D&D 5E Spell & Crossbones


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GM: OK [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] Old Zef recognizes the swirling glyphs as a glyph of warding, a spell some aanarden (hill dwarf) mages work into their treasure vaults and cargo holds. The style of the glyphs is foreign, however, and suggests that it may be a spell glyph usage of glyph of warding...just drawing upon a spell that Zef is unfamiliar with.
 

Old Zef walked around the chest once more, examining the runes and the chest. Finally he sighs "Tis the only way. Kat must find her kindje" he says quietly.

"Alright bilge eaters, back up around the corner. Go on, get." as the others back up out of the cavern, Zef kneels down and takes out his smith's tools. He selects a nice cold forged chisel. Placing the chisel just above the padlock, he takes his hammer and swings it down hard on the chisel, driving the edge into the padlock.
 

OOC: Etienne wants to help with a mage hand. Maybe I can give Old Zef advantage on his roll ?

Otherwise, do you allow me to cast Blade ward on Zef (as in PHB: personnal range)? Also, there is a new UA entry: sea sorcery


If I can be of any help, I got a weird knack from a shaman friend of mine. I can move objects remotely. If you need a third hand, just ask me. I have very good ears and eyes. I think I can try to twist a gear in the lock... just guide me!"
 
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OOC: The mage hand is a way to use help action ,Kat did help Zef a few threads ago. Just disregard if you don't like it :-)
 
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Nia draws close to Zef and puts a hand on his shoulder. A chill spread from her finger tips, and he felt...watched somehow. It was not an entirely pleasant sensation.

"Nichi, window-breaker and apple-stealer...smile on this vandal," the witch intones. Then she pats the dwarf's shoulder and withdraws.

The feeling that someone is still standing there persists though.

(Guidence on Zef. Add [roll0] to your roll)
 


GM: OK! [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION], make a DC 13 Strength (smith's tools) check, with a +1 bonus from Nia's invoking Nichi's guidance. And you'll have resistance to any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage should the glyph of warding trigger such an effect, thanks to Etienne's blade ward.

If you succeed by 5+ (DC 18 or higher), you break the chest's padlock open, and choose one of these benefits:
  • You realize the exact nature of the spell glyph triggered by the glyph of warding as it unleashes.
  • Your blow also strikes through the steel chain wrapped around the chest, completely liberating the chest.
  • Your blow is especially quiet, the sound muffled (perhaps through a unique use of your mending or prestidigitation cantrip) from other creatures in the sea caves.

If you succeed, you break the chest's padlock open, and we go from there.

If you fail, your blow doesn't yet break the padlock. Instead of re-rolling, you can choose to automatically break the lock with a second blow. This will inflict 5 bludgeoning damage to you (reduced to 2, thanks to blade ward) from stress to your shoulder, and will be very loud.

If you fail by 5+ (DC 8 or lower), you don't break the padlock, and must choose one of these complications:
  • Though your blow isn't enough to break the lock, however it does trigger half of the glyph of warding's magic. You can try again only once the effects of the glyph are resolved.
  • You sprain your wrist, taking 8 bludgeoning damage (reduced to 4, thanks to blade ward) and suffering disadvantage on all attack rolls (including spell attacks with somatic components) & skill checks relying on manual dexterity. You can try again only once you receive magical healing or take a long rest (which also removes the penalty).
  • You realize at the last moment that even though the lock's filigree is in the French style, its physical construction is unmistakable - made by none other than the hand of your father, Gerlof van der Nagel! Was he in league with the wicked Francois L'Ollonais? Unthinkable! What does this portend? You can try again, but the thought of breaking your father's craftsmanship imposes disadvantage on your check.


EDIT: I just checked your character sheet and saw Old Zef is proficient in shipwright's tools, so fine to use those for this check in place of smith's tools.
 
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OOC: All that wonderful prose for contingencies and I get the boring result. I will take it though. Of course the one time I am not playing a barbarian right? Str check: 1D20 = [15] = 15


Old Zef carefully lines up the chisel, careful not to touch the lock and set off the glyph early. The small but heavy hammer in his right hand is held loosely. Zef acknowledges Nia's touch by bending his head down. He waits for the crew to clear the cavern. More than once he wishes he had the strength in his arm that he had when he was only 150, or 100 even. Still he was old, they were all young. This was they way it had to be. The way old Rodrigo would have done it, done it for any of his crew much less his daughter. He owed the old boy that as well he suspected. With one last heavy breath, Zef raised the hammer high and brought it down with all the force he could muster, trusting to over 150 years of smithing to let the hammer strike true.
 

GM: Haha, no worries, a success is a success. I'm sure I'll have a chance to work some of those contingencies in when you find another locked treasure chest. Ye' are pirates aren't ye? Arrr.

And make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw :devil:


A true blow breaks the lock. No sooner than the lock breaks and falls to the floor with a dull noise, horrible shadowy gases spew forth from the seam of the treasure chest, filling the cavern, forming into writhing black squid tentacles that lash hungrily around Old Zef! The vengeance of L'Ollonais is upon you!

GM: The cavern is now difficult terrain (meaning every 5-ft moved costs you 10-ft of movement) due to the tentacles.


tVfoGFH.png
 

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