The Game Thread

[Grognardsw]

Mystic energies swirled from a black hole; a null energy vulture squawked; an ectoplasmic chariot burst forth pulled by a cosmic vulture. The whole burst into the stone griffin.

LK 9 [1d12]=2, Casting Advantage [1d12]=11

[tibbius]

In a burst of noise and light and splintering stone feathers, the griffin is consumed by the vulture and the whole shebang cascades down the stairs in little shards and pebbles.

That was loud. Your eyes are filled with floating purple spots. At least the torch has not been blown out. Although the purple floaters make it hard to discern much, you look about.

The room at the foot of the stairs is moderate size, about twenty feet square and the ceiling is just high enough that you barely don't have to hunch or duck. There are a few dozen smallish iron chests or caskets stacked around the walls. They each look like they might weigh twenty pounds empty or significantly more if filled.

Also hanging at the back wall of the room is a splendid suit of dwarfen plate armor, fit for a king with gleaming runes of gold inlaid all over the brightly polished and uncorroded breastplate, braces, and greaves. Looks like good steel - with a few scratches and dents apparent to the fighters' eyes, the suit has seen battle.

At the feet of the armor is a dwarfen axe, thick-hafted with two hand grips and a very sturdy-looking head — more like a splitting wedge than a woodsman's axe, it's meant to bash through helmet and skull in one blow. The axe, like the armor, shines rust-free and both the haft and the head have gold runes inlaid.

[jemmus]

Well done, Elcroon, Delx says. Any idea what these purple floaters might be? Then, Nice armor, eh?
Care for the axe? Well, let's see what a dwarven king keeps in the chests he stashes under his throne. Though he suspects the metal griffin golem was the main guardian of the king's treasure, he checks for traps before opening any chests. One can never be too careful when preparing to eye something that someone very much didn't want you to eye.

[tibbius]

In the gradually dissolving purple spots that bedevil his vision, Elcroon glimpses haunting runes: Altar Thunder Rope ← the spell that replaces Chariot Transport Vulture. Even after the spots fade, the runes echo and itch in his brain. A spell that wants to be cast.

Delx finds no traps on the first chest he checks. It is unlocked. Lifting the lid reveals: uncut gems of myriad sizes, shapes, and colors. Enough to make the filled chest weigh ... uh, yeh, about 100 pounds.

Black Dog sniffs around a bit, finding no interesting scents.

What do?

[jemmus]

Delx says, Interesting. Let's see what's in the others before we start weighing ourselves down with, er... goods. He moves to the next chest and checks all around if for traps. Dwarves can be frightfully clever with mechanical devices.

[tibbius]

You each feel a sudden rush of warmth and joy. You've heard about this in tales. You know you've LEVELED UP. You now can face (slightly) more dangerous challenges with even odds. Also, add +1 to any of your three stats.

The torch that Delx holds flickers as he inspects the next chest ... Depletion [2d6]=9 ... his fingers are numb with cold. +1 to SK tests Test SK [1d12]=9 The trap is level 2. Fortunately, so are you. Question → to which stat does Delx add +1? Regardless of the answer, ... ... all seems "ok" until Delx lifts the lid of the chest to reveal small glass vials that are filled with colorful powder. As he reaches in to pick up and examine a vial, the lid slams shut, catching some fingers. Delx manages to partly pry open the lid with his unharmed hand and painfully wiggle free his broken little and ring fingers."permanent" +1 to SK tests until you get a montage.

[jemmus]

Bloddy 'ell! exclaims under is breath. He cuts strips from the bottom of and gingerly binds his fingers with them. He's done with opening the king's treasure chests, for the time being, at least. Elcroon, if you're going to check them out, I don't have to tell you to be careful.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon brushed stone dust from his clothes. The musicmancer was always impressed with the Chariot Transport Vulture. To Delx’s question about the purple floaters, he nodded ‘no.’ At the moment, the dwarven axe held little interest compared to the new arcane knowledge turning over in his mind.

Thus it was that Elcroon was distracted as Delx investigated the chests. Alarmed by the trap, the singsword warned:

“Delx - are you okay?
Fingers are too great a cost to pay
Deluded by treasure’s sway
Life too easily slips away.”

Now focused on the task at hand, Elcroon peered at the next chest. Did it have a lock? If so, he skipped that chest. If not, he prepared to open it after some precautions he learned from the Grey Mouser, a one-time rogue acquaintance. Elcroon motioned the others back. He wet the corner of his cloak and wrapped it around his mouth (to help against a gas trap.) He used his sword tip to turn the chest away from him (in case darts shot out). Then, crouching behind his shield, from the side of the chest he used the sword tip to try to open the lid. He was poised to leap back and away should any trap spring.

Separately, for the chest Delx opened, Elcroon took a position behind it, again crouching behind shield, he used his sword tip to flip it over and let the minerals scatter. Wondering if there could be dangers lurking within. If not, he sifted through the minerals and gems for the most valuable ones.

The axe was of interest, though it was not a weapon Elcroon customarily used. But if it was magic, that could change.

Does Altar Thunder Rope replace Chariot Transport Vulture, or is in addition?

Altar Thunder Rope: The thunder god Altar, before being banished by the sun god Sol, distributed his essence across the world in the form of magic. One such spell is the Altar Thunder Rope, which manifests as a thunderous concussive sonic rope that can be used to whip opponents for 1d4+1 Hurts. It can also be used to batter physical objects, shatter glass, tsunami a body of water, and tie up a recalcitrant air elemental.

For the +1, I’ll apply it to Skill.

Thanks!

[tibbius]

Does Altar Thunder Rope replace Chariot Transport Vulture, or is in addition?

Altar Thunder Rope: The thunder god Altar, before being banished by the sun god Sol, distributed his essence across the world in the form of magic. One such spell is the Altar Thunder Rope, which manifests as a thunderous concussive sonic rope that can be used to HURT as many as 1d6 opponents. It can also be used to batter physical objects, shatter glass, tsunami a body of water, and tie up a recalcitrant air elemental.

Altar Thunder Rope *replaces* Chariot Transport Vulture. Also, I edited the spell description slightly as above.

Elcroon's efforts are not in vain. The trapped chest, having once tripped, opens easily. Whatever mechanism resets the slamming lid has either failed or not been triggered. From the other chest, the uncut gems scatter and clatter across the floor. There was no deadly denizen within that chest.

Delx buddy-binds the two broken fingers to his middle finger, making a clumsy hand. It would be good to have a surgeon look at those.

The golden runes and the absence of rust cause you to suspect that the armor and axe are enchanted.

What now?

[Juramenta]

+1 to sk

Black Dog stands still for a moment, her eyes wide as she watches the magical display unfold before her. The power radiating from Elcroon’s actions both amazes and unsettles her. She watches him warily, her mind trying to comprehend just what kind of creature he is to wield such strange forces.
Her attention snaps back to Delx when she sees him hurt, whimpering softly as he works to bind his fingers.
You shouldn’t risk yourself like this, master. These chests are evil she thinks, wishing she could stop and keep him from hurting himself. Despite her instincts screaming to act, she remains loyal by his side without interference save for a soft whimpering.

[Grognardsw]

"The elves are glad to die for love
Humans delight in fighting duels
But I prefer a dwarf who mines
And gives expensive jewels"

Elcroon sung a ditty while inspecting the scattered gems and minerals, filling up his sack with his share of the more valuable stones. He found a torn fingernail and returned it to Delx.

For the chest that Elcroon elaborately opened, he followed the same procedure as before to flip it over and let its contents out.

"How is the finger - does the pain linger?" Elcroon asked Delx. Given the wrapping around the middle digit, it appeared his fellow adventurer was giving him the finger.

Elcroon hefted the axe, felt its balance, smelled its metal, tried to read the golden runes, licked the side of the blade, tried to commune with the suspected magical axe. "Anyone in there?" the musicmancer thought to it. "Shall we partner for blood, treasure and glory? I will even grow a beard if needed."

He hacked the wood side of a chest, curious if it had any special effect.

The singsword hacked again. They could burn the wood and get some serious warmth against the sepulchral cold.

Ditty adapted from a certain song about diamonds by a certain blond. A piece of trivia probably needing Google to answer.

How does Encumbrance work here? Like 1e? I'd like to take the most valuable gems/minerals to the point where it doesn't impact movement or what not. How many pounds is that, and how much in GP are such gems/minerals worth?

Elcroon's inner thoughts don't rhyme, only his vocalizations.

[jemmus]

Ribbing a man when he took a grievous wound for the team, Delx says. I see what kind of friend you are, Elcroon. He takes his share of the uncut gemstones, sorting them by value as best he can. He inspects the armor. It dwarf-sized, but if it's magical, perhaps it with transform to fit his size and shape. He takes a gauntlet and tries to fit it on his hand. His good hand.

Without googling, I'm going to guess Carol Channing, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"? I think I remember seeing her sing that on TV when I was just a little older than a tyke.

[Grognardsw]

Delx lifts the lid of the chest to reveal small glass vials that are filled with colorful powder. As he reaches in to pick up and examine a vial, the lid slams shut, catching some fingers. Delx manages to partly pry open the lid with his unharmed hand and painfully wiggle free his broken little and ring fingers.

Is this chest still closed? Perhaps they are healing powders?

[tibbius]

The glass vials from the once-trapped chest scatter and clatter across the floor after Elcroon flips it. None of them break. But the cork pops out of one, and the colorful orange powder spills.

A rich, kind scent fills the room. You recognize it. The powder is wholespice, an essential ingredient in the best cooking of this region. Really takes you back to childhood soups when you had bad colds or chickenpox. Some said those soups, made right, could heal anything.

The gauntlet does not magically expand to fit Delx.

The axe tastes ... tingly. Then smashes satisfyingly through the side of the iron chest (with a quietly metallic, coin-like crashing noise) and gets stuck in.

[Grognardsw]

Without googling, I'm going to guess Carol Channing, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"? I think I remember seeing her sing that on TV when I was just a little older than a tyke.

Yes! Though I had the Marilyn Monroe version in mind.

[Juramenta]

Black Dog perks her ears as she sniffs a familiar scent.
She may have no idea why they would bother with the gems, as they appear to have no visible use as far as she can see.
The scent of wholespice however, is very familiar to her. She even waggles her tail, but she cannot pinpoint where she smelled this before.

[Grognardsw]

Ribbing a man when he took a grievous wound for the team, Delx says. I see what kind of friend you are, Elcroon.

“Good Delx think me not unkind
Does levity not lighten the mind?
If not as I thought, all is naught
And I offer the apology sought.”

Elcroon hoped his fellow adventurer was not overly offended. Sometimes the musicmancer could not quite put his finger on proper social etiquette.

The singsword was a little disappointed the axe would not think back to him, but it seemingly lacked the ego. He asked Delx:

“Would you like this magical axe?
If I can free it from the chests’ cracks.”

Elcroon divided the vials of powder into two groups, giving one set to Delx. The open vial he emptied out for Black Dog, who seemed to want it judging by her sniffs and wagging tail.

How much is the sackful of gems worth in gp?

[Juramenta]

Black Dog wouldn't be able to carry it. So no need to give her anything. She was just intrigued by the smell.

[Grognardsw]

I figured she’d lick it up

[Juramenta]

Haha hadn't even thought about that.
Doesn't it have healing properties though? Maybe if we mix it with water we will create a healing potion.
Or am I reaching here and the healing soup wasn't meant to be taken literally?