(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

GM: You had a short rest in the Arcane Gem Press. Short Rest house rule reminder: Short Rests are 10 minutes of catching your breath. You can spend a number of Hit Dice up to your proficiency bonus (2), and reset death saving throws.

Spoiler: Map

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Gathering yourselves at Alma's behest, you rely on Lumrolur's scouting to reveal that there are three routes leading from this lowest level of the dwarven temple:

A frigid opaque pool lies to the southeast, with signs of zombie bits suggesting it is the ice toads' dwelling place.

The southwestern wall is broken through, either by an earthquake or magic, revealing a long passage with a slight slope down leading into the Underdark. Lumrolur will intuit that this passage leads toward the town of Tourmaline.

To the west is a bronze double door like the others you've encountered – protected by three more of the trapped weep-holes – though this one bears the symbol of a dwarven palm-sized black axe at its center. The same as the pendant you recovered from the zombie the ice toad vomited forth.

Brydum scowls at the broken passage leading up from the Underdark, gesturing gruffly with his shield, "That must be where Akar Kessell's zombies came from. Mayhap these fatted frogs too. The doors...must be another part of the temple, though I don't know what lies beyond. Where will you go from here?"

 

[Neurotic]

"Let's check the temple first. That way, you can inform those above about full layout and we xan say we cleared thentemple as agreed."
Lumrolur suggests
"There might be something we can use too. Although, we're in a hurry so if you're confident the dwarves can clear out the rest...let us go."

 

[Necropolitan]

Zeth nods at Lumrolur's words.

"The main issue is getting around safely. There's no telling how long we can keep bluffing the toads and those traps won't stop firing."

 

[Steve Gorak]

Aric chimes in on the discussion "I agree that it't worth checking the temple first. But if it's full of underad, we should close the door and move on to catch the killer"

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

You're able to reposition to the double-door, using the same tactic – sending the ice toads ahead, launching fire magic to distract the magical bolts spewn from the trapped weep-holes. However, you have to be careful not to stay near the ice toads for too long – the aura they emit is beyond even the eternal winter, and could freeze your blood in your veins! Thus, you're huddled together, while Alma directs each ice toad to stand beneath the weep-holes on either side of the doors.

The double doors – like others you've encountered in the temple – are made of hammered bronze tainted by verdigris putting the runic engravings along the perimeter in stark contrast. An indentation at the center is in the shape of a palm-sized double-headed battle axe – much like the silver axe pendant you recovered from the zombie earlier.

Spoiler: Dwarvish language

The runes indicate this is Dumathoin's innermost sanctum.

Spoiler: Map

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[Neurotic]

"You might want to move a bit back, in case there is a trap behind this." Lumrolur suggests as he takes the pendant.

He waits just long enough to allow anyone who wants it to move away before opening the door. He moves back as soon as he pushes them open.

Ooc: bonus action move

 

[Aethmud]

Jack nods to Lumrolur, incidating his readiness for what might come. "If we hit another trap, I'm giving up adventuring to become a trap critic," he whispers with a smirk, "This place is a goldmine for reviews!" He murmurs an aside to Brydum, "Dumathoin is the god of mining and deep secrets, right? Not trap making?"

Jack readies an Icy Touch spell, a tiny flurry of snow whirling between his hands as his fingers twitch in anticipation. Waiting for the gates to open, he thinks to himself, "I bet this room is as secure as a dwarf's vault. If it is, Brydum can return to Rurm and share the news of our triumph with the rest of the dwarves. In the Underdark, the toads will slow us down a little, but we can run ahead once we help them find a tasty morsel."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST

Brydum offers a wry harumph to Jack's quip, "Secrets under the mountain, ye." All the same, as Lumrolur advances to the door, Brydum raises his shield so only his white brows peek above the rim. He casts a glance about as if a bit embarrassed about fearing the traps of one of the dwarven gods.






The doors grind slowly open as soon as Lumrolur places the axe pendant, revealing an utterly bare 70-foot long corridor ending at another bronze verdigris double door - this one in a stylized stone arch in the likeness of a dwarven face with a horned helm and gaping mouth (the door). A palm-sized iron circle is at the center of this door.

Four weep-holes are hidden within the stone arch - at the dwarf's eyes in the capstone and ears on the sides. So far, none of them have lit up...

Spoiler: Map

 

[Aethmud]

"An empty corridor! Empty is good. Bet the intruders weren't able to get inside here." Jack allows the nascent Icy Touch spell between his hands to dissipate into a poof of snowflakes.

Jack's face turns pensive, as he wonders aloud, "A ways back, we saw some mural of a priestess carrying the silver goblet aloft like an offering, didn't we? Maybe that might help protect against any traps?" He looks around to his companions, one by one, "Anyone wanna give it a try? If not, I'm game. I'll try anything once!"

 

[Steve Gorak]

Aric looks down the corridor and decides to reposition the bond fire to see better.

OOC: cast create bond fire as far as he can see