|
You quietly clear the area, keeping an eye on the half-ogres below. As night begins to fall the half-ogre in the south area retreats inside one of the huts. A second half-Ogre arrives at the North shore, they share some of the butchered crocodile and then the new arrival heads into a hut while the other heads out towards the North.
In the fading light a light from within the pit becomes apparent and as you get inexorably closer you see the hole is floored with ancient but well-laid flagstones. Some sort of badly weathered moss-covered statue in the Northwest Corner. A large table in the Southwest, covered with filthy furs and torn silks, apparently in a rough mockery of a luxurious bed.
Barely noticeable except when it moves is a Mud Mephit, though this one is much skinnier than the obese Feetor. A female half-ogre, and a ugly one at that, is poking the fire, and periodically looks out towards one camp or the other as if waiting for someone. Though you do note that she is much smaller than the male half-ogres seen in the camps.
The floor is sunk about 10ft down from the area you're in. The thin layer of water on the floor will impede any attempts at sneaking up, close enough to melee.
Map updated.
Raina will cast shape water to push the water away, creating a path a foot wide, to allow the others to move up to take out the ogre woman.
Edit: looks like no, actually. The area must fit within a 5' cube, and a line 25' long is outside that area.
Instead, Raina will ask a favor of her new snake friend.
That ogre woman there means you harm. Can you distract her for me?
Skyreaver will reach into her pouch, pull out 3 stones, and then whisper to them before throwing one of them at the hag.
moves to clear a path for the others while casting Sacred Flame at Hag.
Dex Save
Vic fires his Longbow at the hag.
Raina casts Ice Knife.
If it hits, the target takes piercing damage.
Regardless if it hits, the target (and anyone within 5 ft of the target) then needs to make a DC 13 Dex Save or take cold damage.
|
|
Skyreaver's stone flies past the hag, getting her attention...
Quickly folloowed by Vic's longbow arrow.
Raina's knife of ice however strikes true , however the cold does little but dim the flames.
Mordekai... moves up closer throwing a dart as he does so , striking true.
Cass fires sacred flame at the hag but it's unearthly moves avoid it.
The Mephit moves forwards to protect it's precious mistress, though it seems to move less than eagerly and eratically (taking Dodge action, disadvangate on attacks against it).
Party Turn!
Mama, then Snake to go.
Muttering an oath for guidance Cass moves towards the hag, ignoring Mephit and probably opening himself to attack, and swings his warhammer.
The little mud thing dosn't seem to eager to attack.
Vic fires his Longbow again at the hag.
Raina casts Shillelagh on her oar and charges in to battle, attacking the hag.
Skyreaver will let fly with another stone, aiming for the hag.
|
|
Round2
Skyreaver's second stone hits the hag, drawing thin green blood from a gash on her cheek. (5 dmg)
Vince's longbow again misses the target, tearing up the filthy silks on the bed behind her.
Raina's dashes into the fray bashing the hag with her freshly enhanced club (7dmg)
Cass moves up and hits her with his axe (4 dmg)
Still no post from Mordekai, but it is Christmas, so continuing to bot for now, Mordekai runs around to the other side of the hag, and starts to hack at her with his axe.
... but his flurry is largely ineffectual.
Despite the damage caused to the Sea Hag she cackles "Petty creatures, think you can invade my domain!
She swipes a claw towards Raina , striking with incredible force for such a frail looking creature.
The snake rushes to it's mistress' defence, attacking the hag despite it's unnaturalness
The hag tenses up as the poison burns through her system, and while her breath is now heavy and ragged she still stands defiantly..
Round 3
The Mud Mephit raises himself up and the vomits a blast of thick sticky mud over Raina
You get the impression the mud-mephit is trying to hedge its bets a little. show the hag it's helping, while trying not to hurt you too much so if you defeat the hag you may show mercy
Party up, then Hag, then snake to follow.
Moves to cast cure wounds on Raina
Raina manages to pull out of the mud.
But she doesn't notice the true intent of the mephit.
Raina casts Healing Word on herself (bonus action), then attacks the hag.
"Be the boulder. Fly!" Skyreaver again whispers to the stone in her hand before throwing it at the hag.
Vic fires his Longbow again at the hag.
revision
Mud monster, hold. We mean no harm to your kind.
Skyreaver will make her way down to the hag's corpse, collect the rock that struck her, and say "See, isn't flying like a boulder fun?" to it before returning it to her pouch. She will then take a look at the creature make of mud, saying "Well, spirit, do you speak the language of the common man?"
Seeing the hag fall to the ground, Raina holds still her oar.
You! she calls to the mephit. Where's the tower?
|
|
The creature flops in the mud, before turning back to face you.
"I Speak... Tower, dis tower? the mephit gestures around him at the sunken crumbling walls. The mud Mephit doesn't seem to have any clue as to what you're talking about.
Assuming you search the hag, her silks (both clothing and making up her bed) are unsalvagable, they are filthy from the hag and the swamp. However the gems sown into them can be lifted for a total of 180gp. Shew also has a stone pendant with holes in each of the corners.
Raina whispers to the snake, Thank you for your help. You may consume this hag and then go on home.
To the others, she says, Shall we rest for the night and then search for the tower?
"Yes. I think that is a good idea. I shall speak to the spirits and see what they have to say about this tower."
|
|
DDAL-05-07 – Chelimber’s Descent
The remaining half-ogres on the island eventually arrive, see that you have slain their leader and slump off into the swamp.
You rest up for a few hours (you effectively start this adventure ‘fresh’) and examine the necklace you recovered from ‘mama’. It is square in shape, bears a rune meaning “Stein” (stone) and has a small hole in each corner.
While you are still gathering your wits you hear footsteps approaching and as you ready for further attacks you are greeted by the sight of the same golden pseudodragon with milky eyes that you spoke with before embarking into the swamp. Accompanied by a human (Clyde).
”Greetings and Congratulations, it appears you have found a site long sought, the tower of the Wizard of the Crag. SEER wishes to encourage you to explore the tower and is interested in the repository of lore he is rumoured to have had. If you retrieve these manuscripts on ancient forms of magic, we will pay you handsomely.”
The Harpers have requested you accompany this expedition, they have their concerns about all the knowledge contained within the tower being gathered by one hand. You are tasked to retrieve a few of the scrolls or books.
You have been loaned a bag of holding for this adventure, to store such scrolls/books.
Tsing the pseudo-dragon has guided you through the swamps, mostly sat curled around your shoulders apparently asleep, though he was awake enough to lift his head and let you know when you were heading wrong. He’s refused to answer many questions on the route, telling you he’s not repeating himself, he’ll answer questions when you’re all together.
A quick summary of where you are
You are currently on an island, previously inhabited by half-ogres, who you have driven off by defeating their leader.
More specifically you are in a square sinkhole that appears to have once been the battlements of a tower, now sunk mostly beneath the swamp. To both the North and South and ramps up leading to the camps where the half-ogres were. East and West are thick undergrowth of Razorvine (though you have cleared a path through to the West.
The ‘tower’ has a floor of well-laid flagstone with an inch or so of swamp-water over it. A badly weathered statue sits at the north-west corner. The south-west corner has a ‘bed’, which consists of a stone table draped with filthy furs and silks.
Since we never really left, the island, I assume that even though we leveled, I am unable to upgrade to studded leather and purchase healing b potions?
Vic rumages through the furs on the stone table (bed).
Raina will keep her same spells prepared and prepare some new ones based on going up in level.
"Greetings everyone. My name is Clyde. I guess someone thought you needed some help with this-" Clyde scans the party as he speaks, but his eyes widen at the sight of Skyreaver and he cuts himself off. "Sky! It's nice to see you again. I see you've gotten yourself into another... smelly situation." Clyde glances at the mess around the tower as he tightens the leather straps on his shield arm.
"Friend Clyde! it is good to see you as well."
Extending his hand.
Greetings Clyde, nice to meet you. Let's fight for the light shall we.
Or, let's all get rich. Nice to meet ya, Clyde. I am Vic Lofliss.
|
|
"Yes, Yes, Yes. Touching reunions and all. If we can move along now, I've come out of my way to guide this young man out here to aid you - so I'm well overdue a nap."
The pseudodragon lets out a long sigh
"I will give you a summary of what we know. Do keep up - I won't repeat it.
The wizard who live here was an Elementalist, favouring Earth and Air.
He was known to have controlled or commanded at least some Earth and Water elementals. I don't know if it's relevant but he was known as a devotee of both Mystra and Oghma"
He pauses to consider a moment.
"Now, we would hope... expect you to retrieve more than just one miserable spellbook. My mistress hopes that information within these manuscripts can be used to help protect Parnast from Bad Fruul, so try to be... meticulous."