The Dales and Beyond

Game Master littlehewy

Beerg does as Sorin has asked of him and begins climbing the rock wall to check on Kraz.
are you there Kraz?

"Kraz is here! The wizards retreated from my blade!"

Nilelane fires an icy blast at the fleeing creature near Sorin, hoping to capture one alive...

Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 2+10 ft speed reduction

Nilelane you're probably strictly out of range, but if you had kept pace behind Sorin you'd be just within range - I'm going to assume that's what you did.

As Kraz rejoins Beerg and Jack, Nilelane fires an icy blast at the retreating figure, catching it in the lower back. It yelps in pain, and is noticeably slowed as its torso and upper legs become encased in a film of ice.

Jack and Sorin? Sorin, you'll likely be able to catch it even if it enters the large main cavern... although it might take another round or two.

Sounds good, didnt realize it was so far away

Sorin pulls up short. The dwarf was wounded and Beerg had called for her help. ”Damn” she whispers as she turns back toward the others just in time to see Nilelane’s frosty blast whiz past her head.

Sorin looks back to see if the creature falls from the blast but continues back to the wounded dwarf.
Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

The party regroups around Jack's lantern just to the west of the rock fall. Three cloaked bodies lie on the stony floor on the fringe of the light, and one has tumbled down the other side of the rubble, Jack's crossbow quarrel protruding from its head. Tirrendale is still badly wounded, although stable and mobile.

The stakes seem to have gone up suddenly. Your foes have fled, in at least two, probably three, different directions. Whichever way you travel from here, you could be walking into the teeth of a battle, or worse, an ambush. You are nearly half a day's travel under the earth; two battle-weary half-orc warriors, a monk, a scout, a slightly unstable wizard, and a badly beaten dwarf in rags suffering from a recently cut throat. Unless Tirrendale is a very competent liar, you are facing drow, quaggoths, gibberlings, and who knows what. Worse, the clock is ticking. Every day, more of the dwarf prisoners, Tirrendale's people, disappear, never to be seen again. Every day potentially means life and death for some of Tirrendale's friends and family. The weight of the thousands of tonnes of rocks above your heads weighs upon you all, and the darkness has become, if possible, even more menacing. Will any of you see the light of the sun again? Or will these dark holes under the earth be your final resting place?

What do you do?

What that's depressing lol..

"Them wizards ran off.. Kraz thinks they will probably try to ambush us. Does our elf wizard lady know what they are?"

Kraz pulls back the cowl to try and make out what these things are.

Ha yeah that's kinda what I was going for :)

Kraz pushes back one of the creature's cowls, and his face screws up in disgust. What looks back at him is most of a monkey's face, set in a giant bat's head, the ears strangely twisted.

Int Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 fail

"Ah yes...these creatures are known as 'sproggles', distantly related to dogs. One can always tell by this peculiar marking just under the nostrils, see?" she points to god knows what "They believe that soil is a living creature attempting to take over the world, thus they dig these tunnels to counteract that." she nods to herself in utter confidence.

She taps her chin "Hmm, that leads to a mystery then, doesn't it? Why attack us? They must have thought we were rocks." she concludes.

Beerg feeling quite low after failing to save and revenge Tirrendale, he frantically rummages through his backpack.

I cant believe I forget I had this in here.

He pulls out a health potion, pops its top and swiftly thrusts it to the beaten dwarfs lips

Drink! Beerg states almost too firmly to be helpful, but the dwarf soon relises his intentions and releases the purse on his lips.

HP: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 1) + 2 = 6

INT: 1d20 ⇒ 1 assuming I can make a roll with no stat?

Beerg confused by the creatures appearance believes Nileane is onto something.

Arcana: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10

"Ah yes.. Dog wizards.. Kraz thinks that makes total sense. Perhaps if we get a sack of kibbles down here they will not try to eat us. "

He ponders for a moment.

"Kraz thinks the Drow are teaching different animals wizardry.. We have seen badger and now dog wizards.. Very odd.."

Jack shakes his head.

"Does not matter what they thought, they attacked us. Perhaps we are getting to close to their "rock" god's shrine or something? Damn, I wish I could see in this darkness...I feel useless in these battles, and a light will just tell people where we are."

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

The hood is pulled back and Sorin looks away as if disgusted. Taking Nilelane at her words, the monk looks back and forth and says ”We should keep moving. Right now we are an easy target.

im assuming Jack will loot the bodies and we will continue on passes the cave in. If memory serves, fresher air for the cavern came from further this caves direction. I say we keep heading that way. I still have hopes that we may come to an outside entrance to the cavern network.

History: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

At Jack's lament, she offers "When Myth Drannor fell, the foul Army of Darkness spilled forth like water from the guts of earth. There was a brave warrior, an outside and challenger to the dreaded nycaloth fiends, a human like Jack. Before the Siege of Shadow the arcane elves of Cormanthyr gave him the gift of elven sight to pierce the darkness...perhaps I too could learn this magic."

While going through the possessions of the dead "sproggles' he looks up at Nilelane as she tells her story.

"Thank you Nilelane. I would be deeply in your debt for such an enchantment."

"Kraz wonders what we are doing next?"

That's the question at hand, Kraz! What are you doing, gang?

I thought we were following Sorin's suggestion of moving towards where we felt the fresh air??

I agree with the seeking of the freshness

Tirrendale, do you know where others are being held? Can you lead us to them?

how is Tirrendale looking now I have healed him slightly and given him a health potion?

Beerg turns to the group.
Tirrendales people need to be free'd
this more important than another task we have currently been asked to do. If we can get more numbers then surely we can take down this racket they have going on down here?

Jack, Sorin had suggested it, but up till that point no one else had seconded the idea. That's generally what I wait for, at least two people to agree on a plan. Also, there was fresh air blowing from a tunnel into the large 'hub' cavern with its six exits (plus the little tunnel you crawled through to get there, and this secret door). However, it wasn't this tunnel that was source of the fresh air, but the second tunnel from the left, which led roughly northwards.

Beerg, Tirrendale looks a bit rugged still - he has 11 of 27 hp now.

Jack (and whoever else wants to) rummages through the bodies of the three fallen creatures. It seems they all have different physical traits - one looks like a cross between a bear and a snake, and the third looks truly dog-like, except for the beak that replaces its nose and mouth. None of them wear armour, but all three have longswords, blowguns, and darts that seem to be coated with the same dark, sticky substance that you've been encountering the whole time you've been down here, and one of them has a jar of the stuff as well.

So you've seen this stuff lots now, and felt its effects more than once. It's drow poison.

Beerg seems to be in favour of continuing this way to rescue dwarves. Sorin and others, given that the fresh air wasn't coming from down this way, but from back behind you, what do you all think?

Jack takes the jar and adds it to the other one he is carrying. He will have to remember to dip his bolts before combat next time!

With an embarrassed look, Jack nods at Beerg's suggestion.

"You are right my friend. We need to help Tirrendale and his people."

How long will a coated bolt last with the poison on it? I am wondering if I should poison them now, or wait

EDIT: Oh, also forgot other loot from the bodies. Here you go.

Drow poison applied to weapons lasts for days, if not weeks. At least, that's how I've been playing it for the enemies, so that's how you guys can play it :) Note in your next post what weapons/ammo you want to apply it to (each vial has four applications, from memory). Also, if you use a melee weapon treated with poison, I'll let it last for multiple hits for a duration of one encounter.

Sounds like we're heading deeper into the cave network, yes?

Tirrendale shrugs at Beerg's question, looking sheepish. When I escaped, it was with a mob of gibberlings. I remember swimming through water, but the details of my escape are sketchy. The drow herd the gibberlings on with bright lights, which were blinding in the darkness. I'm hoping it was a fairly straight path, from here to the drow base. If we find a large pool, we're on the right track. Once we reach the base, I'll be able to show you the way. By the way," he says to Beerg, "would you mind letting me use your warhammer, and you take the maul? I'm not very skilled with this weapon, whereas I've used a hammer before." He's proficient in one, but not the other.

The party heads on, making your way carefully over the rock fall, only to find the fork Kraz came to 40 feet down the tunnel. After a bit of hemming and hawing, you discover that the path diverges then merges once more after 50 or so feet. There are signs of your attackers' handiwork as you pass through; lookout platforms have been erected near the ceiling, and rungs have been set into the rock walls to allow access. Some kind of mechanism, no doubt rigged to drop the rock fall, is set up at one of the platforms. There is no further sign of the creatures.

Soon after the tunnels rejoin, the passage takes an abrupt dip downward, and the air is tinged with moistness and the smell of mildew. Suddenly, you enter what must be an extremely large, low cavern that stretches beyond the limits of your darkvision and Jack's lantern. A large underground lake covers almost all of what you can see, but for a small, rock-strewn landing right before you. There seems to be a slight current within the lake, suggesting that it could be part of a flowing underground river.

Tirrendale turns to you all. "Well, this must be it. I remember the swim being very tough in my exhausted state, and I also seem to remember... shapes... in the water, though nothing attacked me or the gibberlings."

So, want to swim across? What could go wrong?!

Jack should clearly take that magic rock. If anyone has a spare HP we should give that to Tirrendale now and save the superior ones for what we can only assume will be a battle with drow impending.

"Yes, of course" Beerg hands Tirrendale the warhammer

"Would you like to make use of my shield also? It may help keep you safe"

if so Beerg will use the Maul, if not Beerg will use a longsword

"So.., Who's a good swimmer?

Beerg looks around the group.

Anyone have a spell or familar we can send in?

Beerg and Kraz are both excellent swimmers (Athletics +5). But armour is a thing while swimming.

"Kraz will swim if he must. Kraz wonders if there is a dry way to the drow camp."

”We don’t know if he swam here or the other watery tunnel.” Sorin turns to the dwarf. ”Do you recall if you had to swim underwater or not. What about a tight wind tunnel? These are both behind us but the dwarf we met earlier had to swim as well to escape”
Sorin turns to regard the underground lake with a concerned look on her face.

maybe we light an arrow and shoot it across if any of us have the equipment to do that. Obviously that would ruin any chance of subtlety in crossing the lake though. Maybe if we look around for tracks there might be a boat or something to be found.

Tirrendale shakes his head. "This is definitely the place. We should be wary of the water, though."

If we are just swimming across and not underwater I have the floating disc to keep things dry maybe...do floating discs go across water or is it like Marty McFly in Back to the Future pt2?

"Kraz thinks we should check other ways before swimming across a lake with nasties in it.."

Floating disc will totally float above water. I'm sure you're aware of its restrictions as a vehicle Nilelane, but before anyone else gets any big ideas, it only moves when its caster moves more than 20 feet away from it. So a couple of PCs could conceivably ride on it, but only as Nilelane swims ahead of it.

So anyone want to do anything other than discuss the issues at hand?

happy to remove armour and swim? potentially assisting Nilelane?
also did anyone have a spare Health Potion for Tirrendale?

Was more thinking just to keep map/spellbook dry, but I suppose the armors and water sensitive weapons could probably fit as well.

As the others prepare for the swim, Nilelane peeks into the bag of white granular material attempting to understand it.

Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Nilelane, the material is in fact... salt. Something of an anticlimax, I know.

Still waiting to hear someone announce an action (apart from Nilelane checking out the salt). Lots of ideas so far, if you like the sound of someone's idea tell them, so they don't feel like the Lone Ranger diving into something that the rest of the party doesn't agree with. Conversely, if you think something's a bad idea, speak up too. We might get some more confident action if people feel like others agree with their idea, or at least haven't cautioned against it.

"I have no healing for Tirrendale..." she explains to Beerg "...but we could all rest safely within the realm of Alyxandria! Fear not, for I am the Gatekeeper and my word alone grants you safe passage: human, dwarf, and half-orc alike." and with that with a wave of her hand mystical elven vines rise from the earth encircling a glimmering mirror-like purple portal. Seemingly from inside you hear the calm chittering of a peaceful forest.

Minor Illusion. I could cast rope trick for a short rest, fit all of us and spend HD, regain abilities etc. Just in case sharks with lazers inside the lake.

Also fine just swimming for it and not resting.

...Just in case sharks with lazers inside the lake....

Ha you just never know when those sharks with frickin' lasers will show up!

Beerg walks to Tirrendale.
This may feel a little weird, but you'll feel better at the end I promise.

Beerg once again calls on Torms power.

Torm,. Grant me the power to this one I have failed to protect.

CLW: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Beergs hands glow with the familiar light you have all become accustomed too, this time however you see a mild light then a second pulse of more intense light before he finishes.

Beerg begins to undo his armour.

Can someone give me a had with this. It'll be much quicker and someone needs to go in. Beerg continues with his armour.

Nilelane, can you have some of your magic lights guide my path and light the way under the water? Beerg put his armour neatly on the ground in a pile.

Jack, Do you have a dagger I can take with me? and maybe we should tie a rope around? Beerg's hands feeling his waist for an appropiate spot to tie off too.

how far across is this lake?

Kraz waits for a decision to be made..

"Kraz doesn't care either way. He can swim or rest."

"Perhaps a rest might be in order before we carry on. I for one would enjoy a different view to these dark, dank caverns."

Maybe we should take a long rest inside the rope trick and gain back some of our powers before we go against the fricken sharks with lasers, or guard dogs with bees in their mouth!!

Dan, rope trick is unfortunately only an hour this edition, kinda sucks but can short rest at least.

Ha you're an indecisive lot :) Let's go with the short rest then, we have two votes for that.

Nilelane casts another spell, and you all retire to a small, extra-dimensional space. It's rather cramped, but just large enough for all of you to rest and relax, treating your wounds and regaining some energy for the task ahead.

Roll HD for healing if desired and gain back your short rest abilities. Those who were poisoned (Kraz, Nilelane) are no longer.

After an hour, you all exit the space, and find yourselves once more on the small rocky ledge/shoreline. The lake stretches off past the limits of your vision, awaiting you.

Now what?

I'll assume Beerg used the rest of his healing before rest, and now he will continue down the other path, rest was a good idea

Beerg begins to undo his armour.

Can someone give me a had with this. It'll be much quicker and someone needs to go in. Beerg continues with his armour.

Nilelane, can you have some of your magic lights guide my path and light the way under the water? Beerg put his armour neatly on the ground in a pile.

Jack, Do you have a dagger I can take with me? and maybe we should tie a rope around? Beerg's hands feeling his waist for an appropiate spot to tie off too.

if only we had s folding boat
Sorin’s concerned look has not left her face when she turns back to the others. ”Swimming is extremely risky. We don’t even know how far it is to cross let alone what is in the lake. A rope is the least of precautions that we should take.”

From a meta perspective, Kraz is the best to go. Still retains his AC unarmored and is a strong swimmer. I can cast shield of faith or guidance on him befor he leaves.

What is the ultimate goal though. If it’s 80 ft across and swimmable, is Nilelane willing to attempt it? It seems like it would be a tough challenge for her.

I am fine with swimming the thing, even though it's obvious something will try to eat him.. Are we sure we don't wanna try a different route? Isn't there other ways we could search?

Assuming no interference*, Nilelane could swim however far she needs to - swim checks aren't really required by RAW unless you're in rough water, and if you fail you only lose the ability to move, you don't sink. However, the DM can ask for Athletics checks for swimming as the situation requires, and in certain circumstances that may mean sinking.

* It pays not to assume when playing 2e modules. But y'all knew that already.

"Nilelane, how far do those light balls you create go? Could we send them over the water first to see how far it is, and maybe try that shape trick you did last time to draw out any creatures in the water??"

Sorry for delay

She nods at Beerg and Jack, sending her illuminated humanoid form walking slowly out across the surface of the water. It continues until finally winking out of existence, some 120 ft away.

In the mean time, she begins her ritual casting of the floating disc, and begins setting her water sensitive items on top. In her creepy motherly voice, she sounds frightened and shouts dead serious "No splashing in the water!"