D&D 5E (IC) Fitz's Folly

[MetaVoid]

The crystal window is too small for us all to get through. Let's try the other way, says Chrysagon and walks over to where Myrral is located. I don't fancy going through the sewers unless I'm forced to do it.
He joins Myrral at the balcony and looks over the edge. Neither he could see very far due to the darkness but he broke off a piece of shrubbery, made it shine in a bright light and tossed it over the edge. He watched it fall down and tried to determine how far it fell and if it fell on solid ground or in water.

OOC: Chrysagon casts Light on the piece of shrubbery

"Try going on your belly." laughs Ussal "I would really, really like to avoid the sssewers. That ssaid, we're not afraid of water, we live on a lake."
He looks at Yassah and the broodguards
"We can go through the window...sssome easssier than otherss."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

After some discussion on the crystal window, Chrysagon decided to lead the group the other way, heading to what Myrral identified as the Grand Staircase. The paladin caused a small piece of root to glow brightly, and he dropped it over the railing. As the light fell past the next level down, a hunched figure was revealed, standing still and glaring up at Chrysagon from the balcony below. It was wearing a mask that was a replica of the devil face at the T-junction, which gave its face a strange, expressionless gap-mouthed stare. Without saying a word, the figure stepped backward and out of sight as the light fell past.

Down it went, until it landed about eighty feet down on a stone floor. The light illuminated the bases of four tall large statues - humanoids with four arms, horns and bat-like wings. Between the four statues was an area of darkness (perhaps a deeper pit). A faint noise, repeated clanging, like a hammer on an anvil, echoed softly from deep below.

Across, on the railing opposite them, facing inward, the Sticks could see a bronze plaque. In the dim light that remained, the words could be made out in a strange script, but the common tongue:

"Walk through water with weapon in hand.
Slake your shadow at the font.
The vulture is the first step.
Right the gods.
The walls of history tell all."

"Pfft." said Qawasha in his deep ape-voice, "More riddles."

 

[Neurotic]

"That's why we're here." smiles Myrral "This one I think is fairly obvious. When we have to walk throught the water, we will have to fight something. At the font, keep the light so that shadows go into it. And when there are things to choose, we go from the vulture. Now just to find the walls of history."

Thinking a bit on it, Myrral shudders
"I hope we can avoid walking through the water. Many stories contain riddles for or by the heroes. There is one where halfling had to riddle-fight a derro. Insane, both of them! But he did win eventually and walked away with the precious."

 

[KahlessNestor]

Tomb of Annihilation
Morning
Round 0

“Riddles,” Dellrak grunted with annoyance. “Well, there’s three more hallways up here,” the dwarf noted. “Or take the stairs down. We know there’s something down there. Or keep on this level first?”

***
Torch: 596r (currently out)
0 goodberries

Spoiler: Dellrak Actions

Save:
Move:
Free Object Interaction:
Action:
Attack 1:
Attack 2:
Bonus Action: Planar Warrior (first attack that hits)
Reaction: Opportunity Attack
Conditions:
Concentration:
Inspiration:

Spoiler: Mini Stats

Dellrak Character Sheet
Initiative: +1
Perception: +4
Speed: 25
AC: 15
HP: 58/58 HD: 6/6d10+3
Bolts: Enough

Detect Portal (1/R): Within 1 mile
Planar Warrior: As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The next time you hit that creature on this turn with a weapon attack, all damage dealt by the attack becomes force damage, and the creature takes an extra 1d8 force damage from the attack. When you reach 11th level in this class, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
Primeval Awareness (action and spell slot): For one minute per level of spell slot, detect within 1 mile (6 in favored terrain) aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.

Spells
1) 4/4 Protection from Evil/Good (Horizon Walker), Jump, Goodberry, Longstrider
2) 2/2 Misty Step (Horizon Walker, BA), Healing Spirit

Spoiler: Party

Miss Imogen - female samurai, party member, Zhentarim
Chrysagon - male aasimar paladin, Order of the Gauntlet, Kelemvor
Harb - male human monk
Myrral - Tabaxi bard?
Qawasha (NPC) - Chultan druid
Kupalue (Weed, NPC) - vegepygmy
Hu’plo (NPC) Chultan
Kasqa (NPC) - Chultan warrior

 

[Kobold Stew]

Miss Imogen steps away from the crystal portal and guides Weed away from the sewers. She gives him the glowing coin to hold, knowing that it can help her see.

She looks to the others for a decision on which way to go -- she is concerned about proceeding any of the expected ways (East, along the wider passage, or down), but of course they will be heading down eventually, she assumes. She carries her bow with an arrow nocked, her index finger cradling it in place.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

With the decision made to leave the crystal window for now, the Sticks and their allies moved to the Grand Staircase. There seemed little risk in having a look at all the options, so they spread out around the balcony in groups, staying within sight of one another. The further one moved northward (corresponding to further underground) the darker the hallways became as the cracks in the ceiling became less frequent. The foliage receded as well, but the dampness remained.

Chrysagon took a few tentative steps down the stairs, trying to see where the figure had gone. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a corridor on the left (heading north) and another going forward (east) offset a little on the right. An identical balcony wrapped around this second level, and probably had more exits that he couldn't see. There was no sign of the masked figure, but they couldn't have gone far. Chrysagon was convinced that he could catch them, but he would have to hurry down the stairs, leaving the others behind.

Dellrak checked to the north. At the top of the stairs was a hallway that soon turned westward. He noted it, and waited for Chrysagon, in case he needed to join him on the stairs if trouble started. Ussal stood with him, ready to go in any direction.

Ghorukk, Myrral, and the other Broodguard crossed to the far side of the balcony and scouted an eastern hallway. The corridor went straight, and ended in a giant stone skull carved from stone. It was covered in a layer of moss, and flames flickered in each of its eye sockets. Like the devil's head at the T-junction, its jaw hung open, but in this case there seemed to be a dimly-lit room beyond.

Yassah and a Broodguard went the furthest, to a hallway to the north furthest from the stairs. There they reported that while the hallway appeared to continue forward, it was blocked by a strange disc of metal blades. The gaps were large enough to crawl (or slither) through, but it seemed unsafe, to say the least.

Imogen, Weed, and Qawasha waited along the balcony to see if any of the three groups would need their assistance.

Spoiler: Map of Grand Staircase

 

[Neurotic]

"Crysagon, let's go level by level. The creature can wait." called out Myrral.
"Ussal, Yassah, can we leave one or both of your guards to make sure nothing comes up while we explore? Yassah, come back."
He rejoins the rest of the group after Yassah returned. With all of them together there is little they cannot do.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Tomb of Annihilation
Morning
Round 0

“So slice and dice,” Dellrak indicated the northeast passage, “crawl into gaping jaws,” he indicated the eastern tunnel, “or deeper into trouble?” He indicated the north passage by the stairs. “We’ll need more light. I can get a torch out.”

***
Torch: 596r (currently out)
0 goodberries

Spoiler: Dellrak Actions

Save:
Move:
Free Object Interaction:
Action:
Attack 1:
Attack 2:
Bonus Action: Planar Warrior (first attack that hits)
Reaction: Opportunity Attack
Conditions:
Concentration:
Inspiration:

Spoiler: Mini Stats

Dellrak Character Sheet
Initiative: +1
Perception: +4
Speed: 25
AC: 15
HP: 58/58 HD: 6/6d10+3
Bolts: Enough

Detect Portal (1/R): Within 1 mile
Planar Warrior: As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The next time you hit that creature on this turn with a weapon attack, all damage dealt by the attack becomes force damage, and the creature takes an extra 1d8 force damage from the attack. When you reach 11th level in this class, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
Primeval Awareness (action and spell slot): For one minute per level of spell slot, detect within 1 mile (6 in favored terrain) aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.

Spells
1) 4/4 Protection from Evil/Good (Horizon Walker), Jump, Goodberry, Longstrider
2) 2/2 Misty Step (Horizon Walker, BA), Healing Spirit

Spoiler: Party

Miss Imogen - female samurai, party member, Zhentarim
Chrysagon - male aasimar paladin, Order of the Gauntlet, Kelemvor
Harb - male human monk
Myrral - Tabaxi bard?
Qawasha (NPC) - Chultan druid
Kupalue (Weed, NPC) - vegepygmy
Hu’plo (NPC) Chultan
Kasqa (NPC) - Chultan warrior

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Weed held up the glowing coin that Imogen gave it to show Dellrak, and moved to the corner of the north-west hall. Dellrak followed, as those furthest away worked their way around the balcony. Yassah and the two broodguards would stand watch at the top of the stairs while the rest scouted the extent of the western Tomb.

The hall before them stretched a hundred feet or more into darkness at the extent of Weed's light.

OOC: We should set a marching order. Just sayin'. No reason at all.

 

[Prickly Pear]

Chrysagon came up again from the lower level and joined the others. I saw someone down there but now they are gone. I thought that I could catch up with them but I don't want to run into another trap. Chrysagon is getting increasingly more careful in this dungeon.
He mumbled some words and his flail lit up. He held it like a torch in front of him and followed the others. His vision was much better in darkness than a human's but it was still difficult to see in darkness.

OOC: Chrysagon casts Light on the flail.