Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)
- Thread starter Capellan
- Start date
Capellan
Explorer
"Unearthing the Past" by Jesse Decker (WotC Cliffhanger) - Part 11
The group begins to search this lower level, quickly finding that the corridor into the lift room lead straight to another crossroads. The way ahead is blocked by rubble, but there is a corridor to their right, and a door to their left. The door stands slightly ajar.
"Let's try the right." Ulfgar suggests, "The ridge is that way, so there can't be too much to explore in that direction."
"We'd be deeper than the ridge, now." Macwood reminds him. The dwarf looks abashed to have been corrected by a halfling on such a matter, but when no-one raises an objection to his proposed route, the group follows the right hand tunnel, anyway.
They soon emerge into a square chamber, the ceiling of which is braced by four stone pillars. The area looks to be of sturdy manufacture, and lacks the debris of other parts of the complex. Another corridor leads out of the room to the left.
"Someone's cleaned this area out recently." Twinkle remarks as she drops to her haunches and examines the floor, "There's a lot of stone dust around, and scratches in the paving slabs."
"Probably wanted to get through there." Briar nods at the corridor.
Figuring that anything the orcs were interested in was something they should check out as well, the group follows the corridor to a T-junction. To the left, the tunnel quickly gives way to rubble. To the right ...
"A door." Macwood remarks.
"A large stone door." Ming Li confirms.
"Looks important." Briar agrees.
The group looks at the door for some time.
"It's closed." Ulfgar observes.
The group stares at the door for a while longer.
"Maybe we should leave it for later and check that other door, first." Twinkle offers, "It was smaller, and wooden."
With murmurs of agreement from the others, the group turns their backs on the Ominously Large Stone Door and heads back the way they came.
Arriving at the smaller, wooden door, they push it open and enter the chamber beyond, with Ulfgar in the lead. The room looks to be almost square, but is more than half-filled with rubble, which gives it a rather squashed feeling.
Rather more disturbingly, the corpses of two orcs are sprawled here. Each lies on the floor, surrounded by a number of red-brown stains.
"Blood." Macwood notes, rather unnecessarily.
"It looks like they were dragged here." Ming Li indicates scuff marks in the dust on the floor. "Maybe a fight broke out when they realised they were trapped here?"
Briar, kneeling beside the bodies, shakes his head.
"If there was a fight, these two didn't know it was coming. They were strangled. Maybe with a garrotte." He pauses, "The two orcs with the cleric had twice as much money as any of the others. They probably just jumped these two while they were asleep."
"It seems there is nothing useful here." Ming Li moves to the door, "We should return to the other door."
"What about the rubble?" Twinkle is keen to go digging. "There could be something under it?"
Ulfgar shakes his head,
"They cleared out the other rooms, remember. This is just where they've been dumping everything."
The dwarf's words make sense to the others, and they all troupe out of the room. Twinkle is the last to leave. Reaching the door, she stops and turns back for one last look at the rubble.
And then something wraps around the young gnome's neck and yanks her into the air.
Twinkle tries to scream, but she can't draw the breath. As her vision blurs and darkens, she claws at the rubbery cord that surrounds her neck, thrashing her legs and struggling with all her might to break free. But it's to no avail: all the accomplishes is to kick the door closed.
The slam of the door as it shuts is the last thing the gnome hears before the darkness overcomes her.
The group begins to search this lower level, quickly finding that the corridor into the lift room lead straight to another crossroads. The way ahead is blocked by rubble, but there is a corridor to their right, and a door to their left. The door stands slightly ajar.
"Let's try the right." Ulfgar suggests, "The ridge is that way, so there can't be too much to explore in that direction."
"We'd be deeper than the ridge, now." Macwood reminds him. The dwarf looks abashed to have been corrected by a halfling on such a matter, but when no-one raises an objection to his proposed route, the group follows the right hand tunnel, anyway.
They soon emerge into a square chamber, the ceiling of which is braced by four stone pillars. The area looks to be of sturdy manufacture, and lacks the debris of other parts of the complex. Another corridor leads out of the room to the left.
"Someone's cleaned this area out recently." Twinkle remarks as she drops to her haunches and examines the floor, "There's a lot of stone dust around, and scratches in the paving slabs."
"Probably wanted to get through there." Briar nods at the corridor.
Figuring that anything the orcs were interested in was something they should check out as well, the group follows the corridor to a T-junction. To the left, the tunnel quickly gives way to rubble. To the right ...
"A door." Macwood remarks.
"A large stone door." Ming Li confirms.
"Looks important." Briar agrees.
The group looks at the door for some time.
"It's closed." Ulfgar observes.
The group stares at the door for a while longer.
"Maybe we should leave it for later and check that other door, first." Twinkle offers, "It was smaller, and wooden."
With murmurs of agreement from the others, the group turns their backs on the Ominously Large Stone Door and heads back the way they came.
Arriving at the smaller, wooden door, they push it open and enter the chamber beyond, with Ulfgar in the lead. The room looks to be almost square, but is more than half-filled with rubble, which gives it a rather squashed feeling.
Rather more disturbingly, the corpses of two orcs are sprawled here. Each lies on the floor, surrounded by a number of red-brown stains.
"Blood." Macwood notes, rather unnecessarily.
"It looks like they were dragged here." Ming Li indicates scuff marks in the dust on the floor. "Maybe a fight broke out when they realised they were trapped here?"
Briar, kneeling beside the bodies, shakes his head.
"If there was a fight, these two didn't know it was coming. They were strangled. Maybe with a garrotte." He pauses, "The two orcs with the cleric had twice as much money as any of the others. They probably just jumped these two while they were asleep."
"It seems there is nothing useful here." Ming Li moves to the door, "We should return to the other door."
"What about the rubble?" Twinkle is keen to go digging. "There could be something under it?"
Ulfgar shakes his head,
"They cleared out the other rooms, remember. This is just where they've been dumping everything."
The dwarf's words make sense to the others, and they all troupe out of the room. Twinkle is the last to leave. Reaching the door, she stops and turns back for one last look at the rubble.
And then something wraps around the young gnome's neck and yanks her into the air.
Twinkle tries to scream, but she can't draw the breath. As her vision blurs and darkens, she claws at the rubbery cord that surrounds her neck, thrashing her legs and struggling with all her might to break free. But it's to no avail: all the accomplishes is to kick the door closed.
The slam of the door as it shuts is the last thing the gnome hears before the darkness overcomes her.
jzashaedra
First Post
absolutely loved the description of the suspense around the Ominous Stone Door! i saw it just like i was sitting with my players instead of reading someone else's story! i think my moom would refer to it as "eating gnats". it was a phrase used while watching the rope turn and you were supposed to already be in there jumping.
Sniktch
First Post
Woo!
That was great, Capellan. I join the list of people who found your 'Great Stone Door' description to be highly amusing. It's classic moments like this that make the CotRE so enjoyable (and you questioned my use of the word 'misadventure').
Where does that great stone door lead to, I wonder. Is there any chance it could be Duernfast?? If you want, I still have all my notes, maps, write-ups, etc... for the abandoned dwarf hold - I'd be happy to e-mail them to you. (EDIT: my e-mail address is jmcbase@nfis.com)
That was great, Capellan. I join the list of people who found your 'Great Stone Door' description to be highly amusing. It's classic moments like this that make the CotRE so enjoyable (and you questioned my use of the word 'misadventure').
Where does that great stone door lead to, I wonder. Is there any chance it could be Duernfast?? If you want, I still have all my notes, maps, write-ups, etc... for the abandoned dwarf hold - I'd be happy to e-mail them to you. (EDIT: my e-mail address is jmcbase@nfis.com)
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Thomas Hobbes
First Post
Capellan said:As for undead Scratches, what is it with you people and the Undead Feline Avenger?
It doesn't have to be undead.
"We can rebuild him. We have the technology.
We have the capability to make the world's first Bionic cat.
Scratches will be that cat. Better than he was before.
Better . . . stronger . . . faster. "
Then use the Brass half-golem template from the Monster Manual II web enhancement and you get Scratches: The Cyborg Feline Avenger. Also known as the 6 million Gold Piece Cat.
Scratches
Tiny Construct
Hit Dice: 1/2 d8
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 feet
AC: 24 (+2 Size, +1 Dex, +11 Natural)
Attacks: 2 Claws +4 Melee, Bite -1 Melee
Damage: Claws 1d2+2, Bite 1d3+3
Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Maze
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 25/+2, Scent, Construct Traits, Magic Immunity, Darkvision 60 feet.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con -, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 1
Skills: Balance +9, Climb +5, Hide +16*, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +1**
Feats:Weapon Finesse (Claw, Bite)
* * *
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Orginization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Combat
After being rebuilt by unknown agencies, Scratches lives only to slay the adventurers who so recklessly ended his life. He'll hunt down any of the group that was present for his death, wait until they are alone, Maze them, and try to slay them. He knows no affection for any living being except his former owner, a kindly old Gnomish woman.
Maze (sp): Once per day, Scratches can target a maze effect (caster level 15) against a single quarry. The half-golem is immune to the effects of it's own maze ability and that of others of its kind (including those of brass golems and vice cersa), and it can freely enter its own maze to track a target.
Magic Immunity (ex): Scratches is immune to all spells, spell like abilities, and supernatural effects, except as follows: An electricity effect slows it (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw; and a fire effect breaks any slow effect on the golem and cures 1 point of damage for each 3 points it would otherwise deal. Scratches does not get a saving throw against fire effects.
Construct Traits: Scratches is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude sace unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. He cannot heal himself but can be healed through repair. He cannot be raised or ressurected.
Skills: Scratches recieves a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to balance checks. *In areas of tall grass and heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises by +8. **Scratches is a relentless tracker. He gains a +5 competence bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Stop giving me that look.
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Sniktch
First Post
Yikes, Thomas, that's a scary machine. You'd think it'd be a joke encounter since the cat has a max hp of 4 (or 5 - wouldn't the template change the HD to 1/2d10?), but with its magic immunities and DR 25/+2, you'd be hard pressed to find a 4th level group capable of handling such an opponent.
You've got to be kidding me! Lets hope Scratches takes a long time to rebuild, because at the current strength of the party we'd be torn apart.
Hammerhead
Explorer
Hopefully the group notices the slammed wooden door. Maybe the ominous stone door would have been a better choice. I vote in favor of the undead Scratches. Perhaps a Vampire cat?
Great story hour, of course.
Great story hour, of course.
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