0. Prelude

[tooleychris]

Petra smiles, looking up from the scrolls. "Do you imagine it to be so simple? A combination is more like to be a name or code known Only to the owner. I suppose one word is as good as the next, but there could be effects triggered as reward for an incorrect sequence. You've been examining the box,Ty. If you are comfortable in doing so, pick a word and cycle the runes to match. I'm sure our hostess will return soon...if not watching us even now."

[Alethan]

Ty shrugs and first touches the "S" and the "R" at the same time to see if anything, aside from the letters changing places, happens.

[dmw71]

The runes, which represent the letters "S" and "R", change place.

R-E-C-U-S-E


Nothing else happens.

[tooleychris]

Petra cringes slightly as the half elf pushes the runes. She looks around noticing the others noticing her apprehension and says: "What? I am excited is all. Lady Heidmarch believes it to be empty, but I have loftier hopes. I may be able to envision the boxes aura and deduce if touching the runes has awakened and latent energy... "
Petra opens her pack and removes a rabbit. "I didnt forget about you, Shelly. Come and see a riddle!"
Stroking it's nape lovingly, she focuses her attention once again on the box.
She makes a few small simple gestures with her hand and whispers in a sweet song: "Nhee dask shelyn fehlim jillepse boja jillepse. Ekess ocuir svabol ui shilta ti qe ocuirtor. Sjek thou tepohaic itov ihk vi lover hefoc ve.. "

Sorry. I thought you were trying to avoid mechanics in posts. Yes. Petra casts 0 level cantrip Detect Magic"

edited

[dmw71]

I may be able to envision the boxes aura and deduce if touching the runes has awakened and latent energy...

If you're casting a spell, using a skill or ability, can you please list specifically what you're using at the bottom of your post, in...

spoilers.

I could guess, but want to avoid unnecessary delays by guessing incorrectly.

Thanks.

[dmw71]

Petra strokes the nape of her hares neck and focuses her attention on the box. She begins to string some strange, nonsensical words together in a singsongy fashion.

For tooleychris:

Yes, Petra does detect an aura upon the box. Further concentration may provide additional details.

Research

Detect Magic
- You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura.

[tooleychris]

"Hmmm... " muses Petra aloud. "There is a power at work here. I see a touch of the arcane. I shall endeavour to a more thorough observation."

Petra maintains spell while the others read scrolls/push runes.

[dmw71]

Petra holds her focus, trying to learn more about the power at play here.

For tooleychris:

Petra ultimately detects two different auras -- abjuration and conjuration. Both are of moderate strength, hinting that its creator did have a fair amount of power.

[Das]

Marshal finished reading the documents and found himself a seat, than just rested his beard in his palm to watch the others to see what exactly they might be doing to solve this puzzle.

[Alethan]

Next Ty touches the C and the S...

R E S U C E

... and finally the U and the C...

R E S C U E

[dmw71]

As Ty shuffles the rune representing "C" with the rune for "U" and forms the word "escape," this unique side of the box slides open without warning, releasing a pair of dog-faced looking gremlins!

Jackal Rats.jpg (25.12 KiB) Viewed 551 times

These creatures look like horrid, rabid little lapdogs that have mastered walking gracelessly on their hind legs. Their faces look somewhere between jackal and hyena with milky white eyes, standing stand less than two feet tall and weighing barely over ten pounds. They're clothed in dirty tattered rags and wield vicious knives that are nearly as large as they are.

As soon as they're released, they immediately spring out to begin to survey their surroundings, eyeing the four of you suspiciously.

[Alethan]

Ty holds his hands out in a calming gesture and starts to hum quietly.

Ty uses his Wild Empathy (+1) skill to try and keep the hopefully-not-very-intelligent creatures calm.

[Das]

Marshal frowned deeply one had slowly stroking his beard while the other went under the table to unlatch his club from his waist belt, ready to use it by smashing the four ugly little critters. But he did it in a way neither the little critters or his comrades might notice. He wanted it to be a surprise for everyone involved.

(Sleight of Hand +2; Draw a Weapon)

[dmw71]

Waiting to move the action until I hear from tooleychris and ybn1197.

[tooleychris]

Shelly scurries up around Petras neck and hides under her hair, peaking out.
"Try not to hurt them!" she calls out to the others. "We rescued them, after all. Perhaps they can be of use to lady Heidmarch. Perhaps we should summon her."
She speaks in the ancient language of the builder of the box:
qe sva martivir. yth geou ti ouith wux. shilta wux kampiun ve?

(translation for those who know Thassilonian)

Be at peace. We will not hurt you. Can you understand me?
if this requires a Diplomacy skill roll then I use the skill

[Alethan]

Initiative [1d20+3] = 19+3 = 22

[Das]

Init: [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4

[tooleychris]

Initiative [1d20+6] = 19+6 = 25

[dmw71]

Initiative Order
25 - Petra
22 - Ty
13 - Monsters
04 - Marshal
---
00 - Athriel (stunned), (PM sent to ybn1197)


Round 1
"Try not to hurt them!" Petra calls out to the others, as her rabbit, Shelly, scurries to seek cover under her hair. "We rescued them, after all... maybe they can be of use to lady Heidmarch. Perhaps we should summon her?" she intones before she switches tongues and utters a series of unfamiliar words: "qe sva martivir. yth geou ti ouith wux. shilta wux kampiun ve?" Ty reacts next, and seems to be of the same mind, holding his hands out in a calming gesture and humming quietly at the creatures.

Unfortunately, neither of the calming attempts seem to have any affect on the creatures as the pair of dog-faced gremlins begin wreaking havoc throughout the chamber. The first foul beast picks up a nearby scroll and begins tearing it to shreds, while the second uses its dagger to start carving marks into the surface of a nearby desk.

Marshal frowns deeply, slowly stroking his beard with one hand while his other hand slips under the table to unlatch his club from his waist belt. Any attempts at subtlety are lost when the shaft of his club clanks against the solid leg of the table as it is released, but the result is insignificant and the dwarf is successful in bring his weapon to hand while still keeping it out of view, under cover of the table.

Athriel, shocked at the sudden emergence of the creatures, is stunned motionless.


---

Note: These creatures radiate an aura of unluck. All characters must roll two d20s whenever a situation calls for a d20 roll (such as an attack roll, a skill check, or a saving throw) and must use the lower of the two results generated.

Notes

• The above initiative order stands for the duration of the encounter.
• Petra: No diplomacy check required as the creatures do not speak or understand Thassilonian.
• Ty: I referred to notes in both the diplomacy and wild empathy sections to determine how to resolve this. Per the section on wild empathy in the ranger class description, "wild animals are usually unfriendly." Knowing that, I used the 'starting attitude' chart from the diplomacy skill to determine the DC of the task:
  
  20 + cha modifier (-2) = 18
• Marshal: Slight of Hand
• Athriel: Since no player action declared, Athriel will be considered stunned at the sudden appearance of the creatures.

Rolls
Initiative: Monsters [1d20+5] = 8+5 = 13
Ty: Wild Empathy (+2): [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13 (level: +1, cha: 0, role-playing: +1)
Marshal: Sleight of Hand (+3): [1d20+3] = 4+3 = 7 (rank: 0, dex: +2, role-playing: +1)

[Alethan]

"Maybe they're hungry," Ty says, reflectively. He reaches into his pack, grabs the nearest piece of trail ration he can find and tosses it to them.