Norry says, "Well I can't say the rhyme makes much sense to me. I expect the images here have some meaning though. The likenesses of men I mean, affixed to the limbs of the beholder."
The DM gives a quick overview of everyone's positions.
* Akia stands at the top of the stairs, watching for any other threats while Steelbrow and Norry investigate the newly-revealed carving on the wall at the bottom of the two flights of stairs. Sebrinia is also at the top of the stairs, not yet having peeked down to see what the dwarf and hobbit have found, but she has heard Norry say the phrase 'A beholder!'
SteelBrow looks over the carving, "The images seem to match lines in the words."
Sebrinia's ears twitch at the phrase uttered by Norry. "A beholder?" she asks.
SteelBrow says, "A carving of a many eyed beast, each eye having an image of a man doing something, apparently matching a line of verse below."
SteelBrow reads the verse aloud for those still at the top of the stairs.
I don't recognize the player named "dm,"
* Nothing unusual happens as the verse is read aloud, so far as any of you can tell.
SteelBrow reads "Magic dies, fast men slow, the passage you seek is not below."
SteelBrow says, "eye of death, eye of stone, the key to passage they haven't shown."
* Norry rolls 1f20+7: 11,7 = 18.
SteelBrow says, "fear and mind, you can say, will move you round in the wrong way."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 14,1 = 15.
SteelBrow says, "friends are shy, sleep in rest, neither points to the passage that's best."
SteelBrow says, "enemy friend, painful wound, oblivion aids, it is runed."
SteelBrow comments, "rather dark, like a warning to keep out."
Norry says, "It has several warnings about the wrong path, but doesn't quite imply if any path is _right_."
Norry chuckles inwardly. "I suppose the artist didn't exactly have us in mind though. How would he know where we want to go?"
Sebrinia listens quietly.
Norry says, "This looks like something your folk might know more of than I, Steelbrow."
SteelBrow says, "The carving likely, not the riddle."
Norry says, "I meant the door."
SteelBrow asks, "ah, think it's safe to open?"
SteelBrow examine the edge on the door opposite the hinges.
SteelBrow says, "nice piece of work. An ant might have trouble fitting through."
SteelBrow looks for and handle or lever to open the door, prefering not to force it.
Sebrinia asks, "What do you think is on the other side of the door?"
Norry says, "If nobody's gone this way recently, we don't want to disturb another innocent tomb."
Sebrinia asks, "Are we sure nobody has been through that door?"
SteelBrow gingerly presses on one side of the door with the butt end of his axe.
* At the press of the axe-shaft, there is at first no reaction... and then the door ponderously and silently swings open. (more)
* Magical white light suddenly illuminates a wide room that's divided into four distinct areas. Each area is roughly octagonal and roughly the same size. The ceiling in each of these areas is vaulted and about 20 feet high at the apex. A stylized symbol of an eye adorns the center of the tiled floor in the central section of the room.
Sebrinia tries to peer around the others at the top.
Norry leans forward, and holds his torch aloft for a better view.
SteelBrow steps just inside the door.
Sebrinia slips past Akia and stands behind the others.
The DM asks that you keep your token position up to date for this section of the map.
Sebrinia glances at the carving at the door and blinks. "Oh," she replies.
Norry lowers his torch, as it is no brighter than the eerie illumination filling this room. "I must say, I expected the door to be locked."
SteelBrow says, "as if someone expected the carvings on the door, and an illusion spell to keep people out."
Norry trots in a bit farther, peeking into the 3 adjacent areas, and comes to a stop in front of the carving on the floor.
SteelBrow also ventures in, avoiding the curious eye mark on the floor.
Sebrinia wanders in, curious about the curious eye mark and leans down to investigate it.
Norry crouches down, also taking an interest.
* For the ones investigating it, the eye marking is carved into the tile it rests upon. It's also very precisely drawn.
Sebrinia leans closer and actually runs a head across the eye, feeling how it is carved into the tile. "Wow."
SteelBrow says, "I think I'd like to see the craftsman would did this, if by some remote chance he's still in the land of the living."
Norry wanders into the western section, taking a look around.
SteelBrow walks around the eye to look into the north chamber.
* Norry rolls 1f20+7: 9,7 = 16.
Sebrinia shivers lightly as she stands up and realizes that both Norry and Steelbrow are looking in different locations. Showing interest, she walks over to the western area to have a look around with Norry.
Norry crouches down, and runs his hands along the seam between some of the floor tiles.
Sebrinia asks, "Norry, can you see if you can pull those tiles up?"
Norry wiggles his fingers into the crevice and leans back, trying to life the tile.
SteelBrow raises an eyebrow at the mention of lifting a tile, and stoops to examine the tile with the eye closely.
Sebrinia asks, "Need help?"
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 15,1 = 16.
SteelBrow wanders west and eyes the tiles, "eye of stone, friends are shy, eye of death, and one I can't quite match up to the verse."
Norry tugs on the tile showing the standing man.
SteelBrow says, "wait, I don't think that's wise."
Sebrinia sort of dances around as she waits for Norry to move the tile.
* The tile lifts up reasonably easily, leaving a bare spot beneath.
Norry says, "Well I didn't expect that. Just a bare floor underneath." Norry lowers it back into place.
Sebrinia frowns as it appears there is nothing there but a bare spot. "Hmm."
SteelBrow tries the tile of the man stooping over.
Norry wanders off, looking for exits from the area.
Sebrinia moves over to the two other tiles and exams them closer.
* Norry rolls 1f20+7: 15,7 = 22.
SteelBrow lifts the south most tile.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 12,1 = 13.
Norry completes his circuit of the northern area, and moves into the east room.
SteelBrow says, "a moment."
SteelBrow says, "+1"
* When SteelBrow touches the southernmost tile - which doesn't move - it seems that something has happened to him.
SteelBrow drones, "F a s t m e n s l o w."
SteelBrow backs away, as quickly as he can, which is rather slow.
Norry returns to the western room, glancing curiously at the oddly-behaving Steelbrow. "What's this now?"
SteelBrow says, "T i l e s a r e t r a p p e d."
Sebrinia doesn't notice anything around her as she attempts to lift the tile of the two men.
Norry says, "In total, I find 4 loose tiles. And no exits."
Sebrinia puts the tile back down as there is yet another bare spot. "Nothing under this one," she replies, finally looking up at the others.
The DM says, "All of you may roll me Int checks."
* Norry rolls 1f20+3: 7,3 = 10.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 2,1 = 3.
SteelBrow feels even his thinking slowed by the tiles effect.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+3: 2,3 = 5.
Norry says, "I uh... feel compelled to point out the similarity between the markings on the tiles and the image on the door."
SteelBrow says, "So I already noted."
SteelBrow shakes his head clear of the fading slowness.
SteelBrow asks, "Which tiles did you try?"
Norry says, "There are four loose tiles. Two in here, and the two against the wall in the northern room."
Sebrinia asks, "DId you try to lift them?"
Norry says, "No, I only checked that they were loose."
Sebrinia asks, "Which two were loose?"
Norry repeats, the two against the far wall in the northern room.
Sebrinia wanders off to investigate them.
SteelBrow looks, "eye of stone, friends are shy, fear, and mind, if I'm matching them to the script correctly."
Norry says, "So it seems. You know... Hmm."
Norry says, "I think these are arrayed in like pattern to the image on the door, excepting only the loose tiles."
SteelBrow says, "so we need to place the loose tiles in the correct places."
Norry glances at Steelbrow. "If there be some hex of matching on it."
SteelBrow says, "if not I see little harm in trying."
Sebrinia asks, "So if we put them back in the correct locations, what do you think will happen?"
Norry says, "So far, touching the loose tiles have done us no harm."
Sebrinia says, "Well lets get moving them so far."
The DM grants permission to move them.
Norry glances carefully at each, glad that the 'kill you when you touch it' tile isn't one of the loose ones.
SteelBrow says, "you move the tiles. I'll keep watch over the eye tile in the middle."
Sebrinia helps Norry move the titles.
Norry returns to the west room, and puts the standing man in place.
Norry lifts the two friends, and carries them to the northern room.
Sebrinia grabs the picture with the man and lightening and heads to the east room.
The DM acks!
The DM says, "Hold, hold."
The DM says, "The one with the lightning is a carving and does not move. So here's what I'm going to do."
The DM says, "Those are the only ones that move. If you touch any of the others - so far you've been largely avoiding that - let me know. Feel free to place those four."
Norry, as previously mentioned, places the standing man with arms at his sides and the two friends.
Akia cautiously looks into the room without moving in.
Akia asks, "Everything okay in here?"
SteelBrow says, "so far."
* Nothing happens with the placement of the first two tiles.
Norry picks up the running man tile, and heads back to the west room.
Norry says, "Once placed, he joins the others in the center room."
Norry says, "Oops."
- Yet, you get the idea.
The DM inquires where the tile with the man and the lightning under his feet is placed.
The DM says, "And for that matter, precisely where everyone is standing when it is placed."
- It is not yet in place.
* Nothing continues to happen.
SteelBrow glances at Sebrinia, waiting for her to place the last tile.
Sebrinia eyes the last tile and places it.
The DM asks for where Sebrinia is standing when it is placed. Since she couldn't do it from the center room.
* As the last tile is placed, a green ray shoots down from the ceiling, striking the carving of the disappearing man, just a short distance from Sebrinia. The struck carving shimmers, then vanishes, leaving a hole in the floor.
The DM does a few things, stand by....
The DM finishes.
SteelBrow stands firm for the moment.
Akia eyes the hole from where she stands, "What's in there?"
Sebrinia glances down the hole and notices the ladder. "A way out."
SteelBrow glances into the chamber to the east.
Norry peeks into the northmost room. "Everybody un-deceased in here?"
Akia says, "Hope not. We already dispatched a pile of those. Messy things."
Akia wanders in, a bit gingerly as she's rather unnerved by what she's seen thus far.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 9,4 = 13.
Sebrinia slowly lowers herself onto the ladder and goes down a few steps to see what she can see down below.
* The ladder leads to a wide landing below, maybe 10 feet wide. Nearby, a narrow and shallow staircase descends to another landing that is narrower than the one you're on. It looks like the stairs might continue beyond that.
SteelBrow asks, "How far down?"
Sebrinia finishes down the ladder and stands on the landing below, examing it. "Not far and there are more stairs," she calls up to Steelbrow.
Norry approaches the opening, and peers down after Sebrinia.
SteelBrow approaches and looks down the hole.
SteelBrow starts climbing down.
* The climb down the ladder is relatively short - an easy ten feet or so, onto the landing Sebrinia is currently standing on.
Norry asks, "How much space down there? Shall I wait?"
SteelBrow says, "a bit tight if we had to fight here, not too bad just standing."
Norry descends.
Sebrinia moves closer to the stairs, standing at the top of them, ready to head where they lead.
SteelBrow looks down the stairs from the landing.
The DM will need a marching order if/when you head downstairs.
Sebrinia is first to go down.
SteelBrow follows Sebrinia.
Norry follows after.
SteelBrow asks, "Akia, going to join us?"
Sebrinia heads down the stairs, slowly.
SteelBrow attempts to follow silently.
* As you reach the bottom of the second staircase, the narrow passage opens into a wide landing. Two piles of bones lie near an opening to the west, where another stairway descends.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20-2: 19,-2 = 17.
Sebrinia lifts a hand up, "Hold on a second." She leans closer to the bones. "Uh something is moving in them."
The DM is acting....
* As you watch, the bones shift and stir. You hear what sounds like a wolf howl, but the call seems as if it comes from far away. Two doglike skeletons rise and face you.
SteelBrow raises his axe, ready to strike.
The DM says, "Initiative."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+2: 19,2 = 21.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 16,4 = 20.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 5,4 = 9.
Akia followed after, a bit slowly, apparently.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+3: 14,3 = 17.
SteelBrow, again finding himself behind another party member, holds for Sebrinia.
* The skeletal wolves move forward and start climbing up the stairs. One of them tries to bite at Sebrinia.
* It manages to slip through Sebrinia's guard, prepared though she was, and scores a bite on an arm.
Sebrinia looks a bit startled when the skeletal bites her on her arm. "Owww," she states and tries to shake the wolf free.
The DM says, "Steelbrow, you're up. You may still hold your action, if you want to do so."
SteelBrow squeezes forward and strikes down at the skeleton attacking Sebrinia.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+4: 9,4 = 13.
* The skeletal wolf does release its grip on Sebrinia at the swing, but manages to avoid the blow.
The DM says, "Norry, you're up."
* Norry rolls 1f20: 7.
* Norry rolls 2d6+1: 2,5,1 = 8.
Norry steps forward and commands, "Down, curs!" His voice quavers though, and the beasts are undaunted.
The DM says, "Sebrinia, your turn."
Sebrinia falls backwards as her arm is released, leaving more space for others to get past her.
The DM says, "Alright, go ahead, Akia."
Akia grimaces at the lack of space to maneuver. She holds her action, waiting for an opportunity.
The DM says, "Alright... initiative."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+2: 12,2 = 14.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 16,4 = 20.
Akia continues to hold her action - thus no initiative. =p
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+3: 15,3 = 18.
The DM says, "Well... in that case, Akia goes first, but I'm guessing she's still holding her action. So... the wolves are up."
* Having the same problem of not being able to fit up the stairs, one of the seletons retreats down to the lower landing. The other, deprived of its original target, attempts to bite at SteelBrow.
Akia holds, yes. Waiting for SOME option.
* The skeletal teeth scrape ineffectually against the dwarf's stout armor.
The DM says, "Then you may jump in at any time, Akia. Norry, you're up."
* Norry rolls 1f20: 13.
* Norry rolls 2d6+1: 3,2,1 = 6.
Norry takes hold of himself, stands straighter and says with dire authority, "Get back from the living, vile abominations!"
* Both skeletons suddenly freeze, then make a wailing unearthly howl. The one on the stairs starts slowly backing down, visibly cowering. The one at the bottom of the landing turns the corner, disappearing from sight.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+4: 7,4 = 11.
SteelBrow swings his axe upward at the skeleton beast, and blows past with a miss.
The DM asks, "Akia, are you electing to act now? Or are you still holding?"
Akia says, "Acting now."
Akia slips past her three companions, crouching low and leaping forward at the unnatural thing with both claws.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 17,1 = 18.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 16,1 = 17.
* Akia rolls 1d6+2: 2,2 = 4.
* Akia rolls 1d6+2: 4,2 = 6.
Akia strikes hard, jarring the bones of the thing. Several of the bones crack, but it still stands unnaturally.
The DM says, "Sebrinia, it's your turn."
Sebrinia rises up now as she watches Akia claw the boned thing. Not having a good attack like that, she holds back.
The DM says, "SteelBrow, you're up."
SteelBrow squeezes past Akia and makes his best shot.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+7: 10,7 = 17.
* SteelBrow rolls 1d12+4: 1,4 = 5.
SteelBrow strikes solid, but does only minimal damage, for him anyway.
- still enough to drop the wounded beast.
* It clatters to the ground in a pile of bones and dust.
The DM is checking something, stand by....
The DM says, "Alright. We're staying in initiative turns, since there's a duration effect still in place. I'll keep the last order I have noticed until we re-enter actual combat."
The DM says, "Noted, not noticed."
The DM says, "I believe that was everyone, unless Sebrinia wants to act now."
Sebrinia doesn't need to do anything.
The DM says, "Alright. Norry, you're up."
Norry heads down the stairs, and shakes his head at the pile of bones and dust.
The DM says, "If that's it, you're up, Akia."
Akia heads down the stairs, ready to battle with her claws still unsheathed.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 11,4 = 15.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 10,4 = 14.
The DM is acting....
* As Akia begins to move down the stairs, she spots something charging towards her, and leaps back _just_ in time to avoid a slam from an extremely ugly and putrescent ogre zombie that charged towards her and reached up as soon as she began to descend the stairs It's considerably bigger than the skeletal wolves you fought earlier, occupying most of four spaces. Behind it, cowering in the corner, is the other skeletal wolf.
The DM goes ahead and calls for a reset initiative.
Norry ooks, "I suggest Steel and Sebrin finish up the round."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+2: 3,2 = 5.
The DM considers, and nods. "Fair enough. Go ahead and take your actions."
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 15,4 = 19.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 11,4 = 15.
The DM says, "Steelbrow, go first, and then Sebrinia, if she wants to act."
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+3: -10,3 = -7.
SteelBrow charges at the zombie his axe swinging...
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+6: 11,6 = 17.
* SteelBrow rolls 1d12+4: 11,4 = 15.
* The axe blade sinks into the creature, an impressive blow, but it doesn't seem fazed. Of course, it *is* a zombie.
The DM says, "Alright, Sebrinia, you're up."
Sebrinia pulls herself together and races down the stairs to catch up with the group. She now has her bow and arrow out, ready to attack, when she can get a good shot.
The DM says, "Okay, that wraps up that round. Using your new rolls... Akia, go."
Akia yeeks, surprised to see a much bigger skeleton than she expected. She backpedals a bit, launching a salvo of fire from her palm at the monstrosity.
* Akia rolls 1f20+7: 2,7 = 9.
* Akia rolls 1f8+4: 4,4 = 8.
Akia's flames sear the zombie, charring it's muscle badly.
The DM says, "Norry, go."
Norry pulls out his crossbow and makes a few attempts to see past the tangle of legs in front of him before settling back out of the way.
The DM says, "Steelbrow, go for it."
SteelBrow makes another swing at the zombie, this time from below...
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+6: 9,6 = 15.
* SteelBrow rolls 1d12+4: 5,4 = 9.
SteelBrow makes a solid strike, slicing off a hunk of decayed flesh from the creatures side.
* The axe blade strikes another blow, and while a gaping wound is left in its wake, it doesn't seem to be as severe an injury as it appears it should have been.
* The zombie ogre attempts to slam the dwarf into the tiling, but it seems to have underestimated the size of the room, or something; the blow strikes the northern wall en route, cracking it and sending a bit of rubble cascading down, and SteelBrow avoids what was left of the blunted attack.
The DM says, "Sebrinia, you're up."
Sebrinia moves around the backpeddling Akia and Norry as well. She has her bow and arrow ready to see if she can get a good angle on the ogre.
Sebrinia glances again and realizes she has no clear shot at the orge and hangs back again.
The DM says, "Alright, initiative."
* Sebrinia rolls 1d20+3: 20,3 = 23.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+2: 9,2 = 11.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 14,4 = 18.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 19,4 = 23.
The DM says, "Akia, you can go... I'm supposing Sebrinia is going to hang back, but if she changes her mind, she can go right after you."
Akia again launches a salvo of fire at the Ogre, then dodges back a bit to make room.
* Akia rolls 1f20+7: 5,7 = 12.
* Akia rolls 1f8+4: 5,4 = 9.
* The blaze scorches more skin off of the zombie with an appropriately awful stench, but it continues fighting.
The DM says, "Sebrinia, you can go. Or hold your action, if you would like. Whatever you'd prefer."
Sebrinia will hold her action
The DM says, "Norry, you're up."
Norry steps to the top of the short flight of stairs and looses a crossbow bolt at the ogre.
* Norry rolls 1f20+5: 3,5 = 8.
The DM realizes he made an error, and corrects some counts.
- The bolt flies wide despite the size of the ogre, and clatters into the far wall.
The DM says, "Go for it, Steelbrow."
* Also against the far wall, the skeletal wolf flinches a bit as the errant bolt clatters nearby.
SteelBrow swings around his axe in a continuous motion from his last strike, approaching the beast from the side this time...
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+6: 12,6 = 18.
* SteelBrow rolls 1d12+4: 8,4 = 12.
SteelBrow strikes sure, taking another gouge from his target.
SteelBrow watches the zombie ogre finally stagger from a blow, but not yet fall.
* The ogre makes a pained noise, and slams again into SteelBrow, this time with a sickeningly accurate blow.
SteelBrow stumbles back a half step, keeping balance only by using his axe as a counter weight.
The DM says, "Initiative."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+2: 8,2 = 10.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+3: 15,3 = 18.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 5,4 = 9.
* Norry rolls 1f20+5: 2,5 = 7.
Norry says, "Oops."
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 18,4 = 22.
The DM grins. "Nice save. You're up first, Norry."
* Norry rolls 1f20+5: 10,5 = 15.
* Norry rolls 1d6: 1.
* The bolt fires straight and true at the ogre, and seems to stick to its skin for just a moment, but then the bolt falls and clatters to the floor.
The DM says, "Sebrinia, you're up."
Sebrinia moves closer once again to see if she has yet any hope of attacking.
Sebrinia carefully takes aim at the orge and lets an arrow fly at him.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+6: 14,6 = 20.
* Sebrinia rolls 1d6: 6.
The DM says, "Wow! Roll your attack again."
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+6: 17,6 = 23.
* Sebrinia's arrow flies with astonishing accuracy, pegging the zombie right in the center of its head with such force that the arrow continues through the other side, only ending its flight when it strikes the far wall. The giant ogre staggers backward, moans once, and collapses backward with a sound of cracking bones as its toppling weight forces it into an unnatural position. It moves no more.
The DM says, "It is Steelbrow's turn, and as the ogre is not a threat... I'll allow a charge."
SteelBrow charges at the skeleton wolf...
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+6+2: 9,6,2 = 17.
* SteelBrow rolls 1d12+4: 4,4 = 8.
SteelBrow brings down his axe cracking bones in the skeleton, but not quite destroying it.
The DM says, "Akia, you're up."
Akia sees an opportunity to slip by Norry and Sebrinia to get some claw to rotted flesh combat on.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 3,1 = 4.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 7,1 = 8.
Akia loses her balance as she dodges between the two, causing her claws to swing wild.
Akia then notes... the ogre is already dead.
The DM makes a judgement call. The wolf is not going to defend itself for enough time for all of you to stomp it into the ground. So it's toast.
The DM thinks you can do five damage in four rounds, between all of you.