Tarrahn nods in agreement with l'Arteq, "I couldn't agree with you more L.  It seems that the daring win or, those are crazy enough to navigate all of this!  There must be something really important locked behind these traps."

"Lower the rope down first and see if that triggers the spear trap." Tomba suggests, his fairly dull mind at least focused enough to think in terms of his own self-preservation or at least profession.  "If we could come up with a way to trigger all the spear traps before moving into the room that would be good, though Tomba doesn't like the idea of magic creatures being created to do so."

If a rope is dangled down, Tomba will instruct whoever is holding the rope to move it around a bit to see if the movement triggers a spear, and if that does nothing he will try lopping a sling stone into the room, away from the chest to see if anything happens.

Closer now, V could see that the chest was also protected by the honeycombs.

"If the rope doesn't trigger the trap, we should skip this, rather than see you get skewered," V says. She doesn't comment on the summoned monsters, idea liked or not, since she already completely rejected that thought more than once.

Tomba readily agrees nodding his head enthusiastically at Vixl's suggestion, now that he eyes the skeletons again.  "I think there is another way to get to the treasure, like maybe another room with a stop button.  The trap must have been set somehow."

"It would be on the other side of the wall, but, where is the access 'door'?" L says.

Rusk frowns as he looks down. ”If the treasure is genuine, then I would agree that there is probably a mechanism somewhere by which the trap can be disarmed without risk. If it is not, then there is likely no way to do so. Its only purpose is to entice intruders to their deaths.”

He shrugs. ”Perhaps if Amun-Re’s spirit is put to rest, many of the dangers in this place will cease to be threats and the treasure could then be claimed freely.”

"So, it sounds like this is left for another time," V said.

To the western door, with the treasure seekers searching it for traps.

Fodor reluctantly nods in agreement with Rusk and Víxl.

While some of the infidels fancied remaining in the observation dome while the odd man out tried his luck with the honeycomb, this idea was ultimately tabled, for no suitable means of identifying the odd man could be settled upon. Instead the outfit had chosen to try and test its fate with that western door and was all set to perform the customary safety checks when Rusk holds up his hand to forestall the efforts.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:26, Tue 07 May.

”Beyond that door is an aura of evil. One of tremendous strength,” the former crusader said quietly.

"Well, unfortunately for whatever it is, if the alternative is going back down to the mist, then there is no alternative. But if we have any protective or useful spells- bless, barkskin, shillelagh, whichever, perhaps we should cast them now."

She waited for anyone interested in doing so to make their preparations, and then they could move in.

Rusk bowed his head, quietly whispering a prayer.

OOC: Paladins radiate an aura of protection from evil in a ten foot radius. For any within the area of effect, the aura will impose a -2 on any “to hit” rolls made by evil creatures and will provide a +2 bonus to any saving throws required due to the actions of evil creatures.

The aura is “always on”. I just wanted to remind others of its presence.

Fodor tries not to poke anyone with his longsword as the party suddenly begins huddling in a tight circle around the Paladin.

As much as she hated to do so, V sheathed her short word to wield the magic longsword in it's place.
Given Rusk's ominous warning, the enchantment might be needed.

(ooc)
Group hug around the paladin!!!

"So long as it does not present us with a riddle or squirt mist at us, I opt for the Evil door," Eonwe says, seemingly upbeat at the prospect of exiting the puzzle rooms.

Tomba takes a look at the door hinges to determine if it opens into the room towards them, or outward into the room they would soon enter.

Tarrahn grips his wooden staff and gets closer to Rusk, and the others, hoping to gain any benefit from his powers.

Resolved to no longer play misty with the maze, the infidels brace themselves for the evil that is to come, with Fodor brazenly throwing the door wide open.

This is an octagonal room, 30 feet across. There is a wooden plank door in the center of the north, south, east and west walls. Three robed figures are squatting in a circle muttering to themselves in the center of the room.

There is to be no escape from the mist.

11:20, Today: The Lord of Divine Words rolled 4 using 1d6.  Init: party 1-3 lost city 4-6.

The figures won init.

Upon the intrusion, the figures rouse themselves and reveal themselves to be mistily insubstantial, their ethereal limbs wispy in shape and substance, sometimes approaching seeming solidity before lapsing into insubstantiality. Despite having no substance, only form, in this plane, they radiate a wintry chill, causing those who breathe to gasp at their suddenly frosty exhalations.

Two of them waft implacably towards those first in line, Fodor and Rusk.

The first swipes lazily at the front-line fighter, as if it were incredulous at having been gifted this opportunity. It misses.

11:36, Today: The Lord of Divine Words rolled 9,2 using d20-2,d6.  W1 vs Fodor.

The second clutches with more purpose, grafting its extended hand on to the front-line paladin's shoulder before he can lurch backwards. By the time, he has shaken himself free, the wraith has had its first taste of living essence in ages.

11:37, Today: The Lord of Divine Words rolled 13,5 using d20-2,d6.  W2 vs. Rusk.

Rusk takes 5 damage, loses one level, and 1 HD (is that rolled or is it the same as the last one?).

The third wafts over the front line and settles on one of the little people, enveloping Orum, drawing Orum into itself, leaving less of Orum to himself.

11:38, Today: The Lord of Divine Words rolled 15,2 using d20-2,d6.  W3 vs Orum.

Orum takes 2 damage, loses one level, and 1 HD.

Where the wraiths had been "squatting" lies a gleaming sword (type TBD).

It is the party's chance to act.
All are considered in melee with the wraiths.
The wraiths have an AC of 4.
They can be turned as type VII undead.
The can only be harmed by silvered weapons (1/2 damage) and magical weapons (full damage).

I'Atreq attempts to turn the undead wraiths! "By the power of Lord Ptah, flee from our presence!" But they are completely unaffected. I'Atreq can not affect them in any way or hit them!

12:14, Today: l'Atreq rolled 5 using 1d20.  turn undead. – 5 - Needed a 16!

OOC: Rusk would not have been able to turn the wraiths when he possessed the capacity to turn undead, an ability he no longer possesses.

”Run!” Rusk shouts as he vainly attempts to ward off the wraiths with his blade.

11:36, Today: Rusk rolled 5 using 1d20+1.  Attack - Two Handed Sword.

l'Atreq, knowing he can do nothing else, prays! He prays, "Great Ptah, help and protect Rusk as you can, Bless us as you can!" Casts Bless on the party!
This message was last edited by the player at 00:10, Today.

Tomba follows the brave paladins command screaming in fear.

Eonwe turns and hightails it out of there with l'Atreq and Tomba.

"Twice," Orum mutters as he beats feet.

"No, don't run! That just leaves you open to them!" V shouted, remembering what had happened not that long ago to herself.

"Someone grab that gleaming sword! Try that!" she yelled as she pointed the sceptre of paralyzation and tries to immobilize a wraith. She did not think such a thing would work, but some message from above indicated it would- perhaps her joining the sisterhood of the warrior maidens was causing some message from Madurea to come to her?

It was a bit annoying to be using the scepter when she could be attacking with a magic sword herself- either the one she had or the gleaming one here, but she had tried multiple times to offer the sceptre to someone else to use, and it had been declined over and over.

(ooc)
If the sceptre works, and we win initiative, she will be using it again next round, so hopefully there will be only one wraith remaining- if two rounds of combat by the others do not destroy it first.

Of course, it might save, the damage might not be enough, they may win initiative, etc. But they wouldn't be getting additional FREE attacks at bonuses. So it still seems we are better off staying as opposed to running.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Today.