(5.24 PBP) Vault of the Dracolich (IC) Redux

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

Every time Merrick moved one of the larger rocks in the pile that had once looked like a dracolich, a small cloud of noxious fumes would assault his senses, and he retched. To make matters worse, much of it crumbled to gravel as he worked. After a few attempts, with his head and stomach spinning circles, he concluded that there was nothing to find - or if their was, it was going to be a lot of work; an hour or more.

Torkhak further terrorized the kobolds by appearing and disappearing, which did little to help Shamal in trying to maintain their tenuous alliance, but it worked to stop them from forming any kind of lynch-mob.

Eventually, Chief Urbone returned to the scene, and he said, "You are mighty, indeed! You have defeated the false-Dragon, sent by our enemies. But in doing so, you have angered the Great Dretchroyaster! You must leave, so that His wrath will follow YOU. Perhaps you can turn it against the Cult, but you can't keep it focussed HERE!"

He indicated three directions that the party could go - Back outside the way they came, through the transporter, or down a steep tunnel in the northern part of the cavern, past his Chief's Hut, that let westward and down, on a slippery-looking steep gravel pathway, that practically looked like a pit trap.

This last was his suggestion, and when he was not speaking publicly, he said to Shamal, "They come and take kobolds this way, to work at a dig-site. It is part of our peace agreement with them, but we do not like it."

OOC: Out, down, or through?

 

[Kobold Stew]

Urgan nodded to the chief. "That can't be a happy arrangement. If we succeed in our goals, your obligation to the cult will be ended." He paused, hoping that would be persuasive for the next thing he was going to ask. "We don't know what's at the other end of the teleporter," he began, "and so I suggest we proceed carefully along the path. Perhaps there is one of your subjects who can lead the way for us?"

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Infiltrate

Getan was just waking up on the stairs when Terrin brought his staff down on him, but the mercenary was a capable sort, and he blocked the blow with his vambraces before kicking at Terrin as the cleric retreated down the stairs out of the reach of his legs. He climbed to his feet, drawing a hand-axe, and said, "I knew there was something off about you. Yeah, I couldn't quite place it. There's a lot of us coming an' going. But you just weren't quite the right sort."

He lunged down the stairs, swinging his axe. Terrin ducked his first blow, which struck the stone wall with a spark, but then he swiftly brought it back, hitting Terrin in the cheek with the back of the blade.

On Lorent's instruction, Saphirrion clawed at the purple-glowing mercenary with celestial fury. The man screamed as the claws burned deep, smoking slashes into his skin, and he fell to the ground dead. The Drow gave both Copper and the sphynx a steely look of acknowledgement, which coming from a Drow, was akin to a show of great gratitude. He reached down and picked up the mercenary's short sword, and gave it a few side-to-side swings to check its weight. Satisfied, he shrugged and leaped forward into the fray, coming up behind Rowlow who had just ducked Copper's attempt to shoot him with an arrow.

Rowlow turned to meet the drow. He kept his crossbow in his off-hand and he blocked the Drow's first lunge with it. Then he unhooked a battle-axe from his belt and spun it around, swinging it at the Drow's head. Stryke rolled to the side and came up from low, thrusting the blade at Rowlow's groin, but the veteran mercenary caught it with the hook of his axe, and the two blades slid off each other with a ringing noise.

Lorent called up the stairs, using a pitch-perfect impression of Rowlow while striking him in a shoulder with an eldritch bolt. The grizzled mercenary's voice reached Siobhan, who had started to show interest in the commotion. It may have been Lorent's intent to get her to stay at her guard-post, but it had unfortunate consequences. She turned and banged three times on the door behind her. Though no one downstairs could see any of this, they could hear its ominous thumping.

"Give me those keys!" shouted one of the cultists, who drew a long knife etched with runes and rushed toward Copper. He hadn't seen the ball-bearings and he slid on them, falling over the sewer-grating that was at Copper's feet. Undeterred, he swiped his blade at the goliath's legs, and scored a gash that festered with magical necrosis.

The other cultist, who's face was twisted with a magic spell to make it so that he could breathe poison like a green dragon, adjusted his footing and breathed again, this time getting Terrin as well as Lorent in his cloud of noxious gas.

OOC: Woof. This was a big one. M2 is dead. Stryke & Rowlow missed each other. Getan got Terrin for 5. F2 got Copper for 4 Slashing & 3 Necrotic. Lorent & Terrin take 15 Poison (dc12 DEX Saves for 1/2) from F1's Dragon Breath. By my calculation, Terrin will drop if he fails the save, but just. This is going to be tough to win.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

GM: TEAM INFILTRATE Encounter: Prison Time: ~16:05 on 4 Tarsakh 1483DR

Spoiler: Map

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain Tables.
Cover Walls
Hazards Portcullis (currently open)
Visibility Bright within 10ft of the card table (hanging brazier); Dim otherwise (Torches).

Spoiler: Allies

(PCs)
Copper AC:14 HP:18/31 HD:4/4 PP:14 CloudJ:2/2 Spd.35'
Lorent AC:14 HP:7 or 15/27 HD:4/4 PP:12.DV60 SSdc13 1/2 MC:1/1 HL:5/5
Terrin AC:15* HP:0 or 8/31 HD:4/4 PP:14 SSdc14 3/4 3/3 CD:2/2 Slp:0/1
(NPCs)
Saphirion AC:13 HP:14/24 PP:11.DV60 DM:1/1 BoI: 2/2
Stryke AC:15 HP:32/32 PP:15.DV

Spoiler: Enemies

(BGs)
Cultists AC:13 HP:12ea PP:11
-C1 12/12 (Imprisoned); C2 0/12 Dead
Fanatics AC:13 HP:44/44 PP:12
-F1 44/44 DV; F2 44/44 (Prone)
Rowlow AC:16 HP:50/54 PP:12
Mercs AC:14 HP:16ea PP:11
-M1 16/16; M2 0/16 Dead

GM: Begin Round Three

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

The Chief looked around. Nearly all of the kobolds were out of sight, cowering in their tents or quite literally under rocks. His own two bodyguards were there, but he was not about to give them up. He spotted a muzzled face peeking out from behind a rock, and he ordered (his spell translating from the draconic): "You there! You have been to the dig-site? Well, then! Show our heroes the way!"

The kobold came out, meekly, and began to descend into the western tunnel, with only a single chirping noise in acknowledgement of his task.

OOC: West it is?

 

[Hriston]

Spoiler: Terrin, Team Infiltrate

Terrin AC:15* HP:8/31 HD:4/4 PP:14 SSdc14 3/4 3/3 CD:2/2 Slp:0/1

Poison gas hits Terrin's lungs causing his body to twist involuntarily in a desperate attempt to find a pocket of clean air.

OOC: Dexterity : 1D20 = [16] = 16 Phew!

He gasps and once again intones a word that is long and complex and altogether unpleasant sounding as saliva drips from his mouth, and water from his eyes, as healing energy flows into him, repairing the damage done to his membranes.

Seeing that Getan is the better warrior, and hearing what can only be a call for reinforcements sounding from the room above, Terrin judges retreat to be their best option, remembering the small door in the northern wall of the storeroom, and hopes the portcullis can be used to slow down their enemies. He backs away from Getan, holding up his shield as he makes for the center of the room, scanning around for the mechanism that will lower the portcullis.

OOC: Terrin cast healing word on himself. Healing: 2D4+7 = [2, 2]+7 = 11 He takes the Disengage action and moves to AN-68.

"Friend," he says to the dark elf, hoping he understands.

OOC: Terrin AC:15* HP:19/31 HD:4/4 PP:14 SSdc14 2/4 3/3 CD:2/2 Slp:0/1

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The Drow acknowledged Terrin as the cleric slipped past him and Rowlow, locked for the moment in a death-match. He glanced over his shoulder and saw what Terrin was thinking, looking toward the storeroom and the hallway that separated them, with its raised iron gate.

"This idea you have," he said to Terrin in a hushed, heavily accented common, "It is a good one, I think."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Lake

Aywin was quick to act, thrusting his pike into the newly arrived, newly burned by moonlight cultist, who fell backward into the lake. He struggled to get out, finally finding his way to the bank, only to be shot by Shade-9. He survived both the arrow and the lake, but he spent so much time pulling biting fish out of his gambeson, that he had no time for anything else.

His companions fared no better, as one mercenary fell to Bjorn's moonbeam, and another to Loklafd's spear. The cultist who had transported with him only barely escaped the moonbeam, and was suddenly teleported to a spot above the lake. He fell in, and was immediately surrounded by many fish, which chewed at his exposed face, neck, and hands as he struggled to regain the surface.

OOC: That round did NOT go well for the bad guys! Loklafd was scratched for 4 by a mercenary's sword before he stabbed the guy to death with his spear. A lot of failed saving throws, too. I bet Team Infiltrate wishes they were Team Lake right now! (Not that they would have while you were navigating the river!)

 

[FitzTheRuke]

OOC: Almost forgot to mention...

Guldred had been lurking in the shadowy crevices along the bank, and when Shade-9 searched for a spot to take refuge in, the lizardfolk beckoned him to take his, and them moved northward to the next nearest dark hollow in the cavern's uneven walls.

GM: TEAM LAKE Encounter: Transportations in the Upper Lake Time: ~15:45 on 4 Tarsakh 1483DR

Spoiler: Map

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain Muddy Banks
Cover Transporter, Walls
Hazards Disadvantage on DEX Saves while standing on slippery mud.
Visibility Bright within 20ft of Darius, Dim within 40ft of Darius. Dark beyond.

Spoiler: Allies

(PCs)
Aywin AC:17 HP:38/33(38) THP:12/12 HD:4/4 PP:13.DV60 SSdc13 p2/2 w2/2 Sh:1/1 FF/Lv.1/1 LoH:5/5 Spd.35' Aid:to 22:10
Bjorn AC:17* HP:42/43(48) THP:0/12 HD:4/4 PP:15.DV SSdc13 4/4 2/3 WS:1/2 SC:2/2
Darius AC:15 HP:34/34 HD:4/4 PP:11 SSdc13 4/4 3/3 PED(d6):3/4 PM:2/2 MS:1/1 Lk:2/2
Shade-9 AC:16 HP:38/38 HD:4/4 PP:14.DV SSdc13 3/3 DA:2/3 HM:1/2 Lk:2/2
(NPCs)
Bill AC:13 HP:1/1 PP:13.DV60
Loklafd AC:15 HP:15/33 HD:2/4 PP:13
Svetlana AC:13 HP:21/21 HD:6/6 PP:11.DV120 Fly.40

Spoiler: Enemies

(BGs)
Schools of Biting Fish AC:12 HP:33ea PP:11.BS40
-BF1 33/33; BF2 33/33
Mercenaries AC:15 HP: 27ea PP:11
-M1 0/27 Dead; M2 0/27 Dead
Fanatics AC:15 HP: 44ea PP:13
-F1 11/44; F2 13/44

GM: Begin Round Four

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

As Urgan, Shamal, and Merrick began to follow the meek kobold through the north-western passage, Chief Urbone returned to his Chief's Hutt, where he watched them go from a raised platform near his door. His bodyguards returned to their posts by the "gate" in front of his sharpened-spike "palisade".

They had never been this far west in the northern cavern, having earlier been escorted right to the Chief's Hut. Now, they noticed a few things that the kobolds had never mentioned. One was a tunnel high in the north-eastern wall, perhaps something like a "chimney", it was so steep a climb (which may have been why they didn't mention it as an exit option).

The other was a dark depression to the south-west of the Chief's Hut. This was wide and low, but appeared to possibly open taller as it went on to areas unknown.

Also, there were more kobolds peeking out of their tents in a northern cavern. These kobolds were slightly better fed and equipped than the ones to the south. This was the closest they'd seen to a proper "guard post". These kobolds had been at the celebration (or so it seemed likely) but were more like the kobolds that guarded the Chief, or perhaps like the few that they had met at the cave entrance, than the 'average' kobold that had so swarmed the celebration before disappearing when the 'Dragon' had arrived.

Spoiler: Map

Note: These are ALL far less accessible than the map tries to make them look. 1) The way to the 'dig site' (the way the kobold will lead you). It travels steeply downward. 2) A low (perhaps 3-foot ceiling) but wide tunnel that starts in a depression (so you can almost not see it at all) but then starts to gain headroom as it travels downward. 3) A "chimney" tunnel - it starts high and travels higher, going up and away.