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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 6185338" data-attributes="member: 1210">This one is a little more complex. Again, note that the courses of action I list are predictions of what the pcs might do rather than an exclusive list.A hexagonal pool full of earth rests in this chamber. The earth within it ripples like water stirred by a strong breeze. This is the pool of an earth weird named Groolool, a soothsayer of death and wealth. A creature with a passive Arcana or Nature of at least 23 will recognize it for what it is and allow a skill challenge to first, persuade the weird to manifest, and second, persuade it to prophesize.    If at any point the pcs accumulate 3 failures in the skill challenge, Groolool will sink into a deep sleep and cannot be woken for a year and a day. Skill Challenge Part 1: First, getting the weird to manifest requires at least 4 successes with skill checks. Creatures that simply sit out this part of the skill challenge leave Groolool unimpressed and incur an automatic failure. Possible approaches include:Arcana: Use arcane skills to persuade (DC 22) or force (DC 26) it to manifest. Creatures can only gain 2 successes using Arcana.    Athletics: Vigorously stirring the earth in the pool (DC 24) gets the weird's attention.    Diplomacy: Speaking to the pool in Primordial, a creature might persuade the weird to manifest (DC 21; +5 bonus if the speaker asks the weird to prophesize; only three successes possible).    Insight: With a DC 22 Insight check, a creature does not gain a success, but can remove a single failure by speaking soothingly to the pool. This can only happen once during the challenge.Intimidate: Threatening to break the pool (DC 28) or spread its earth around outside the pool (DC 23) is an effective tactic, though the weird will not be friendly. Creatures can only get 2 successes with Intimidate.    Nature: Like Arcana, this skill can coax (DC 21) or force (DC 25) the weird forth.Skill Challenge Part 2: The weird manifests as a naked woman made of earth, with a serpentine lower body. She does not even speak until the pcs gain 3 more successes on the skill challenge (7 total); at that point she will declare that “You have little time left.” She will answer very limited questions, giving only the following basic information as laconic replies to the right questions: My name is Groolool. I am an earth weird- a prophet of death and wealth.I was brought here to avoid my use as a cheat in the casino by its customers. I once dwelt in nearby mountains. I want for nothing, but accept tribute in wealth or death and disaster.Only after the pcs obtain another three successes (10 total) can they persuade her to prophesize. During the second part of the skill challenge, possible approaches include:    Offer Sacrifice: A sacrifice of a living creature of at least paragon level or of treasure worth at least 1,000 gp earns the pcs an automatic success. Only two successes can be earned this way.    Arcana: A creature trained in Arcana can demand compliance and prophecy, similar to using Nature. The DC is 21, but only one success can be gained with this skill in this part of the skill challenge.    Athletics: Vigorously stirring the earth in the pool (DC 24) helps the weird awaken enough to speak and prophesize.    Diplomacy: A creature can awaken the weird and persuade it to prophesize by speaking to it in Primordial and making a DC 18 Diplomacy check. Creatures can earn any number of successes this way.    Insight: A DC 16 Insight check in this part of the challenge allows a creature to realize that Groolool is simply very sleepy, and thus hard to get to speak. The creature also realizes that her deep topor can be alleviated by staring her in the eyes in an attempt to make “contact” with her. This will earn one success or eliminate a failure, but can only earn two successes and remove one failure altogether in this part of the challenge.    Intimidate: Continuing to threaten the pool (DC 28) or to remove the earth from it (DC 23) are still effective tactics, but only sufficient to gain one more success in this part of the challenge.     Nature: Using Nature to invoke the laws governing prophesy and demand that Groolool give her name (before she has spoken) and then offer up prophecy (after she has spoken) (each is a DC 16 check). Creatures can only gain one success with each of these tactics.Success: If creatures earn a total of 10 successes, they earn the skill challenge's xp and the earth weird prognosticates for them, giving the following prophecy (speaking in Primordial): “An island in the silver seaUpon which the dead enlivenedScurry and burrow in the bodyOf the master to whom they're drivenA word to end the maddened mindA word to break the perfect cogSeeking lost to all to findSwallowed in the Stygian bogOssified in sunless voidUnknown unseen unprayed profane Until the lost tool is employedUndead returned undead and baneFor ages lost the stars align A cross around a darkened moonTo allow return malign When time is right with offered boonDark zenith on the longest nightConjunction winks and then is pastWand directs the souls in flightFrom maw to isle where at lastWhere stone will stir neath sunless skyAnd dead undead undead againWith lust that all that live will dieVengeance found in spread of pain.”</blockquote>

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