"That all sounds good to me,"says BG as he starts pouring the thick Dwarven brew into his tankard. "Who wants some?"
"If I want to sleep tonight, I'd best not partake, Brother Guiness. Sleep well, one and all." Suddenly feeling the days activities wearing on her, Tamlara picks a spot against one of the doors and curls up in her blanket to sleep.
Brother Guiness stretches his legs as the "morning" arrives. Looking around as his companions, he casts about for something to do--he is used to having to put his armor back on every morning at this time...
He settles on looking over Aldhranhald's shoulder at the mapping so far for this level. "This looks good, Aldhranhald. Where should we go next? The door to the south in the room to our east makes sense to me, but we could backtrack...Wasn't there some indication of a trap from our scouts in the hallway south of the cage room?"
Good memory BG!!! About the trap I mean. There was an indication from Wayne the bat that something about the floor in that hallway was ... ? Yeah, he can't speak yet. ;)
| Active Conditions: 1 CON damage.. | Current Buffs: none.
Brother_Guiness wrote:
So, BG and Gansu are each down 2 hp, and Gansu has two 1d6 cures left. What say we get one apiece, BG keeps watch, then we clear the rest of the level in the morning?
BG: Since we will each heal 2 HP naturally overnight, I would normally prefer to keep the lay on hands ready in case we are attacked while in camp.
Gansu gets up and stretches. He looks up at the strange green ceiling overhead.
Still in this place. I miss... sunlight.
Gansu nods at Sama. "No, not my favourite either."
He looks around at the others.
"Worth considering that a room we were in before may have new inhabitants when we return there. But I have no particular preference which route we take."
Having had some difficulty getting to sleep, fatigue had it's say and Boudacia slept deeply. In the morning, as she is eating some of her rations for breakfast, Boudacia asks:-
"I take it there was no sign of hostiles overnight Brother Guiness? I mean you didn't wake us and we all seem fine, so there can't have been. And I think your suggested route for further exploration is as good as any."
"Indeed, Boudacia, the night passed uneventfully. It was a strange sensation being under the influence of the 'Keep Watch' spell--I am as rested now as I would have been had I slept all night."
Brother Guiness pulls out some of his rations and has a light breakfast as the others are getting ready. Thinking about the past day's events, he asks Aldhranhald,"We have fought zombies and skeletons so far--creatures that required edged and blunt weapons for full effect. What other undead are you familiar with, and are certain attack types more effective than others on them?"
After breakfast and other activities, if all are in agreement, BG will move over toward the door to the south, leaving room for the others to join him when they are ready.
Doing some morning stretching as well, Aldhranhald considers Brother Guiness's question. He lifts up the book he was reading last night, Faiths of the River Kingdoms and says, "Unfortunatley Brother Guiness, I've just recently become interested in religious texts and all they speak about. I could hazard a few guesses based on previous experience, but all such knowledge would be purely conjeccture, albeit educated conjecture." And eating his own rations, he sits and mediates for a moment on anything and everything he can remember about various forms of undead.
"No Guiness with breakfast brother?"asks Boudacia, possibly mischievously, it is hard to tell.
Interesting, I had thought about this already and considered specifically mentioning BG was drinking water with breakfast...
Brother Guiness turns to his smiling companion. Raising his cup of water, he remarks “Nay, lass. If I drank beer with every meal, it would become routine. I prefer to use it as a reward for a job well done at the end of the day or after an intense experience like a battle...”
"Besides, you're supposed to end the day drunk so you can sleep it off, not start drunk so that you get killed while stumbling around the battlefield," quips Sama.
Sama stretches and yawns as she awakens in the morning.
"Spending the night underground isn't my favorite... better get used to it, I guess."
Tamlara wakes just then, saying, "I don't know. . . <yawwwwwwn> . . . I find it kind of comforting, like a really overcast day." Shrugging, she gets up and works her way through a set of vigorous stretches. (Think advanced yoga) Afterwards, she washes her face with a small bit of water and sits down to break her fast with the eleven trail rations from her backpack. As the conversations flow around her, she listens, and eats, packing up her belongings when she's done. When it seems everyone is just about ready to head out, she stands ready.
First, I'm not sure how to go about determining what kind of knowledge Aldhranhald may have gathered? Obviously I am not going to go through the bestiary looking up every type of Undead there is and seeing which ones his check overcame the DC. And I don't mean to be coming across as a smarty pants or anything like that please! I am actually asking for your help on this here please? I guess I could look up any undead in the module maybe? Any other suggestions there? *** Here's the knowledge you have gained from experiences so far: Fleshy types need to be cut, bony types need to be crushed. This may make you wonder, what about spectral types such as ghosts then? And what other types are there? Now your DM is asking all of you, what other types are there and how do I impart this info?
Next, there seems to be some discrepancy about where you all are heading next? BG clearly indicated in his post AND on the map that he went back into the room with the coffins (B7) and to the southern door in there, but Sama's post indicates going back south of the room with the cage (B8) instead, while Tamlara's post saying "back the way we came" is unclear since you most recently came from B7, but you previously came from B8 and even prior to that you came from B1. So, let's get a majority decision here and it might be best if you indicate a room # so as to be clear what you mean please. Thank you folks!
Brother Guiness doesn't himself know much about fighting undead except what he has observed so far-- "Fleshy types need to be cut, bony types need to be crushed" seems like a good summary. He carries a heavy war pick in case something needs to be pierced, and he hasn't even considered what to do about ghostly types. He asked Aldhranhald because he seems like the smart one. As a player, I have no expectation that Aldhranhald will have any specific useful information, but it seemed a valid RP thing for BG to ask, given that he has already seen two types of undead which required a specific mode of attack for full effect.
I don't have a particular preference for our direction - I'm willing to follow the lead of our resident dungeon experts (i.e. dwarfs like Brother Guiness).
... As a player, I have no expectation that Aldhranhald will have any specific useful information, but it seemed a valid RP thing for BG to ask, given that he has already seen two types of undead which required a specific mode of attack for full effect.
"I find sleeping indoors quite pleasant. It puts me in touch with my inner bat. Undead are more irritating. I can't put them to sleep, which really decreases my combat effectiveness. Well, best be off. Nobody has objected to Brother Guiness's idea of heading through that door over there, so I will go see if I can hear anything beyond it."
So saying, Boudacia moves to bat form and flies over to the door, Wayne in tow, and listens at it carefully.
As far as undead knowledge goes, I'd say fleshies need cutting, bonies need crushing, and there are some that are incorporeal that will require magic weapons to hit, is probably more than enough for an untrained roll. When next we level, and Aldy actually takes a skill rank in Knowledge religion it will be a different story, but for now, that seems like plenty of info. :D
Following his new dwarf companion and the lovely Boudacia over towards the southern door of the coffin filled chamber, Aldhranhald also gives a careful look and listen for any dangers.
Perception take 20:20 + 10 = 30+1 for traps, making the total 31 when looking for traps.
The floor of this small hallway is partially blocked by heaps of stone rubble. A skeletal human hand protrudes from one pile of rubble. The debris looks old, and the few sagging strands of web draped over the rubble seem to have been here for some time.
Tamlara moves through the hallway, a bit noisily though. Besides the door to the east and the one to the south that anyone can see, she realizes this hallway seems to go west to a dead-end, but her trained eye realizes there is a trapped trap-door in the floor, though it really looks like part of the floor itself.
The skeletal hand in the pile of rubble, continues lying there motionless.
Brother Guiness starts digging out the hand or more precisely, digging out the rubble from around the hand. The human skeleton buried within has been shattered into many pieces. The skeleton’s priestly robes are now mere moldering scraps, and the blade of a nearby sword has rusted away into uselessness.
However you do notice something shiny under the skeleton. A key! I have no idea why the key didn't rust away just like the sword?
You also come to realize, the rubble fell from above. When you look up you see a hole in the ceiling 15 ft above. The hole is approximately 5 ft in diameter. You can see with your darkvision that the hole goes up another 5 ft and then turns and goes directly west.
Brother Guiness looks up from his work, standing with the untarnished key in his hand. I doubt we'll have to worry about fighting that skeleton--it is already smashed to bits.
"Interesting, this body appears to have been here long enough for its clothing and weapons to have decayed, but this key is undamaged. Perhaps the unfortunate soul was just crushed when he fell from above", BG says, straightening up and pointing up, "The passage appears to ascend 5 feet or so through the floor above us and then head off to the west."
"Hmm...I may be able to stack the rubble to make it easier to boost someone to the hole, if anyone is interested in looking...Let me see..." BG Knowledge/Engineering:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
By the way, Tamlara pointed out to me that I was not clear when I said she saw no traps. I meant nothing near the skeletal hand where BG was looking to work. The 4 square section at the end of the hallway is definitely trapped. I could have some fun of my own if someone decided to step on that! :D
Brother Guiness stacks some rubble together making a relatively steady platform about a foot high.
Dark hole 15 ft up in the ceiling? You do have 2 flying creatures in the party don't ya?!?
Finishing his stonework, Brother Guiness looks back at the party, seeing Boudacia in bat form. Smiling sheepishly, he says,"Ah, Gansu, I may have overlooked a much more direct solution to the problem--perhaps Wayne and/or Boudacia would be willing to scout up there and see if it is worth having the whole group ascend. And I do have some rope (50' silk rope) that may prove useful as well."
Turning to the two flying members of the party, Brother Guiness asks,"If you would?", gesturing up to the hole above.
I am not used to having flying allies, so I default to ground-based thinking. I will have to be more thoughtful in the future...
Stepping around Brother Guiness' excellently constructing rubble platform, Aldhranhald takes up a position in the hallway where he can listen for anything behind the doors, and scout for any other dangers in the corridor.
Take 20 Perception:20 + 10 = 3031 when looking for traps
Boudacia and Wayne see a 5-foot-diameter tunnel that runs about 10 feet and ends. It’s carved from solid rock and contains four leather waterskins, four small wooden coffers of salted food (two with fish fillets, two with slabs of roast boar; this preserved food is far too salty to eat without being soaked or scrubbed), and 50 feet of stout rope knotted to a triple-hook steel grapnel.
Due to the nat 20=Boudacia also finds:
Pouch with...:1d100 ⇒ 93 Silver pieces!
Aldhranhald hears a faint, intermittent clinking sound, as if two small pieces of metal are striking each other softly. This sound is coming from the door to the south.
He also hears very faintly and muffled, what sounds like a woman sobbing and moaning. This comes from the door to the east.
"Umm, ladies and gents, two items of note. I hear what sounds like a woman sobbing behind this door." He says as he points to the eastern door. "In addition, I also was able to make out a faint clinking or clanking sound coming from behind that door." He says pointing to the southern egress. "It sounds like two pieces of metal striking each other... Thoughts?"
"So many options...I say we investigate the trap door below once our intrepid scouts are done with the hole above, making sure we leave no enemies behind us. Then we can spike one door shut & investigate the other one. I wonder if the woman sobbing is one of the mages we were sent here to find. Of course, it is more likely to be a trap with some horrible creature trying to play on our sympathies."
BG stands with his back against a wall, trying to keep an eye on all the possible threats ahead. He waits for the others to respond.
Boudacia returns to human form and has a closer look at the walls now she has hands. Then she goes to the opening and says:-
"It is a tunnel, five feet wide and ten long, not leading anywhere, that seems to be used to stash things. There is some preserved food, a rope and grappling hook and these."Boudacia tosses down the pouch with the coins in it. "Do you want the rope? I can't see we need the food."
Casting Gansu a sidelong glance at his 'pervert' comment, Tamlara says,
"Hmm, the rope, and especially the grapnel, could be useful. And I agree with Brother Guiness. We should check out the trap door first, then proceed to the others as we can. Aldranhhald, would you help me with the trap door? Maybe this time we can actually disarm it without setting it off."
Tamlara Disable Device check:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23+2 if Aldy will assist me, though he'll have to get a 15 instead of a 10. Heh, one of my traits.
Boudacia tosses the rope and grapple hook down. She then resumes bat form and flies back down and waits for the trap door to be opened. From a distance in case Tamlara's hopes are misplaced.
"Oh wait... no! Oh damn." He says as the catastrophic events that resulted from him "helping" unfold.
Stormy, I know a one roll on a skill check doesn't mean auto failure, but figured it might be fun to watch Aldy fail miserably at something... Let us know what his "helping" caused. :D
... Maybe this time we can actually disarm it without setting it off."[/b]...
I think someone may have jinxed it. ;)
Tamlara is studying how to disable the trap and she realizes it is not really a trap-door per say, as it is more of the door to a pit-trap. She is working to disable it and almost has it Tamlara alone would have gotten it! But since Aldy went ahead and rolled ... when Aldhranhald kneels next to her to try to help and he drops one of his tools. In his reflex to try to reach out and grab the tool, he loses his balance placing a hand, and leaning, onto the pit-trap cover! The door suddenly drops open!
As it flies open Tamlara hears a slight ... ripping? sort of sound, and everybody in the hallway hears skittering and some sort of screeching sound.
Reflex save for Aldy to avoid falling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Aldhranhald is suddenly falling into the pit!
Reflex save for Tamlara to try to catch Aldy:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Tamlara manages to reach out and catch him! But Aldy is now hanging down into the pit, and Tamlara has her hands full trying to hold onto him!
Tamlara, you need to update your perception in your tag line please when you can. Is everything else up to date in your tag line? Anybody else?
Tamlara sees there are spikes at the bottom of the pit and she just barely manages to glimpse a gigantic looking spider!Medium size creature before it goes out of sight.
Tamlara, while holding Aldy, you will need to make a Str check every round and that will be a full round action unless somebody comes up with something else she can do while lying on her stomach using both hands to hold onto Aldy. I suspect Aldy is not going to be so 'out-of-the-initiative' for starters here! :D
Everybody, the door of the pit trap is down, and the spider is in a hole behind the door, so he currently is not visible, and it is pitch black down in the hole anyways. 10 ft down. I just put the spider on the map because you know it's there, and it is probably going to be doing something. ... Hmmm ... to bad you don't have any more oils to just throw in the hole and let it burn!
Holding onto Aldy as best she can, Tamlara grunts out a warning about the monster in the pit, and wracks her brain for any information she can remember about these giant vermin.
Tamlara, please don't forget, Str check every round your holding Aldy! And Aldy, a climb check please if your going to try to climb up.
Since Tamlara didn't roll the Str check, I will go ahead and roll it for her this round.
Tammy's Str check:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Tamlara barely manages to keep her grip on Aldhranhald!
Tamlara has no knowledge of the spider, other than it is freaking huge!Definitely the biggest spider she has ever seen! Once others have seen the spider I will allow knowledge checks. *** DM Question? Am I supposed to tell you all what type of knowledge is required? It just feels like telling you that, is giving some info about the type of monster in itself, but by the same token, it could take forever to guess the proper knowledge in some instances, so which is it please?
Aldhranhald and Tamlara definitely hear more skittering noises as the spider works its way out from behind/under the door. It shoots a web at Aldhranhald!
Spidy web touch attack on Aldy!:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Yes, you read that correctly, Touch attack and at + 11!
The web hits Aldy and sticks fast to him!
If you all choose to go into a 'tug-of-war' with the Spidy it's going to be CMB vrs CMD - Urrgh - I gotta refresh my memory on that stuff! - Or you could try cutting him loose? - whoever does the cutting risks getting hit by another web possibly?
Is the web sticky enough to stick Aldranhald to the wall of the pit? Or is it more like one line of a web the spider is using to draw him into his lair?
