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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 9390823" data-attributes="member: 6696971">Complexity 1 SC, Level 4 (DCs 10/14) RESOLVEDGoal (Staged): Stealthily scale the crag of The Bluffs and ambush the dairy trader caravan as they ascend the pack animal trail.XP/LOOT* Skill Challenge 175/3 += 58 xp apiece.* Lief Minor Quest (confront dairy trader and sellsword) Completed 100/3 = 33 xp apiece.* 50 coin.[HR][/HR]Meanwhile...as Leif is off on his conflict with the trader & the sellsword and Sariel is "lost" in his time dilated spiritual confrontation with Queen Mab, Archfey of the Unseelie (pending), Starn (per [USER=82106]@AbdulAlhazred[/USER] )...As STARN watches Leif run off after the Dairyman he's been eyeing, and noting Sariel's distant look, he turns to Captain Anvilheart and asks brightly "Everyone in the squad is OK?" Anvilheart responds with a grin in the affirmative.The two of them then collect the troops and set off towards the Septarchs' Tower. The Captain remarking "must be a bit strange looking down from that tower -glancing up at visible upper stories - at all this, and living with wizards and all. My brother-in-law did some stonework up there in the Old Days, before the Septarchs left. That Nimozaran, he was but a 'prentice back then. Normal enough seeming fellow back in those days. Pardon, do you think studying the arts too deeply changes a man? Even some of the dwarven stone mages, like my cousin, they get an odd look in the eyes with time."Starn considers his words before responding carefully "well, Nimozaran is certainly a bit of an odd fellow. The last couple of years he's seemed quite preoccupied with something. Muttering about Pelor's Plan or something. The old Septarchs held mostly to veneration of Ioun so far as I know. Master merely told me that my part is yet to come, but I know not what was meant by that."After walking a few minutes in silence Anvilheart says "Aye, we dwarves nowadays try to steer clear of the plots and plans of the High Ones. None can say where they may lead. Rumor is that the Great Forge of Moradin is lit again, and his priests grid themselves for war. Against whom? They will not say."[HR][/HR]Complexity 3 SC, Level 2 (DCs 9/13/20)Goal (Staged): Gain entrance to The Septarch's Tower Clockwork Platform to ascend to the forbidden upper levels (Success 3), configure the platform to reach Nimozaran the Green's Penthouse Chambers and make the transit (Success 7), resolve the conflict at The Core of Septarch's Tower (Success 8).0/8 Successes/0 Failures/2 Hard DC Available/3 Secondary Skills Available/2 +1 (see below) Advantages Available/Primary Skill Training exhausted;ADVANTAGE USES* Wager an Advantage on a High DC for 2 x successes.* Spend an Advantage to step down a Medium DC Primary Skill Check to the Low DC.* Refresh a Primary Skill Training.* [USER=82106]@AbdulAlhazred[/USER] , Starn gains 1 extra Advantage (the +1 above) for this challenge in its entirety that only he can use; either (a) the gifted key or (b) his passing knowledge of the lower levels of the tower or (c) his knowledge of his master Nimozaran the Green.  Describe it when you use it.  Along with the above, three usages, you can also use it to step down the action economy of a Primary Skill in a combat-nested Skill Challenge (from a Standard to a Move, from a Move to a Minor, from a Minor to a Free).With his two companions embroiled in their separate affairs, thus a bit behind this main host, Starn and company arrive at his former home; The Septarch's Tower. The pale green stone of the structure glimmers in the sunlight as it stretches skyward.  From the outside it looks like a nearly solid block of stone, impenetrable from the outside, therefore "sack-proof" from the Bloodspear War hordes that decimated so much of Nentir Vale ninety yaers ago.  However, Starn knows the truth.  Illusions spells veil windows openings and doors far above while obscuring external guardians.  Powerful transmutations allow the tower to reconfigure in a pinch (its still not clear how this happens...or who actually does this...is it the master of the tower...is it automated?).The dwarven captain looks on as Starn approaches the stairwell up to a smooth block wall that betrays no evidence of either door or keyhole.  But, like Lady Markelhay, Starn knows...The wizard pulls the key from his pouch and deftly inserts it into the invisible lock.  His attempt to turn the key is rebuffed and the keyhole forcefully ejects the key, dislodging it from his hand leading to a clang of iron on stone as it trickles down a trio of stair treads.<ACCESS DENIED>...comes an odd, robotic voice from the door/wall...something.<APPRENTICE STARN, YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE, GET BACK TO YOUR STASIS CHAMBER IMMEDIATELY>...says the same robotic voice.[HR][/HR]What do you do Starn?* Do you compel the door top open with your wizardry infusing the key?  HARD DC w/ the risk of activating the tower's defenses on a failure.* Do you perhaps stall a bit, waiting for your companions to arrive?  Try to get a read on this voice/this newly-minted security apparatus; like Insight or some kind of parley move (Diplomacy, Intimidate)?  MEDIUM DC with penalty of -2 forward to next Primary Skill on failure.* Do you draw upon your historical knowledge of this place for an alternative way in?  HARD DC w/ the risk of failure being that I'm adding another Hard DC to the challenge.* Something else (we'll discuss)?</blockquote>

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