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

[Tonguez]

TEAM LAKE - SUBJECT:SHADE-9 - whats around the corner?

Shade-9 maintained a cautious pace, avoiding the entangling weeds and slick stone alike, his optics scanning as he tracked the water’s flow, shifts in the current and ripples indicating movement, the glint of light off rock, the fall of shadows.

"Second side tunnel, eastern wall. Unmapped." he noted, his voice low, and restrained "possible secondary sewer channel.

The lake widens ahead" he continued assessing whether the best course was to proceed north or to cross to the eastern side of the cavern "but visibility is disrupted, unknown risk, we will need caution - Aywin do we have reconnaissance?"

OOC: assuming I didnt hear what Svetlana said to Aywin so still unaware of the Lizardman. Its funny that Shade-9 finds himself optimised for total darkness but currently holding the Lightbringer - the poor things processor is facing a logic conflict so who wants the sword?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

The kobolds had been making a mad rush - over a dozen of them carrying spears, slings, and the occasional rusty sword - when Merrick addressed them in a booming voice, speaking draconic. They burst into a terrified panic, and many disappeared from view, never to return. After a brief time, a few brave among them came forward cautiously, with one in front holding a turtle-shell shield.

One spoke in a high, barking voice that used a crude dialect of draconic that Merrick sometimes found difficult to follow. It said, "Peace? Bah! No trust! No peace! Betrayers, all! Go away, Dragon-killers!"

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Spoiler: Merrick- Team CAVES!

Merrick Thorburn Race: Human	HP: 53/53 AC: 15/17(with shield)	Buffs:
Rage: 3/3	Inner Healing:1/4	HD: 3/3
Spoiler: Stats(saves) STR: 16+3(+5) DEX: 13+1(+1) CON: 16+3(+5) INT: 8-1(+-1) WIS: 10+0(+0) CHA:11 +0(+0)	Spoiler: Skills Athletics+5 Intimidate: 2/5 Perception: 2/5 Performance 2 Stealth: 3/5 Survival: 2/5	Spoiler: Spells Daily: JUMP: 1/1 At will Thaumaturgy Message

---

"What! Someone killed Dretchroyaster! He was a mighty and ancient green dragon! That makes me....ANGRY!

Merrick curses in an unknown language and his eyes glow red.....

"Those fools deserve to lose their heads!

Merrick shakes his glaive.

"See, we wanted to go in and see Dretchroyaster, but there's folks guarding the way in and wouldn't let us pass. And we'd go and murder'em all but we can't get past their big door.

"Why don't you show us in. We'll sneak in and we'll make 'em pay! I even brought food for the feast afterwards."

Merrick pulls out the small flask, opens it, takes a very tiny sip to show them it's good then inches forward and offers it to the kobold in a turtle shell (turtle power!).

Merrick translates to everyone what is going on if the creature accepts the drink.

Spoiler: OOC

Merrick uses the Thaumaturgy to make his eyes red. It's verbal only so hopefully the 'swear word' goes unnoticed. Even if it doesn't, it's a show of power.

I'll also use a bonus action to make a use of my rage so I can use Intimidate with Strength if I need to.

Part of this 'persuasion' is that we are so tough that we are going to go in and kill everyone (which might happen). I'm hoping that's intimidating enough that kobolds don't want to stand in our way.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

The Kobold sniffed Merrick's flask but did not drink. Instead it said, "You speak to Chief Urbone. Come. Do not touch things. Step where you are told! No trouble!"

Then it moved away, gesturing for the party to follow. Other kobolds appeared from here and there, when they entered the cave, with Urgan's mage hand holding a torch. Soon they were somewhat surrounded. The lead kobold would occasionally stop them and make them balance along a narrow path, or go the long way around a column of rock. Sometimes Urgan could spot where the trap was, other times not (he wasn't ever certain if he simply couldn't spot it, or if the kobold was making them move as if there was a trap when there wasn't, to keep them from memorizing the locations of the real traps).

Eventually, they came to a space where the tunnel opened into a wide cavern, dotted with crude animal-skin tents. Their kobold "escorts" now numbered in the dozens, and there were even more kobolds here. If the warriors appeared pathetic, the civilians were even more so - small, scrawny, and timid. But what they lacked in impressiveness, they made up for in numbers.

The warriors led them past a dozen or more tent-houses, where civilians cowered. Past a pit surrounded in spikes. On one wall of the cavern was a curious oddity that was certainly not made by kobolds - a stone column topped with a round red rock that glowed faintly. The column was hollow, with a man-sized opening. Ist interior was carved with many arcane runes.

OOC: The red rock isn't anywhere near as big and the runes are on the inside, but close enough. It is off to one side of the cavern against the eastern wall. I'll let you comment and then move on to the Chief's hut.

 

[Steve Gorak]

TEAM LAKE - SUBJECT:SHADE-9 - whats around the corner?

Shade-9 maintained a cautious pace, avoiding the entangling weeds and slick stone alike, his optics scanning as he tracked the water’s flow, shifts in the current and ripples indicating movement, the glint of light off rock, the fall of shadows.

"Second side tunnel, eastern wall. Unmapped." he noted, his voice low, and restrained "possible secondary sewer channel.

The lake widens ahead" he continued assessing whether the best course was to proceed north or to cross to the eastern side of the cavern "but visibility is disrupted, unknown risk, we will need caution - Aywin do we have reconnaissance?"

OOC: assuming I didnt hear what Svetlana said to Aywin so still unaware of the Lizardman. Its funny that Shade-9 finds himself optimised for total darkness but currently holding the Lightbringer - the poor things processor is facing a logic conflict so who wants the sword?

TEAM Lake - Aywin

Awin recounts what Svetlana saw, and he confirms he saw it though her eyes. "We can try to talk to the lizardfolk, they probably don't appreciate the cultists, but I could be wrong. I unfortunately don't have the ability to speak with them. Otherwise, we can maneuver through the sewers, I propose the second one close to us, but it is only a guess."

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Spoiler: Merrick- Team CAVES!

Merrick Thorburn Race: Human	HP: 53/53 AC: 15/17(with shield)	Buffs:
Rage: 2/3	Inner Healing:1/4	HD: 3/3
Spoiler: Stats(saves) STR: 16+3(+5) DEX: 13+1(+1) CON: 16+3(+5) INT: 8-1(+-1) WIS: 10+0(+0) CHA:11 +0(+0)	Spoiler: Skills Athletics+5 Intimidate: 2/5 Perception: 2/5 Performance 2 Stealth: 3/5 Survival: 2/5	Spoiler: Spells Daily: JUMP: 1/1 At will Thaumaturgy Message

---

As they are presented to the Kobold chief, Merrick silently reprimands himself for using all his best material on a simple guard. Should he just rehash the same show of power? It might not work as well being surrounded by the entire clan of kobolds. At least he has a barrel of food.

He sees the structure with the gem and messages the rest of the group,

"Maybe one of the statues we need is in there....too bad we don't have a tiny invisible flying creature to check that out..."

Then he wonders, using sign language, "Hey Urgan, where'd your hyena go?"

Spoiler: OOC

Merrick uses the message cantrip to send secret messages back and forth between people.

Since everyone knows sign language, Merrick will interpret draconic using sign language. like they do for the hearing impaired.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Without looking, Urgan reaches beside him, and finds Scamp padding up beside him, nestling its nose into his trousers.

"He's here," the orc says, scritching its neck as it lets out a little whine. "But I see what you are thinking."

Scamp, weaves its way among the party, scrambling over rocks. It may be that he finds himself closer to the building with the red rock building.

OOC: So I didn't narrate Scamp being with them, but I presume he wasn't dismissed. Certainly if he is dismissed, I can use that. And, if we find ourselves within 25' of the doorway, Urgan could essentially teleport Scamp just inside the building to check it out. It may be, though, that the kobolds aren't worried about a pet, or assume that it can't be controlled (Scamp does not have a leash). And it could just wander over there.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

The kobolds eyed their hand-gestures with suspicion, understanding that they were communicating, but not knowing if they were plotting something. But they did nothing, other than beckoning them forward and remaining on their guard.

When Scamp left the group and padded over toward the strange stone object, they didn't stop him. Instead two of them simply followed with spears, standing by in case he caused whatever they considered to be 'trouble'.

OOC: @Kobold Stew Urgan can make an Arcana check while looking through Scamp's eyes at the runes.

 

[Kobold Stew]

As Scamp pads around the group, nudging himself towards the runes and the smjall stone structure, his eyes settle on runes.

OOC: Arcana: 1d20+8=14.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Spoiler: Scamp & Urgan

@Kobold Stew The arcane patterns are similar to the ones involved in, for example, Imani's Teleportation Circles, but of an archaic style. You think it's probably some sort of "Transporter". But you'd have to have more time to investigate it to be certain, or to figure out where it goes (if such a thing is possible) or to try it (should you be bold enough).