Notes on the Aether (Rae judging)

[covaithe]

[sblock=knowledge checks] Yay, knowledge checks! Here are some things Tommy would like to know about, and a bunch of knowledge checks that might be relevant. Tommy wants to know about
- the runes around the door and at each floor -- can he read them? Are they wards, or just words?
- The scorch marked footprints. What kind of creature could cause them?
- The architecture of the building. Is it a common design for a wizard's tower? Do the windows or the five floors or the steel bits or whatever say anything about its creator or the purposes he might have had for building it that way?
- The blue field surrounding the flames. Presumably it's a spell; what spell is it? Will it last? Are the flames still damaging the building inside teh field? Will the field prevent the party from getting into that part of the tower, assuming they can deal with the flames?
- The glowing door, and the rippling ground. I speculate that this is an intruder-detection system of some kind, and that using the wardstone in the slot(s) might deactivate it. Is that likely, or possible?

That's all I can think of for the moment. Knowledge checks:
kn(arcana): 1d20+10=11,14,17 Jeez, natural 1 on the first roll.
kn(planes): 1d20+8=28,26,26 ...and there are my good rolls. I hope this thing's planar!
kn(architecture): 1d20+5=25,24,8 good lord.
kn(nature): 1d20+5=11, 15, 19]/url]
kn(history): [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1123869]1d20+8=16,15,21

And just for good measure, spellcraft: 1d20+10=25, 21, 12
[/sblock]

Tommy backs a few paces away from the rippling ground, studying the tower intently.

 

[EternalSword]

[SBLOCK=Tommy]The runes: The runes are both words and wards. They are in draconic, specifically a gem dragon dialect, as well as Ignan. They serve to bind together the tower's magical effects and channel energy from the Earth and Fire Towers. They also, when working properly, control the elementals used by the tower. They currently are keeping the tower from suffering structural failure from the fire.

The footprints: They are the scorches of out-of-control fire elementals, though given that the only source could be the runes, how control was lost is a mystery. The elementals appear to have moved randomly, as if they were receiving garbled orders.

The archetecture: To the best of your knowledge, this is a unique building. The builder was clearly a mage, probably a conjuror, as the building appears to have been built by summoned elementals and 'welding'. It is massively reinforced, as though to survive a siege or magical catastrophe.

The blue field: A reusable contengency-type effect. It will last essentially forever unless the triggering event ceases. It will not stop the damage, although the building is holding up fine anyway. The party can get in fine. Getting out will be a major problem.

The glowing door and rippling ground: More like elementals (fire and earth) about to attack, though you don't know how the fire elemental could walk through the door
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Wik]

Know (Religion) (1d20+4=19)

Galwynn draws the claymore from the scabbard across his back, and moves to Sammy's side.

 

[Solange]

OOC: Because you said so, Rapture's Knowledge Nobility and Royalty check. (1d20+2=7)

Rapture pulls out her shield and steps back. "What did you do Keldar?"

 

[Trouvere]

"I didn't get a chance to do anything!" calls Keldar. He drops his bucket and rope, and readies his shortbow, nocking an arrow.

 

[covaithe]

"Beware, there are signs of elementals everywhere. The footprints, the runes of binding and control, even the construction of the tower itself speaks of elemental handiwork. This tower is the work of master summoner, I fear he has overreached himself this time. Beware the ground, that may be an earth elemental, and I doubt it will be friendly!" Tommy speaks rapidly, and draws a thin, carved wand from his pack.

ooc: ready wand of magic missile

 

[Trouvere]

"Keep outside the footprints!" yells Keldar. "Maybe that's as far as they can go." He looks for a target for his arrow.

 

[Solange]

Rapture draws her sword to go with her shield, and takes a defensive stance.

 

[EternalSword]

You are all a decent distance from the tower, right?

Initiative, please.

 

[Solange]

OOC: I think we are. Rapture's Initiative (1d20+1=14)