D&D 5E The Kalarian Precipice - Chapter Two

daindarkspring · Mar 15, 2018

Dain - Further Down

The mixing of Dain's torchlight and the mystical light of Suru made Dain pause briefly and rub his eyes with the back of his sword hand. His mind raced, images flashing across his vision:

Pale, flawless skin glowed in the light of flickering torches, sliding free from blankets of dark fur. A flurry of long black hair, and the flashing of a woman's eyes, deep and dark. "I will always be with you..." The voice was a whispered promise. A song. Essithea.

The vision passed as quickly as it came, and Dain was once again in the tunnels of the mine, his torch flashing in his hand. Taking a breath, he continued down the passageway. "If they are mice." He shook off the last vestiges of his memory. Was it a memory? "If they are mice, they will scurry before us. If they are not...then we shall have more tales to tell."

97mg · Mar 15, 2018

Beyond the Pit

The tunnel twists with snakeish bends as the group treads forwards, with evidence of miner’s sampling at times, here and there upon the walls. Random depressions appear in the rock as dark shadowy pockets where picks and spikes have jabbed at the surface in search of a lucky find. As you walk further still, a few of these areas have grown to become small and tight passages leading off into the dark. Ahead, another bend in your path with no visibility beyond.

It is then that Dain hears the subtle sound of impacts. Rhythmic and percussive clinging and cracking, as though metal is meeting with stone. From beyond, the palest scent of something familiar blows in with a light but chilling draft. Salt.

Then another sound joins in, audible by all, footsteps… getting louder… down a tight exit to the left, as your hairs might begin to stand on end...

Otiroth · Mar 15, 2018

Otiroth: Beyond the Pit

So far, nothing but silence and tension. Only a few moments before, they had been so light-hearted! That was all gone in an instant. Otiroth's fingertips traced the stone walls. Unconsciously, he flicked his lips with his tongue, miming a trait he had picked up from he knew not who.

"Wait," he whispered, at the sound of the footsteps.

Here, they had an opportunity. Wait for it to come to them, or try to charge in after it.

"Jeovanna," he said. "Can you still use that?" A nod to the bear trap on the side of her pack.

Metea · Mar 16, 2018

Metea: Beyond the Pit

It is the uncertainty that does it. The mystery. Metea figured that whatever lived down here would have noticed their torchlight. But in the same token, should they not be able to see some torchlight in return? Not if it saw in the dark, as she and her brother did.

Not if it didn't even have eyes.

It was less a mystery than a riddle, but even a riddle was worth knowing!

Jeovanna · Mar 16, 2018

Jeovanna: Beyond the Pit

Jeovanna had her sword at the ready, but glanced back at Otiroth. "It's for game," she murmured back. Not exactly bear-sized game, either, despite the look of the trap.

But, it could catch the leg of something. Not a bit of animated armor, that'd probably crush it, but something fleshy at least. She hadn't thought to use it like that.

The barbarian would set the trap- push it to a position near the entrance of the cave from where they heard footsteps with one foot, though she'd not push the trap directly in front of the hallway, so it was not immediately visible. Near the game trail, not under the paws of the wolf. She made sure the rest of the group saw her do it. They'd better not step in it themselves!

Whatever was coming towards them in the dark may very well step in it, if it was eager to charge at them.

Then... easy prey.

Carthum One-Tusk · Mar 16, 2018

Carthum One-Tusk: beyond the pit

Carthum found the idea that their company was still stealthy somewhat laughable- though he could understand the necessity of some discretion.

The smell of salt- the ocean- was close. These caves had taken them further and deeper than they had thought, and again, Carthum was reminded that time had slipped away from them.

The group hung back- charging into the side passage was foolhardy. The trap seemed an interesting twist of fortunes. Still... conscience gripped the priest, perhaps that clawing at their minds was not fear, but guilt.

Carthum put on his best scary-orc voice. "Halt. Identify yourself," he growled into the darkness, into the abyss of the curved tunnel.

Were it friend, let it respond. Were it foe, let it charge them and see how sure-footed it was!

daindarkspring · Mar 16, 2018

Dain - Beyond the Pit

A bear trap? He approved of this plan heartily, even if he showed it with just a nod of his head and a gesture towards the narrow opening. As Jeovanna laid it and set it, Dain hovered very nearby, trying to position himself to gain advantage on whatever came through. His head did swivel back and forth, however, between the trap and the tunnel further on.

The last thing they wanted was to be caught unawares!

His sword was ready.

97mg · Mar 17, 2018

Beyond the Pit

A subtle sound of clattering drifts in from the narrow passage, as does the eerie pattern of footsteps while the group anxiously waits.

Then all goes quiet for a moment, as if the approaching mystery has decided to pause, wait and think, before you sense it's ominous motions commence once more.

Around a dark corner it comes, moving further and further into the reaches of the light.

Your first sight might make you shudder, as this is a being devoid of skin and flesh. The old armor it seems, isn't the only inhabitant that should otherwise be still. Around four and a half feet tall, a biped formed of nothing but bone and cartilage steps out of the chiseled crevice. Around it's waist a sheathed dagger is tied to an old leather belt. In one white and boney set of phalanges it grips a small pick axe, a favored tool of miners of old.

As the skull atop the creature's head turns, two milky white and almost pearlescent stones set into its orbits regard you with mixed curiosity.

Another step, and it blunders into the jaws of the well laid trap.

Snap!

The device shuts around a dry and skeletal shin with a cringeworthy crunch. But there is no scream. In fact, you might doubt if such a being is capable of speech, until it looks down to the trap ensnaring it, and then turns to you all, mouth opening in an emotional response, surprise?

<Rolls - Perception to notice trap = 10 Fail. Dex check to avoid trap = 7 Fail.

You can all have one round of surprise actions. After that we will roll initiative (only if required).

Please make wisdom checks if you wish (d20+wisdom modifier), and I'll see how much you might have heard about such a creature and how much attention you paid in any earlier anatomy classes haha. It is clearly undead, but maybe not in a conventional sense.

Should your instinct be to attack, we'll let two characters in melee at a time versus it, due to space constrictions. Advantage on all melee attack rolls for you whilst it is trapped. No disadvantage to those firing from range or casting spells into combat, as I assume you have all positioned yourselves nicely in waiting.

As Dain has undead as a favored enemy, he is welcome to have a little flashback if you want.>

daindarkspring · Mar 17, 2018

Dain - Beyond the Pit

The sight of the undead creature coming into the range of the torchlight made the hairs on Dain's neck stand up and his eyes narrow into slits, brows furrowed. His knuckles grew white as he gripped his sword with a clenching strength.

A young woman surrounded in an aura of yellow light from the neck up, dressed in an elaborate gown and headdress, shrieked in fear as a collection of bony hands reached up towards her throat, their fleshless fingernails yellowed and ragged. Her eyes were full of fear, but behind it was something else, something more like determination. One of the creature's heads came into view, and its lifeless eyes turned back to stare at Dain.

Dain sprang forward towards the creature, its eyes becoming the eyes of the creature in his vision. "Terras and the Alabaster throne of Andilar! My Lady!!!"

The words were not spoken with any meaning, they had seemed to have risen from his soul and exploded out of his mouth from instinct. But he was not hesitating to ponder their source, whether they were a buried memory or a twisted enchantment. The torch dropped to the ground as he now wielded his longsword with two hands.

He was going to destroy the undead atrocity.

<Wisdom check: 7>
<Initiative: 5>
<To hit: 17>
<Damage: 11 from 'versatile' use of longsword 1d10+3>

97mg · Mar 17, 2018

Beyond the Pit

Dain's blows land strong and true upon the brittle old bone of the creature, cleaving through a shoulder. There is more clattering then, as a humerous and hand tumble to the ground, the dislocated fingers still clenching it's axe but likely never again to chip at stone or dig into flesh.

The skeleton is very much worse for wear, but still stands facing you with a resolute icy glare.