Mysty |
ready to go here. No more nasty, fireproof trees is a bonus. And I will start to plan the death of trees. Then Seren can have an army of undead trees. :)
Lady Rose |
Ready here, though while Seren is doing her tree thing, Nahia might want to whip up some anti-demon alchemical splash weapons. It occurs to me that our alchemist fire isn't likely to do much, but Bottled Lightning might.
Nahia |
Also Ready. Rose's idea is not a bad one, and I'll use some party money to grab supplies to make some.
DM Aku |
With no other task, and after resting and preparing, the group heads back to the horn, uncontested by the Briar wild life.
The great stone spire, rises some hundreds of feet high 650ft, the trees surrounding it, gigantic in stature, seems to be nothing in comparison.
Walking around it, you find ruins of what once appear to be the entrance to it.
A boulder rests in the smashed top floor of a three‐storey stout, stone watchtower. A nearby rotting catapult appears to be the culprit. The remains of a thick, reinforced wooden door lie scattered on the wide, stone steps leading up to the entrance. Bits of broken weapons and armour litter the otherwise intact interior.
Past the tower, scattered blocks of obsidian, inscribed with the iconography of an evil deity, surround the foundations of a once proud archway. A few outlying buildings remain relatively intact.
The entrance seems to have crumbled in most of the parts, and it leads down to a series of dark caverns.
The party searches the ruined tower, the nearby ruins for anything useful or interesting. Whatever secret it may had, it was long found and don’t offer anything of value.
From the ruins tho, you are able to gather that the first attack on the horn was swift and brutal, almost no damage was done to nearby structures, and from that you concluded that the defenders did not had time to mount any resistance.
As you explore the ruins, a fog begins to form in the place, it feels malevolent and evil, as if someone or something trying to reach from a faraway place.
With nothing to stop the group, you take a time to look around the horn, and search for any clear entrance.
There are two stairways leading to some entrance 100ft and 150ft high.
There’s a cave entrance leading beneath the stone spire.
There is sign of native life, animals and something you judge to be a walking tree. Near the stairs, there is no sign of passage or anyone going up. The caverns however have sign of constant usage, by something that appears to be a big biped frog, only it is more than one.
Intentions?
Lady Rose |
"Ok, now we can scout that cave. Mysty?"
Hound |
Hound just takes stock of the tracks and area surrounding the entrance to see if is inhabited.
Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Mysty |
as you wish. You best wait here, I'll be a bit.
Mysty throws rose a casual salute and moves to the cave entrance, carefully taking her time. She will move in along the left wall, from her perspective.
Take 10, stealth total 28.
Nahia |
I'd be checking the tower with detect magic as we passed through.
Nahia leans back against a tree, trying to keep her eyes out for anything.
This place feels... odd. Heavy with the residue of spirits. And not the nice kind. There were some powerful incantations used here at some point. And definitely not Mitran in origin... Who knows what was conjured...
DM Aku |
@Hound
There is sign of native life, animals and something you judge to be a walking tree. Near the stairs, there is no sign of passage or anyone going up. The caverns however have sign of constant usage, by something that appears to be a big biped frog, only it is more than one. The treant, is still about in the forest, looking like nothing more than a big dead tree.
@Mysty
This broad open cave is the only visible entrance to the lower caverns. The many stalactites, stalagmites, and columns of wet living stone resemble nothing so much as fangs contained inside a large loathsome grin. The cave is covered by countless pools of standing fetid water and ubiquitous slicks of mud that make the entire surface of the maw count as difficult terrain from the entrance to more than forty feet in.
How are you dealing with illumination?
Mysty |
At the moment I'm not. I'm not entering the cave as such, simply examining the entrance for guards and traps. You mentioned frog men? Looking for them.
Once Mysty finishes her examination, she will return to the party to report.
Hound |
So walking frogs? Never heard of anything like that, at the very least, we'll have plenty to eat.
Mysty |
On returning Mysty says
spooky looking place, no signs of traps or guards, although there may be more deeper in. Difficult going though, rocky and slippery. Foot prints though. Like walking frogs. Man sized. It's darker further in, and i can't see in the dark. So we best move in as a group. I suggest hound and me up front, followed by the rest of you.
Lady Rose |
"Sounds good to me." Rose said. "Lead on."
Nahia |
Nahia nods for a moment and then adds "I have an idea. Clearly the mouth of this cave is a well used passage by these creatures. Why not charm or capture a couple of them, and then have them lead us through the cave, since they'd know the safe ways."
Seren Little |
Okay going to assume that Seren had the time to at least start her plan in motion before we went to the cave. Mr. Tree-Ant is currently chopping himself out from his oaken prison.
Seren peaks her head into the cave. "Wait. We're going in there? With the walking frogs? Last time I saw a giant frog it tried to swallow me...Stupid frogs." Seren sighs. "Alright let get this over with."
Hound |
COnsider this to be potential payback. You can kill them and eat their legs in a butter-garlic sauce.
Lady Rose |
I thought this was all happening after the tree-removal and reanimation had happened? We sort of glossed over that part. GM? Where do we stand on the whole undead treant thing?
"Do you speak giant frog? I'm all for taking prisoners, but it might be more trouble than its worth if we don't have a good way of communicating."
Seren Little |
My figuring was it would've taken grumble and I likely the morning to get the treant at least free enough to start hacking away at the tree by iteself, with the cave looming once he was set in freeing himself, Seren would have met up with everyone here Sometime around midday and let the zombie go about its business the rest of the day. Zombie would have been left instruction that if it frees itself don't wander. Kill anything that it sees but don't chase outside of 20 steps from the tree it chopped itself out of (I'll supercede that command when I get back to it)
Mysty |
Nahia, we don't know what they are, or when they come out. Let's be a little pro active. Besides, you could always charm the first one we see
Mysty leads the way to the entrance, drawing a dagger and casting light on it while doing so.
Nahia |
Nahia nods at the others before replying "That's... a good point Rose. Lead on Mysty."
Well, at least you'll be in front if we hit a trap or other natural disaster... Better you than me.
Briefly, she bows her head and chants to herself Aklo: "Spirits, grant me your precious light, be my armor to protect me!" A haze of blue light surrounds and coalesces upon her, concentrating as it draws nearer to her form, before disappearing suddenly with the faint tinkle of a glass bell.
Casting Mage Armor.
DM Aku |
Mysty moves ahead without bothering to hide, as she goes inside, the odor becomes stronger and stronger.
Up ahead, the large curve continues with a slight curve to the left, to her right, the cave walls breaks in several natural passages.
Intentions? Check the map.
Pyre, Hellfire Archon |
Pyre was still an Archon, and even though it was locked in hellish bondage it was still, fundamentally, a creature of the heavens. It floated along slightly above and behind Rose, scanning for unfamiliar evil auras.
Detect Evil
Lady Rose |
Rose, likewise was scanning with otherworldly sight. It was unlikely that there were creatures of goodness around other than her floating slave, but it would not hurt to check.
Detect Good
Mysty |
Mysty moves slowly, examining the entrance and beyond for threats, both trap and creature. The light from her dagger revealing before her.
standard half speed move, so as to avoid trap roll penalties.
pity about the light, but what you can't see can really hurt you. Hound be cautious. I know it's slow, but a trap can really ruin your day.
And having you near, looking so big and nasty, will draw attention from little old me. she thinks to herself.
Rose, do we want captives?
Hound |
Hound follows carefully behind Mysty, his greatsword in hand and ready for any threats.
Mysty might make a good distraction, she is easily grabbed up by any beast looking for a less-threatening meal. ;)
Seren Little |
Seren meanders behind the scouting party, standing near Nahia and grumble in the back. "Well this doesnt feel like walking into a trap. Nope, not at all." she mutters to herself, a hand resting tensely on her mace.
Lady Rose |
Rose looks over to Nahia for a moment at the question of captives and nods. "Yes. Only if it doesn't put us in extra danger, though. Might as well try for it, but lets not stick our necks out."
Rose dropped her axe back into the ring on her belt and drew a padded truncheon from the small of her back.
Drawing Sap.
Nahia |
Nahia nods at Seren and Rose, her own fingers and arms twitching in preparation for anything that might jump out, for any dangers that might lurk. "I have no problem with us cracking skulls over captives if needed. And... let's be... careful. This place feels... off."
Even Andros was twitching anxiously, though Nahia was unsure if it was of his own feelings or simply hers bleeding over.
Mysty |
Hound follows carefully behind Mysty, his greatsword in hand and ready for any threats.
Mysty might make a good distraction, she is easily grabbed up by any beast looking for a less-threatening meal. ;)
feeling the love. ..lol
DM Aku |
Sorry it took long to update. Things are hairy for me those days.
Walking slowly, misty scans each passage for any threat, and finds nothing. There are several marks of passage, some recent, others old, from all cave paths.
There’s the passage to your left, one to north and other to your right? Which one you are going first?
Mysty |
Mysty sees the three paths and pauses for a moment. Then she indicates the right hand path.
this way she whispers. let's be quiet. Can't help the light, but sound travels in a cave
Lady Rose |
Rose lets the scouts do their thing and hangs back a little ways, trying to keep in the shadows as much as possible.
Stealth +6
Nahia |
Nahia does her best to hold back a sigh as they trudge deeper within the caves.
Ok... you can do this... just be quiet... and stay out of sight... easy, right?
Clearly not for me. Stealth +2
NPC - Grumblejack |
First, there goes Mysty and Hound, walking in silence, even if they can’t ride because of the light Mysty is carrying. Some steps behind, follows Rose, walking surprisingly quiet in her heavy armor. Then comes Rose, in her breastplate not caring to hide herself, and Nahia, worried that she isn’t the best one for that kind of activity. However, nothing compares to the army of one ogre, walking just behind her, making everyone effort be for naught.
"Elfy is afraid of the dark." Grumblejack says mostly to himself, but that don't prevent everyone else from hearing it as well.
DM Aku |
Following the right path on the cave, leads to an empty nondescript wet cavern C-10. It seems a ‘crossroad’ with hard rock floor.
The crossroad, leads to three other paths. Without asking, Mysty ventures into the one to her right, which leads to another another wet cavern with a pool of water at its rear C-11. The pool however has a faint glow to it and is surprisingly clear. The pool contains weird pale blue blind cave fish with delicate thread-like spines on their forefins.
These fish are death-angel cave tetras. Their spines are a powerful paralytic poison that the fish use to stun their preferred prey – the tiny white shrimp that share their cave pools and feed on the luminous algae. Harvesting the venom is not too difficult if you know the poison is in the spines and use a net.
This pool and its nearby side chambers that disappear under the rock actually support a breeding population. The fish could be all harvested for twenty doses of the poison immediately or this pool could be harvested sustainably for four doses of poison a month.
Death-Angel Spine Venom
Type poison, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15
Frequency 1/round for 2 rounds
Initial Effect 1d3 Con damage; Secondary Effect unconsciousness for 1d3 hours; Cure 1 save
Cost: 150 gp/dose.
Exploring ahead, they party reaches yet another wet empty cavern C-12, notable only for its very distinctive blue slime mold that covers the western wall, the vibrant blue slime is neither poisonous nor dangerous but is visually striking.
From there, the group ventures into the other path, which leads once more to another empty nondescript wet cavern C-14.
Intentions?
Lady Rose |
At the ogre's clomping, Rose just giggled. "Alright Grumblejack, we'll do it your way."
"Pyre, lets have some light."
Pyre, Hellfire Archon |
The little archon lit up like a bonfire, it's whole body roiling with ethereal flame.
Aid Another to someone else's Dungeoneering check (I can't actually make a 25, but I might be able to help someone else make it.)
Aid Another, Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Lady Rose |
Accidentally posted Rose's Aid action with pyre. Leaving the roll so I don't risk losing the success.
With the area better revealed in Pyre's light, Rose caught sight of the fish in the pool. "Huh. Interesting. I think I've seen pictures of those fish before, but I can't quite place it..."
Nahia |
Can I make a Knowledge (Nature) to identify the fish?
Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 2 = 30
Nahia crouches over the pool, Andros lifting his head up from her shoulder. The two of them hiss softly before she looks up at Rose and says "These fish make a moderately powerful poison capable of knocking one unconscious for a couple of hours. They inject it with these spines along their fins."
She stands and looks over the pools in the room before adding "I should be able to harvest some of their poison, given some time. And there's a good number of them here. Depending on how long we stay we could get a fairly sizable amount of the stuff... but in the meantime, everyone should be careful to avoid stepping in any pools around here, lest you discover how difficult it is to breath with weakened muscles and a fever."
Lady Rose |
"That's it! I've seen them in daddy's library. Some treatise on poisons and antivenoms I picked up once. It was all Aklo to me, but it had really nice pictures. The manticore was amazing."
"I know its a bit cliche, but I've always wanted a foreboding mountain fortress." Rose said with a smile, training her fingers in the water. "Pools of poison fish were definitely on the list of necessities when I started dreaming about becoming a despot when i was a girl."
Nahia |
Nahia smiles at Rose and says "I could teach you... Aklo, I mean."
Giving the half-joke a moment to set in, she continues "Cliche is not always bad, but I've wanted less a fortress and more a palace. Deadly fish were also on my list, bust also because ones such as this can be quite the delicacy if prepared right..."
Who wants something like fugu, but made from more of a lion fish than a blowfish???
Lady Rose |
"He's so practical." she said with a smile and a roll of her eyes.
"Lets keep moving and come back for the fish once we've cleared out the inhabitants."
I'm starting to like this place.
Seren Little |
Seren looks down lovingly at the fish. "Okay I like this place."
She mutters aloud to no one in particular, a smile and a chuckle escaping her lips as she envisions a skeleton wielding the fishes like a set of very poisonous, very spiky brass knuckles.