Who intends to scout the entrance? It will require stealthy movement over the 60' approach or a straight on rush, over difficult terrain, your choice of course.
I could try and scout the area for information if all of you would like?
Orin slowly nods, but gives Irakli a look of mild trepidation. "That does make the most sense. However, be careful. One cannot hide in shadows with these creatures, as there are no real shadows for them."
Ser Brandon smiles at the command from the Baron. "I never planned on letting any of the little scum live. This will be short and bloody." he things to himself as his smile widens.
He carefully guides Shadowmist forward through the difficult terrain.
"Be sure to check for traps."
Irakli moves gives up moving stealthily over the difficult terrain, Ser Brandon and his horse making more than enough noise to alert the mites of their approach. He reaches the entry and peeks inside, finding a rough, jagged tunnel barely 5' by 5' wide, reaching maybe 12' or so into the hillside, opening up into a small chamber, a ledge of stone ringing a deep drop in the floor. Enough light leaks in from the outside, letting the rogue look the place over. From here the elf does move slowly, quietly, checking the area for any possible traps or dangers.
The elf finds a small trip line set along the floor, leading to a small rod set into the ceiling. It looks as though the rod, if jerked free, may cause the tunnel to collapse upon itself. He sets about disarming the line, waving anyone back away from the tunnel as he does so.
Irakli gently loosens the line along the floor, removing the risk of the rod being jarred free, but leaves the line attached, in case he needs to re-arm or activate the trap later on.
Checking the end of the room, he finds the floor opens into a shaft, as narrow as the passage thus far, dropping 20' or so into the darkness. A nauseous odor wafts up from below, a mix of perhaps stinkbug, mothballs, and old manure. He listens for any sounds below before heading back out to the others.
I heard sounds below, tiny voices, high pitched and whiny. They sounded excited, there seemed to be cheers or shouts of joy, I could not make out the words. The sound echoes but I would say there is at least one chamber below, maybe ten to twenty feet from the bottom of the shaft.
It seems dismounting might have been a better idea. I don't see how Shadowmist will be able to pass within these walls. he thinks to himself as he looks to the others apologetically.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Very well, shall we set the order of march Baron?"
So as I understand it, your line of progression will be something like the below:
Irakli
Ser Brandon
Silas
Orin
Ayerth
Echo
Grailmont
How will your group get down into the warrens? The drop tunnel is about 20' deep, the walls about 5' wide and covered with rough ledges, slick with moisture or other fluids, and the occasional protrusion of roots.
Climb checks would be a base DC 10. With a successful Climb check, you can advance up or down, at one-quarter your normal speed. A Climb check that fails by 4 or less means that you make no progress, and one that fails by 5 or more means that you fall from whatever height you have already attained.
You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. While climbing, you can’t move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). You also can’t use a shield while climbing. Anytime you take damage while climbing, make a Climb check against the DC of the slope or wall. Failure means you fall from your current height and sustain the appropriate falling damage.
Accelerated Climbing: You try to climb more quickly than normal. By accepting a –5 penalty, you can move half your speed (instead of one-quarter your speed). You must announce you are moving quickly before making the check.
Catch Yourself When Falling: It’s practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 20) to do so.
Catch a Falling Character While Climbing: If someone climbing above you or adjacent to you falls, you can attempt to catch the falling character if he or she is within your reach. Doing so requires a successful melee touch attack against the falling character (though he or she can voluntarily forgo any Dexterity bonus to AC if desired). If you hit, you must immediately attempt a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 10). Success indicates that you catch the falling character, but his total weight, including equipment, cannot exceed your heavy load limit or you automatically fall. If you fail your Climb check by 4 or less, you fail to stop the character’s fall but don’t lose your grip on the wall. If you fail by 5 or more, you fail to stop the character’s fall and begin falling as well.
Action: Climbing is part of movement, so it’s generally part of a move action (and may be combined with other types of movement in a move action). Each move action that includes any climbing requires a separate Climb check. Catching yourself or another falling character doesn’t take an action.
Rope: You can use a rope to haul a character upward (or lower a character) through sheer strength. You can lift double your maximum load in this manner.
Feats: If you have the Athletic feat, you get a +2 bonus on Climb checks.
I shall stand guard while everyone makes a descent, Irakli is best suited to climb down first, as hes already saved us from making any error.
DC0?
Ayerth climbs down when it is his turn.
The tunnel width is already accounted for in the DC, so adding the rope will only decrease the DC to 5, still moving at one quarter movement, or DC 10 for half speed. A character with a movement speed of 30' will make 3 climb checks at quarter speed, 2 climb checks at half speed to reach the floor below.
At this point we are waiting for Irakli to make his checks, reach the bottom, then check the area for traps or the direction of the voices he heard previously.
Grabs the rope and starts to climb down
A character with a movement speed of 30' will make 3 climb checks at quarter speed, 2 climb checks at half speed to reach the floor below.
At this point we are waiting for Irakli to make his checks, reach the bottom, then check the area for traps and Perception Check for the direction of the voices he heard previously.
See the bolded areas
See the bolded areasA character with a movement speed of 30' will make 3 climb checks at quarter speed, 2 climb checks at half speed to reach the floor below.
At this point we are waiting for Irakli to make his checks, reach the bottom, then check the area for traps and Perception Check for the direction of the voices he heard previously.
Silas has a speed of 20', so I'm guessing that's three checks.
And it seems he'll rattle quite a bit on the way down, when it's his turn.
Irakli reaches the bottom of the shaft, finding himself in a narrow chamber, barely 6' or 7' wide. A passage heads out both to the east and west, sloping downwards. As Irakli attempts to search the room for traps, the others begin pouring down the rope, Ser Brandon passing the others by and holding the rope above. The chambers becomes too crowded for everyone, and the group begins to push out into the smaller 4' wide x 5' high passages.
Irakli moves to the west, towards the room with the strange voices.
Ayerth moves to the
Orin moves to the
Silas moves to the
The group of four stumbles into a small chamber, barely 15' x 15', cramped enough before their arrival with three crude, wooden work benches in the center of the room, tops strewn with various tiny tools, metal and wooden hardware, and blocks of wood. A trio of mites was playing some small game, using crude hand held catapults to toss tiny barbed caltrops at one another, aiming it seems for their target's open mouth.
At the groups entry, the mites turn towards the intruders, shrieking and rushing to the attack. All action is right on top of one another, so a map is not really needed here. Two mites will engage two PC's as the third launches caltrops via the hand catapult. The two PC's not directly in melee will be at range to the other foes, distance 15' max.
is up, 36 hour clock is ticking
Group 1: Ayerth, Irakli, and Orin
Group 2: Mites 1 and 2
Group 3: Silas then Mite 3
Mite #1
Mite #2
Mite #3
Ayerth
Irakli
Orin
Silas
No one is surprised so normal combat. Those who have not climbed down are still in the upper chamber, unable to join this combat. They may if they so choose climb down and then move into the eastern chamber or wait out this combat in the passageway.
"Well so much for a diplomatic resolution!"
"Sorry little fellow, but I am not going to allow you to put your spikey little balls in my mouth! . . . eer . . . Well that sounded a bit awkward now didn't it?!
Ayerth quickly casts an offensive spell sending two bolts of light streaking towards the ugly little seige engineer.
Ayerth's missiles easily blast the little mite back from his catapult, dropping it to the ground as the thing bounces off the far wall, slumping to the ground.
"Irakli, you are quick and agile. I have the utmost faith in you. Duck."
Orin takes a deep breath and a small line of fire shoots forth from his mouth like the breath of a tiny dragon toward the mite in range of Irakli.
- The rogue ducks aside, avoiding the gout of flame.
The tiny creature takes the flaming jet over it's shoulder, briefly covered in the flames, crying out as the flames licked over it and drew the breath from it's lungs. It falls over, grasping at it's throat as the flames continue to consume the odd clumps of hair or bristles that protrude from it's ugly form.
After the line of flame comes from Orin mouth and seeing the mite fall on fire he targets the last one
If in melee range
Catching the mite flat-footed, Irakli shoves his blade deep into the creatures chest, giving it a twist. Surprisingly, the blow does not slay the thing, nearly so, but the flesh seems to push back against the steel of his rapier.
It locks eyes on Irakli and attempts to force it's will upon him, directing the elf towards ill-luck. The mite is casting Doom, Will Save DC 10, but Irakli will get an immediate attack of opportunity to prevent the effect.
After that, Silas will be able to act, should the elf fail to stop the mite.
As Irakli has not called it out, I will go ahead and do so, this one and only time. As the Mite was flat-footed, and had not acted in the round, the elven rogue should have added his sneak attack damage to his thrust. - This was enough to finish the mite.
The combat ends as the rogue finishes the third mite. Silas will be able to move ahead and confirm nothing is coming from the continuing passage out the other side. The four allies may hold this room while the others continue their descent from above or move onwards into the lair.
There is a small outcropping along the south-western wall of this chamber that pours a small run-off of water, flowing along a shallow trough in the floor and into the next passage about 7' before disappearing down another small shaft, this one likewise about 4' to 5' in diameter, dropping about 10' to 12' into another room below.
The previous passage to the east runs downwards in a sharp slope, about 10' to 15' at a 50 degree downward angle, into another chamber.
Neither has been checked yet, awaiting the others or your groups own actions.
Grailmont heard the shrieks of annoying mites, and looked down the hole, seeing flashes of light, figuring that the rest of his party were having a roasting good time and snickered. Narrowing his eyes on the tunnel, keeping his shield up, his eyes scanning on the tunnel.
Sensing no danger, he put his sword and shield on his back before propelling himself down the cavern as quickly as he could.
Progressing up he saw a few dead mites and everyone else.
Sorry for the late entrance, you guys destroyed these peons right nice. He walked up and noticed a very dark passage. He turned to silas and removed his shield, pointing it at the elf. Light me up friend. He said, hoping the elf would cast light on his shield.
Orin takes a moment, looking at the three crude benches in the room, the various tiny tools, and blocks of wood, and sighes a little. "I know it is an odd thing to think about an enemy, but can they not take more pride in their work? A little more effort and they could craft better tools, which would then mean sturdier crafts."
Glancing back and noticing Echo moving so smoothly and swiftly on the rope, he does a double take. "Silas, did you note that Echo is part angel? He practically glides down the rope." he says with a wry grin.
"They are mites, not dwarves my friend."
Ayerth gives one of them an extra poke with his staff to ensure it is dead.
It's eating posts!
"I supposed, Ayerth. With the blue skin and squished faces they could be little else." Orin speaks in a low tone and shrugs with a slightly hunched posture, either from the cramped quarters or from a mild disappointment.
"However, I knew a halfling trader that came through Grayhaven every so often. He seemed very flighty, but he made the most beautiful whittled pipes, whistles, and leather accoutrements. If he could focus, so could they." he adds, gesturing to the mites.
That seems to rattle something loose in Orin's mind, and he unslings his axe and holds it in his right, leaving his left free to for other things.
Laughs at Orin's remark about the halfling while looking around for anything of use in the room.
Ayerth gestures with a hand summoning 3 motes of light. He moves one in front of the knight and positions the other two to reduce shadows in the room.
"There, that should be better."
"I believe the term is 'aasimar,' Orin—and no, I don't believe he is."
And Silas casts Light on his buckler.
Ayerth chuckles, "Surely you did not just compare halflings to these . . . Beings. They are hardly civilized enough to be called name givers. They cavort with vermin and live in their own filth."
Grailmont shone the light around the room a bit, before grinning. Alright everyone, down we go. He said, walking over to the steep incline, pointing his shield down the hole, and began to slide down. Upon reaching the bottom, he shone his shield around, inspecting his surroundings.
Ser Brandon ties off the rope once the others are down and carefully descends himself eager to join in the battle below.
"Don't kill all the little rats, save some for me!" he says following Grailmont's lead.
That's allowed, just takes a bit of time.
"Ahem . . . We should keep moving if we tarry too long the inhabitants will be able to prepare their defenses. A swift assault will be our best defense; Pressing the offensive and checking for traps as we go."
I'll take point to look for traps as we go pauses If everyone is ready let us go
"We must move on. Tarrying will do us no good. Irakli, you can take the lead an scout for us. Rather than going down another hole I saw we head west down the slope. We can use the rope to aid down and then back up." Brandon looks around to make sure he has been understood.
"Good. Then lets keep moving. We wont' get rich or famous standing here. he adds encouragingly.
The next chamber opens up into a large room, the slope down into it almost a muddy slide due to the angle and fluid seeping into the room. The wet-looking floor of this large cavern is crisscrossed by several shallow trenches, each containing trickles of putrid looking fluid. The ceiling still barely rises to 5' in height. Six foul mounds of compost and dung lie heaped about the room, each studded with small spherical eggs. The chamber is a rough oval, about 35' long and 30' wide nearer to the center. Behind you, the cave cinches up to the tunnel from which you slide down, while to the east, the tunnel slopes in a corkscrew pattern, descending maybe 20' to a platform down in the darkness.
Currently, two mites watch over the chambers. The mites are sitting upon a small mound in front of a large wooden bowl filled with a foul-smelling paste made of ground-up kobold bones, kobold blood, and crushed meat pastes. Four giant centipedes happily feed upon this mess. The centipedes hiss when they see your group, the older looking mite squeaking orders to them, and the creatures rise up and lurch in your direction.
Group 1 = Ser Brandon, Older Mite
Group 2 = Orin, Green Centipede
Group 3 = Ayerth, Yellow Centipede
Group 4 = Irakli, Silas, Echo, Mite
Group 5 = Grailmont, Black Centipede, Red Centipede
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.
You are in the first 10' of the chambers, the creatures towards the middle. The six mounds mentioned appear to be nests for the centipedes, and perhaps egg laying hutches as well.
Ayerth found only the mangled hand catapult the mites had built, a handful of small caltrops, and the crude daggers and darts the mites wielded, no other items of interest or value.
Ser Brandon seeing the foes before him rushes forward as quickly as the cramped quarter provide. He moves up to the Older Mite who gave the instructions slashes at the creature with a practice swing of the fine silver blade. "For Glory!"
Shadows flicker violently around the room as the heroes rush forward to deal with the mites and their verminous allies. Ser Brandon lopes the head off the older mite, driving the centipedes into a near mindless frenzy, their confusion and cohesion lost to their baser instincts.
Group 1 = Ser Brandon, Older Mite
Group 2 = Orin, Green Centipede
Group 3 = Ayerth, Yellow Centipede
Group 4 = Irakli, Silas, Echo, Mite
Group 5 = Grailmont, Black Centipede, Red Centipede
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.
Orin takes a step or two in an attempt to leave his friends clear of a shot and to line up two or more of the giant centipedes but doesn't move too far from the relative safety of the group.
He inhales noisily through his nose, and, upon opening his mouth, flames lick his lips for just a moment before bursting forth in a thin, red line to impact some of the unnatural vermin.
1-2 = One centipede (Green)
3-4 = Two centipedes (Green & Yellow)
5 = Three centipedes (Green, Yellow, & Black)
6 = None
Orin's gout of flame skirts over the carapaces of two of the centipedes before striking and igniting one of the large mounds which crowd the chamber floor. A shrill hissing and chittering sound is heard as the creatures inside begin to boil and pop with the conflagration, the larger vermin now bereft of all reason.
The green centipede charges towards Orin, ignoring Ser Brandon in it's rage. The warrior lashes out instinctively, , , his sword taking off several legs as it tears a gash nearly the entire length of it's right side in the insect, ending it's charge and sending it tumbling into another nest-mound. Returning his blade to a guard position, he flicks it smartly, sending a glob of greenish yellow puss across the room, not quite clearing the coating from his already black blooded silver blade.
Group 1 = Ser Brandon
Group 2 = Orin
Group 3 = Ayerth, Yellow Centipede (wounded)
Group 4 = Irakli, Silas, Echo, Mite
Group 5 = Grailmont, Black Centipede, Red Centipede
is up, 36 hour clock ticking.