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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6045733" data-attributes="member: 6696971">Well, I was able to get both of your ideas into the Skill Challenge.  Was quite fun and went off well.  I'm tired so I'll do this writing in two installments.  First part is the joint narrative (with embedded mechanical reference) of the Skill Challenge and the second part is the "mechanical key."  Skill Challenge Resultant FictionThe wax seal was intact and bore the sign of Dulsamere D'Swain; the largest exotic animal broker on the coast.  (1) Although the man standing before the guards did not speak the common tongue, like all of D'Swain's Wranglers, he looked the part and the beast at the end of his leash was certainly a live specimen; a rare Alpine Tiger from the Great White North.  The guard broke the seal, opened the correspondence and read it. (2) It was penned in the hand of D'Swain.  Unsurpisingly, it was to the Beastmaster.  Apparently, the tiger was for his breeding program.  The other guard unlocked the door, spun the release valve and, with a gasp, the vault to the subterranean complex came open.  The sound must have unnerved the great beast as its muscles went taut and it emitted a threatening growl.  The two guards attention immediately turned to the beast, (3) not noticing the shadow from above them swing through the door, as the wrangler struggled to keep control, speaking to the beast in the strange tongue.  When the wrangler had the creature calmed, one guard remained at his post while the second led the man and the leashed tiger inside.  They didn't make it far.  Somewhere in the second switchback of the vault, the gurgling sound of death could be heard.  A dagger pierced the guard's neck, crushing his windpipe on the way through to the other side.  (4) There was a few brief moments of violence when the corpse was intentionally battered in order to look the part of a victim of a brutal mob attack.  The tiger stood on two legs and took the form of a female wood elf.  The D'Swain Wrangler's image shimmered and became that of an eladrin.  The third of the group tidied himself up after the savaging of the corpse.  Figuring it may come into use later, he secured the baldric, weapon belt and beatstick that were the guards only standard issue.The vault system was dizzying with switchbacks and seemingly arbitrary gradient changes of the slope and odd dead ends.  (5) Try as she might, the druid's keen sense of the stonework was foiled and she spilled out almost directly into the lap of a trio of guard's playing dice at a dead-end.  The tunnel was lit only by a single lantern resting in the corner.  "Serving wench!  Come blow on these dice for me!" one of the men shouted.  Sensing things may go awry quickly, the Rogue adorned the baldric and belt, beatstick hostered.  The (6) The shaggy, dirty elven druid pulled her cloak close, bowed her head and dropped her eyes, assuming her best prostrate posture.  She ambled over and did as the man asked.  Not good enough.  The man cast a suspicious eye on her and said, "I ain't seen a pretty pretty the likes of you in the Hole."  He grasped her by the hair and reached for his baton.  Coming around the corner in full garb, a guard spit out an elven name at her and lashed her across the back of her legs with his stick.  She went down in a heap and he hit her again, berating her in a sharp tongue.  (7) The elf woman mewled like a pup and the three men, convinced, cast their eye on this new figure.  Immediately, (8) the new guard began to break out into the strategy of the game they were playing, boasting of his conquests.  One quick game of dice later and he was a few silver lighter in the pocket.  Sheepishly, he left, dragging the servant girl by her hair.  "Come back anytime!  Your silver's always good here!"  The echo of their laughter followed him around the corner.  Finally, their path was greeted by an echo of steel on steel as it rang out through the cavernous chambers.  They were nearing the exit of the maze of entry vaults.  The final switchback emptied out upon a 2nd floor cat-walk that lined a dome like training ground.  They stood at the entrance point trying to monitor movements within to determine the route to the prison.  (9) It wasn't long before the Eladrin's acute mind had it sorted.  However, the warden was on the ground between them and their path, monitoring the administration of flagellation to a few gladiators who had apparently failed in their obedience or training or some such.  They waited patiently but unfortunately the warden began to climb the steps of the catwalk, advancing on their position.  Directly behind them they heard the sounds of the 3 guards coming back from their dice game.  They were cornered.  A few feet from them was a cart that smelled of rotten food and refuse.  It was positioned directly under a hatch in the stone wall.  As quickly as they could, they opened the hatch and dove inside.  The decline was steep as the chute led directly the waiting, crashing waves at the base of the sweeping cliffs that sat on the city's seaward edge.  (10) Try as they might, the slick, slimy garbage chute made it all but impossible to prevent the descent toward the sea.  However, the situation turned out to be rather fortuitous.  While the Rogue and Eladrin began to attempt the difficult climb up the sheer, seaspray covered cliffs, the druid took to the air (11) and spotted (12) a line of smoke emanating from what could only be the forge.  She tied a length of rope to the chimney and tossed it down to the two men.  After using the rope to aid their ascent (13) they made it to the top in short order, and began descending the chimney shortly thereafter using the same rope.  The smoke was extremely thin at this point and the Rogue found himself marveling at the druid's keen senses in locating it.  The Rogue went down first and his intuition proved correct.  The flu was indeed closed.  It would take his best effort to get it open.  Nonetheless, with a bit of time he was able to navigate the mechanics of it (14 and 15), open the flu and allow the group entrance.  They knew from earlier intelligence that the Forge was directly adjacent to the Prison proper.  Mechanical Key(1)  Change Self Ritual - Successful Arcana check by Eladrin Bladesinger.  1 Success: 0 Failures.(2)  Precise Forgery Martial Practice - Successful Thievery check by Human Rogue.  2:0(3)  Successful Stealth check by Human Rogue.  3:0  (4)  Failed Heal check by Human Rogue.  Will have future Implications pending Skill Challenge failure (if Rogue is initially successfully planted but authorities are alerted at the attempt of Eladrin and Elf to set sail with sea captain).  3:1(5)  Failed Dungeoneering check by Elf Druid.  3:2(6)  Initially failed Bluff check by Elf Druid.  See 7 and 8.(7)  Empathic Read Utility Power by Human Rogue.  Elf Druid rerolls Bluff and is successful.  4:2(8)  Successful Streetwise check by Human Rogue.  5:2(9)  Successful Insight check by Eladrin Bladesinger.  6:2(10)  Failed Group Athletics check by Elven Druid (with Eladrin and Human each providing bonus to group check).  6:3(11)  Form of the Hunting Falcon Utility Power by Elven Druid.(12)  Successful Perception check by Elven Druid.  7:3(13)  Successful Group Athletics check by Eladrin Bladesinger (with Human and Elf each providing bonus to group check).  8:3(14)  Successful Thievery check by Human Rogue.  9:3Hat-tip @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/members/pemerton.html" target="_blank">pemerton</a> for 10 - 12.  I'll put the rest up tomorrow at some point.</blockquote>

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