Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

[Rex]

Orgoth

"Don't one of you have the Open Door Spell? I would rather try that then busting it down, that would make a lot of noise."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven will aid Orgoth or Bucko with opening the coffer opposite the newly found secret door. "Can we try to set something up to pry it open with a sword or staff from a distance?"

Once the thieves have failed to open the lock, Sven steps up to the area again and tries his magic.

Casting Knock
2nd Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+2]=10+2=12

[Rex]

Orgoth

"I would rather not try my sword or spear, but I have a javelin and cudgel we could try."

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee

Peaches gathers up the bone dust into the jars from Sven. Very carefully. Then she helps open the secret door, if her efforts would help.

[Spearmint]

Lots of areas to search and guard, plenty of ways to get spread too thin. The secret door at the back of the alcove is Knocked open and the heavy stone door is pushed aside, grinding as it does so and air, while not fresh, is sucked into the room to replace the centuries old staleness that permeates the atmosphere beyond.

After a 10'ft landing, there is a room twenty feet wide and thirty deep. You peek around the corner, the chamber illuminated by the radiant light pulsating from a shiny chromed gauntlet that is set upon a dias. Despite the allure of the strange artefact, the room has a chill feel, cold as a ghoul's touch and eerie; faint whisperings play upon your hearing. You cannot be sure if words are actually spoken or devilishly play as imaginary musings.

actions please

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven peers at the artwork on the walls cautiously, not impressed with a heavy glowing metal glove that would cover up his beautiful new ring.

"Hello? Is there anybody in here?"

"Do the rest of you feel that deathly chill in the air? What do you make of that? Probably cant be good."

[Rex]

Orgoth

"Cold, not good for sure. The gauntlet on the other hand looks like it matches my silver spear. We are going in at some point, how do we want to do it?"

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee
That glove looks pretty badass. Should we check the room for traps first?

[Rex]

Orgoth

"For sure, and if we have a way to check for undead, that too."

[Spearmint]

Beyond sending Amos in tapping the floor with his Quarterstaff for pressure plates, spring wires and pits; is there any other precautions you would like to take or actions preferred?

Send in the clerics, get the gnomes to check the dias, summon an Unseen Servant, spell cast, just wander in?

Anybody back out in preference to open a coffer?

[OGRE MAGE]

Lets tackle one area at a time, starting with the gauntlet room.

From the doorway, Truro detects for evil inside the room, especially at the paintings and gauntlet.

Sven will cast his Unseen Servant spell before allowing anyone to enter. 1st Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+1]=17+1=18

"This room is obviously important, so it is likely trapped or cursed. Let my magic forceman look around at the altar and glove before anyone rushes inside."

If there are no ill effects from the US entering, it will touch the gauntlet and then the paintings before the rest of us enter.

The thieves can get a closer look at the floor, walls, and pedestal if there are no hindrances discovered.

[Spearmint]

Glowing Gauntlet chamber.

Amos can use a detect evil scrying as Truro just used his. He raises an eyebrow at one subtle ping but focuses his attention upon the room in question.

"There is an evil presence hidden as though it were not physically there. A manifestation of 'what could be' rather than what presently is." he says.

He finds it hard to describe. It is not a physical trap or a physical presence. The Unseen Servant is a physical force, a manifestation that is summoned force by an invocation. So that is the feeling, an evil manifestation that has not yet been summoned forth.

The trio of characters stay in the entrance passage. The Unseen Servant is cast and commanded. In obedience it floats to the centre dais and lifts the gauntlet off the stand. That action triggers a trap, probably as expected. The round stand sound around as four blades suddenly appear. Long scimitars flash in a whirl around the stand cutting upwards and down, arcing a forward thrust and backhand slash. Certainly any person standing within a feet of the gauntlet would have been subject to the many blades. After the brief flurry the 'arms' retract back in to the stand and blades to the floor, indistinguishable from the surrounds. The long gauntlet, pulsates with radiance, resting back on the stand.

Sven feels the Unseen Servant dissipate which would indicate the damage received has an enchanted power and not just brute, physical power.

The pictorials around the room are nicely done, little glittery glass stones in a mosaic rather than painted walls. Beyond that, they show the wearer being empowering to blast various undead figures.

actions and comments please

[Rex]

Orgoth

"Nice try and now we know about the trap, any other ideas?"

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee
Peaches offers to cast her own Unseen Servant.

My guy could move around to the other side and kick the glove towards us. What do youthink?

If the others approve, Peaches summons her invisible "butler."

Casts Unseen Servant.

Retain 1st level spell (15) [4d6+1]=16+1=17

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven cautions Peaches before using her spell.

"There is an unknown power within this trap. It zapped my invisible assistant away like nothing. I think we better try another approach. Do any of you have a rope and hook we could use to try pulling it towards us?"

The mage looks to his friend Amos. "Are you looking at my new ring? Because you cant have it!"

"From the artwork in there, it looks like this gauntlet has a great deal of power against the undead. Is there any among us who wishes to possess such power?"

If there is no way to attempt pulling the thing closer with a rope and hook, Sven will try knocking the item from the pedestal from a distance with his crossbow.

Crossbow Attack [1d20]=12 Dam [2d4]=2

[Spearmint]

Smokie growls at the cleric. "No, I can sense it is precious to you." he says in response then counsels you to not loose more bolts at the relic. "You might break it, impaling it." he adds as the shaft flies wide.

Butler is called for by Mi'lady. It is another spectral force that is confined by arcane boundaries to not be able to attack though it can lift and move.

Signalled to approach the trapped dais, it does so and rather than vertically lifting the gauntlet from the stand, Butler pushes it off and tries to drag it away.

Once more the movement off the stand triggers the whirling blade barrier that hacks and slashes out in all directions. The only resistance being the Unseen Servant and as trio of blades catch it, the force dissipates. Once more the flashing blades subside though this time the gauntlet lies pulsating on the floor at the foot of the stand.

Having used a grapnel and rope to good effect in snaring abominations and jelly victims before, you try that method again. The gauntlet gets knocked closer by one of the spars on the grapnel but the action causes the blades to trigger and one cuts through the rope, decapitating the iron head from the knotted hemp. The gauntlet though has been dragged a previous yard closer and possibly out of reach of the trap.

actions please.

edit: we may have cross posted, but using the grapnel and servant, in either order would provoke the same response with the same end result.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sure, that works. I was just trying to save a spell if we could.

Sven walks into the room, satisfied that the gauntlet is far enough away from the pedestal now.

He ignores the prize completely and approaches the artwork on the wall, looking it over closer.

"If one of you would like to try out the gauntlet, be my guest. Just remember that things aren't always as they seem here in the Barrowmaze."

[Rex]

Orgoth

"That is true but the ability to hurt undead is very worthy of a follower of Cromm." Orgoth still doesn't approach the gauntlet, not yet convinced the trap is cleared.

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee

Peaches approaches the gauntlet. If she still has a spell slot left, Peaches attempts to learn what she can about it before trying it on. Casts Identify on the gauntlet if she can.

Then she tries it on.

Totally badass, right?

[Spearmint]

great. I am drafting an update and will post soon. I have asked Sven to make a roll in his forum and will proceed following that.