Ch. 5: Plunging Deeper Into the Tomb

[Inferno]

Dredd Doomsmith, dwarven trap-hacker:

Dredd will not volunteer for this duty, any more than he would to stick his finger into the socket of one of his clan brothers' steam-powered electro-lightning engines!

[AleBelly]

Zoster thinks for a moment, casts Protection from Lightning on himself, and takes the trident from Elsa. He doesn't think it will fit, but tries to insert it anyway.

[Zhym]

The trident is too wide to fit in the slots in the door.

[ravenn4544]

Malibran offers, "I have a prayer that I can utter to help divine if this sword blade action will be generally helpful or hurtful to us. I can also withhold this prayer until another action confronts us as well if that is the will of the group."

[Inferno]

Dredd Doomsmith, dwarven trap-hacker:

"Pray on, say I!" rumbled Dredd as he removed his goggles and bowed his bloated head.

[AleBelly]

Zoster pouts. "I just squandered a powerful spell for no reason. Malibran, I think yours would be a much better use of the magical arts. That is, if we have any swords to speak of. Please proceed if we do."

[ravenn4544]

Malibran nods in consolation to Zoster and speaks, "I will attempt to be quick, but there is no rushing the will of the gods."

Malibran will sit quietly before the door and pray for a hint of what may lie ahead if the swords are inserted into the portal before them.

Cast Augury - [1d100] = 29

[Zhym]

Malibran takes a position before the door and begins to pray. As he prays, eyes closed, he begins to mumble. The words of his prayer become just three words, repeated over and over: "Illuminatum tempis futura. Illuminatum tempis futura. Illuminatum tempis futura". For two minutes this goes on, then Malibran stops chanting and opens his eyes. He has been granted knowledge!

The path you contemplate will take you closer to your goal without bringing harm to yourselves—if you tread carefully.

[ravenn4544]

Malibran finishes up his prayer in gratitude. "Let us ply our swords to these slots and ware our path ahead!"

[max_vale]

Xale nods at his/her fellow priest; "Well done Malibran." He/she then adds; "My apologies, but I have no bladed weapons to lend."

[Zhym]

FWIW: By my count, there are three swords among the entire party, and two of them belong to Dredd.

[Inferno]

Hmmm. Lucky Dredd.

What do you guys think:
All three swords go in simultaneously? Or slot them in order: 1, 2, 3?
Cast Protection from Lightning on the sword wielder(s)?

[AleBelly]

Zoster used protection from lightning on himself (the big dumbass), so he would be happy to insert the swords as it's still active. He doesn't have another of these spells.

[Inferno]

That works for Dredd.

Do you think there's a sequence for slotting, or am I overthinking it?

[AleBelly]

Nothing in the riddle that I can see. Zoster will go left, right then center

[Inferno]

Dredd Doomsmith, dwarf trap-hacker:

Dredd looked up and Zoster and handed him two swords; finely-crafted dwarven artifacts, a beautiful matched set, the long and the short. "Ye be careful with them now," Dredd said.
"Um... and with yerself also!" he hurriedly added, as a delinquent afterthought.

[Zhym]

Zoster collects swords from Dredd and Elsa. They are all fine swords, and their owners are reluctant to part with them. Who knows whether they'll get them back, much less in the same condition?

Zoster inserts the swords into the slots. First, he inserts Dredd's short sword in the left slot. Leaving it there, he inserts the longer sword of Dredd's matched set into the right slot. Finally, he takes Elsa's magical sword and inserts it into the middle slot.

When all three slots have swords in them, the blade-embedded door swings away from you, opening into a vast pillared chamber that is 30' high and extends north, east, and south beyond the reach of your lights. The massive columns, which stand every 10' as far as you can see, are about three feet in diameter and appear to be made of swirling multicolored marble. To the southeast, your light just catches the edge of a platform or dais.

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Actions?

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Status: Elsa (F10): 45/58; Malibran (C10): 37/68; Zoster (F9/D12): 48/76; Xale (F8/C8): 46/54; Worren (C9/MU11): 53/53; Dredd (F7/T11): 50/57
Spells in effect: Protection from Lightning (Zoster): 144 hp left

[Grognardsw]

Elsa retrieves her sword.

[AleBelly]

"How about that?" asks Zoster, half surprised to be alive. "Dredd, do you mind checking the entrance for traps?"

[ravenn4544]

Malibran smiles at the groups accomplishment "We must be close! Our immediate actions over the next few minutes should be safe if we tread carefully! Agree that we should scout ahead before proceeding. I could pray to examine for traps but I think that is too large of an area for it to be useful."