The group sets off down the tunnel, which winds along a lazy, northeasterly route through the bedrock under Sandpoint. Several hundred feet down the tunnel you come across a side tunnel....
Here's how I see the march order:
Jaxom
Issak (has a reach weapon, can poke past Jaxom with it)
Jedech (with Bessie)
Ameiko
Calathes
Norhalo
Jaed
Upon reaching the side tunnel Jaxom will call out "There's another tunnel here. Do we want to explore it first or continue on with the main tunnel?"
Here's how I see the march order:
Jaxom
Issak (has a reach weapon, can poke past Jaxom with it)
Jedech (with Bessie)
Ameiko
Calathes
Norhalo
JaedUpon reaching the side tunnel Jaxom will call out "There's another tunnel here. Do we want to explore it first or continue on with the main tunnel?"
Jed grunts, "Bes' not leave any tunnels behin' us, lest some varmints decide ter sneak up on our backs."
Norhalo murmurs, "Friend Jed, you are a tracker, yes? Before we go on, what can you tell us about whether this side tunnel has seen recent use?"
Norhalo murmurs, "Friend Jed, you are a tracker, yes? Before we go on, what can you tell us about whether this side tunnel has seen recent use?"
Jed grunts in agreement and moves forward quietly to inspect the floor for recent passage.
Jedech detects the passage of a few creatures, probably goblins, down the side tunnel, but the vast majority of the traffic down here goes up and down the main tunnel.
"It would still be prudent to take Jed's advice and explore this side tunnel before we proceed down the goblin thoroughfare."
Jedech detects the passage of a few creatures, probably goblins, down the side tunnel, but the vast majority of the traffic down here goes up and down the main tunnel.
Jed returns to the group and grunts, "Looks like er few gobbies went down dis side passage ... all sorts o' tracks down the bigger tunnel."
Ameiko and Jaed volunteer to check out the tunnel, with Jaed in the lead. The return a few minutes later, Ameiko says, "Dead end due to collapse, let's keep moving."
Norhalo steps aside to allow Ameiko to return to her place in the marching order and prepares to go on. "Moving is a fine thing."
Norhalo steps aside to allow Ameiko to return to her place in the marching order and prepares to go on. "Moving is a fine thing."
Another 200 ft. down the tunnel, the group comes across another side passage. Judging by the rubble from what used to be blocking it, you think there could be something worth checking down it.
Down the second side tunnel, there are tracks for a couple human-sized creatures coming and going, and goblin-sized tracks entering, but not leaving.
Still here, just waiting for someone else to talk.
Jaxom will halt the group at the tunnels entrance. Quietly he will motion for Issak and Jedech to follow him down the side corridor.
Issak follows close behind Jaxom, glaive at the ready.
Calathes, Issak, Jaxom, and Jedech set off down the second side tunnel. After 50 ft. it makes a sharp turn to the north. After the turn, the tunnel continues along in darkness.
The group continues down the passage, Calathes and Issak noticing an opening off this passage.
After they've been gone a few minutes, Norhalo listens for a moment for them:
"Splitting up for any length of time is unwise. Come, we will follow them."
He heads down the side tunnel.
After they've been gone a few minutes, Norhalo listens for a moment for them.
Whatever Calathes heard, he doesn't anymore.
Issak hears the sound of faint footsteps coming from behind the group.
"Do you hear that? From behind us."
As the lead group turns to look behind them, they see Norhalo leading the rest of the band.
Just then, a roar erupts from further down the tunnel, and a hairless humanoid with a hunched back, dog-like legs, and hideous mouth charges up to and bites Jaxom. It then proceeds to bite Jaxom again, but fails to strike with either of its clawed hands.
Add +1 vs. fear effects.
Jaxom bashes with his shield to push the creature back and slashes at it's exposed belly.
Attack roll #1: (longsword):
Attack roll #2: (shield):
Damage #1:
Damage #2:
Will save #2: 1d20
Add +1 vs. fear effects.Jaxom bashes with his shield to push the creature back and slashes at it's exposed belly.
Attack roll #1: (longsword): 1d20+5
Attack roll #2: (shield): 1d20+4Damage #1: 1d8+4
Damage #2: 1d4+2
Jaxom rocks the creature back with two solid hits.
Jaed and Ameiko turn to look down the tunnel, watching in the event something tries to sneak up from that direction.
If the creature is still up and moving when Norhalo acts, he'll cast daze on it (DC14 Will save).
If the creature is still up and moving when Norhalo acts, he'll cast daze on it (DC14 Will save).
"What in the Nine is that?" Issak exclaims as the creature charges. He follows up Jaxom's one-two strike with a quick thrust.
Glaive to hit
damage
With a quick thrust of his glaive, Issak puts the creature down.
Norhalo will check over the creature and the area where it was hiding.
While not small, the side cave the creature appears to have been hiding in is empty except for a small broken crate that, many years ago, had bread in it.
"My friends, though I would like to continue this way, our magical resources are, I fear, so drained that we would be hard pressed to survive many more small fights such as this. I do not think Tsuto came this way, although...friend Jed, please check the trail ahead from here. If nothing seems to have passed, let us return to the main tunnel."
The gruff woodsman spits and says, "He coulda come this way, ain't sure."
Ameiko lets out a sigh of exasperation and says, "Fine, if the lost of you want to return to town then let's go. But!...First thing tomorrow we come back and explore this area fully and follow the main tunnel to its end. Agreed?!" She looks around at the group, making eye contact with each person.
Jaed nods when Ameiko's eyes meet his.
Norhalo smiles warmly. "Of course."
"Friend Calathes, if you wish I shall cast mage armor on you tomorrow during our expedition, so you would not need to memorize that spell." He looks down at the state of his clothing. "Now, about that prestidigitation spell...."
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"Friend Calathes, if you wish I shall cast mage armor on you tomorrow during our expedition, so you would not need to memorize that spell." He looks down at the state of his clothing. "Now, about that prestidigitation spell...."
"I would appreciate that, my friend. Prestidigitation will clean your clothing, but find me in the morning and I will prepare a mending spell to fix the holes in you attire."
"My thanks. In truth, I am more concerned with the...." He pauses and looks around for Ameiko, then continues if she's not around. "...residue from the glass casing. Such a reminder would, I think, be most unwelcome."
I hate paperwork. Issak thinks to himself as he heads over to the Sheriff's office to make his report.
He writes that upon returning to the Rusty Dragon, the group discovered that Ameiko had been missing for several hours, quite strange for how busy the place was. Asking around, they found that she'd headed for the Glassworks, so they went to find her and instead found the place overrun with goblins. Issak notes that the sudden appearance of these goblins was quite odd, as the town had fairly well settled down from the attack by then. Within the Glassworks, the group found the body of Lonjiku Kaijitsu, gruesomely encased in glass; seemed unusually devious for goblins. The group found fresh human footprints in tunnels below the Glassworks, but were unable to track anyone down. Also in the basement, Ameiko was located, gravely wounded; she appears to have been lured there and then attacked. Further details may be forthcoming with continued investigation.
That done, he retires to his room in town to wash up and tend to his gear.
As the group gathers to head back under the Glassworks, Jaed and the boy he was with yesterday ride up. The tengu says, "I'm sorry to leave at this time, but I must return you Silas here to his father as I fear there is too great a chance of harm to come to him here." He pauses a moment to look at the assembled group. "I wish I could remain, but I must attend to other things. I'll return as swiftly as I'm able. Should you find reason to go to Magnimar before I'm able to finish my business, leave word for me at the residence or office of Bayl Argentine, the current Lord Justice of Magnimar. Good luck to you all, may you wield a swift blade and a stout heart." He nods and turns his horse towards the road south.
The boy, Silas, waves and says, Good luck! as he rides off with Jaed.
Ameiko say, "I didn't expect that, but nevermind him. We have our own business to attend to. Let's get to it." She heads for the Glassworks with an urgency in her step.
When the group reaches the tunnel entrance under the Glassworks, Norhalo will pause to cast mage armor on himself and Calathes.
The guard at the NE door of the Glassworks nods and opens the door for the group. They proceed down the stairs to the basement, down the tunnel, and arrive back at the side tunnel they fought the creature down the day before. Jedech checking all the way for signs of activity after they left, and finding none.
Is the body of the monster that attacked us still there?
Reaching the point where the creature fell the day before, the group sees a greasy spot where the body was left.
Jed examines things a moment, then says, "I don't see anything from the last couple days moving through here except that creature we killed yesterday."
Moving past the greasy spot, the group easily sees the tunnel continues long, with another side tunnel.