Varus: alright Varus: so i arrive at the factory Igfig: yeah, you find yourself near the back of Chydris. The fortress floats about three metres off the ground, so there's a ramp made of scaffolding that leads up to some doors Varus: just regular doors or more like a garage door Igfig: hmm, garage-like I think Varus: hm Igfig: it's only open a little though, like two feet Varus: no window to look through i guess Varus: ok Varus: i lie down and peek in Igfig: and the crabs are going in through that space Varus: what do i see Igfig: you can see large piles of all sorts of jumk, sorted roughly by material and shape, and a few warforged and a warforged charger (looks like a roboot gorilla) loading piles into a wagon Varus: hmmmm Igfig: a glow from further in suggests a furnace Varus: so i need to........ Varus: i need to college a mask most importantly Varus: for orrin Varus: do I immediately spot anything like that Varus: i guess a perception would make that easier Varus: well Varus: first I roll under the holle Varus: hole* Varus: and meander over to the wagon Varus: i peek on in Varus: 1d20+5 perception Fortuna: Varus, perception: [19] = 24 Igfig: ooo Igfig: as a matter of fact, I'm going to say that yeah, you see something almost perfect, but it's up high on the top of the pile Varus: hmm Varus: i can use a spell to toss it down to me but thatd end my invisiblity Varus: i do think thats the best option Varus: orrrr Igfig: and there are a bunch of warforged there of course Varus: i can throw a crab at the pile Varus: knock it ALLLLL down Varus: and pick up what i need and hide it beneath my invisible robes Varus: theyll think a crab just slammed into it like an idiot Igfig: they haven't seen you yet, but if you get much closer I'll call for another stealth check Igfig: that could work maybe Varus: yeah Varus: do i see any crabs around Varus: well i suppose theyre coming in Igfig: yeah, there are always a couple coming and going Varus: so i just walk over and wait for it to drop off its stuff Varus: then i pick it up Varus: i imagine it scuttles a bit confusedly Igfig: okay, but remember that it won't go invisible if you do Igfig: I think Varus: i know Igfig: okay Varus: ill just have to act fast Igfig: I'm gonna do a perceptin check for these guys then Varus: ok Varus: wouldnt it be passive Igfig: 2#1d20+1 perception Fortuna: Igfig, perception: [2] = 3; perception: [7] = 8 Varus: phew Igfig: they are all well focused on their task, and the charger is pretty uninterested in anything Varus: I hold it up juussst slightly so it cant run around but isnt obviously floating around Varus: i carry it over with bad posture Varus: just near by Varus: and then Varus: wind up Varus: and LAUNCH IT AT THE PILE Varus: What kind of roll is this Varus: a str attack roll? Igfig: Yeah. No prof bonus, because you're not proficient Varus: okay Varus: 1d20-1 PLEASE GOD Fortuna: Varus, PLEASE GOD: [17] = 16 Varus: ohhhh my god ye Varus: s Varus: thank you fortuna Fortuna: You're welcome. Igfig: aright! Varus: say is there an actual furnace here Varus: i feel the need to one up seeing bens barrel roll in the distance by blowing up the factory Igfig: You can't actually see any furnaces here, but there are a number of large hallways coming off the room, down at the other end, with heat and reddish glows emanating therefrom Varus: excellent Varus: while they are distracted i can sneak through Igfig: anyway, the crab lands in the pile of wagon junk with a great thrashing Igfig: bits of metal just going everywhere Varus: i nudge the pile a little bit to really get the falling going Igfig: it scrabbles around much like an actual crab might in that situation, trying to right itself and causing the pile to collapse further Varus: i keep my eye on the top Varus: the mask thing im looking for Igfig: the charger rears up and then sits back down in a way that looks a little bti uncanny valley, and th warforged all start shouting at the crab Varus: so i can see where it falls and scoops it up Varus: aw crab :( Varus: im going to take this crab with me Varus: our new friend Varus: once im making my escape though Igfig: "What. What is this. Stop this. You are ruining everything. Grab that. Bell. Bell grab the scavenger." Igfig: hmm Igfig: 1d20 Fortuna: Igfig, 1d20: [5] = 5 Igfig: The faceplate slides down... to land near the feet of the scrambling warforged Varus: oh great Igfig: a bit under the wagon Varus: time for a sneak roll Varus: well if its under the wagon Varus: maybe i can use the wagon as cover Varus: i run right towards the wagon, diving and rolling to land behind it, hoping the crashing will muffle my foot steps Igfig: how about an acrobatics check Varus: sure Igfig: actually those are both dx aren't they Varus: ermm Igfig: so just a dex check for both Varus: imnot sure Varus: alright Igfig: one check I mean Varus: well Varus: i figured the dive roll wou; Varus: dyeh Varus: 1d20+1 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+1: [20] = 21 Igfig: BOOM Varus: OOLLLYYY SHIT Varus: i slide right under the wagon Varus: grabbing the mask as i slide under Varus: and landing smoothly on the other side Igfig: totally Varus: hell yes Igfig: they don't even notice you Varus: I jam it into my backpack and make my way to the rooms with the furnaces Varus: what material is this place made of Igfig: the one who got up on the wagon finally manages to get the crab Igfig: they look like they're about to just launch it, but they check themself and place it, albeit brusquely, on the floor beside the wagon instead Igfig: This place is... I guess it's mostly made of stone and masonry, actually, but with a lot of metal fittings holding it all together Varus: hmmmm Varus: probably wont burn too well then Varus: id have to put in serious effort Varus: maybe i can make the forges really go out of control Varus: or melt the fittings Igfig: the front of the fortress is sheathed in metal, but yeah Varus: since these furnaces are made for melting metal anyways Igfig: by fittings I mean, like, clamps and beams and things Igfig: hard to just throw in a furnace Varus: well Igfig: and they look to be made of steel probably Varus: my idea was to launch magic missile into the actual furnaces Varus: to make them explode Varus: or atleast to send the heaty thingies out of control Igfig: well okay so you find the furnaces Varus: alternatively i could use ray of fire Varus: OH Varus: OHHHH Varus: OH HOOHHH Varus: I STILL HAVE THE FIREBALL ORB Varus: IN MY SOCK Varus: though I think it'd be better to use that to kill the lord of blades Igfig: and they are very large and look to be, some are melting stuff down, some are just burning, and Igfig: oh my god you jerk Varus: aaaha Varus: i dont think ill use it Igfig: Also, Arcana check Varus: I think i should just sneak out I got what I came for Varus: 1d20+6 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+6: [9] = 15 Varus: are the furnaces burning through magic? Igfig: A magic missile would do basically nothing against these huge cast iron things, and they're too fire-resistant for scorching ray too. A fireball might do a little bit, but you'd have to cast it a whole bunch to actually blow one up. So yes, the orb would probably suffice Igfig: and hmm, that's a good question... Varus: if it is Varus: i could use one of my fate aspects Varus: to increase the heat from the fire to start melting everything Varus: and dimension door out before it gets too hot to kill me Igfig: It probably is something like a wall of fire actually, it'd be a lot more efficient than finding fuel out here Varus: yar in that case I'll try that idea Varus: it'd have to get really super duper hot Igfig: in fact yeah, each of the furnaces is a large, stationary magic item Varus: what kind of a roll do i need to go about this Varus: itll likely be a few Igfig: hmmmm Igfig: okay, let's see Igfig: Well, how about an Arcana check to figure out just what the effect on the item is Igfig: to start Varus: 1d20+6 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+6: [12] = 18 Igfig: It is definitely a Wall of Fire spell, but with some unusual features. It's spherical instead of cylindrical, smaller, and with a more focused heat Varus: so more like a sphere of fire? Igfig: yeah Varus: hmmm Varus: if i condensced it enough Varus: could i make it explode back outwards? Varus: almost like an elastic Igfig: Maybe, but it might also just collapse Varus: what if i kept feeding the flame at the same time Igfig: hmm, that maybe Varus: like the gravitational pull of a sun Varus: i condence it while firing rays of fire into it? Igfig: if you can keep pumping in more fire energy even while you're shrinking it, yeah that might just do it Varus: alright I'll be willing to try that Igfig: the question I guess is how do we take control of the wall of fire that's in there Varus: hm Igfig: since it currently belongs to the magic item Varus: that could simply be me squirming tendrils of magic into there and taking it over Igfig: I suppose, but that'll be a good deal harder than if you can actually work out a more specific way to do it Varus: hmmm Varus: maybe theres some sort of gem in there that is the central of the maigc Igfig: the furnace is mainly spherical, with a sort of round hatch on one side, and a number of hemispherical lumps symmetrically placed around its circumference at three right angles Varus: i wonder waht those are then Igfig: you could probably do an investigation check, or just manipulate things around, to try and get more information Varus: hmmm Varus: I'll do investigation Varus: 1d20+6 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+6: [17] = 23 Igfig: one of the lumps is right in the center of the hatch Igfig: and each lump is inscribed with arcane runes of the sort you'd see on certain types of dragonshard items Varus: now that's something i can work with Varus: as a magical inventor im well versed on arcane runes Varus: 1d20+6 arcana Fortuna: Varus, arcana: [15] = 21 Igfig: it's similar to the binding runes on Frosty's shard housing, but with some modifications to make it work with Eberron shards instead of Khyber shards Varus: so theres another fire elemental in here? Igfig: evidently for holding a spell in place instead of a magical creature Varus: aah Varus: so say Varus: i pump a ton of raw magic into there Varus: and make them essentially explode Varus: would the magic go haywire Igfig: exploding one of the lumps would probably do interesting things to the containment, yeah Varus: one of them??? I'm gunna blow them all up Igfig: all at once? Varus: yes Igfig: can you focus on all of those at once unaided? Varus: hmm Varus: i have the keep on trying until you run out of cake fate aspect Varus: or obsessive analyst Varus: orrrrr tactically trained Varus: tactical training would require focusing on lots of things at once, like say playing chess Varus: so i think with a fate point I can Igfig: okay, that's worth a shot Varus: alright Varus: so rolling arcana? Varus: or endurance Varus: cause im pumping so much energy into them Varus: or endurance doesnt exist anymore Igfig: expend a spell slot of some level, and then... you know what, how about a Con-based arcana check? Varus: thats a bit silly Varus: but yeah that sounds about right Igfig: heheh Varus: considering our charisma acrobatics Varus: 2#1d20+4 with my fate point use Fortuna: Varus, with my fate point use: [8] = 12; with my fate point use: [3] = 7 Varus: arrghhh Varus: not enough Igfig: uh oh Varus: hmmm Varus: time to learn another spell i think igfig Varus: based on my use of hp with dimension door Igfig: I guess that's not low enough for a dramatic failure either Varus: varus began thinking of ways to use life energy to expand the power of his spells Igfig: maybe Varus: since it hasnt been hammered out id have to use another fate point.... Igfig: that's some interesting necromancy there Igfig: possibly a prestige class, actuall Varus: but maybe i can sacrifice another fate point and some hp to get a bonus to the roll? Varus: i can hammer out the spell later Varus: and varus is slightly unnerved with the line of thinking Varus: but it clashes with his for the good of the many so he continues with it Igfig: but yeah, your focus was insufficient to destabilize the furnace for more than a moment Igfig: and, uh, I think at the moment your sacrificing of HP is going to be sufficient to potentially render you unconscious Varus: hmmm Varus: thats not good Varus: ill need some way to dimension door out Igfig: I'd roll damage, but you'd have a pretty good chance of not making it Varus: welllll Varus: i think i have Varus: some sort of idea Igfig: this is something you'd need to practice some more to get good at Igfig: or have a eureka moment Varus: if i shoot a ton in at once, take the damage, dimension door onto the roof of the chapel that i saw earlier when he pointed it out Igfig: oh? Varus: i can roll down the roof Varus: and ill be among friendly units essentially Igfig: that is incredibly risky Varus: and they can work at reviving me while the whole place goes up in flames over there Varus: it is Igfig: but okay Varus: we kinda need the distraction Varus: is it still -bloddied = death? Varus: bloodied* Varus: first i send a message cantrip into the church to say "get ready to catch me from the roof buddies" Igfig: yeah, if you're below 0 and take that much additional damage you just die Igfig: so if I roll high enough... yeah, you might just die Varus: ok Varus: VARUS IS WILLING TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE Varus: igfig, this is waffle saying i am 100% sure going along with this Igfig: okay, so how about +5 to your roll from the hp sacrifice, and a reroll from spending an FP? Varus: ok Varus: and we take the highest roll still? Igfig: I think you'll need to use a different aspect though Igfig: yeah Varus: which so far is 12 Varus: yar ill uusseeee Varus: now is a good time for the keep on trying aspect Varus: ill use that one Igfig: haha, right on Varus: 1d20+8 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+8: [2] = 10 Varus: aw Varus: ok so instead Varus: 12+5 Fortuna: Varus, 12+5: [] = 17 Varus: 17 roll Igfig: no, I mean Igfig: two rolls on this one Varus: oh Igfig: so roll once more Varus: 1d20+8 Fortuna: Varus, 1d20+8: [4] = 12 Varus: JEEZ LOUISE Igfig: wooooow Igfig: and then the immediate dimension door? Varus: 17 might still be enough Varus: and yes Varus: to at least start the burning Varus: less likely to overflow on everything but it could still work Igfig: you door out of there fast enough that you don't actually get to see the results of your work Varus: ok Igfig: but if it explodes presumably you'll hear it Varus: i go down to 0 hp Varus: and appear on the roof Igfig: and we go back to the other chat Varus left #pwot_dnd2.