Aeshuura's DDEX 1-01 Defiance in Phlan (Adv League) (Inactive)

Game Master Aeshuura

And, you want us to go into the crypt instead, right?

"Well, I still should go, but if you all could accompany me, in case," he shuffles uncomfortably, "Look, I think that there is more afoot than just someone trying to besmirch the lady's name. This dragon talk... I don't know, it's eerie."

Wrathmire finishes his ale and takes a deep breath.

I'm in.

Sir Adrian smiles, stands, sheathes his sword, and exclaims.

You have my sword, my friend! It will be good to explore something worthy of my skills.

Itzal shrugs. Sounds interesting, if your suspicions pan out. I'm in.

Hmm, a lady masquerading as a Dragon? Or a Dragon masquerading as a Lady. Which one makes the better song... Uriah muses

Ahh, ahhh, dragon looks like a lady...ahh ahh.

I will go. If only so I can finish this damnable tune.

"Thank you all! I have a purse of 100 gold talons for you all and in case things get rough..." Brother Keefe produces a scroll and smiles, "Here is a scroll of protection from evil. Hopefully we will not have to use it."

You may ask any questions, which he will answer to the best of his ability. Then you may make any purchases or preparations you might need.

--

With questions out of the way, and preparations finished, Brother Keefe leads you to the Welltran Crypt in the Valhingen Graveyard. Surprisingly, the graveyard is quite well-maintained, if a little somber. Brother Keefe, noticing your reaction speaks up, "Doomguide Glandon, my superior and senior member of the Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud, personally sees to the maintenance of these grounds."

He leads you further into the graveyard stopping at a nicely appointed stone and marble building, roughly 20 feet square. Brother Keefe then produces a key from the folds of his robe and unlocks it, pushing on the heavy door to open it.

As you enter, you see that the interior is equally fine, with painted wall carvings that depict a lovely human woman in differing locales. There are five locales, one has her overlooking a snow-capped mountain peak, while another has her standing in the rain of a thunderstorm. Then, she is sitting in a comfortable room near a roaring fire. The next, she is in the gardens holding a venomous snake. The last is a laboratory with bubbling vials and she seems to be working or researching in it. Each wall has many more carvings, but they all seem to frame these five as if these are important. The lid of the marble sarcophagus in the center is carved with the likeness of the same beautiful human woman in the prime of her life.

Ceidith rushes to the store and buys 4 daggers
In the tomb, Ceidith looks for any trace of a living being
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Wrathmire joins Ceidith and purchases 1 case of 20 bolts.

Wrathmire tries to look for additional clues in the crypt as well as any disturbed areas (tracks, skid marks, swirls in the dust).

Is that 100 Gold each, or 100 to split among us?

One of the more interesting tasks we have had, thinks presmer.

He investigates the paintings carefully
1d20 + 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (13) + (4) + 4 = 21

No purchases here.

Ander looks around the tomb, scratching his head. "This all looks nice," he says to nobody in particular, "But investigating this kind of thing is a little outside my training."

He turns to "Mr. Scribe" and asks, "See anything amiss?"

I forgot to mention that Brother Keefe lights a torch before entering and lights several other torches in the crypt so that you can see the wall carvings.

As you enter the room and Brother Keefe heads straight for the sarcophagus, Ceidith and Wrathmire notice that though the crypt is kept dust-free, there are some faint scratches around the base of the sarcophagus as if the thing can move or has been pushed aside before. These scratches, though are fairly old, at least several months.

Presmer looking at the painted wall carvings, notes that each has an small indentation somewhere in the painting, usually in a centerpiece of each image.

The priest pushes the lid off the sarcophagus and gasps. You all can clearly see that the jumbled pile of bones in the tomb are not human, and indeed seem draconic in nature. It is also readily apparent that about half the bones are missing!

What catches you eyes, though, are a quintet of tiny gems: a red ruby, a green emerald, a black opal, a white diamond, and a blue sapphire. It has only been a few moments when a scraping sound echoes through the crypt! The heavy door swings shut, and a hissing sound signals some kind of gas filling the room. The torches darken slightly as the finite air begins to be consumed...

Wrathmire takes a deep breath and begins looking at the door, trying to look for a latch. If no latch, he will look at the paintings to see if there are any slots for the gems from the sarcophagus.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Joy. Uriah says Well. Now I'll never get this song out of my head.

Sir Adrian also takes a deep breath and begins to aid in the examination of the paintings.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"Quick," Ander says, "Can anyone produce magical light? We could snuff these torches and buy some time."

Simply an attempt to inspect the wall carvings is enough to notice the indentations in them. When you look closely, you are certain that the gems would fit in there, but they are all the same shape, so any one of them would fit in any of the indentations.

What would you like to do?

Wrathmire looks at the gems and the murals. He puts the diamond in the snow-capped mountain, the sapphire into the thunderstorm, the ruby into the roaring fire, the emerald into the garden with the snake, and the opal into the bubbling vial in the laboratory.

Wrathmire goes to work, deftly taking each gem, checking for color, then placing them in a setting. One after another slips into place, and upon the last gem being inserted, you all hear a click from the heavy front door and another from the sarcophagus. The acrid smell of gas is replaced by fresh air rushing in from the outside and the marble sarcophagus scrapes across the floor revealing a set of stone stairs leading down into the darkness.

EDIT: Tracks in the dust show that this exit has been used relatively recently, maybe a month ago...

Brother Keefe looks at it hesitantly, "I'm sorry, I am a simple priest. I can barely even use this scroll! Please investigate below!"

He hands one of you the scroll of protection from evil and looks at you, pleading.

Wrathmire shrugs, we can't guarantee your safety if you are alone up here...

Wrathmire looks to the group, I'm ready when you are.

Looks like he is waiting for one of the melee folks to lead the way.

Presmer goes to grab the gemstones but the quick wrathmire snatches them before he can get them.

Come, I will lead us below.

Itzal follows Sir Adrian into the secret passage.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

"Brave Sir Adrian, Sir Adrian leads the way!" Uriah hums as he follows behind

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Before heading down, Ceidith gives his bow and quiver to the priest. This should help... At least, a bit. He then draws his shortsword and attempts to stealth down the passage
stealth check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

"I'm not so sure it's a good idea for Mr. Keefe to come with us," Ander says as Ceidith arms the civilian. "This is likely to get dangerous, and besides that, it might be helpful to have someone here on the outside in case any more door-slamming surprises arise. Speaking of which..."

Ander pulls out one of his throwing axes and goes over to the door. He finds the "crack" where the door swings open from the wall, and places the head of the axe there so that the door can't shut completely. "That should give us at least a little insurance."

Brother Keefe lets out a deep breath, "Thank you. I will await you up here and keep an eye out. May Kelemvor watch over you."

Who is taking torches? It is pitch black down there.

I'll be taking a torch, since I don't usually use a shield and my sword can be used one-handed if needed.

So I am guessing that you and Sir Adrian are taking the lead, and the others are behind you. The map has been updated.

As you descend the stair, you end in this small room with an obvious hallway that spirals out. As Sir Adrian walks along the wall, he notices a secret door! As he looks to the others, he notices similar ones on the Southern and Western wall too! Itzal also notices, but just a second after that paladin.

What would you like to do? Secret doors or follow the passageway first?

Sir Adrian stops at the first secret door and waves the others over.

He listens st the door and checks if it is locked.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Itzal also listens at the secret door: perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Ander stands ready with the group, torch in one hand and sword in the other.

It doesn't seem locked, and is quiet on the other side. One could say, deathly quiet! Couldn't help myself. :p

Ceidith stays behind Ander, letting Senka and Adrian listen at the door

Presmer will take a torch as well bringer up the rear.

So, secret door or no? Just asking so I can move along for the description. :)

Ander ponders a moment, then says, "Given that we already know this place has some... 'malevolent architecture', I wonder if these secret doors are meant to unleash something upon us all at once later on. I suggest checking and clearing each of them in turn to prevent that from happening. Agreed?"

Agreed. Itzal motions Ander to proceed. After you.

Ceidith grins and pulls out his short swords, moving in after Ander

Wrathmire nods, following you, Sir Meliamne.

Lead on! Uriah proclaims grandly, his rapier drawn!

Ander, you leading the way?

Apparently. Sword in one hand, torch in the other.

Wrathmire also has a torch out, in the rear of the party.

Ander presses on the secret door, causing it to swing open. As he walks through it crackles with dark energy wracking the warrior with waves of pain! Ander takes 2 hp necrotic damage.

Ander sees a chamber with a passage to his left and right. Three odd humanoid skeletons, topped with draconic skulls, stand at attention holding swords before them. Behind them, there stands an empty large throne-like chair on a mahogany dais.

What do you do? Follow Ander or find another way?

EDIT:Map has been updated.

You ok Ander? Those skeletons look suspicious... Should we stand back and attack them from afar?

Wrathmire did you walk through too?

As Ander enters the room:
Noticing Ander grimacing from the waves of necrotic energy, Ceidith quickly moves in front of him. That looked like like it didn't feel good

As we find the skeletons
Ceidith walks up to the nearest skeleton, and taps it on the shoulder.
Hm....

No, peeking through the doorway

While standing at the doorway, Wrathmire examines for any signs of traps that can be disabled.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Thieves' Tools: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9