaller than their bodies.] [18:55:59] [One each] [18:56:01] [Init] [18:56:44] 1d20+2 [18:56:47] (Derp) [18:58:36] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init Order: Mari, Aurora, Mauz, Loharath, Phanos' [18:58:41] [Mari's Turn] [19:02:16] Aura! Got something for you! Get over here! [19:03:15] [Aurora's Turn] [19:07:13] [Aurora and Mari spend their turns trying to meet up.] [19:07:16] [Mauz's Turn] [19:09:18] * Mauz grimaces... and moves on into the area from his spot in the doorway. As soon as he comes to a reasonable spot... he quickly performs the proper motions and stomps, creating duplicates of himself. [19:11:20] * NovaSeaker changes topic to 'Init Order: Mari, Aurora, Mauz, Beholderkin, Loharath, Phanos' [19:13:01] [The first one moves toward Loharath, then focuses his central gaze on him.] [19:24:16] [It's gaze stunns Loharath, and it then fires off two damaging rays, then splits its attention to Aurora, firing rays to attempt to debilitate her, only manging to make her extremely tired.] [19:24:44] [The second beholderkin moves toward the group of Aurora, Mari, and Phanos, and focuses on Mari, gazing intently at her.] [19:30:49] [The second one splits it's rays between Mari and Phanos, utterly failing to effect Phanos but weakening and damaging Mari.] [19:31:06] [Loharath is stunned, but manages to shake it off at the end of his turn.] [19:31:12] [Phanos's Turn] [19:31:17] * Phanos ducks behind his dogs, going through the motions of a spell with words as harsh and biting enough for those around him to know he is casting a spell that is going to hurt someone. He points to the creature closest to him, and an inky blackness begins to gether around its eyes. [19:32:44] "You no do anyting now, mon, but hovah an get stabbed!" [19:33:06] [The creature is completely blinded as ink coats it's eyes, from the inside. It shrieks, splitting it's orb-like body from side to side with a toothy maw.] [19:33:17] [Mari's Turn] [19:33:58] [She manages to shake off her stun after her turn.] [19:34:21] [Aurora's Turn] [19:35:03] * Aurora stands her ground and levels her bow at the unblind Gauth. "Mari, whenever you're ready..." [19:39:13] * Aurora whispers a prayer to the Silver Flame to help her land her attack... [19:39:43] "Hit de one dat CAN see, ya?" [19:41:42] Sounds like a plan! [19:42:22] * Mauz promptly aims his hand at the unscathed creature. The curious glove there crackles and shimmers as a livid green aura is added to the sickly purple-black ray launched at the... thing. [19:45:48] [The unblinded beholderkin moves sideways to Mauz, as if stalking him, then widens it's central eye, focusing it's stunning gaze on him.] [19:59:58] [It splits it's eyerays among the party, managing to damage Loharath and not much else.] [20:00:27] [The blinded Beholder fires off all its rays at where it last saw Phanos. Which unfortunately is where he is.] [20:00:58] beholderkin* [20:04:02] [Loharath's Turn] [20:04:57] * Loharath shakes himself out of his stun and screams, hopping back a short distance then running up to the edge of the pit and leaping at the Beholderkin, across the lava [20:13:00] * NovaSeaker (Novaseaker@cpe-24-168-45-216.si.res.rr.com) Quit (Ping timeout: 180 seconds) [20:14:44] * NovaSeaker (Novaseaker@cpe-24-168-45-216.si.res.rr.com) has joined #Sharn [20:14:47] * ChanServ sets mode: +o NovaSeaker [20:19:39] * Loharath sails through the air and briefly overshoots the beholderkin before twisting in the air and thrusting his hand out at it. Space bends in a sense-defying way, and the next second, Loharath has his legs wrapped around the creature's body, weapons in hand [20:20:12] [Phanos's Turn] [20:21:44] * Phanos waggles his fingers at the other one, pointing a damning finger at the beholder that has retained its eyesight. "BlindyblindyblindyblindyblindyYOU!" The inky blackness begins to gather around its eyes as well. He steps away after being pelted with a ray. "Cheapshot!" he mutters before he moves. His dogs close in towards the seeing, landbound beholder. [20:22:51] [Snarling, whipping about, the Beholderkin almost fails to notice the black ink at all with Loharath wrapped around it.] [20:22:56] [Mari's Turn] [20:25:34] * Marianysa places a hand on Aurora's bow and closes her eyes, mumbling something under her breath. [20:27:32] [Aurora's Turn] [20:27:54] [Aurora finds it easier to aim at the beholderkin now....] [20:30:50] Thanks Mari! [20:31:03] * Aurora turns to her right and lets loose an arrow at the Gauth in front of her. [20:33:50] * Marianysa gives Aurora a thumbs up. [20:33:57] [Mauz's Turn] [20:35:04] * Aurora lands the arrow. It hits the Guath. HARD. Cleaves through it like a toothpick through an olive. [20:35:24] [The exit wound is clean though, and off-center.] [20:37:34] ... ONCE MORE, GODS DAMN IT ALL! [20:38:15] * Mauz snarls, and uncorks a second green-tinted beam at the beast that *doesn't* have a mad Flamer riding on it. [20:41:12] [The damaged Beholderkin, blind and attacked from several directions, attemps to flee, heading away from the general direction of the attacks.] [20:42:22] [The beholderkin being ridden by Loharath snarls and tries to bite him.] [20:43:28] [Loharath keeps it from behind able to open its maw.] [20:46:01] [Loharath attempts to stab the creature, but it's wriggling eyestalks keep him from landing a solid hit. However, his weight disrupts the creature's natural bouyancy, dragging it to the ground.] [20:47:31] * Phanos 's dogs leap at the opportunity to slay the creature, teeth sinking into its round, bulbous flesh. [20:47:50] [Phanos's Turn] [20:48:39] * Phanos has his dogs continue to bite down on the fallen beholder while he focuses his efforts into the fleeing one. Pointing a finger and sending a ray of utter darkness to slash at the already-darkened beholder. [20:52:50] [Mari's Turn] [20:54:47] * Marianysa runs over to the monster Loharath is holding down. [20:56:34] [Aurora's Turn] [20:59:19] [Aurora's arrow flies true, piercing the fleeing creature from behind, dead center.] [20:59:47] [The arrow explodes out of it's entral main eye, and the creature begins to drop like a stone, to the lava river below.] [21:00:00] [Mauz's Turn] [21:02:21] Once more, with feeling... [21:03:30] * Mauz smirks, and unleashes one final bolt after jauntily getting into proper range. "And stay down!" [21:06:17] [Mauz bursts the creatures eye with his eldritch energy.] [21:06:55] [Taking a few minutes to rest and heal up, the party turns to the door to the south, ready to head deeper into the Citadel to find the lost Dark Lantern agent.] [21:07:00] [Session End.] End of #Sharn buffer Wed May 07 21:07:51 2008