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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9680964" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #009a: Exploring For Beginners.The Inspectors.Chromium Malifax aka C-Fax (Rob), Male Silver Dragonborn (Noble) Paladin of Bahamut Level 2Mavis Golightly aka Mave (Sandy), Female Half-Elf (Acolyte) Cleric of Chauntea Level 2Arbuthnot McGow aka McGow (Al), Male Mountain Dwarf (Soldier) Fighter Level 2Snakebite (Kenji), Female Half-Orc (Outlander) Monk Level 2Travis Pickle (Yui), Male Lightfoot Halfling (Criminal) Rogue Level 2Dead PCsThe Inspector aka Spek (Kenji), Male Rock Gnome (Charlatan) Sorcerer Level 1- Killed in Session #2 by Eggnog the Kobold Dragon Priest.To-do list/Quests-#001 Save Dicky Bird aka The Fat Pidgin, and bring him home safely to Edna Gingster, although Dicky is on his way to the Narthex, which is in the Labyrinth, which is near the Seven Pillared Hall- which is in the Underdark- Bugger. Reward: 2000 XP & 1000gp each.<s>#002 Find and investigate the ancient dragon burial site Dicky was looking for, he might be there. Reward: 250 XP.</s> COMPLETE<s>#003 Destroy the kobold menace, including their leader- ‘Chopper.’ Reward: 250 XP & 75gp, with 1gp paid for every kobold tail handed in.</s> COMPLETE#004 Stop Orcus-worshipping Karl’s ritual to bring an undead army to Kirkgate. Basically, save the village, begs (eventually) Lord Crumble. Karl is in Kirkgate. 1000 XP & 250gp reward.#005 Find/Save Cheggers. That's it really, the PCs just need to find/save Cheggers (he’s with Karl, if he’s still alive), for Fionulla (the spy). Reward 100 XP.#006 Find and kill/capture the Bloody Heck- including any leaders. Recover any prisoners they have kidnapped. Find out where Karl is based. Reward: 400 XP & 100gp, with 1gp paid for every member of the Bloody Heck confirmed dead or captured.And so here we go some more, beneath Kirkgate cemetery, and according to the Inspectors (very mostly C-Fax) on the trail of evil Karl.At the start of this session C-Fax gave a little speech, or else Rob playing C-Fax did, about unity- all for one and one for all- and plenty more of that kind of thing. The paladin is convinced that this is the final dungeon, and that everyone needs to be on their best behaviour and on top form for what follows next…Note, the PCs have also been told (by the kindly DM right back at the start) that they’ll be third level by the time they complete this adventure, and so Rob (& Sandy = Mavis) have figured out that if it took eleven encounters (actually ten plus one random encounter) to get them to level two, then it’ll be another eleven encounters- at least- before they get to level three. The smart money, the players had a chat, is on another fifteen or so encounters to get to level three, at which point the consensus is they will have finished this adventure.In precis eleven to fifteen more encounters and this should be done.The Inspectors are also against the clock, the undead are coming to Kirkgate in five days from today, and so that’s a lot of encounters to get through in only a short space of time.The speech is an effort to concentrate minds, I think.And then, off we go…[ATTACH=full]408099[/ATTACH]The sarcophagi here hold the remains of knights of Bahamut- heroes all, their last resting places protected by holy magics- at least, that’s what the ancient draconic text here states.C-Fax (and the Inspectors) are not taking the risk, and again- the paladin (and Mavis) are insistent, there’s to be no grave robbing here, this is a holy site.Although the oddity is, according to the holy duo- some places in this dungeon (like the sarcophagi here) seem to have retained their good/holy aura, they remain protected still, even though the place itself feels somewhat corrupted. It’s odd.We go on…[ATTACH=full]408100[/ATTACH]And find another way down, a large stone spiral staircase descends into the gloom, the sound of rushing water can be heard from below.The chamber is thoroughly examined, but there are no further clues to find here.Note, the debate is still- what is this place? Bahamut crypt/worship- check, but to what end. Why were they (buried) here.The DM reminds the PCs that Jefron Puddleduck might have a few answers to their questions, he is- as Sister Margaritta told them- an expert with regard to Kirkgate’s history.He’s also still- maybe- on the suspect list. Jefron could be Karl.The Inspectors are not going to be sharing any new info with Lord Crumble (or Jefron) et al in Kirkgate until they get to the bottom of this dungeon and hopefully find and destroy Karl. At least that’s the present line of thinking.This, they think, could be a big dungeon- with another dozen or more encounters still to get through here.[ATTACH=full]408101[/ATTACH]The spiral stairs descend another fifty or so feet to a large natural cavern, the packed earth of the cave floor is wet and muddy in places- caused no doubt by the river that thunders through here, heading north to south- and at quite a lick.The river also looks to be deep, and again- very swiftly moving. The sound is thunderous- at times- making conversation difficult.Across a crude stone bridge is a collapsed passage- the way is…[ATTACH=full]408102[/ATTACH]Impassable.Which means, someone is going to have to use the stepping stones, dotted here and there, to cross the river. That is if the PCs want to progress in this direction.Travis is not happy about this option, he makes his opinion known.[ATTACH=full]408103[/ATTACH]But as it turns out crossing the river via the stepping stones isn’t all that difficult (2 x DC 11 athletics checks).And a little further south is another large cave home to lots of scurrying insects and a bunch of glowing fungi.But nothing else.And with no where else to go.And so…Further south, following the river.But, to go further south the PCs need to be on the west side of the river, and from there- they must climb across maybe ten or so feet of vertical stone wall, to the next muddy beach along the river to the south. Fall off the wall and they’re straight into the raging river.Snakebite accomplishes this task easily.Again, the DCs are mostly low- as always DC 11 is my go to here.[ATTACH=full]408104[/ATTACH]But then C-Fax critically fails to jump back onto the western side of the river and…SPLADOOSH!Off he goes, the paladin is screaming and flailing as the water rushes him away.Chaos follows.And then…SPLADOOSH![ATTACH=full]408105[/ATTACH]The second ‘SPLADOOSH!’ comes courtesy of Mavis, who- on seeing C-Fax swept away, instantly tries to climb the wall to the next beach over.She too critically fails in her attempt and seemingly just steps into the fast-flowing underground river.McGow saves the day (or else he saves Mavis) by leaping onto a stepping stone and somehow managing to grab the priestess and haul her up and onto the boulder.Meantime, of course, C-Fax is being washed away, but- a little way along the river and the flow slows- as the river gets shallower and so… a built in safety mechanism (a kindly DM)- the tumbling C-Fax, while taking damage from being slammed into the river’s bed and sides, gets another chance to save himself and scramble to his feet in the shallower… and no, he rolls something like a ‘2’.The paladin goes tumbling on.Note, C-Fax has had a Light spell cast upon his shield, and so he can see what’s going on here.Snakebite is running alongside the river, keeping pace with the tumbling paladin, and offering pithy (and non-pithy) remarks as she trots alongside, although none that this DM can remember.Eventually C-Fax thumps into a much bigger mid-river rock, taking another few points of damage, and then manages to cling on, and then to crawl up and onto the handily placed stone.A few minutes later, with the gang all back together, Mavis insists that for any further river-based interactions the PCs are going to be either tethered or else roped together.Note, the PCs very quickly arrived at the idea that they should use ropes to help them cross the river, and to prevent any accidents should one of them fall in, but then… well, they just didn’t bother.[ATTACH=full]408106[/ATTACH]More caves- the river races on.Is this even the right way to go?Oh, but yes, it is.[ATTACH=full]408107[/ATTACH]Note the river plunges into darkness around about sixty or so feet to the east of the PCs here, so- a treacherous crossing.But McGow makes it across easily and goes to see.A large, and lit, pillared chamber- with a great big statue of a knight with a two-handed sword, and doors, and passages, and…Things to do. This is the right place.Although…[ATTACH=full]408108[/ATTACH]Getting across proves to be difficult for C-Fax again, but the paladin is roped up and therefore prevented from being swept away by the current, and by the combined efforts of McGow, Mavis and Travis.C-Fax eventually makes it across.[ATTACH=full]408109[/ATTACH]Travis, last over, also takes a dip- but the halfling proves a lot easier (than the massive heavily armoured paladin) to haul out of the river.Note, Yui- playing Travis, is not happy about all of this- she positively hates the idea of anything doing damage to her precious Travis, when the halfling fell in the river… there was screaming.Anyway, we get to here…[ATTACH=full]408110[/ATTACH]And this place looks to be the other side of the collapsed passage the Inspectors discovered just a short way from the spiral stairs that they descended to this level.The thinking is- they’re back in the Bahamut temple/crypt, whatever it is. Back on track.Note, there are a pair of large stone doors on east wall of this chamber- directly behind the statue. There’s also another passage beyond the statue to the north, Snakebite thinks, she can just make it out with her darkvision.The statue however looks suspicious, at least that’s the chatter amongst the PCs atm.[ATTACH=full]408111[/ATTACH]But then Snakebite decides to go and take a closer look, her lightning reflexes save her from much of the fiery blast that is spewed from the statue warrior’s mouth. Note, the statue’s head, from this moment on, slowly turns (anticlockwise) like a radar- tracking the area of its fiery aura/range, and spewing flames as it turns.Which means the PCs must wait until the statue’s head turns away from them (looks past them) and then race around the chamber, staying behind the turning head’s gaze.Which is fun for a while.Although C-Fax and Mavis are content to watch their comrades at work throughout what follows, the pair offer plenty of advice- naturally.McGow only gets involved briefly, the dwarf dashes into a corner of the chamber, thinking to make his way around the fire spewing statue, but then… well, gets pinned in the corner for the rest of the encounter.[ATTACH=full]408112[/ATTACH]So, it’s Travis and Snakebite that are in action.The half-orc monk carries Travis over to the statue and then boosts the halfling up and onto the stone warrior’s shoulders. Snakebite then delights in racing around the statue- doing laps, while staying behind the stone edifices’ lighthouse-like gaze (and fiery spew).Snakebite further notes that the flames being spewed have around a thirty-foot range. She lets her colleagues know this, so that they can figure out where is safe to stand.[ATTACH=full]408113[/ATTACH]Just out of reach. Snakebite ascertains that there’s another passage to the north here, and that is indeed the other side of the blocked passage discovered earlier to the west.While Snakebite has been doing her exercise, Travis has been hard at work- there’s a panel on the back of the statue, soon after this is popped open, and then after a turn or two spent trying to fathom the cogs and workings within, well… Travis crosses his fingers and then jams a dagger into what looks to be a significant part of the machine’s workings.[ATTACH=full]408114[/ATTACH]It is. That’s the statue’s last blast- aimed at a cowering McGow who has been stuck in the corner for the last three to four turns.Back to the statue trap.There follows a shuddering grinding sound, the stone warrior shakes and totters- Travis has to hang on (and he does) and then… silence, nothing more, the statue/trap is spent.And here’s where we are about twenty minutes later when we go on our mid-session break.[ATTACH=full]408115[/ATTACH]The chamber to the north holds another great sarcophagus, illuminated by more (Snakebite thinks) magic candles.The chatter however, and investigations- for the last twenty or so minutes, have been about the stone double doors behind the statue.On both doors are engravings of Bahamut.Although there’s no text to be found on either door, or anywhere else nearby.The doors have no locking/opening mechanism that can be found.And no amount of pushing or shoving has caused them to move an inch.C-Fax has even tried a few Bahamut related magic words or prayers.But nothing.It’s north next then.Note, the XP for the Flaming Statue Trap is included in the next encounter- which is coming up real soon, although the PCs didn’t know this at the time.However, a few XP here and there for good play- Snakebite 50 XP, Travis 40 XP, Mavis 30 XP, C-Fax & McGow 20 XP each.Next time.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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