Argent Silvermage
First Post
Speaking of characters shining... Tzaddik is going to be VERY needed for the next adventure I would think. Him in his favored enemie "children of Lolth" goodness and all.
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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Zad/Wizardru's Story Hour (*final update 11/12*)
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Tony Vargas
Legend
I'm curious how you handled crafting Mithral Full Plate. Was it crafted like regular MW full plate with the Mithral cost just added on top, or was the total value crafted? (if the latter, how'd it end up only taking months..?)
Zad
First Post
Well, when I said "I like this game" I meant D&D but I like this particular game too.
Over the years we've determined that the crafting rules... lack. They're really not very robust when it comes to dealing with mundane items. So we either fill in the gaps or just hand wave some things.
Elizabeth's Craft Armor is high enough that, with some help and in Gurnezarn's forge, she can make masterwork stuff reliably. We were told we'd have "several months" between the end of the last adventure and this one, so time was not an issue (nor do we usually factor it in since the RAW suggest some things take ridiculously long.) So as far as the DC goes, not a problem. Your specific question as far as what was crafted really means "how long did it take" and we really didn't bother working it out given time was not an issue. I would probably have suggested just "craft" the MW plate - adding the mithril value means it would take you years.
For cost, I took a third of the cost of (full plate + mithril) as written. Mithril armor is masterwork by definition and the cost is included. So 1,500 + 9,000 = 10,500 / 3 = 3,500gp. Crafting it yourself really helps with the cost. (I also had to pay for rental of the forge but it was still a good deal.)
I had wanted mithril because it would be medium armor, and I was considering a feat that would up my movement when in medium armor or lighter. Then the boots showed up so now I'm wondering if I should have waited and held out for adamantine instead which I could have done for 5,500, but it's questionable if I could have obtained that much adamantine. I'm also not sure how much DR 3/- is really worth.
Tony Vargas said:
Over the years we've determined that the crafting rules... lack. They're really not very robust when it comes to dealing with mundane items. So we either fill in the gaps or just hand wave some things.
Elizabeth's Craft Armor is high enough that, with some help and in Gurnezarn's forge, she can make masterwork stuff reliably. We were told we'd have "several months" between the end of the last adventure and this one, so time was not an issue (nor do we usually factor it in since the RAW suggest some things take ridiculously long.) So as far as the DC goes, not a problem. Your specific question as far as what was crafted really means "how long did it take" and we really didn't bother working it out given time was not an issue. I would probably have suggested just "craft" the MW plate - adding the mithril value means it would take you years.
For cost, I took a third of the cost of (full plate + mithril) as written. Mithril armor is masterwork by definition and the cost is included. So 1,500 + 9,000 = 10,500 / 3 = 3,500gp. Crafting it yourself really helps with the cost. (I also had to pay for rental of the forge but it was still a good deal.)
I had wanted mithril because it would be medium armor, and I was considering a feat that would up my movement when in medium armor or lighter. Then the boots showed up so now I'm wondering if I should have waited and held out for adamantine instead which I could have done for 5,500, but it's questionable if I could have obtained that much adamantine. I'm also not sure how much DR 3/- is really worth.
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thatdarncat
Overlord of Chat
My group has almost always favoured movement and dex based AC over armour based AC. I've had to put obsticles in the way of my PCs purchasing mithral armour as they were all wanting some and assuming they could purchase it in just any store. ^^;;
I like your solution for the craft DCs.
I like your solution for the craft DCs.
Argent Silvermage
First Post
They're alive! ALIVE!
Grinder and Valet.
I must say that I’m hardly the kind to pat myself on the back but I am very proud of my accomplishments of late. After all of the work infusing power into the items of my companions, I was free to do some true artificing. Using parts taken from refuse we found in Jzadirune and some items I was able to procure from Weir, I set about creating my greatest creations.
I must seem something of a madman to the rest of the Blue tigers as I have been seen very sporadically and when they do see me I’m always looking my worst. I honestly thought Mariss would faint when she saw me siphoning off my own blood into the chamber within my Iron Defender. As inquisitive a girl as she is should have left me to my work.
My first creation is Grinder. Iron Defenders are a staple as a guardian for someone of my profession and each is as unique as the Artificer who created it. I made Grinder from parts removed from the digging machines in Jzadirune as well as parts taken from the first Worg that Astrid and I killed. Building his frame from Darkwood and Worg bone was simple and the finishing touch of small armor pieces taken from the ruined suit of armor found in Jzadirune remolded were a perfect touch. Once the infusions were in place and my blood added to awaken ‘him’ Grinder immediately took to my side as a faithful dog would. I painted him and designed his body to look like a miniature tiger painted a medium blue with indigo stripes. I have named him grinder for the way he tends to grind his teeth when not occupied.
My next creation was just as important. I now had a bodyguard but I needed an assistant as well. My art requires me to carry a lot of equipment as well as my adventuring gear. I may be in better physical condition than many, but I’m only one being. Using the foot design I saw the Gnomes used on their digging golems, I fashioned feet and legs onto a frame of metal, worked this frame around a chest made of Darkwood that I had made and then attached arm units to the sides. The “face” of Valet is a large elaborate looking lock with eyes and a mouth. On the top of the Valet is the symbol of the Blue Tyger Legion and on the sides or “shoulders” of the Valet are my personal glyph and that of Diamondshard Cabal.
Now with my Guardian and assistant I feel ready to face any challenge ahead of me. Except for actually asking my Astrid out on a date.
Grinder and Valet.
I must say that I’m hardly the kind to pat myself on the back but I am very proud of my accomplishments of late. After all of the work infusing power into the items of my companions, I was free to do some true artificing. Using parts taken from refuse we found in Jzadirune and some items I was able to procure from Weir, I set about creating my greatest creations.
I must seem something of a madman to the rest of the Blue tigers as I have been seen very sporadically and when they do see me I’m always looking my worst. I honestly thought Mariss would faint when she saw me siphoning off my own blood into the chamber within my Iron Defender. As inquisitive a girl as she is should have left me to my work.
My first creation is Grinder. Iron Defenders are a staple as a guardian for someone of my profession and each is as unique as the Artificer who created it. I made Grinder from parts removed from the digging machines in Jzadirune as well as parts taken from the first Worg that Astrid and I killed. Building his frame from Darkwood and Worg bone was simple and the finishing touch of small armor pieces taken from the ruined suit of armor found in Jzadirune remolded were a perfect touch. Once the infusions were in place and my blood added to awaken ‘him’ Grinder immediately took to my side as a faithful dog would. I painted him and designed his body to look like a miniature tiger painted a medium blue with indigo stripes. I have named him grinder for the way he tends to grind his teeth when not occupied.
My next creation was just as important. I now had a bodyguard but I needed an assistant as well. My art requires me to carry a lot of equipment as well as my adventuring gear. I may be in better physical condition than many, but I’m only one being. Using the foot design I saw the Gnomes used on their digging golems, I fashioned feet and legs onto a frame of metal, worked this frame around a chest made of Darkwood that I had made and then attached arm units to the sides. The “face” of Valet is a large elaborate looking lock with eyes and a mouth. On the top of the Valet is the symbol of the Blue Tyger Legion and on the sides or “shoulders” of the Valet are my personal glyph and that of Diamondshard Cabal.
Now with my Guardian and assistant I feel ready to face any challenge ahead of me. Except for actually asking my Astrid out on a date.
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Zad
First Post
Zenith Trajectory - Chapter 2
Zenith Trajectory – Chapter 2
OOC Notes:
Exp is 1500. This takes most of the party to 6th.
This Week’s Adventure:
In the morning, we left. Not much more to it than that. There was quite a bit of debate about preparation, but ultimately we concluded we couldn’t afford much in the way of being prepared, and settled for getting a horse and cart in case Zenith was not able to walk on his own.
The trip was largely uneventful. We were almost ambushed by a group of goblins lead by an ogre. They were surely bandits expecting easy prey, but as they got closer they got a better look at our group, and stopped short. The ogre barked something and they began carefully retreating back to the forest. Bandits look for easy prey, and it wouldn’t be found with the Blue Tygers. We let them go without pursuit.
Around noon on the second day, we reached the approximate location of Crazy Jared’s hut. That is to say we reached the area on the map – there was no sign of a hut but it was just untamed wilderness and there was no landmark to orient on. The group spread out a bit trying to find sign of a fire or other habitation, and caught sight of a flash and plume of smoke on the far side of a hill.
I might have had some slight concerns about a “plume of smoke” – it was too large to be a cooking fire. But whatever concerns I had, they weren’t enough. As we crested the hill, we saw a hut sitting in the middle of some ramshackle walls. There was a man in a robe waving some kind of stick around, and the fire was the result of a red dragon attacking the hut.
A red dragon.
Think about that for a few moments.
“Must be an illusion,” Kris commented.
“What if it’s not?” Elizabeth asked.
“Gotta be,” Kris said. And the group started moving down the hill. We could hear the shouting from here – the dragon wanted to know something, and I can only assume the man was being uncooperative. The man saw us and ran up to us as the dragon smashed a wall with its tail.
“Ah, my knights! You’ve arrived! And just in time too.” The man, madness in his eyes, waved the rod around and now seemed to be wearing a kingly robe and a crown. “Go! Attack him!”
The dragon was unamused. “Insolent mammals. You do not dictate to Gottrod. I am Lord of these woods. By my father’s fangs, leave your wealth and I will let you live. Defy me and die.” This was unintelligible to everyone except Maris, who understood the language.
“Don’t listen to the foul beast – hear the fear in his words!” The madman said, and touched Astrid with the rod in time for her to suddenly understand the last half of the threat.
We were in no hurry to attack the dragon, but the idea of leaving the wealth behind didn’t sit particularly well with anyone either. There was little in the way of debate – the Blue Tygers neither attacked nor ran and waited to see what would happen, weapons readied and spread out to avoid being incinerated all at once.
“It’s an illusion,” Kris repeated. “The guy is crazy. He conjured it.”
The dragon didn’t wait long, and flew in closer. Astrid fired an arrow, and it bounced off the creature’s scales. Maris followed up with a lightning bolt and left a few scorch marks.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Kris.
The dragon, still in the air, blasted fire at us. Krisfallion and Bellsin collapsed immediately, nearly dead. Astrid got an arrow to land solidly but it was little more than an irritation.
Maris, not wanting to risk more gouts of flame, threw a spell and managed to blind Gottrod. It was brilliant.
Gottrod was irritated. “Fine. I’ll destroy you with my teeth and claws,” it snarled and landed.
Elizabeth saw her opportunity and charged in. She cut the dragon deeply, but was unprepared for the counterattack. Dragons, it seems, have extraordinary senses, and being blind was only a minor handicap. The dragon erupted into a flurry of claws and wingstrokes, tearing through armor and flesh. A moment later, Elizabeth fell to the ground, barely breathing.
Despite this, the dragon was still unhappy, made more so by more arrows from Astrid. It flapped its wings and thrust into the air, either to breathe again or retreat. Maris had made it to Kris and forced a potion into him and he was conscious again, and saw what was happening.
“Oh no you don’t,” he said, and a burst of light erupted from his outstretched hand. He hit the dragon square in the chest burning a hole into him. Gottrod roared and tried to fly but his wings gave out and he dropped from the sky, smashing into the ground.
“Well done, my knights! You have protected Andoria from another attack!” the madman said, quite pleased. Then he promptly ran off to put out the fire, while we saved the dying. We didn’t lose anyone, but it was very close. As Kris revived Elizabeth, she sat up on one elbow and said “That was a damn convincing illusion.”
Crazy Jared ambled back over when the fire was out. He waved his scepter about “Behold the peaceable realm of Andoria.” The dilapidated structures were replaced with rolling orchards and a castle. A campaign tent appeared nearby and he walked towards it. “Attend Us.”
He entered the tent and sat on a grand chair. Astrid, as one of the few who was not at death’s door recently, was the most inclined to talk to Crazy Jared in a civil tongue rather than beat him senseless. “Your Majesty, what did the dragon want?”
“Oh, he was asking about the black.”
“The black?”
Jared nodded. “The black dragon. He’s moved into this area somewhat recently, though not so recently as Gottrod. Staking out territory and all that – I assume Gottrod wanted to kill him for his territory. You do realize that you’ve killed Hookface’s son. There will be consequences.”
Hookface was an established red dragon in the area, according to Maris. This could be bad. The “knights” conferred quietly.
“This is very bad,” Astrid said. “We’ll need to conceal our involvement in this, and stay quiet about it.”
“Agreed,” everyone said.
“Use some false names with Jared – perhaps the names of the Stormblades,” Elizabeth said with a wicked grin.
“Assuming he’s even sane enough to remember,” Maris said.
“And we should move the body under cover of the trees just to keep it hidden longer,” Bellsin added.
Jared suddenly grabbed Maris on the shoulder, a different madness in his eyes. “Do not look into the smoking eye. It will curse you. The smoking eye is both a blessing and a curse. One of you is destined for it, or will die from it. The mark you bear shows the cages and the iron tree. Stay away from the iron tree. Mark me or they will look for you again.” That last bit was straight at Bellsin.
Then he let her go, and shook his head, now back to his old crazy self.
Astrid tried to move on to the reason we came. “Your Majesty, we were told you know of a way to the Underdark. There are enemies of Andoria there, plotting against Your kingdom. We must attack them before they assault You.”
“Oh indeed? Well then listen closely – go east past the Chasm of Slight Madness and find Ugly Nose Rock. From there cross the rope bridge and the Pit of Seven Jaws is nearby. This will lead you to the Underdark.” He sketched out a crude map, indicating that the entrance was quite nearby.
During the conversation, Astrid used different names for herself and others, but it was apparent that Crazy Jared had little left in the way of memory. “One last thing Your Majesty – where is the black?”
“Oh We have no idea, my dear,” he said.
“Why would Gottrod think you knew then?”
“Well, We have some power you see – We can cast divinations and such. In fact, We can cast one for you now…” and then he paused. “Except that We seem to have cast it already today. Funny I don’t remember that…”
The group took their leave, having learned what they came for. They dragged the carcass into the trees, hoping the animals would remove the evidence – there was little else they could do. If Hookface was old enough to have a son, he was likely a powerful dragon and if he knew magic, there might be little that could be done to hide the deed. It was a sobering fact that no one discussed.
We set out eastward, following Crazy Jared’s directions. The Chasm of Slight Madness was little more than a dip in the landscape. Likewise, it took a bit of imagination to see the Ugly Nose in the rock, but when we came to the large pit in the earth with a staircase jutting out of the outer edge, there was no doubt that it was the Pit of Seven Jaws.
In hindsight, I wish we had asked why it was the “Pit of Seven Jaws.”
We began moving down the stairs, and the old wood and metal made no end of creaking and groaning. Bellsin was out front, and moving like a shadow, which turned out to be very fortunate. He motioned for a sudden stop and everyone froze. The urgency of his signal made clear something was very wrong.
I reached out to his mind. What do you see?
He was somewhat confused. Understandable since we have not, technically, been introduced. Whaa?!? Who is this?
I went for the simple answer, even if it was untrue. Elizabeth.
Oh. I see eyes. Seven sets of eyes. I think it’s a hydra.
I relayed the information to Astrid and Elizabeth. They shrugged at each other, and Astrid charged.
The hydra waited, then shrieked, and seven mouths opened together and loosed a blast of ice and snow. The bitter cold froze everything in place. Astrid reeled, barely able to move, while Bellsin, caught in the blast, crumpled on the staircase.
Elizabeth yelled “Out!” Maris spoke a word, and the party was conjured to her, including the barely-alive Bellsin. Kris healed him even as Elizabeth was dragging him up the stairs. The group scrambled up the stairs. The hydra was unable to follow.
Elizabeth was rattled. “Enough. Splintershield can find his own son. This is not good. First a dragon, now this?!? It’s too much.”
Maris was racking her brains for information. “I’ve read about these. Most hydra can’t do that but there are some that can breathe fire or ice, but it’s very limited – they can’t do it often and not very far – not like a dragon. If you attack the heads, two will grow back after a bit though.”
“Even better,” Elizabeth sighed. “Rewards are useless if you don’t live to collect.”
“I’m not so sure,” Kris said. “I think I can protect us from some of that breath. It won’t hold for long, but it could stop the first wave and give you time to kill it.”
“Not the point. If we get by the hydra, what next? A dragon, then a hydra, then what? The sergeant always said ‘If you can’t handle the first wave, you sure as hell can’t handle the second.’”
Astrid was considering it too. “He also said ‘So put your biggest guys in the first wave.’ It can’t come up the stairs – we might be able to use that.”
“It will heal quickly but fire will hurt it badly. That’s something else we can make use of,” Maris said.
“That’s fine for this. What about whatever else is down that tunnel? If this is the sentry, what’s the main garrison like? You’re not looking at the soldier not the army,” Elizabeth said, growing more exasperated. “So far, we’ve nearly lost three people against the dragon, and two against the hydra. Let the Stormblades throw their lives away.”
The discussion continued, and everyone except Elizabeth was becoming convinced that this was workable, given proper preparation. Elizabeth was still in favor of withdrawing.
You know we can do this, I told her. Flaming weapons, fiery spells, proper protections… it can work.
And what after that? she asked. It wasn’t a bad question either, and she was right to consider it. What waits beyond? Will we be able to run away from that before it kills us all?
I don’t know. But you’re thinking of the hydra like a guard dog with a more powerful master beyond. What if it’s just a thing residing here? What if it eats whatever it can find and whomever tries to come through? What if the creatures beyond are weaker, and afraid? Why don’t creatures from the Underdark roam the countryside? Is it because they can’t get by the hydra?
I have some fairly vivid memories of a dragon recently ripping my entrails out, she said.
Remove the armor and we expose the soft underbelly. Once flanked, they are weak.
And if the underbelly isn’t so soft as you say?
Then we run from what we cannot fight instead of what we can.
“Fine,” Elizabeth relented.
The next morning, preparations were in place and layers of protection made ready. The girls were protected from cold, and Elizabeth used every protection she had. We made our way down the stairs, not trying to conceal ourselves. Maris caused illusionary sounds and lights to appear at the bottom of the pit, and the cryohyrda took the bait. Ice and wind shot forth, and the girls charged.
The fight was brief and decisive. Kris stunned the creature, and Maris burned it with fire. Then Astrid brought her halberd down, and sliced through to the creature’s heart. It was over in a flash.
At the bottom of the pit was a fissure in the wall that presumably lead into the Underdark. But it went unexplored for now – the group wanted to be at full strength to journey further, and it would be useful to see if anyone came to check on the hydra.
The next day, we went once more into the Pit of Seven Jaws. Everything was exactly as we had left it. The passage beyond the fissure widened quickly and went far into the distance. In fact it went for several miles. There were crevasses in the sides occasionally but they did not lead anywhere. One did hold something though – the body of a drider, staked to the wall. Sigils and signs were written in the blood of the drider. Bellsin believed it was some kind of warning to the drow to stay out.
Other than that, the passage was empty. It was in fact almost curiously devoid of life – perhaps an indicator that the hydra was a predator not a pet. Finally the fissure opened on to an immense cavern with a large rift. At the bottom of the chasm was a large building, shaped like some kind of fish with stairs leading into its mouth. Hundreds of feet below, the sound of lapping water echoed on the walls.
Kris summed it up. “Well if that ain’t a kua-toan temple, I don’t know what is.”
Loot:
- gp for horse and cart
Mithril chain shirt – magic – (+1 prob)
2 masterwork scimitars
masterwork composite longbow (+3 str)
25gp
Zenith Trajectory – Chapter 2
OOC Notes:
Exp is 1500. This takes most of the party to 6th.
This Week’s Adventure:
In the morning, we left. Not much more to it than that. There was quite a bit of debate about preparation, but ultimately we concluded we couldn’t afford much in the way of being prepared, and settled for getting a horse and cart in case Zenith was not able to walk on his own.
The trip was largely uneventful. We were almost ambushed by a group of goblins lead by an ogre. They were surely bandits expecting easy prey, but as they got closer they got a better look at our group, and stopped short. The ogre barked something and they began carefully retreating back to the forest. Bandits look for easy prey, and it wouldn’t be found with the Blue Tygers. We let them go without pursuit.
Around noon on the second day, we reached the approximate location of Crazy Jared’s hut. That is to say we reached the area on the map – there was no sign of a hut but it was just untamed wilderness and there was no landmark to orient on. The group spread out a bit trying to find sign of a fire or other habitation, and caught sight of a flash and plume of smoke on the far side of a hill.
I might have had some slight concerns about a “plume of smoke” – it was too large to be a cooking fire. But whatever concerns I had, they weren’t enough. As we crested the hill, we saw a hut sitting in the middle of some ramshackle walls. There was a man in a robe waving some kind of stick around, and the fire was the result of a red dragon attacking the hut.
A red dragon.
Think about that for a few moments.
“Must be an illusion,” Kris commented.
“What if it’s not?” Elizabeth asked.
“Gotta be,” Kris said. And the group started moving down the hill. We could hear the shouting from here – the dragon wanted to know something, and I can only assume the man was being uncooperative. The man saw us and ran up to us as the dragon smashed a wall with its tail.
“Ah, my knights! You’ve arrived! And just in time too.” The man, madness in his eyes, waved the rod around and now seemed to be wearing a kingly robe and a crown. “Go! Attack him!”
The dragon was unamused. “Insolent mammals. You do not dictate to Gottrod. I am Lord of these woods. By my father’s fangs, leave your wealth and I will let you live. Defy me and die.” This was unintelligible to everyone except Maris, who understood the language.
“Don’t listen to the foul beast – hear the fear in his words!” The madman said, and touched Astrid with the rod in time for her to suddenly understand the last half of the threat.
We were in no hurry to attack the dragon, but the idea of leaving the wealth behind didn’t sit particularly well with anyone either. There was little in the way of debate – the Blue Tygers neither attacked nor ran and waited to see what would happen, weapons readied and spread out to avoid being incinerated all at once.
“It’s an illusion,” Kris repeated. “The guy is crazy. He conjured it.”
The dragon didn’t wait long, and flew in closer. Astrid fired an arrow, and it bounced off the creature’s scales. Maris followed up with a lightning bolt and left a few scorch marks.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Kris.
The dragon, still in the air, blasted fire at us. Krisfallion and Bellsin collapsed immediately, nearly dead. Astrid got an arrow to land solidly but it was little more than an irritation.
Maris, not wanting to risk more gouts of flame, threw a spell and managed to blind Gottrod. It was brilliant.
Gottrod was irritated. “Fine. I’ll destroy you with my teeth and claws,” it snarled and landed.
Elizabeth saw her opportunity and charged in. She cut the dragon deeply, but was unprepared for the counterattack. Dragons, it seems, have extraordinary senses, and being blind was only a minor handicap. The dragon erupted into a flurry of claws and wingstrokes, tearing through armor and flesh. A moment later, Elizabeth fell to the ground, barely breathing.
Despite this, the dragon was still unhappy, made more so by more arrows from Astrid. It flapped its wings and thrust into the air, either to breathe again or retreat. Maris had made it to Kris and forced a potion into him and he was conscious again, and saw what was happening.
“Oh no you don’t,” he said, and a burst of light erupted from his outstretched hand. He hit the dragon square in the chest burning a hole into him. Gottrod roared and tried to fly but his wings gave out and he dropped from the sky, smashing into the ground.
“Well done, my knights! You have protected Andoria from another attack!” the madman said, quite pleased. Then he promptly ran off to put out the fire, while we saved the dying. We didn’t lose anyone, but it was very close. As Kris revived Elizabeth, she sat up on one elbow and said “That was a damn convincing illusion.”
Crazy Jared ambled back over when the fire was out. He waved his scepter about “Behold the peaceable realm of Andoria.” The dilapidated structures were replaced with rolling orchards and a castle. A campaign tent appeared nearby and he walked towards it. “Attend Us.”
He entered the tent and sat on a grand chair. Astrid, as one of the few who was not at death’s door recently, was the most inclined to talk to Crazy Jared in a civil tongue rather than beat him senseless. “Your Majesty, what did the dragon want?”
“Oh, he was asking about the black.”
“The black?”
Jared nodded. “The black dragon. He’s moved into this area somewhat recently, though not so recently as Gottrod. Staking out territory and all that – I assume Gottrod wanted to kill him for his territory. You do realize that you’ve killed Hookface’s son. There will be consequences.”
Hookface was an established red dragon in the area, according to Maris. This could be bad. The “knights” conferred quietly.
“This is very bad,” Astrid said. “We’ll need to conceal our involvement in this, and stay quiet about it.”
“Agreed,” everyone said.
“Use some false names with Jared – perhaps the names of the Stormblades,” Elizabeth said with a wicked grin.
“Assuming he’s even sane enough to remember,” Maris said.
“And we should move the body under cover of the trees just to keep it hidden longer,” Bellsin added.
Jared suddenly grabbed Maris on the shoulder, a different madness in his eyes. “Do not look into the smoking eye. It will curse you. The smoking eye is both a blessing and a curse. One of you is destined for it, or will die from it. The mark you bear shows the cages and the iron tree. Stay away from the iron tree. Mark me or they will look for you again.” That last bit was straight at Bellsin.
Then he let her go, and shook his head, now back to his old crazy self.
Astrid tried to move on to the reason we came. “Your Majesty, we were told you know of a way to the Underdark. There are enemies of Andoria there, plotting against Your kingdom. We must attack them before they assault You.”
“Oh indeed? Well then listen closely – go east past the Chasm of Slight Madness and find Ugly Nose Rock. From there cross the rope bridge and the Pit of Seven Jaws is nearby. This will lead you to the Underdark.” He sketched out a crude map, indicating that the entrance was quite nearby.
During the conversation, Astrid used different names for herself and others, but it was apparent that Crazy Jared had little left in the way of memory. “One last thing Your Majesty – where is the black?”
“Oh We have no idea, my dear,” he said.
“Why would Gottrod think you knew then?”
“Well, We have some power you see – We can cast divinations and such. In fact, We can cast one for you now…” and then he paused. “Except that We seem to have cast it already today. Funny I don’t remember that…”
The group took their leave, having learned what they came for. They dragged the carcass into the trees, hoping the animals would remove the evidence – there was little else they could do. If Hookface was old enough to have a son, he was likely a powerful dragon and if he knew magic, there might be little that could be done to hide the deed. It was a sobering fact that no one discussed.
We set out eastward, following Crazy Jared’s directions. The Chasm of Slight Madness was little more than a dip in the landscape. Likewise, it took a bit of imagination to see the Ugly Nose in the rock, but when we came to the large pit in the earth with a staircase jutting out of the outer edge, there was no doubt that it was the Pit of Seven Jaws.
In hindsight, I wish we had asked why it was the “Pit of Seven Jaws.”
We began moving down the stairs, and the old wood and metal made no end of creaking and groaning. Bellsin was out front, and moving like a shadow, which turned out to be very fortunate. He motioned for a sudden stop and everyone froze. The urgency of his signal made clear something was very wrong.
I reached out to his mind. What do you see?
He was somewhat confused. Understandable since we have not, technically, been introduced. Whaa?!? Who is this?
I went for the simple answer, even if it was untrue. Elizabeth.
Oh. I see eyes. Seven sets of eyes. I think it’s a hydra.
I relayed the information to Astrid and Elizabeth. They shrugged at each other, and Astrid charged.
The hydra waited, then shrieked, and seven mouths opened together and loosed a blast of ice and snow. The bitter cold froze everything in place. Astrid reeled, barely able to move, while Bellsin, caught in the blast, crumpled on the staircase.
Elizabeth yelled “Out!” Maris spoke a word, and the party was conjured to her, including the barely-alive Bellsin. Kris healed him even as Elizabeth was dragging him up the stairs. The group scrambled up the stairs. The hydra was unable to follow.
Elizabeth was rattled. “Enough. Splintershield can find his own son. This is not good. First a dragon, now this?!? It’s too much.”
Maris was racking her brains for information. “I’ve read about these. Most hydra can’t do that but there are some that can breathe fire or ice, but it’s very limited – they can’t do it often and not very far – not like a dragon. If you attack the heads, two will grow back after a bit though.”
“Even better,” Elizabeth sighed. “Rewards are useless if you don’t live to collect.”
“I’m not so sure,” Kris said. “I think I can protect us from some of that breath. It won’t hold for long, but it could stop the first wave and give you time to kill it.”
“Not the point. If we get by the hydra, what next? A dragon, then a hydra, then what? The sergeant always said ‘If you can’t handle the first wave, you sure as hell can’t handle the second.’”
Astrid was considering it too. “He also said ‘So put your biggest guys in the first wave.’ It can’t come up the stairs – we might be able to use that.”
“It will heal quickly but fire will hurt it badly. That’s something else we can make use of,” Maris said.
“That’s fine for this. What about whatever else is down that tunnel? If this is the sentry, what’s the main garrison like? You’re not looking at the soldier not the army,” Elizabeth said, growing more exasperated. “So far, we’ve nearly lost three people against the dragon, and two against the hydra. Let the Stormblades throw their lives away.”
The discussion continued, and everyone except Elizabeth was becoming convinced that this was workable, given proper preparation. Elizabeth was still in favor of withdrawing.
You know we can do this, I told her. Flaming weapons, fiery spells, proper protections… it can work.
And what after that? she asked. It wasn’t a bad question either, and she was right to consider it. What waits beyond? Will we be able to run away from that before it kills us all?
I don’t know. But you’re thinking of the hydra like a guard dog with a more powerful master beyond. What if it’s just a thing residing here? What if it eats whatever it can find and whomever tries to come through? What if the creatures beyond are weaker, and afraid? Why don’t creatures from the Underdark roam the countryside? Is it because they can’t get by the hydra?
I have some fairly vivid memories of a dragon recently ripping my entrails out, she said.
Remove the armor and we expose the soft underbelly. Once flanked, they are weak.
And if the underbelly isn’t so soft as you say?
Then we run from what we cannot fight instead of what we can.
“Fine,” Elizabeth relented.
The next morning, preparations were in place and layers of protection made ready. The girls were protected from cold, and Elizabeth used every protection she had. We made our way down the stairs, not trying to conceal ourselves. Maris caused illusionary sounds and lights to appear at the bottom of the pit, and the cryohyrda took the bait. Ice and wind shot forth, and the girls charged.
The fight was brief and decisive. Kris stunned the creature, and Maris burned it with fire. Then Astrid brought her halberd down, and sliced through to the creature’s heart. It was over in a flash.
At the bottom of the pit was a fissure in the wall that presumably lead into the Underdark. But it went unexplored for now – the group wanted to be at full strength to journey further, and it would be useful to see if anyone came to check on the hydra.
The next day, we went once more into the Pit of Seven Jaws. Everything was exactly as we had left it. The passage beyond the fissure widened quickly and went far into the distance. In fact it went for several miles. There were crevasses in the sides occasionally but they did not lead anywhere. One did hold something though – the body of a drider, staked to the wall. Sigils and signs were written in the blood of the drider. Bellsin believed it was some kind of warning to the drow to stay out.
Other than that, the passage was empty. It was in fact almost curiously devoid of life – perhaps an indicator that the hydra was a predator not a pet. Finally the fissure opened on to an immense cavern with a large rift. At the bottom of the chasm was a large building, shaped like some kind of fish with stairs leading into its mouth. Hundreds of feet below, the sound of lapping water echoed on the walls.
Kris summed it up. “Well if that ain’t a kua-toan temple, I don’t know what is.”
Loot:
- gp for horse and cart
Mithril chain shirt – magic – (+1 prob)
2 masterwork scimitars
masterwork composite longbow (+3 str)
25gp
Last edited:
dravot
First Post
The breath attack of the cryohydra was 21d6, and I made the mistake of allowing WizarDru to use my d6's, which seem to roll high. The result: 83 damage, 41 with a DC 18 Reflex save. Ouch.
Both of us made our saves, but 41 put Bellsin in the negatives, and put Astrid at +14 HP or so. Gah. Maris' spell saved the day, by pulling us all out of the fire. Yay Maris!
The dragon fight was also pretty tough, but fun. Again, Maris saved the day by blinding the dragon. Otherwise, we'd have to plink away with arrows while it stayed above melee range, whilst raining hot fiery death upon us.
Both of us made our saves, but 41 put Bellsin in the negatives, and put Astrid at +14 HP or so. Gah. Maris' spell saved the day, by pulling us all out of the fire. Yay Maris!
The dragon fight was also pretty tough, but fun. Again, Maris saved the day by blinding the dragon. Otherwise, we'd have to plink away with arrows while it stayed above melee range, whilst raining hot fiery death upon us.
WizarDru
Adventurer
dravot said:
The spell in question was Regroup from the PHB II, for the curious. Maris had spent a great deal of time deciding on her latest spells, and decided on this one for it's highly useful tactical application. Lo and behold, two sessions later it saves a party member's life.
To clarify: Bellsin had evaded detection, but the Hydra blasted Astrid and he was just in the line of fire. Even with the save, he was instantly dropped to -9. This left him with just a 15% chance on his turn not to die. Maris hadn't memmed Regroup that day, but she HAD scribed it on a scroll for emergencies. This clearly qualified. Instantly, the party was out of the Hydra's reach and able to escape.
Astrid, meanwhile continued her "feast or famine" method of combat. She apparently only has two modes, total suckitude or crit-happy mama. Nothing was hurting the Hydra until Maris used a Scorching Ray, knocking it to half-health. Then Astird did something on the odds of 68 points of damage and a little piece of me died inside.
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