Krauss' Age of Worms (Act I) - The Whispering Cairn

[silentspace]

Majakilar grins "Ah, it was a mirror after all. Perhaps this place plays tricks on the eyes... Should we investigate the green light? Or... maybe we should listen to the whispers at the holes" Majakilar grins sheepishly "They sound almost like voices..."

 

[Voadam]

"I'll see if I can find the light." Gregor steps forward in the lead.

 

[silentspace]

"Wait for me," Majakilar says, taking up a position beside Gregor.

 

[Thanee]

Alexi

Her voice filled with joy, Alexi claps her hands and says: “Yes! Let us find out, what is hidden in this cairn!” The young woman follows the others, taking up her secure position in the back.

 

[hbarsquared]

Kenneth

OOC - Sorry about the delay. Been out of town this weekend.​

"Why, of course I have crazy stories, my dear Owen," Kenneth replies, sauntering next to the boy's side to examine the markings on the shattered apparatus. "No doubt, this is only one piece of a much larger arcane machine that, when fully assembled, becomes a great weapon of destruction. The hero, Estuvius, was unable to completely destroy just such a weapon, but did hide several of the pieces so that such evil would not be wrought again. Perhaps this is one of those pieces."

Kenneth eyes the object and cups his chin in one hand. "Or, perhaps not. That machine of old was the color of copper. Yes, definitely copper." He kneels beside it and gently traces the runes on the inside of the device with his fingers across the engraved surface, just as Owen has done, oblivious to Owen's banter with Alexi above. He pauses momentarily on the single glyph at the base and furrows his brow in concentration.

OOC - Bardic knowledge +4, Knowledge (arcana, history, local) +7​

Satsified with his inspection, Kenneth rises and follows the rest north, toward the flickering light.

 

[Krauss von Espy]

Kenneth kneels beside it and gently traces the runes on the inside of the device with his fingers across the engraved surface, just as Owen has done, oblivious to Owen's banter with Alexi above. He pauses momentarily on the single glyph at the base and furrows his brow in concentration.

OOC - Bardic knowledge +4, Knowledge (arcana, history, local) +7​

Satsified with his inspection, Kenneth rises and follows the rest north, toward the flickering light.

[Knowledge (Arcana) Check: 3+7=10] Kenneth actually does have some insight as to the true nature of the apparatus. The runes on the inner portion of the "mirror's" frame look to be of a type which signify transportation.

The large glyph at the base of the device doesn't seem to be formed from a common alphabet, but it is reminiscent of arcane symbols representing elemental air.

"I'll see if I can find the light." Gregor steps forward in the lead.

With the other party members in tow, Gregor and Majakilar lead the way further northward into the cairn, the glow of Owen's lantern providing the light.

The central hallway opens into a large chamber with wings leading to the east and west. Across the chamber to the north yawns a twenty-foot-wide open arch draped from top to bottom in translucent cobwebs. The eerie green light flickers from beyond the webs, casting strange shadows about this room. The place smells of animal spoor and wet fur.

To the west, three short stairs lead to a wide marble dais, but the far end of the wing is obscured by darkness.

Huge slabs of cracked masonry and irregular piles of scattered debris choke the eastern wing, giving the appearance of a complete collapse.

The sibiliant, almost human whispers present in the passage become a chorus in this massive chamber, eerily echoing off the walls

A low growl from the eastern part of the room reveals the source of the odor straight away. Three wolves stand snarling at the party, hackles raised as they approach. Two of the mangy curs look as if they haven't eaten in days. The third is a little larger than the others, and does not look hungry in the least. A straight line of scar tissue bisects its face from forehead to muzzle. With a snap of hungry jaws, the wolves eagerly attack!

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Initiative:

Azten 18+1=19
Owen 15+3=18
Majakilar 16+2=18
Gregor 10+1=11
Kenneth 8+2=10
Alexi 6+2=8
Wolves (x3)

OOC: I'll be NPCing Owen for now, could the rest of you please send combat actions for at least one round (more than one if you like).

On the map, the strongest looking wolf is the one in the middle (#2).

 

[Azten]

OOC: Sweet! First initiative of first combat

Azten picks out a few pebbles and asks Moradin to strengthen them so they will damage the wolves more.

spell details:
[sblock]Magic Stone
Transmutation
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Earth 1
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: Up to three pebbles touched
Duration: 30 minutes or until discharged
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)
You transmute as many as three pebbles, which can be no larger than sling bullets, so that they strike with great force when thrown or slung. If hurled, they have a range increment of 20 feet. If slung, treat them as sling bullets (range increment 50 feet). The spell gives them a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. The user of the stones makes a normal ranged attack. Each stone that hits deals 1d6+1 points of damage (including the spell’s enhancement bonus), or 2d6+2 points against undead.
[/sblock]

If he is able to next round, he'll sling a stone at the nearest or largest wolf (in that order of preference).

 

[Thanee]

Alexi

“Oh, oh, those look hungry! Here eat this doggy!”

Alexi steps back (1 square down on the map) to have a better line of fire and shoots a bolt at wolf #3, knowing very well, that she is not the best shot in town, she goes for the easiest target. Afterwards, she reloads her crossbow.

 

[Voadam]

Gregor will rush in to address the threat these wolves pose to the party, moving straight forward twenty five feet to lash out at wolf #1 with his big metal flange (mace).

 

[silentspace]

Majakilar flips his guisearme up vertically and slides through the ranks of his companions towards the wolves. Adopting a wide stance with his guisearme held in both hands, he stands in front of his companions and readies an attack.

ooc: slowed by his armor, Majakilar takes a move action 20', and readies an attack against the first wolf that comes within range. He should get two attacks against that wolf - one for the readied attack, the second for it moving past his reach weapon. He stays out of the way of Gregor, leaving him a path to charge