"Why has it to be the hard way to get in? Are we trying to especially sneaky about it? If not, we could do with some of your magic. Walk up invisible and then through the wall." Tyrandro suggests. "How many Red Mantis and Gray Maidens we're talking here? Or as we're talking magic, could you teleport Cindermaw in there?"
Iolana seriously considers the logistics of teleporting the giant worm into a dungeon. "The creature needs to be willing, and I need to touch him. I don't think Cindermaw will cooperate. Teleporting us I can handle."
"That's a pity there is no way to bribe that worm. Cindermaw could even eat the queen. Though there might also be some collateral damage with that solution." Tyrandro muses.
After a while of silence he adds "I miss Krojun and the Squah-Klar already. Can you imagine any of them telling: 'And while I feel that neither I nor my... associates... are the right ones for the task, you, brave adventurers, have proven time and time again that you are precisely what Korvosa needs.'" he imitates Boule. "They'd rather choke on their own tongue than saying such a sentence. If that fight were on their turf, we'd kick in the door and come over them like a ocean wave over a sandcastle."
"But we're back here to the Chelaxian way I guess. So sneaking in and scheming it is."
He is sitting right there.
No doubt if we kicked the door in, we would swiftly have every Grey Maiden recalled and sandwich us between them, plus having a commander hidden away obsessing over a fake code keeps their command scattered.
"What can you tell me of the layout inside? Will you give us a map or tell us the layout? Will it take us days to get to her quarters?"
"I don't have drawn map, but I can give you directions." Boule proceeds to explain the route through the sewers to you. "Once you reach the end of my directions, you'll be at a rusted iron gate. I'll provide you with the key to unlock it. Beyond, it will look like a dead-end but there is a secret door along the left-hand wall. Beyond that, you'll come across a waiting room. In the days before the Gray Maidens, the Cerulean Society used this room as a staging area for smuggling prisoners out of Deathhead Vault. The room was set up like a tavern bar, and sponsors could actually purchase drinks to pass the time while they waited for their friends or allies to be rescued. Next, you'll pass through a wide cavern. The cavern will eventually end at another stone chamber. And another secret door on the right-hand wall will take you to the corridor where the prisoners are held."
"However, like I said, since the Gray Maidens took over, the Cerulean Society has halted the use of these tunnels, so I cannot tell you what kind of opposition you'll face."
No doubt if we kicked the door in, we would swiftly have every Grey Maiden recalled and sandwich us between them, plus having a commander hidden away obsessing over a fake code keeps their command scattered.
"Correct. These tunnels take you directly to the lowest level of the Longacres Building where only a small portion of the Gray Maidens' and Red Mantis Assassins' forces will be. As long as you don't rouse too much attention, the majority of the barracks in the upper levels won't even know you are there. If you tried to go in through the front door, you'd be vastly overwhelmed."
Boule says, "Once you're ready. Let me know, and I'll release the papers. Give it a day to make sure the get into the right hands and then make you way through the sewers. While you wait, I'd recommend staying out of sight in public. You are wanted by the Queen and she'll hunt you down if she knows you are back within the city."
I am ready, we might as well stay here in the temple and get a good night's sleep after all the violence we have been through.
"We've done nothing, but sitting through a speech by Zellara, gone shopping in Kaer Maga and appear here. As we can't go to town for having a good time anyway, I'd say we go now." Tyrandro comments.
"We've done nothing, but sitting through a speech by Zellara, gone shopping in Kaer Maga and appear here. As we can't go to town for having a good time anyway, I'd say we go now." Tyrandro comments.
Boule speaks again to offer one final gift, "To the matter of defeating Gray Maiden leadership, I've prepared a set of fake “coded documents” and can arrange for them to fall into the hands of the Gray Maidens. I know that the group’s second-in-command, Kordaitra, fancies herself a codebreaker, and the acquisition of what she suspects are documents containing information about a rebellion would be too much for her to resist. When you are ready to begin your mission, I will set these falsified documents loose, and Kordaitra will certainly take the bait, ensconcing herself in her quarters below the Longacre Building for days and ensuring that when you strike, she’ll be present for you to capture or defeat."
The stay hidden for the rest of the day then head out the next morning once ready. The closest entrance to the abandoned sewers that connect to Deathhead Vault is located in an alley near Arbiter Way and Second Street. And back into the stinking, otyugh-filled sewers you go. Luckily, the actual navigation of the tunnels takes little time and poses little danger by following Boule’s directions.
Before long you arrive at the “abandoned” sewer entrance. A ten-foot-wide trough of murky water fills two-thirds of this wide, brick-lined tunnel. A slimy five-foot-wide walkway runs along the east side of the waterway. A wall of rusty iron bars with an equally rusty gate atop the walkway blocks passage further into the tunnel. Further to the south, the tunnel deadends at an ancient collapse.
On the other side of the iron bars, you can spot a guardian creature. This ugly creature has a boar-like head with short antlers, a thick bullish body covered in spines, and cloven hooves on its stumpy legs. It's white skin and pink eyes mark it is an albino of its kind. The creature looks ill-tempered and annoyed by the light shining on it.
These disgusting creatures are surrounded by a stench aura and can breath a cone of horrid, stinking poison gas. They also have high natural armor and spell resistance.
Ayako sleeps in her acolyte cell that she had stayed in while living in the temple, it is plain and the cot simple but she wraps herself in her cloak and imagines the more quiet days when she was cloistered here. Sighing, she manages to sleep while Mushu curls up next to her.
Descending the sewers, Ayako wrinkles her nose but manages to endure. I wonder how the ratfolk are doing? Huh..I have no idea but maybe we can use the sewers to get into the castle if need be.
Tyrandro ignores the didn't you listen look and once the meeting is called off he asks Boule if he could send someone to buy him 200 arrows to prevent him running short on them on that trip.
The rest of the day he studies the art in paint and stone that embellishes the temple. On the next morning as in goes down into the sewers Tyrandros mood drops. "The great benefits of civilization." he complains.
As they come to the door, he hesitates to use the key as he sees that creature. "Someone know that? Shooting, or talking?"
Unless we can find an attractive member of the preferred gender to draw it away I think we'll need to subdue or fight
Unsurprisingly, the creature is not the talking type. It charges forward and rams into the iron bars with its horns. It hits with a loud metal clang but the bars hold. Although, it can't reach you physically, the creature Stinks horribly. You are all within its stench aura .
Now that it is closer, you can see that it is wearing a spiked leather collar with a dangling nameplate that says "Snagglebreath" like someone's weird pet.
Ayako loses her tea. Well, I think Sebastion and Tyrando can take care of it from behind the bars
"Ewww. That's awful." Tyrandro steps back from the gate and starts shooting the creature.
Tyrandro fires three arrows through the iron grate at the unidentified creature and to his disappointment all three are deflected harmlessly off its shaggy wet fur hide. The creature roars in anger and prepares to retaliate in earnest.
Iolana has no idea what it is. "Let's get it a little faster eh?" She casts Haste on the party.
Waiting until after Iolana provides haste Tyrandro shoots again. "Snagglebreath should take a bath and brush it's teeth. We are walking through the sewers and it manages to make the smell worse."
Tyrandro doesn't like that the beasts fur stops his arrows, but at least some of them get through.
Ayako spins her sling and sends a rock to bonk Snagglebreath
Sebastian stabs at the catoblepas through the bars and draws first blood with one of his hits.
Tyrandro also manages to hit the beast once, but the rest are deflected harmlessly.
Iolana hastes the party.
Ayako slings a stone at Snagglebreath but is not as lucky as her companions.
Snagglebreath takes a 5-foot step back, moving it out of melee range; it pulls back its head, sucking in air; then releases a horrid, stinking breath that washes over all of you. You are left coated in a nauseating, dripping monster loogie. Bleeeeeck!
Mushu just happened to find a very nice pile to root around in.
14-5=9 So -3 HP level 71-33=38
Ayako reels and slices the air, causing a crack to form and a blazing yellow eye to pier forth and lock gazes with the beast.
Dweller in Darkness
Once per day, you cast your psyche into the void of space to attract the attention of a terrible otherworldly being. The dweller in darkness behaves in all ways as if you had cast phantasmal killer.
DC 19 Will then DC 19 Fort for partial
Tyrandro, I trust that you are doing it right, but I like to understand each character's rolls. Last round you had +22 to hit, this round you rolled +16. What changed? Are you using deadly aim? For everyone, feats that are always applied, you don't need to explain, but feats that you need to choose to apply, if you don't mind, let me know if you are using. That way I'm not confused. Thanks. Also, did you apply the -2 to hit and damage from sickened
You may trust me that I don't cheat on purpose. I might get confused about the number myself though.
The round before:
Attack Bonus including Point Blank Shot +22
Rapid Shot -2
Deadly Aim -3
Sickened -2
Sum: +15
Last Round:
+15 Sum from last time
+1 Haste
Same for damage - the round before everything in detail (including the -2 from sickened) and last round summed up.
"That's disgusting." Tyrandro complains and continues shooting to end this madness.
Sebastian falls victim to the creature's poison. He isn't feeling very good.
Tyrandro plants two more arrows into the beast. It still stands but shows signs of weakening.
Iolana is also poisoned.
Ayako's spell gets past the beast's spell resistance but not past the ill-tempered creature's will.
Iolana is discusted and sickened with the giant dog loogie. She sends three rays at the creature.
Iolana hits the catoblepas with her rays but they are merely absorbed by its spell resistance.
Sebastian holds safely behind the gate.
Snagglebreath slams angrily into the bars between you and it but hardly makes a dent in them.
Tyrandro keeps busy shooting in hopes to bring that thing down before it makes it through the gates.
Ayako decides she needs to purge this poison quick and sticks her fingers down her throat
Iolana moves back next to Ayako. "Here." she hands over a potion of lesser restoration. "Please don't die."
Tyrandro finishes off the beast and it goes down with a horrible dying bleat.
Then a trio of wererats rush up behind you. You recognize one of them as Eries Yelloweyes, who you helped during the plague. Wielding wands, they cast neutralize poison on Ayako, Iolana, and Sebastian.
The spell works on Ayako and Iolana but the poison remains potent in Sebastian, unfortunately.
Eries tries one more time and still fails. However, finally, Sebastian's immune system fights it off on its own.
"It looks like we arrived just in time. One of our lookouts spotted you traveling through the sewers. I was curious as to what brought you back down here so I followed you. I didn't think you'd be crazy enough to try to break into the Gray Maidens' headquarters. Poison and disease are commonplace down here so we come prepared. Here, take these. They'll help fix you up. We, um, borrowed them." says Eries.
She hands you four potions labeled, "Col's Magnificent Lesser Restoration".
Cough cough cough Ayako is all green and seems to be leaking poison from her eyes. My thanks friends. Ayako takes one potion and drinks it.
Ayako looks a little less green but casts magic on herself
Ayako's magic if very effective..and gross. She vomits up a stream of poison into the sewer and spits bile into the pool .Ughhh
Ayako leans against the wall. By the gods that was a vile beast. She looks at the wererats. Thank you again, I am sure Cole won't mind. I do hope he is doing well though. Looking down the tunnel that was guarded by the creature.We are trying to get in to help break the stranglehold the Grey Maiden's have on the city and rescue some people. You are correct that we were sorely not prepared against poison, I have only one antiplague and one antipoison. Does anyone want to do a quick retreat?
"I didn't expect the poison and disease. You would think they'd be done with that seeing what happened the last time."
She takes a potion, but drinks the one she tried to hand to Ayako. She looks better. "It's not like we can go shopping for items in the city. What if someone comes by this location and sees the dead creature. They might be prepared for intruders when we come back."
Tyrandro notices just in time the reaction of his companions to the arrival of the wererats before he'd pepper them with arrows too. He lowers his bow and waits for them to explain themselves.
"I guess the question what it is we encounter becomes more important here. Don't you have a degree in monsterology?" he asks Iolana.
Flyffy is not sure what these rats want, as they pass him. Play fetch? Or what are the sticks for. But he is not fond of biting into sewer creatures. They always taste like shit.
"If you need, we can purchase a few items for you," suggests Eries. "I can never repay you enough for your help before. If you need something right now, give us an hour or two and we can meet you back here, but we aren't going any further than that gate if you are planning on going inside. Otherwise, we can deliver what you need to the Cathedral, Citadel, or wherever you're holing up these days."
Now that you have time to look around, you note that the rusted iron bars and gate may look old and decrepit, but the rust is cunningly applied paint and that the bars and gate are actually well maintained.
Also, the collar the catoblepas was wearing is a a waterproof strip of leather set with mithral spikes. The collar is worth 1,000 gp for its mithral content alone.
Yes, thank you. Antipagues and antivenom if we are going to be facing any more beasts like that, plus the Red Mantis might be present and using venom. Enough antivenom for all of us please. Ayako heals Sebastion again
Iolana hands her other potion of lesser restoration to Sebastian. "Drink this."
"A degree in monsterology? That's knowledge of natural things right? I have some knowledge of the arcane and the various planes, but that's about it." Iolana replies to Tyrando. "These are our allies. I'd like you to meet Eries. She's a good person."
"Hello Eries, I'm Tyrandro." Tyrandro greets the wererat holding out a hand.
Turning back to Iolana Tyrandro tells "That thing was by no means natural. Wasn't it a magical beast?"
To those Eries just met, "It's a pleasure to meet you too. Be safe. I'll be back soon."
The sewer tunnel continues for another sixty feet beyond the gate before ending in a collapse. Boule told you that there is a secret door on the eastern wall, and with a little searching, you can find it.
Ayako takes out gold to give to the wererats. A wand of Restoration and scrolls of delay poison and remove disease. If you buy them from the Temple of Pharesma, the Bishop will understand what we want. Stay safe, we will scout ahead some.
"You're sure we should continue? Sebastian is still not looking well." Tyrandro inquires. "An a related note, could you clean us from this monster snot?" he asks Iolana.
"That's something I can help with." Iolana to casts Prestidigitation repeatedly until everyone is clean, dry and free of monster snot. "I had an extra Lesser Restoration. He should drink that. It will help some."
"Thank you very much." Tyrandro replies to Iolana.
Know Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Iolana has no idea what it is. "Let's get it a little faster eh?" She casts Haste on the party.
Peering into the secret door, you see there is a 10 ft. long hallway that ends at a solid wooden door. You can hear the sounds of someone whistling a tune beyond.
Ayako goes into stealth mode
On confirmation from Sebastian, that he will be ok, Tyrandro moves on. Following Ayako's example he tries to be stealthy.
Mushu is the wind!
Tyrandro listens on the door.
Iolana taps herself with a wand of invisibility and moves up behind the group. She puts a hand on Ayako's shoulder and listens carefully. "Anyone else want to be Invisible?"