l'Atreq checks the holes to see whether a copper coin would be large enough to cover them.  "Maybe this would be enough to block them", says l'Atreq, "Especially if the air is going out.  And maybe a drop or two of oil would make it airtight unless anyone has putty?"

OOC: any determination?

Vaask comes alongside l'Atreq and offers up an iron spike to see if it's any help.

l'Atreq jams the spike into the hole and says, "That will do nicely, thank you.  Do you have more?"

"Indeed," replies Vaask, handing over another spike, and keeping alongside l'Atreq.

l'Atreq takes the spike and says, "I'll take that hole, you take that one and then that one over there.  We can close them off more quickly that way."

As Vaask moves one way, l'Atreq moves the opposite way to jam a spike into the next hole

"Roger that," says Vaask, and acts accordingly.

Aremis continues examining the perimeter of the room looking for secret/concealed doors and trying to determine if the gas is escaping or entering the room and whether it has a smell.  Artemis occasionally examines the ceiling to confirm that the ceiling is not lowering toward the party.

Tarrahn stands by with Vixl seeing if there is something else that they could be doing, if needed?

Aremis's walkabout of the room reveals no secret or concealed doors. He is able to confirm, once again, that the gas is entering the chamber, not exiting it.

Tarrahn coolly appraises the situation and recommends that they try to block the holes with spikes, which Vaask and l'Atrek attempt to do. They find the tapered head of a spike fits into the holes and allows for further insertion until quite a snug fit has been achieved, preventing further gas from entering.

Meanwhile, Vixl throws her admittedly insubstantial weight against the stone slab and bounces right off.

As for Orum, he can detect nothing amiss with the right-most cylinder.

Despite the success of blocking two of the four holes, the odorless gas still blows into the room. Its effects are reliably toxic (All PCs take 1 point of damage).

All party members may post. During combat, try to limit yourselves to one post.
17:33, Today: The Lord of Divine Words, on behalf of Vixl, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Minor Test.

"This one seems more or less safe," Orum indicates the right hand cylinder. He moves to the center pillar and begins his tapping and perusing.

"In the interest of speed and breathing we may wish to proceed through the door I have checked."

The hobgoblin had a short sword, but it did not interest Víxl. Most humanoids tended to have functional, but poor quality equipment, so she left it alone, keeping an eye to the rear in case some of the carrion birds were to get a taste for something fresher.

Inside, when the door closed behind them, she took a cursory glance at it. It was not so worrisome- if a hobgoblin could open it, then surely an elf could do so. Still, she did not gainsay it when Aremis suggested Vaask try to open it- after all, being able to open something is not the same thing as being able to open it quickly, so it was a reasonable thing to try...

... especially so with the hissing sound, they might well need to move very quickly. The others seemed to be trying to plug the holes, so she went to assist Vaask with the doors, in a laughable attempt. A frown as she brushes herself off, "If it will open, it needs someone with a hobgoblin's heft."

She had nothing of use to plug the two remaining holes, so she held her breath and opened the door of the right cylinder. Staying here was poison, so if Orum had missed it, a trap would just have to be risked.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:54, Thu 23 June 2022.

Vaask will absorb the slow poison the best he can and proceed to plug one of the final two holes.

Now that Lady Víxl has opened Seeing that Lady Víxl is attempting to open the right cylinder door, Aremis will head that direction to see what happens and then determine what to do next. whether to precede or follow Víxl down (?) the steps or ladder inside the cylinder - depending on what she does.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Sat 25 June 2022.

Tarrahn will attempt to hold his breath and head for the door Vixl just opened in the statue.  He will look inside before entering, unless stopped.

(ooc)
Not a new post for the round, but to clarify one thing...

Aremis:

and then determine whether to precede or follow Víxl down (?) the steps or ladder inside the cylinder - depending on what she does.

If there are steps or a ladder, yes, she would go down them, if for no other reason that we might need the space for everyone to get inside. (Assuming she has not died in a trap, and that she gets the door open in the first place.)
This message was last edited by the player at 05:06, Fri 24 June 2022.

l'Atreq moves in the opposite direction from Tarrahn and tries to plug the final hole.

Working together, Vassak and l'Atrek ram spikes into the last two holes but not before more poisonous gas has been inhaled (1 dmg to everybody; Tarrahn can make a saving throw vs. poison to avoid the dmg). With the four holes plugged, the danger of extinction, thankfully, appears to be over.

Orum shifts his attention to the middle cylinder and discovers dried blood in front of it. Despite his tapping and perusing, he cannot discover what might have caused the bloodshed.

With multiple sets of eyes upon her, Vixl opens the door to the third cylinder and *poof* disappears from view. Well, not "poof" or "hocus pocus," really. She had been standing on a hinged paving stone that opened when she had opened the door (Saving Throw vs ??? (which one?) for 1/2 dmg, V.)

"Navaer!" she called out, trying to grab the ledge, or roll with the fall.


(ooc)
I would suggest an ability score saving throw with dexterity (roll dex or less), since you are asking. But if you prefer something else that is fine.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:16, Sun 26 June 2022.

23:42, Today: Tarrahn rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Poison Save +3.

Vixl tumbles to the chamber below, noting that if she had been able to take one step further she could have taken a ladder down (or up) instead (4 dmg from fall).

A 10' radius circle at the foot of each ladder is lit by a glowing, 2' long beetle. Each beetle has three glowing spots.

And had she been able to take the ladder down, she might not have upset the happy, little nest of fire beetles -- but landing with a crash next to one of them? No. And if one fire beetle is upset, so are all of them. They're empathetic that way.

But the one advantage of falling out of nowhere is that Vixl (and the rest of you) have gotten the jump on the beetles.



08:48, Today: The Lord of Divine Words, on behalf of Vixl, rolled 2,1 using d6,d6.  party vs fire beetle init.
08:33, Today: The Lord of Divine Words, on behalf of Vixl, rolled 8 using 3d6.  1/2'ed.

"Someone should go down and rescue Vixl," Orum chirped. "Then we can all follow."

He positions himself to follow the well armored tall ones who seem intent on heading down.

Aremis realizes that Lady Víxl is at death’s door and will jump/climb down as quickly and safely as possible to interpose himself between Víxl and the fire beetles before they can attack Víxl.  He’s hoping the spell casters will be able to disable or distract the bulk of the beetles.  He will attack the largest/most dangerous beetle threatening Víxl.  He will attack with his longsword and will discard his shield if it will enable him to drop into position more quickly and safely.

Aremis, seeing that the situation is dire for Lady Víxl, discards his shield (making his AC 5 for now), and jumps/swings his way down the ladder to slow his descent enough to land safely between Víxl and the angry beetles.  As he jumps, he issues a war cry to try to draw the attention of the beetles to himself and away from Víxl.

He swings his longsword at the biggest/most threatening beetles near Víxl.  One of his two attacks appears to connect its intended target.

14:59, Today: Aremis rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,4,4.  DEX roll to jump/swing down safely (Dex =12).
15:01, Today: Aremis rolled a 19 (1st attack) and a 12 (2nd attack) using 2 1d20+3.  2 attacks 1st round of combat, 2x specialized.
15:02, Today: Aremis rolled 5 damage with 1st attack using 1d8+3 with roll of 2.  Damage long sword vs S/M
This message was last edited by the player at 00:16, Sun 26 June 2022.

Vaask follows Aremis down the ladder and attempts a jump/land Thor-like attack with his mace on the first beetle he sees.

15:52, Today: Vaask rolled 6 using 1d6 ((6)). Initiative.
15:52, Today: Vaask rolled 13 using 1d20+2 ((11)). Attack.
15:53, Today: Vaask rolled 8 using 1d6+5 ((3)). Damage (mace).
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Sat 25 June 2022.

Once Aremis has jumped down l'Atreq with no intention of jumping, moves from the other side of the room toward the ladder, saying, "Somebody cover me please so I can get down there and cure Vixl's wounds while it's still possible."

Seeing that Vaask has also gone down, l'Atreq climbs down the ladder cautiously, making ready to fix up Vixl
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Sat 25 June 2022.