D&D 5E (IC) Vault of the Dracolich (Ensemble)

[FitzTheRuke]

"The way in is still unfriendly. We got through the gate through subterfuge... which fell apart at the entryway." Torbin informed Kurzon, "I'm not sure he could get out if he tried."

The guard-prisoner shook his head. "I-I can't accept your offer. I am sworn to serve Bartleby."

The other prisoner (the enforcer captured by the Infiltrators) snorted and said "Me too! Loyal to the Beast. I mean, what choice do we have? Oh, I am sure you all mean to murder us, but to betray the Beast? We'd be in for much worse than what you've got, even creepy-eyes there."

He wagged his chin at Mord.

"So what's our plan?" asked Torbin.

OOC: Here's the chalk-map drawn by the Drow, for the Infiltrators who missed it.

 

[gargoyleking]

Mord had returned to the image of Rowloe on the off-chance that they ran across anyone on the way down here. He smiled a bit at the nickname and let the illusion fade. This time his eyes were an icy shade of blue, his 'natural' eye color. He squats down next to their prisoner and speaks quietly to him.

"I should, really. I have magic on you that can't be freed until you are dead. And I may soon be needing it again."

Dismissing the man he stands back up and turns to the other group. "Hopefully, whoever stumbles on the bodies above will find my little note. I'd love to see the look on Argyle's face..."

Squirrels are evil!

 

[River Song]

"very well," Kurzon growls. "It will not be long before this entire place is aware that they have intruders. The prison guards are due to be relieved soon. We should ambush and kill them so they cannot raise the alarm."

 

[Ancalagon]

Udit kneels besides the map and starts pointing at things:

"We got intel from a drow captive, who was being kept in this room, here. They had a single idol of Bhaal, which they thought would be sufficient to remove the ward the Wizard spoke about - but it wasn't. The ward is deadly - some kind of necro-power - and it killed some of them. Worse of all, the attempt woke the dragon, and it killed more of them. The drow then got captured.

Before being captured, he discarded their idol in a lake here: the hydra's lair, which is connected to the great hall via some kind of ledge - I'm not sure I exactly understand how, but that's an important detail. Prisoners were fed to this hydra, so it sees people as food.

There is another lake here - the upper lake - where a dangerous monster lived, but we killed it. In this location, the Cove, we found some kind of teleportation obelisk, but we haven't used it. The Pillar of the sun is... something... the drow party used to come here from below, and it is where the drow captive is returning home. Yeah we let him go but hey, he gave us decent intel. They are after the staff too.

The lower lake has a nest of stirges. The lizardmen's lair has many stalagmites and such. The rift is a great crevasse into which the water fall into.

The leader of the temple is Silakul, some kind of priest. He hired the mercenary Barnady, ie the Beast, to help protect the place.

Lastly the drow mentioned an orb, but when I asked about it he said he only meant the sun... but maybe he was lying to us."

Udit rubs his chin and looks at the others

"So, uh, yeah, defeating the guards coming here to relieve the others is a priority. It should be easily done if they have the same numbers as the one we killed, and now we have double the strenght!... but even if we kill them, the absence of the guards they were replacing will raise an alarm.

The other priority is finding the idols. We know where one is, and we'll have to deal with the Hydra. Then we need the others... no clue where. Also no clue how we defeat a dragon... "

 

[Ancalagon]

Udit furrows his brows

"Oh yeah - the Drow also mentioned that the dragon came through the necro ward. I guess that means it's an undead dragon....

Do undead dragons *ever* sleep?"

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Torbin listened with interest to Udit's concise description of the situation. When Udit spoke of the Dragon, he frowned. "The drow must be lying about that. I have been scouting for Imani for about six weeks, and I've learned a few things in that time. The Dragon Dretchroyaster, when it was alive, was a plague on the Dalelands hundreds of years ago. It should be enormous, and vastly powerful. I really think we'd know if it were awake - I also think we'd be far more than a little in trouble. I can't imagine how we would have any chance of success."

He thinks for a moment about Udit's question regarding undead Dragons, "I really have no idea."

GM: Anyone want to give me History or Arcana (proficient only in this case, please) Religion might do for general undeadedness knowledge, too.

 

[River Song]

"Is it possible there are two dragons, or an illusion of some kind," Kurzon ponders.

[roll0]

 

[tglassy]

OOC: Aquaria Arcana Check: [roll0] Auraia Arcana Check: [roll1] Terrus Arcana Check: [roll2]

Sent from my iPad using EN World

 

[FitzTheRuke]

[roll0]

Skelletons and can stand around for long periods of time (theoretically years) without sleeping, but powerful undead like Vampires certainly sleep. Dracoliches are probably more like the latter.

OOC: Aquaria Arcana Check: [roll0] Auraia Arcana Check: [roll1] Terrus Arcana Check: [roll2]

Aquaria and Terrus agree that a venerable green dragon ought to be really, really, big. Though no one is sure just how long ago it died. Maybe it wasn't as big as it's reputation leads everyone to believe. Kurzon's idea of an illusion has merit, as well. Terrus recalls that Rowloe didn't even think there really was a dragon in the Vaults. Or so he said. Can we dare to hope the dragon is a ruse?

 

[Prickly Pear]

SnorLoska rubs his temples. Hydras... Idols... Dragons... Sleep... My head hurts and I can't think! I've got a sore shoulder and my legs ache. SnorLoska stops grumbling for a moment before asking How long before the guard change-over? He then sits down and leans against a crate. SnorLoska closes his eyes... just for a few moments...

OOC: SnorLoska is not proficient in Arcana, History or Religion. He is badly hurt and need a short rest. If rest is not possible then he will swig a couple of healing potions as the ambush is being set.