(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Necropolitan]

Zeth back ups slightly, hoping the toads wouldn't recognizing him reaching for his casting implement as a hostile act.

"Ah. Oh dear. At the very least you should communicate that we're dangerous and inedible. We don't have any fresh meat besides ourselves so our best bet is to get past them and be on our way before they decide to attack us."

 

[happylace]

"Understood," Alma nods.

She turns back to the frog and calls out in Deep Speech, "Our meat is toxic. If you consume us, you will die. Let us pass and we will cause no harm."

 

[Quickleaf]

"Understood," Alma nods.

She turns back to the frog and calls out in Deep Speech, "Our meat is toxic. If you consume us, you will die. Let us pass and we will cause no harm."

Letting out a quiet series of disappointed croaks, the ice toad pauses as if sniffing the air. While it is unable to vocalize in the Deep Speech, it can still reply to Alma telepathically using simple words of Deep Speech: "Bad meat? Rumbly belly... but no want smelly belly. No eats the greet treats... Glum glum is the belly jelly."

Waddling to the side, the ice toad, its eyes about neck high on a human or half-elf, watches you as if there's the off-chance you might be carrying a ham hock, jar of honey, or other delectable that you have not disclosed. A loud hungry call comes from the larger toad in the western passages, to which the ice toad responds with a low muttering of croaks. For now, it seems to have bought the ruse... but it's not backing away yet.

GM: For now the ice toad has bought your ruse. However, if your party tries to walk by it - getting close enough for it to smell and scrutinize you - you'll need to make a group DC 13 Deception or Intimidation check (meaning 3 or more of you must succeed either/or skill check) to convince it your "meat is toxic." Other tricks might work automatically in lieu of a skill roll. There's also the matter of the magic missile traps lining the passages that @VLAD the Destroyer hypothesized is triggered by detecting heat.

 

[happylace]

"My apologies. If we can find any good meat we will bring it back," Alma offers. "I am Alma Ostergaard, by the way. If you possess an identifying title or sound by which I can refer to you, it would be polite to inform us."

Switching back to Common, she relays the developments. "It seems placated for now, but I can't guarantee it will not see through our deception should we interact further. Please conduct yourselves mindfully."

 

[Quickleaf]

"My apologies. If we can find any good meat we will bring it back," Alma offers. "I am Alma Ostergaard, by the way. If you possess an identifying title or sound by which I can refer to you, it would be polite to inform us."

Switching back to Common, she relays the developments. "It seems placated for now, but I can't guarantee it will not see through our deception should we interact further. Please conduct yourselves mindfully."

After a long pause, the ice toad's throat expanding and contracting, it lets out a warbling visceral croak, "Kr-koa-kwat!" This must be... its name?

 

[happylace]

After a long pause, the ice toad's throat expanding and contracting, it lets out a warbling visceral croak, "Kr-koa-kwat!" This must be... its name?

Alma nods. "Pleasure to meet you, Krrrr-koh-ah-kwat," she returns in Deep Speech.

She turns back to Zeth, "It's name is Krrr-koh-ah-kwat."

 

[Necropolitan]

Zeth desperately tries to figure out if he should deal with the trap or bluffing the toads first.

He decides to try to figure out the trap, they can just kill the toads if need be but the trap will still be there.

"Right. Hold on, let me think."

Zeth wracks his brain for any ideas on how to disarm or otherwise deal with the trap.

He hates this whole situation, he doesn't deal with pressure well.

OOC: Arcana check 1D20+6 = [14]+6 = 20

 

[Neurotic]

"Focus on the toads. I'll deal with the trap."

Lumrolur check the area again, looking for tell-tale signs of a ward since the trap lit up when he entered it even hidden as he was. The rubble doesn't help and he moves aware of the toad watching him.

neurotic: 2D20H1 #lumrolurinvestigation → 10high 1 of 10; 9 = 10#Lumrolur investigation not great

 

[Quickleaf]

GM: Investigation DC 10 @Neurotic Without getting behind the walls, deconstructing the passages, uplifting heavy flagstones...it's hard to see beyond the surface of the stonework. However, your companion and fellow gnome Logrim had an idea (he posted this earlier) – that the magic missile trap is heat-triggered. Logrim seems to know the most about the traps in this dungeon, so it might be worth following up on your companion's idea.

GM: Arcana DC 20 @Necropolitan Like a storm-tossed wind, you let your mind flow over what you know so far about the trap & the dungeon, and translate that into arcane theories... The dungeon is (or was) a Temple to Dumathoin, the dwarven god of secrets under the mountain, before it was overrun by Akar Kessell's zombies some 50 years ago. Already, you've found secret doors, illusory walls, and a magically polymorphed chalice. Things may not be what they seem in this dungeon, but so far there has been a trick or solution - presumably that the priests of Dumathoin were able to exploit. However, these magic missile "weep hole" traps didn't prevent the temple from being overrun... and they didn't trigger on the ice toad or the zombie it was trying to eat. That suggests the traps were designed to repel some other creatures – monsters of the Underdark or thieves perhaps. That aligns with Logrim's theory that the trap is triggered by heat. Besides the dwarvish warriors, defenses seemed to have included some magic – such as the lightning glyph you encountered or the Scroll of Fortification that Alma found on the body of the dwarf mage Belleris Stornsharp. Belleris seems to have been a very capable mage, so IF there was a way to adapt the magic missile trap to target zombies (even temporarily), she surely would have done that if she could. Unfortunately, any evidence of zombies killed on this lowest level have likely been eaten by the ice toads. Strangely, the ice toads emit auras of extreme cold - perhaps some adaptation to the eternal Rime? This cold could damage you up close, though Aric's Bonfire spell seemed to interact with it in a curious way, creating a cloud of cool steam. The positioning of the trap's "weep holes" – at the very tops of the walls – is unusual placement. Magic missiles strike true regardless of whether aimed from high or low at a tall target or a short target. If the magic of the trap is influenced by the structure of the dungeon - for example, if water or fluid could flow into those weep holes from the chamber above... well, you're not sure what that might do. That the magic missile trap is still active after 50 years, suggests there is some kind of magical energy, or conduit, or battery sustaining the trap. You heard from Brydum that there is an Arcane Gem Press at the center of this lowest dungeon level – that seems like a potential source of magical energy. (the entrance is just barely visible around eastern passage: https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/6zKLF9hykZRT/TheSewedWay)

 

[Aethmud]

Switching back to Common, Alma relays the developments. "It seems placated for now, but I can't guarantee it will not see through our deception should we interact further. Please conduct yourselves mindfully."

"Good thinking, Alma. How about we strike a deal with our froggy friends? Let them know we're heading into the Underdark soon. If they join us, we can help them find some tastier, less toxic treats along the way. One bite of us, and they'll be croaking for a different reason!"

Jack's fingers dance through the air, weaving an illusion that makes his and Alma's mouths to appear, while speaking, to occasionally drip with a thick, iridescent black ichor that steams and hisses menacingly.