Arl's caution paid off, for she made it to the top of the tree without accidentally skinning her knee. She could see around the area but nothing seemed out of order. Damek knew the scent trail led to the tree itself.
While Arl busied herself with digging, Olo used his TK to poke and prod at various knots and limbs. He was looking for any sort of hidden buttons or switches.
After a few minutes of constant poking Olo felt one of the knots give way and there was an odd noise as an opening appeared in the trunk of the tree. The group could see that the inside was hollow and a spiral staircase led deep into the earth.
Arl - "Has... Garrote been using an ancient tunnel system to get around?"
**Arl puts away the earth key and pulls out her psionic paper map. She tries to get the layout of what lies ahead, both before and after she begins walking down the twisting staircase.**
For some reason the map seemed to be a scrambled mess. As they reached the bottom floor many minutes later they saw a wide open room with a 20' pit of metal spikes between them and the next door.
**Arl frowned at the map. The increasing similarities to the Lautremont bounty did not bode well.**
Arl - "The last time the map did this there was some kind of mass mental effect.. or are we in some kind of otherworldly maze? How did Garrote get access to this kind of magic!? Is someone supplying serial killers with ancient super-magic? Or does being empowered by ancient super-magic drive you to serial-kill?!"
**The girl grunts in frustration and casts DMO, looking at the spikes to see if they are the magical sort.**
Olo looked to Damek for confirmation about if this was indeed mental magic, relying in the crown he always wore to do its job correctly. He shared with Arl whatever result Damek shares.
The spikes didn't seem particularly special to Arl. Damek noticed that there were holes scattered across the ceiling and walls that were disguised by magical illusion.
There was a twang as the shield snapped an invisible line almost immediately. A spear shot out of the ceiling hitting the shieldand then retreating back into the hole.
When Arl throws the shield it moved through where it had before and snapped a different string. Another spear lanced out to meet it.
Damek didn't smell anything in the pit... oddly enough the only thing he could smell was his companions. The stone shot had a similar effect as the shield, snapping strings and spewing spears.
Arl - "Alright, it looks like the strings take some time to re-form. I think we should just quickly snap all of them and continue on. I don't have much in the way of ranged attacks though. Maybe I could start lensing the spikes..."
**Arl tosses her shield at the spikes below, porting it back to her hand upon contact. She tries to hit as many spikes as she can with each throw in an attempt to form a path to the other side.**
clarification acquired **Worse still was the way the 5' long, 3" thick spikes were at odd angles, resulting in some spikes being beneath the others.**
Arl - "Right. Let's just use stonshots and telekinesis to snap all the strings. Can we set something on fire and wave it around telekinetically? That might do it."
Olo smiled, "That's easy enough." He drew his stone dagger from void space and activated a ruby imbue upon it. He then used his TK to move it around and hit strings. He did it in a methodical pattern to avoid missing things.
Arl - "Alright! If there are any remaining traps I have a number of ways to block projectiles so I think I should go first. Having Olo fly over waving something in front of him, or Damek run along the walls risks there still being a magically triggered trap that causes all of the spikes to fire."
**Arl casts paper knight, protecting her legs as she leaps over the spike pit; her already enhanced jump is further extended by the gliding powers of the armor. If necessary the girl lands on an upward slanted light platform, runs up it, and performs a second jump-glide over the remaining spikes in the 20' long pit. She holds her shield above her during the jumps, cutting the veil between her and holes she'd otherwise have the most difficulty reacting to.**
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Arl - "Has... Garrote been using an ancient tunnel system to get around?"
**Arl puts away the earth key and pulls out her psionic paper map. She tries to get the layout of what lies ahead, both before and after she begins walking down the twisting staircase.**
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Arl - "The last time the map did this there was some kind of mass mental effect.. or are we in some kind of otherworldly maze? How did Garrote get access to this kind of magic!? Is someone supplying serial killers with ancient super-magic? Or does being empowered by ancient super-magic drive you to serial-kill?!"
**The girl grunts in frustration and casts DMO, looking at the spikes to see if they are the magical sort.**
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Arl - "Probably a trap then. But triggered by what?"
**Arl ports her weapons to her hands and throws her shield over the spikes, porting it back to her hands the moment anything happens.**
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Damek didn't smell anything in the pit... oddly enough the only thing he could smell was his companions. The stone shot had a similar effect as the shield, snapping strings and spewing spears.
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
Arl - "Alright, it looks like the strings take some time to re-form. I think we should just quickly snap all of them and continue on. I don't have much in the way of ranged attacks though. Maybe I could start lensing the spikes..."
**Arl tosses her shield at the spikes below, porting it back to her hand upon contact. She tries to hit as many spikes as she can with each throw in an attempt to form a path to the other side.**
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
**Worse still was the way the 5' long, 3" thick spikes were at odd angles, resulting in some spikes being beneath the others.**
Arl - "Right. Let's just use stonshots and telekinesis to snap all the strings. Can we set something on fire and wave it around telekinetically? That might do it."
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya
Acelin's Characters (since her sig won't work).
Go ahead and run, you'll only die tired.
Those who might never meet are pooled together
**Arl casts paper knight, protecting her legs as she leaps over the spike pit; her already enhanced jump is further extended by the gliding powers of the armor. If necessary the girl lands on an upward slanted light platform, runs up it, and performs a second jump-glide over the remaining spikes in the 20' long pit. She holds her shield above her during the jumps, cutting the veil between her and holes she'd otherwise have the most difficulty reacting to.**
Nervada - 98% fat free, high in fiber.
Eizen - Collected
Yack - Walking
Miko Wydberg
Tanya