DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 111d4 ⇒ 1
Preparing for battle, Therena and others cast spells, mostly on Rikar, but spells that will provide the entire group with help. She then casts daylight on a rock and throws it into the water.
For a moment, nothing happens, then suddenly four columns of water rise up, their shape shifting between a spinning column of water and a crashing wave, as they seem disturbed by your intrusion into their domain.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Rikar Sarakin |
Can we attempt to identify what this might be? Is it a creature or some magical effect? If it's a creature, what skill might help identify it?
Misha Keroun |
Misha auto-succeeds on that roll even without Loremaster to help
"It's a water elemental. A big one." Misha steps forward, addressing it with the aid of her active tongues spell. "Sorry to have disturbed you, guardian of the waves. We wish you no harm if you don't us. We are trying to learn of this ancient place."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 141d4 ⇒ 3
Three of the four creatures slip back under the water, while one remains on the surface, looking at the party with a jaundiced view. "யாராவது நம்மை விழித்திருப்பதால் அது மில்லேனியாவில் இருந்து வருகிறது. நீங்கள் ஏன் இங்கு இருக்குறீர்கள்?"
Next?
Level Map Updated
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar glances at Misha, glad she can sort out the bubbling, liquid tongue of the elemental, and confident she'll give the right answer to whatever question has been asked.
Misha Keroun |
I knew I should have cast communal tongues (ew) but didn't want to burn another 3ed level spell right off the bat.
"We are explorers trying to understand this place. We fear evil people may be trying to unleash something dangerous. Already we have defeated an ifrit who sought this power."
Misha hopes the idea of fighting fire elementals appeals to the water folk.
Josef Guardson |
"I knew I should have studied more elemental languages."
Josef mutters under his breath, irritated that he can't speak this creature's language.
Misha Keroun |
If this goes on awhile I'll burn the communal spell.
Rikar Sarakin |
I think we can probably presume Misha can translate if someone has something they want to contribute to the conversation.
Misha Keroun |
That too.
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 81d4 ⇒ 3
The creature looks at Misha and the others, as if wondering what to do with these puny mortals in front of it, and finally responds to her;
"நல்லது, தீ உயிரினங்கள் எங்கள் நண்பர்களல்ல. நீங்கள் என்ன தெரிந்துகொள்ள விரும்புகிறீர்கள்?"
Misha, please continue to roll a Diplomacy check on your posts, and anyone who wishes to help roll to aid her.
Next?
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar will smile and nod, doing so with particular enthusiasm as Misha relays how they killed the ifrit.
Aid Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Misha Keroun |
Misha looks to the others. "What do we want to know?"
Josef Guardson |
"Do they know anything about the stones, the tears, I mean? Or anything about the rest of this dungeon? How about the dragon-door-thing? Or the plate that says 'open evil' we got from the plant monsters?"
Telman Raoul |
With no talent for negotiation in his native tongue Telman has little ability to contribute to the situation at hand....other than to keep his bow lowered in what he hopes is a non-threatening manner as Misha does what she does best.
Misha Keroun |
Misha nods at Josef. "Do you know anything about the burial mound in the other room? There is a place for a large stone key; the key says 'open evil'. We are worried if we use it, we will do something bad. Do you know anything about it?"
Misha also pulls out her own tear. "Also, have you seen one of these? We are seeking them out."
Misha concentrates, hoping for a little luck to guide them in their conversation. Expending a use of archeologist's luck.
Diplomacy, arc luck, Rikar's aid, good hope: 1d20 + 10 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 34
Therena |
Therena patiently waits, smiling pleasantly at the elenentals, and listens to the beautiful gurgling language she can't understand.
DM Papa.DRB |
Wife 50th reunion over, 42 of 177 graduates attended. First person we ran into was my wife best friend from the 3rd grade on till end of high school! Good times.
?: 1d20 ⇒ 101d4 ⇒ 4
The elemental looks over the tear, and responds to Misha questions,
"நாங்கள் நீண்ட காலமாக தூங்கினோம். சில விஷயங்களை நாம் நினைவில் வைத்திருக்கிறோம். புதைக்கப்பட்ட குன்று பின்னால் ஒரு பெரிய தீமை. மகத்தான சக்தியின் இறங்குமுன். நீங்கள் அதை விடுங்கள், ஆனால் நீங்கள் அதை கொல்ல முடியும் மட்டுமே.
பல குகைகள் வெள்ளம். ஒரு பெரிய வெள்ளைத் தாடை, சாகாகின், மீன்வயல், மற்றும் ஒரு பெரிய உடை.
நான் இங்கே ஒரு டிராகன் மனிதன் வந்து இங்கே சில நேரம் முன்பு பார்த்தேன், யார் அந்த பொருட்களை ஒரு இருந்தது. அவர் அர்ச்சனாத் நகரத்திற்குச் சென்றார். நுழைவு வடகிழக்கில் உள்ளது.
வேர் மற்றவர்கள். நாங்கள் உதவி செய்ய மாட்டோம், ஆனால் நாங்கள் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் உள்ள சில வெள்ளம் நிறைந்த குகையில் நீ சுதந்திரமாக கடந்து செல்வோம்."
Many of the caves are flooded. There is a huge white shark, sahuagin, fishmen, and a huge kraken.
I saw a dragon man come thru here some time ago, who had one of those objects. He left for the Arcanath city. The entrance is in the northeast.
Ware others. We will not help, but we will let you pass freely in the few flooded caves that we control."
Misha Keroun |
Misha translates, then says, "Thank you very much. We apologize for disturbing you."
She waits if the party has anything else they want to ask, and will translate their questions for them, or otherwise, she urges the others back into the corridor so they can discuss options.
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar considers just what it means when the massive water elemental refers to a shark as 'huge', and mentions there's a kraken as well. "We'd better figure out how to get around underwater," he suggests, "and how best to fight in those conditions. I wonder how well my scythe would work underwater - nice sharp blade, but I'd still have to swing it."
Seeing that Misha has opted for discretion, rather than chatting right in front of their new, watery friends, Rikar gives a cordial nod to the elemental and does as Misha urges, heading back into the corridor.
Once out of earshot, he says, "My blade is made to kill undead, I think we can take whatever is behind that seal. The shark and the kraken sound a bit trickier."
Therena |
"We definitely need to use those divinations first, to make sure it's something we can handle."
Misha Keroun |
"On the other hand," Misha says, "If we leave this place with the key to the seal, no one will ever be able to open the door and allow the undead creature to escape. However, on the off chance we fail--or the undead creature is a type that can fly or transform into gas or move through walls and it escapes us--we've released a danger to the world because we thought we could handle it. Mind, I'm always up for an adventure, but the more I learn about the Athans, the more I feel the need to consider consequences."
Josef Guardson |
"Underwater, now that will be an interesting medium for combat and exploration. I think we have sufficient magic, but we'll need some different weaponry. That scythe, my greatsword, and Telman's arrows, they're all next to useless in the water. Spears, shortswords, or other stabbing tools, that's what we'll need. Not to mention, we will need to breathe and operate down there. My summons and combat magic should work just fine, but I don't know the water breathing spell, and that's a bit of a problem. I suppose we could backtrack, get out of the mountain, and teleport to get it, after all."
Misha Keroun |
"On the subject of the flooded caves--he also mentioned a direction a city is in. We could give this area at least a thorough enough look-at to see which caves are flooded and take note, then head for that city. Understanding it may be in ruins or unfriendly, it may still be a source of supplies that either may help us underwater, or provide a sufficient source of wealth that we can take time to get to the surface or back to the Svirfneblin city to trade, and then tackle anything we feel the need to tackle. Talking of breathing, we could also get apparatus to help us navigate those caves where there seemed to be no air."
"I'd also add that if the flooded caves don't go anywhere, it may not be necessary to swim through them. We just want to be sure we get to all necessary corners of the cave."
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 71d4 ⇒ 3
The water elemental bows, you think that what the sloshing is, in response to Misha apology, slides beneath the surface, and you see a wake as deep dives and disappears.
Moving back down the tunnel a bit, you talk about your options, and what to do next.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Let me know what you intend to do now, ie. which way are you going.
Josef Guardson |
"Might as well finish exploring this area, before we make plans to go underwater or against a hugely powerful undead creature. No sense making a decision before we exhaust our explorations down here."
Therena |
"Agreed. Neither of those options sound like fun. I'm almost positive that that water will be completely frigid."
Telman Raoul |
Telman inwardly cringes at the thought of how ineffective he would be under water. "I like where your head's at, Misha. Maybe we can beat this undead thing, maybe we can't. But we KNOW it can't escape where it is I say we scatter the keys, maybe even destroy one, so that no one can ever open the damn thing."
"Plenty of battles to fight in our future. If this thing already lost and got itself imprisoned? I say no reason to go looking for another battle. Let sleeping dragons lie....."
Misha Keroun |
Misha nods along. "As Josef says, the first order is to finish mapping out this area. We can see where these flooded caves are and where the exit to this city is, and consider what other dangers there may be."
Therena |
"Unless something we need to defeat this great evil was trapped along with it. Besides, just because we would need the keys to release it doesn't mean some other, more powerful magic user, couldn't figure out a way to wake it up without the keys. When it's dead, it's dead for good. But again, hopefully we can learn all that with a few well-chosen divinations...once we've cleared the rest of this level."
DM Papa.DRB |
Moving along, not entering water, and stopping at the next "encounter".
?: 1d20 ⇒ 81d4 ⇒ 4
Having decided to postpone any final decision on the great evil behind the stone table key(N7), you map out the rest of this area, as best you can without swimming or crossing water.
You find several more of the bad air caves(N3), another dead end with water(N4) but with ripples below the surface, but not like the water elemental ripples you saw earlier, and finally as you enter a water less dead end(N5), four roughly humanoid creatures of dirt and stone explodes up from the earth, faceless save for two glowing gemstone eyes. They look at you, not quite sure what to make of surface creatures this far into the deep earth.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Josef Guardson |
Happily, Josef speaks Terran, which he does as the earth creatures spring up.
Careful to keep his gestures slow and well away from his weapons, Josef smiles and tries to project friendliness and a lack of danger.
Rikar Sarakin |
Rikar listens as Josef speaks in a rumbling language to the earth creatures, wondering what they'll have to say in return.
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 181d4 ⇒ 3
Next?
Josef Guardson |
Glad that his linguistic training paid off, and especially glad these elementals did not attack, Josef continues his discussion in that rumbling, gravelly speech.
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 101d4 ⇒ 3
"די כיומז וואָס געלעבט דאָ לאַנג צוריק ווו ניט די אלטע איינער, אָבער זיי געדינט די אלטע איין. די יידלשטיין ווי טרערן, אויב איר ריכטיק זיי ינסערט אין די פּילערז אין די אלטע שטאָט, וועט עפענען אַ טויער צו ווו די דראַקאָן האר יגזיסץ עס איז אַ אַרויסגאַנג צו די שטאָט אין די מזרח ווינקל פון דעם געגנט.
די ונדעאַד באַשעפעניש הינטער די פּלאָמבע, איז געווען שטעלן דאָרט דורך די שלאנג האר. צי ניט פריי עס, אויב איר קענען טייטן עס. "
The undead creature behind the seal, was put there by the dragon lord. Do not free it, unless you can kill it."
Therena |
Therena listens to the gravelly speech, smiling pleasantly and waiting for the translations.
Josef Guardson |
"Thank you, earth creatures. They say that a powerful undead creature is locked behind that seal, and we should not open the door unless we can kill it. They also say the tears are a set of keys, which will open a portal to where the Dragon Lord exists, we would have to travel to the northeast to find the entrance to the portal. I don't know just how powerful that beast is, but it was locked away by the same Dragon Lord, so I'd guess pretty potent."
Misha Keroun |
"If the dragon lord couldn't destroy it... yeesh," Misha says. "Still this has been incredibly helpful. Please thank them and ask if there's anything we can do. Should we let them know about the mine we secured for the other earth elemental? It might not be relevant, but..."
Misha shrugs. "Anyway, what he's said makes me inclined both to finish mapping this place and then getting to this city. We can further debate the bogey behind the door as well."
Telman Raoul |
"Seems like the more we search the area the more we learn. Who knows what else we'll find if we keep going?" He glances over at the strange earth creatures. "Let's just hope you two don't run out of languages....."
Rikar Sarakin |
"I always say, know your enemy," Rikar observes, "so I like the idea of continuing to map and learn as much as we can about the thing behind the seal and what other secrets might lie within the mountain."
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 131d4 ⇒ 1
The earth creatures slide down into the stone and dirt of the cavern floor, and disappear. You finish exploring that you can without crossing water, and find out that the only way to the continue on is via the waterway where you met the water elementals, as you can see that there is a cavern on the other side of the water. All other ways dead end, either into a blank cave wall or a smallish body of water with no other apparent exit from it.
Next?
Level Map Updated
N8 is where you met the water elementals. You can see the cavern to the north of that water. How are you going to cross it. Either magic, or swimming as the water is deeper than the tallest of you.
Therena |
Therena has communal air wall prepared, if folks are good with that.
Misha Keroun |
"Air walk sounds good to me, unless for some reason we might be worried the spell will fail due to some of the weird fields we've found in the cave. Josef, can you float some dancing lights over the water? If those don't wink out, hopefully neither will Therena's spell."
Josef Guardson |
"Of course, allow me."
Josef sends his lights out 100' over the water, hoping to get a good look out there.
"I can fly just fine on my own, and I have a fly spell prepared as well. That will grant some decent speed for around 15 minutes."
DM Papa.DRB |
?: 1d20 ⇒ 101d4 ⇒ 4
Josef sends the balls of light out over the water and directs it around, trying to cover a path wide enough to encompass where the group would be traveling, either via air walk or fly. The lights show that there is a cavern beyond the water, where the elementals are/were and nothing untoward happens.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Misha Keroun |
"Wee, let's go!"
Rikar Sarakin |
As has happened so often before, Misha's enthusiasm causes a grin to slowly creep across Rikar's face. He nods and says quietly, "Whee, indeed. Let's see what awaits us."