GM Burglar's 4-18: The Veteran’s Vault (Inactive)

Game Master mechaedd

"Every organization with any significance always has political finagling going on. If they don't, they obviously aren't that important. Anyways, I suggest we start checking out that vault, before whatever moved in gets comfortable."

"Agreed. Let's go." Hiram stands up, hitches his pants up and heads toward the city.

Harboth pipes up - Before we go, I have a couple of questions as well: One, any chance some of these old Taldan goods are lying around your stash? And second, I'm sure your directions are of the highest quality, but I wonder if you have, say, a map that would help us find our way if we get lost or find something really nasty and have to, um, make a, uh, tactical reposition. Do you have such a map?

@Chelsea: "Yes, but they never did quite sponsor folks like they do now, from what I hear. The paracountess was quite explicit about that. See, back in my day, we had to stash things from the Ten in order to turn any kind of real profit or find more powerful stuff. Though if this is a sign, it shows that wealth will always make it's way back to the top."

@Harboth: "Yeah, but it's mostly likely just some coinage." She frowns a little at the second question. "Not particularly. I always navigated by landmarks, and ones that are most likely deteriorated by now. Our scholar was our cartographer; I've always been atrocious at the stuff. I assure you, it's only a few simple turns at every dead end, excluding the start and the end. After descending the ladder, you turn left. You can't miss the Shoanti mural, unless someone decided to deface it, and they'd need some really hard steel and a good chunk of time to do that."

On the written directions, you have the following

Posting out of turn as it will tough to post

Kyoshiro lingers with obviously something on his mind waiting for the others to finish.

As the others finish Kyoshiro asks diffidently, A private moment if you could Lady?

Diplomacy 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 1 = 25

Not sure if my fellow Lantern Lodge-r wants to try an aid another

Also, who is taking what out of the Free Stuff Swag Bag?

Harboth draws out the arrows. He raises an eyebrow and looks around to his team-mates.

These could be useful for someone handy with a bow, especially a brand-new high-quality one...

Grits looks up at Harboth.

Subtle, big guy. Real subtle.

Is there time to make purchases, on the way to the vault?

Yeah, you'll be traveling into Korvosa to get to the manhole that is the "start" of the directions.

On the way to the vault, Ander stops in an Alchemist's shop and purchases a few items.

Purchases:
Alchemist Fire- 20 gp
Alkali Flask(x2)- 30 gp
Antitoxin- 50 gp
Antiplague- 50 gp
Total- 150 gp, noted on character sheet.

Ander will leave the swag to other party members

The Midland district, packed with markets and banks, bustles with commercial activity despite the drizzling rain, and the party have no trouble finding the concealed sewer entrance in the secluded alley by following Sascha’s directions.

A rusty, slime-encrusted steel ladder descends into the Korvosan sewers, whose tunnels stretch to the north, east, and south like roads in an underground city. Curtains of fungus and mold hang from the ceilings, which rise roughly ten feet above the tunnels’ walkways, which run along either side of the sewage channels. Occasional dim patches of light filter in from the streets above providing minimal illumination. Despite the sickening smell of decay, the tunnels are free of garbage, waste, and the other byproducts of Korvosan life. There is a path forward and to each side. Directions say to go right as you hit the bottom.

If I can get a marching order (and light sources (to escalate the situation from low light to normal light)), the sewers are 20 feet wide; the center of the sewers are a 10 foot wide river of... well... things you'd find in a functioning sewer. The view from the surface.

"Well. At least there are no apes down here." Hiram takes a place in the second ranks, his whip out and ready.

Ander removes his ioun torch and sets it spinning around his head. Anyone want to take the lead and look for traps? If not I believe I can.

If Ander takes the lead, he willl Take Twentys on Perception for 29

Taking 20 on perception for stimuli would mean every few steps, you spend 20 minutes looking around. If you want to do that, that's fine but will make this a really long dungeon. Also denote that there are two sides to the sewers. Please note which side you are on (or whom you attempt to travel next to), if desired.

Hiram will travel next to Chelsea, if possible. Her fire spells should be good in the second rank and Hiram's whip has a 15 ft reach. Plus she's pretty in a smelly place. It helps.

Oh, I thought it was only 2 min. per five foot square.

Hmm, that is correct, though I always thought most folks would like to spend minimum time in a sewer. Up to you guys, though. 2 minutes is also assuming you all travel in a single line. If you want to chill in the sewers that long, that's fine.

Ander will leave it up to the others, I suppose the sewers themselves shouldn't be trapped.

We're knee deep in the waste products of a major city; ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?!? Seriously, I trust Ander's rolls as much as I trust my own. Which is, not really at all, but what are you gonna do?

We're knee deep in the waste products of a major city

Only if you walk in the "river", Unless you mean metaphorically.

I will keep light up, and stay generally to the back of the line, also keeping as far out of the muck as possible.
"It is days like these I loathe having the sense of smell."
Chelsea comments upon the opening of the sewer. Then with a flick of the wrist and a quick word in Ignan her dagger begins glowing with a soft light.

Harboth will stay toward the front (although he hopes to be able to use his shiny new bow).

I can scout ahead, since I can see in the dark. I'm not much for handling traps once I see them, but I can spot them.

Urban area, so I gets my +2 for favored terrain?

Grits grumbles as the group approaches the sewer.

If we think he can follow along well enough by sound and scent, he will stay with Harboth. Otherwise, he's probably best with the rest of the group.

It's effectively dim light down here. Low-Light vision and Darkvision folks can see 100% fine down here. Normals just have a 20% miss chance, but can see "outlines," per se. But yes, Urban FT counts here.

In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.

From what it sounds like, we have Ander and Harboth running each lane's front, with Hiram and Chelsea paired behind one of them. Harboth's dog is behind him. For efficency, I'll put Team Lantern Lodge behind Harboth, as Hiram wants to be able to attack ahead of the person in the lead.

Left lane: Ander, Hiram, Chelsea
Right Lane: Harboth, Grits, Kyo, Zhao

As the groups begin pressing forward (and before Zhao has a chance to jump across the 5' "river"), a clearly audible movement from a hole in the tunnel wall to the right side. The creature makes a number of slamming motions with it's now-visible tentacles against the walls as it moves out! In a rough, yet female voice, she yells out; "Give good surface food to Togg! I am Togg!"

She squeezes out from the hole-in-the-wall, but does not take a swipe at anyone (despite being capable of it) and looks at the party with her two tentacles-with-eyes. Map, though no init since nobody's done anything overtly hostile yet.

Ander falls in behind Harboth, longbow at the ready. Remembering his last mission, his rips a piece of cloth from his shirt and fashions its to cover his mouth.

Ninja'd, that marching order is fine by me. If anyone else would prefer to have Ander's ioun torch, let me know.

Ander holds his bow pointed at the tentacles. Anyone got anything to give it? He steals a glance at Grits, but shaking his head, quickly dismisses the thought.

Hiram shrugs. He reaches into his pack, pulls out a day's worth of trail rations and tosses them to 'Togg'.

"You do know it's going to follow you now right?"
Remarks Chelsea, with her red eyes moving deliberately from the dog to Harboth, then from the creature back to Hiram.

Knowledge Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Togg easily catches the food in it's maw."Wrong! Togg will not follow, but will let you pass for more food or tasty drinks!" Togg notices the number of individuals looking at Grits. "That one should do. It's small; noone would notice it's gone. Maybe you get treasure..." she teases.

Grits gives everyone a look, then flattens his ears and directs a low growl at Togg.

Harboth moves a hand toward his quiver. He cuts Chelsea a "what the hell are you getting at" look.

He says to the creature, Not to-day, Cleo. What else do you like?

"Sewers have lots of food, but I want better food." Togg wiggles numerous tenacles. "Food from above! Tasty drinks! Drinks like tingly drink that made Togg float!"

Where did you find the tingly drink, perhaps we can find you more.

"It was on dead guy long ago. Looked like that." She points to your vial of Cure Light Wounds. "It said 'Fly' but did not taste like flies."

"Waitaminute. A drunken sewer monster? Ha! I'll see you there, Togg. Wait here, you lot. I'll be back. And I wouldn't eat the dog, Togg, it would give you all sorts of gas." Hiram will head back, up to the topside and to the nearest bar. He'll purchase the largest slice of meat they have (a whole turkey or pig if available), as well as ten bottles of their worst rotgut. He'll pay whatever they ask, then head back to the sewers with it all in a burlap sack.

Edit: Hearing the bit about the fly potion, he'll ask if anyone has one and if not, he'll head to a potion shop and buy a potion of fly.

Actually, tell me how much you spend on the meat/booze (by CRB/Ultimate Equipment prices). Trust me; it's relevant.

There's a bar within seconds of walking after exiting the sewer. The innkeeper is a little dissatisfied by the fact that you smell a little like sewage, but quickly changes his mind when you say you want to buy a gratuitous amount of food.

Ander has about 35 gp to pitch in, or we could bluff and try to feed her an alchemist's fire ;)

I'll buy 50 lbs of meat, at 3 sp/lb for 15 gp total and the equivalent of 10 gp of cheap whiskey. (At 1 sp/cup, that's 100 cups, or about 23 liters, or 6 gallons of cheap whiskey.)

Excellent. Are you adding in a Fly potion too, or no?

Chelsea responds to Harboth's stare with a shrug and inquires.
"What? you are telling me you didn't feed the dog, and it didn't follow you home?"

Hiram will buy a potion of fly, but he'll give the sewer monster the meat and the whiskey first. If that satisfies it, he'll keep the potion.

Though he keeps one eye on the sewer beast, Harboth blanches a bit at having misunderstood Chelsea's comments.

Well, uh, um, yeah, he replies sheepishly. Then, a bit more defensive, I had to buy him, though, and he was trained. Harboth gets just a bit excited about this last part: He even lets me know when he needs to be let out of the Lodge to do his business.

Kyoshiro wrinkles his nose at the smell but he has spent time working and fighting in sewers before done the Ambush under Absolom thing.

He drinks one of his Antiplagues in his pack and then moves along the side of the sewer tunnel, keeping himself out of the 'muck'.

Anyone an archer? I am a so so shot with 14 Dex and composite bow. If no one else wants the arrows, I'll take them as they will likely be useful and Kyoshiro is a self trained 'expert' in fighting Abberations

As Hiram returns with his poor-grade feast, the otyugh's maw waters. He presents it to her in whatever fashion he wishes. In an instant, the otyugh puts on a grotesque display of engorgement, involving drinking entire bottles of straight whiskey in one tentacle and shoveling in entire carcasses with another.

I now need a Diplomacy with a +3 circumstance bonus.

"You remind me of a girl I once dated in Oppara... Listen, Togg: we're just looking to head through here without any trouble. You seem like a decent sort and I'm partial to the tentacular types, so why don't you let us slide by? Oh and you haven't seen any dead people down here with anything that looks like this, have you?" Hiram shows her a Taldan seal.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 3 = 22

Now that is the very definition of revolting...
Chelsea states before looking away from the creature gorging itself.

[blatant hints]I'll wait on any Aid Anothers for a little... the +3 is only for Hiram, though[/blatanthints]

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Yes great otyugh, we know you are the one who really decides what happens around here. Could you let us pass and perhaps give us the information we desire.