GREYHAWK CY 576: GREAT LEGENDS RETOLD -- CAMPAIGN THREAD

[Tellerian Hawke]

The rest of the party readily agrees, and everyone back-tracks to the left corridor. Sphynx leads the way, proceeding cautiously, and checking for traps. Finding none, the party finds themselves far enough away from the cave entrance to have out-distanced most of the available sunlight that was so prevalent at the entrance tunnel. Everyone can see well enough (albeit very dimly) in the hallway, all the way up to the doorway itself, but the room beyond (Room #2) is almost completely pitch black. Those with lowlight vision can see a tiny bit better than those without, but even with lowlight vision, vague shapes and varying degrees of shadow are all that can be observed.

The smell coming from this place is almost unbearable, once the party has reached the doorway. Apparently, this room is where the Kobolds throw away their trash, rotten and/or spoiled foodstuffs, as well as providing them a place to urinate and defecate. Everyone can detect muted noises coming from the room, soft scuffling and squeaking, probably rats and mice.

Hawke comments, "Hmmm... from the sound of it, those rodents are probably of the giant variety. And there are probably a lot of them. Do we really want to disturb them, and risk contracting some horrible disease?"

EVERYONE: What say you?

 

[Aust Thale]

Quixt:
Moving quickly following Sphynx, Hawke, & Nimbar, he watched Sphynx carefully with the trap, taking mental notes of his technique. He also admires their handiwork subduing and dispatching the Kobolds. They behaved as if they had training. He remained silent throughout the executions, using his short sword at the base of their skulls to grant them a quick death.

Backtracking with the party, he doesn't see the rodents, so he takes Hawke's suggestion, he points to the trap, and then to the vermin, suggesting that the trap be used against the vermin. He whispers, "Draw them in?"

He possessed the ability to be scentless to the rodents. Were he invisible, they would not be able to detect him by other means. That didn't mean he wanted to directly face creatures when the party appeared to lack the medical or magic means to cure disease. In addition, though he was scentless to them, the smell in the room most assuredly not scentless to him. An especially wafting dose of it nearly made him retch.

Whispering again, "Otherwise, leave them be. Where to next?"

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

GM: SUPPLEMENTAL INFO: Overall (throughout the entire ravine system) the cave ceilings vary in height, from about 8 feet, to 9 feet in some places, and then up to enormous heights (20 ft. plus) in others. (Obviously, the Kobold lair does not have any enormous caverns in it.) It appears, to the careful observer, that the various caves and tunnels were naturally occurring, and then dug out wider and taller, through the use of tools. This would seem to indicate that the Kobolds did not dig this lair out themselves; they must have had help from larger Humanoids, or perhaps, these dug out caves were once the home of larger Humanoids, who abandoned them for some reason, affording the Kobolds the chance to occupy and re-purpose them for their own use.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

He whispers, "Draw them in?"

Nimbar shakes his head, and stretches his arms wide apart, indicating that it's too far a distance for the use of such a tactic. And upon reflection, once Quixt takes into account the short attention span, and inherent skittishness of most rodents, he is inclined to agree.

 

[MacConnell]

Hawke comments, "Hmmm... from the sound of it, those rodents are probably of the giant variety. And there are probably a lot of them. Do we really want to disturb them, and risk contracting some horrible disease?"

Sphynx shakes his head. "I was first thinking this might be a dining area; instead, we seem to have located the exact opposite. I cannot see anything of value being gained from entering here. I say we move on."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Both Nimbar and Hawke nod in affirmation to Sphynx's comment. "Agreed."

 

[Aust Thale]

Quixt is satisfied with the answer. Indeed, the smell only heightened his acceptance of his companions’ choice. He motioned he would remain right behind them.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

The party heads right again, down the slanted, sloping passage. The further the party goes, the less light there is. Sphynx leads the way again, checking for traps; he finds none. At the end of the sloping passage, there is a change in direction, due north, and this passage looks to have been heavily worked with tools. Unlike the sloping passage, these walls have been painstakingly chiseled straight and even. The hallway extends north at least 15 feet, but past that point, it is pitch black. You are going to need some sort of light source to continue.

Spoiler: Area Map, Updated

GM: Sphynx: Chance to notice secret door (Elf ability): DC: 20. Result = (26) Success.

However, at the end of the sloping passage, Sphynx chances to notice a secret door in the eastern wall. In tiny letters, at the top right corner of the "door" are carved two Draconic symbols: the symbol for fire, and the symbol for family.

GM: I have drawn the map further than you can see, but that is for player knowledge only. Do not allow your characters to act upon it. The reason I did it this way was to aid in decision-making (which way to go?) and remember, there may be traps between where you are and where you're going.

EVERYONE: Which way? North? Or east through the secret door?

 

[MacConnell]

Sphynx, very quietly, speaks to the others. "I say we leave this secret passage for the time being, and continue with the main area. I have two options to improve our ability to see. I can illuminate something one of you carries, probably Hawke, or I would prefer to illuminate this pebble I have in a pocket and toss it down the hallway. What say you?"

 

[Aust Thale]

Quixt:
In response to Sphynx’s offer, Quixt reaches into his haversack and produces a seemingly innocuous 18” long torch. He taps one end lightly against his leg, activating a spell laying dormant within. The tapped end flickers and jumps to life, illuminating clearly the immediate 20’ around it, encompassing the party. “Allow to me assist.”