THE HEROES OF DYVERS CHAPTER 7: CLARE'S ERRAND

Aust Thale · Jul 15, 2019

Vale: Movement in the Dungeon #1

Vale responds to Respen, “ I hopethe hobbit is stealthier in here than out there. Without his mighty steed, methinks he’ll dobetter. Oy! Tam, not too far ahead, alright? And if you run into any giants, leave somefor us. “ Vale moves in a similarfashion as Respen, taking serious note of the architecture. He already sensed that they were much deeper atthe bottom of the stairs, clearly a portal of some sort. Although he enjoyed the village outdoors inCaltaran, the city of Hochoch, and Dyvers itself, he found being underground pleasant,despite the stench. He wasn’t a deepdelver himself, but he indeed felt at home under the grass. At least alive and kicking under thegrass. Vale moved in connection with thegroup, putting some space between the front line and shading left of Respen. He followed in the footsteps nearly exactlyof those in front and beside him, not touching a space that hadn’t been treadupon previously. He examined the columnsas they passed them, checking to see how load bearing they were, or if the roofhere was being held up magically. He eyedthe walls as well, in case of poison darts.

OOC:

Darkvision to 60’;

Stonecunning: +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such assliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match theold), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something thatisn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. Comingwithin 10 feet of unusual stonework automatically causes a Search check as if he were actively searching, and ahill dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. It also allows one to intuit depth, sensing approximatedepth underground.

OOC:

Search Checks Every 5 Feet:

23; 11; 14; 6; 19; 21; 6; 10; 21; 16

Tellerian Hawke · Jul 17, 2019

Making Headway

Tam:

Between yourself and Respen, you figure out that within the first 30 feet (to a distance which ends 1 square to the west of the furthermost column) there are no traps of any kind. This gives the party a bit of breathing room, and space to move around a little.

Hidden under the dust on the floor, Tam discovers that there are several, yellow-colored flagstones that form a cryptic phrase, written in an unknown language. Tam motions for Respen, who approaches and inspects the writing.

GM:

DM NOTE: Respen's Decipher Script check is sufficient to read the phrase, without needing to roll.

"...When the Sphinx Queen faces west, the time to enter the tomb is best."

Respen:

At this point, Respen's Darkvision allows him to see another 60 feet, making the range that has been observed a total of 90 feet (some 35 feet past where Thallok claimed that his range of vision ended; ) and yet, an end to the corridor STILL cannot be seen!

The murals on the walls depict the history of the Sphinx Empire. They span the entire distance between where the columns begin and end. The north wall depicts the spiritual founding of the empire, with scenes of the sphinxes working hand-in-hand with the gods. As you continue to the east, the scenes show great monuments being erected by the lesser races, and the founding of medicine and knowledge. The southern murals depict the royal lineage of the Sphinx Empire and their passage to the afterlife. Several scenes depict sphinxes on reed ships traveling down a turbid river with the sun brightly illuminating the way. On the prow of the ship, another sphinx can be seen reading a scroll.

Among all the murals, Respen notices that carefully illustrated into the scenes, so as to not readily be apparent, the name of the Sphinx Queen is spelled out, in the Common tongue:

A N K H A R E T.

Vale:

Each column has grooves carved into it at measured intervals, indicating that the columns can be rotated clockwise, with great effort. Vale says that the columns are designed to rotate in quarter turns, each turn resulting in a different rune (one of four possible runes) being placed in the primary position. Vale does NOT know what the runes mean. One last thing of note: while moving around, inspecting the columns, you became POSITIVE, from the way the air smells, and from the temperature of the stone, that the party is at least 1300+ feet (over a quarter of a mile!) underground.

Val sputters, "Get the flower-eating Elf to come decipher this madness!"

GM:

Respen, roll a Decipher Script check, unknown DC. Tell me the result in the group LINE chat.

Sylvar B. · Jul 18, 2019

Sylvar steps close enough to the murals to study them but not touch them for anything he recognizes...he reaches back in his memory for anything he had heard about the Sphinx or the Sphinx Queen Ankharet.

He does not move beyond the range of the area already checked for traps.

Diarmadhim · Jul 18, 2019

Following the requested 5 foot distance behind Tam, I make sure to place my feet exactly where his were with every step. Touching nothing, I maintain the 5 foot distance and suggest, "If the runes on those columns spell out Ankharet, chances are good we need to turn them to face the West before we enter the tomb... Something tells me it's for the best," I quip in a whisper with a slight grin.

Tellerian Hawke · Jul 18, 2019

Another Puzzle Has Arrived!

Respen, you get the feeling that these runes do indeed correspond to letters in the Common tongue, but there's something amiss, because you can't QUITE make the translation work. You are becoming quite frustrated, because you know, in the back of your mind, that it must be something very simple that you're overlooking.

Dewydd, these runes make no sense to you AT ALL. You are not sure WHY Respen seems to think that they correspond to letters, because nothing in their pattern indicates this. You wonder at the quality of the pipe weed that Respen must be smoking.

Sylvar, you suddenly have an epiphany. Sylvar says, "Hey Respen, would it affect the translation if some of the runes were upside down, or flipped horizontally? Not literally, I just mean in your mind's eye... imagine that some of the runes are either backwards or upside down... see how that one rune almost looks like an "K" if you were to turn it over?"

As Sylvar is saying this, everything clicks into place for Respen, and the translation becomes crystal clear! Respen smiles and winks at Sylvar, saying, "Thank you, my friend."

EVERYONE: What do you want to do now?

Damionte · Jul 21, 2019

:: Ducan & Company ::

Duncan gives a signal, and the four some forms a circle, and takes a knee. Staying alert and quietly out of the way to let the specialists work.

Aust Thale · Jul 21, 2019

Solving the puzzle...#1

Respen mentally builds a picture of the columns, looking down vertically as if he is on the ceiling looking down. In his mind, he manipulates the letters to spell the word ANKHARET and calculates the positions to move the letters to do so from their current positions to positions on the west side of every column. He mentally adds the calculations to the letters, and with a piece of charcoal and parchment from his backpack, he shows the remainder of the party the following sequence:

A3 N0 K2 H2
A2 R1 E1 T2

"I believe that this is the sequence; we need to shift the runic letters in such a fashion that that each respective columns' western edge is one of these letters, and the numbers represent how many turns from the letters' current position to the new position the letters happen to be. The columns are large and heavy, so our stronger comrades will be needed.
Thallok, Kleborn, and Vale should be able to do it. I have a spare potion from the steading that will provide a giant's strength, if necessary.
If they must be turned at the same time, I'm not sure that we have enough to do it, even with the potion."

To Tam, "Work with me, Tam." Respen motions to Tam to come with him. "Search the interior line between the columns, and I will search the exterior." Respen more quickly searches the columns, only focused on the floor around them, making sure that anybody moving the columns doesn't step into a trap. He readies his dimension hop spell just in case.

OOC:

Search: 19; 35; 27; 27; 26; 20; 34; 21; 25; 27

Damionte · Jul 22, 2019

:: Ducan & Company ::

Takes a look at the instructions, and his team starts working the columns one at a time working clockwise around the room.

redraider629 · Jul 22, 2019

Kleborn and Thallok look at the columns, and follows Respen's instructions. Kleborn looks at Thallok and says, "Well Red, can't just stand around looking pretty. Let's get to work."

Thallok gives him a look, grunts, and gets to work moving the columns into the correct positions.

Aust Thale · Jul 23, 2019

Vale Is Strong Dwarf!!

redraider629 said:
Kleborn and Thallok look at the columns, and follows Respen's instructions. Kleborn looks at Thallok and says, "Well Red, can't just stand around looking pretty. Let's get to work."

Thallok gives him a look, grunts, and gets to work moving the columns into the correct positions.

As Vale moves to assist Thallok and Kleborn, Respen pops a pocket on his belt, drawing a potion from it and handing it to Thallok, "It's giant-strength. Hopefully will make this easier.
It should last four or five minutes, but that should be enough."

Vale smiles, and puts his back into it.