Having sealed the secret passage to the chief's quarters and set up camp in Balgron's quarters, the hours pass uneventfully for those on watch. The beds, while bug ridden, are no worse than others you have slept in and you awake well rested.
You have taken an extended rest, so you have your encounters and dailies reset. You are back up to a full complement of healing surges again and one action point.
Whoever slept on Balgron's bed also finds a silver mirror that seems oddly out of place, with markings of some sort engraved into the back. (Arcana DC 14 or History DC 16 will do it)
Akarr recalls that the Nerathian Empire in it's peak had a court appointed magic user at most of it's outposts, with mirrors that allowed communication between it's various castles and their lords. This mirror seems to match the descriptions that you have heard of them.
Nex continues snoring lightly through the conversation, unconsciously balling up his pad around his head to block out the noise and savor every last moment of sleep before the inevitable happens and he is forced to wake.
susan on
2010 PAX DM Challenge Grand Champion 2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
Samhradh watches amusedly as the smooth-skins show their usual enthusiasm for shiny things.
Brody on
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Okay, so here is a map of where you have explored in the keep thus far.
You've two areas you haven't been so far, the stairs leading down from the guard room at the entrance of the keep and the steps leading from the passage to the room the other goblins were excavating.
Thud votes for the stairs closest to the party now. The ones just south of the set of secret doors we chased Balgron through.
Did we get any loot from the Goblin & Drake battle? I don't remember.
Thud also wants to check out his singed beard in the mirror, and find out if he lost any emerald beads, but will wait until the others figure it all out first.
Edit: I just remembered that the reason I use a Craghammer is because its a brutal 2 weapon, yet I have never remembered to reroll 1's or 2's for my damage rolls. Should I bother, or just consider that die to be a 3 and go from there?
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
So is Splug basically the generic shopkeeper NPC?
Also, I think maybe we should go for the other stairs. If we head down here, its likely to be closer to the heart of whatever. Which although means we can kill it faster, its also sorta like the butcher from D1, if you need to run, its really nice if everything else is dead.
Brody on
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
I think both stairs lead "down". Although, the stairs on the left are much closer to the entrance, and so basic dungeon sense says that they are less likely to lead anywhere too climactic and horrible.
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
I think both stairs lead "down". Although, the stairs on the left are much closer to the entrance, and so basic dungeon sense says that they are less likely to lead anywhere too climactic and horrible.
Exactly.
And my issue with the butcher is I would always screw it up some how. Usually by leaving a door open.
Brody on
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Hey....thats a good idea. At least one of us is thinking!
"Oi, Splug! There's these two sets o' stairs leading down to another level o' the dungeon. Whats the story? Whaddya know about them? I know the one back by the entrance leads to some undead, right? Thats what ya told us afore, yeah? So whats down these stairs here?" Thud asks of Splug, pointing down the hallway towards the set of stairs in question.
Splug's eyes light up at the mention of a reward, before he adopts a terribly transparent look of humility.
"Masters need not reward Splug, serving it's it's own greatest reward.....though Splug would not say no to something extra...." Twisting his bonnet in both his grimy hands he recalls the details of the area. "Bad things down stairs from the guard room, very quiet but sometimes hear moaning. The steps near here" He points towards the secret passage. "Lead to some caves. They used to be safe but many big rats lately, many goblins lost."
"Hmm... If we're going after a Necromancer, the moaning would suggest that is the path we ought to take. The alternate explanation for the noise is equally enticing, too. Guardroom stairs, then?"
susan on
2010 PAX DM Challenge Grand Champion 2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
"What's a necromancer, and why would he be causing moaning?"
Somewhat confused, Samhradh finishes his morning preparations.
Brody on
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Thud had voted for the other stairs, just south of our campsite, but is willing to go to the guard room stairs.
Splug mentioned to us earlier, that there were Undead down the stairs from the guard room. Meta-Gaming tells me that facing the undead is the next stage of the dungeon, and picking off some "rats" is not.
Caves it is! Splug can't sell things for you, being a goblin the Winterhaven guards would more likely stick an arrow in him with all the trouble they've been having with bandits lately. But he's good at fetching things, like sticks and chocolate mochas. If you do want to buy or sell things you can return to Winterhaven. (And probably should at some stage)
Exiting from the secret passage from Balgron's lair to the hallway leading to the room that was being excavated you notice that the keep has fallen into pitch black darkness, the torches set in brackets along the walls have burned out with no one to tend them.
Feeling your way down the corridor, you arrive at the entrance to the cave. In peculiar contrast to the rest of the keep, it glows with a faint pulsing light from some sort of small phosphorescent lichen among the moss that has grown after the course of years once the keep was abandoned. While the entrance is cut square to the hallway the roof and walls have been left natural with steps hewn from the rock to promote passage two abreast, suggesting that the builders took advantage of a natural cave. The moss muffes your footfalls as you descend in the strange but dim light of the lichen.
Nature/Dungeoneering/Healing check (DC:12/15/15)
The lichen is Pendle's Light, a slightly uncommon plant found in some caves that gives off a dim glow. Bright light will cause it to immediately extinguish it's own, explaining why you didn't notice it earlier. It does have some restorative qualities, if you manage to scrape up enough to fill a vial it will let you spend a healing surge for free as well as restoring two healing surges. Unfortunately due to it's toxicity it is only safe to do so once a day and exposure to sunlight will render it useless. A merchant in Winterhaven would have the vials for sale, or Splug may know where to find some in here. Or if you've used a healing potion so far the empty vial for that would do the trick.
At the bottom of the steps the passage opens up into a much larger space in which you can make out shapes and outlines in the darkness. As your eyes adjust to the light once more you can see the scene in greater detail. Stalagmites and stalagtites emerge from the floor and ceiling (Nature/Dungeoneering to be able to say which ones come out of the roof! :P) while rocky debris clutters the floor of the chamber. In the corner to your right some broken lengths of wood and coils of wire banding (which your resident brewer recognises as those used to hold kegs together) suggest that this was used as a natural storage chamber by the keep's owners.
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
After taking a moment to adjust to the dim light, Samhradh immediately recognizes the lichen and points out its various traits to the other group members.
Dungeoneering to figure out the what the lichen is = 12 Crap.
Thud's eyes wander across the various patches of linen as Samhradh explains about Pendles Light. "Hm. This here lichen could come in handy. Does anyone have a spare vial?" Thud asks, searching his kit.
Kelor: Since Thud loves him some beer, and while I can't quote a post I'm sure Thud has a couple of roadies in his pack somewhere. Can emply ale flasks be used? Or, since Thud is a brewer by nature, would he have spare potion vials in his kit?
Dungeoneering to figure out the stactite and stalagmite question = 25 Thank Moradin the dwarf didn't fail that one!
"Sniff Sniff, Ye gods! This place would make a fine dwarven brewery! Smell that? The moisture! The rot! The fungus would grow true in this cave and brew a stong and heady ale! And it looks like someone else figured out that good drink would store well here! First thing though is ta make sure these stalactites don't fall on yer noggin, hah!"
Empty ale flasks wouldn't quite work, but I'm sure he's got a couple of metal hip flasks on him. Splug can scrounge up 1d6 worth of vials if you want to send him off, though he'll need a lightsource of some kind.
I was only joking about the stalagmite/stalagtite check but they are floor and roof respectively.
As the party works their way into the cave through the densely packed spires of stone you find that it is roughly square in shape, with a very wide stone center supporting the roof. Three things are of note, along one side of the room is a large pile of bones along with smaller ones dotted about the rest of the room. The south wall opposite the stairs has what appears to be a very large hole burrowed into (or out of) it. The western wall has a wooden door that has had a crude keep out symbol painted on it with the added warning to "Keep Out!" To further prevent entry the door has been boarded shut with pieces of wood and nails.
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
edited June 2010
Any chance we know what the bones are from?
Brody on
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Posts
You have taken an extended rest, so you have your encounters and dailies reset. You are back up to a full complement of healing surges again and one action point.
Whoever slept on Balgron's bed also finds a silver mirror that seems oddly out of place, with markings of some sort engraved into the back. (Arcana DC 14 or History DC 16 will do it)
1d20+10=19
Thud spends a few moments in a quiet corner in prayer to Moradin. Once complete, Thud is ready for more adventuring!
Akarr recalls that the Nerathian Empire in it's peak had a court appointed magic user at most of it's outposts, with mirrors that allowed communication between it's various castles and their lords. This mirror seems to match the descriptions that you have heard of them.
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
"Hmmm, looks like a simple mirror."
You've two areas you haven't been so far, the stairs leading down from the guard room at the entrance of the keep and the steps leading from the passage to the room the other goblins were excavating.
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
Did we get any loot from the Goblin & Drake battle? I don't remember.
Thud also wants to check out his singed beard in the mirror, and find out if he lost any emerald beads, but will wait until the others figure it all out first.
Edit: I just remembered that the reason I use a Craghammer is because its a brutal 2 weapon, yet I have never remembered to reroll 1's or 2's for my damage rolls. Should I bother, or just consider that die to be a 3 and go from there?
Also, I think maybe we should go for the other stairs. If we head down here, its likely to be closer to the heart of whatever. Which although means we can kill it faster, its also sorta like the butcher from D1, if you need to run, its really nice if everything else is dead.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Personally the first thing I did before facing the butcher was find a bow and a wall that involved metal bars with a door set in it.
Exactly.
And my issue with the butcher is I would always screw it up some how. Usually by leaving a door open.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
"Oi, Splug! There's these two sets o' stairs leading down to another level o' the dungeon. Whats the story? Whaddya know about them? I know the one back by the entrance leads to some undead, right? Thats what ya told us afore, yeah? So whats down these stairs here?" Thud asks of Splug, pointing down the hallway towards the set of stairs in question.
"Good thinking, Thud," Aieldar says to his companion with a smile, trying to hide his disgust with himself.
He turns his attention to their green companion, "Yeah, anything you know would definitely help us out. We will of course make it worth your while."
"Masters need not reward Splug, serving it's it's own greatest reward.....though Splug would not say no to something extra...." Twisting his bonnet in both his grimy hands he recalls the details of the area. "Bad things down stairs from the guard room, very quiet but sometimes hear moaning. The steps near here" He points towards the secret passage. "Lead to some caves. They used to be safe but many big rats lately, many goblins lost."
"Bad things, you say?" He looks the Goblin up and down, quizzically.
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
Somewhat confused, Samhradh finishes his morning preparations.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
[tiny]I just need to know so I can populate the direction you with a writhing mass of beasties.[/tiny]
Splug mentioned to us earlier, that there were Undead down the stairs from the guard room. Meta-Gaming tells me that facing the undead is the next stage of the dungeon, and picking off some "rats" is not.
South stairs to clean out the rats, before taking on the Undead.
Akarr rouses to his feet after a much needed rest and makes motions to follow Thud.
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Exiting from the secret passage from Balgron's lair to the hallway leading to the room that was being excavated you notice that the keep has fallen into pitch black darkness, the torches set in brackets along the walls have burned out with no one to tend them.
Feeling your way down the corridor, you arrive at the entrance to the cave. In peculiar contrast to the rest of the keep, it glows with a faint pulsing light from some sort of small phosphorescent lichen among the moss that has grown after the course of years once the keep was abandoned. While the entrance is cut square to the hallway the roof and walls have been left natural with steps hewn from the rock to promote passage two abreast, suggesting that the builders took advantage of a natural cave. The moss muffes your footfalls as you descend in the strange but dim light of the lichen.
Nature/Dungeoneering/Healing check (DC:12/15/15)
At the bottom of the steps the passage opens up into a much larger space in which you can make out shapes and outlines in the darkness. As your eyes adjust to the light once more you can see the scene in greater detail. Stalagmites and stalagtites emerge from the floor and ceiling (Nature/Dungeoneering to be able to say which ones come out of the roof! :P) while rocky debris clutters the floor of the chamber. In the corner to your right some broken lengths of wood and coils of wire banding (which your resident brewer recognises as those used to hold kegs together) suggest that this was used as a natural storage chamber by the keep's owners.
Nature: 1d20+11 26
Thats how we do nature checks boys.
Any exits from this cave?
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Thud's eyes wander across the various patches of linen as Samhradh explains about Pendles Light. "Hm. This here lichen could come in handy. Does anyone have a spare vial?" Thud asks, searching his kit.
Kelor: Since Thud loves him some beer, and while I can't quote a post I'm sure Thud has a couple of roadies in his pack somewhere. Can emply ale flasks be used? Or, since Thud is a brewer by nature, would he have spare potion vials in his kit?
Dungeoneering to figure out the stactite and stalagmite question = 25 Thank Moradin the dwarf didn't fail that one!
"Sniff Sniff, Ye gods! This place would make a fine dwarven brewery! Smell that? The moisture! The rot! The fungus would grow true in this cave and brew a stong and heady ale! And it looks like someone else figured out that good drink would store well here! First thing though is ta make sure these stalactites don't fall on yer noggin, hah!"
I was only joking about the stalagmite/stalagtite check but they are floor and roof respectively.
As the party works their way into the cave through the densely packed spires of stone you find that it is roughly square in shape, with a very wide stone center supporting the roof. Three things are of note, along one side of the room is a large pile of bones along with smaller ones dotted about the rest of the room. The south wall opposite the stairs has what appears to be a very large hole burrowed into (or out of) it. The western wall has a wooden door that has had a crude keep out symbol painted on it with the added warning to "Keep Out!" To further prevent entry the door has been boarded shut with pieces of wood and nails.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain