The Seasoned Six, Chapter 13: In Wrath's Shadow (Inactive)

Game Master Badslacker

Luckily(?) for Feybella the pit isn't really bottomless, but it is nonetheless very deep. She nonetheless crashes onto the floor of the pit.

At that very moment a cacophonous eruption of angry voices begin shouting in Thessalonian from all around you. The atmosphere, spooky until a moment ago, becomes oppressive and you feel drained mentally and physically. The voices seem to shout even louder when someone moves closer to the ledge.

Dusklord: do you still want to try to cross the narrow ledge?

You're up!

Feybella, falling damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6) = 13
Does anyone know Thessalonian?

I do speak that language and don’t want to cross atm

"Ouch. That hurt, but I'll live." Fey yells from the bottom of the pit. "Good news it wasn't bottomless. Bad news there's creepy voices."

He tries to cross the narrow ledge casting guidance on himself
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

"Glad you survived...Toss your rope back up? Maybe we can pull you out before all these things attack." calls out Hastard, eyes darting back and forth.

"Dusky, you see what's making those sounds? I don't see anyone!" he whispers fervantly to the caster.

While Dusklord is trying to decipher any message that might be within the voices, E'li moves towards the ledge. The screaming voices echo in the chamber and the entire cave seems to reverberate. E'li makes it about a third of the way through before losing his grip, falling to the darkness below as well just as Feybella is being pulled out.

E'li, falling damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) = 10

Fey is pulled up like a sack of potatoes. She is pouting as she comes over the edge of the drop off, "Well that was embarrassing. What's the voices saying Dusklord?"

Holding his hands over his ears, Cody yells over the noise, ”Mybe it’s the sound of past tortured souls!”

Sigh. Can he get pulled up too please

Dusklord listens in measured concern. "We are either about to be attacked by tormented spirits," he says, "Or we face some kind of haunt. Regardless, we should find a safe place to face them."

So who is on the other side and who still hasn't crossed? (I haven't crossed).

I'm fairly certain none of us have actually made it across...

"Do you have a rope E'li?" calls out the gnome, as he glances towards Feybella. "We may need to borrow your rope a moment."

"Dusk, I'm inclined to agree on finding a place to deal with this. However, I'm not sure I'm prepared to fight ghosts..."

Nobody passed yet.
The deafening screams and shouts make it difficult to communicate, and you already feel exhausted just by standing around listening. Even simple tasks seem to become gradually harder.

Fey hands over her rope. "I'm not prepared for haunts either. We need to get out of here. I'm finding it hard to think. Should we go back to make a plan or try to cross?"

"WHAT?" calls out Hastard over the din of voices. Snatching the rope, he toss the trailing end to E'li, before calling out "I think we should go back! Try to figure out what to do! GRAB THE ROPE"

Once the man is out of the hole, Hastard knees Nord and the pair quickly retreat to the previous room.

Cody helps with the ropes then retreats to the previous room also.

Does he need a check to go up the rope?

"Fall back!" Dusklord yells above the cacophony.

"This is going to overwhelm us!"

The wizard moves back toward the entrance.

E'li: you can be pulled up, in which case you won't need a climb check.

You return towards the entrance, the howling voices screaming triumphantly in your ears. Navigating the hanged bodies on the way back is discouraging, but eventually you reach the large hall - where the dead corpses are still disconcerting but at least they're silent.

How do you want to proceed?

Fey sighs with relief when the laughing stops. "How do we deal with that? It was horrible. Is there another way in?"

I'm kind of lost on the map. Is there a different route we can go?"

Cody shivers at the though of returning that way, ”Unless we can quite them or disperse the spirts, I don’t see us going that way. We can wait a few moments to see if they quite down, or try the other way back at the entrance.”

Cody favors waiting five to ten minutes and try again if the sounds quite. Failing that we backtrack.

knowledge religion: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 Can I determine if that was a haunt?

Dusklord also considers their options. "I do not fancy going that way. Unless there is another way around, we must venture in again."

Also curious to know if there are other ways we can explore.

Know religion 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 to see if he knows how to deal with the sounds.

You can return to the main corridor and explore there - that's the only other path you've discovered on this level.

Dusklord and E'li consider the matter carefully and eventually surmise that the cacophonous voices must have been a haunt of some sort.

It was a haunt of some sort he says. We should continue on

"One consideration is that these haunts often use up their power and then cannot manifest for a certain amount of time. Perhaps it would be worth sending someone back to scout it out and see if the way is clear now. If not, we could try the main corridor," Dusklord says.

With a slight nod, Hastard replies. "That makes sense. If it's agreeable, I can cautiously head back over and see if there are any further issues."

Assuming no one objects...

Slowly, Hastard and Nord make their way back to the hole, waiting to see if the voices return.

He will return to the others and report either way

Unfortunately, Hastard hears the ghastly screams from the cave even before he reaches the ladder down to the lower platform. Heading further down the ladder alone seems risky, and he returns to report to the others.

"Be careful Hastard."

This place should be explored and left as quickly as possible he remarks.

With Hastard's report, Dusklord frowns and considers their options.

"Hopefully, that way does not contain the greatest magical secrets," he says. "We should continue down the main corridor instead. Perhaps we will find another way through."

Listing to Hastard’s report, Cody nods in agreement ”Given the huant’s persistence we should try the other direction from the main corridor.”

Cody and Panda lead the way.

Nodding silently, the gnome trembles with a rattle beneath his metallic shell. "I...I...yeah. Let's go so...another way."

Suddenly glancing over his shoulder, he kicks Nord's side. "I...wasn't there....a hole in wall?" he asks, as the pair begin to pick up speed. With each step away from the origin of the frightful cries, the man's color returns bit by bit.

After some discussion, you decide to proceed south through the main corridor (B2 on the map). About 45 ft. south [in the currently hidden area on the map], the corridor turns right, then right again after some 30 ft., and eventually right again after another 30 ft. There you encounter a dead end wall, made of irregular stone and dried clay, similar to the one you've encountered earlier on this floor.

You're up.

Fey moves up and studies the wall. "There has to be something here."

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 +2 to Find Traps

"Indeed," Dusklord agrees. "There should be something here."

perception aid: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 detect magic, too

When Feybella gives an all clear, Cody taps on the dried clay wall seeing how thick it sounds.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Much calmer now that they've put some distance between them and the dead, Hastard watches silently as his companions inspect the wall.

"Nord, take a wiff. Do you smell anything beyond it?" he prompts his mount.

Perception (Nord, Scent): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The wall seems hastily constructed, as the one before. You're pretty sure you could break it down fairly easily if you decide to do so. You find no traps or magic, and the only thing Nord can smell in this area is a faint scent of death - which is unsurprising in this dungeon.

Dusklord gestures absentmindedly at the wall.

"Will some of you young muscular types please deal with that?" he says.

Cody nods to Dusklord and start breaking through the wall.

str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

"But of course, good sir." replies Hastard.

Leaning forward, he takes a few wacks at the wall.

Str: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Str: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Str: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Str: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

A surprise that you have no undead minions to do it he remarks. He looks to see if his help is needed

Fey stays back as the wall is broken down her weapon at the ready just in case. "Be careful. I wonder who built this."

Does it look like the wall is new or if it's been there for many years?

The barricade falls away with ease, but the distinctive sound of stone grinding on stone reverberates down the hall somewhere behind you. Cody keeps smashing the barrier - joined by Hastard after a few seconds. A few blows later you realize - as the barrier crumbles - that you've released an imprisoned creature. It seems like a large, undulating mass of black goo, and you can identify long rotten and broken bones protruding from its mass. The stench of death, earlier faint, becomes almost unbearable.

The creature - long imprisoned in that cramped space, quickly extends towards Hastard and Cody, threatening to engulf them.

@Cody and Hastard - you can try to evade the mass of black goo rolling towards you or stand your ground and receive an attack of opportunity (but you would become engulfed immediately afterwards).
@ Everyone else please roll a save vs. reflex to allow Cody and Hastard enough space in the narrow corridor to escape the black mass.
@ Everyone: please roll initiative. I've updated the map.

Cody tries to fall back out of the way of the black goo

reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Fey tries to jump out of the way in order to give Hastard and Cody room to move. "What is that thing?"

Initiative: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7

"Holy cow! What is that?!" exclaims the gnome, yanking Nord hard about.

"How do we hurt that thing?"

Going to try and evade

Hastard - please roll for reflex then!

Nord Ref: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Hastard Ref: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Rolling for E'li and Dusklord to move things on:
E'li, reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
E'li, init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Dusklord, init: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
mysterious creature, init: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (15) - 3 = 12

The mysterious creature keeps rolling towards you. Cody and Hastard quickly jump back, evading the mass of black goo advancing towards them. Feybella and E'li, a bit behind, give them some space as the battle begins.

Init order, round 1:
Feybella
Dusklord
Creature
E'li
Cody
Hastard

Bold can act, map updated!