Notes on the Aether (Rae judging)

[Boddynock]

OOC: It's late and I'm going to bed, so I'll just invite you all to read the sblock labelled "Tarag's Detect Magic" in post #735 above.

Oh, and Tarag will search amongst the tools for something to allow him to open that door in the back leg of the furnace. He won't open it, however, until he's discussed it with Tommy.

'N

 

[Trouvere]

Keldar listens to Tarag's explanation. "Education leading to constipation, huh? I can certainly believe that. You can use this metal arm on the hot parts of the furnace. I'm not sure it's a good idea, though. Traps, my friend, traps." Keldar crouches down at the dais, and looks it over.

OOC: first taking 20 on Search; if a trap is found and needs to be bypassed in order to deactivate the summoning device, Keldar will attempt to disable it (+6). But he'll leave the device active for the moment.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Tarag finds long tongs and he manages to use them to open the compartment door. Inside the leg there are two metal cylinders, latched into gear-looking holding discs at the top and bottom of the compartment. The tongs are far too clumsy to fiddle with the latches, but Tarag figures he can get the tongs around a cylinder and pull.

Keldar carefully examines the dais, taking his time, pushing on various spots and feeling around the edges. He does indeed discover some kind of wire that will trigger something, probably a trap, if the dais cover is removed like it was downstairs. (I'm not sure whether you want to disable it now or not, so I'll give it back to you.)

 

[Trouvere]

"Tarag..." says Keldar warningly. "Right, everyone, take cover." He cuts the wire.

OOC: sure.

 

[covaithe]

"Er, Keldar? I know I've been encouraging more caution and all, but... you do remember that another set of elementals is going to pop out in a few minutes?" Tommy says worriedly. Following Tarag to the forge area, he peers intently at the areas Tarag indicates. "Evocation in the back leg, forming a ball, is presumably the Flaming Sphere... We can probably ignore that as part of the forge workings, unless it's somehow set to help defend the tower somehow. But we haven't seen any active defenses for the tower except the summoned elementals, and it hasn't bothered us yet. I'm inclined to leave it alone, unless it has to be shut off to get at the other summoning device. Three sources of conjuration though; that worries me. The dais Keldar is poking at is clearly a summoning device, and we know there is another somewhere in the forge, but is it in the grate, or in the forge itself? And what is the other aura? Another magical trap with a conjuration component? Acid, perhaps?"

 

[covaithe]

ooc: Jeez, I type too slow or something. :\

At Keldar's warning, Tommy jumps for cover, probably behind the forge. Or behind Tarag if nothing else.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Keldar snips the wire and then catches it between his fingers and slowly relieves the tension on it while lifting the dais cover gently. From the ceiling above the dais, a large stone slab slowly moves down towards Keldar as he works. After a moment, Keldar has the slab safely on the ground, and the summoning device within the dais is laid bare. It contains the same things that the first did, in the same orientation: the candles surrounding the bag of dirt.

 

[Trouvere]

"Well, that's just not friendly at all. I can see I'm going to have to have a word with Thyrin. Back in a moment."

Keldar dashes downstairs. He returns with his bucket of water, and one of the empty bags from the closet under the stairs.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained... something ventured, often maimed," he says. He pulls the bag of dirt from the device, checking to see that the rock's slow growth stops. Then, he fills his new bag with water from the bucket, and puts it in its place. "So..." he says, "a small experiment."

 

[Boddynock]

"And assuming that it works, just who do you think the summoned creature is going to obey?"

The dwarf is feeling disgruntled. Flame and metal are things he understands intimately. Elementals - and rogues - are quite another matter.

"Now then ... where did that mage get to? Ah, there you are. What are you doing crouching down behind me? Never mind. Two conjuration effects left - the furnace and the exhaust grate. Earth in the sack that Keldar's just pee'd in, so the fire elemental, naturally enough, comes from the forge. Furnace or grate? I'd guess the furnace - and you're right, Tommy - the grate offers a handy way to deliver something nasty."

"Well, then, Keldar, O master of disability, what are you waiting for? Come disable this trap as well."

Tarag then takes Tommy firmly by the arm, and leads him out of harm's way.

[sblock=Spells & Turnings]Spells per day: 3 / 2+1

Cantrips:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Light (converted to Cure Minor Wounds)

Level 1:
Bless
Burning hands (Fire domain)
Divine Favor

Turn/rebuke attempts per day: 4
Rebukes attempted today: 2[/sblock]

 

[Trouvere]

"And assuming that it works, just who do you think the summoned creature is going to obey?"

"Oh, it'll work," says Keldar. "I'm an expert at tampering with forces beyond my understanding." He bounds to his feet. "If only there were someone here who could talk to a water elemental. Oh, wait, oh wait, there’s me. Keldar! Keldar speaks Aquan. I'll just tell it there are nasty fire elementals upstairs that need quenching right in the embers."

"Well, then, Keldar, O master of disability, what are you waiting for? Come disable this trap as well."

"Hmm... I suppose I could," says Keldar. "But isn't this more your area, O Tarag the forger? Well, if I have to do my fair share of the fighting, more than half the brainwork, and deal with all the traps, I suppose that's just another one of the burdens of heroism I shall bravely bear. Stand aside - and keep an eye out for the arrival of my new friend, Sploshy."

OOC: same as before: take 20 on searching, then try to disable.