Okay, session 6. The game is progressing, and the seeds are starting to sprout. The guys didn't take the bait about Darandor's buyer, but it's too late for that now. Anyway, a lot of setup is in order... Naia is constantly being plugged as incredibly beautiful. I half expected messages saying "Ok, we get it, she's really, really beautiful!" but neither of them did. And, there's a really good game reason she looks like that, but that will come up later.
I guess my players are just used to everything I throw at them being something other than what it seems. I need new tricks.
I don't often do the 'dungeon crawl' sort of thing, even the tomb of the Satrap is just two rooms, and atrium and a burial chamber. The Kasmirans seem to rely on tricks and traps to keep their buried possessions safe. I never have these traps figured out in advance, and I always kick myself afterward. One day I'll get organized.
A note about Merdmira, Merduk's sister: She's a witch. It was a throw in when I first started her character in game one. But then I started doing some numbers, and some things I wanted her to be able to do, and she turned into quite an accomplished witch. Being a Marukan, she doubts her ability, and only really shines when she does something out of fear or anger, when her conscious mind doesn't give her time to doubt herself. She's a funny character, and one of my favorite NPCs.
Ordinarily, they wouldn't have been able to sense being watched, but the watcher rolled only a partial success. Rather than make the image dim and diffuse, I gave those being watched the "being watched" itch. Laj was concentrating on traps, and Darandor was concentrating on the statues and the money from the sale he's going to make, so that left Merduk and Merdmira to get itchy.
(9) GM: The tomb door is open behind the dead demon's body. Faint light glows softly inside, and you get the idea that strong magic is probably present.
(17) Laj: "Magic in there. Don't like it."
(9) Darandor: "Undoubtedly. Can you open a magic lock? I mean, have you the gift of Cryptomancy?"
** (13) Merduk hopes this is almost over. One demon is enough for one day. He doesn't voice his hopes out loud, so as not to attract bad luck. **
(9) GM: (I don't think there's any way a Marukan can avoid bad luck.)
** (17) Laj sniffs the air inside warily. **
(13) Merduk: (There are little tricks. The luck charms are part of it.)
(9) Darandor: "I'll take your silence as a 'no' then. Is it safe to proceed?"
** (17) Laj walks over and picks up the demon's head. "Still warm. Going to find out, Darandor. Taking chances makes for a short life as a tomb robber." **
** (17) Laj rolls the head into the tomb like a freakish bowling ball. **
(9) GM: (HA! Clever!)
(9) GM: The weapons in the doorway swivel inward, but nothing else seems to happen, besides the appearance of a blood trail on the cool granite floor.
(9) GM: Which of course, is black blood, and fizzles.
(13) Merduk: (For instance, if a Marukan wants to buy a piece of fruit at the market, he can't just go and buy it. It will be out. Or rotten. He has to go to the market for something else, and discover the fruit by accident when the thing he went for it not there. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't.)
** (17) Laj examines the floor, walls, ceiling, and doorway for traps. **
(9) Darandor: "By the Magister! When Diabolists speak of 'Fire in the veins' they mean it!"
(9) GM: (Roll Int attribute plus Traps skill, Laj)
(9) GM: (Sorry, make that Perception and Traps.)
(9) GM: (Should be +9)
(17) Laj: [1d20+9] -> [1,9] = (10) Traps.
** (17) Laj , overconfident from his early sucesses, swiftly scans the room. **
(9) GM: The trap on the door facing seems simple enough to disarm, a series of tiny levers need to be flipped to enter safely. The floor behind the door doesn't appear to have a pressure plate.
whispering to Merduk, You get the weirdest feeling, like you're being watched.
** (13) Merduk looks around, suddenly paranoid. **
(13) Merduk: "I think we're being watched."
(17) Laj: "Wait. Another trap."
** (17) Laj moves to disarm the trap he discovered. **
(9) GM: The room is silent when you are.
whispering to Merduk, You can't put your finger on it, but the feeling persists.
** (13) Merduk gets really edgy. **
(13) Merduk: (I look around trying to pinpoint the feeling.)
(9) Merdmira: "Bothering you too, huh?"
(9) GM: (It's nothing you can localize, except maybe up, where there's nothing but ceiling.)
(17) Laj: "Watch our backs."
(13) Merduk: "Yeah, this isn't like the normal generalized dread I get just from being alive."
** Merdmira pulls out a tiny mirror, mumbles a few words, and shatters it on the granite floor: [1d20+1] -> [20,1] = (21) **
** (17) Laj retrieves some tools to throw the levers. **
(9) GM: (The feeling goes away when the mirror shatters.)
(13) Merduk: "What did you do?"
(9) Merdmira: "Someone's bein nosy. Who's angry with us this week?"
** Merdmira glances suspiciously at Darandor, who is busy watching Laj unset the door weapon trap. **
** Merdmira whispers to Merduk "Or, it could just be we're not the ones bein watched, exactly." **
** (13) Merduk nods. **
(9) Merdmira: "That spell should last a while, long enough to get out of here."
(9) GM: The levers snap into place, and the weapons fall slack. The doorway now appears safe enough.
** (17) Laj bangs the weapons with his prybar. He taps the floor for good measure before setting foot inside the doorway. "Stay back." **
(9) GM: There is no response from the weapons or the floor.
** (17) Laj takes a look around the room. **
(9) GM: Inside, beyond the door, the walls sport subtly glowing glyphs. The brightest runes are on the granite sarcophagus itself. You doubt that it would be possible to get inside of it without a cryptomancer.
(9) GM: There are jars, statuettes, and chests. The jars are made of red sand and clay, the same red sand from which red iron is refined. The statuettes are carved shale and granite, some are painted, a couple are gilded with gold. The chests are made of red iron with intricate brass colored locks.
(17) Laj: "Darandor, you want your statues?"
** Darandor 's mouth practically waters. "Indeed I do!" **
(9) Darandor: "Are they... safe?"
(9) GM: (Per and Traps again to check them, Laj)
** (17) Laj shrugs and examines the statues. [1d20+9] -> [1,9] = (10) Traps **
** (17) Laj shrugs and examines the statues. [1d20+9] -> [19,9] = (28) Traps **
(17) Laj: (Hmm, ignore second. Just testing the dicebot.)
(9) GM: The statuettes are placed way too regularly for it to be coincidence. You'd bet that something bad will happen if they are moved.
(9) GM: (10 is a high partial...)
(9) GM: (Similar rolls will check the jars and chests.)
(17) Laj: [1d20+9] -> [17,9] = (26) jars
(17) Laj: [1d20+9] -> [5,9] = (14) chests
(17) Laj: "Something not right about the statues. Don't touch them."
(9) GM: The jars have a simple spring trap in the lid, they can be defeated by holding pressure on the lip while removing the lid. Extremely easy for someone of your ability.
(9) GM: The chests have cryptomantically sealed locks, which will not be defeated with mundane picks.
** (17) Laj gingerly opens one of the jars. **
(9) GM: Inside the jar, you find a series of scrolls, in High Talislan.
(17) Laj: "Chests are tough. Need a cryptomancer. Can't just pick them."
(13) Merduk: (Isn't Merdmira a cryptomancer?)
** (17) Laj curses and hands the scroll to someone who can read High Tal. **
(9) GM: (Try Intelligence and Locks, Laj.)
(17) Laj: (Thought she was a witch.)
(9) GM: (Merdmira is a Witch, Merduk.)
(9) Darandor: "Let me see those, please."
** Darandor scans the scroll. **
(17) Laj: [1d20+8] -> [13,8] = (21) locks + Int.
(13) Merduk: (Oh. I remember in an earlier story, her using runes and stuff. I thought she did the crypto thing.)
(9) Darandor: "Aha, you dirty fellow! He was stealing from the treasury! This is his private record of what he took. Apparently, the money was funneled to his children."
(17) Laj: "Blackmail them yourself. No part of it."
(17) Laj: (How big are the chests?)
** Darandor tucks the scroll in his leather satchel. **
** (17) Laj explains how to open the jars. Put pressure on the lids, etc. **
(9) GM: There are two chests: One is nearly as large as the sarcophagus itself, and might take a week of work to file the hinges. The other is much smaller, too heavy to carry, but maybe about an hour to file the hinges.
(9) GM: (Because you rolled a critical success, you know you have to be very careful removing the lids of the chests, to keep the lock aligned, or whatever rune it holds might be triggered.
(17) Laj: "Going in the back way." Laj pulls out a large file and starts working on the hinges of the smaller chest. "Big one would take a week."
** Darandor gingerly opens the other jar, and finds another scroll. **
(9) Darandor: "This one is written magically, and cannot be read without the proper incantation."
(17) Laj: "Give it to Merdmira."
** Merdmira takes the scroll, and spreads it onto the granite floor. **
** Merdmira finds a pearl in her bag, and with a small hammer pounds it into dust, which she sprinkles on the scroll: [1d20+1] -> [9,1] = (10) **
(9) GM: The words appear briefly, just long enough to read a few of them.
(9) Merdmira: "Letter to his son. Says he knows he'll try to steal everything, warns him not to. That's all I can get out of it."
** (17) Laj laughs hollowly. **
(17) Laj: "We'll be here a while--about an hour to file the hinges. Whatever you do, don't touch the statues."
** Darandor puts the letter back in the jar, and replaces the lid. **
(17) Laj: "Or the sarcophagus."
** (13) Merduk smiles a tiny little bit. Kasmirans. Gotta love 'em. **
(9) GM: After a long and boring hour, the hinges separate.
** (17) Laj asks for silence. "Delicate." **
(9) GM: (Pray for a high roll, and do a Dex check to open the lid enough to see inside.)
(17) Laj: [Bad dice format] - [1sd20+3] Dex check.
(17) Laj: [1d20+3] -> [12,3] = (15) Dex check.
(17) Laj: (Kinda high.)
(9) GM: You open the lid just enough to see a couple of gemstones, some golden coins, and a statuette of a humanoid with a robe and a staff.
(17) Laj: "Good."
(17) Laj: (Now what? Another check?)
(9) GM: (Once more to safely remove the contents.)
(17) Laj: (Dex again?)
(9) GM: (Yep, double Dex for an attribute check)
(17) Laj: (Double? My bad. The last roll should have been an 18.)
(17) Laj: [1d20+6] -> [3,6] = (9) loot the box.
(9) GM: (Yipe.)
(17) Laj: (Crap. Just when you're on the verge...)
(13) Merduk: (Oh no! We're doomed! Dooooooomed!)
(9) GM: You gingerly open the lid further, but it slips ever so slightly. You hear a loud SNAP! You take half damage, as a yellow stream of arcane energy grounds through you. 10 HP.
(9) GM: Your right hand is now numb, and incapable of holding anything.
(13) Merduk: (Man, wish I had the Heal mode.)
** (17) Laj gargles in pain as the ward discharges through his arm. **
(17) Laj: (Yeah, I took the Move mode instead.)
(9) GM: You smell singed flesh, and on examination, your hand and arm are burned.
** (17) Laj gasps for breath as smoke rises from his right glove. "That hurt." **
(17) Laj: "A lot."
(9) Merdmira: "Let me look."
(17) Laj: The air smells like burned meat.
** Merdmira examines the burns, and smears a pungent smelling goo on your hand and arm, chanting nonsense: [1d20+5] -> [19,5] = (24) **
** (17) Laj stiffly extends his charred arm. **
(9) GM: (Critical heal!) You regain your lost hit points, but not the feeling in your arm.
** Darandor scoops the statuette out of the now opened chest, eyes glittering. "This is it, alright." **
(17) Laj: "Thanks. No good in a fight for a while." Laj eyes Darandor. "What is it?"
(17) Laj: "Better be worth it."
(9) Darandor: "This? This is my freedom from debt to Tolin. Once I sell this little beauty..."
** (17) Laj nods. He understands now. "Merduk. Help me empty the chest." **
** (13) Merduk moves in to help. **
(9) GM: The remaining contents of the chest are 3 fairly good size jewels, red, blue, and amber, and about 130 lumens. You shudder to think what might be in the big chest.
(17) Laj: "Real money is probably in the big chest."
(17) Laj: "Or the body of his wife."
** (17) Laj laughs again. It's not a pleasant sound. **
(9) Darandor: "As soon as we see to my cut, we should be off."
(17) Laj: "Your cut was that statue."
(9) GM: (Naturally, the log that has the deal was session 3. No argument, then.)
(17) Laj: "Not much left for us, and we did all the work."
** Darandor settles for his statuette. **
(17) Laj: (Actually, the deal was he got the statuettes, we got everything else.)
(13) Merduk: (Oh, good. I was afraid that Darandor was pulling a "I'm changing the deal. Pray I don't change it any further" type of thing.)
(17) Laj: "You want the other statuettes, go ahead and take them. They're trapped, and without my arm, whoever takes them disarms the trap the hard way."
(9) Darandor: "This is the one I was told to look for. The others are not really my concern. We should leave now, and find a place far away to camp. Can you close the front door again?"
** (17) Laj is angry at the cut that he and the Marukans are getting. If Darandor pushes it, he might not get to keep that statuette. **
(17) Laj: "Agreed. Want to talk to my partners--privately. Wait for us outside."
** Darandor nods. "Find a place to camp far away from this tomb, and close it if you can, to conceal our crime. Pleasure doing business with you, and perhaps we can repeat it later, with more profit for all." **
** Darandor leaves, gingerly stepping over the pressure plate at the tomb's entrance. **
(17) Laj: "Small cut for the danger. You want any of the statuettes? I can try to get a few. I have a trick."
(9) Merdmira: "Only person we could sell them to would be that Djaffir. Or that girl Merduk was making moon eyes at."
** (13) Merduk looks up. "Oh. Her." **
(17) Laj: "The Djaffir was honest. I trust him."
(9) Merdmira: "Won't pay much, though. Tough negotiator."
(9) Merdmira: "Might do better with that girl."
(17) Laj: "Merduk? You want me to try?"
(13) Merduk: "Sure. What are you planning?"
(9) GM: There are two statuettes, both carved from striated shale. The male is bare, the female has a painted face.
(17) Laj: "Going to grab them. Get out of the room."
** (17) Laj retreats to the doorway with the demon-blood blades. **
** Merdmira moves into the entrance room. **
** (17) Laj lets his greed manifest itself like an invisible grasping hand. **
(17) Laj: [1d20+1-6] -> [19,1,-6] = (14) Hand of Greed.
(17) Laj: [1d20+1-6] -> [18,1,-6] = (13) Hand of Greed on the second statue.
(17) Laj: (Hot rolls at last!)
** Merdmira raises an eyebrow at the moving statue. **
(9) Merdmira: "You too? I'm surrounded. What are those damn amulets?"
(17) Laj: The statues shift, then steadily move towards the silent Yitek.
(17) Laj: He carefully places them inside a sack. "We can go now."
(13) Merduk: (I was unaware that Laj had k2wl m4j1k p0w3rz as well!)
(9) GM: Nothing else happens inside the room, you see where there are circles carved in the floor where the statuettes sat, but it seems the cryptomancer cheated the Satrap.
(9) GM: You leave the tomb. There is no sign of Darandor.
(17) Laj: We depart, avoiding the traps and shutting the door behind us.
** (13) Merduk is glad to have this over with, but won't object to his share of the loot. :) **
(9) GM: The moons are up, providing a mystical light in the desert. The wind chills you, which doesn't surprise you desert dwellers.
(17) Laj: "Head for the North side. We stay far away from the city tonight."
(9) Merdmira: "Good idea."
** Merdmira climbs on her greymane. **
(9) Merdmira: "I'm going to name him Shovel, after my one piece of good luck."
(17) Laj: "Thanks for my arm. I'm no good with a blade for a while."
(9) Merdmira: "You'll regain feeling in about a day, I'm sure."
** (17) Laj looks at Merdmira. "You said something about the amulets. The ariane taught me in a dream." **
** Merdmira snorts. "What's your excuse, brother? Don't bother pretending, I know what you can do." **
(17) Laj: "That's how I could move them. Profitable." Laj laughs.
(9) Merdmira: "First, Merduk can do things with his mind, and now you can, so it has to be those amulets. And the dreams."
** (13) Merduk shrugs. I started developing it when I got the amulet. **
** (17) Laj is torn--he's pleased he got more loot, but he feels somewhat dirty since he used magic. It is alien to him. **
(9) Merdmira: "Come on, let's find a place to camp without too many sand fleas. Remember them, Brother?"
** (13) Merduk would understand. You'll notice he doesn't use his much. :) **
(13) Merduk: Yuck. Sand fleas.
(17) Laj: "Want to meet him soon, before Merduk and I challenge the Cymrillian king to a wizard duel."
(9) Merdmira: "Him? Him who?"
(17) Laj: "The ariane."
** Merdmira laughs. "Duel Azradamus? Why he's probably got magic toilet paper! I'd sooner beg a demon for mercy!" **
(17) Laj: "His mind, like deep water. Afraid of drowning."
** (17) Laj laughs. Yitek humor is lost on Merdmira. **
** Merdmira snorts again. "Need a boat, then." **
** Merdmira pulls out a bottle of aquavit. "Look what I saved!" **
** (13) Merduk smiles. "I'll have a bit of that." **
** Merdmira hands the bottle to Merduk. **
(9) GM: You find a spot in a depression between dunes, out of the wind, and sleep the night away after a good nip of aquavit.
(9) GM: You awake with the greater sun breaking the horizon.
** (17) Laj pokes his numb arm. "Not yet. We move. Decision--sell the statues to the Cymrillian woman or the Djaffir?" **
(17) Laj: (Rephrased in non-Tarzan: My arm is still numb. We need to get moving to meet our tourist. Do we sell to one or the other?)
(9) Merdmira: "I'd rather stay out of the city for a bit. Whoever was watching was either watching us, or Darandor, and if he was watching Darandor, I'd rather not be seen with him again."
(17) Laj: "Didn't notice, but trust you. We leave and sell some other day."
(9) GM: You remember you were supposed to meet Naia at the East Gate around dawn.
** (17) Laj packs as best he can with one arm. "Let's meet the Cymrillian woman." **
(9) GM: You arrive at the East Gate, and find Naia outside, on a tatra.
(13) Merduk: (A tatra? Big shot!)
** Naia smiles at your approach, a smile that would cause weak men to faint, and strong men to beg her favor. **
(9) Naia: "There you are, I was starting to think you decided I wasn't worth the bother."
** (17) Laj is immediately suspicious. "Too pretty. Probably a shaitan." **
(9) Naia: "What was that?"
** (17) Laj thinks quickly. "Big city. Probably a tight span." **
(17) Laj: "Expensive, you know?"
** Naia smiles again. "Sorry, must have misunderstood." **
** (17) Laj mumbles incoherently. **
** (13) Merduk notes the smile, calmly places her in the "out of my league" category, and remains silent. **
(17) Laj: (Ah, if only Kyrian were here.)
(9) Naia: "I traded my greymane for this animal, the merchant said it was much more suited to desert travel. Did he take advantage?"
(9) GM: (Remember the trouble Kyrian's last tryst caused!)
(17) Laj: "Not really, unless you didn't get any money back."
(9) Naia: "Sad, it was an even trade. I'll settle with him on my return."
** (17) Laj realizes she has more money than smarts. **
(17) Laj: "Money is worthless in the desert. Better to have the steed for now. We move."
** Naia brightens up again, and follows. **
(9) GM: (Observation rolls)
(13) Merduk: [1d20+4] -> [18,4] = (22)
(17) Laj: [1d20+8] -> [5,8] = (13) Observation
(9) GM: She rides with quite a bit of grace, she must be a very accomplished rider.
whispering to Merduk, She rides too well, she must have been taught by royalty.
** (13) Merduk mutters to Laj. "That weird 'being watched' feeling is back." **
(17) Laj: "Any guesses?"
** (13) Merduk shrugs. **
(9) GM: (Merduk? What did that whisper I sent you say?)
(17) Laj: (You might be a winner!)
(9) GM: You ride on, soon losing sight of the city. The heat begins to rise.
** Merdmira wraps her cloak around her, and raises her veil. **
(13) Merduk: (Oops. I was looking at an old message. We aren't being watched apparently.)
** (17) Laj shrugs off Merduk's paranoia. **
(9) GM: Naia notices Merdmira, and pulls a head cloth out of her saddlebag, and tries to tie it round her head, failing completely.
(9) Naia: "This is rather embarrassing, I'm afraid. Could one of you show me how to wrap this properly?"
(17) Laj: "Don't travel much, do you?"
(9) Naia: "Not in the desert, no."
** (13) Merduk mutters to Naia, noncommittally, "You're a pretty good rider. I kept falling off when I first got an aht-ra." **
(9) Naia: "Thank you. I learned to ride when I was a little girl."
(9) Naia: "This creature is not so different, really, if you sit correctly."
** (17) Laj observes her posture and tries to improve his own. He prods Graceless to shape up, too. **
(17) Laj: "Get used to the heat, eventually."
(9) GM: Her Grace responds as usual, with a grunt of protest.
(9) Merdmira: "Keep your cloak around you, and it'll keep the sun off. When it's really hot, you don't want the air stirring around you anyway, it'll just heat you up faster.
** (17) Laj muses that some things never change. **
(9) GM: (Who helps her tie her turban?)
(13) Merduk: (Let Laj. He knows better.)
** (17) Laj helps her. **
(17) Laj: "No one would mistake you for a Yitek."
(9) GM: Laj, you notice she smells of spring flowers. (Observation roll)
(17) Laj: [1d20+8] -> [11,8] = (19) Observation
(9) GM: Oddly enough, the fragrance seems strongest at her silver hair ring. You strongly suspect magic.
** Naia smiles at you. "Thank you." **
(13) Merduk: (The Cymrilians love their little magic trinkets. Cymril probably has lots of stores that are the magical equivalent of Sharper Image.)
** (17) Laj 's suspicions are confirmed. Probably nothing but a fancy-pants Cymrillian (or, gasp, Tanasian) wizard babe out for a joyride of evil. **
(9) GM: (Or Spencers...)
(17) Laj: "Ration your water. The tatra needs little, you need a lot. Don't fall behind. Keep your eyes open for threats. Now you at least look like a desert dweller."
(9) Naia: "You both carry swords, are you good fighters?"
(13) Merduk: (hehe. Joyride of evil. I like that.)
(17) Laj: "Good enough."
** Naia produces a silver dagger with a red jewel in the pommel. "I'm afraid this is my defense against threats." **
(17) Laj: "Ride quickly."
(9) Naia: "I will."
** Naia looks at Merdmira. "What is the shovel for?" **
** Merdmira smiles a wry smile. "Gets rid of unwanted suitors." **
** Naia smiles a knowing smile, and rides on. **
** Merdmira rides beside Merduk. **
(9) Merdmira: "Easy money from those statues," she whispers.
** (17) Laj nods. **
** (13) Merduk nods. "Yeah. I think so. A little walking around money." **
(9) Merdmira: "Want to ask her now, or try to sell 'em to her later?"
(17) Laj: "Later. Farther from the city."
** Merdmira looks back for a moment, and rides on. **
(17) Laj: "Don't want her riding back with them too soon."
** (17) Laj stares at their "guest" almost rudely. "Why go into the desert?" **
** Merdmira looks at Laj. "What do you mean?" she whispers. **
(17) Laj: "If she decides not to proceed and heads back with them, pursuit is on us just as quickly."
** Merdmira nods. **
(17) Laj: "Distance is a good friend."
(9) GM: The day wears on, hotter and hotter. By noon, the suns beat down harshly. The aht-ra have no real trouble, but Shovel stays thirsty.
(17) Laj: "Besides, may get a better price if we're in the middle of nowhere--safety premium." Laj smirks.
(17) Laj: (Shovel being?)
(9) GM: (Shovel is the name Merdmira gave the greymane she's riding.)
(17) Laj: (LOL.)
(9) GM: (Scroll back a bit, she named the greymane after her one piece of good luck.)