KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

Heading to bed. If you want to get precise information out of the troll, it will require a Bluff check (since you guys are planning on killing this thing), followed by a Diplomacy check (to convince it to be a bit chattier).

"Did they seek out your clan, or were you the aggressors?" Astraden asks, leaning against the wall of one of the shattered buildings. "We fight against Auric and Khellek soon, and we hold them no love. But to know if they believe in 'honor' would be providential."

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Diplomacy aid for whoever makes that check first: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Technically, we're not planning on killing it (both Astraden and Eben have stated a desire to negotiate), we're just genre savvy enough to know that's how things are probably going to turn out...)

"So are you here for revenge on them, then?" Eben asks, curiously. "Because we're just exploring down here, I don't think we've got any direct conflict with you otherwise. But honestly, if you're planning on headed to the Coenoby to kill them... well, I get the whole wanting vengeance thing, but I think your timing is poor."

Bluff aid for Astraden: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

Carina keeps uncharacteristically silent, nervously toying with her bombs.

...oh gods, I don't know if I have enough to bring him down...

"I and my companions preyed upon travelers in the region. The idiots I walked with chose their targets poorly.

"Auric and Khellek—and their elf friend—have crippled me by destroying my group. I have learned how this game works. I will wait until only two teams remain, on a day when both teams are tired from fighting." It smiles. "That night, I will make my move. I do not easily give up a quarry.

"There are many of you. Killing you all with no survivors could be difficult, and noisy. And if Auric and Khellek die, you will win the game. There is no reason for us to fight."

"Hm. I don't know that I'd have a problem with that..."

Bluff: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (15) + 21 = 36

"What did you fight on your way in here?" Astraden asks. "One of the guards mentioned ghouls."

1d20 ⇒ 20

The troll slowly nods. "Then go on your way. As I said, there is no reason for us to fight."

Trulent turns to Astraden. "I saw no ghouls, but I smelled something back there." He gestures to the southeast pool, which the party notices has a second submerged stream coming in from the south. "I swam through that stream there. Well, squeezed.

"I came in from the sewers originally. I knew there had to be a way into the caves from below. But on the way I came into a great grotto, with filth and water pouring in from a large shaft in the ceiling. I heard someone speaking from right above, through the shaft. But before I could listen closer, or try to climb through...I found I was not alone." It rubs its arm tenderly, though no injury is evident. "Slime creatures of golden color infested the grotto. Their touch burned.

"I managed to escape by heading far to the east down a slow stream. When I came to a chamber, I smelled carrion and sickness and decided to crawl through to here."

Also, Knowledge (dungeoneering) can apply on the "slime creatures".

By questioning Trulent, you can get a basic idea of the directions he went. The basic dimensions are marked on the map in scribblings.

Changing Dungeoneering to my active +2 skill.

Dungeoneering (Slimes): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

"Looks like we need to do some more exploring for a hidden area. The way these tunnels are arranged, there shouldn't be any way for a voice to come from right above unless there's a secret area between here and the Coenoby."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"Maybe one of the passages leading out from the Understructure goes down," Astraden muses. "Raknian probably wouldn't expect us to come out that way. How about I prepare some water breathing spells for us all and we check it out in an hour or two?"

Was Eben’s bluff a hidden message for the party?

No, the check was made to deceive the troll. At least, that was the basic assumption. Tanith can make his own assumptions.

Well Tanith isn't really cool with the notion of leaving this guy to ambush Auric later.

Why not? Maybe I missed something but isn't Auric our enemy here?

He's our rival, not our enemy. Tanith is too honorable to allow an outside party to take out the competition. A.) It's cheating and B.) It's letting a monster kill a fellow adventurer for petty reasons.

What he said.

I'll leave Eben until I get home to clue him in on his clever ruse. Alternatively Tanith can just punch the troll and this will mark the second 'But wait I had a plan!' scene in this campaign.

Okay, seriously. It's been less than two minutes of game time since Eben said:

I promised Tirra we'd try and keep them from being killed, though that was more a 'if you fight them in the arena' promise, but she might look ill on it happening by other means as well... man, this is why I usually don't make promises, they always come back to bite you. I mean, we could just talk to the guy, see if his vengeance can wait 'til after the games?

Exactly how much special handling does Tanith require? If your interpretation of a 7 Intelligence/14 Wisdom is 'Much like a goldfish, if it didn't happen in the past 30 seconds he's incapable of realizing it happened', then fine. Punch the guy out. Hey, if nothing else, he's got a magic longsword, I could use that for the games. :P

I imagine he'd understand better if Carina explained it to him...

I might have missed that. Hold plz.

Edit:

Upon reading what he said again, it appears he's pretty set on killing Auric and co. before the games end.

He plans to do it when there are only two teams left in the games, when the Coenoby will be largely empty.

If Tanith is unaware that Eben is both a pretty decent guy and a really skilled liar, then do what you have to. Eben didn't send a coded message because, to him, it seemed unnecessary.

I guess I'm just missing something.

Tanith shrugs and follows the party. "So what's the deal with those oozes?"

"Ochre jellies, probably. They split into more of them if you cut them, pierce them, or electrocute them, and like to grab onto people when they smack them. And, as Trulent implied, their touch is like acid. So that's very bad."

"Acid is the worst. So we've got to bludgeon them to death or hold them still until Carina can blow them up with her bombs."

Carina winces. "I've only got a few of them left... let's hope there aren't too many of them..."

"Will your bombs work underwater?" Eben asks, starting to wade into the pool. "In any case, if we need to let Astraden prepare a new spell, we can do that tomorrow sometime. Does anyone want to see if there's anything to that plug in the water? Otherwise, we can poke around the Titan's House, see if there's anything else on land or any more passages. I figure this end of the complex is good enough for a half-nights work. Then we can head back to the Coenoby and..." his voice takes on a low whisper so as to be unheard by eavesdropping trolls, "Let Auric and Khellek know they've got a fan down here."

Carina bites her lip and stamps her foot in frustration. "...no. I haven't figured out how to make them waterproof yet."

"How would waterproof fire even work?"

"Well, if someone figures that out, it'd be a major stride in naval warfare..." Carina shrugs. "In the meantime, I've still got my frost bombs..."

"Well, if someone figures that out, it'd be a major stride in naval warfare..." Carina shrugs.

Tyrion Lannister: Smarter than everyone.

"Oh, yeah, freezing them could work. And Tanith can punch 'em, I guess, though that might hurt him back..."

So is the plan to wait for Astraden's water breathing spell?

Assuming so, you'll be heading down the southbound stream?

The party examines the underwater stream. They determine that it fully submerges into the stone, though Farrukh thinks it might emerge on the other side. It's heading outside the chamber at great speed and might batter anyone attempting to swim within even if they can breathe underwater—really, it's a testament to troll strength that Trulent was able to make it through against the current.

It's a DC 20 Swim check to avoid taking 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 points of nonlethal damage on the way through as you're slammed against the sides of the little tunnel. You cannot take 10 on this check unless you have a Swim speed.

What's the deal with the plug? Is it above or under the water?

Specifically, if we remove it, might the water level in the other streams lower?

Two questions: Can we take 10 and can Tanith aid others with the swim?

I can't read.

The water is flowing in from the eastern stream and out through the southern stream. The plug is below the water, so opening it would likely cause the water level to lower.

Is that what you want to do?

"Tanith..." Eben says, pointing to the block of stone. "If you can pull that thing out, we might be able to explore the streams without having to breathe water or swim like we're otters..."

Assuming it's going to take some muscle to lever the plug out.

"You got it."

After wiping his hands on his kilt, Tanith squats down and grabs a firm hold on the plug.

Taking 20 for a 27.

Tanith dives underwater and, with considerable difficulty (mainly due to having to repeatedly go up for air) wrenches the massive plug out of its hole. Water quickly gushes out through the newly-opened entryway.

Rubble and old bones of humans and animals clutter the floor of this fifteen-foot-high cavern. A terrible—but, by now, familiar—stench of decay hangs in the air, and gets stronger the further in the party goes. The cave is at a slight incline, such that the water does not go further than twenty feet in. It appears to lead out into a large room.

Perceptions: 1d20 + 16 - 9 ⇒ (16) + 16 - 9 = 231d20 + 2 - 9 ⇒ (10) + 2 - 9 = 31d20 + 11 - 12 ⇒ (5) + 11 - 12 = 41d20 + 13 - 11 ⇒ (6) + 13 - 11 = 81d20 + 8 - 10 ⇒ (14) + 8 - 10 = 121d20 + 1 - 14 ⇒ (14) + 1 - 14 = 11d20 + 20 - 14 ⇒ (11) + 20 - 14 = 17 I'm assuming Farrukh is carrying some sort of lit item. Bright/dim illumination is marked on the map—beyond that, nobody without Darkvision or their own light source can see anything.

Map updated.

While Tanith works, Astraden presses a hand to her now pale-colored arm and mutters, "Bala."

Bull's strength.

Wading through the stream, she draws her rapier to give the others light. "I doubt ghouls would have missed that sound, so there's little point to stealth. Advance?"

"With caution. There's 10 of something up ahead. Sounds humanoid in shape from the way their feet are scuffing the floor."

Oh, I was thinking pulling the plug would lower the water level in the other submerged tunnels and we'd explore them. But this should be fine too, I'm sure we'd want to explore all the tunnels regardless.

Eben sends a couple of balls of light on ahead of the party, as a supplement to the otherwise-ubiquitous casting of light. "Guess we should suit up, then... I believe in us."

Dancing lights lasts 9 rounds, good hope lasts 80 rounds.

Rodrigo shrugs. "Want me to call in that cerberi again?"

"If it's ghouls... I have a new trick up my sleeve. Astraden, wait for me to start talking to them before you do your priestess thing. I should be able to soften 'em up for you and Oldy." To Rodrigo, he says, "Can't hurt. Also, I'm burned out on higher powered spells, so if we need haste, it's all yours."

Carina feels her heart sink. "...great."

So... Eben's a better talker, Astraden's a better healer, Farrukh & Tanith are better fighters, and Rodrigo can use his support magics to help more than I can...

"So we're thinking they're ghouls and the plan is the talk them down?" Tanith asks for confirmation.

"Talk them down? Don't ghouls eat people?"