[Game Thread] Chapter 0: Honours for Hubris?

[Avelestar]

Hubris grunts and tugs at the rope, gaining 5ft of it's length, this coils to the floor behind him. The force of the other end doesn't let up however, and the tug of war is still on!

OOC: Again!

[Redoak]

Dice Str:

(as this is an older post, these rolls are interpreted by the older (more basic) dice roller code)
d20-1:	(11) - 1	Total = 10

[Avelestar]

After a minute of pulling on the rope, you finally 'win' and a dark shape comes flying through the wall in the middle. It passes completely through the wall, it seems it was an illusion all along...and it lands heavily on the floor half in and half out the wall. Suddenly the shape looks up, spits a curse at you and scrambles back through the wall...it was another clone of you! However one of his arms is twisted at a horrible angle from the fall...

OOC: Okay so I just rolled a bunch of opposed checks myself It was the fall that hurt him, not the wall itself, it appears safe to walk through.

[Redoak]

Wondering what the point of that was Hubris passes through the wall carefully, on guard in case his clone decides it wants to hurt him with more than a curse.

[Avelestar]

Hubris passes through the wall, and sees the mirror imagine of the room he was just in. However on the floor is a pile of owl feathers...and bits and pieces of an owl. Your clone is nowhere to be seen, and there's nowhere to go but through the open door.

OOC: Well if you lost you'd be at a further disadvantage, but you've just even the tables.

[Redoak]

His cone clearly a part of the test he pursues through the open door, however before he passes through the threshold he prepares his "Cause Fear" spell.

OOC Readying the spell if my clone attacks as I pass through

[Avelestar]

The moment you enter the room again the door shuts behind you, and you see your clone stood only 20ft away. "GIVE ME THE BIRD!" he screams, and you again notice the horrible angle at which his right arm is twisted...but more than that is the blood stains all down his clothes, gashes from some huge claws across his chest, and owl feathers in his hair.

When you refuse to hand over Chirpy, mindful of the ultimatum passed down earlier in the test the clone dashes forwards screaming madly, a spell coming to his lips. Instantly in response Hubris releases the spell he has prepared, attempting to instill a magical fear in the clone. Overtaken by fear, pain and despair the clone shakes off the effects and is still rushing towards you.

 

Each square is 5ft, you released the spell when he was 20ft away (max range of the spell). Black things are the doors.

OOC: Roll initiative and post your actions!

[Redoak]

Taking stock of this challenge, and deeming it to be straight forward mage combat Hubirs turns the shoulder Chirpy is on away from the on rushing maddened clone.

Hubris AC 11 HP 7

Deciding that the easiest spell for this is a fast Magic Missle Assault he shouts the somatic component and forks his fingers at the clone.

"Gyahhhh!"

[Avelestar]

As the clone closes in on him, Hubris has time for one more spell and his last Magic Missile slams heavily into the already beaten up version of himself. The clone shudders horribly, pure energy crackling around his frame. Still he charges on, and throws himself at you trying to punch, kick, claw and strangle you. Just moments before he makes contact Hubris throws out his staff, empowering it with a little bit of magic. Six feet of wood connect with the clone's head with a sickening crunch, and he falls to the floor still. "Very good, you protected the owl for now...onto the final room, but hurry, time is running out!"

OOC: Alright I'll let you convert that last level 1 spell into a Magic Missile, but go have a read of the Pathfinder OR 3.5 daily spells rules for wizards, they're the exact same. Universalists don't get a bonus spell per day, they just don't have a restricted school. 15 minutes have elapsed.

[Redoak]

Taking heed of the disembodied voice, and feeling light headed and anxious Hubris heads into the final room.

[Avelestar]

The final room is gigantic, at least 200ft across of the same stone pattern and open roof as the rest of the room. However situated in the wall directly opposite you is a blueish portal, your way out! You start forwards, wanting to leave this place as soon as possible when you feel Chirpy's talons dig very sharply into your shoulder. You cry out in pain, and the owl leaps off of your shoulder and takes flight...and as he flies he quickly changes. Suddenly the normal owl has become as big as you are, and bony armour plates line his back and legs. No longer is he an animal, but transformed into a magical beast....who's currently streaking directly towards your face with claws extended, a shrill cry coming from his beak.

You quickly scan the room for something to hide behind...but it's completely bare except for another pile of owl feathers, blood and gore off to one side. The actions of your clone, and the words of the voice from earlier all quickly fall into place. Your clone must have killed his owl when it transformed, and for some reason couldn't leave via the portal...

OOC: NOM NOM NOM

[Redoak]

When your back is against the wall and you can't get past your problem, don't be afraid to RUN! the voice of a nameless friend echos' in his mind. Trying to dodge past the incoming beast and dash for the portal, as if he kills the beast he is sure he will be trapped here till he dies.

OOC I think that's what the riddle is if not this won't be pretty

[Avelestar]

Hubris sets off at a run, ducking under the first attack from Chirpy but the next dive bomb opens up a huge wound on his shoulder (5 damage), and he almost falls to the ground. Gripping onto his shoulder to try and stop the massive amount of blood loss, Hubris keeps running...he's almost at the portal, but Chirpy is about to swoop down for another attack, one that the young wizard probably won't survive if it hits him!

OOC: Spent the full turn running, got 120ft, 80ft to go!

[Redoak]

Throwing his exhausted body into the air in a desperate attempt to throw off the beasts aim, he propels himself at the portal. At the very least the attack will propel his corpse through the portal so his parents can at least give him a decent burial.

"Is that a spider leg behind you Chirpy?!", if those are my last words I hope no one records them he thinks and can't help chuckling at the black humor as the portal looms closer. Steeling for the inevitable impact and praying to Wee-Jas for a miracle he holds his remaining breath and closes his eyes tightly.

[Avelestar]

Chirpy closes in on you when you're a little more than 10ft away from the portal, Hubris dives the rest of the way, letting out a smartass comment as he does so. The sudden change of height confuses the bird, and he wheels away. Hitting the ground hard, Hubris gets up and stumbles the last few feet and more or less collapses through the portal. It admits him, and he feels a slight warm before he's face down on a carpeted floor. Two pairs of hands pick him up gently and carry the young man away. Several hours later he awakes, the wound on his shoulder stitched shut and bound tightly with bandages.

"About time young Hubris." says a familiar voice to your left. The smiling face of Eramil slowly focuses into view, and he congratulates you on passing the last exam. "Rest for as long as you need, then come see me for your reward...and Hubris?" he stops on his way out of the room to add "I chose the owl too." with a wink and grin.

After a few days bed rest, Hubris makes his way to the headmasters room once again. After two days he emerged again, proudly bearing a black polished necklace in the shape of a spider and two new scrolls in his pack. The exam was over, the reward collected and the young wizard proudly leaving the House of the Dragon to take on the world.

OOC: Eramil taught you how to empower the spider key you found within the exam, and you've turned it into a minor magic item: Spider's Focus: A magical necklace, created from the key found as part of Hubris' final exam and empowered by himself and the headmaster Eramil. Once per day the necklace can be activated to either add +5 to a concentration check, or double the die roll of any direct damage spell cast by the bearer. (only double one die if multiple are rolled, and don't include the +X for caster level in this) Also choose two Level 1 scrolls of your choice, add all three of these items to your character sheet. I'll give you a chance for a closing post before I close, move and un-private this thread.