[Pathfinder] Hewligan's Rise of the Runelords: The Hook Mountain Massacre

[frostrune]

Jokad takes another tasteless bite of hardtac and chews methodically; washing it down with copious ammounts of cool water. He stares at the map they have created on the floor of the cave and goes over the plan one more time...

"...so we head in through the waterfall, smoke out the lizards, and sneak into the fort during the chaos. Make our way to Shalelu as quickly and as quietly as we can then assess and improvise from there."

"Depending on Shalelu's, and any other survivors', condition we most likely need to the make our way to the secret exit and escape."

"Everybody now has a pretty good idea of the layout and the various means in and out. If for some reason we get separated, make for the nearest, best escape route. It does no one any good if we all make our last stand in there."

"Danth, Kael... if you guys have some magic that will improve our stealth, that would be all the better."

"Now for a few details... We go in by day; this neutralizes the ogres advantage of sight and might actually catch a few of them napping. We leave our horses saddled in a copse of trees a few hundred yards SW of the falls. Each of us will have to carry some firewood and try and keep it as dry as we can. Everybody carefully slice open their water skins and stuff as much dry kindling in them as you can. Wet wood may not be a big problem if we can keep the kindling dry to start it."

"Other than that... <he shrugs> sharpen your blades and check your fletchings. I doubt the way out will be nearly as smooth as the way in."


OOC: just trying to keep things moving. I think we were all in agreement on the plan (more or less) so I went with it and added a couple things. Any objections, let her rip.

 

[Fenris]

OOC: Can the ogres fit into the secret tunnels? If they are small enough we can stash Shalelu in the tunnel as we fight.

I was thinking that jakardos and I could go through the other tunnel, get a two prong attack.

 

[hewligan]

Just more Fort rumours: The shocker lizards are relatively nonagressive as long as intruders move slowly through the warrens, don’t approach too closely to any of the several egg mounds in the caves, and don’t hurt the lizards. If any of these conditions are broken, the dozen adult lizards in the warrens quickly rise to the defense of their home. A young Arrow was lost to them a couple of years ago, getting drunk and deciding he would bring back the tail of one (rumour is that you can pull a tail off pretty easily). He never resurfaced.

The lizards have established a fairly stable ecosystem here, feeding happily on the grubs, cockroaches, and centipedes that scuttle around the caves. The fact that their presence keeps these vermin from infesting the keep above was enough (barely) for the rest of the Black Arrows to leave the lizards be, but during shocker lizard mating season the rangers took care to light stacks of bitterbark wood chips (the scent of which the lizards find repugnant) to keep them from swarming up into the castle.

This is not mating season, so you will probably have to make them aggressive. Also, they live below the 'secret' tunnel behind the waterfall, accessed via the secret tunnel.

Given your strong local knowledge (and support from Vale and Jakardos), it should be easy for you to find enough of the bitterbark nearby that the lizards so detest.
Shall I move things on now to the next stage (moving into the tunnel)?

 

[Fenris]

Shall I move things on now to the next stage (moving into the tunnel)?

OOC: I am good with that.

 

[Rhun]

OOC: I am good with moving along as well. I just need to get Danth's spells for the day chosen.

 

[hewligan]

OOC: Sorry - no post today. I will do the big update tomorrow. I am 3 weeks into a new job, and the hours are pretty crushing at the moment.

 

[hewligan]

Vale leads the way. The group hunched, against the wind and rain, but also to protect the bundles of wood they carry under their cloaks, and perhaps in part as a natural reflex as they try to creep towards the fort unseen.

They skirt along side a small ridge of tumbledown hedges, and head towards the small lake at the southern part of the fort wall.

What once might have been a crystal-clear mountain lake has become an abattoir. Partially butchered and mutilated bodies, some human, some horse, some giant eagle, lie sprawled along the shore. A waterfall plummets from the cliffs to the west into the pool, which keeps much of the water clean save for near the shores where the dead lie thick.

Vale points. "Behind there" he offers. A man of few words.

The group follow him as he steps into the lake. In full view of the walls now, if an ogre were to patrol this section they would be seen in seconds. But nobody is patrolling. Nobody is visible on this section of wall at all.

Vale wades along the edge of the lake towards the narrow point where the waterfall thunders down. He is knee deep in water, and then clambers over some large rocks, using one hand to steady himself, the other holding his cloak over the wood.

He pushes on into, and then through the waterfall.

The rest of you follow.

The floor of this cave is dotted with puddles. Patches of pale moss and fungus grow in sheets on the wall, while to the north, a five-foot- widepassagewayanglesupintodarkness.Awalkwayofsoggyplanks leads from this opening southeast to a second opening curtained by cascades of falling water.

Some of you have been more successful at keeping your wooden bundles dry than others, but the idea to keep the kindling in the water-skins proved to be a good one, and at least you have a good quantity of that.

So.... you are in. Now what?

 

[frostrune]

OOC: I should think we will head deeper into the caves toward the fort. From the map it would appear there are two secret exits from the cave network. I think it would make sense for us to drive the lizards out the furthest one (near area B5) and we sneak out near B37 while the confusion is on the far side of the fort. If the lizards are closer to B37 exit maybe we flip this plan?

Anyway, I think we need to scout the caves a bit and get the lay of the land, learn where the lizards are, how easy each of the exits are to access, .. etc. Maybe only the guys with decent stealth should do the scouting like Jovik and Jakardos. Vale and I can stay with Danth, Kael, and the animals.

Just an idea...

 

[hewligan]

You move forward silently, Jovik and Jakardos leading the way. Behind, Jokad cannot help himself, and slips on the incredibly slick surface in the cave. He falls heavily, the terrible spear he carries clanging loudly and echoing through the caverns. Everyone stops. Jokad curses under his breath. Silence falls.

Then you hear a noise. A scampering, as if something just beyond the cavern has fled. The noise fades, and silence once again .... well, apart from the crashing water of the waterfall outside.

Jokad rises, shrugs apologetically, and moves forward. Jovik rolls his eyes sarcastically at his friend, no malice in the action.

B13: The floor, walls, and ceiling of this cool, damp cave are coated from floor to ceiling in soft, dark gray fungus. Several crates are stacked in a nook to the northwest. Jakardos gathers everyone around and explains that this cave was used by the Black Arrows to store additional weapons in the event of a siege. Unfortunately, given the large amount of weapons still stored here untouched, it is clear that the ogres’ assault on the keep came with such sudden force that there was no opportunity to utilise the cache.

To the right is a winding passage that curves down deeper into the bowels of the rock (this was the area that frostrune assumed was another entrance to the fort ... it isn't - or at least no the main one - see below). This, Jakardos explains, is the entrance to the shocker lizards area. There is a small crack here that, with a climb (DC20), does open out into the fort (the "S"), but quite high up on the cliff, and a little exposed, and requiring a further DC25 climb down (20 feet).

Ahead, to the north, is a wider passage that leads to the secret entrance to the fort.

OOC: You can search the weapons here if you want to grab anything, or move forward towards B14, or move down into the shocker lizard lair. Note though, that if you plan to smoke them out towards the fort you need to block their way into B12!

 

[Rhun]

Danth looks around the cavern, Crimson Dawn flaming in hand, casting a flickering reddish-gold light about the area. "How do we ensure that we smoke the lizards out ito the fort?" he asks. The cleric turns to look at Kael. "Perhaps some webbing, to block their path and force them into the right direction?"


[sblock=Spells Readied]
- Level 0: Detect Magic, Light, Guidance, Read Magic
- Level 1: Obscuring Mist, Bless, Shield of Faith, Divine Favor + (d) Cure Light Wounds
- Level 2: Deific Vengeance (CD), Hold Person, Bull's Strength, Silence + (d) Heat Metal
- Level 3: Summon Monster III, Magic Circle vrs Evil, Dispel Magic + (d)Searing Light
- Level 4: Holy Smite, Summon Monster IV + (d) Fire Shield[/sblock]