Dragomir stands, muscles rippling.
Careful not to disturb the zombies turning the crank, you drag a few waterlogged tables and warped wooden planks into the most secluded corner of the pump room, creating a dry(er) platform on which to rest, out of sight of the portcullis through which you entered - and have since locked behind you, hopefully cutting off any pursuers.
A fire is out of the question, so you huddle together in wet, stinking clothes and review your progress so far:
After your battle with the shambling mound and will-o-wisp on the surface - guardians, or simply swamp beasts that happened to be in the area? - you descended into the muddy ground.
At the bottom of a long, spiraling stair dripping with water from above, you found yourselves in a muddy chamber connecting to the intersection of two crudely-reinforced tunnels. Almost immediately you found yourself in combat with crazed, half-naked cultists who attacked with spears and thrown pots of venomous snakes. Victorious, you quickly chose the right-hand path, descending evening further down a narrow stone staircase.
A side room midway down the long spiral contained a pool of crystal clear water, filled piles of bones picked clean by frogs and cave fish. After spying something shiny, Dragomir bravely reached into the dangerous waters and snatched out a silver key, black with corrosion in places, that features an intricate series of teeth on one end and a knotted pattern on the other.
Further below, you came to the end of the stairwell, where a doorway had been dug leading into an ancient crypt. Within, Alistair nearly brought down the roof while incinerating a pack of ghouls with a fireball; after finishing the survivors, you climbed a short series of stairs to exit the crypt and enter a library-like cathedral (or cathedral-like library), where you fought a trio of foul harpies in the pitch black sanctuary.
From the harpies' nest you recover an iron-bound tome, Vol. 2
of the Enchiridion of Bohk (which grants a +1 bonus to Intelligence (Arcana) checks when used as a reference), as well as a scroll of magic circle and a scroll of dispel.
From the sanctuary you traveled through a ruined vestibule, where the stairways leading up had collapsed. Through a fissure in the wall you gained access to a narrow crevasse that led to a cylindrical chamber with the appearance of the inside of a tower. Making your way into the chamber's water-filled bottom, you were faced with a pair of water-filled passages.
Taking the path with shallower water, you found yourselves in a series of natural caves infested with troglodytes. After slaying more than a dozen of the reptilian creatures, you continued on, eventually finding the portcullis that allowed entrance into this large pump room, where you defeated the guardian roper (recovering gems, a ring of jumping and a helm of disguise from its gut) and even now rest, while a circle of rotting zombies cranks the water wheel hauling swampy floodwaters back toward the surface ...
Across from you, beyond a wooden balcony, a second portcullis appears to lead farther into the complex. Somewhere beyond waits the naga worshiped as the Reptile God, guarded by her remaining followers and who knows what else ...
So, what do you do when you wake up from your long rest?
Korlayn stays up late into the night copying a spell from Alister spellbook into her own. Luckily she needs less sleep than most and finishes copying the second level spell into her book before she needs to rest.
Kierdan rests and prays to Pelor for his continued grace and guidance in these dark, dank passages. He periodically casts light on small item, keeping it covered so that the group will quickly have a source of illumination, if needed.
Rolen syarts to move towards the second balcony.
I should probably get up there to begin my work on that second portcullis so that we can move on now. Can anyone provide assistance, or do we need to climb a rope there?
Alistair sits by Koralyn as she starts to copy from his book, but slowly he drops off to sleep, ideas for new spells floating in his dreams.
With Kierdan's light for illumination, it's easy enough for Rolen to spot the coiled rope ladder pulled up on the wooden balcony in front of the portcullis. A couple of pitons and a rope make a functional grapple, allowing the elf the pull down the ladder and climb up to the portcullis, which can be unlocked from the pump room side using a heavy iron lever.
Beyond, a stone-lined tunnel slants upwards. The tunnel is about 10 feet wide. On the right side, worn pavers create a moss-covered path, slick with moisture. To the left of the passage, a heavy stream of water has worn away the stone to create a foot-deep channel of water that gurgles along into the pump room.
The tunnel turns once to the right as you ascend. After traveling perhaps 100 feet -- and about 20 feet up, you think -- the passage turns once more to the right before leveling off. Here, the passage widens to about twice its earlier size, and the shallow channel of stormwater deepens into a 15-foot-wide channel, much like the sewer under a city. The pathway on the right remains, ripples from the water casting odd reflections on the stones as you advance.
About 40 feet farther, the sewer channel intersects with a narrower, water-filled passage on the left. The stone path you are following continues on, but only on the right side of the tunnel -- other than swimming, you see no way to reach the water-filled passage to the left. Ahead, another 40 feet past the side passage, you see that the sewer tunnel turns again. Faintly, you see the flicker of firelight on the wall near that corner.
The light's not so good, and the water is murky, but can barely make a narrow stone shelf just below the water line along one wall of the narrow passage, a potential path if you can get over there and keep your feet. As your gaze travels up, you also notice a handful of rusted iron rings set in the ceiling -- perhaps a rope could be threaded through them?
The light's not so good, and the water is murky, but can barely make a narrow stone shelf just below the water line along one wall of the narrow passage, a potential path if you can get over there and keep your feet. As your gaze travels up, you also notice a handful of rusted iron rings set in the ceiling -- perhaps a rope could be threaded through them?
As the light filter through the muddy water in the middle of the channel, it reflects off of something metallic -- a sword hilt, perhaps, emerging from the silt at the bottom of the channel? A moment later, the reflection is gone, obscured by the shadow of something moving through the water...
The light's not so good, and the water is murky, but can barely make a narrow stone shelf just below the water line along one wall of the narrow passage, a potential path if you can get over there and keep your feet. As your gaze travels up, you also notice a handful of rusted iron rings set in the ceiling -- perhaps a rope could be threaded through them?
As the light filter through the muddy water in the middle of the channel, it reflects off of something metallic -- a sword hilt, perhaps, emerging from the silt at the bottom of the channel? A moment later, the reflection is gone, obscured by the shadow of something moving through the water...
You catch a glimpse of a massive, scaled body -- a giant crocodile!
Eldramin remains silent, imagining the battle to come.
In preparation for the day Koralyn casts both Mage Armor and False Life.
Rolen points out a ledge thag should procure purchase to some iron rings and an opportunity to thread through a make-shift rope ladder.
Kierdan,stiff from his previous night's rest, contemplates his soaked clothing and his general state of discomfort, momentarily oblivious to his surrounding.
Alistair casts mage armor on himself before they head out.
Alistair and Dragomir also make note of the submerged ledge running along the narrow side passage, and the metal ceiling rings that could offer a way to swing over.
The discovery gives the group two options for proceeding forward:
* With someone acrobatic to lead the way, the group could explore the water-filled side passage. First, someone would need to swing over the main channel using the metal rings, monkey bars-style, while threading a rope for others to use. Once across the channel, the submerged ledge would allow you to make your way down the side passage and around the corner toward whatever is there to find ...
* The other option is to continue down the main path running alongside the murky channel. This course requires no acrobatic maneuvers and, if you're sense of direction can be trusted, should take you back in the direction of the entrance stairs, although at least 100 feet lower. About 40 feet ahead, where the main channel turns to the right, you can see the faint, flickering reflection of a flame.
Dragomir spits on his hands, grunts then secures a rope before attempting the monkey bars.
Great! Guess we are going that way.
After Dragomir threads through the rope on his way, Rolen makes his way over behind Dragomir.
Karolyn follows.
Kierdan watches his comrades cross over the channel with a little apprehension. He turns to Alistair and says,
That path looks treacherous, even with the rope. Will you accept the Sun Father's guidance in crossing through the water? It certainly couldn't hurt.
Once Alistair is safely across, Kierdan will ask for Pelor's Guidance on his own attempt
Looking at the swaying rope and the deep chasam, Alistair nods in agreement to Kierdan.
"I would indeed accept any help you may offer!"
Once he had been blessed, Alistair grasps the rope and begins to cross.
Acrobatics:
Acrobatics w/advantage:
Dragomir leads the way, threading a sturdy rope through the iron rungs to aid those who follow him. As he drops down onto the submerged ledge, Rolen is right behind him, followed by Koralyn, Eldramin, Kierdan and Alistair.
The narrow ledge is slippery, crowded -- and it doesn't lead very far. Just around the corner, a small wooden raft is tied, almost filling the watery passage. Just past the raft, the passage ends in a small room, the floor raised about a foot above the water level.
Inside the room are several chests, barrels and sacks, around which you spot a scattering of coins. Leaning against the wall is a two-foot-tall ivory statue of a buxom woman carrying grapes and sheaves of grain - Merrika, perhaps? - and a bronze war mask, green with patina. A long wooden pole is propped in the corner.
From the look of things, it appears you've stumbled on a hidden storeroom or treasure cache. The cultists likely use the raft to ferry treasure in and out of the room, then tie it up here, out of sight, before climbing pack over the water-filled channel using the ledge and the iron rungs. The raft is large enough for as many as three of you to ride on, fewer if you use it to carry treasure.
Hold on! Did you check for traps? If not, you better make a DC 13 Constitution save - failure means you are poisoned (with disadvantage on attacks and ability checks) for the next hour.
If anyone did think to check for traps, it takes a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot it and a DC 13 Dexterity (Thieves Tools) check disarm.
The various chests, sacks and barrels contain:
* 945 cp
* 2,598 sp
* 872 ep (of ancient design)
* 1,409 gp
* 38 pp
A rotting, silk-lined wooden box contains a set of turquoise chess pieces carved to resemble animals (worth ~250 gp)
A silver chalice engraved with Suloise runes (100 gp for the metal, 400 gp to a collector)
The ivory statue (300 gp)
The bronze war mask (150 gp). None of it is magical.
Rolen puts up a hand when he can see into the room of goods.
Seems we may have stubled across their horde. Keep your eyes peeled and advance carefully. It was too difficult getting over here for it to be this easy to take what they have.
Rolen spots the trap.
Let me see what I can do with this.
It takes Rolen less than a minute to disable the trap he finds on one of the chests. Examining the need that had been set to spring out from the lid, he sees it is coated in some sort of snake venom that appears relatively fresh.
Opening the various chests, sacks and barrels with care, he reveals:
* 945 cp
* 2,598 sp
* 872 ep (of ancient design)
* 1,409 gp
* 38 pp
In one of the chests, a rotting, silk-lined wooden box contains a set of turquoise chess pieces carved to resemble animals (worth ~250 gp), as well as a silver chalice engraved with Suloise runes (100 gp for the metal, 400 gp to a collector).
The ivory statue (300 gp) and bronze war mask (150 gp) propped against the wall also appear valuable, though none of the haul registers as magic.
You reckon it would take two trips on the raft to ferry all of the loot back to the main passage, although your bag of holding could hold it all without trouble. That would allow up to three of you to use the raft to ferry yourselves back across without running the risk of falling from the ledge and ceiling rings.
Alistair and I will be the rear guard! May the Sun Father illuminate our path with his divine righteousness!
Quickly, you pile the treasure into the seemingly endless confines of the group's bag of holding. That done, Dragomir unties the small skiff, then he, Koralyn and Rolen climb aboard.
The two elves take positions in the front, ears cocked for any sound of approaching enemies as Dragomir gently poles the raft around the corner, through the narrow passage and back toward the main channel. All is quiet as the craft bumps along next to the submerged ledge, the rope strung through iron rungs overhead.
A flash of light draws Rolen's eyes down toward the murky water below. For a moment, the light reflects off of something metallic below -- a sword hilt, perhaps, emerging from the silt at the bottom of the channel? A breath later, the reflection is gone, obscured by the shadow of something moving through the water ...
Rolen catches a glimpse of a massive, scaled body -- a giant crocodile! -- manages to bark out a warning as the beast rises toward the surface!
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|AE.|....|....|
|..K.|....|....|
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|.....|__|....|
|...DK.........|
|__R_CROC|
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Rolen sticks the Croc with his solver-bladed rapier.
Not wanting to be dragged from the boat Koralyn blasts the beast with fire before moving back
Eldramin will wait until the croc goes to attack and then move along the submerged ledge while it is distracted so that he can get a shot.
Kierdan hears a sudden commotion ahead on the raft and sees his friends react suddenly to some unseen threat. Unable to see the cause of the commotion, but able to see his friends' reaction to it, the priest calls upon Pelor to bless his comrades with his divine guidance as they face their hidden challenge.
Back with Keirdan, Alistair frets as he is not able to see his friends or what is attacking them.
"Should we move along the ledge to see if we can help? I am afraid I might slip in and become a part of the problem and not its solution."
Hearing Rolen shout out a warning, Kierdan calls for a swift blessing on the companions on the raft. the sun god's favor isn't enough to help Koralyn's spell, which flies off the mark and sizzles into the water as the elf retreats toward the back of the raft.
Rolen stays at the front and stabs at the croc as it rises up in the water. The deep wound seems to dissuade it and it plunges back into the water, to pass below the raft.
The dive is no retreat, however. As the scaled monstrosity disappears beneath the raft, its tail lashes out, smashing Rolen in the leg so hard he hears a crack or a pop as his knee explodes in pain.
As it passes beneath Dragomir at the rear of the craft, it spins, its great bulk knocking cement and shards of rock from the walls. With a hissing roar, its jaws snap closed on the back of the raft, splintering boards and shearing through knotted rope.
Dragomir stumbles, trying to keep his feet as boards roll and buck beneath him. Successful, he raises his axe and hacks at the giant croc as it tears at the raft, the blade gouging a deep rend in the beast's black hide.
Seeing the beast, Alistair quickly intones the words for a spell that sends 3 green bolts of force towards the croc.
Magic Missile:
Rolen sticks the Croc again with his solver-bladed rapier.
Rolem then disengage by reaching up and grabbing the rings as he moves to the safety of the 5 foot passage.
As the confrontation on the raft develops, Kierdan continues his prayer to Pelor to ask for his BLESSing on Dragomir, Rolen and Koralyn.
Suddenly, the cause of the chaos is revealed to the priest, a giant crocodile! Kierdan quickly modifies his prayer to plead for Sacred Flame to be called upon the attacking creature.
Also, Bless is up:
Please add to my attack roll totaling 20 above, for a new total of 22.
Eldramin keeps raining blows down upon the creature with his spiritual weapon, then waits for the Croc to surface to shoot it with an Eldritch Blast.
Should the Croc approach, he will use Veteran's Greeting at +5 to hit and 1d8+2 damage.
With Dragomir nearby as a distraction, Rolen's blade bites deep into the croc again, just as Alistair's missiles sear into it's hide, as well.
Kierdan and Eldramin add their own spells -- the massive crocodile rolls away from the priest's sacred flame, and the first blow from the warlock's spectral blade fails to connect. The second strike falls on target, however, as does the eldritch blast that follows.
Mad with pain, the croc thrashes, shaking the walls and nearly swamping the battered raft. Swiftly, Dragomir steps onto the submerged ledge, flanking the great beast. With a bellow of triumph, he brings his axe down in a brutal blow that nearly cleaves the crocodile's head from its body. Still twitching, the body begins to sink into the narrow channel, its blood expanding like a black cloud in the dark water.