Re: Book One: Chapter Four: "Plots Unearthed"

[Malazek]

35? Right on the button

WOW...that is nasty.

"This Taalgarnuk truly was a trapmaster. This isn't going to be easy."

"Why not put your torch in one of the loops on Hound's armour, Verity?"

Davin cautiously leads the party ahead.

Perception=39

-Swift

[Malazek]

Alex has a globe light summoned. The glowing ball water spins casually at his shoulder.

---------
Light.

Vangg can tell it in his own words, but ... he knows their political structure is clan-based feudalism. Each of the Clans is ruled by a more-or-less hereditary Clanhead, who is in turn ruled by the hereditary king of all Dwarves. The current Dwarf King is called "Njörðr VIII" or "Njörðr the Saga" (a distant cousin of WoeGhar Diijungghar).

Despite being ostracized by his family for choosing the Queen over the Soulforger, Vangg isn't sure why a bunch of random Dwarfs would call him traitor. After all, Dwarves do worship the Raven Queen; they just typically hold Moradin in higher esteem than the other gods. What he did was considered disgraceful, but not traitorous (tho, befriending goblins and ogres might be deemed as such by several of his hate mongering kinsmen). ... But becoming a priest of the Raven Queen would not, in itself, brand him a traitor (though his once immediate family might say differently).

So, there is no established Dwarven priesthood devoted to the Queen. Was WoeGhar Diijungghar Vangg's father? Does that make his "family" the family of Njörðr VIII? This could be helpful for diplomacy, if you had an "in", but could be pretty bad, if your family has disowned you and branded you a traitor, heh.

-Swift

[Malazek]

"Aye, right, I shoulda' seen tha'." says the scarred veteran.

"Send tha' sneaky goblin tae tha' back tae watch fer' oor enemies, and keep Vanng wi' Davin. Alex, can ye' keep tha' globe o' wonders centered on tha' group, so as tae keep tha' torch on tha' dog? Tha's a guid lad.

Cinching his net about his torso, Mordax hefts his mallet with two hands and says "Steady there boyo's, we've a league uir two 'afore we sleep. Caem ye' tae any muir traps, Davin, mind ye' I can run thru an' set 'em off. Me armour's tha' match o' any trapmaster, greenskin or no."

[Malazek]

The tunnel continues on. Nearly fifty yards from the dart trap, however, the heroes come across a pit. It's not very far across (four or five feet at the most) and it's not very deep (maybe 20 feet deep) ... but at the bottom, the half-rotten remains of an armored dwarf lies impaled upon ichor covered spikes. His armor and pick look rather mundane, but his rune-covered belt catches Davin attention. He also notices the second, covered, pit just beyond the first (anyone leaping over this one would surely fall into that one).

[Malazek]

"Twin pits. There is another right after this one, placed to catch anyone who chose to leap. Easy to climb in and over, especially with our climbing kits. I think they are in your bag, Straegis."

I lower Hound down and then, using the kit, climb down behind him. Taking 10, I have a 21. I'll check out the dwarf while down there. Rinse and repeat on the other side (unless that pit is revealed to be something different).

[Malazek]

Davin lowers hound and then easily climbs down behind him. Checking out the dead dwarf, he discovers a purse full of coins: 77 gold, 210 silver, and and 200 coppers. He also finds some old moldy jerky and a pint of flat ale. The dwarf's backpack contains typical adventuring gear: rope, flint and steel, mildew-infested bed roll, two sunrods, and a waterskin full of stale water. It's weapons and armor are obviously of dwarven make, but are bent and dented beyond repair. Only the shiney, rune-etched, belt stands out.

Climbing back up the other side is easy enough, and it's no great struggle to haul Hound up afterwards. The next pit proves to be very similiar, albiet much deeper; nearly 50 feet! Still, it's no great task for a seasoned adventurer to scale down into it, and then back up and out the other side. He then hauls Hound safely up behind him.

Vangg's turn?

NOTE: There are six climbing kits..

[Malazek]

"Why not put your torch in one of the loops on Hound's armour, Verity?"

"Excellent idea."
Verity does just that.

"Straegis, Alex, did you keep the book with the hidden script telling the Terramancer's plans? The clan heads will need more than our word if we are to convince them that they were tricked by their own kind."

He will tuck away his shield in the bag of holding and pull from it a hammer and pitons to aid the climb.

[Malazek]

He will tuck away his shield in the bag of holding and pull from it a hammer and pitons to aid the climb.

Asraelbenzariel holds on tight as Verity descends into the the pit ... and out again, into the next, and out again. It's a more time comsuming climb with such a burden, but Verity makes it look easy.

OOC: Verity can make that by Taking-10.

[Malazek]

On that last ascent Verity asks, "So Asraelbenzariel, you can [grunt] speak already. Does that mean if you had [pant] room enough, you could fly?"
That hurdle complete, the death knight taps the angel's bony arm. "There you are herald, stretch your legs a bit."

[Malazek]

"I wonder if tha' dwarf were travelin' tha' other way, an' tried tae jump o'er tha' covered pit? A devious mind indeed, tae put two such traps together."

Grabbing Verity's arm when he pulls out the hammer and pitons, he continues "I dinnae think tha's a guid idea, lad. Tha' sound o' yuir hammer drivin' steel intae stone will travel far doon here."

OOC: Are there any protrusions on the wall, anything Mordax could string his net across with that would support the weight of an armored man?

[Malazek]

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance." He creates a watery hand, in addition to his globe light.

----------------
Mage Hand
----------------

"We can use this to pass each other our limited climbing kits."

----------------
Sure, we could throw them, but where is the style in that?
----------------

As Alex climbs down he freezes each piton in place to make sure its extra sturdy, in the hope that he is less likely to fall.

---------------
OOC: Can I make it by taking 10? (Wishful thinking, don't forget my +2 Jack of All Trades bonus!)

[Malazek]

"Mayhaps need ta tie 'round me waste an' lowers an' pull me's ta tha tops . . . stren'th be nots me bedamned strong points if'n ye knows. And 'fore ye say its, shut ye scat slurper Juugug."

[Malazek]

Straegis will climb down one side and back up the other, but not before carefully checking out the belt the Davin left to rot in the pit.

History: 1d20=4+15(s)=19
Arcana: 1d20=20+15(s)=35

[Malazek]

"Mayhaps need ta tie 'round me waste an' lowers an' pull me's ta tha tops . . . stren'th be nots me bedamned strong points if'n ye knows. And 'fore ye say its, shut ye scat slurper Juugug."

Verity lends his old mentor a hand as well.

[Malazek]

OOC: Are there any protrusions on the wall, anything Mordax could string his net across with that would support the weight of an armored man?

Not really; but it's worked stone, so you might be able to find a catch or two.

OOC: Can I make it by taking 10?

Yes.

[Malazek]

Straegis will climb down one side and back up the other, but not before carefully checking out the belt the Davin left to rot in the pit.
History: 1d20=4+15(s)=19 Arcana: 1d20=20+15(s)=35

Straegis does not recognize the belt as anything he's heard of before, but his study of it reveals something interesting; the runes are not Dwarven! The belt is Dwarfcrafted, the wearer is a Dwarf, but the runes on the belt are not. They've been deliberately drawn to resemble dwarven runes, but they are actually draconic runes. And the belt IS magical.

Straegis is the last to cross the pits, so everyone else waits while he examines the magical apparel.
Does he take the belt? Or leave it in the pit?

Either way ...

When Straegis is done in the pits, he climbs back out and rejoins his companions. From there, the tunnel continues on for forty or fifty feet before Davin hears the sound of running water.

About a hundred feet from the pit, the tunnel floor is flooded. It's not deep, but the shallow puddle covers the floor from wall to wall. Another narrow staircase waits on the otherside of the puddle.

But the sound of running water is coming from somewhere else; somewhere overhead. Of course, Davin takes a moment to examine the puddle, but finds nothing wrong, even after poking it with his shortsword.

Trepidatiously, the party presses on. Thankfully, nothing bad happens.

Davin examines the stairs with equal care, and finds nothing wrong there either; though the sound of running water is clearly coming from the top of these steps. Seeing no other options, Davin cautiously walks up the steep narrow staircase (thirty feet up); the rest of the heroes follow.

At the top of the stairs, the party finds themselves on a rough stone ledge, maybe 5 feet wide and extending 30 or 40 feet to either side. Before them stands a spacious cavern and an underground river. The cavern is hundreds of feet across, and nearly a hundred feet high in the center (stalactites dangling over the river below). The river isn't moving terribly fast, but it is moving fast enough to be dangerous. A thick white fog hovers over the water, making it difficult to see the other side; but with the Eyepatch, Davin can see right through it. There appears to be a raft of some sort moored on the otherside.

[Malazek]

"Me smells some'thin' fishy ahead."

Dungeoneering - take 10: 21

[Malazek]

"Me smells some'thin' fishy ahead."

Verity gets an idea. "Mordax perhaps with your net you could ca - oh, nevermind."
He digs some dried fish out of his bag and offers some to the angel. He then munches on a snack himself, thinking wistfully back to the warm breeze and sunshine of Jaru.

OCC: Hey Mal,
Can you put a person in a bag of holding? [PHB nor DMG specify.]
What do stonemeal bisquits do for you?
If Straegis doesn't grab the belt I do.

[Malazek]

Can you put a person in a bag of holding?

Yeah, I guess so. The bag holds 20 cubic feet; a person is probably around 3 cubic feet. The opening is only about the size of a backpack, but a determined person could squeeze in there. It wouldn't be very comfortable (or diginified), though.

What do stonemeal bisquits do for you?

Stonemeal Bisquits
This coarse dwarven fare tastes foul but keeps you going throughout the day.
Other Consumable 30 gp

Property: A single stonemeal biscuit weighs one-tenth of a pound and has the nutritional value of a full day’s worth of food.

Power (Consumable ✦ Healing): Standard Action. You eat the stonemeal biscuit. You gain a +1 power bonus on Endurance checks for 12 hours. In addition, you regain an extra 1 hit point the next time you spend a healing surge this day.

[Malazek]

"Me smells some'thin' fishy ahead."
Dungeoneering - take 10: 21

Underground rivers are much more dangerous than rivers above ground; they can completely fill the the caves they run through for miles and miles, making it impossible to get air; especially if you get swept up in a current. Vangg also knows that dangerous creatures live in underground rivers and lakes around these parts of the mountain range.

[Malazek]

Checking out the dead dwarf, he discovers a purse full of coins: 77 gold, 210 silver, and and 200 coppers. He also finds some old moldy jerky and a pint of flat ale. The dwarf's backpack contains typical adventuring gear: rope, flint and steel, mildew-infested bed roll, two sunrods, and a waterskin full of stale water.

Davin grabs the sunrods and, once past the pits, splits up the coin.

Everyone (including Juugug) add 11 gold, 30 silver, and 28 copper.

"There is a raft moored on the other side of the river. That means we are not alone. I don't see any other way forward, but we will need a closer look to be sure. It's getting late, perhaps we should retreat a bit and camp for the night. Staying here and keeping watch on that raft may not be a bad idea, either."

Taking 10 to aid Vangg on a Dungeoneering check "safe place to camp".

Coming to what looks to be the end of the "worked" portion of the tunnels, Davin feels a sense of relief and disappointment. The disappointment is echoed by the Eyepatch: it obviously enjoyed pitting itself against the Trapmaster's creations!

Vangg, would you guess this is the end of Taalgarnuk's section?"

Mal, how far of a climb down is it to the cavern floor below? Is there a "shore" or is it all river on this side of the cavern?

Edit - If we got up at 7:00am, we spent an extra 3 hours in Jaru, two hours to the fight with the Boulders, another two hours getting to and hanging with Harley, another 45 minutes to the goblin bridge, 8 hours to resurrect the baby angel of death, and another miscellaneous two hours in the cave temple and below? It's probably around midnight.

-Swift

[Malazek]

Straegis will remove the belt from the dwarf in hopes he can spend a little time later figuring out exactly what it is. If we decide to rest here, Straegis will take up watch so everyone else can get a full nights sleep.

[Malazek]

Vangg, would you guess this is the end of Taalgarnuk's section?"

Vangg does NOT think you've reached the end of Juugug's handiwork (but he can tell you that himself)..

Mal, how far of a climb down is it to the cavern floor below? Is there a "shore" or is it all river on this side of the cavern?

The stairs climb up to the "cavern floor" from the tunnel below; but the river occupies most of the cavern, The "shore" IS the rough stone ledge. (To be clear, I'm using the terms "shore" and "cavern floor" to refer to the same rocky ground that is both next to the river and at the top of the stairs; it's five foot by 70 foot, running along the cavern wall).

At the top of the stairs, the party finds themselves on a rough stone ledge, maybe 5 feet wide and extending 30 or 40 feet to either side. Before them stands a spacious cavern and an underground river. The cavern is hundreds of feet across, and nearly a hundred feet high in the center (stalactites dangling over the river below). The river isn't moving terribly fast, but it is moving fast enough to be dangerous. A thick white fog hovers over the water, making it difficult to see the other side; but with the Eyepatch, Davin can see right through it. There appears to be a raft of some sort moored on the otherside.

[Malazek]

"There is a raft moored on the other side of the river. That means we are not alone. I don't see any other way forward, but we will need a closer look to be sure. It's getting late, perhaps we should retreat a bit and camp for the night. Staying here and keeping watch on that raft may not be a bad idea, either."

Straegis will remove the belt from the dwarf in hopes he can spend a little time later figuring out exactly what it is. If we decide to rest here, Straegis will take up watch so everyone else can get a full nights sleep.

So ... retreating a bit? Or watching the raft? Both ideas have their strengths and weaknesses. Retreating should keep you hidden from view, but leaves you in a space too cramped for fighting. Camping here allows you see the raft, but leaves you visible to anything in or across the water. Ultimately, retreaing a bit proves the more attractive option, mainly due to all the cave bugs along the river. Nobody can sleep thinking bugs are crawling all over them (well, except maybe Davin; he's used to it).

Spread out along the tunnel, everyone gets to sleep. There isn't much room to roll around on the cold hard stone, so nobody sleeps very well; but still, it's been a long day, and the sleep was needed.

During the night, Straegis examines the belt. By stuyding the runes, he discerns that the belt affects the wearer's strength, but the configuration of the runes is unconventional. Ultimately, though, Straegis know that the only way to know what aunique item does is to try it out (but I got the impression he was trying to avoid putting it on).

In the morning, you pack up and prepare to continue on. Everybody notices that Azraelbenzariel is now eight feet tall! Getting him out of the tunnel proves to be a frustrating endeavor, but eventually you make it back to the river's edge.

Juggug asks "I 'member dis spot! 'Tis da furtherest in dees halls I've atravelled. So, how d'ye fig'r we gets acrost?"

[Malazek]

Assuming Straegis talks about the runes and discusses the belt...

"I think that belt IS the trap, Straegis. Those pits were too easy to find and overcome, and the Dwarf being in it doesn't make any sense. If the pits were in the middle of the Trapmaster's section, and the Dwarf came from the Dwarven Halls, he would have had to come through all the traps that wait to face us, only to die in the pit that we easily bypassed? Moreover, the Clanmaster's spirit told us that path was barred by great danger and riddles, and the Dwarves hadn't been able to travel that way. If the Dwarf came in the direction we did, either the caretakers of the Cave Temple threw the Dwarf down here to die (a rather sadistic choice for clergymen), or again, he overcame all the preceding traps, only to die in the simple pits."

"The body was half rotten, meaning that it is much older than the current Dwarven incursion. All it's gear is Dwarven and mundane, save the belt, which, though of Dwarven make, is enchanted with Draconic runes (Taalgarnuk's native tongue) disguised to look Dwarven."

"I think Taalgarnuk left the belt there to ensnare unwary intruders. I bet it's cursed."

-Swift

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