Encounter Map Human Loyalist 4 | HP 39/39 | AC 19 (FF 15, T 14) | Init +6 | For +4 Ref +8 Wil +1 | CMD 17 | Perc. + 7 |
Good shot. Fringlikhs compliments comes out more as a silent mutter than anything else. He is becoming extremely nervous, looking over alternative passages to avoid being flanked.
Marla and Brak
Li
Frindlikh
Kurse
Svetlana
Otiophon
With the crashes of breaking glass and the roar of the gout of flame that flares up as a result of Marla and Otiophon's tandem efforts, the swarm of stinging spiders perish a fiery death.
Li's second arrow strikes home, wounding the derro as he strikes at Svetlana, missing badly. The second hefts his crossbow at the tiefling, but the bolt skitters off against the ceiling and falls to the floor harmlessly.
"Excusse me Mr Brak, but it appearss that our friend Ssvetlana needss my assistance while sshe quenchess our thirst for Chelish ale. Oh and Sslipss wanted me to tell you that your multi dimensional fly is open."
"Pull back, Svetlana!" Oti calls, stepping forward, replacing his flask of acid on his belt and readying to heal the tiefling along with with Kurse.
Ready a standard action of Lay on Hands. Lay on Hands healing:1d6 ⇒ 5
Kurse steps forward while pulling back the sleeve covering his left hand, but quickly stops himself with a nervous laugh. "Almosst ussed the wrong hand, that could have gone horribly wrong." Kurse casts his spell and places his right hand on Svetlana's back.
I engaged as they were simply whacking us with ranged and nasty stuff, but they might be low on ammo - I was thinking if I was behind Kurse I could stab past him with the reach weapon and we could wear them down two on one. Flex either way
Marla and Brak
Li
Frindlikh
Kurse (Stunned for this round) Svetlana
Otiophon (Stunned for this round)
Marla's acid flask strikes the wall of the corridor, dealing only splash damage to the two derro as Li's arrows go wide as well.
Kurse and Oti work to heal Svetlana as she withdraws from the fray. Frindlikh is at least comforted that there are no more enemies coming from the east.
The derro take advantage of the breathing room as the first one in line casts at the Pathfinders standing at the end of the hall. Another ear-splitting shriek resounds on their position. Svetlana shakes off the after-effects this time, but Kurse and Otiophon stand stunned, pressing their hands to their ears. The second derro releases another poisoned bolt, which strikes and pierces Kurse's shoulder.
Svetlana, Kurse and Otiophon all take 2 damage from Sonic Burst and Kurse and Oti are stunned for 1 round. Kurse takes 3 damage from the crossbow bolt.
A stunned creature drops everything held, can't take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
Attackers receive a +4 bonus on attack rolls to perform combat maneuvers against a stunned opponent.
Marla and Brak
Li
Frindlikh
Kurse
Svetlana
Otiophon
Accounting:
D1:3 + 14 + 9 = 26 D2:7 = 7
The derro remains standing after Brak's heavy blow with his greataxe, but Li's first arrow lays the creature low. His second strikes the last derro. He in turn fires on Brak and strikes the dwarf with a poisoned bolt. Brak takes 4 damage and makes the save.
The last derro standing takes heavy blows from both Brak and then Svetlana and crumples in a heap. Secured to it's wrist is a length of chain that trails off into the darkness. As you investigate, your light falls on frightened human faces peering at you from the darkness. Five Cassomirites are bound in chains having been pulled along by the Derro.
After seeing that the prisoners are being taken well care of, Oti makes sure that the derro are dead (if there are no objections), and then sees which of the mites can be saved, using charges of his wand of curing to bring them around.
Heal:1d20 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
Oti tries to find a pulse with his gauntlets on, and has little success. He'll use his wand on the two that aren't completely cleaved in two.
GM - Perhaps you can just roll for me and tell me how many charges to use, since you know their HP.
When they come around, Oti talks to them in their own language, handing them a closed envelope.
Undercommon:
"Don't be afraid: we will not hurt you, and the derro slavers are dead. You are now free. I am sorry about the loss of your friend - he could not be saved; as we forgive your attacks and our losses, I hope you shall forgive ours. We do not need to be enemies, and share an enemy in the derro. Please take this letter from the leader of the surface anti-slavers to your leader."
These people look too weak to have been recently kidnapped, more likely they are some of the Cassomir citizens that you were unable to locate some weeks ago. (In Part 2) An emaciated woman clings to Li, overcome and says through sobs of relief. "Oh thank you for finding us, I'm sorry but we've been drug about in the darkness for weeks. We've been walking so long... I wish I had information for you but I have no idea about which way to go!"Let me know what you're doing with these rescued Cassomir captives. You can escort them to the surface. As usual, I'm good with roleplaying out that you heal/help them, but you shouldn't deduct charges from your wands over it. I don't even have stats on them. The mites, took some hefty damage, though.
The mites look surprised over the sweet-smelling paladin speaking their own language to them. But they are quick to reply.
Undercommon:
"Derro madness makes them enemy to all. Thank you for sparing us, we will take your letter. Beware the undead thing that dwells below, it consumes flesh like yours."
Once given leave to go, they scurry off through the tunnel to the east and disappear into the darkness, silent as creeping shadows.
Once you take the time to re-examine the room and symbols on circular bands at the base of the fountain, you realize that the whole thing is some sort of massive tumbler with symbols that can be aligned in three positions. You try moving the first band and find that the mechanism is stiff from sitting long unused. It will likely take substantial strength or finesse to move them, though the task would be easier perhaps if you had some manner of lubricant.
The symbols are all different, but similar to those odd the circles and lines that you used to triangulate the location. The symbols on the clues you found are found among those on the tumblers. The paintings that led you to those locations give you the order needed.
GM bluedove wrote:
"A legend among engineers tells of a series of hidden clues within three Cassomir monuments. These clues yield three locations which, when triangulated, give the location of the surface entrance to the Crypt of Fools; they also show the combination required to unlock the entrance. Look for old buildings built by the Ismacco family, whom we’ve long suspected used the Crypt of Fools as the base of their heinous operations after it fell from use.”
Ok, long story short: You need 3 DC-15 Str checks (or disable device) to position the tumbler to the 3 symbols you found earlier in each of the painting locations. A grease spell or lamp oil will provide a +2 circumstance bonus to move the tumblers.
"We should get the freed citizens up and out first, lest another party of derro or other miscreants appear to meet them before they are safe at the surface."
When we have returned:
[b]"Hmm. I had oil, before the spiders. Let me try the first," Oti says, turning it to the symbol of the Harbor Watch, led to by the first painting.
With a final audible click the tumblers lock into place. Suddenly, the fountain begins to rotate and its stale waters drain rapidly. The grinding of the gears echoes off the stone walls, causing the ground to shake. As the fountain rotates, a spiral staircase appears where the fountain’s solid basin once sat. A slick staircase slopes down into Cassomir’s bowels, twisting its way down and around a deep cistern.
At the bottom of the winding stairs is a door that opens onto an enormous room, filled with dozens of family crypts decorated with family names, heraldic crests, and a variety of death-themed statuary. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of smooth, polished stone, and the crypts are made of thick, square blocks of granite. A handful of statues stand throughout the room, though they don’t seem to be placed with any plan—some face the wall, some lie on their sides, and others are damaged beyond repair.
The northwest quarter of the room is dominated almost entirely by a single large crypt. The name “Ismacco” is displayed across the front of the crypt.
Kurse will follow along at the back of the group. "What do you mean you've found the perfect place for me to be buried now Sslipss? Oh becausse of the name, well how do I know you aren't buried here already? Kurse carries on with his unseen companion trading insults as usual.
A grand crypt stretches toward the room’s ceiling and two large, copper braziers flank its impressive floor-to-ceiling doors. At the building’s base, a faceless statue holds a gibbous moon aloft.
Three stairs ascend to the crypt’s entrance, which is not locked. The inside of the crypt is well lit. Ornate carvings decorate the walls inside the Ismacco crypt, creating several stylized burial niches. Tall, marbled pillars stretch to the 20-foot-high ceiling, creating three alcoves that hold massive oak sarcophagi. At the rear of the chamber, stairs ascend into a basilica-like dome. A musty smell permeates the chamber, and several dozen torches burn brightly in wall sconces throughout the crypt.
In the northeast-most alcove, two Cassomirite slaves are bound inside a small cage. A grand altar rests in the open basilica in the northernmost portion of the room; stairs nearby lead up to a second level of burial niches. An impressive two-story wall mural in the basilica depicts a stern figure glaring down on the sepulcher.
Does Deathwatch distinguish between lethal and non-lethal damage? Best guess is the slaves are in the "fighting off death" category.
Concerned about a trap that could endanger the captives, Oti casts Protection from Evil on himself with a wand and then begins scanning the room for evil.
Otiophon detects no evil auras (too low HD) and begins to move toward the captives, cautiously.
As you approach one of the slaves in the cage catches sight of you and quickly waves his hands before him shaking his head no. He jerks his head directly in front of him, and before you can really understand his meaning, you hear a gruff female voice grumble.
"What are you looking at slave? Still looking for that skelly that took a swipe at you?" You hear the shuffle of approaching boots and prepare to meet their owner. A half-orc with a club hanging from his belt steps out and sees you, hollering to his companions, "We've got company!" He draws his club and readies an attack for any who come toward him as the female speaker appears behind him and looses an arrow that misses the paladin by a narrow margin. The voices of their companions rise to try and demoralize the intruders."You want to turn back if you value your lives!" a male voice shouts, "Or face your internment in the Crypt of Fools!"
