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He does not seem to be hiding anything, I was stopped by the elders and exiled. I spent much of my life searching for the history and clues as to the White Well. My decades of research finally led me to the meager knowledge that I have today. It was only my auguries with the High One, himself that revealed the dangers of opening it.
Lawrick scratches his chin. He hasn't heard anything about this White Well, so he thinks he should get as much information as he can while he still can.Do you know anything about the place it's located in? Is it a forest, or a clearing, or...?
"So you said that he is a diviner. Did he have any particular spells that he preferred, or particular battle tactics? Basically, anything that you can tell us about his style of combat will help inform our plan."
Turning to the group, Shoun will say "We should probably gather some supplies if necessary and then head out immediately. Time is not our ally here."
Ammon nods in agreement.
"Indeed, let us be off. I am ready now and can leave immediately."
The sound of a book falling the floor draws everyone's attention to a corner of the study followed by a muttered curse. You turn to see a young halfling woman with short brown hair crouched between a book shelf and a reading table. Her bright green eyes dart around quickly, not sure of what to do. After a few tense seconds a defiant look comes across her face and she stands "Master Lumin, I would like to join these adventurers on their mission." She stammers a second searching for more to add to her proclamation. "...aahhI could look after your interests, make sure things go smoothly. Since my father has been your butler for so many years... I uh feel it's only my duty to work for you.
With her schpeal concluded, she straightens and stands tall while she waits for her employers reply.
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Lumin looks to Shoun thoughtfully, Whenever we faced off, it was usually just us, but being a diviner, he knows things. Go in with the expectation that he knows you are coming.
The dwarf's head snaps to the side at the sound of the dropping book, but his face softens when he sees Saphina. After listening to her plea, he looks at his butler. At the barely perceptible nod, he at last speaks, Saphina, you have trained in the ways of combat for two years now. I guess now is a good time as any to see you off to gain experience in the ways of the world. Go, help them, but do try to come back alive. It would not do for me to have sent my most faithful servant's daughter off to her demise.
Lumin Fetterbond pulls the young halfling close and whispers into her ear some cryptic words, a warning of sorts perhaps or advice?
Before sending you off, Lumin leaves you with one last piece of information, As per tradition, the well will be opened briefly for Highharvesttide, when the dwarves of Gommurg feed the well with an offering from the harvest. Usually, the well is dormant, but I fear that this season may end in darkness and misery.
He then hands Sashah a map and says, Azuth be with you.
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Finding the Gommurg territory is relatively easy using Fetterbond's map. Soon you come to a turn in the trail where dwarvish runes are written on a pair of large stones along its side. One set of runes are intricately chiseled into the stone, while another set is roughly marked in charcoal or ash on another boulder.
A dead dwarf, who looks like he could have been a dwarf, is sprawled across the rocks nearby and the air is rank with the smell of brimstone...
The map contains two noteworthy landmarks, the village and the White Well. Fetterbond did suggest that you stop by the village and introduce yourselves to the clan elders. He also warned that though the clan is reclusive, they are not hostile.
"Another halfling... this will be fun..." Garzak says.
When they spy the dead dwarf Garzak looks around, suspicious. "Could be an ambush..." he says.
IF he doesn't spy anything he'll try to examine the body.
Lawrick looks down at the dead dwarf. Ack! I wonder what happened to him.
Lawrick sighs. Maybe he's from the Grommurg clan. We should go to the village and tell them about this.
Not fluent in dwarvish, nor knowledgeable in anatomy, Ammon keeps a watch to make sure nothing tries to sneak up on the group as they examine the body.
Perception:
Shoun kneels and inspects the dead Dwarf.
"Looks like he was killed with a blade, but" Shoun pauses for a moment, lifts up his near one of his wounds, and licks the ragged hole before continuing "it looks like he was also attacked with acidic agents of some kind, leading me to believe that he was attacked either with an ensorcelled weapon, or by some sort of creature with acidic claws."
Shoun finishes by rinsing out his mouth several times with pulls from his waterskin.
The stunned look on Saphina's face tells of her inexperience on the road. It's likely this may be the first dead body produced by violence that she has seen.
After a few moments she is able to recover and slowly walks to the dwarven runes. Carefully tracing the runes on the carved stone and then regarding the hastily sketched writing on the other she turns to the others. "This stone seems to be pointing us to Gommurghall, this one however says "The Well is open. Flee if you must; fight if you can!"'
Listening to Shoun's assessment, Saph nod's. "We should head to the well right? Master Lumin said we have to stop whatever it is they are doing."
The old half-elf walks over to the body of the dwarf. He leans over as he grabs a chain from around his neck. A symbol of five stars with a stream coming from the top one emerges from beneath his robes. He begins chanting lowly and tracing symbols in the air with the hand not holding the symbol. A moment later his iris' glow with a bright blue which then focus on the dwarf body.
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Sashah finds no residual magic upon the dwarf corpse.
Sashah scratches his beard as he looks over the body. "There is no sign of magic here. Likely a creature that naturally produces acid."
Ammon points towards the village.
"It looks empty? The main courtyard is empty..no one is around."
"Hmm.. let's look around the village first, shall we..." Garzak says.
"Agreed. The village likely will give us answers."
Though he maintained his focus, allowing his diety's power to flow through him, Sashah managed to partition enough attention to his surroundings.
"Da. Zhis dwarf might be only beginning clue to exciting new puzzle."
Saphina quickly puts together a sled lashing some larger limbs from a nearby scrub tree together using her rope. "Well, if you guys want to head into town, we should bring this poor fella with us. The townsfolk might be more helpful if we come into town with one of their lost kin to say prayers over. One of you bigger guys might want to pull the sled though, I'm a bit challenged in the pulling and lifting things department. "
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You manage to bring the dwarf corpse down the trail toward Grommurghall. The well-traveled path leads in the direction of the moot-hall of the clan.
"Bigger guys? Well... not me!" Garzak says.
As they approach the village square, he uses his prestidigitation spell to create sounds such as scurrying rats and small illusions of giant rodents in order to draw attention.
"Zhis is so exciting!" the old half-elf exclaims as he seems filled with an energy surprising for his age.
He hurriedly rushes over to the prints on the ground while taking out a couple papers from his pack. As he arrives he unceremoniously drops his pack. Sahsah then reaches in quickly and pulls out some charcoal and begins sketching the unknown larger print.
Just as she was noticing the tracks herself, Sashah points the evidence out to the rest of the party. Proud of herself for noticing as well she remarks "Definitely not dwarven boot prints. Any idea who or what the bigger ones belong to?"
Coming to a realization that the dwarves may have been being chased, Saphina draws her shield and sword and crouches defensively.
From his sketching, "No! Most exciting part!"
After a few moments Sashah finishes sketching and looks up to Saphira, "Saphina! Come, I vould like halfling bootprint for records and comparison. It help identify likely stature specifics of creature. Dwarfs are nyet good for such comparisons," he waves his hand in a come gesture.
Lawrick gestures to the meeting hall. Well, we can find out soon enough.
He ventures down to the hall and checks out the entrance for traps.
If he sees none, he knocks on the door.
Shoun will help with pulling the sled. When they get to first building in the village, Shoun will put down the pullrope and prepare for...whatever reception they might receive.
Once the tracks are pointed out, Shoun will say "There they are. I'm guessing we're dealing with some sort of civilized humanoids, as they are wearing shoes, as well as armor, unless I miss my guess."
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The moot hall is a grand structure wrought of what appears to be seamless stone. The walls are decorated with great images of gods and heroes, set with carved quartz and polished bronze.
The scent of acid and rot fills the air near Grommurghall. A groups of dwarf warriors are embroiled in a battle against a seemingly endless sea of roiling, green ooze! As you watch, one guard is completely engulfed, swept off his feet, then vanishes into its depths!
Within the oozing mass, a dwarf's face appears beneath the surface. His hand reaches out to you, but then collapses into a bubbling mass of flesh, blood, and bone. With a silent scream he disappears into the depths...
"That is not something you see everyday, even in our line of work."
Shoun will draw upon his racial heritage to summon a beam of fire at one of the closest oozes.
Garzak contemplates firing off his burning hands to fry the ooze, but it's hard to tell where ooze begins and dwarf ends. He snarls, frustrated, then unleashes a firebolt from his hands, striking at the ooze. He tries to stay as FAR AWAY from the ooze as he can.
After that, he'll take his goblin bonus action to hide.
Calling upon his demonic ability, Ammon fires a eldritch bolt at the ooze.
Eldritch Blast (Agonizing Blast):
Damage:
Sashah will take the first moment to recall what this might be from his studies.
The elder half-elf will say some incantations and trace symbols in the air. A bolt of fire erupts from his signing hand toward the ooze.
Lawrick shoots into the nearest mass of ooze with his shortbow
Watching agast as the dwarf is consumed, Saph recovers and prepares to jump into action when she notices all of her companions using ranged weapons agains the strange creatures. Relying on their experience, she stows her sword and shield for her own bow and fires a arrow at the closest ooze.
Calling out to the dwarves
"Stand fast friends! We are here to help!"
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Ooze 1: -6 hp
Ooze 2: -27 hp
A rain of fire and arrows pepper the oozes, which ripples in response. (Shoun's firebolt flies wide!)
In front of the more 'injured' ooze, a pair of dwarves running in a panic smack into each other and fall prone before the ooze!
The ooze slorps forward and a yellowish pseudopod that engulfs one of the two dwarves on the ground. The screams of the dying dwarf ring out until he is engulfed completely! His friend is shocked and screams his name!
Not wanting to see any more dwarves hurt, Saphina rushes to the less wounded ooze dropping her bow and pulling her shield back out, placing herself between the ooze and another victim making sure to keep the shield between her and the dangerous pseudopods.
"Take that other one out! Ill keep dancing around this one till its... uh... tentacles are dizzy?" Turning back to the ooze, she taunts it the best she can to attack her. "Come on boy, come here, come to Saphina!"
Emerging from the shadows, Garzak fires again at the injured ooze, chortling at the damage he's done so far. He then hides again near the firepit, but stumbles into some soot and coughs loudly.
With a quick shout of Cover me! Lawrick runs to the dwarf that just had their friend killed. He grabs the dwarf and pulls them as far back as he can. Come on! Get up!
Seeing Lawrick's plan and his coincide, Shoun will move over, help the Dwarf up, then move back.
Ammon continues to blast the ooze with his eldritch bolts.
Attack:
Damage (Agonizing Bolt):
Sashah repeats
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In the chaos of the scene, you see a pair of ale barrels next to the moot hall have rolled off their table pinning a dwarf lass to the wall of Gommurghall! On the plus side, you seem to have distracted the oozes enough that she is not in danger, but she seems to be freaking out...
Ooze 1 splorts out a pseudopod at the little halfling standing defiantly before it!
The acid splashes on Saphina's shield knocking her back and some acid splashes on her!
The other ooze moves up and slaps down at Lawrick!
Lawrick gets smacked hard and begins getting dissolved! It looks as if the ooze will try to pull him in next...
You all are up next! Lawrick, please make me a death saving throw.
"Foolish halflings! Get away from it!" Garzak shouts. He jumps forward and unleashes a bolt at the ooze.
He tries to hide behind the planks.
Shoun will cast firebolt on the one engaged in melee with Saphina.
Saphina takes a few deep breaths to take on the pain and tries to push through the pain.
Deciding that she cannot withstand another hit she hopes the closer dwarves have managed to clear out and carefully steps away from the ooze keeping a defensive posture. Once clear she moves hastily for cover from the ooze.