(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Aethmud]

Jack gets up off the floor with a slight groan and pats his leather outfit to check for signs of damage while dusting himself off. He nods and grins, thinking that the gamble paid off handsomely, all considered.

The party hears his voice, off in the distance and echoing around the corner, "Still kicking and quipping! Not dead yet, folks!" He sounds like he's in pain, but his spirits are not dampened.

He pops his head around the corner, ready to retreat if the weep holes light up again, shouting a proposal to his compatriots: "Alright, team! Turns out there are three magic missiles in each volley. How about we light up this hallway with some coordinated spellwork? Aric, Zeth, and I can each conjure a fire. One bonfire, one fire bolt, and one torch. That should confuse these trap-happy magic missiles long enough for everyone to dash through safely. Hurry over, you’ve gotta see this! The Arcane Gem Press is a sight to behold!"

 

[Neurotic]

"Or we could simply toss a torch or three." Lumrolur digs around his dungeoneering pack and brings up a tinderbox and a torch. With deft movements, he has the torch lit in few heartbeats. "Now, can we start? I feel to exposed here."

 

[Necropolitan]

Happy they've managed to figure this out Zeth readily agrees to Jack's proposal.

"Let me know when I should start casting."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

Spoiler: Map

Owlbear Rodeo

A more bear-able virtual tabletop

www.owlbear.rodeo

GM: Tl;dr Potentially there are FOUR castings of magic missile this trap can dish out, shooting from each weep hole. Each magic missile includes three bolts dealing 1d4+1 damage each. If all four were triggered, that's a total of 12d4+12 damage spread out. There are 4 weep holes along the eastern passage (similar setup on the western passage). The dashed line is the point where the first one begins to light up. When Jack sprinted, weep hole #1 didn't fire at all - perhaps due to the ice toad's cold aura. However #2 triggered with a magic missile spell firing 3 magical bolts of force, one of which diverted to Aric's bonfire, the others two hit Jack. Weep hole #3 lit up but did not trigger, perhaps due to Jack's size and cutting a hard corner into the Arcane Gem Press chamber. Weep hole #4 didn't light up at all.

 

[happylace]

Hearing Jack's plan, Alma looks between the toads. The first one's aura seems to be negating the effects of one of the weep holes. They should try to get as much coverage as possible, if they're going to pull something this risky. She wasn't given any direction anyway.

"Twister!" she calls out in Deep Speech, "Please come sit beside Kr-koa-kwat. In front of this hole. It would help us greatly and allow us to leave faster so that we can help you find food. Please, both of you, do not mind what the others are going to do with the fire. It is not meant to harm you in any way."

 

[Quickleaf]

Hearing Jack's plan, Alma looks between the toads. The first one's aura seems to be negating the effects of one of the weep holes. They should try to get as much coverage as possible, if they're going to pull something this risky. She wasn't given any direction anyway.

"Twister!" she calls out in Deep Speech, "Please come sit beside Kr-koa-kwat. In front of this hole. It would help us greatly and allow us to leave faster so that we can help you find food. Please, both of you, do not mind what the others are going to do with the fire. It is not meant to harm you in any way."

The other horse-sized ice toad pads toward Alma as if it is woozy. Bloated skin and pale eyes give the impression it has had one too many undead feasts. An aura of biting cold passes over the party with the toad’s passage. Squatting down next to Kr-koa-kwat, the other ice toad emanates a low groaning croak, its cold aura enveloping one of the trapped weep-holes.

 

[Aethmud]

Jack’s mind races as he watches the massive ice toad settle into position. The aura of cold the toads emit seems to be affecting the weep holes, and an idea sparks in his mind. Hmm, if their cold aura can block the magical missiles, maybe he can help by making more ice too. He reasons that casting Icy Touch on the other weep-holes might help to clog them up with ice. Worth a shot, he tells himself. Might as well put all the cards on the table to make a death trap a bit less lethal.

Spoiler: Spell casting

Jack casts Icy Touch, a cantrip, which is a reskinned version of the 5e spell Chill Touch and deals cold (not necrotic) damage. I'm skipping the rolls, assuming that Jack can keep throwing snowballs at the holes until he feels satisfied. Let me know if I should make rolls though.

Shouting around the corner to the rest of the party, he calls out, "I’m going to try something. Watch this! I’m gonna have a snowball fight with those other holes and see if I can clog them up with ice." Jack raises his hands, invoking the chill of the Feywild, and casts Icy Touch on each of the two other holes that aren't covered by the ice toads' auras. Frost spreads from his fingertips, forming iridescent snowballs that glimmer in the dim light. He tosses a series of snowballs at the two holes until they seem to be blocked with ice and slush. "There, that might help," he remarks, taking a step back to admire his handiwork.

"I have no idea if that will do anything, though. We should still create some fiery distractions. Aric, you set up a bonfire. Zeth, you'll launch a fire bolt. And I’ll keep a torch burning bright. Let’s give those traps something to chew on that isn’t us." Jack pops his head around the corner once more, surveying the group, and pondering the next move. "So, who's ready to take a gamble, folks? You could rush over all at once, or take it one by one. You can even hop over my candlestick along the way, if you like," Jack giggles.

 

[Neurotic]

Lumrolur keeps his torch steady. "I'll go. Even if firebolt doesn't attract the fire, the torch is warmer than I am. Aric, whenever you're ready."

Without waiting for others, he starts forward as soon as bonfire appears.

 

[Necropolitan]

Zeth readies himself to move with the rest of the group. His fire bolt spell will be a moving target, but hopefully that won't be an issue.

"Alright, we're following your plan."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

Alma's truce with the two ice toads pays off, as she's able to get them to position their squat bodies to chill the first two trapped weep-holes. Neither lights up as your party advances together.

The third weep-hole lights up behind the packed snow created by Jack. While it's not truly iced over - that would taking pour water through the weep-holes - the first of the magic missiles slams into the snow in a powdery burst. The second zips off in the direction of Zeth's fire bolt. The third strikes the flagstones beneath where Aric's bonfire burns. None of the three force bolts reach your party.

Whether the torches carried on your persons did anything seems dubious, but you all make it safely into the Arcane Gem Press.

A massive machine, resembling an antiquated hydraulic press, occupies the center of this circular chamber with its walls engraved with a procession of dwarves carrying gems – with the gem carried appearing brighter and more multifaceted as the eye follows the carvings around the chamber. Clamps and knobs are set up to secure a gem no larger than a human's fist in the device. Pipes and pistons disappear into the ceiling, though there are gaps that would let a Small creature just barely squeeze up into the upper crawlspace. However, there is a palpable hum of magic emanating from the Arcane Gem Press that any sorcerer could feel thrumming like the magic in their veins.

There are also several controls that Logrim quickly identifies as akin to the vices/grips used by gem-smiths, except there's also an "inflow" and an "outflow" control. @VLAD the Destroyer

Brydum whistles in awe as he beholds one of the most well-kept secrets of the dwarven priesthood. "Not everyday you see one of these beauties."

Spoiler: Map