This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

"Here, Gwen, I'll catch you." Tyr said.

He positioned himself on the other side of the tunnel from where he could hear Daephine and Jillian moving, before coming up to the edge of the pit and holding his arms out.

"I wonder who would be so desperate as to carve a lair into a volcano? Even dormant these things can be dangerous, I'm sure."


Tyr uses the Help action to give Gwen advantage on her check to cross the gap

(I know you're all waiting for me to tell you to roll, but I don't wanna waste more time, it's just a swimming pool. This part however might take a long time for you to figure out in PBP.)

Helping each other, you make it past without being fully submerged in the hot water. You travel another 50' NW and come to a new tunnel: this one clearly fabricated by intelligent design.

It goes north 70', The 10x10' stone tunnel is smoothed and polished. A series of copper-colored metal plates lines the walls of the path before you. The plates are 6 feet high and 6 feet wide.

Anyone wearing or carrying any metal? It begins to get hotter the farther in you go. (please only describe moving up to 20' into this hallway)
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Mon 21 June 2021.

The metal of Tyr's axe was beginning to warm significantly in his palm, but the leather binding that kept his grip on it somewhat mitigated the feeling. Tyr ran his hand along the wall, getting a feel for how this tunnel was made. He spoke to the others.

"My instincts are telling me that there's something very wrong with this area. Tread carefully, and keep an eye out. If anything happens, don't panic, just take things one step at a time."

"You don't say Tyr. It looks like the inside of a golem. Of course it is dangerous." Daephine followed slowly and the studs in her armor started to heat up. "Has anyone seen something like this?" she called back to Jillian and Zarbak, knowing less about their experiences than those of her siblings. Maybe Gwen knew more "Anything in any stories?"

"I've not seen it, but let's have a moment of experimentation, shall we?" Zarbak drew out a metal piton from his pack, pulled it back, and then sent it flying down the hallway.

chuck a Piton like a dagger, as far down the tunnel as I can

the piton flies all the way to the end of the tunnel with ease. it takes about one and a half seconds to plink into the wall at the end of the tunnel and bounce off harmlessly. it lays in the middle of the last 10’ square: completely normal.

experiment results: inconclusive
hypotheses: the last 10’ square is safe

"Well, there's nothing stopping progress, I guess." Zarbak grabbed one more piton and tossed it about half-way into the room.

If it didn't fall through the floor or otherwise set of any traps, he would indicate he was ready to proceed.

"So..." Tyr began, in an attempt to make small talk. "Orderly Zarbak? Is there a story behind that title?"

"I am an agent of Order, who thrives in Chaos. I have recently taken oaths to Order itself, gaining its divine favor in the process. I see patterns in much of the world, and some of those patterns reveal secrets or understanding." Zarbak laughed, "It sounds a bit crazed sometimes. Trust me, I'm aware. If we find ourselves fighting here, you may see how those patterns help me to identify openings or opportunities for you to strike that you might otherwise miss."

This time the piton elicits a noticeable result: the metal begins to visibly heat, quickly turning red hot and then staying that temperature.

Experiment conclusion: at 50' into the tunnel your own armor is going to burn you. The last 10' of the tunnel is safe. How quickly you can run 100' is all that matters.

"Well that sheds a new light on the whole thing. If you've got magical movement, now is the time to use it. If not, perhaps get in as far as you can stand, then run as fast as possible the rest of the way."

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

"We could also take off the armor and throw it over?" Dapehine suggested, eying the searing hot piton. "I can also protect myself from the heat, but it doesn't last long. With that, she patted her studded leather, hoping that the heat won't damage it a lot. Or her. "Anyone else needs any help or preparation?" she looked at her two siblings.

"Interesting," Tyr said in reply to Zarbak, "Well, I suppose I should be thankful that you're Orderly Zarbak instead of Zarbak the Chaotic. The person you replaced was an agent of chaos already."

He began to do some light stretches as he addressed the others.

"I'm not particularly fast, but I'm pretty hardy and I can heal myself when I get to the other side. I'll warn you if it's too dangerous to cross."

He crouched into a kneel for a moment, like an Olympic runner, before rushing down the stretch of hallway.

Dashing, Tyr can only get 60' across in one round, so he'll end his turn in the hallway before getting to the safe spot.

Gwen showing the flexibility of her trade does a nearly flawless Dash accross the room her magic armor offering some protection.

08:14, Today: Gwendolyn Roaringhorn rolled 22 using 1d20+2.  Athletics.

NAT 20!

Jillian has come across electromagnetism in her studies. Through proper induction the copper coils super conduct magnetism to create massive amounts of heat. You're not just dealing with a wizard, you're dealing with a mad scientist...or maybe where he comes from, science and magic are the same.

Deaphine's questions are valid, but others are more interested in getting it over with:

Tyr runs through but finds things heat up faster than he is. Gwendolyn is able to grab Tyr and pull him along, she is remarkably unscathed, though Tyr does suffer some skin deep burns.
tyr take 10 fire damage, but you are now on the other side. No damage for Gwen, can't argue with a nat 20!

Successfully across the death trap puzzle: Gwen, Tyr
Still to cross: Zar, Jill, Daeph

"That looks like it hurt." Zarbak took a deep breath to prepare himself and said a prayer as he began moving into the shaft, then made the mad dash across the rest of it.

I'm imagining two rounds worth of getting across. I'm wearing all kinds of metal, though.

Round 1: cast Guidance, move 30 ft
Round 2: move & dash 60 ft, Athletics 23

17:54, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 22,1 using d20+6,d4.  Athletics + Guidance.

Zarbak take 1 fire dmg, Jill take 2, Deaph take 5.

You all eventually make it through the metal heating corridor, at the most only suffering flesh wounds.

Your armor and weapons cool again and you find yourself in a 30x30x10' room with stairs leading up out of the water to the dry corridor beyond. (21)

But those with passive perception 15+ spot a secret door to (20). You check it over and agree it does not seem trapped, but does it seem worth opening? That's up to you.

Jillian moves to the secret door and opens it.

Immediately a dozen skeletons pull her in and shut the door. One grins at you as the door closes. You think it's a grin. Hard to tell. They don't have face muscles.

You didn't see any treasure in that room. Maybe it's best to just leave it alone.

"Jill!" Tyr realized too late what was happening, but still rushed up to the door and instinctively kicked hard to try and affect the now solidly closed door.

Somehow he knew they wouldn't see Jillian again.

"By all nine of the Hells, what is this place? I've been to some dangerous enclosures, but none so abruptly fatal as this!"

Tyr kicked the door again - more out of spite than anything - before regaining his composure and focusing on the task at hand. They had to get out of this place, but it was their word on the line if they turned their backs now. With a tracing in the air and a muttering of his breath, he let healing energy wash over him as he cast a spell on himself; He needed to be as prepared as he could for whatever came next.

"The only way left is forward... I suppose." He said, although none too happy about it.

"Then let's get through it and stick together. Making decisions on your own and then acting on them seems to be a sure way to a quick doom. Lead on, Tyr."

Tyr simply nodded. Even though half of his face was covered by bandages, Zarbak could tell that his acknowledgement had had a positive effect on Tyr's state. He gripped his axe again and began to take the lead on this next leg of the journey, anger driving him just as much as determination.

While the searing bolts singed her skin, Daephine decided she had preferred the strange corridor to the sphinx they had encountered. As Jillian was taken in a blink of an eye, she rushed after Tyr but there was nothing that could be done. "Keraptis has a wicked mind, that is for sure." she started to worry as well. She followed her brother onward, tense but not willing to back away. "Well put." she approved of Zarbak's warning. The man was in the better position to know it than anyone else alive.

You take the stairs, confident that going after Jillian would only result in pain and zombies.

As you ascend into area 21 your soaking feet finally leave the foot of stagnant hot water.

In this room is a cage. In this cage is Valenestria.

She is clothed but unarmed. An unlocked chest is nearby with all her things. A key that will fit the cage's lock is just out of reach with a tag on it that reads "She's with you now. -K."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Fri 23 July 2021.