GREYHAWK CY 576: GREAT LEGENDS RETOLD -- CAMPAIGN THREAD

[MacConnell]

Seeing the body language of Quixt, gauging the scene and checking the ravine, Sphynx deduces his motivation. He says quietly, "The ravine is good; but since we have that large battering ram of a warrior with us, we should carry at least one off in a different direction and deposit it. We could be a little clever with the humanoids and make it look like they fought one another."

He pauses, his face expressing some internal analysis. "My thoughts have wandered and I have dreamed. I do not recall our specific purpose other than a commission for that Kobold metal. Were we going back into one of these caves?"

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Nimbar nods, "I don't see how we can let this pass; the Wendol are the unifying force for these humanoid tribes. They not only embolden them to threaten nearby civilization, but they are performing unspeakable rituals, turning both their own dead, as well as the dead of their victims, into an undead army, walking abominations. We MUST destroy the Wendol. I cannot let this pass with a clear conscience."

Hawke nods in agreement.

 

[MacConnell]

Nimbar nods, "... the Wendol... unspeakable rituals... walking abominations..."

Sphynx sneers and bares his teeth for second. "How could I have forgotten that ritual we stumbled upon? I hate necromancy. So, let's just pick a hole and go in at them. It's time to clean this valley of such filth."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Hawke says, "These stairs lead into the cave system at the far end, probably directly into the area occupied by the Wendol, unless I miss my guess. I say we enter right here. I doubt they'd be expecting us to come in through here."

 

[Aust Thale]

Quixt:
Putting the wand back in his belt and drawing his short bow, "Let's go down the hole. It's narrow enough to allow us to fight our way back, and given how many bodies they put up here in this outpost, methinks we might be better off coming at them from above here than down there," motioning toward the ravine. If the spiral tunnel is un-lit, he gets as far as he can and casts Darkvision on himself, providing two (2) hours of vision in the dark. If the spiral is lit up by torches or other means, he will go as far as he can into the tunnels without it. "I'll scout ahead of us 10 feet or so. Hawke, I'd very much like you in the front of that next 10 feet, should I find myself pinched. "

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Spoiler: Marching Order

GM: Let me know if the spacing isn't as you expected.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

GM: Having heard no objections in the last 6 days, we now move on.

GM: Hawke is carrying his big hammer in his right hand, and the magic candle in his left, with the front hooded, so that onlookers cannot see the flame, but the party CAN. This also grants Hawke Darkvision while he is holding it.

Spoiler: Magical Candle

Ever-burning Candle of Darkvision
CL: 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, Darkvision, Permanency; faint enchantment.
Market Value: 3,500 GP.

Once lit, this candle never goes out, unless the top of the candle is carefully cut off; if the actual form of the candle is somehow defaced (smashing the candle underneath a boot heel, for instance) the enchantment is broken, and the candle is destroyed. If the form of the candle is intact, then it can be cut to any length while still maintaining the enchantment.

The candle sheds a dim light, in a 5 ft. (1 square radius) around the caster. The candle's flame cannot be seen at distances of 31 feet or more; the flame can be seen by careful onlookers (Spot DC 15) who are between 16 and 30 feet distant. Onlookers who are 15 ft. distant, or closer, can see the flame normally. A good practice for using this candle is to place it inside a hooded lantern, and turn the hood around backwards, so that the light of the candle is projected backwards (instead of forwards, as would normally be the case.) Doing this gives onlookers no chance at all to the see the candle's flame from the front (although from the back, they have the normal chance to see.)

The holder of the candle is granted Darkvision, at a distance of 60 ft.

Those whom possess Lowlight Vision, and can see the flame (i.e., those within 15 feet of the candle) are granted enough light to activate their Lowlight Vision, thus, in a mixed party of humans and demihumans, this candle helps everyone. Typically, each human will carry one of these candles, and their demihuman allies will simply stay close enough to activate their natural vision.

Components for creation: a normal wax candle, and 3.5 oz. of diamond dust.

The stairs lead down into a wide passageway. This passageway looks like it has recently been cleared of a large amount of debris; it looks as if there was a cave-in, and the rubble has recently been cleared away.

GM: The red circle marks the landing of the stairs. Ahead of the party, in the numbered area of the map, is the cave complex. Behind the party...? Leads to the unknown...

Spoiler: Area Map

The smell here is AWFUL. You get a whiff of what smells like a combination between rotting meat, urine, and feces.

EVERYONE: What do you do?

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Hawke says, "We appear to be at the tail end of the cave complex. I would bet that the tunnel to the Southwest is new construction, and probably unfinished. I say we go straight ahead, Northeast, because from here I can see that it forks into two hallways. The question is, which hallway do we take? Right, or left?"

Nimbar thinks for a minute, "Perhaps right? I've noticed over the years that turning left always seems to bring bad luck. But maybe that's just me. Quixt, Sphynx... thoughts?"

 

[MacConnell]

Sphynx bobbles his head from side to side as he harbors no such superstition, though the statistics seem to support such decision. "Right it is. I will take point this time. Hold back to keep me out of the radius of the lantern."

Spoiler: Go stealth

Hide (d20+10) = 16 + 10 = 26: Move (d20+10) = 14 + 10 = 24. I actually rolled 16 twice but did not think that was very random. Next roll was 14.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

You seem to moving with a high degree of stealth; the complex is quiet, and the rank, musty smell is growing stronger. There are torches here and there, lighting the rooms and passageways, but only very dimly.

Turning the corner, peering into the room marked as "52" on the map, you see that this is some sort of audience chamber. At the far, southern end, there is a raised dais, and a throne which has four, large, magnificent looking emeralds embedded in it. The emeralds sparkle in the dim glow of the torchlight. In front of the dais, spaced back a bit, are 4 wooden chairs for guests to sit in.

All along the walls, are skeletons, dressed in badly rusted chainmail, and holding rusty steel shields and even rustier scimitars. They do not move at all. There are 12 skeletons in all, 6 on each flanking wall. There is nothing else in the room.

SPHYNX: What do you do?