Nia successfully returns with her climbing gear. [Just starting a new thread since the Locke one was getting long and, well, we're not in Locke anymore.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Monday 18 August 2025 05:04:42 PM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia successfully returns with her climbing gear.
While Nia is doing that Gegren would spend some time getting the chamber illuminated and moving a torch around so we could see nooks and crannies from where we are. When she gets back, I'd absolutely hedge magic a rope and grapple over to some likely anchor on the far side of the chasm. [Hedge Magic to set a grapple beats a difficulty 6 task. (d20=18)] [Assuming that is a good enough roll to set a simple grapple] Nia's rope catches firmly into a bit of sculpture on the other side of the chasm, and some experimental tugs indicate it's pretty firmly anchored. [Mechanical note: I realized that when Gegren used Far Step to get down the first time it would have taken 1 intellect point (cost 2, reduced by 1 because of Intellect Edge 1). I've updated my sheet accordingly] -- Mike | he/him
With a set grapnel on the other side, Nia would secure the other end of the rope on the near side. She’d call out to the others, “see you on the other side” and lumber her way across the rope as best she can. On Wed, Aug 20, 2025 at 11:17 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Monday 18 August 2025 05:04:42 PM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia successfully returns with her climbing gear.
While Nia is doing that Gegren would spend some time getting the chamber illuminated and moving a torch around so we could see nooks and crannies from where we are. When she gets back, I'd absolutely hedge magic a rope and grapple over to some likely anchor on the far side of the chasm.
[Hedge Magic to set a grapple beats a difficulty 6 task. (d20=18)]
[Assuming that is a good enough roll to set a simple grapple] Nia's rope catches firmly into a bit of sculpture on the other side of the chasm, and some experimental tugs indicate it's pretty firmly anchored.
[Mechanical note: I realized that when Gegren used Far Step to get down the first time it would have taken 1 intellect point (cost 2, reduced by 1 because of Intellect Edge 1). I've updated my sheet accordingly] -- Mike | he/him _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Wednesday, August 20, 2025 11:16 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
While Nia is doing that Gegren would spend some time getting the chamber illuminated and moving a torch around so we could see nooks and crannies from where we are. When she gets back, I'd absolutely hedge magic a rope and grapple over to some likely anchor on the far side of the chasm.
[Hedge Magic to set a grapple beats a difficulty 6 task. (d20=18)]
[Assuming that is a good enough roll to set a simple grapple] Nia's rope catches firmly into a bit of sculpture on the other side of the chasm, and some experimental tugs indicate it's pretty firmly anchored.
[Yeah, I think between all of that and Nia's efforts, it's fair to say you have a stable and effective means to cross the chasm, no other rolls needed from anyone.] The other side of the chasm appears to be the remainder of the cathedral-like room you entered, split in a rough fashion from top to bottom that caused the chasm you just crossed. Aside from a trivial amount of rock, stone, and etc. that is missing on the edges of break, everything of the chamber appears to still be present, as if something snapped the chamber in two. You can also see now [because I forgot to mention] that the chasm continues past the boundary of the chamber walls for some distance, beyond the reach of your light. You all also realize now that this side of the chasm appears to be on a bit of a slant, perhaps 10 or 15 degrees down from the chasm, furthering the sense that it's as if this part of the chamber has sunken. On this side, you can take a closer look at what remains of the cathedral. Anyone with a history background might be able to make some sense of the markings and era, but the notion of this being a place of some worship is strong throughout the chamber. The cathedral continues on, still angled on that slight descent, into a corridor that snakes into chambers still to explore. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Does it smell like anything in particular in here? Musty, dusty, like fungus, ?? Any movement of air in here? Look around for a while and eventually move beyond with everyone else. It would seem like there is no obvious things to examine. -Os On Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 10:32:23 AM CDT, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Wednesday, August 20, 2025 11:16 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
While Nia is doing that Gegren would spend some time getting the chamber illuminated and moving a torch around so we could see nooks and crannies from where we are. When she gets back, I'd absolutely hedge magic a rope and grapple over to some likely anchor on the far side of the chasm.
[Hedge Magic to set a grapple beats a difficulty 6 task. (d20=18)]
[Assuming that is a good enough roll to set a simple grapple] Nia's rope catches firmly into a bit of sculpture on the other side of the chasm, and some experimental tugs indicate it's pretty firmly anchored.
[Yeah, I think between all of that and Nia's efforts, it's fair to say you have a stable and effective means to cross the chasm, no other rolls needed from anyone.] The other side of the chasm appears to be the remainder of the cathedral-like room you entered, split in a rough fashion from top to bottom that caused the chasm you just crossed. Aside from a trivial amount of rock, stone, and etc. that is missing on the edges of break, everything of the chamber appears to still be present, as if something snapped the chamber in two. You can also see now [because I forgot to mention] that the chasm continues past the boundary of the chamber walls for some distance, beyond the reach of your light. You all also realize now that this side of the chasm appears to be on a bit of a slant, perhaps 10 or 15 degrees down from the chasm, furthering the sense that it's as if this part of the chamber has sunken. On this side, you can take a closer look at what remains of the cathedral. Anyone with a history background might be able to make some sense of the markings and era, but the notion of this being a place of some worship is strong throughout the chamber. The cathedral continues on, still angled on that slight descent, into a corridor that snakes into chambers still to explore. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Sunday, August 24, 2025 4:15 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Does it smell like anything in particular in here? Musty, dusty, like fungus, ?? Any movement of air in here? Look around for a while and eventually move beyond with everyone else. It would seem like there is no obvious things to examine.
Good question, the only usual odor is, if you stop to think about it, the smell of ozone that you had perhaps become acclimated to is indeed stronger here. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Saturday 23 August 2025 10:32:13 AM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
The other side of the chasm appears to be the remainder of the cathedral-like room you entered, split in a rough fashion from top to bottom that caused the chasm you just crossed. Aside from a trivial amount of rock, stone, and etc. that is missing on the edges of break, everything of the chamber appears to still be present, as if something snapped the chamber in two. You can also see now [because I forgot to mention] that the chasm continues past the boundary of the chamber walls for some distance, beyond the reach of your light.
Before we continue on, I would take the time to run the torchlight as far as I can to either side in the chasm as I'm in the middle, to see if there's other chambers that were affected by this rent in the earth, or if there's anything lurking in the chasm itself.
On this side, you can take a closer look at what remains of the cathedral. Anyone with a history background might be able to make some sense of the markings and era, but the notion of this being a place of some worship is strong throughout the chamber. The cathedral continues on, still angled on that slight descent, into a corridor that snakes into chambers still to explore.
Since I've got the light going, I'd run it down the corridor too, at least to the first bend, to see what we can see. -- Mike | he/him
On Thursday, August 28, 2025 1:40 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Before we continue on, I would take the time to run the torchlight as far as I can to either side in the chasm as I'm in the middle, to see if there's other chambers that were affected by this rent in the earth, or if there's anything lurking in the chasm itself.
Going to the edges of the cathedral (either side) and getting your torchlight and/or magical light as far as you can manage it, you don't see anything lurking in the chasm, but it does seem to be a long rift, however there's no evidence that other man-made chambers are down there that way. That you can see, anyway.
Since I've got the light going, I'd run it down the corridor too, at least to the first bend, to see what we can see.
It reaches a T intersection, which you'd have to go down to explore further. [Since you're looking around in general, give me an perception-y Intellect task, difficulty 4, to potentially gain some particular details of what may be beyond without going there.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Fri, Aug 29 2025 at 03:01:37 PM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
It reaches a T intersection, which you'd have to go down to explore further.
[Since you're looking around in general, give me an perception-y Intellect task, difficulty 4, to potentially gain some particular details of what may be beyond without going there.]
[from the IRC roll: Looking around failed. (d20=10 vs. diff. 4), but it would have succeeded if eased by being trained in Magic and Lore of the Underworld]
On Saturday, August 30, 2025 10:39 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
[from the IRC roll: Looking around failed. (D's=10 vs. diff. 4), but it would have succeeded if eased by being trained in Magic and Lore of the Underworld]
[I was thinking this was more mundane, so we'll go with what we know. =) Starting a timer to see if there's any more business, otherwise I think someone should pick between going further down the corridor, or exploring the length of the chasm more (but that would involve getting down there and hoofing it).] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025 8:08 AM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
[I was thinking this was more mundane, so we'll go with what we know. =) Starting a timer to see if there's any more business, otherwise I think someone should pick between going further down the corridor, or exploring the length of the chasm more (but that would involve getting down there and hoofing it).]
[Further down the corridor it is!] You all continue deeper into the tilting structure, your steps and incidental chatter the only sounds you can hear. The damage of the rift seems to have not affected this area as much, the stone of the walls around you seeming affected only by the centuries that have passed since this was constructed. The passages you started down from the cathedral both yielded small rooms. One, a dead end, seems to have been, based on the remaining debris and dried out furniture, some sort of living quarters. Nothing of note is there when you scour the room, so, moving on to the other small room at the opposite side of the T intersection, you find another area untouched for a very long time. Another corridor continues on beyond this room, again another open passage made of stone, but more interestingly is the remnants of what seems to be a library or study. Much of the structures of the room are ruined, as in the last, but the shelves built into the stone contain some pages and covers of tomes that have survived the disintegration brought about by time. The covers and portions of readable pages are in an ancient Elven language, long out of use but something Dax can discern enough of to pick up bits and pieces. The text suggests worship of a "seed" that had been maintained here, the cathedral itself used in reverence of an entity or idea in the seed. The snippets of texts vary, but centralize mostly on clerical records and treatises on the procedures of proper worship of the seed. Its spiritual nature seems to be that of "renewal" or a "purge", but it is wrapped in layers of fable. [Pausing here for further actions/questions.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Saturday, September 6, 2025 4:54 PM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Much of the structures of the room are ruined, as in the last, but the shelves built into the stone contain some pages and covers of tomes that have survived the disintegration brought about by time. The covers and portions of readable pages are in an ancient Elven language, long out of use but something Dax can discern enough of to pick up bits and pieces. The text suggests worship of a "seed" that had been maintained here, the cathedral itself used in reverence of an entity or idea in the seed. The snippets of texts vary, but centralize mostly on clerical records and treatises on the procedures of proper worship of the seed. Its spiritual nature seems to be that of "renewal" or a "purge", but it is wrapped in layers of fable.
As your pour over the books, one of you, or perhaps all of you, begin to notice a strange darkening of your surroundings. The light sources you have don't seem affected, yet the shadows cast against the walls creep up and out, taking with them some of the illumination of the area. Nothing malicious immediately occurs [yet?], but you all get the sense that it's time to act, one way or another. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Sat, Sep 13 2025 at 11:29:02 AM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Saturday, September 6, 2025 4:54 PM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Much of the structures of the room are ruined, as in the last, but the shelves built into the stone contain some pages and covers of tomes that have survived the disintegration brought about by time. The covers and portions of readable pages are in an ancient Elven language, long out of use but something Dax can discern enough of to pick up bits and pieces. The text suggests worship of a "seed" that had been maintained here, the cathedral itself used in reverence of an entity or idea in the seed. The snippets of texts vary, but centralize mostly on clerical records and treatises on the procedures of proper worship of the seed. Its spiritual nature seems to be that of "renewal" or a "purge", but it is wrapped in layers of fable.
As your pour over the books, one of you, or perhaps all of you, begin to notice a strange darkening of your surroundings. The light sources you have don't seem affected, yet the shadows cast against the walls creep up and out, taking with them some of the illumination of the area. Nothing malicious immediately occurs [yet?], but you all get the sense that it's time to act, one way or another.
[Just to make sure everyone is on the same page, I made a quick interactive-fiction style map of the temple complex so far. BSS, please let me know if this is accurate to what you've described or if I need to make any corrections. https://wiki.tacobunny.org/emeraldflame:start has the link to a PDF. ]
Nia would poke around the library. She's reasonably perceptive and has some familiarity with things both elven and clerical, maybe she can spot something that she remembers - or something that seems out of place. If the light of the place is getting ominous, she would ready her shield (with the torch in that hand) and be ready to arm herself if things are about to go south.
On Sat, Sep 13 2025 at 11:29:02 AM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Saturday, September 6, 2025 4:54 PM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Much of the structures of the room are ruined, as in the last, but the shelves built into the stone contain some pages and covers of tomes that have survived the disintegration brought about by time. The covers and portions of readable pages are in an ancient Elven language, long out of use but something Dax can discern enough of to pick up bits and pieces. The text suggests worship of a "seed" that had been maintained here, the cathedral itself used in reverence of an entity or idea in the seed. The snippets of texts vary, but centralize mostly on clerical records and treatises on the procedures of proper worship of the seed. Its spiritual nature seems to be that of "renewal" or a "purge", but it is wrapped in layers of fable.
As your pour over the books, one of you, or perhaps all of you, begin to notice a strange darkening of your surroundings. The light sources you have don't seem affected, yet the shadows cast against the walls creep up and out, taking with them some of the illumination of the area. Nothing malicious immediately occurs [yet?], but you all get the sense that it's time to act, one way or another.
Gegren would be poking around looking for anything related to crafting and magic, and would note down anything concrete he could find about a 'seed', perhaps piling those tomes up for further study.
If the light of the place is getting ominous, {Nia} would ready her shield (with the torch in that hand) and be ready to arm herself if things are about to go south.
Noticing this, Gegren would prepare for danger as well, probably finally noticing the ominous light at that time. "Maybe we should move on for now and come back here. Further along the corridor, anyone?"
On Sunday, September 14, 2025 2:56 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren would be poking around looking for anything related to crafting and magic, and would note down anything concrete he could find about a 'seed', perhaps piling those tomes up for further study.
If the light of the place is getting ominous, {Nia} would ready her shield (with the torch in that hand) and be ready to arm herself if things are about to go south.
Noticing this, Gegren would prepare for danger as well, probably finally noticing the ominous light at that time.
"Maybe we should move on for now and come back here. Further along the corridor, anyone?"
[Let's say that's the choice; in game terms, stick around and deal with the danger and get an asset on rolls such as Gegren's and Nia's as you collect some useful books, or high tail it for now and potentially solve that problem later.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia will shoot a glare at Gegren and Dax. If the indications are that some being is approaching, she will step between her companions and this new danger. Something tangible? She is not afraid. But if this is some intangible, ominous change in the environment, she is less sure she wants to stick around for that. She would look to see what her comrades are doing. Prepping to run? She’d try to clear a path. If they are looking like they are sticking around, then it’s game on. On Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 8:31 PM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Sunday, September 14, 2025 2:56 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren would be poking around looking for anything related to crafting and magic, and would note down anything concrete he could find about a 'seed', perhaps piling those tomes up for further study.
If the light of the place is getting ominous, {Nia} would ready her shield (with the torch in that hand) and be ready to arm herself if things are about to go south.
Noticing this, Gegren would prepare for danger as well, probably finally noticing the ominous light at that time.
"Maybe we should move on for now and come back here. Further along the corridor, anyone?"
[Let's say that's the choice; in game terms, stick around and deal with the danger and get an asset on rolls such as Gegren's and Nia's as you collect some useful books, or high tail it for now and potentially solve that problem later.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Sunday 14 September 2025 10:45:27 PM (-05:00), murph via Emerald Flame wrote: Nia will shoot a glare at Gegren and Dax. If the indications are that some being is approaching, she will step between her companions and this new danger. Something tangible? She is not afraid. But if this is some intangible, ominous change in the environment, she is less sure she wants to stick around for that. She would look to see what her comrades are doing. Prepping to run? She’d try to clear a path. If they are looking like they are sticking around, then it’s game on. [since this seems to be intangible and environmental ominousness, and also... not to turn this into the Gegren and Nia show but well, Oz hasn't responded in a few days now.] A glance over the available literature doesn't seem to provide anything promising either on the subject of crafting or why Gegren has horns now, so, with a passing backward glance, Gegren strides forward and says "We should probably move on, it's getting a little weird in here". Knife out, spells at the ready, Gegren continues on, sending the floating torch before him to illuminate the way ahead. As he does so, he has a passing thought that it's weird and disturbing how quickly the casual telekinesis has become. -- Mike | he/him
[OOC: Baller] Nia will move out, behind the floating torch and attempting to interpose herself between dangers ahead and her comrades behind. On Wed, Sep 17, 2025 at 12:29 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Sunday 14 September 2025 10:45:27 PM (-05:00), murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia will shoot a glare at Gegren and Dax. If the indications are that some being is approaching, she will step between her companions and this new danger. Something tangible? She is not afraid.
But if this is some intangible, ominous change in the environment, she is less sure she wants to stick around for that. She would look to see what her comrades are doing. Prepping to run? She’d try to clear a path. If they are looking like they are sticking around, then it’s game on.
[since this seems to be intangible and environmental ominousness, and also... not to turn this into the Gegren and Nia show but well, Oz hasn't responded in a few days now.]
A glance over the available literature doesn't seem to provide anything promising either on the subject of crafting or why Gegren has horns now, so, with a passing backward glance, Gegren strides forward and says "We should probably move on, it's getting a little weird in here".
Knife out, spells at the ready, Gegren continues on, sending the floating torch before him to illuminate the way ahead. As he does so, he has a passing thought that it's weird and disturbing how quickly the casual telekinesis has become.
-- Mike | he/him _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
Dax would have poured over books (sounds like you already took that into account). With the ominous shadows he would take out a weapon, scanning about, trying to keep his fear in check. Taking some books with them and returning later seems like a good idea? On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 12:57:04 PM CDT, murph via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: [OOC: Baller] Nia will move out, behind the floating torch and attempting to interpose herself between dangers ahead and her comrades behind. On Wed, Sep 17, 2025 at 12:29 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Sunday 14 September 2025 10:45:27 PM (-05:00), murph via Emerald Flame wrote: Nia will shoot a glare at Gegren and Dax. If the indications are that some being is approaching, she will step between her companions and this new danger. Something tangible? She is not afraid. But if this is some intangible, ominous change in the environment, she is less sure she wants to stick around for that. She would look to see what her comrades are doing. Prepping to run? She’d try to clear a path. If they are looking like they are sticking around, then it’s game on. [since this seems to be intangible and environmental ominousness, and also... not to turn this into the Gegren and Nia show but well, Oz hasn't responded in a few days now.] A glance over the available literature doesn't seem to provide anything promising either on the subject of crafting or why Gegren has horns now, so, with a passing backward glance, Gegren strides forward and says "We should probably move on, it's getting a little weird in here". Knife out, spells at the ready, Gegren continues on, sending the floating torch before him to illuminate the way ahead. As he does so, he has a passing thought that it's weird and disturbing how quickly the casual telekinesis has become. -- Mike | he/him_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 1:51 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have poured over books (sounds like you already took that into account). With the ominous shadows he would take out a weapon, scanning about, trying to keep his fear in check. Taking some books with them and returning later seems like a good idea?
[Relative positions are getting weird; I am going to adopt Mike's cardinal directionality for sake of convenience, as I don't think I'd specified any to this point, which I should be better about... anyway, you've been in the library, now heading north to escape the shadows.] You all make a quick exit from the library chamber, the shadows up against the walls growing as you leave, until you cannot discern what's going on in the darkness as you progress, the room beyond the range of Gegren's floating torch. Dax has a couple books he quickly snagged in tow, maybe they'll be of some value later, but for now, the secrets of library remain a mystery for another time. Traveling roughly 200' from the library, the corridor you exit from reaches a staircase in the eastern wall, spiraling downward, deeper into the dungeon, but it seems to have suffered a collapse, as it is clear from the corridor that you could go only a few feet down before encountering a significant pile of rock and rubble, of unknown depth. The corridor turns to the west from there, and you soon reach the foyer, an open area supported by modest stone archways. The sight and space of the foyer was probably impressive, once, but time has again turned miscellaneous wood fixtures to crumbling piles, and a couple murals not more than a faint echo of existence. The main entrance to the foyer seems to be buried in earth; you note that it does not seem to have been subject to a collapse of the structure, but rather buried, swallowed by the land around it, or perhaps the structure slowly sank into the ground, for some unknown reason. This area still rests on a small tilt as the rest of the structure this side of the chasm. It seems the foyer continues ahead further east, and also leads to another chamber to the south, but before you can take a closer look in either direction, a strange arcane automaton hovers into the foyer, presenting itself before your party. It is made of disconnected bronze panels, held together by some swirling arcane force in its center, the plates spinning rapidly and creating something vaguely humanoid in shape, but with no legs or discernible features of its "face". It would not be out of place as an interesting output of a magitech mage's tinkerings, but you get the sense that, like the rest of the area, it is quite old. It "speaks" to you in archaic Elven, "your name?" -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
As the elf in residence, Nia would feel almost obligated. She would step forward. “I am called Nia” On Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 1:51 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have poured over books (sounds like you already took that into account). With the ominous shadows he would take out a weapon, scanning about, trying to keep his fear in check. Taking some books with them and returning later seems like a good idea?
[Relative positions are getting weird; I am going to adopt Mike's cardinal directionality for sake of convenience, as I don't think I'd specified any to this point, which I should be better about... anyway, you've been in the library, now heading north to escape the shadows.]
You all make a quick exit from the library chamber, the shadows up against the walls growing as you leave, until you cannot discern what's going on in the darkness as you progress, the room beyond the range of Gegren's floating torch. Dax has a couple books he quickly snagged in tow, maybe they'll be of some value later, but for now, the secrets of library remain a mystery for another time.
Traveling roughly 200' from the library, the corridor you exit from reaches a staircase in the eastern wall, spiraling downward, deeper into the dungeon, but it seems to have suffered a collapse, as it is clear from the corridor that you could go only a few feet down before encountering a significant pile of rock and rubble, of unknown depth. The corridor turns to the west from there, and you soon reach the foyer, an open area supported by modest stone archways. The sight and space of the foyer was probably impressive, once, but time has again turned miscellaneous wood fixtures to crumbling piles, and a couple murals not more than a faint echo of existence.
The main entrance to the foyer seems to be buried in earth; you note that it does not seem to have been subject to a collapse of the structure, but rather buried, swallowed by the land around it, or perhaps the structure slowly sank into the ground, for some unknown reason. This area still rests on a small tilt as the rest of the structure this side of the chasm.
It seems the foyer continues ahead further east, and also leads to another chamber to the south, but before you can take a closer look in either direction, a strange arcane automaton hovers into the foyer, presenting itself before your party. It is made of disconnected bronze panels, held together by some swirling arcane force in its center, the plates spinning rapidly and creating something vaguely humanoid in shape, but with no legs or discernible features of its "face". It would not be out of place as an interesting output of a magitech mage's tinkerings, but you get the sense that, like the rest of the area, it is quite old.
It "speaks" to you in archaic Elven, "your name?" -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Thursday, September 18, 2025 10:32 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
As the elf in residence, Nia would feel almost obligated.
She would step forward. “I am called Nia”
"Nia... unknown", is what Nia can make out from the ancient dialect of Elven she is untrained in. "Nia... can open... egg-place?" -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia is not sure she wants to sign up for whatever this machine asking. “What is this egg? And what do you expect me to do?” If there is anything resembling an egg in the vicinity, she would approach it. But mostly, Nia will examine the automata - to see if she can divine any details about its origin or weaknesses. On Fri, Sep 19, 2025 at 8:27 AM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Thursday, September 18, 2025 10:32 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
As the elf in residence, Nia would feel almost obligated.
She would step forward. “I am called Nia”
"Nia... unknown", is what Nia can make out from the ancient dialect of Elven she is untrained in. "Nia... can open... egg-place?" -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Thursday 18 September 2025 06:00:39 PM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 1:51 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have poured over books (sounds like you already took that into account). With the ominous shadows he would take out a weapon, scanning about, trying to keep his fear in check. Taking some books with them and returning later seems like a good idea?
[Relative positions are getting weird; I am going to adopt Mike's cardinal directionality for sake of convenience, as I don't think I'd specified any to this point, which I should be better about... anyway, you've been in the library, now heading north to escape the shadows.]
[I did sort of decide randomly for the directions. I'll try to update the map later, this weekend]
It seems the foyer continues ahead further east, and also leads to another chamber to the south, but before you can take a closer look in either direction, a strange arcane automaton hovers into the foyer, presenting itself before your party. It is made of disconnected bronze panels, held together by some swirling arcane force in its center, the plates spinning rapidly and creating something vaguely humanoid in shape, but with no legs or discernible features of its "face". It would not be out of place as an interesting output of a magitech mage's tinkerings, but you get the sense that, like the rest of the area, it is quite old.
It "speaks" to you in archaic Elven, "your name?" [Gegren probably knows a few words of modern Elven. Archaic elven that even Nia is having trouble with? Hell no]
While Nia seems to have the thing's attention, Gegren is going to closely look at it. Is it held together, powered, and/or hovering by some principles known to Gegren or is it ancient enough that the techniques have changed? Is there anything else of note in the room? I'll pass the torch along the walls to the limit of my sight to illuminate parts of the room for inspection. -- Mike | he/him
"Oh, hi. Who are you?" spoken back in whatever the common tongue is, assuming Dax doesn't know this ancient Elven. Does it seem threatening? On Friday, September 19, 2025 at 02:48:07 PM CDT, Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Thursday 18 September 2025 06:00:39 PM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025 1:51 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have poured over books (sounds like you already took that into account). With the ominous shadows he would take out a weapon, scanning about, trying to keep his fear in check. Taking some books with them and returning later seems like a good idea?
[Relative positions are getting weird; I am going to adopt Mike's cardinal directionality for sake of convenience, as I don't think I'd specified any to this point, which I should be better about... anyway, you've been in the library, now heading north to escape the shadows.]
[I did sort of decide randomly for the directions. I'll try to update the map later, this weekend]
It seems the foyer continues ahead further east, and also leads to another chamber to the south, but before you can take a closer look in either direction, a strange arcane automaton hovers into the foyer, presenting itself before your party. It is made of disconnected bronze panels, held together by some swirling arcane force in its center, the plates spinning rapidly and creating something vaguely humanoid in shape, but with no legs or discernible features of its "face". It would not be out of place as an interesting output of a magitech mage's tinkerings, but you get the sense that, like the rest of the area, it is quite old.
It "speaks" to you in archaic Elven, "your name?" [Gegren probably knows a few words of modern Elven. Archaic elven that even Nia is having trouble with? Hell no]
While Nia seems to have the thing's attention, Gegren is going to closely look at it. Is it held together, powered, and/or hovering by some principles known to Gegren or is it ancient enough that the techniques have changed? Is there anything else of note in the room? I'll pass the torch along the walls to the limit of my sight to illuminate parts of the room for inspection. -- Mike | he/him _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Friday, September 19, 2025 3:50 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
"Oh, hi. Who are you?" spoken back in whatever the common tongue is, assuming Dax doesn't know this ancient Elven. Does it seem threatening?
It doesn't seem threatening; other than the language that Dax doesn't recognize, there's not a lot to go off of, but it's just kind of hovering at eye level, not making any particularly sudden or hostile movements. On the note of its appearance... On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:47 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
While Nia seems to have the thing's attention, Gegren is going to closely look at it. Is it held together, powered, and/or hovering by some principles known to Gegren or is it ancient enough that the techniques have changed?
There is definitely a magical element to the thing's operation and overall composure. Studying it in this nature, Gegren's experience draws him towards the mechanical element of it, but something about his newfound magical attunement draws him to certain details as well... [Intellect task difficulty 5 to get a major rundown of how it works and what it is, but let's call you specialized between Master Identifier and your Magic Lore training.] On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:47 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Is there anything else of note in the room? I'll pass the torch along the walls to the limit of my sight to illuminate parts of the room for inspection.
Gegren sees the wear of the ages in the walls, but nothing in particular stands out. It seems like one could (eventually) dig themselves in or out via the main entrance that has now caved in or been swallowed by time. The murals that line the walls are hard to make out, but seem to vaguely match some of the style and iconography seen in the books in the library. Six stairs, running the length of the room, lead up to the larger chamber to the south, and the stone frames for four large doors, presumably originally wood, separate the foyer from that chamber. From here it looks like probably another smaller cathedral-type area. On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:02 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia is not sure she wants to sign up for whatever this machine asking.
“What is this egg? And what do you expect me to do?”
If there is anything resembling an egg in the vicinity, she would approach it.
There is no egg in the area, and Nia doesn't think she saw one to this point --- she's not even sure that it's literally an egg that she's looking for, just that's what she picked up from the pieces of the language she recognized. [Translating something lost in translation is an interesting challenge --- think of this like the range of linguistics in German where e.g. Handschuhe -> literally "hand shoes" -> gloves.] As for Nia's question, there is no response. On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:02 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
But mostly, Nia will examine the automata - to see if she can divine any details about its origin or weaknesses.
[Same check as with Gegren for that, but nothing jumps out at me on your sheet as being a relevant skill, so you'd just have to get lucky.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
[OOC Nia rolls an 18 vs Task difficulty 5, so maybe Nia spots something structural or other visible indicator on the automaton. She is specialized in perception, so maybe what she learns isn’t mechanical or magical, merely noticeable to a keen eye.] On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 12:07 AM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Friday, September 19, 2025 3:50 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
"Oh, hi. Who are you?" spoken back in whatever the common tongue is, assuming Dax doesn't know this ancient Elven. Does it seem threatening?
It doesn't seem threatening; other than the language that Dax doesn't recognize, there's not a lot to go off of, but it's just kind of hovering at eye level, not making any particularly sudden or hostile movements. On the note of its appearance...
On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:47 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
While Nia seems to have the thing's attention, Gegren is going to closely look at it. Is it held together, powered, and/or hovering by some principles known to Gegren or is it ancient enough that the techniques have changed?
There is definitely a magical element to the thing's operation and overall composure. Studying it in this nature, Gegren's experience draws him towards the mechanical element of it, but something about his newfound magical attunement draws him to certain details as well... [Intellect task difficulty 5 to get a major rundown of how it works and what it is, but let's call you specialized between Master Identifier and your Magic Lore training.]
On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:47 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Is there anything else of note in the room? I'll pass the torch along the walls to the limit of my sight to illuminate parts of the room for inspection.
Gegren sees the wear of the ages in the walls, but nothing in particular stands out. It seems like one could (eventually) dig themselves in or out via the main entrance that has now caved in or been swallowed by time. The murals that line the walls are hard to make out, but seem to vaguely match some of the style and iconography seen in the books in the library. Six stairs, running the length of the room, lead up to the larger chamber to the south, and the stone frames for four large doors, presumably originally wood, separate the foyer from that chamber. From here it looks like probably another smaller cathedral-type area.
On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:02 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia is not sure she wants to sign up for whatever this machine asking.
“What is this egg? And what do you expect me to do?”
If there is anything resembling an egg in the vicinity, she would approach it.
There is no egg in the area, and Nia doesn't think she saw one to this point --- she's not even sure that it's literally an egg that she's looking for, just that's what she picked up from the pieces of the language she recognized. [Translating something lost in translation is an interesting challenge --- think of this like the range of linguistics in German where e.g. Handschuhe -> literally "hand shoes" -> gloves.]
As for Nia's question, there is no response.
On Friday, September 19, 2025 2:02 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
But mostly, Nia will examine the automata - to see if she can divine any details about its origin or weaknesses.
[Same check as with Gegren for that, but nothing jumps out at me on your sheet as being a relevant skill, so you'd just have to get lucky.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Monday 22 September 2025 12:07:04 AM (-05:00), bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
There is definitely a magical element to the thing's operation and overall composure. Studying it in this nature, Gegren's experience draws him towards the mechanical element of it, but something about his newfound magical attunement draws him to certain details as well... [Intellect task difficulty 5 to get a major rundown of how it works and what it is, but let's call you specialized between Master Identifier and your Magic Lore training.]
[magibot identification specialized plus effort succeeded! (d20=13 vs. diff. 5-2)] Gegren thinks to himself "Wait, I think I've seen something like this before..."
Gegren sees the wear of the ages in the walls, but nothing in particular stands out. It seems like one could (eventually) dig themselves in or out via the main entrance that has now caved in or been swallowed by time. The murals that line the walls are hard to make out, but seem to vaguely match some of the style and iconography seen in the books in the library. Six stairs, running the length of the room, lead up to the larger chamber to the south, and the stone frames for four large doors, presumably originally wood, separate the foyer from that chamber. From here it looks like probably another smaller cathedral-type area.
Is there any sense of direction that would let Gegren figure out where this main entrance would be, if it were not caved in/filled in? -- Mike | he/him
[Sorry for the delay, the last few days really got away from me. I wanted to write more, but figured it'd be better to at least get something out there.] On Tuesday, September 23, 2025 4:55 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
[OOC Nia rolls an 18 vs Task difficulty 5, so maybe Nia spots something structural or other visible indicator on the automaton. She is specialized in perception, so maybe what she learns isn’t mechanical or magical, merely noticeable to a keen eye.]
On Wednesday, September 24, 2025 8:42 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
[magibot identification specialized plus effort succeeded! (d20=13 vs. diff. 5-2)] Gegren thinks to himself "Wait, I think I've seen something like this before..."
Both taking a moment to observe and study the magitech automata, Nia and Gegren get a pretty clear picture of the nature of the thing. A combination of enchantments have created an assistant focused on a handful of tasks. It has a basic mind, and is able to make some decisions about its tasks, but it'd be wrong to call it intelligent. It is, obviously, able to communicate verbally as part of the spells that compose it. It could potentially be given new commands, via countermagic and new enchantments, or otherwise reverse magi-engineered, with some time and dedicated study. It seems possible to interact with it verbally, at least within the scope of its tasks, regardless of whether or not it is reenchanted/reprogrammed. Mechanically, the assistant seems to be focused primarily on movement and physical tasks. The spinning panels that make up its quasi-structure can be assembled into new limbs, especially hands or claws for lifting and moving things, though they would not seem to be capable of any fine manipulation, so you assume it would be tasked with more general maintenance of the temple. As it probably doesn't have a huge variety of tasks to complete, especially over so long of a time, you surmise that it is probably capable of some form of suspension or powered off state until something triggers it. The assistant's hovering seems to be a basic levitation, keeping it just a couple feet off of the ground. It would seem to have problems with any major drop-off, such as the chasm you encountered. It does not seem to be designed for any kind of combat --- getting whacked with panels as they spin would probably smart, though --- it doesn't seem big enough to be a major threat and could be held down or destabilized by most people, or magically disrupted. You imagine that if you were to counterspell the magic at its center, the nexus of the spinning shape, it'd probably just fall apart, all the metallic plates clattering to the floor. Those plates, by the way, do seem like they are of specific construction for this magitech assistant, and are quite old, fitting the rest of the temple. It continues to hover, expectantly. On Wednesday, September 24, 2025 8:42 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Is there any sense of direction that would let Gegren figure out where this main entrance would be, if it were not caved in/filled in?
Good question. The former entrance is to the north, on the center of the wall, directly facing the larger unexplored chamber (with the fancy archways/what-once-were-doors). That filled in area is pretty obvious; earth and time collapsed through whatever doors were making that external entrance, leaving a large heaping pile of ground, rock, and et cetera collapsed through the entrance and spilling out onto the foyer floor. None of you recall an obvious spot for this top-side, and you figure you might be around 30' below the surface at this point. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Dax generally is looking around for other ways out, trying to avoid the feeling of being trapped. Too preoccupied to do much else unless asked questions directly. On Monday, September 29, 2025 at 08:39:14 AM CDT, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: [Sorry for the delay, the last few days really got away from me. I wanted to write more, but figured it'd be better to at least get something out there.] On Tuesday, September 23, 2025 4:55 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
[OOC Nia rolls an 18 vs Task difficulty 5, so maybe Nia spots something structural or other visible indicator on the automaton. She is specialized in perception, so maybe what she learns isn’t mechanical or magical, merely noticeable to a keen eye.]
On Wednesday, September 24, 2025 8:42 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
[magibot identification specialized plus effort succeeded! (d20=13 vs. diff. 5-2)] Gegren thinks to himself "Wait, I think I've seen something like this before..."
Both taking a moment to observe and study the magitech automata, Nia and Gegren get a pretty clear picture of the nature of the thing. A combination of enchantments have created an assistant focused on a handful of tasks. It has a basic mind, and is able to make some decisions about its tasks, but it'd be wrong to call it intelligent. It is, obviously, able to communicate verbally as part of the spells that compose it. It could potentially be given new commands, via countermagic and new enchantments, or otherwise reverse magi-engineered, with some time and dedicated study. It seems possible to interact with it verbally, at least within the scope of its tasks, regardless of whether or not it is reenchanted/reprogrammed. Mechanically, the assistant seems to be focused primarily on movement and physical tasks. The spinning panels that make up its quasi-structure can be assembled into new limbs, especially hands or claws for lifting and moving things, though they would not seem to be capable of any fine manipulation, so you assume it would be tasked with more general maintenance of the temple. As it probably doesn't have a huge variety of tasks to complete, especially over so long of a time, you surmise that it is probably capable of some form of suspension or powered off state until something triggers it. The assistant's hovering seems to be a basic levitation, keeping it just a couple feet off of the ground. It would seem to have problems with any major drop-off, such as the chasm you encountered. It does not seem to be designed for any kind of combat --- getting whacked with panels as they spin would probably smart, though --- it doesn't seem big enough to be a major threat and could be held down or destabilized by most people, or magically disrupted. You imagine that if you were to counterspell the magic at its center, the nexus of the spinning shape, it'd probably just fall apart, all the metallic plates clattering to the floor. Those plates, by the way, do seem like they are of specific construction for this magitech assistant, and are quite old, fitting the rest of the temple. It continues to hover, expectantly. On Wednesday, September 24, 2025 8:42 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Is there any sense of direction that would let Gegren figure out where this main entrance would be, if it were not caved in/filled in?
Good question. The former entrance is to the north, on the center of the wall, directly facing the larger unexplored chamber (with the fancy archways/what-once-were-doors). That filled in area is pretty obvious; earth and time collapsed through whatever doors were making that external entrance, leaving a large heaping pile of ground, rock, and et cetera collapsed through the entrance and spilling out onto the foyer floor. None of you recall an obvious spot for this top-side, and you figure you might be around 30' below the surface at this point. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
Nia would address the automata directly, "I cannot open this thing - unless you help me." [OOC: I'm having trouble picturing the overall environs. But a collapsed entrance seems very no-go, and if the automata is not forthcoming, Nia would be looking towards the unexplored chamber to see if there are other paths / entrances that we've yet to examine.]
If the automata is not forthcoming, Nia would try to interrogate it. "What is your purpose here?" "What is the purpose of this place?" "What is this egg you spoke of?"
On Monday, October 6, 2025 7:11 PM via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia would address the automata directly, "I cannot open this thing - unless you help me."
It seems puzzled by this statement [OOC: but more forthcoming below].
[OOC: I'm having trouble picturing the overall environs. But a collapsed entrance seems very no-go, and if the automata is not forthcoming, Nia would be looking towards the unexplored chamber to see if there are other paths / entrances that we've yet to examine.]
[OOC: Hopefully this helps, as a general illustration of the north part of the temple: https://orb.moe/emerald-flame/Locke%20Forest%20Temple%20North.png --- you all are were in the big chamber, having come from the east, with the exception of Nia who I'm assuming has made her way to the side chamber... (Also going south is unexplored.)] Entering the side chamber, Nia finds a surprising array of small orbs inset into the floor. The orbs seem to be made of a metal similar to the assistant, but definitely not the same kind of object. There are three left in the floor, and the empty insets seem like there were once (or at least were intended to be) ten of these orbs. The assistant kind of hovers around, following Nia, but does not interrupt any of you (yet). On Monday, October 6, 2025 7:23 PM via Emerald Flame wrote:
"What is your purpose here?"
[All answers below as through the kind of pidgin you're working with.] "Seeds tending."
"What is the purpose of this place?"
"Hatchery."
"What is this egg you spoke of?"
Essentially, it describes the spheres you saw in the other room. [OOC: A note for more info, I think it's totally plausible to try to do /detect magic/ type things, as an abstract study of the magic in the assistant now that you know more, to try to understand its "program", rather than going over the verbal interface.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Do the orbs come apart or open? Are they all the same? Marking? Assuming they can't be opened and they are all identical, continue mapping out where we are. -Os On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 09:21:29 AM CDT, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Monday, October 6, 2025 7:11 PM via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia would address the automata directly, "I cannot open this thing - unless you help me."
It seems puzzled by this statement [OOC: but more forthcoming below].
[OOC: I'm having trouble picturing the overall environs. But a collapsed entrance seems very no-go, and if the automata is not forthcoming, Nia would be looking towards the unexplored chamber to see if there are other paths / entrances that we've yet to examine.]
[OOC: Hopefully this helps, as a general illustration of the north part of the temple: https://orb.moe/emerald-flame/Locke%20Forest%20Temple%20North.png --- you all are were in the big chamber, having come from the east, with the exception of Nia who I'm assuming has made her way to the side chamber... (Also going south is unexplored.)] Entering the side chamber, Nia finds a surprising array of small orbs inset into the floor. The orbs seem to be made of a metal similar to the assistant, but definitely not the same kind of object. There are three left in the floor, and the empty insets seem like there were once (or at least were intended to be) ten of these orbs. The assistant kind of hovers around, following Nia, but does not interrupt any of you (yet). On Monday, October 6, 2025 7:23 PM via Emerald Flame wrote:
"What is your purpose here?"
[All answers below as through the kind of pidgin you're working with.] "Seeds tending."
"What is the purpose of this place?"
"Hatchery."
"What is this egg you spoke of?"
Essentially, it describes the spheres you saw in the other room. [OOC: A note for more info, I think it's totally plausible to try to do /detect magic/ type things, as an abstract study of the magic in the assistant now that you know more, to try to understand its "program", rather than going over the verbal interface.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
Nia will try to pick up one of the three orbs. Assuming she doesn’t burst into flames or something similar, she would tap the orb against the edge of her shield to see if it sounds hollow.
On Monday, October 13, 2025 1:50 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Do the orbs come apart or open? Are they all the same? Marking? Assuming they can't be opened and they are all identical, continue mapping out where we are. -Os
The orbs look made to come apart, but they don't by themselves. They have a flowing, rune like pattern etched into the panels, but it is not in a script that any of you recognize, and might just be ornamental. We could proceed on the mapping, there's not much left of the area, but... On Monday, October 13, 2025 6:14 PM via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia will try to pick up one of the three orbs.
Assuming she doesn’t burst into flames or something similar, she would tap the orb against the edge of her shield to see if it sounds hollow.
[OOC: I'm going to take a bit of liberties with what you're okay with here, interject if you have a different idea...] As Nia takes the orb and taps it against her shield, inspects it up close, and so on, the assistant silently hovers over to Nia and reassembles its ornate panels of its "arm" into a "hand"-like shape, expecting Nia to give the orb to it. When she acquiesces, it absorbs the orb into itself and begins hovering out of the chamber, back the way you came. Following the assistant, it flies back to the chasm you crossed when you entered the temple. The shadows in the room you fled do not grow in any way similar to last time, and you are not in that room long enough for it to matter, anyway. When you all reach the chasm, the assistant stops right at the edge, seemingly wanting to cross, but being unable to. It continues to hover there, the orb still within its form, and it speaks [translated as in pidgin again] to the party "incubator... cannot reach". From what you observed, it's possible the assistant cannot hover more than a couple feet off the ground, making the chasm problematic. [Checks and etc. here welcome as desired; I'd say you have a variety of options if you want some of the eggs for yourselves, and/or if you want to satisfy the assistant and try to get it or the egg to the other side.] As you are determining what to do next here, you hear some indistinct commotion from the other side of the chasm, vaguely muffled in a sense that makes you think it might be coming from above ground. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Wed, Oct 15 2025 at 02:19:11 PM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Following the assistant, it flies back to the chasm you crossed when you entered the temple. The shadows in the room you fled do not grow in any way similar to last time, and you are not in that room long enough for it to matter, anyway. When you all reach the chasm, the assistant stops right at the edge, seemingly wanting to cross, but being unable to. It continues to hover there, the orb still within its form, and it speaks [translated as in pidgin again] to the party "incubator... cannot reach".
From what you observed, it's possible the assistant cannot hover more than a couple feet off the ground, making the chasm problematic.
Is the assistant of a size where I could grab it and attempt to teleport it with myself across the chasm?
[Checks and etc. here welcome as desired; I'd say you have a variety of options if you want some of the eggs for yourselves, and/or if you want to satisfy the assistant and try to get it or the egg to the other side.]
As you are determining what to do next here, you hear some indistinct commotion from the other side of the chasm, vaguely muffled in a sense that makes you think it might be coming from above ground.
Does this commotion sound like a party of people, some animals, or something else?
On Tuesday, October 21, 2025 9:55 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Is the assistant of a size where I could grab it and attempt to teleport it with myself across the chasm?
It's a bit clunky, but you could. You either successfully convince it, or you just grab it and far step across, as Gegren would deem fit. It continues on back towards the mud room, if you let it.
Does this commotion sound like a party of people, some animals, or something else?
It sounds like multiple voices, somewhat commandingly discussing something. [Give me a difficulty 5 Intellect task and I can give you all the deets, or if you get close, some deets.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Tue, Oct 21 2025 at 01:08:59 PM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
It's a bit clunky, but you could. You either successfully convince it, or you just grab it and far step across, as Gegren would deem fit. It continues on back towards the mud room, if you let it
Gegren makes a running leap at the automaton, teleporting as he grapples it. As he appears on the other side of the chasm with the automaton, he drops to the ground and backs away to see what it will do.
It sounds like multiple voices, somewhat commandingly discussing something. [Give me a difficulty 5 Intellect task and I can give you all the deets, or if you get close, some deets.]
Gegren pauses after teleporting, trying to figure out the nature of the commotion he hears, and their intent in being here if possible. [understanding the commotion from the entrance. (spending effort and eased by "seeing through deception", maybe?) succeeded, with a minor effect! (d20=19 vs. diff. 5-1)] As he's listening, Gegren will have a dagger out, and will attempt to be both hidden in shadows and between the automaton and the source of the voices.
When Nia sees this, she will do her level best to get to the same side as Gegren. If stuff is jumping off, she will not leave him in the lurch. …although Nia will try to grab a seed of her own before crossing over. On Wed, Oct 22, 2025 at 10:30 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Tue, Oct 21 2025 at 01:08:59 PM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
It's a bit clunky, but you could. You either successfully convince it, or you just grab it and far step across, as Gegren would deem fit. It continues on back towards the mud room, if you let it
Gegren makes a running leap at the automaton, teleporting as he grapples it. As he appears on the other side of the chasm with the automaton, he drops to the ground and backs away to see what it will do.
It sounds like multiple voices, somewhat commandingly discussing something. [Give me a difficulty 5 Intellect task and I can give you all the deets, or if you get close, some deets.]
Gegren pauses after teleporting, trying to figure out the nature of the commotion he hears, and their intent in being here if possible.
[understanding the commotion from the entrance. (spending effort and eased by "seeing through deception", maybe?) succeeded, with a minor effect! (d20=19 vs. diff. 5-1)]
As he's listening, Gegren will have a dagger out, and will attempt to be both hidden in shadows and between the automaton and the source of the voices.
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On Wednesday, October 22, 2025 11:43 AM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
When Nia sees this, she will do her level best to get to the same side as Gegren.
If stuff is jumping off, she will not leave him in the lurch.
…although Nia will try to grab a seed of her own before crossing over.
No problems getting over. [I like Mike's description that Gegren teleport-leaps in a way that doesn't get in Nia's way, but we'll just say that happens naturally, because I like using his minor/major effect on the information. Also, sure, Nia can run back and grab another seed. It's not a long detour. Again, doing so, Nia doesn't spend long enough in the library to trigger anything unpleasant.] On Wednesday, October 22, 2025 10:29 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren pauses after teleporting, trying to figure out the nature of the commotion he hears, and their intent in being here if possible.
[understanding the commotion from the entrance. (spending effort and eased by "seeing through deception", maybe?) succeeded, with a minor effect! (d20=19 vs. diff. 5-1)]
As he's listening, Gegren will have a dagger out, and will attempt to be both hidden in shadows and between the automaton and the source of the voices.
Not only does Gegren hear the commotion surprisingly clearly, but something unexplained jumps into his memory --- is it a memory, even? --- that the sounds above are agents of House Magissa, here to plunder. The commotion sounds like their usual MO; drop in a team, grab everything that looks valuable, and close off the site and keep its secrets to themselves. The forward team is usually a mix of explorers and grunts looking to lock the place down before the artificers, scholars, scribes, and so on get access. Probably, they even have a small air skiff they took to get here. The automaton looks like it is attempting to get into the mud room, though it does yield when Gegren gets in its way. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Dax would have gone over follow Gegren. Does he also hear this commotion or is it all in Gegren's head? -Oz On Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 03:40:45 PM CDT, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Wednesday, October 22, 2025 11:43 AM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
When Nia sees this, she will do her level best to get to the same side as Gegren.
If stuff is jumping off, she will not leave him in the lurch.
…although Nia will try to grab a seed of her own before crossing over.
No problems getting over. [I like Mike's description that Gegren teleport-leaps in a way that doesn't get in Nia's way, but we'll just say that happens naturally, because I like using his minor/major effect on the information. Also, sure, Nia can run back and grab another seed. It's not a long detour. Again, doing so, Nia doesn't spend long enough in the library to trigger anything unpleasant.] On Wednesday, October 22, 2025 10:29 AM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren pauses after teleporting, trying to figure out the nature of the commotion he hears, and their intent in being here if possible.
[understanding the commotion from the entrance. (spending effort and eased by "seeing through deception", maybe?) succeeded, with a minor effect! (d20=19 vs. diff. 5-1)]
As he's listening, Gegren will have a dagger out, and will attempt to be both hidden in shadows and between the automaton and the source of the voices.
Not only does Gegren hear the commotion surprisingly clearly, but something unexplained jumps into his memory --- is it a memory, even? --- that the sounds above are agents of House Magissa, here to plunder. The commotion sounds like their usual MO; drop in a team, grab everything that looks valuable, and close off the site and keep its secrets to themselves. The forward team is usually a mix of explorers and grunts looking to lock the place down before the artificers, scholars, scribes, and so on get access. Probably, they even have a small air skiff they took to get here. The automaton looks like it is attempting to get into the mud room, though it does yield when Gegren gets in its way. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Friday, October 24, 2025 9:54 AM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have gone over follow Gegren. Does he also hear this commotion or is it all in Gegren's head? -Oz
Dax hears the commotion but can't hone in on it the same way Gegren can, for whatever reason. On Friday, October 24, 2025 12:01 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren doesn't like these guys on principle, so he's going to TRY to reach out with his powers and cause a ceiling stone or support to shatter, timed in such a way that it might seem like the incoming explorers triggered a trap and/or a minor cave in. [Shatter, 2 Int points, so 1 with edge]
[roll for Shatter beats a difficulty 0 task. (d20=2). Well ok then.
Suggestion, the disappearing section of ceiling doesn't just cause a MINOR cave in, and probably wasn't timed to appear as an accident]
[OOC: It's not a fumble, so I won't do anything calamitous like a huge cave-in, or sudden huge alert to your presence, but maybe someone will figure it out one way or another eventually. Though you got me thinking...] [OOC: GM intrusion for murph (as a reminder, meaning 1 XP for Nia and 1 XP for someone else of murph's choosing) for, off-camera, Torin being a blabbermouth and /totally/ telling House Magissa folks about the interesting adventurers who /also/ went to the cave in the forest they were asking about. Reminder that you can spend 1 XP to have this not happen if you really don't want it to.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
[OOC I’m good with the intrusion, 1 XP for me and I’ll give the other to Gegren on account of he tried to warn me the kid would be trouble. Next time, Nia will think more about opsec] Nia will fire up her Resonance Field ability, a light blue grid will appear over her form. She will get her bow out and look for a place with cover that overlooks the entrance to their current chamber. She will call out to Gegren “I can probably drop one or two on the way in, but if there is a large group, this is going to close quarters very soon. What do you want to do?” On Fri, Oct 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Friday, October 24, 2025 9:54 AM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax would have gone over follow Gegren. Does he also hear this commotion or is it all in Gegren's head? -Oz
Dax hears the commotion but can't hone in on it the same way Gegren can, for whatever reason.
On Friday, October 24, 2025 12:01 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
Gegren doesn't like these guys on principle, so he's going to TRY to reach out with his powers and cause a ceiling stone or support to shatter, timed in such a way that it might seem like the incoming explorers triggered a trap and/or a minor cave in. [Shatter, 2 Int points, so 1 with edge]
[roll for Shatter beats a difficulty 0 task. (d20=2). Well ok then.
Suggestion, the disappearing section of ceiling doesn't just cause a MINOR cave in, and probably wasn't timed to appear as an accident]
[OOC: It's not a fumble, so I won't do anything calamitous like a huge cave-in, or sudden huge alert to your presence, but maybe someone will figure it out one way or another eventually. Though you got me thinking...]
[OOC: GM intrusion for murph (as a reminder, meaning 1 XP for Nia and 1 XP for someone else of murph's choosing) for, off-camera, Torin being a blabbermouth and /totally/ telling House Magissa folks about the interesting adventurers who /also/ went to the cave in the forest they were asking about. Reminder that you can spend 1 XP to have this not happen if you really don't want it to.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Fri, Oct 24 2025 at 03:59:22 PM -0500, murph via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
[OOC I’m good with the intrusion, 1 XP for me and I’ll give the other to Gegren on account of he tried to warn me the kid would be trouble. Next time, Nia will think more about opsec]
Nia will fire up her Resonance Field ability, a light blue grid will appear over her form.
She will get her bow out and look for a place with cover that overlooks the entrance to their current chamber.
She will call out to Gegren “I can probably drop one or two on the way in, but if there is a large group, this is going to close quarters very soon. What do you want to do?”
Gegren will hold up his flash potion [OOC: Detonation (Flash) cypher, level 5], and motions in a cover-your-eyes way. He's going to try to time this so that he gets the flash to go off in just in front of the group as they start to enter the main area. When the time looks right, he'll lob the flash potion at the feet of the leader. When it goes off he'll intone in his most intimidating voice "GO BACK. THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU" (He really doesn't like these guys) [Detonation (flash) cypher: Projects a small physical explosive up to a long distance away that bursts in an immediate radius, blinding all within it for one minute (ten minutes if the cypher is level 4 or higher). Marked this cypher as used.] [Lobbing the flash potion with the right timing (Speed Task, 1 effort) beats a difficulty 3 task. (d20=11) (so a difficulty 4 task with the effort)] [intimidating the group with scary words after the flashbang, eased 1 by skill in intimidation beats a difficulty 5 task. (d20=16) (so a difficulty 5 after the ease]
On Saturday, November 1, 2025 3:30 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
When the time looks right, he'll lob the flash potion at the feet of the leader. When it goes off he'll intone in his most intimidating voice "GO BACK. THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU"
[I will assume the party takes cover and shields their eyes in an appropriate and successful manner. Also, your cypher and intimidate will synergize nicely here.] As a reminder: where this is all going down is the apse area of the cathedral, the more level side of the large rift and the side you came in on, with the mud room ahead of you and where the House Magissa folks are coming in. You are probably all at the foot of the apse and surrounding area, a position slightly lower than the incoming party, unless you want to be closer. There is some miscellaneous debris --- fallen stone, remnants of broken furniture, that kind of deal to cover behind or to use for other purposes if necessary. The party is coming in behind the simple altar you encountered on the way in. A party of five or so people --- mostly humans, but you can make out elf ears on at least one of the people --- enters the cathedral, and Gegren lobs his flash potion in a great position, hitting it right in front of them. The burst of light briefly illuminates the whole of the cathedral, and you can take it in more completely for the first time since entering. It overall looks worn and faded by the ages, and perhaps with time, more secrets could be learned of its origin and use among the lost frescoes and so on. More pressingly, the flash option definitely blinds the House Magissa party. They stagger and step back a bit to the mouth of the entrance, taking a bit more defensive of a position as they adjust to the effects of being blinded, which they will be for 10 minutes. "Edos! [god of misfortune]", one cries out, "w-who goes there? We are with the great House Magissa, this is a secured area!" [Since it sounded like you might have wanted to get a combat jump on them, or something along those lines, I'll pause there for now, but they are definitely in some physical and mental peril and you have the advantage.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia will take cover behind the fallen debris and ready her bow and her hellfire arrow [OOC Level 5 Cypher, immediate area blast radius] “We have secured this area, and we will depart in our own good time.” On Sun, Nov 2, 2025 at 7:13 AM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Saturday, November 1, 2025 3:30 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
When the time looks right, he'll lob the flash potion at the feet of the leader. When it goes off he'll intone in his most intimidating voice "GO BACK. THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU"
[I will assume the party takes cover and shields their eyes in an appropriate and successful manner. Also, your cypher and intimidate will synergize nicely here.]
As a reminder: where this is all going down is the apse area of the cathedral, the more level side of the large rift and the side you came in on, with the mud room ahead of you and where the House Magissa folks are coming in. You are probably all at the foot of the apse and surrounding area, a position slightly lower than the incoming party, unless you want to be closer. There is some miscellaneous debris --- fallen stone, remnants of broken furniture, that kind of deal to cover behind or to use for other purposes if necessary. The party is coming in behind the simple altar you encountered on the way in.
A party of five or so people --- mostly humans, but you can make out elf ears on at least one of the people --- enters the cathedral, and Gegren lobs his flash potion in a great position, hitting it right in front of them. The burst of light briefly illuminates the whole of the cathedral, and you can take it in more completely for the first time since entering. It overall looks worn and faded by the ages, and perhaps with time, more secrets could be learned of its origin and use among the lost frescoes and so on.
More pressingly, the flash option definitely blinds the House Magissa party. They stagger and step back a bit to the mouth of the entrance, taking a bit more defensive of a position as they adjust to the effects of being blinded, which they will be for 10 minutes.
"Edos! [god of misfortune]", one cries out, "w-who goes there? We are with the great House Magissa, this is a secured area!"
[Since it sounded like you might have wanted to get a combat jump on them, or something along those lines, I'll pause there for now, but they are definitely in some physical and mental peril and you have the advantage.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
Dax is of the mindset to take the orbs we have and sneak out with them blinded. He has no interest in fighting anyone, but looks to the others on what to do next. On Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 11:56:04 AM CST, murph via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: Nia will take cover behind the fallen debris and ready her bow and her hellfire arrow [OOC Level 5 Cypher, immediate area blast radius] “We have secured this area, and we will depart in our own good time.” On Sun, Nov 2, 2025 at 7:13 AM bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Saturday, November 1, 2025 3:30 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
When the time looks right, he'll lob the flash potion at the feet of the leader. When it goes off he'll intone in his most intimidating voice "GO BACK. THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU"
[I will assume the party takes cover and shields their eyes in an appropriate and successful manner. Also, your cypher and intimidate will synergize nicely here.] As a reminder: where this is all going down is the apse area of the cathedral, the more level side of the large rift and the side you came in on, with the mud room ahead of you and where the House Magissa folks are coming in. You are probably all at the foot of the apse and surrounding area, a position slightly lower than the incoming party, unless you want to be closer. There is some miscellaneous debris --- fallen stone, remnants of broken furniture, that kind of deal to cover behind or to use for other purposes if necessary. The party is coming in behind the simple altar you encountered on the way in. A party of five or so people --- mostly humans, but you can make out elf ears on at least one of the people --- enters the cathedral, and Gegren lobs his flash potion in a great position, hitting it right in front of them. The burst of light briefly illuminates the whole of the cathedral, and you can take it in more completely for the first time since entering. It overall looks worn and faded by the ages, and perhaps with time, more secrets could be learned of its origin and use among the lost frescoes and so on. More pressingly, the flash option definitely blinds the House Magissa party. They stagger and step back a bit to the mouth of the entrance, taking a bit more defensive of a position as they adjust to the effects of being blinded, which they will be for 10 minutes. "Edos! [god of misfortune]", one cries out, "w-who goes there? We are with the great House Magissa, this is a secured area!" [Since it sounded like you might have wanted to get a combat jump on them, or something along those lines, I'll pause there for now, but they are definitely in some physical and mental peril and you have the advantage.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 4:09 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax is of the mindset to take the orbs we have and sneak out with them blinded. He has no interest in fighting anyone, but looks to the others on what to do next.
[Sorry, I hallucinated some other kind of update when I was skimming, and now realize that things are probably waiting on me for a bit of guidance.] Dax could try to sneak by the other party, but at the moment, they are all kind of bunched up near the entrance to the cathedral, cursing a bit as the try to shake off the pain and discombobulation of being blinded by Gegren's flash potion. It seems they are making a tactical retreat, obviously at a disadvantage, but you all can tell at this point from the commotion still going on above that there are likely more folks up above. You have roughly 10 minutes to do something to address the situation one way or another, or you assume by then that they'll probably have regrouped and potentially even increased their number. The whole encounter did give them something to think about, though. You might be able to get the jump on them in the mud room, and/or take whatever means they took to get into the hole and beat them to the surface and hope for the best (or at least another "negotiation"), from a tactical perspective, it might be a bit more advantageous, if you take a stand here, to get on the other side of the chasm. And, speaking of the chasm, if you wanted to not go the obvious way, you could always see what's down there and see if there's something more valuable and/or an escape down that way. [Just tossing out some options. Your move for the moment!] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Hey all, did we not check down the chasm? Drop something to determine how far down? I assume our light sources did not show the bottom previously, right? If it is not too far (as in our drop test says it is insanely deep) use rope to lower a light source. -Oz On Friday, November 7, 2025 at 04:02:19 PM CST, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 4:09 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax is of the mindset to take the orbs we have and sneak out with them blinded. He has no interest in fighting anyone, but looks to the others on what to do next.
[Sorry, I hallucinated some other kind of update when I was skimming, and now realize that things are probably waiting on me for a bit of guidance.] Dax could try to sneak by the other party, but at the moment, they are all kind of bunched up near the entrance to the cathedral, cursing a bit as the try to shake off the pain and discombobulation of being blinded by Gegren's flash potion. It seems they are making a tactical retreat, obviously at a disadvantage, but you all can tell at this point from the commotion still going on above that there are likely more folks up above. You have roughly 10 minutes to do something to address the situation one way or another, or you assume by then that they'll probably have regrouped and potentially even increased their number. The whole encounter did give them something to think about, though. You might be able to get the jump on them in the mud room, and/or take whatever means they took to get into the hole and beat them to the surface and hope for the best (or at least another "negotiation"), from a tactical perspective, it might be a bit more advantageous, if you take a stand here, to get on the other side of the chasm. And, speaking of the chasm, if you wanted to not go the obvious way, you could always see what's down there and see if there's something more valuable and/or an escape down that way. [Just tossing out some options. Your move for the moment!] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Saturday, November 8, 2025 3:14 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Hey all, did we not check down the chasm? Drop something to determine how far down? I assume our light sources did not show the bottom previously, right? If it is not too far (as in our drop test says it is insanely deep) use rope to lower a light source. -Oz
[I don't think we established before, so...] Drop test suggests somewhere around 70' deep, Rocks clacking off the cavern walls, dry-sounding landing at the bottom. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Wed, Oct 22 2025 at 03:40:32 PM -0500, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Not only does Gegren hear the commotion surprisingly clearly, but something unexplained jumps into his memory --- is it a memory, even? --- that the sounds above are agents of House Magissa, here to plunder. The commotion sounds like their usual MO; drop in a team, grab everything that looks valuable, and close off the site and keep its secrets to themselves. The forward team is usually a mix of explorers and grunts looking to lock the place down before the artificers, scholars, scribes, and so on get access. Probably, they even have a small air skiff they took to get here.
The automaton looks like it is attempting to get into the mud room, though it does yield when Gegren gets in its way.
Gegren doesn't like these guys on principle, so he's going to TRY to reach out with his powers and cause a ceiling stone or support to shatter, timed in such a way that it might seem like the incoming explorers triggered a trap and/or a minor cave in. [Shatter, 2 Int points, so 1 with edge] [roll for Shatter beats a difficulty 0 task. (d20=2). Well ok then. Suggestion, the disappearing section of ceiling doesn't just cause a MINOR cave in, and probably wasn't timed to appear as an accident]
Nia will get Dax’s attention: “Can you run back and get the last of those seeds? I’m feeling like we don’t want to leave any for this group. Or at the very least, we could use their scarcity as leverage.” Nia Will keep an eye on the intruders. If they look like they are strapping up for a fight, she will prepare to shoot at them. If they arrive in a small group, she will try to convince them to back off with a warning shot with a normal arrow [Ooc: a la “I didn’t have to miss.”] If they surge in in force, Nia will go “the hell with it” and aim for the center of their group with the Hellfire arrow while screaming an elvish curse.
On Tue, Nov 11 2025 at 01:47:40 AM -0000, via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Nia Will keep an eye on the intruders. If they look like they are strapping up for a fight, she will prepare to shoot at them.
If they arrive in a small group, she will try to convince them to back off with a warning shot with a normal arrow [Ooc: a la “I didn’t have to miss.”]
If they surge in in force, Nia will go “the hell with it” and aim for the center of their group with the Hellfire arrow while screaming an elvish curse.
See, here's the thing. Gegren *really* doesn't like these guys and really doesn't want to deal with being captured by them (it may be a trauma thing from turning into a demon and what he's heard of what these guys will do to him if they get hold of him). At the same time, he's not a murderer. Gegren focuses his will on one of the stones at the lead intruder's feet, while the intruder is still reeling and blinded... [Shatter on the stone floor near the lead intruder, cost 1 intellect point, +3 for easing with effort. Maybe another ease from Intimidation skill? beats a difficulty 2 task. (d20=7). So beats 3 or 4 depending...] [Shatter does 1 point of damage in the immediate area even if I failed, it just depends on if my aim was good or not I think] An explosion goes off nearby to the intruders, and one of the stone cobbles of the floor shatters into shrapnel that hits everything nearby. Gegren will step forward, still stopping the automaton from moving forward, and do his best to look his most demonic. "LEAVE. NOW. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING."
Dax will go get the orbs (that is what Nia is referring to as seeds right?) and return back. On Monday, November 10, 2025 at 10:08:58 PM CST, Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Tue, Nov 11 2025 at 01:47:40 AM -0000, via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: Nia Will keep an eye on the intruders. If they look like they are strapping up for a fight, she will prepare to shoot at them.If they arrive in a small group, she will try to convince them to back off with a warning shot with a normal arrow [Ooc: a la “I didn’t have to miss.”]If they surge in in force, Nia will go “the hell with it” and aim for the center of their group with the Hellfire arrow while screaming an elvish curse. See, here's the thing. Gegren *really* doesn't like these guys and really doesn't want to deal with being captured by them (it may be a trauma thing from turning into a demon and what he's heard of what these guys will do to him if they get hold of him). At the same time, he's not a murderer. Gegren focuses his will on one of the stones at the lead intruder's feet, while the intruder is still reeling and blinded... [Shatter on the stone floor near the lead intruder, cost 1 intellect point, +3 for easing with effort. Maybe another ease from Intimidation skill? beats a difficulty 2 task. (d20=7). So beats 3 or 4 depending...] [Shatter does 1 point of damage in the immediate area even if I failed, it just depends on if my aim was good or not I think] An explosion goes off nearby to the intruders, and one of the stone cobbles of the floor shatters into shrapnel that hits everything nearby. Gegren will step forward, still stopping the automaton from moving forward, and do his best to look his most demonic. "LEAVE. NOW. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING." _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
[Sorry for the long delay. Last week got away from me and then I was out on business this week. I completely lost track of the progress of time.] On Tuesday, November 11, 2025 4:13 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Dax will go get the orbs (that is what Nia is referring to as seeds right?) and return back.
Acknowledged. There are two left, not counting the one currently in the assistant, and they are small enough to carry easily. You'll definitely want to keep this in mind for later. On Monday, November 10, 2025 10:08 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame wrote:
On Tue, Nov 11 2025 at 01:47:40 AM -0000, via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
If they arrive in a small group, she will try to convince them to back off with a warning shot with a normal arrow [Ooc: a la “I didn’t have to miss.”]
If they surge in in force, Nia will go “the hell with it” and aim for the center of their group with the Hellfire arrow while screaming an elvish curse.
See, here's the thing. Gegren *really* doesn't like these guys and really doesn't want to deal with being captured by them (it may be a trauma thing from turning into a demon and what he's heard of what these guys will do to him if they get hold of him). At the same time, he's not a murderer.
Gegren focuses his will on one of the stones at the lead intruder's feet, while the intruder is still reeling and blinded...
[Shatter on the stone floor near the lead intruder, cost 1 intellect point, +3 for easing with effort. Maybe another ease from Intimidation skill? beats a difficulty 2 task. (d20=7). So beats 3 or 4 depending...]
[Shatter does 1 point of damage in the immediate area even if I failed, it just depends on if my aim was good or not I think]
An explosion goes off nearby to the intruders, and one of the stone cobbles of the floor shatters into shrapnel that hits everything nearby.
Gegren will step forward, still stopping the automaton from moving forward, and do his best to look his most demonic. "LEAVE. NOW. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING."
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear. That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that. You do have a couple minutes still to device a strategy, esp. as Dax goes and comes back for the two orbs. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Sunday, November 23, 2025 12:14 AM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear.
That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
You do have a couple minutes still to device a strategy, esp. as Dax goes and comes back for the two orbs.
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia is thinking (and will say to Dax and Gegren) “unless you can think of another way out, I think we have these options: 1. Fight them at the entrance as they come in. It’s a bottleneck and their numbers won’t mean as much. For the record, I don’t like this option. 2. Lure them deep into this temple and attempt to get past them and escape. I think one or more of us who can magically transport themselves could lure them into a place where they can be bypassed and then we run for the entrance. We already have all the seeds, so there doesn’t appear to be a reason to stay. Nia can find a decent hiding place, while the decoys lure these guys in. Once they’ve committed (like, have crossed the chasm) the decoys can make a run for it and we can collectively try to deal with whatever force remains on the surface. If there aren’t many, we can overcome them or I can make them forget they saw us. What do folks think? Because this is going to get serious very soon. On Sun, Nov 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Sunday, November 23, 2025 12:14 AM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear.
That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
You do have a couple minutes still to device a strategy, esp. as Dax goes and comes back for the two orbs.
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
There is also going down the crevice and seeing if there is something else there, right? On Monday, November 24, 2025 at 03:36:23 PM CST, murph via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: Nia is thinking (and will say to Dax and Gegren) “unless you can think of another way out, I think we have these options: 1. Fight them at the entrance as they come in. It’s a bottleneck and their numbers won’t mean as much. For the record, I don’t like this option.2. Lure them deep into this temple and attempt to get past them and escape. I think one or more of us who can magically transport themselves could lure them into a place where they can be bypassed and then we run for the entrance. We already have all the seeds, so there doesn’t appear to be a reason to stay. Nia can find a decent hiding place, while the decoys lure these guys in. Once they’ve committed (like, have crossed the chasm) the decoys can make a run for it and we can collectively try to deal with whatever force remains on the surface. If there aren’t many, we can overcome them or I can make them forget they saw us. What do folks think? Because this is going to get serious very soon. On Sun, Nov 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: On Sunday, November 23, 2025 12:14 AM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear.
That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
You do have a couple minutes still to device a strategy, esp. as Dax goes and comes back for the two orbs.
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
Nia is talking about what we know at the moment. Yes, we can try the crevasse, but the risk is that there is no way out there and while we do that this group can come in and box us in. Nia might have missed some other options while she was messing about with the seeds, but she is not aware of other ways out or other passages. On Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
There is also going down the crevice and seeing if there is something else there, right?
On Monday, November 24, 2025 at 03:36:23 PM CST, murph via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Nia is thinking (and will say to Dax and Gegren) “unless you can think of another way out, I think we have these options:
1. Fight them at the entrance as they come in. It’s a bottleneck and their numbers won’t mean as much. For the record, I don’t like this option. 2. Lure them deep into this temple and attempt to get past them and escape.
I think one or more of us who can magically transport themselves could lure them into a place where they can be bypassed and then we run for the entrance.
We already have all the seeds, so there doesn’t appear to be a reason to stay.
Nia can find a decent hiding place, while the decoys lure these guys in.
Once they’ve committed (like, have crossed the chasm) the decoys can make a run for it and we can collectively try to deal with whatever force remains on the surface.
If there aren’t many, we can overcome them or I can make them forget they saw us.
What do folks think? Because this is going to get serious very soon.
On Sun, Nov 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Sunday, November 23, 2025 12:14 AM bss via Emerald Flame wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear.
That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
You do have a couple minutes still to device a strategy, esp. as Dax goes and comes back for the two orbs.
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Monday, November 24, 2025 4:43 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia is talking about what we know at the moment.
Yes, we can try the crevasse, but the risk is that there is no way out there and while we do that this group can come in and box us in.
Nia might have missed some other options while she was messing about with the seeds, but she is not aware of other ways out or other passages.
[Not that you missed them, but I think you have something like: 1. Fight, 2. Lure and sneak around in the confusion, as you said, 3. See if the chasm has anything for you in terms of options, or 4. Going up topside and trying to discuss and/or just booking it (but it sounds like Gegren's not interested in that)] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On Sun, Nov 23 2025 at 12:14:55 AM -0600, bss via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear.
That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
Gegren beckons to Nia, then gestures to the automaton, saying "Nia, can you try to tell this thing to abort whatever directive it has, because if I move it'll go deliver itself to those guys, and I shudder to think what they'd do with something like this."
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses.
[intellect defense failed. (d20=2 vs. diff. 4)]
Nia will nod to Gegren and try her best to recall archaic elven to tell the automaton “Shut down. You must shut down.” Rolled an 8, beating a difficulty 2 task. So, not the best. One way or another, Nia will start looking for places to get out of sight. On Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Sun, Nov 23 2025 at 12:14:55 AM -0600, bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
Chaos and panic dominate the group's reaction to the shattering stone and threat. Overlapping screams and yells to retreat back up top as they quickly flee (as quickly as they can while being blinded, anyway). If you were to follow them, you would see them hurriedly returning up the hole in the mud room, making no attempt to stop you or to hide their immediate fear. That said, you don't get the sense the whole company up top is packing up or anything, so you might have just bought yourselves some time, but you haven't accomplished a full retreat or anything like that.
Gegren beckons to Nia, then gestures to the automaton, saying "Nia, can you try to tell this thing to abort whatever directive it has, because if I move it'll go deliver itself to those guys, and I shudder to think what they'd do with something like this."
Addendum: if you stick around for those couple minutes, Dax gets the sense that you are being scryed upon, and you should all make difficulty 4 Intellect defenses.
[intellect defense failed. (d20=2 vs. diff. 4)] _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Thursday, November 27, 2025 2:52 PM murph via Emerald Flame wrote:
Nia will nod to Gegren and try her best to recall archaic elven to tell the automaton “Shut down. You must shut down.”
A command like that doesn't seem to be against its nature, so it shuts down, the egg or seed it's carrying contained within. You might wonder how to bring it back "alive" later, but its hovering subsides and its plates close as it lands, resembling an egg itself when it is fully shut down. It's a bit big, something like the size and shape of a trash can, roughly, but you can run with it, maybe even tie it to your back if you wanted.
One way or another, Nia will start looking for places to get out of sight.
[ACKed, holding to see if any alternative approach emerges before resolving the scrying.] -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia will nod to Gegren and try her best to recall archaic elven to tell the automaton “Shut down. You must shut down.”
A command like that doesn't seem to be against its nature, so it shuts down, the egg or seed it's carrying contained within. You might wonder how to bring it back "alive" later, but its hovering subsides and its plates close as it lands, resembling an egg itself when it is fully shut down. It's a bit big, something like the size and shape of a trash can, roughly, but you can run with it, maybe even tie it to your back if you wanted.
Gegren grabs the automaton-egg and prepares to blink across the chasm, run, or hide as seems appropriate. Is there anywhere in this room other than the chasm itself to hide? Looking to Nia and Dax, he says "What's the play? Down, further in, or hide here? I don't think we're going to be able to sneak past them up there right now." "If we're going back in, we should do it. If that's the play, I suggest taking the rope bridge with us when we leave, let them figure out how to cross the chasm." A grin breaks out. "If we make it look like we used some secret door in the library, maybe we can get them to stay in there long enough to let us see what that... presence is in there."
Not sure what to check against, rolled a d20 for the scry thing got a 17. If we can't sneak past them, then Dax would like to go down - they will most likely go across the chasm and look for us there and that might be our best chance to sneak past them if the chasm has no other things to explore. On Thursday, November 27, 2025 at 09:25:43 PM CST, Mike Bloy via Emerald Flame <emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote: Nia will nod to Gegren and try her best to recall archaic elven to tell the automaton “Shut down. You must shut down.” A command like that doesn't seem to be against its nature, so it shuts down, the egg or seed it's carrying contained within. You might wonder how to bring it back "alive" later, but its hovering subsides and its plates close as it lands, resembling an egg itself when it is fully shut down. It's a bit big, something like the size and shape of a trash can, roughly, but you can run with it, maybe even tie it to your back if you wanted. Gegren grabs the automaton-egg and prepares to blink across the chasm, run, or hide as seems appropriate. Is there anywhere in this room other than the chasm itself to hide? Looking to Nia and Dax, he says "What's the play? Down, further in, or hide here? I don't think we're going to be able to sneak past them up there right now." "If we're going back in, we should do it. If that's the play, I suggest taking the rope bridge with us when we leave, let them figure out how to cross the chasm." A grin breaks out. "If we make it look like we used some secret door in the library, maybe we can get them to stay in there long enough to let us see what that... presence is in there."_______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
On Saturday, November 29, 2025 9:27 AM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Not sure what to check against, rolled a d20 for the scry thing got a 17. If we can't sneak past them, then Dax would like to go down - they will most likely go across the chasm and look for us there and that might be our best chance to sneak past them if the chasm has no other things to explore.
There are two unexplored areas that you could check out, the chasm and continuing on past where you discovered the automata and the eggs, though the latter path seemed like it was turning back on itself, and the nature of the door frames and archways suggested that what you'd probably lead to was another open chamber for the cathedral, rather than a distinct (or obviously good place to hide) area. The chasm is probably what to try if you're thinking of any form of hiding or letting them pass you and then ambushing them or escaping. Gegren's idea regarding the library and trying to trick them into spending some time in there is definitely plausible as well. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
On 2025-11-30 at 08:32:08 CST, bss via Emerald Flame (emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org) wrote:
On Saturday, November 29, 2025 9:27 AM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Not sure what to check against, rolled a d20 for the scry thing got a 17. If we can't sneak past them, then Dax would like to go down - they will most likely go across the chasm and look for us there and that might be our best chance to sneak past them if the chasm has no other things to explore.
There are two unexplored areas that you could check out, the chasm and continuing on past where you discovered the automata and the eggs, though the latter path seemed like it was turning back on itself, and the nature of the door frames and archways suggested that what you'd probably lead to was another open chamber for the cathedral, rather than a distinct (or obviously good place to hide) area. The chasm is probably what to try if you're thinking of any form of hiding or letting them pass you and then ambushing them or escaping.
Gegren's idea regarding the library and trying to trick them into spending some time in there is definitely plausible as well.
Just bumping this as a reminder. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB
Nia is sold on the idea of getting past these folks and trying to get out. She will voice the goal of taking what we've found and getting out of sight. Nia will cross the chasm (so that she is on the same side as the entrance we came into) and set a grapnel hook on the extreme far edge of the chasm. She will do her best to conceal the grapnel and tie a loop in the rope about 20 feet down. Her plan is to descend into the dark of the chasm and lurk there while the interlopers make their way across. "If this is to work as intended, we will need someone - who can use Far Step - to attract their attention and lure them across the chasm. Once they are well across, those luring House Magissa can use Far Step to bypass them, get across the chasm." Assuming that works, Nia will link up with them and we can make our escape. If House Magissa leaves people on the entrance side of the chasm, this could get interesting, but Nia's hope is that if there is a lone sentry, she will be able to erase their memories and get past them. On Mon, Dec 8, 2025 at 5:38 PM bss via Emerald Flame < emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org> wrote:
On Saturday, November 29, 2025 9:27 AM Stuck Ey via Emerald Flame wrote:
Not sure what to check against, rolled a d20 for the scry thing got a
On 2025-11-30 at 08:32:08 CST, bss via Emerald Flame (emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org) wrote: 17.
If we can't sneak past them, then Dax would like to go down - they will most likely go across the chasm and look for us there and that might be our best chance to sneak past them if the chasm has no other things to explore.
There are two unexplored areas that you could check out, the chasm and continuing on past where you discovered the automata and the eggs, though the latter path seemed like it was turning back on itself, and the nature of the door frames and archways suggested that what you'd probably lead to was another open chamber for the cathedral, rather than a distinct (or obviously good place to hide) area. The chasm is probably what to try if you're thinking of any form of hiding or letting them pass you and then ambushing them or escaping.
Gegren's idea regarding the library and trying to trick them into spending some time in there is definitely plausible as well.
Just bumping this as a reminder. -- bss (Brian S. Stephan) | https://bss.zone/ | GPG: 0x80895FCB _______________________________________________ Emerald Flame mailing list -- emerald-flame@lists.incorporeal.org To unsubscribe send an email to emerald-flame-leave@lists.incorporeal.org
participants (5)
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bss -
Mike Bloy -
murph -
murphzero＠gmail.com
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Stuck Ey