Eberron - Echoes of the Past (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Harry

Overjoyed at the convenience and speed with which the pleasantries, technicalities, and details have been sorted, Dev responds, "Yes yes, of course. Lovely deal, Dolom, and pleasure doing business with you. Shall we get to the fun then?"

Carduus scowls at Dev's idea of 'fun', but nods nonetheless. "Agreed - the sooner we find out what's happened to folks down here, the better chance we have of gettin' to 'em before it's too late."

EE sees that everyone seems to agree with the deal. Now what they need is more information - and getting to the place, of course.

"Terms agreed. Please type down relevant info about the place the group is heading on and then press 'Enter'."

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The COGS

Dolom chuckles at Electric's odd way of speaking, "My apologies Jirrik, I meant 10% for me and 90% for all of you. My mistake of course to present the terms in such an unclear manner". States the dwarf likely covering for one of his own.

"I'll do better than tell you, I'll show you where to go".

Taryn replies, "Lead on then Dolom, we are all anxious to get going I think". Certainly Taryn most of all...

---

Dolom leads you towards the dark and smoke filled tunnels of the COGS.

Off one of the side tunnels down a long, spriraling ramp only occasionally lit by torches is a narrow tunnel. You can see by the damage to the makeshift stonework that someone recently smashed, that the entrance was likely difficult to see if you did not know where to look. Already you have traveled thirty minutes into the belly of the COGS and the heat and soot have made you all hot and tired, well, not the Warforged.

That entrance leads to a narrow claustrophobic tunnel that the Warforged barely scrape by in. After another fifteen minutes in pitch black but for the light sources you have with you, the tunnel leads to a carved out space 30' long and 10' wide that ends in what is clearly anewly constructed door.

Dolom whispers, "Here we are, wherever here is..."

See Map now posted above.

Carduus mumbles an incantation, summoning light from his buckler; now that he can see everyone in the ranks ahead of him, he awaits the forward march.

"If nobody's got their own preparations to make, let's get a move on - unless anyone's a decent scout?"

Kaine reminded himself that the heat and the confined spaces and the general grunge are a necessary part of his city. Although he knew the analogy to a body's lower digestive tract was inappropriate, and quite offensive to those who lived down here, it still helped him in understanding all of this is an essential part of the soaring, beautiful towers he loved up above.

Carduus mumbles an incantation, summoning light from his buckler; now that he can see everyone in the ranks ahead of him, he awaits the forward march.

"If nobody's got their own preparations to make, let's get a move on - unless anyone's a decent scout?"

"Um... if I may, my parents trained me to be a pretty decent scout. I don't mind checking out that door and scouting ahead."

Happy to be of service to the rest of the group already, Kaine moved ahead, eager to prove his worth. Although he greatly preferred his bow, he knew he'd likely need his hands at first, so he pulled out his dagger and examined the door - listening for anything beyond it as well as looking for any alarms or traps.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Unless he finds something amiss, he will carefully open the door and proceed forward as quietly as possible.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

then please do so she replied smiling

"Actual opposition to the scouting plan: zero. Please procceed."

EE looks carefully everywhere as he walks, knowing all sorts of criminals and evildoers might sneak in the shadows in a place like this.

Viorr merely smiles and extends a hand in an "after-you" gesture.

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The COGS

Kaine approaches the door and neither sees nor hears anything amiss. The door is locked by Jirrik opens it with ease allowing the Shifter to step inside the room.

Ornamentation is carved into the stone walls of this rather large room.

The floor is littered with dust and rubble, but there might once have been tracings carved there as well. The room is lit by several torches.

There are no obvious doors within this room, it appears that at one time a passageway led east but it is so choked with rubble it is nigh impenetrable.

In the southeast corner of the room stands a statue of a human male though who it is supposed to depict you are unsure.

Do you search the room further or alert the others to enter?

Kaine waves the others into the room and then starts to search it.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

He isn't trained in Knowledge(engineering) so that check is beyond him. He likes pretty towers, but has no idea how any of this is made.
;)

Seeing Kaine's signal to advance, Carduus moves in past the others and turns the light of his shield downwards to inspect the floor. Shouldn't be too hard to figure if anyone's been through with all this dust about...

Survival / Find Tracks: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

"Confirmation received, checked, advance approved. Procceeding."

EE enters the new room and observes carefully all the details his neural connections afford.

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9+1 to detect traps

Engineering 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Dev makes his way into the room with the others, and spends a moment watching Electric Eye as he looks around the room. Satisfied that someone else is taking care of the finer detail work, he makes his way over to the statue and inspects the workmanship.

Viorr enters, but remains near the door, keeping an eye out for anyone or anything that might be coming up behind.

Beylinda will cast a detect magic and enter

Kaine approaches and examines the eastern passageway to see if it is fully sealed off as well as to make room for others to enter.

"Do we think there is another exit? Something hidden? Or do we need to retrace our steps?" Viorr asks, not fully turning away from the door.

Assist for EE.

Jiri casts his eye about, noting with the warforged is looking at.

Knowledge (Engineering) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

Electric Eye observes the area with a critical eye discussing the symbols with Jiri, still they cannot quite place the architectures' origins.

Dev and Viorr stand near the door observing the room to ensure there are no surprises.

Kaine heads east and finds the tunnel truly impassable, it would take a substantial amount of work to clear this rubble.

Dolom speaks, "Well, good luck, I am heading back up".

EE is quite intrigued by the strange architecture, and decides to keep trying later on. He produces a piece of paper and some charcoal, and draws a sketch of the features to be studied afterwards. "Copying data into paper device, please wait."

When he's finished, he puts the sketches into his backpack and turns to the others. "Would you like to input any data about your search? Y/N."

"I've got tracks here, a single set - someone trying to be light of foot. Seem pretty recent. They head this way-" Carduus walks west, bent close to the ground, "But don't seem to return." He glances upwards suspiciously, then across the length of the western wall.

"Assuming some sorta monster didn't snatch 'em up from the ceiling, I'd guess there's a hidden passage or tunnel here. Or else they were magicked away." He looks over to Kaine. "You any good at finding such things, scout?"

"I can certainly try!" Kaine moves over to Carduus, doing his best to avoid walking generally where the tracks likely are. Then he examines the wall and ceiling carefully, looking for secret doors or ways to climb or any unusual construction that might stand out.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

wait for a seconde please

Beylinda will head to a western area of rubble and search there

Carduus shrugs and moves aside for Beylinda to join Kaine in the search effort.

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

As Beylinda asks the group to pause a dagger lands right in front of where Kaine was about to step. The western "wall" fades and in its place more rubble on the other side of which entrenched in cover are goblins!

Initiative - Round 1
Jirrik - GO!
Goblins (4)
Kaine, Beylinda, Dev, Carduus, Electric Eye, Viorr, DMPC Taryn

Jiri back-pedals hastily, pulling out his crossbow.

Move behind someone large and pull out crossbow.

Round 1 / After Goblins

Carduus lets out a rattling breath of frustration, though whether it started as a sigh or a growl is hard to tell with the phlegmy medic. Raising his glowing shield, he barks out to the goblins in their own language.

Standard: total defense; Move: none; Swift: none; Free: speaking.

Kaine is startled by the sudden appearance of the goblins, but waits to see how they react.

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

Round 1

Jiri steps behind Electric Eye drawing his crossbow!

As the Goblins begin to attack in earnest the one in the rear who is clearly no warrior calls back to Carduus,

which appears to keep the other three at bay, at least for the moment.

If anyone attacks before Carduus replies it's probably likely to result in a battle from which there is no turning back.

"Well what'dywe have here? Rags, you speak Goblin? Is that Goblin, cuz those are definitely Goblins. What a great twist! Dev exclaims, joyfully.

"Ya know, I could Rags, I could tell.
A big softie, you are," he continued, jibbing Carduss, with a genuine grin.

Given how events have turned out, Electric Eye stops unsheathing his big sword, looking carefully at everyone.

"Hesitation detected. Goblin life forms trying to communicate. Communication not successful. Please input data in another language."

"Relax, Eye...at least a couple of us speak Goblin," Viorr mutters to the warforged as he steps a little further into the room. He holds his blade in one hand and spreads his arms wide, as non-threateningly as possible.

untrained diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

sigh

The medic scowls at the metal man before calling back to the rear goblin.

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 16...?

Ninja'd!

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

The Goblin scowls as he replies,

"Is a scowling goblin worse than a happy one...?" Dev wonders casually --and quietly-- from the back, unsure of the answer but not overly optimistic.

Jiri pauses in loading his crossbow.

Goblin:

Carduus nods at the dwarf's question. That's good thinkin'. Might be they spill the whole story tryin' to impress us - if nobody gives 'em reason to stick us first.

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

The Goblin straightens up,

If you can understand Goblin, and your 10+HD+Wis mod is less than 16, you gain the shaken condition. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Beylinda just raises her eyebrow as the tone used seems suddenly harsher, and her grip on her weapon tighten

If you can understand Goblin, and your 10+HD+Wis mod is less than 16, you gain the shaken condition. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Does Carduus's Disillusioned trait count towards this?

GM the Dragon Below wrote:

If you can understand Goblin, and your 10+HD+Wis mod is less than 16, you gain the shaken condition. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Does Carduus's Disillusioned trait count towards this?

Yes the bonus should be included.

Kaine takes a step back and slowly reaches for an arrow. ”Uh... I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Maybe this isn’t the best idea.”

Shaken!

"Unknown input..."

EE grabs his big sword tighter, just in case his feeling about the Goblin's tone comes true.

The goblin seems quite sure of himself...and who knows how man more there are in these tunnels...

Doubt is not a common feeling for Viorr, and he feels strangely shaken by it.

Jiri gulps, looking to the others. "Um, so, what now?" he says quietly.

Seeing his companions' reactions to the goblin's bluster, Carduus decides to take action. I can't let four goblins stop over a half dozen of us! The medic calls upon his curse, grumbling out an incantation to focus its power. "If you're to strike me, best think twice, lest ye catch my curse - and my lice!"

Thus protected, he quickly advances on the goblins and barks out a challenge.

Standard: casting sanctuary Will DC15; Move: advancing to goblins, per map; Swift: none; Free: speaking.
10 + HD + Wis modifier + Disillusioned trait = 10 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 16 / not shaken.

Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Fifteenth Day of Dravago - The Dig Site

The Goblins scream in response and fire, or at least, they try to...

Two of the Goblins find themselves unable to draw their bow strings backwards, the mouthpiece attempts to cast what looks to be a spell but is flustered but there's always one who is an outlier. The Goblin wearing the finest leather armor fires! The arrow misses Carduus but not by much.

Taryn calls out, "Those bastards, get 'em"

Round 1 -
Kaine, Beylinda, Dev, Carduus, Electric Eye, Viorr, DMPC Taryn - GO!

Round 2
Jirrik - GO!
Goblins (4)
Kaine, Beylinda, Dev, Carduus, Electric Eye, Viorr, DMPC Taryn

Remember, a shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Never one to have the option of violence far from his mind, even when frightened, Viorr leaps into action at the call to arms. Rushign up to cover Carduus's flank, he stabs at the nearest goblin.

single attack, shaken: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 2 = 7

Jiri raises his bow and fires at the mouthy goblin.

1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20 to hit, damage 1d8 ⇒ 2