Round 8, Init 9+
AC = 18, Shielded
HP = 18/18
Weapon Equipped = Hand Crossbow
Condition(s) = Shielded, Heightened Awareness, Expeditious Retreat
Lief flies around the pit, trying to flesh out Saul. He calls to the central guard. "You're in trouble here, stranger. Saul's shown his true colors, and the color is black. You have several very angry, righteous people come to bring Saul his reckoning. You should lay down where you are, and not move, not one bit."
Lief holds his shot, moving around the room to locate Saul in a sweep.
Round 10 Initiative 22
HP: 22
AC: 18 (Touch and FF: 14)
Equipped Weapons: +1 C. Longbow (+2)
Conditions:
Relevant Data: 11 arrows, 10 silvered arrows (blanch), 5 Blunt arrows, 15 silvered Blunt arrows (blanch), 6 Blunt Silver arrows.
Ederin let's Lief and Kwava head downstairs while he opts to run to the edge of the floor over the fighting pit hoping to see and potentially take out any threats before his companions run into them.
The remaining opposition watches the blur that is Lief, hears the bluff that is Dimitrio (nice roll!), and sees the archer that is Ederin (at least - and likely more party heads as well).
He quietly lays down his rapier and lies down on the floor, having the smarts to know he's beaten.
Oh, it's a 15' drop to the pit below. There is a rope ladder on one side descending into the pit.
Kaylayne opens the door, hoping to see an empty room. She goes over it quickly, looking for anything of interest or out of place.
Perception
She searches the next room as well.
Perception
Kaylayne - the two rooms, a little detritus aside, are empty.
Well do you do find a ring of keys hanging on a hook in the larger room with the animal cages, but they look to be for the cages.
You heard Saul's voice just beyond the door just before this recent combat. He said something about helping him 'down'.
You battled his peons, and Bojarsk, leaving one alive (unharmed) at the bottom of the pit and the others bleeding out in the hallway.
You're not sure where Saul has gone to. It is possible he went through the bar and back upstairs, but that would be opposite what he said. 'course he is a liar. :)
Kaylayne has searched the rooms below, and Lief is sure Saul didn't get past him.
Does that help?
You heard Saul's voice just beyond the door just before this recent combat. He said something about helping him 'down'.
You battled his peons, and Bojarsk, leaving one alive (unharmed) at the bottom of the pit and the others bleeding out in the hallway.
You're not sure where Saul has gone to. It is possible he went through the bar and back upstairs, but that would be opposite what he said. 'course he is a liar. :)
Kaylayne has searched the rooms below, and Lief is sure Saul didn't get past him.
Does that help?
The guard is standing on in a sand pit in a large multi-halled room. Lief has walked around it (there is no sand on the outer ring), but the room has not yet been thoroughly searched and the guard has not been questioned.
Ederin, seeing his opponent surrender, climbs down into the pit and approaches him, scowling.
"Where's Saul? Tell me, quick even, and I may let you live, don't wanna end up like Bojask eh? So, tell me now, and don't try to leave until I'm good an done with you, 'less you want to be a pincushion."
While he waits for the guards response he looks for any tracks that Saul may have left in his escape.
The guard is standing on in a sand pit in a large multi-halled room. Lief has walked around it (there is no sand on the outer ring), but the room has not yet been thoroughly searched and the guard has not been questioned.
Dimitrio, rapier drawn, stared at the guard. "Stay right where you are."
He turned to Ederin, "Take care of him, will you."
The bard then stopped a second to whisper a prayer to Desna.
Since the guard was being cooperative, the bard took his time inspecting the room.
The guard glares at Ederin, Boy I'd like to get him alone in an alley not surrounded by all his troops.
He is silent a while, but as Dimitrio drops down as well and begins to search thoroughly, he stands and shifts to one side. "He went down there." he says with venom, pointing to the floor.
You move aside some sand which he piled up after Saul's departure, and you see a plain door in the floor fitted with a large lock - about the size of the key on Saul's stump...
There does not appear to be any way to open the door without that key.
"He went down there."
"Thank you. Quite an evening, eh?" He gets a closer look at the lock.
Lief shakes his head. "More obstacles. Of course there are more obstacles. This one might be in our wheelhouse." Lief pulls out his tinkering tools, and moves up on the lock. He looks over at Dimitrio. "Bard, would you like to assist? Just take care to avoid blocking my light, alright?"
Lief shakes his head. "More obstacles. Of course there are more obstacles. This one might be in our wheelhouse." Lief pulls out his tinkering tools, and moves up on the lock. He looks over at Dimitrio. "Bard, would you like to assist? Just take care to avoid blocking my light, alright?"
Dimitrio is not sure whether the comment is offensive or not but decides to humor the young man. He stands hands on hips waiting for him to finish.
He quips with Lief, "Are you done yet?"
"Ederin, I don't want to have to worry about my back so please do something with this guard."
Noting that he was still hurt, the bard once more prays to Desna.
Kaylayne returns to the group, reporting that the rooms were empty. She notes the standing and wise guard and keeps away from him.
"There were keys in one of the rooms. To the cages. We could lock this guy up in one of them. He'll be out of trouble and we could free him on our return," Kaylayne offers a humane way to deal with him.
She watches Lief work, admiring that he is contributing. She hasn't yet and notes that as well.
Looking at the trap door in the floor and observers, "I bet there are rats down there."
"Are you done yet?"
Lief looks up at Dimitrio, with his hands on his hips, and blows hair from his eyes while he continues to work. "Well, it would likely go faster if you lent your skill to the picking of the lock. Are you just going to stand there and watch?" The young man doesn't pause in his work to ask the question.
At least he stopped callin' them thugs. Ederin says as he bristles at the bards demanding nature.
Ederin agrees with Kaylayne to lock the man up in a cage and goes searching through the bodies of the fallen, allowing Lief less distraction as he works on the lock, chuckling at Garridans 'rat' remark as he walks away.
The guard can be locked in the largest cage, though it's a tight fit for him, he can still turn around, but not lie down. He'll be fine an hour or three at least.
Lief works the lock, and just unlocks it. (nice rolls)
There is a short shafted tunnel, with a sturdy wooden ladder, leading into the darkness below.
After 15' or so (presuming a light source) the ladder ends on a platform. The party sees and hears nothing from below - other than the distant sound of slightly lapping water somewhere below.
Looking at the trap door in the floor and observers, "I bet there are rats down there."
Dimitrio's defiant, hands-on-hips, pose falters at the mention of the vermin.
He congratulates Lief, "Good job. We must compare notes when this is over."
Noting the darkness of the tunnel, the bard creates four magical, floating torches out of thin air. The torches of course search down low to see if indeed there were rats in the tunnel.
The bard sees the platform below, "Garridan, I think you go down first, right?"
Nodding to Dimitrio, "I'll go down first. He casts light on his shield and heads down the ladder.
The map has the capacity for fancy lighting effects, and I'm trying it out! Just remember you can see 20’ from Garridan clearly, and 20’ beyond that dimly. Also, there are dancing lights floating around to enhance your vision. Beyond that though, it’s dark.
Dimitrio, you should see a torch and you should be able to move it. This is your dancing lights. The radius of light from a Dancing Lights is 30’ (cause the four lights can spread out a bit), and then dim for another 20’. These are large tunnels…
The lighting effects show light all the way out, so please keep track of where it's 'dim' yourselves.
Ederin, this is no longer ‘urban’ terrain, it’s ‘underground’.
You climb down to a stone platform 15’ below the trap door.
A gaping pit drops away along the southern wall of this cavern, descending a further twenty feet to a sloshing pool of water below. The pit sides are steeply sloped and slick with moss, but are also covered with many rough ledges and protrusions. A series of wooden ladders and ropes descends along these walls to a ledge below, just around the edge of the pool.
There's a new map on which you are all placed (assuming you're all, eventually, going down the ladder. Apologies in advance for the rough map - I had to blow it up considerably to fit the correct scale.
"I'll go down first.
Kaylayne worries.
"Garridan, wait!" Kaylayne says, shaking her head. How has it come to this? This morning I awoke to a decent job and a purpose...how this? "Give me a moment." Kaylayne utters some words of power, causing Garridan's skin to fortify.
"Be careful. We'll be right behind you."
"Garridan, wait!" Kaylayne says, shaking her head. How has it come to this? This morning I awoke to a decent job and a purpose...how this? "Give me a moment." Kaylayne utters some words of power, causing Garridan's skin to fortify."Be careful. We'll be right behind you."
"I will be," he replies as he heads down the ladder.
If you are proceeding to the lower level (from the middle level where the party is now) it's a climb check due to the slightly slick nature of the ropes and ladders.
Yes, you can take-10...
"Wait Garridan, not yet."
The bard then sends his light down towards the hole and inspects the ropes and ladders and also checks to see if anyone was down there.
He then projects sound, as if a man was walking loudly, down to the platform below.
Dimitrio then pats the warpriest before sending him down, "May Desna keep you."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, the bard smiles as if he had said something funny.
Dimitrio sees no one, and hears nothing in the watery pit.
After Garridan (and others have gone down), Kaylayne knots the rope to eliminate the effect of the slickeriness, and climbs down.
Climb
Climb
After being held up twice from descending down Garridan impatiently begins to descend down the rope. In his haste he loses his grip and falls into the sloshing pool below.
Ederin climbs down the rope as quick as he dares and checks on Garridan to make sure he's okay.
"Guess you were just tired o' bein' held up, eh?"
Assuming the dancing light is still at the botted Ederin will look around to gather his surroundings and hopefully find some trace of Sauls escape.
Dimitrio wincces as Garridan careens down. There goes our element of surprise.
He then nimbly goes down the rickety ladder and looks about.
"Can anyone confirm that Saul actually went this way? Any tracks to speak of?"
Kaylayne and Garridan both fall into the waters below - even the knotted ropes are slick (DC 5 climb). The water is deep, and it’s only a 20’ drop (at worst) so I’m ruling no damage - just a loud splash that echoes through the tunnels below. For those that have trouble swimming, the others can help, but there’s a minute or two where the party is floundering and dragging (likely) Garridan to shore.
Kwava takes-10 on the climb.
Those who have been in the water note a strong underwater current to the south - likely a passage to the open water of the Riddleport docks.
You see no evidence of Saul’s passing, but folks have come this way - back and forth - for some time, and recently. Also it’d be a survival (tracking) check to pin down any Saul specific tracks.
A sandy ledge sits on the verge of a tidal pool that foams with the surf of the sea. Water marks on the cavern’s irregular walls and the collection of flotsam, small shells, and mussels embedded in the sand attest to the flooding that this cave periodically receives with the tides. A tunnel exits on the pool’s western side.
With such a large map, and the lighting effects, it can be hard to find yourselves. Just reduce the map size and scroll a bunch. Best I can do. :)
Kaylayne frees herself of the pool, recollecting her magically enchanted stones to her hands, both silver and not. Exiting, she checks the entry for non-Dimitrio human-made footprints.
Survival
"Strange we never knew this was down here, huh? All this down here, all the time working here and we never knew," Kaylayne moves Dimitrio back so she can check for tracks as she speaks.
"Strange we never knew this was down here, huh? All this down here, all the time working here and we never knew," Kaylayne moves Dimitrio back so she can check for tracks as she speaks.
"Yep, what did I say, huh? I tell you Saul must be in some devil cult or something."
Dimitrio signals the butterfly over his heart and sends his magical lights down the tunnel. "The tunnel splits, left or right? I say we always go left, like all the time until there are no more 'lefts'. That way we can explore everything but I'm listening to other options."
Once everyone is down safely Ederin moves into the tunnel at the edge of the light and listens for anything up ahead.
While moving he keeps an eye out for any tracks that are more recent that may lead the party to Saul.
Ederin and Kaylayne both spot tracks in the soft sand. Most lead from the pool area to the right, though there is some traffic to the left - it seems older and far less frequent. Ederin is pretty sure Saul went to the right recently and Kaylayne concurs.
As for the area as a whole, it certainly couldn't have been accessed frequently. Sure, the basement areas were little used, and that was likely on purpose to hide Saul's secret. You may have found it odd that Bojask would have an underground room when he could have had something upstairs with a window (overlooking an alley - but still!).
Saul did have meetings with Bojask in the basement, rather than in his quarters, but that wasn't unusual, and with the multiple entrances to the basement area you never really knew how long someone was down there - assuming they left the other way.
A very well kept secret, known by few - maybe only Saul and Bojask... and their devil cult of course.
There's also an odd musty odor to the place. Stronger than the surf. Almost marshy or swampy in nature.
"Or we could go right, and keep going right, to find Saul. But let's be careful because there will be unexplored areas behind us."
Dimitrio looks at his companions, "So silver is good against wererats but about devil and their cultists? This doesn't smell right anymore, you get that right?"
"If we tried to clear these tunnels of all the 'raff we'll never catch Saul. We're at a disadvantage as it it, mate. He clearly knows these paths but we're just stumblin' in the dark. We better move quick, but yeah, better ready those silver weapons, jus' in case."
Ederin continues right, skirting the edge of the light, watching and listening out for anything that may be waiting for the party. If he looses the tracks he'll stop to pick them back up as well.
Kaylayne does explain what she tracks (assume such unless it's otherwise noted) to Dimitrio and confirming Ederin's findings.
"I'm ready. I'm really ready," Kaylayne says, marking the stones in her hands. "You guys lead, I'll watch our backs with Kwava."
Kaylayne moves up and into position, moving slowly to give others a chance to catch up and move quietly.
As the party moves into the hallway, the stench grows ever stronger, until it becomes overwhelming. As Ederin heads north, javelins meet him from the darkness beyond…
(cover)
(cover)
(cover)
(cover)
OK... Uh, three crits?
(cover)
(cover)
(cover)
The javelins are new and sharp and the aim of the opposition is incredible!
Dimitrio
Ederin +2 in urban terrain
Garridan
Kaylayne
Lief
Kwava
Good Guys
Round 1, Init. 22
After the javelins fly Garridan recovers quickly and moves further down the tunnels toward the creatures.
Garridan (double?) moves up and by his light you can see the opposition.
These humanoids scaly hides are dull gray. Their 5’ frames resemble those of cave lizards, with long tails and crests on their heads and backs. They are wielding javelins and clubs. They don't look terribly sophisticated, but they are eager.
Round 1 - Initiative 16+
HP: 10
AC: 18 (Touch and FF: 14)
Equipped Weapons: +1 C. Longbow
Conditions:
Relevant Data:11 arrows, 10 silvered arrows (blanch), 5 Blunt arrows, 15 silvered Blunt arrows (blanch), 6 Blunt Silver arrows
"If anyone has some healin' I could use it!" Ederin shouts after as he bleeds from three new wounds.
Ignore the blood, Gary ran in. Needs back up. Too stubborn to run Ederin moves into a better position to fire, and drawing his bow, takes a shot at one of his assailants.
Kaylayne looks at the new friends that Ederin made a 'point' of meeting.
Know (Local)
Edit:
Also, Ederin hits purple, but does not drop him. Further you have no cover to purple. For ranged combat, draw a line from one of your corners to all four corners of the opposition. Clear? No cover. :)
Kaylayne cusses loudly.
"F*+%ing trogs. They stink worse than the outhouse after Garridan and his morning beer farts," Kaylayne explains. "Either hold your breath or stay away or prepare for the stench."
Round 1 - Speaking out of Turn
"Yeah, no s@&&!" Ederin says then quickly closes his mouth and swallows hard.
Disregard above.