[Adventure] Artemis' Pact

Someone · Aug 26, 2011

JoeNotCharles said:
[sblock=Someone]
I'd say calming Bob down with Diplomacy would give no direct success, but give the next player to act a +2 because the distraction is gone.

I'd allow the Dimension Scramble with Arcana.
[/sblock]

[sblock=DM]I was thinking more on allowing communication between group members and calming everyone down, but I agree it's not a direct success and more of a help, which is was I was looking for anyway.[/sblock]

As the cart adquires speed and the noise of falling rock comes closer, panic ensues in the cart. Bob's terrified screaming added to the rusty wheel's screech on the tracks and the menacing rumbling from the caving tunnels drown any tentative conversation.

Fortunately Shale's telepathy doesn't rely on sound.

"Calm down everyone! Just listen to my voice. If any of you need to say anything, don't shout, just think on it. I'll make sure whoever need to hear it hears it."

Even as he thinks that, the cracks on the ceiling advance at terrifying speed. Chunks of rock falling, adding debis to the already neglected tracks. Shale moves to the front of the cart, and concentrates. Space warps around the fallen rocks, which twist and deform briefly before being teleported out of the way. It becomes harder, as the collapse sends more and more rocks in the way. Soon Shale starts glowing, first the "eyes", soon every crystal in his body, with a fierce red light.

OOC:

First Diplomacy roll was an Aid Another check. Since I don't know what everyone is going to roll, I can't assign it, so feel free to use the +2 for you own check; just be sure to specify it in the roll.

I assumed we were rolling both rounds at once; if not, take the Arcana roll as my second turn action. I just wish I went for broke.

JoeNotCharles · Aug 26, 2011

[sblock=Skill Challenge]
Well, I wasn't planning on doing both rounds at once, but you can if you want.

1 success, the next person to act gets a +2. Shale has used both his actions.
[/sblock]

CaBaNa · Aug 26, 2011

Gil makes a face, *AM I THINKING HARD ENOUGH?!* screams the scholar from his mind. *WHOA!* Gil mentally shouts as Shale begins to to glow.

OOC:

I'll wait to make my roll but will be using the brake eventually. Want to see what others do.

FourMonos · Aug 27, 2011

Aremis tugs off his shield as soon as the cart starts moving. The building velocity of the cart is both thrilling and terrifying at the same time. With the burden of the devil's pact lifted from his soul, Artemis is still grinning his silly grin.

Shale's voice thankfully has a calming effect on everyone. Even with the ceiling coming apart, his powers of teleportation saved the small group from certain doom.

"Well, I think we're safe now!" Artemis nods and smiles looking back at his friends.

They are rapidly approaching a split in the track when they hear another crack and collapse. A huge boulder dislodges in the distance and lands directly on the track they are hurtling along.

The voices scream at once inside everyone's head "ROCK! ROCK! Oh my gawd we're gonna die!" "Oh, that can't be good." "This is unfortunate." "This is so exciting!"

Seeing only seconds to act, Artemis grabs the handaxe from his belt. Forced by the jerking movements of the cart, he jostles back and forth. A second before the cart reaches the intersection he lets the handaxe fly with all his strength. It smacks squarely into the railroad switch! The track grinds as it shifts and the group clings tightly to the swerving cart as they divert to the second tunnel.

[sblock=athletics, going for broke!] 1d20+11+2+2-5 → [15,11,2,2,-5] = (25) Roll Lookup [/sblock]

Someone · Aug 27, 2011

OOC:

[MENTION=88601]FourMonos[/MENTION] , notice that we're playing to rounds at once. By the skill challenge rules we're playing with, you can only go for broke in the last round, so technically you can still do your first round of actions.

And we already have 3 successes, so we're not going to die crushed under tons of rock. I hope.

JoeNotCharles · Aug 27, 2011

OOC:

Yeah, what he said.

FourMonos · Aug 27, 2011

OOC:

My mistake. It wasn't clear to me when you could go for broke but I see now the intention in the second action only. [MENTION=79945]JoeNotCharles[/MENTION] does that count as my first action or should I make a first action and that would be the second?

Neil1889 · Aug 27, 2011

OOC:

Haven't got much time, but Lilli's skills range from -1 to +1 for this challenge. She might be better attempting to help, perhaps after the fact to turn a close loss to a win, if that's allowed.

JoeNotCharles · Aug 27, 2011

OOC:

[MENTION=88601]FourMonos[/MENTION]: Yes, you can take another action and retcon that into being your second.

[MENTION=100292]Neil1889[/MENTION]: Sorry, you can't do an Aid Another retroactively (at least, you can't plan it that way: if you'd posted an Aid Another thinking there was someone who could use it, without realizing they'd already posted, I'd be lenient). Remember that you can use other skills, you just have to pass them by me first.

FourMonos · Aug 28, 2011

OOC:

Eh-hem... slightly before the rock falls and blocks the tunnel at the intersection..

Artemis still pulls his shield off after jumping into the lead mine car. While Shale expertly manipulates time and space to protect the mine car from falling rock, a shift in the left side of the tunnel spills debris out from the wall. Several feet of mine track become obstructed in several inches of hard rock.

The hard rock impact could easily jar the mine cars wheels from the rickety rails!

Artemis grabs his shield from next to him in the cart and throws it like a giant metal discus. It skids along the track and stops right before the debris.

"Alright everyone! When I say 'Go!' lean toward the left!"

The mine cars speed toward the debris with dangerous speed. When the mine car's wheels hit the shield, the angle of the shield pitches the left side wheels, and therefore cart, up into the air.

"Go! Now!" Artemis yells. With everyone throwing their weight against the left side of the carts, the mine carts do an amazing balancing act of staying just on the right wheels for several seconds before landing back on the track. That few seconds was enough to clear the rocks and, for a brief moment, the mine cars are safe again.

[sblock=athletics] 1d20+11+2 → [11,11,2] = (24) Roll Lookup [/sblock]

OOC:

Artemis will be without his shield and handaxe after the skill challenge, but well worth it!