s HT Alias/Player Character Name Type Status/Notes Sex -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- R1 John Haight...........Arawn.............Druid .Normal/Alfar Ma ?? Chris Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma R1 Tom Corckett..........Caladan...........Wizard Normal/Human Ma W2 Marcel Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human Ma -- Tobie Bonahoom........Fremea............Sidh....NormalFaerry Fe Do David Sanders.........Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human Ma R? J H Hooten............Raban.Usherwood...Bard....Normal/Human..Ma W4 Wout Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human Fe R4 Alex Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human Fe Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Boyzdar [Wolf] (Strie'bog), Game Web Site - http://www.funport.com/longshot/pbem Public posts/actions to pnpgm@abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list) Private emails (not public actions) to longshot@darktech.org Game Update #88 in sequence (file #471) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Admin Notes: None. ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Recap] From Ben'dar: [Re: Actions] Ben'Dar grunts his agreement with Caladan to leave the room alone if it is empty of enemies. "We explore the rest of this place, then down the stairs. Don't want any stragglers to attack from behind." GM: Ack. ------------------ From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions] Z'leyra reports "Corona says that this place is fairly small. I know some of you are eager to continue exploring, but I vote against it until we can heal some more. We are nine miles up. Not very likely to get spotted, even less likely to get visitors. The risk in waiting is less than the risk of further damage during exploring being fatal because of not healing and getting our magics back. For me, I am going to go back, guard and rest." Later she will mention "The trick of setting off the ward should run the ward low or out of charges fairly quickly, but it likely will renew its charges each day." GM: Ack. ----------------------------------------------------------------- [New Stuff] [Ma 2nd, 1633TH. 5th Day of Adventure #4. [Location: Chaos domain, Dark Lands, 9 Miles up, Flying Island] [Time: 11:03am] [As the party stands in the hallway figuring out ways to enter the room without triggering the wards time passes. After Caladan suggests the party move on others speak up. Ben'dar gives a grunt that others have gone to accept as not gas but agreement.] Ben'dar: "We explore the rest of this place, then down the stairs. Don't want any stragglers to attack from behind." [After hearing Corona's brief report, Z'leyra gives the news.] Z'leyra: "Corona says that this place is fairly small. I know some of you are eager to continue exploring, but I vote against it until we can heal some more. We are nine miles up. Not very likely to get spotted, even less likely to get visitors. The risk in waiting is less than the risk of further damage during exploring being fatal because of not healing and getting our magics back. For me, I am going to go back, guard and rest." [Caladan leans against his staff in a casual manner and considers the whole situation of healing and delaying.] Caladan: "If A'kril was linked to this place" [He waves a hand at the walls] "and once he died what is to say his power of control dies with him? We could suddenly find this place floating lower, higher or in other directions. Worse we could find ourselves tilting and then we'd have a big mess on the ground. Worse we could just suddenly fall and impact the ground so hard killing thousands by the impact and fire for miles around. IF we sit around for eleven more hours till midnight all that could occur. Then we'd not need to heal after that. When he said he was free who to say he was free of life or from this place if a curse or such?" [That seems to get to some in the party thinking of those things. If a fall or tilt were to happen they doubt Chion could teleport all out in time. Plus some in the back of their mind have the thought that if this purified ground blocks other magic and hides some then maybe the gods can't send the healing magic into this place in the morning?] [Z'leyra considers the situation of wards as she has had much experience in such things.] Z'leyra: "The trick of setting off the ward should run the ward low or out of charges fairly quickly, but it likely will renew its charges each day." [Unali nods at Z'leyra's words that the locked room with the fire wards can be ignored for now. It doesn't seem as urgent to loot the items in the room. She does believe that some of the party should finish exploring. This place is one huge security risk for those who sit and rest. Knowledge is power and Aren has shown that with knowledge one can prevent so many things. She thinks the tactic of dodging the flames is a good one to at least drain the ward. Surely they can't last forever? There is enough acrobats, including herself, that could dodge the flames well enough. She does know that stalling and waiting for the morning for healing and magical energy is unwise. She begins to speak in Katai, but after a few words she starts over in Marentian.] Unali: "We are still up in uncharted territory and further have no idea how long this storm will last and keep this castle secret from those below. We better move on and see what we can find out before dawn tomorrow. If our luck runs out it might be nice weather tomorrow, and that wouldn't be such a nice thing for once. I say we continue the exploration and if that doesn't yield anything we start the interrogations. The guard and his new girl." (and she glances towards Chion during the last remark.) [Z'leyra and Corona move back into the main room to rest and heal while the others move on to explore. The exploring group heads west then north through the courtyard into the north outer north hallway. Upon entering the carpeted hallway it is like the south hallway. Bright with candles in the ceiling chandeliers with two windows on the east and west ends of the hallway. The windows continue to show a blurry image of the dark day sky and the storm. From here there are five room it seems with five doors. The party starts on the west end of the hallway first and tries that door.] [Fremea and Arawn flank the wooden door and notice no magic or lock on the door. They figure it to be a very non-important room. They listen to the door but hear nothing. Fremea opens the door slightly but senses no magic. Opening further still none and finally they look in. Immediately it is figured out to be a eating area. The party figures who would put wards in such a place. They fan out into the room and explore. The room is about 20 by 20 feet. In the north is another fireplace set in the wall. This one isn't too elaborate like the lounge or main rooms. It is lit but not as roaring as the main room. There are instruments for a spit and other tools around it to setup to warm food or soups or such if needed. The center table and chairs sit about six it seems. On the east wall is a slid wall section up half way in the wall and looks to rise with a simple knob on the thin wood piece. Fremea senses for magic but finds none. Warning the others she lifts it gently and peers through a slit and sees nothing but an empty room. Lifting it further up she discovers the next room is a kitchen. The party figures its easy to just pass food from kitchen into here without walking through the doors. Fremea closes it down to inspect the room further. Two barrels are on the south east wall. Opening them up it shows water and the other ale. Spits allow them to be used to pour into mugs it seems. Fremea does sense some faint aura on the barrels but its dim. She guesses it has to keep the material inside fresh through preservation? Both barrels are full and stand about 5 feet up. The south west wall has cabinets set above the ground about 4 fee and going another 4 feet higher. No magic is sensed so they are opened. They reveal basic supplies like utensils, napkins, bowls, mugs, glasses and plates. Lightning in this room is done only by the fireplace, candles on the table and 3 candles on the cabinets. The floor is a dark brown carpet. Windows on the west wall are set about 8 every feet and are almost the entire height of the wall. Looking out only storm and dark clouds are seen. The party notices this room isn't so fancy in style, table or supplies. It must be for the common guards or such most figure. The table has some paper placemats, salt and pepper containers and the candles on it. The party figures there is nothing of value so heads out of the room to explore the kitchen better.] [Caladan looks out the window at the lightning and considers the last few rooms.] Caladan: "You know this place is a security nightmare. Wouldn't you say Unali? Rooms with doors with no locks and windows that could probably be broken or entered. Courtyards with only a force field. There is bound to be some wards on the windows yet Corona came in fine with Z'leyra's help. That might indicate that whoever built this place knew he or she would never get visitors that often and not have to worry about such things? That or he was over confident to thwart such things?" [Time: 11:06am] [Meanwhile in the main room adrenaline takes their toll on Corona and Z'leyra. Corona after feeling the warmth of the roaring fireplace falls asleep on her lap. Z'leyra comfortable on the couch feels the adrenaline in her ebb away completely. The hypnotic state of the fire seems to be like music to her.] [The door to the kitchen has a wooden door with no lock as well and no magic. The party quickly enters the room and explores the interior. The larger than normal fireplace in the north end of the room serves as lighting, heating and cooking. There are multi-tiered spits and hooks for pots and other tools for cooking flat items or turning other items over the fire like animals. The wooden table on the right is for obvious food preparation. In the middle of the room near the slide wall to the eating area is a well with a pump that seems to serve water from pipes throughout the castle from the water collection area. Cabinets in the south east and south west area of the room serve as supplies and minor food items for preparation. The lightning is done through hanging lanterns and the fireplace. The floor is a simple white stone floor.] [In the fireplace is a small pot warming over the fire and a metal box warming over the fire. On the table are numerous platters that are empty. But on one is a set of napkins and small bowls of warmed honey, butter and a garlic like sauce from the smell of it. Caladan gets the metal box from the fireplace with hot gloves and sets it on the table. He opens it to find a warm loaf of fresh bread. He smiles and looks up at Unali.] Caladan: "Your tea mi'lady is over there. Want some warm bread?" [Caladan finds a knife and cuts the bread and eats some. He offers those in the room some if they wish it. He finds mugs and finds the kettle over the fire is indeed some form of spicy tea. But the party doesn't see a single person. It seems these items were prepared for a visitor or for the people in the castle. But otherwise it is a tidy and neat room.] [Arawn and Fremea only find magic from the fireplace that might keep the fire going longer than normal or hotter. But otherwise there is no other magic auras in the room.] [Time: 11:10am] Caladan: "Ben'dar mind sending some of this to Z'leyra?" [Meanwhile in the main room the stack of bodies suddenly shift as a few of the candles become dark seconds earlier. With a quiet sound of the dead several of the dead guards rise and stalk quietly toward Z'leyra. Z'leyra turns in time to see two dive for her and roll off the couch. But three others jump on her and begin to tear at her flesh, hair and clothes.] [The party heads to the next room east. The door here again is a simple wooden door with no lock. No magic is sensed. The party enters cautiously as normal and finds quickly it is a meeting room of sorts or another eating room. The center of the room sits a very aged oak table that has long ago seen its best days. It seems to sit six around it in cushioned wooden seats. There is a small and fireplace with a low roaring ember fire. There are wooden stands in the room on the south east wall for food, supplies and drinks. Under the stands are small cabinets for supplies this room might need like parchment, ink bottles, quills, chalk and some ink bottles that look to be colored. On the south west wall is a wall section of wood that might fold or move but seems sturdy. There doesn't seem to be a secret wall section behind it. But it appears based on nails in the wood to be a place for maps or such things. The floor is a green carpet and lighting is done by the fireplace and a small candle chandelier over the table. There is little of value here and no magic at all is detected in this room. It simply is a meeting room.] [Corona wakes up and tries to fly toward Z'leyra to knock the dead guards off her. As one guard bites into her neck and tears flesh she wakes up on the couch rocking her head back and forth. She looks over at the still dead and unmoved bodies and down at the sleeping Corona. It seems the warm fire and the quiet room along with the exhaustion has made her a bit sleepy. It was only a nightmare it seems of the mind. At least she hopes so and not some odd foreshadow of things to come. She lifts Corona up gently and walks to the bodies to ensure they are well tied up just in case.] [Time: 11:12am] [The party goes east toward the next room and the door is wooden with no lock again. Entering slowly the room is empty. It is about 16 by 20 feet. The north wall has a small fireplace for warmth and it is now middle height in activity. There is a small table on the east side and larger table on the west side made of wood. A cushioned couch lines the south wall east of the door. There are some cabinets that seem to hold platters of food and water (but now empty). Inside the cabinets are dice and cards. There seems to be tokens of colored sorts for games maybe like gambling chips. There seems to be also boards and pieces for board games it seems that look like chess. The room must be some form of rec room. There is a green carpet in this room with lightning done by candles on the tables and fireplace. [Time: 11:14am] [The last room on the north east side of the castle's first floor if next in line. This time the door is wooden but aged less to time it seems. There is a lock on this door and it is locked. Fremea and Arawn sense no magic around or at the door including the doorknob and lock. The second key that opens the locked room is fetched. The party assumes either the bodyguard or A'kril himself must've had these keys when they fell and died near the couch. Cautiously Fremea inserts the key and twists. She hears a click and slowly cracks the door slightly. She sees a red carpet and a dimly lit room. But she seems to notice the bookshelves in the center of the room. Cracking it further she discovers it has to be some library. A major source of information it seems. Fremea senses into the room but from her angle sees nothing. With help from Arawn the door is opened further. Both scan the room and see no person but there seems to be two bookcases in the center of the room. There doesn't seem to be anything in the room but the book cases that line the center of the room and a stand at the south west corner. On the stand is a dimly lit candle lantern. Both sidh stand in the hallway and stare for a few moments. Fremea doesn't seem to sense anything from the room. But two seconds later as Arawn does his own scan he suddenly becomes alert of 2 auras. No 4. No wait there are six shifting colors. At least four auras in the ceiling above the book cases blocked by Fremea's height it seems. Cautiously Fremea steps into the room and glances right to see nothing. But Arawn grabs her from the collar and begins to stop her. At that same instant Raban having even further height advantage sees above the bookcase and notices glints of something. As he stares he notices they look to be daggers. Daggers on the bookcase? As he stares one begins to move ever so slightly.] [Raban realizes in that split second something is wrong with this room. He lunges forward toward Fremea knowing that Arawn's armor could protect him. As he lunges the daggers shoot forward flying straight for the threshold. One, two, three and finally four daggers fly past in a magical blade trap. Raban grabs Fremea and twirls around to protect her with his body. But one dagger impacts into her back just under her arm and left wing and she takes 1 point of damage from the slicing flying dagger. It continues and falls onto the ground in the hallway. It could've been worse if for not her armor. But in helping Fremea two of the blades meant for fly at him. One he is able to duck just in time and it impacts against the south wall of the hallway and slides down. The other dagger impacts him in his left back shoulder and digs in deep doing a massive 8 point blow knocking Raban forward a foot from the impact. The fourth and last dagger flies straight for Arawn he tries to bring up something to block like his shield or sword but the dagger goes high and impacts in the chest but his magical armor blocks most of it and he only takes a point from the stabbing blow. As Raban turns his back toward the room, Arawn gets out his yelp of warning to others but realizes it was too late. The spells have activated once she entered the room or once the door was open or both without some form of password. He is unsure of the activation but it seems to have started. As the auras grow brighter as the daggers fly he steps back. In that instant Caladan grabs Fremea and helps her away from the room. Unali and Ben'dar grabs Arawn and pulls him left out of the threshold. Leaving Raban alone who dives left and forward and rolls sideways.] [As Raban turns to look into the dim library a flash of light and heat hits him in the face. Then he suddenly realizes it isn't light but heat from a fire. He notices the bookcases suddenly are starting to smoke and a blazing fire rages from top down. Then he realizes the smoke is smoke but the room also seems to be churning with fog of some sort? As Unali, Fremea, Caladan and Arawn glance from their angles into the room the spells seem obvious. Some have seen others use it before and realize the room is filling with a choking moisture ward as well as some form of magical fire. A fire that seems to have been set to destroy any evidence or books in this library without the owners wishes for them to go into the wrong hands. Most consider this destructive behavior insane or paranoid. Then it seems clear that wizards who could create this place would be paranoid to keep its secrets from others. The party wonders what all could be saved...] Actions? Comments? Next Update...Monday... GM: The fire seems to be on the bookshelves and not sweeping through the room. The candle lantern is not lit so the room is dark and lit only by the candle chandelier in the hallway. GM: Sorry Z'leyra just having some halloween fun! GM: Player map is below with current info but the complete room descriptions previously explored and map is on the game website as well. I just include the new rooms below (descriptions). As always if your email messes up the email look at the website version. I figure these maps are far easier for me to edit than graphical ones. Especially when if I draw a square it tends to end up a circle since I'm no artist. :) GM: The entire opening the door and then the final results above basically took 2 seconds (fast) maybe 3 if pushed. So there be little warning "hey guys watch out the room is trapped..." such possible. [Floating Island - Structure Player Map] Legend - North /|\ 1 Row = 2 feet 1 Column = 2 feet ° = Solid wall or earthen rock / or \ = Door ,, = Stone Steps @@ = Table ## = Cabinet, Storage Chest or locker * = Chair o = Barrel ` = Shelf ~~ = Pull lever I = Stone wall $ = Bed : = Window [Some symbols may be different and will be described if that changes for each room.] ----------------------------------------------------------------- [1st Floor] 1 2 3 4 5 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 I--------------------------------------------------I Row 1 2 3 4 5 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 Rm A. Rm B. Rm. C Rm D. Rm. E I--------------------------------------------------I Row I [**] I [*...*] I [**] I [**] I ## ## I A I I I I I ## ## I B : : ###I * I* * * I ## ## I C I * * * I $ #I *###* I### ## I ## ## I D I ##### I $ #I ### I### ## I ## ## I E I ##### I ###I *###* I* * * I ## ## I F I * * * I@ @I * I I ## ## I G : oI@ @I @I@ I I H I# oI@ @I\ @I@ I@ I I I#___/\___I____/\____I_\__/\__I__/\_[--]I___/\_____I J I I K : North Hallway : L I_____/\_________/\_________________/\_______/\____I M R I## ##I+ [[[[[[. +I I N o : ... ... I [[[[[[ I [~] [~] I R O o I ... ... I * ____ $$I [~] [~] : o P m I ... ... * / \ $$I [~] [~] I o Q : ... ... || ( * ) .I [~] [~] I m R F I ... ... || \___/ .I ~ ~ : S I ... ... * $$I o o I G T : ... ... I * Courtyard $$I #I U I I+ .......... +I #I V I_____/\____I____/\_________________/\___I___/\____I W I I X : South Hallway Rm L : Y I__/\______/\__/\______________/\__/\________/\____I Z R I I I \~~~~/ I ##I I R aa o : * ||I H I @I #I## ----I m bb o $ ||I a I * * @I #I## / *I cc m $ ||I l I * * I #I ----I J dd : * ||I l / [====] I__/\_I / *I ee I I I w I * I* *I ----I ff I@ *##*I a I ### Room M \ I__/\______I gg I@ ## I y I ### I *I I ###I R hh I__/\____I_/\I * [=====]I ###I / #I m ii R I oooI I_________/\_________I ##*I \ $I jj o I## oI I#####I / ## I I# ##$I P kk o I## oI I` `I \_____I I_____I ll m I## oI I` `I Foyer Rm K. I.....I S mm I## \ I___/\I $ I.....I t nn N I## / Rm O I°°°..I a oo I I [[[..I i pp I________I_____________/\_____________________[[[..I r qq /|\ Main Entrance Door s 1 2 3 4 5 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 Room A - Eating Area 20x20' Fireplace [*] warms up this room and stays low. The table (#) and chairs (*) seat 6 at any one time. A special window (:) in the wall allows food to be exchanged from one room to the other. Water and drinking barrels (o) tend to be full. Bottom left (#) are cabinets for utensils and basic supplies. Lighting is done by fireplace, candles on table and cabinet. The floor is carpeted dark brown. Door is a simple wooden door with no lock. Windows are on the west wall (2) about every 8 feet that can open up. Each window is 3 feet wide, and 5 feet tall open from inside. Windows have wooden shutters on outside and metal trim around the glass. Room B - Kitchen - 20x20' The fireplace ([*..*]) serves as heat and cooking place for warming of food setup with kettles and pot holders. Table (#) on the right wall is for food preparation. A small well station ($) is used for water retrieval through pipes in castle. The cabinets (@) are used for supplies and some food items. Lighting is done through hanging lanterns and fireplace. The floor is a simple stone floor. Door is a simple wooden door with no lock. Room C - Meeting Room 16x20' The center table (#) is a very aged oak that seems to have seen its best days. It looks very old. It seats (*) six around the table warmed by the fireplace ([*]). Stands (@) are used for food, supplies (under stand in cabinet) and drinks. One corner has a wooden wall (\) that maps could be hung from if needed but is blank now. Floor is a green carpet and lighting is done by the fireplace and a small candle chandelier over the table. Room D - Rec room - 16x20' Two tables (#) allow for games or reading with enough seats (*) for most in the small castle. A couch ([---]) allows one to sit and read or relax sleeping. Cabinets (@) are for food, drinks and other recreation supplies (like games, dice, cards). Floor is a green carpet with lighting done by candles on the tables and fireplace. Room E - Library - 20x20' The room is dominated by bookshelves (##) on both sides open with three shelves stacked. A stand (@) is used for a candle lantern for finding the books. Floor is a red carpet with lighting done only by the candle lantern not lit when not in use. Room L - ???? - 10'x8' Room contains lockers, chests and cabinets. Stone floor. Light is done by 2 candles on the west wall in a wall hanger unit. The two doors are metal and good locks.