Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

How's that training s+%$e work?

You just have to "train with a sect member in the Eldeen Reaches". That can be as hard or easy as Aubrey wants to make it.

I can't imagine how much damage Falla Caesenri would do in 50 minutes with threat range of 15-20.

I can, and the answer is "a lot." :D We should look into getting you a scroll of that to scribe into your book as soon as the story permits. Or maybe, just maybe, if Aubrey is generous, he'll drop said scroll into our laps along the way...

Depends how generous I am feeling.....

Nah, I'm not.

After a rest and time to reflect on the coming assault, the time comes to make the final assault on the stronghold of the Triune. Edging up the tunnel for a few minutes, eventually the way is blocked by a portal of stone, a tarnished metal lever beside it projecting from the wall.

"This door to King's Halls." whispers Choom. "Other side, storeroom."

“Alright Choom,” rumbles Lightbringer softly. “What is beyond the storeroom? How do we get to the throneroom from there? Do you know of any traps? How many guards can we expect? Do they have any special training?”

Choom shrugs. "No here long time, not sure. Throne room straight ahead, then left. Choom thinks."

"OK. But where is the control room for the traps and the gate that seals off the royal caves from the rest of the complex?"

"Er, straight, then right."

"Good. It seems like that's what we should do first. After we seal off the throne room, the Triune won't be going anywhere."

The door pushes open with a muffled grinding of rock on rock. Inside is a largish room, maybe 30' square and extremely dark. After the low tunnels, it is a relief to find the ceilings are quite high - 10' or more, presumably monumental architecture for kobolds. Shadowy shapes loom that turn out to be crates filled with food, rolls of cloth, and similar everyday items. A light can be seen coming from somewhere ahead, but not enough to provide any serious illumination.

If you have Darkvision or Low Light Vision, you can more-or-less see OK. If not, you will need a light source - they are kobolds, afterall, and have Darkvision themselves.

For mapping purposes, this room is 30' by 30'. The door is in the west wall, and there is a passage leading east.

I'll make with the light spell again on my morningstar.

The silver glow of Rodergo's morningstar illuminates the room, which indeed appears to be a fairly ordinary storeroom.

"How does this door open from the inside, Choom? We might have to retreat, and don't want to get trapped."

Choom flips up a cunningly disguised flagstone, under which is a switch.

“Good,” states Lightbringer. “I suggest that we take a few moments here to prepare; If friend Ezreal or the Flamebearer have any magics that will last some time, this may be a good time and place to prepare them.”

Thinking
Magic circle prot'n from evil on Runzyl,
Magic weapon on LB's weapon and Janosz's weapon of choice,
Bull's strength on Runzyl
Prot Energy (fire) on my own hide...

Shield of Faith's in reserve, or on Janosz and Gnarly?

LB has prepared magic weapon for his sword, but given that the duration is in minutes I was going to wait until we were closer to the throne room to cast it … knowing Choom, getting there may not be as straightforward and quick as he’s leading us to believe.

Also, remind me what our theories were on the makeup of the Triune … a monk, a bard and a warlock … or something like that?

I don't remember their makeup. Sorry. Is one....a Rouge?
(the Flame strike me down for that one.) Maybe I should do the magic circle (50 minutes) and do like you said, hold off on the others a bit.

.

"Triune come. Come from Big Above. Three kobolds, worship the Flayed Dragon - one make bolts of black fire from his fingers, one fight with claw, one make pretty words that all believe. They make pretty words with chief. Him believe them, welcomes them into tribe. But Triune woo other kobolds behind chief's back, turn them against him. But chief is bewitched, cannot turn them away.

Hah! Here it is! I search functioned "Triune" and this came up.

Aubrey the Demented/Malformed wrote:

.

"Triune come. Come from Big Above. Three kobolds, worship the Flayed Dragon - one make bolts of black fire from his fingers, one fight with claw, one make pretty words that all believe. They make pretty words with chief. Him believe them, welcomes them into tribe. But Triune woo other kobolds behind chief's back, turn them against him. But chief is bewitched, cannot turn them away.

Hah! Here it is! I search functioned "Triune" and this came up.

Good thinking. Yup, warlock, monk and bard or beguiler sounds pretty right.

Coolness.

Thinking

Magic circle prot'n from evil on Runzyl,
Magic weapon on LB's weapon and Janosz's weapon of choice,
Bull's strength on Runzyl
Prot Energy (fire) on my own hide...

Shield of Faith's in reserve, or on Janosz and Gnarly?

MW on my arrows would be nice - that way the missiles count as magical weapons.

As an added bonus, i picked up locate creature on my dragonmark at this level... kobold motion tracker... though it will only spot the closest. Caster level 7, so 30 minutes.

Well, if you are spotting kobolds there is, um, one standing next to you. Choom might throw that spell off a bit.

OK, please make your preparations and then we can get going.

No further preparations for LB at this stage. He suggests that they go to shut the gates first. Once that is dealt with, assuming the throne room is close, he intends to cast magic weapon.
Given that Rod has a light spell going, he will not light another torch.

"Hmm... yes this seems like a good place." Ezreal presses his palms together, elbows out at at his sides and with a few words wraps a field of force around himself. "When we find this Triune, I have another scroll to grant your sword the flame Lightbringer, but it only lasts for a minute. So, let's find a triune then..."

Mage Armor- 5 hours
My preparatory defensive magic is sorely lacking. Mage Armor is literally the only one I know. I have a scroll of false life and see invisibility, but both are pre-studied for adding to the spellbook. I'll hold onto them unless I need them.

The elf simply nodded firmly as the spells were cast and preparations made. He produced the vial of oil Lightbringer had given him before, back when they fought the barghest.

"How long will this last? Should I use it now or save it for when battle is joined?"

Okay. The endgame draws nigh, I sooth. Praying's over. Now comes the fighting and crying.
For Drim.

The elf simply nodded firmly as the spells were cast and preparations made. He produced the vial of oil Lightbringer had given him before, back when they fought the barghest.

"How long will this last? Should I use it now or save it for when battle is joined?"

“One minute or so,” replies Lightbringer. “But the effect is best against demons and their ilk.” It was bless weapon, right?

“One minute or so,” replies Lightbringer. “But the effect is best against demons and their ilk.” It was bless weapon, right?

Yes, it was.

Runzyl's brow furrows a moment, then he nods, placing the vial back in his pack. "Then I shall save it for another day."

Choom gulps. "Choom ready." He holds a dagger, but his hand shakes.

The three half-orcs look grim, but nod their readiness.

Gnarly whispers, "Alright lads, this is it. Bess is locked and loaded. Let's get Choom his kingdom, you your friend, and me my whoring money."

"I'll lead, with Trose and Gnarly. Keep your eyes open for traps and such. We hit the portal room first - try stealth until then, but once the portcullis hits the floor, they'll be on to us. After that, we kill anything that moves." Janosz gives Choom a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Chin up, buddy."

Nocking an arrow, he takes a cautious step down the hallway. "Move out, y'all."

Choom nods. "Control room ahead. Many guards."

The party moves cautiously forward, out of the storeroom and down the corridor. As befits the king's halls, these are well-made flagstones and masonry, about 10' high and 10' wide. After 10' a crossroads is reached. Ahead (east) the light still glimmers about 80' ahead, while it is dark left (north) and right (south).

Indicating the left turn, Choom mutters, "Way to throne room, but through kitchen."

(Come on, guys - left, right or straight ahead? Don't bring the kobold insider with you and then wind up paralysed with indecision because you can't decide how to act on the information.)

I think we should go right at the crossroads.

Marching order:

Trose
Runzyl
Lightbringer
Janosz
Gnarly
Choomy
Me
Ez
Arek
Bool
Ceshto

Single file.

Yes, right should bring us to the gate.

Going right sounds good. Runzyl's not exactly the kind of person to tell anyone else that he's got a better idea with 8 INT.

We go right, take out the control room, shut the gates and then take on the Triune. At least that's how I understood our plan.

Let's do iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! (real quiet).

The party turns right - into another storeroom. Choom whispers, "What we do here? This go nowhere."

(Man, this dungeon is going to take a looong time! I guess I'm keyed up because, for once, I have prepared in advance rather than saying "Roll initiative" and then making up the battleground as we go along. That does mean there is a certain added complexity to this dungeon than perhaps you are accustomed - like crossroads and stuff.

(I have probably given confusing info, so I will clarify. You are now in another storeroom with no other exits (unless you want to check for secret doors - I don't advise it here). The way out of here is north, back to the crossroads. The way Choom indicated to the throneroom is north from the crossroads. The way to the control room is east, and back to the secret entrance storeroom is west.)

Sorry, I thought this was the way to the control room. (I must have blue doody on the brain). We'll head for the control room.

(edit) and I did actually look at it a while and try to figure it out. I'm at the end of the work week, very tired.

I thought he said straight then right for the control room … maybe we already took that right turn and I missed it. So we’ll go east.

I thought he said straight then right for the control room ?maybe we already took that right turn and I missed it. So we’ll go east.

He did, to be fair - he just didn't say at what point you turn right. Choom's information is deliberately partial, to match his lousy social skills.

The party inches its way cautiously down the corridor, passing but ignoring another turn to the left (north). The light at the end gets closer - it seems to be the steady glow of an everbright torch. "Guardroom, Royal Guard," whispers Choom.

Search check. If you get more than 10:

If you get more than 15:

If you get more than 20:

If you get more than 25:

Search 13+3=16. Why did I put all those ranks in Knowledge (nature) instead of Search again?

"Whoa", Janosz whispers. "What the hell is that?"

search r9+3=12
I see slots which seem to be recessed into the ceiling, and the walls, and,...look there, on the floor. Just past the last junction. More slots.

"Hmm... Pressure plates or are they activated manually? I can't do anything about that. Any idea how to rig this Trose? Or are we safe to walk though?"

I can't top any of those rolls. If I roll a 20 I get 19. I'm kinda terrible with keeping a coherent idea of where tunnels connect so I'm usually content to let our tracker lead.

I'm waiting for Trose to post, since this is something of a specialism for him.

Search 18+12=30

"Look at these, purtcullis runners. And there, some more. Lets make sure they're betwen them, and not any of us."

“Are these a trap, or are they the gates we are trying to close?” asks Lightbringer softly. “If you fear a trap, I may be able to keep one of these gates open; the ceiling is low enough that I could reach up with my hammer to the ceiling. I may be able to stop the gate from dropping, at least for a short time.”