Re: Adventure #3 - Lord Winter

[Malazek]

Before long, the entire party (including the horses and assistants, not to mention Mittens) are gathered in front of the Jolly Toad. It is still morning, though the midday hour approaches.

"So, are we ready?" Gumphrey asks. "I didn't put on my best outfit just to stand around in front of the inn!"

[Glitz]

Elodie is very excited to see Talmut and Jeremiah returning with a cat in tow. She pets it for a minute before mounting her horse. "Okay, ready to go!"

[Malazek]

The party heads north again, along the familiar road, past the spot where Randal was slain, and then to the east toward the Ruins. A few hours after leaving the town, eight riders (and one cat) arrive at Stephen's Ruins. The magically conjured shelter has vanished, as have the Blackbirds. There are no wolves present, this time, either; not even their corpses remain.

You ride up the hill and into the ruined keep. The chute you entered through last time is still wide open and the rope you left dangling down into it is still there. The "other" trap door still appears undisturbed.

Based on the position of the sun, you would guess that it is now a couple of hours past noon.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will dismount and attempt to see if he can discern the direction the Black Birds went. After which he will have a quick bite to eat, drink and start to prepare himself for some exploring.

Survival 8 + 10 = 18

OOC: Tracking is a survival check correct?

GM Edit: OOC: It is.

[Malazek]

OOC: Track DC (#1) is 35 (15 for Firm Ground, -2 for group size, +11 for time elapsed, +6 for recent rain, +5 because they may efforts to hide their trail).
OOC: Track DC (#2) is 14 (15 for Firm Ground, -1 for group size, +1 since its only been a day, -1 for Large)

Jeremiah searches the ground for evidence of which way the Black Birds went, but it has simply been too long since they were here. Any evidence of their presence has since disappeared. He does, however, find evidence of larger boots prints ... Giants, probably. Three of them. It's probably been a day or so since even they passed through.

[Swifthand]

On the way to the dungeon, Talmut will relate the story of our run in with the Blackbirds to our four new assistants, and our plan to explore the underwater dungeon.

"So, you see, it is important that you stay here and guard our camp.  Keep a sharp watch, these Blackbirds are brigands and worse.  Besides, I believe we only have enough Water Breathing potions for the four of us.  A warning - do not engage the Blackbirds, they are powerful foes, now with vendetta against us.  Retreat and report to the Chancellor, and do your best to keep all the horses, and yourselves, alive.  Oh, and Flint - could you watch out for Mittens while we are underwater?"


"Shall we descend, my friends?" 

[Alpha Omega]

Upon hearing Talmut Jeremiah will pull a drag from his pipe, grab his gear and toss a torch down into the dungeon.

"You ready Gumphrey? Hears hoping the Blackbirds didn't leave any traps down there for us."

OOC: I'm implying Gumphrey go down and look for traps...

[Glitz]

Elodie lays a hand on Gumphrey's shoulder and calls upon the spirits to aid him as he searches for traps on the way down.

Cast Guidance on Gumphrey.

After Gumphrey gives the all-clear (if he goes first), Elodie will descend the rope and wait for the party to move along. She picks up Jeremiah's torch and hands it to him as they all congregate at the bottom of the rope.

[Malazek]

Talmut will relate the story of our run in with the Blackbirds to our four new assistants, and our plan to explore the underwater dungeon ...
"Flint - could you watch out for Mittens?"

"I certainly will."

"Shall we descend, my friends?" 

"Yes!" Gumphrey exclaims.

Jeremiah will ... toss a torch down into the dungeon.

"You ready Gumphrey?"

"So ready."

Gumphrey descends the rope. At the bottom, he looks around for a moment, and then disappears from view. A minute later, he returns to the bottom of the rope and gives the thumbs up.

After Gumphrey gives the all-clear (if he goes first), Elodie will descend the rope and wait for the party to move along.

When Elodie reaches the bottom, the place looks much how you left it ... except most of the remaining water has drained out. There are still shallow puddles on the ground, but considering it rained all week, the place is drastically less "flooded" (though still dominated by mildew, mold, and fungus).

She picks up Jeremiah's torch and hands it to him as they all congregate at the bottom of the rope.

Jeremiah and Talmut have no trouble reaching the bottom of the rope.

"Which way, first?" Gumphrey inquires. "Left, again?"

Assuming the answer is "yes" he moves to the south, through the doorway and the trap he disabled last time. The room beyond the passage is equally empty and undisturbed. Immediately to your new left (the east), there waits a submerged staircase (the same stairs Gumphrey found last time, descending into the black waters below). It is still submerged; the water level is flush with the floor you're standing on.

[Swifthand]

Before climbing down the rope ...

Talmut empties his backpack and leaves the contents with Flint, only taking with him the Staff of Nu'ul (carried), the Scepter of the Chameleon Lord (slipped in his belt), the Pearls of Jacobany (in his pocket), the backpack itself, and his spell components.

---

After climbing down the rope ...

Now at the submerged staircase, the Conjuror pulls forth his now familiar candle and speaks in a strange, thick language, evoking thoughts of a gasping, drowning man (Aquan).

"Lord Ahu, favor us as we enter your realm, and grant me the guidance of one of your servants!"

Cast Summon Monster 2 - Summon Small Water Elemental

"Go forth, Servant of Ahu, and investigate that which lies beyond, but be sure to return and report before your time with on this plane expires." (Duration 7 rounds, swim speed of 90)

Awaiting the return of his watery scout, Talmut will ready his potion of Water Breathing.

---

GM Edit: OOC: Added time references.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will ready his potion as well...

"Are we going to wait for your minion to return before we proceed..."

[Swifthand]

"Yes, that is my suggestion."

[Malazek]

Swiftly and silently, the little elemental dives into the water, swimming along the stairs until it disappears into the murky depths below. Half a minute later, it returns and provides Talmut with as much detail as it can with its remaining time here.

Quickly, it describes the rooms and flooded passages, the rows of statues, the corpses strewn about, the many schools of fish, giant eels, an octopus, and two pits leading to an even deeper level.



OOC: I included the chasm (M22) and gator pit (C15) from the upper map on this map, as well, just to provide you with a point of reference.

[Swifthand]

How high are the ceilings?  Can swimming creatures use the Z axis to attack?

Now with a mental map of what lies ahead, Talmut removes the stopper from his potion.

"The corpses may be undead.  I assume the eels and the octopus will react poorly to their lair being invaded, unless convinced otherwise.  Elodie, can you do subdue them, or is it a fight?"

If a fight, Talmut will quaff his potion, Summon Monster 1 (Dolphin), and then head down the stairs in marching order (Gum, Jer, El, Tal, iirc).  If Elodie can peacefully subdue the aquatic animals, he will do the same, but wait to Summon until we get deeper into the dungeon.

[Malazek]

How high are the ceilings?  Can swimming creatures use the Z axis to attack?

Most of the hallways are about five feet wide and roughly six-and-half feet high. The "doorways" are arched, so they are narrower than the actual hall (maybe three-and-half feet wide) and just a little shorter (the keystone is about six feet above the floor). The elemental told you about a wider hallway (H & I) that is probably taller than the smaller hallways, but he didn't have time to convey exact measurements (but he gave the impression it was at least a two or three feet higher).

The larger rooms (G3-J7, L3-O7, B21-E25, and G21-J25) are much wider (roughly 20 x 25 feet) with higher ceilings than the hallways (roughly nine-and-half feet high) ... but the edges and corners of the ceilings are curved, just like the arched doorways. So, the rooms are actually less than seven feet tall on the sides, but reach full height just a couple feet from the wall.

The one smaller room (L12-N16) that the elemental described was just as long as the bigger rooms, but not as wide (maybe 15 x 25). The elemental didn't have time to describe the ceiling in that room, but gave the impression that it wasn't much taller than the hallways.

OOC: In the larger rooms, creatures can use the z-axis, assuming their foes aren't tall enough to occupy those squares (9.5 is close to 2 squares).

OOC: Also, to be clear, you guys were coming down the stairs (W19-X19), right? That's where Gumphrey led you to (south and then left) ... but Talmut's plan to summon a Dolphin BEFORE heading into the water makes me think he wants to drop in at B25 (the trap door you found much later in the dungeon). If you guys want to use the trap door, instead, that's fine ... but that's not what I had described thus far.

[Swifthand]

Yah, oops, sorry - I didn't know where the stairs were, cause my map cuts off at line U on the forums.  I assume we're going down the stairs.  The question still stands, however - if the animals attack, does Elodie want to attempt a peaceful resolution?

[Glitz]

"I can try to communicate with the creatures below, but it will not be easy--I do not speak their language, and they will be relatively hostile towards us initially. I am willing to descend first and try, but everyone will need to be ready to fight, just in case."

Elodie takes a moment to call upon the spirits for help, and then drinks her potion. Tugging her spear free, she holds it defensively in front of her and wades into the water.

Cast Guidance. 
Move to S16.

As Elodie approaches the first creature, she attempts to appear docile and nonthreatening.

Wild Empathy check: 24 (17 + 5 Druid Level + 1 CHA + 1 Guidance)

[Malazek]

If a fight, Talmut will quaff his potion, Summon Monster 1 (Dolphin), and then head down the stairs.
If Elodie can peacefully subdue the aquatic animals, he will do the same, but wait to Summon until we get deeper into the dungeon.

"I can try to communicate with the creatures below, but it will not be easy ... everyone will need to be ready to fight, just in case."

OOC: I am not sure how to interpret Talmut's "if/then" in relation to Elodie's answer (i.e. "Maybe"). Would he summon the dolphin, then? or not? Since Elodie is only approaching the FISH at this point, and not the eels or the octopus, it may be irrelevant ... but I want to make sure you have every opportunity to make your intention clear. Does Talmut wish to Summon Monster before entering the water? Or does he want to wait and see how it goes with the fish?

[Swifthand]

See how it goes.

GM Edit: OOC: Roger that.

[Malazek]

After taking her potion and delving into the water, Elodie finds the bleak waters too dark to see. It isn't until the rest of the party follows her -- and Talmut's staff lights the way -- that she can finally see. Even still, the murky water is so cloudy that it's difficult to make out much of her surroundings. Still, she can see just enough to press on (though the "taste" of what she's breathing isn't at all pleasant).

Following the elemental's directions (as they were relayed to her by Talmut), she turns left and then left again, before finally turning right. Another thirty feet or so, and she finds herself face to face with a school of pale blind fish. Though blind, the fish appears somewhat dangerous. Though less than a foot in length, each fish bears a mouthful of sharp, serrated teeth. The school appears apprehensive, having felt a disturbance of the water.

After calling upon the spirits to help her, Elodie is able to approach the fish without problem. Even with her spear out in front of her, the fish seem to accept her sudden presence among them. Darting back forth, they go about their business as if she wasn't even there.

A moment later, she has completely passed by the fish.

---

The rest of the party watches as Elodie carefully passes through the school of fish and partially disappears into the cloudy water ahead.

-- OOC: Does everyone else try to pass-by the fish, as well?

[Swifthand]

Talmut will swim past the fish and then summon the Dolphin.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will follow through the fish, with axes readied.

[Malazek]

Gumphrey does, too.

---

Having passed by the fish, the party continues on, sticking to the left (which in this case is straight) and saving the right passage for later. As Talmut summons another Dolphin, the entire group to the end of the hallway (J19). The water is dark and cloudy, but you're fairly sure you've come to the wider hallway the elemental described. You're barely able to make out one of the statues that were said to line that side of the wide hall.

If you were to turn right here, the wide hall should continue on, with statue after statue on your left. Corpses and fishes should be waiting up ahead ... but the party won't be turning right; not yet. They will save that direction for later, as it is their policy to always go left, first. 

For that matter, peering through the cloudy water to your left, you can almost make out the arch at the end the wide hall. According to what the elemental reported, that archway should lead into a larger room -- one that connect to another room through a couple of smaller arches. One of those rooms should be under the hole you found on the floor above, but the two rooms together should be home to a trio of giant eels.

---

OOC: Are you ready to dart into the room you the south (G21-J25)? Did you want to something else while you're still out in the hall? As I understand it, the plan is for Elodie to try and pacify the eels with Wild Empathy? Everyone else is going to wait and see how it goes? Is Talmut or Jeremiah going to ready an action? If so, post the action and the trigger.

---

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will ready an action to fire an arrow at one of the eels if Elodies wild empathy fails.

OOC: Can Jeremiah assist with wild empathy, are there rules for this or no?


GM Edit: OOC: If you describe HOW he is helping, I will decide whether it possible or not. Remember, we're not using the standard Aid rules. If Jeremiah's actions could be helpful, then a roll would be required to successful give Elodie a bonus. If it seems like his actions would definitely be helpful, then I would just give Elodie a bonus, flat out ... but if it seems like his actions would be harmful to the cause, then I might assign a penalty to her attempt.

Reply OOC: I will not try to aid

[Swifthand]

Talmut will ready an action to Acid Bolt one of the eels if Elodie's wild empathy fails.  He will also command the dolphin to attack.

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