(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Necropolitan]

Zeth steps forwards, seeing a chance to improve the party's perception of his diplomatic skills after the beard-burner-fiasco.

"Why go about this halfway? With additional backup, holy water, and whatever other aid you can give us it'll all but ensure that the undead menace is taken care of. This is your chance to see this finished, why risk leaving this task uncompleted?"

Having set the stage Zeth takes a risk.

"I've never known dwarves to be lacking in courage. I'm sure that even asking for volunteers from your people would result in a more than sufficient force to clear out the undead alongside us, especially to retake Dumathoin's temple!"

Now Dain Stokley Silverstream's pride is on the line. If he can't provide the forces it'll look like he's insulting dwarven honor.

OOC: 1D20+5 = [14]+5 = 19

 

[Neurotic]

OOC: using something that rarely sees play, a background feature, heart of darkness Aid another persuasion: 1D20-3 = [20]-3 = 17 uh, wow

Lumrolur steps up and raises his eyes to meet Dains.
"You know we can do this. Underdark is my home. But is is up to you to keep it a secret and hold the position. We will do this, but go onward, thankful that you enabled us to catch a killer."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

Leaning forward from the stone chair, Dain Stokley Silverstream sucks in his cheek with a scowl, his brows knitting together further and further as Lumrolur and Zeth present their cases. An arch of the Dain's brow cues Zeth in that the Dain recognizes the tricky balance to save face that he's now in.

"It's been a long time that the Keeper of Secrets' temple has been bound in silence," he muses, using the epithet for the god Dumathoin. "We all fought that day to stem the undead horde. Clan Black Axe most of all," the Dain nods deferentially to Brydum Black Axe, who keeps his head bowed.

After a long silence in which you could hear a hammer strike stone a mile away, the Dain folds his hands over each other. "Your companion's words ring true like our Great Anvil," he nods to Zeth with a mixture of respect and caution. "I've deliberated too long, fearing what the other half of our kin – those loyal to Baerick – would say. No more. It's time to reclaim Dumathoin's Temple. You'll receive the aid you requested, Bufflestone – Brydum will go with you, two guards hand-picked by him, and whatever holy water we have left."

Digging under his chain shirt, the Dain reveals a necklace with a large silver star on it which he regards solemnly for a moment before unclasping it to hand to Lumrolur. "Your human friend would make a worthy match for any dwarven politician. The Temple is a three-tiered place of magic locks and keys. To reach the second level down, you'll need this – the Silver Star Key." He places the key into Lumrolur's hands.

"Well, Brydum, looks like you're getting that fight you wanted."

Fighting to keep the emotion from showing in his voice, Brydum Black Axe gruffly nods, "Aye, my Dain." Reaching under his armor, he pulls out a holy symbol of a green gem inset in a silhouetted iron mountain. "The Holy Symbol of Dumathoin. We'll need it to reach the third and lowest level of the temple." Clearing his throat, Brydum gestures vaguely over his shoulder. "I've kept my axe sharp for this day. And there's no dwarves I'd trust to have my back more than my fellow lookouts Angrom Krorfaeg & Rurm Doraghaen. I'll go to get them ready, and return shortly." He bows, eyes your party, and leaves the audience hall.

GM: You'll have 3 dwarf warrior NPCs (cr 1/2) and 4 vials of holy water to aid your delve. Feel free to ask further questions, plan amongst yourselves, or fast-forward / request a fast-forward. Brydum Black Axe hp 13/13 Angrom Krorfaeg hp 13/13 Rurm Doraghaen hp 13/13 Dwarf Warrior: AC 18 (chain mail, shield), speed 25; Str +2, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0; advantage save vs. poison / resistance to poison; darkvision 60 ft, passive perception 10; Battleaxe +4 hit, 6 (1d8+2) dmg; Light Crossbow +2 hit, 80/320 ft, 4 (1d8) dmg; Defender (reaction): if a creature attacks the dwarf or a creature within 5 feet of the dwarf while it is wielding a shield, the dwarf can use a reaction to give the attacking creature disadvantage on the attack roll. Holy Water (4/4): As an action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the holy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 2d6 radiant damage.

 

[Aethmud]

Jack steps forward with a modest bow, stopping to stand slightly behind his companions, his posture conveying respect to the Dain and a mindful deference to Zeth and Lumrolur's lead in the dialogue. "Dain Silverstream, I am Jack Everfrost, humbled to stand before you in your esteemed hall. Our party stands ready to assist in reclaiming Dumathoin's Temple."

"Your decisiveness in this moment is a beacon of hope, not just for us, but for all who cherish the light in these dark times. Your name shall be spoken with honor and respect among the Ten Towns, honored by future generations as the unwavering leader whose boldness led to the reclamation of Dumathoin's Temple and contributed to the safety and propserity of good and civilized folk." Then Jack raises his head, meeting the Dain's gaze with plain sincerity and a goodnatured smile. "We are profoundly grateful for your trust and support."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

With a scowl a thousand yards deep, the Dain nods with dwarvish stoicism to Jack's effulgent praise. "Respect for dwarves in Ten-Towns? Hell really must be freezing over."

Once Brydum returns with his two fellows, Angrom and Rorm still dusting snow from their beards, the Dain eases himself from the stone chair, steadying his weak leg. "Then it's decided. Brydum will lead you to the temple gates where the undead foe awaits for weal or woe..." After a moment's pause, he adds with a dry sense of humor, "Either way, songs will be sung of your valor today."

Brydum bows before his Dain, then hands the 4 flask of holy water to Zeth and Lumrolur, to distribute as you see fit.

Angrom and Rorm soon fall into chatting excitedly, much to Brydum's chagrin, joking with your party, "Now Miss Ostergaard, and Frosty Jack, there'll be no liquor a'fore delving the deeps, no matter how much you try to convince us otherwise. That's the dwarvish way. Oh, this?" Angrom chortles mid-sip, "This is pure mountain spring water... ah... with a bit of mashed grains..."

Brydum leads your party from the audience hall along passages where dwarves you pass pause to bow their heads or pound their shields – it seems word of your venture has spread quickly through Battlehammer Hold. Past lanterns and rock-cut caverns, past the Temple of the Four, past the sound of distant picks in the mines, you at last come to an echoing half-mile long passage sloping down, down, down...

Temple of Dumathoin

Massive double doors block the way into the abandoned temple, some 10-feet wide and 25-feet tall. Chain mechanisms emerge from the wall on either side, wrapped around circular winches. Based on the hinges, the doors appear to open away from you and are also barred with a broken battering ram. They are inlaid with a hammered bronze pattern resembling the two sides of Dwarven Valley with Kelvin's Cairn overlooking, stains of verdigris giving the doors a bright greenish hue. Dwarvish runes run the perimeter of the archway.

Clearing his voice, Brydum cracks his knuckles, "Alright, this is a highly technical procedure. See the chains need to be given just the right amount of slack – both of them – or the doors won't open..."

Angrom and Rorm settle into removing the broken battering ram from the doors.

GM: Attached snapshot is from Owlbear Rodeo. Here's link: Owlbear Rodeo (edit: looks like I'll need to give you permission to join in, fyi, so I'll do that when I check the site to get snapshots) @VLAD the Destroyer Logrim recognizes the handiwork of his uncle Jorlen in the door's mechanism. Jorlen always builds in a workaround – for ease of maintenance – into these sorts of doors, and sure enough you spot a little hole in the rocks. With the right tool and a twist, that should bypass the chain mechanisms entirely and open the door. Or you can let the dwarves struggle with it. This is a good time to check in about light & marching order (10-ft wide tunnels). IIRC @Steve Gorak Aric uses produce flame & @happylace Alma uses light?

 

[Aethmud]

Angrom and Rorm soon fall into chatting excitedly, much to Brydum's chagrin, joking with your party, "Now Miss Ostergaard, and Frosty Jack, there'll be no liquor a'fore delving the deeps, no matter how much you try to convince us otherwise. That's the dwarvish way. Oh, this?" Angrom chortles mid-sip, "This is pure mountain spring water... ah... with a bit of mashed grains..."

Jack gives Angrom a knowing grin, "That must be some special spring, Angrom, where the water flows with a hint of grain. Dwarven springs never cease to amaze! Anyway, I prefer to keep my wits as sharp as my blade before a delve. There'll be plenty of time for toasting once we're not the ones being toasted."

Then, Jack wonders aloud, as they walk through the half-mile long passage, "Before we venture forth, does anyone have silver armaments? Or do we think our regular steel will hold up against these undead?"

"You know, Angrom, back in the feywild, I once was tasked with hunting a phantom pixie wolf that could only be banished with a weapon that had been anointed with the essence of a four-leaf clover found at the end of a rainbow. No small feat, that. Turns out, the real trick wasn't finding the clover, but convincing a leprechaun to part with even a single sprout from his rainbow's end. First I had to find him, and then I needed to convince him to cooperate. You have no idea how stubborn leprechauns can be! He demanded that I give him a flask of shimmerdew nectar first.

"Are you familiar with the drink? 'Tis brewed from the morning dew that collects on cobwebs spun by moonlight-silvered spiders, an effervescent drink that sparkles with all the colors of the rainbow. Each sip promises a burst of laughter and a high chance of turning your words into lyrical rhymes till the next morningsong. Once I was able to bring him a flask of shimmerdew nectar, he upped his demand to include two rhyming riddles, three pots of gold, and a promise to never wear green on Midsummer's Eve.

"Well eventually I was able to ply that leprechaun for all he was worth. With a quiver full of crossbow bolts imbued with clover-essance in hand, I sent that phantom pixie wolf back to its ethereal meadow with a flick and a wink, and a stern warning about nibbling on fairy wings!"

Jack starts to flutter off the ground a bit, as he grows increasingly animated by his own story. Once the party reaches the temple doors, he frowns a bit at the imposing locking mechanism.

 

[Quickleaf]

"Well eventually I was able to ply that leprechaun for all he was worth. With a quiver full of crossbow bolts imbued with clover-essance in hand, I sent that phantom pixie wolf back to its ethereal meadow with a flick and a wink, and a stern warning about nibbling on fairy wings!"

Jack starts to flutter off the ground a bit, as he grows increasingly animated by his own story. Once the party reaches the temple doors, he frowns a bit at the imposing locking mechanism.

Chortling at Jack's improbably but fascinating tale, Angrom's eyes go wide at the middle, then he sagely nods at the end. "A deal well struck then! Why you remind me of an old Dwarvish song... translated it's 'Hammer On the Leprechaun'..." However, even the good-natured Angrom and Rorm fall silent upon approaching the gate to Dumathoin's Temple. It holds solemn history at bay and forebodes danger within.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Logrim admires his uncles handy work. As he watches the two dwarves remove the battering ram from the doors. Once it is clear Logrim walks over and pulls out his tinkers tools. He looks to everyone.

"I'll have these doors open in a jiff. Get ready for whatever is inside."

With that he slips his tools into the bypass mechanism and gives it a turn.

OOC: Logrim will be in the front with Ludo to open the door then stand back to let someone else lead. I'll fall in behind whoever goes first.

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

Logrim admires his uncles handy work. As he watches the two dwarves remove the battering ram from the doors. Once it is clear Logrim walks over and pulls out his tinkers tools. He looks to everyone.

"I'll have these doors open in a jiff. Get ready for whatever is inside."

With that he slips his tools into the bypass mechanism and gives it a turn.

OOC: Logrim will be in the front with Ludo to open the door then stand back to let someone else lead. I'll fall in behind whoever goes first.

The tall double doors click and whir, the sound of gears moving within them. Stepping back, the three dwarves' eyes go wide as they're baffled at how easily Logrim finds the loophole in his uncle's design. Slowly swinging away from you, the doors open into a ruined sacramental chamber.

Skeletons litter the floor, though the way desiccated flesh clings to their bones and the distorted positions of the bodies suggest they may have been shambling undead before their demise to dwarven axes and warhammers. Rubble from damaged walls is strewn about the edges of the chamber.

The southernmost wall is split into three parts, two angled toward the central flat wall, and they are decorated with a bas relief triptych depicting from left (west) to right (east):
(A) a dwarf holding a chalice, giving it to supplicants who hold aloft a horn as offering;
(B) supplicants holding the chalice and holy symbol of Dumathoin aloft before an opening door; and
(C) supplicants placing a gem in a fountain from which a black axe rises.

Angrom muses, "Plenty of memories kept locked away here. This is the room with those secret doors, eh Rurm?"

Nodding emphatically so his beard bounces up and down, Rurm agrees, "Aye, secret doors there and there," he points to the northeastern and northwestern walls. "There were hidden buttons in the triptych to open them, if memory serves..."

 

[Neurotic]

Lumrolur steps inside carefully, looking for any movement within (or by the) bones littering the temple.

He is careful, all his senses tingling. Behind him, the restless spirits swirl in the ether creating phantom images, rattling the bones slightly, his tracks in the dust blur slightly as the svirfneblin rogue advances to the back wall avoiding rubble in the corner.

Spoiler: Actions

Move: diagonally across the room, avoiding as much as possible bones and rubble in the room.
Looking over the secret door mechanism: neurotic: D20 + 2#lumrolurmechanics → 21(19 + 2)#Lumrolur mechanics
neurotic: D20 + 2#lumrolurinvestigation → 20(18 + 2)#Lumrolur investigation
neurotic: D20 + 6#lumrolurperception → 26(20 + 6)#Lumrolur perception

Spoiler: Roll history

Dice on fire for the last couple of days - these include some from other adventures too