DM Delmoth's Planescape

Game Master Delmoth

Akrynn frowns.
This place is dumb!

Once Rinika finishes opening the cells, she retreats to the table and hops up to sit on it. She looks very conflicted over what she just did for a moment, then realizes she's sitting on something. She picks up the set of keys and realization dawns. "Guys! There were keys the whole time!"

Vaascht leans against the doorway during all the discussions, largely uninterested in these new people's stories unless they knew the way out, which he doubted.

Still he kept an eye on this and the other looking for trouble while the group busied itself freeing the prisoners.

Nik nods knowingly as Rinika sits on the keys.
"Psst, Akrynn. Water spells don't work on the plane of fire. Skellington, go get a barrel with water in it from the tower and bring it here."

Nik turns to Jek as the skeleton dutifully marches off.
"Hey Jek, does the gnome think herself deceased too?"

The half-elf does not react at all and just stares into the distance while the balding man continues to pace back and forth in his cell. The woman in a white coat introduces herself, "Dr. Ethyl Ermengarde and no I will not look at your injuries, I'm not that sort of doctor." Once Skellington brings a barrel of water the doctor unflinchingly drinks from it.

The gnome responds to Jek,

The young druid just shrugs.
Win some, lose some. Where to next? We need to find a scroll for the Portal.

Jek continues his side conversation with the gnome.

She hops up and down and then circles Jek,

Without being told where to go she runs off into the citadel. With a move of 20ft you can easily keep up with her. After some turns in the wrong direction she arrives to the Lower hall with all of it's arrases. The tables have been set with a number of stew bowls. After a short conversation the gnome tells Jek,

"Umm Jek, why did that gnome just run away?"

"She's helping me with the kitchen goblin."

Jek addresses the group:

Alright everyone, the goblin we met earlier wanted to finish making a stew. She'd like for all of us to have some before she comes with us."

To the gnome:

Are they familiar with any scroll to activate the Portal?

The gnome tells Jek, in Bariaur but we're translating now, "There is mystery meat! Very mysterious. And the goblin says she doesn't look at writing because it will steal the thoughts from her brain." The gnome begins to heartily eat a bowl of stew served up by the goblin.

"Mystery meat? Well, it supposedly tastes good, I guess?"
Nik watches the gnome for a good 10 seconds to make sure that the mystery isn't dangerous before taking a deep breath eating some stew himself.

It is in fact the most delicious stew Nik has ever tasted, but he can't place what kind of meat it is.

Nik eats several spoonfuls quickly, but then suddenly stops and sighs.
"This stuff is so good it makes me wonder if becoming a dustman was the right choice..."
I wonder if we can hire this goblin...
After getting lost in thought for a moment, Nik continues eating the stew, slightly slower this time.

"Yes! More stew! Rinika happily comes along and eats a large bowlful.

Having had to survive off worse options in the Labyrinth, the druid eats.

"While this looks wonderful, meat isn't good for me."

Jek carefully pours his bowl into Rinika's and strolls over to the grain storage alcove he had eyed earlier. After careful consideration of his options, he returns with two large sacks. He opens the top of one and pauses to enjoy the aroma.

"If anyone else wants some, I've brought a second sack."

He lifts the open sack of grain with both hands like a giant chalice and promptly plunges his face into it.

The party, plus a gnome, and the goblin are well fed. The balding man and the catatonic half-elf do not leave their cells. Rinika notices that Dr. Ermengarde has slipped off while everyone was distracted by eating.

Rinika manages through a very full mouth of stew, "Wheya da docta-" *gulp* "Where'd that doctor- oh, sorry Skelly" She wipes some stew droplets off the skeleton's face.

"Where'd that doctor person go?"

"Next time, let's not just release all the prisoners..."
Nik tries to quickly finish his stew before heading out to the ballista platforms at last.

The druid traces a Guidance Rune, before following Nik.

Vaascht leans against a wall and watches his group eat, declining to do so himself, munching instead on a handful of trail rations pilfered from the guard tower.

Still, distracted by watching the varied interactions and general lack of sleep the past few days, he misses the doctor wandering off as well.

At Niks suggestion he agrees and quickly catches up his gear to head to the portal.

Is Nik casting Warp Sense and looking at the arch?

Jek gathers the ever-growing crowd of rescuees and follows Nik.

Is Nik casting Warp Sense and looking at the arch?

Yes, how did you know? :3

Getting within about 60' of all the platforms (and especially the obsidian archway fiery place with obsidian portals. Minecraft? xD that sticks out like a sore thumb).
Casting Warp Sense once more, Nik first checks the archway.

Adventure predates MineCraft so clearly it’s cribbing this adventure and not some weird coincidence.

Jek Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Jek Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

Jek manages to herd most of the surviving people left on the island in a sea of fire with one notable exception. The balding man who refused to leave his cell is nowhere to be found. Jek cannot find any evidence of where he might have gone and a quick search of the premises turns up nothing. The goblin and gnome happily follow Jek around, while the doctor beats everyone to the portal and waits patiently. The guards willingly gather as well though they are clearly nervous when they discover that their former prisoners are freer than they are. The catatonic half-elf must be carried there but he doesn’t fight being moved either.

Nik knows planes: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Nik clearly sees a portal in the stone archway but he cannot determine the destination with any confidence. But if the guard’s story is to be believed it goes to the Lower Ward in Sigil and the key is a spellslinger reading from a vellum scroll in some indecipherable language.

Anyone got the Scroll? Where else haven't we looked? I can scribe one, if we find the words.

"There was a scroll of passwall we found, but that doesn't seem to fit. We searched Imogen and the leader of those hobgoblins the elemental torched. I don't recall vellum... Thoughts?"

He looks around.

Rinika roots through her pockets and pulls out the letter Nik gave her and reads out:

"Dead, Undead
There once was a Dead namer called Ned,
Who joined to bang around the undead,
After touching a stiff one,
The Truce was broken and done,
So Ned became a deader instead."

The portal does not respond to Rinika's recitation of the trap limerick.

I thought it a good idea.

Impatient, Rinika huffs. "Did we ever search that library room for magic?"

Akrynn scratches his head.
Not certain. I was busy not being brained. Let's go look.

"It beats waiting until tomorrow. Think we should check if the sneaky doctor stole something?"

"The Green Marvent's letter said there were 5 scrolls of passwall, and we only found three. He also told Imogen to take people through this portal. Did they get used to make the portal?"

Casual use of 1000+g scrolls seems a little intimidating for our level. I also suspect this particular spell is contraband."

Heading back to the room with the book case and secret door 15 you thoroughly ransack it and find nothing more of interest. taking 20 on perception checks while detecting magic When Nik asks if Ethyl stole something she says, "Hardly sneaky. Your type of humanoid just has poor senses, and no I didn't steal anything. To steal would presume an existing owner and an authority able to enact laws. You saw to it that neither exists here." Nik could have sworn he was far enough away for her not to hear.

Nik sighs loudly. He replies over his shoulder (apparently louder than he needs to) "The right of ownership needs neither the immediate presence of the owners nor enforcement bullies to be valid, doctor. It's not limited to Dustman contracts, either. Not that I care for respecting the rights of my would-be murderers."

Nik sighs loudly again as he turns around.
"Just please tell me that you found some vellum with strange writing on it. We might be able to leave with it."

Nik feels I tugging at his belt where Rinika is unsuccessfully trying to remove his spell component pouch.

"I'm pretty sure right of ownership has a lot more to do with how strong your belt is."

She gives another tug at the component pouch before dropping it.

"Yours is pretty strong."

Akrynn shrugs his shoulders.
Wouldn't she keep something that important in easy reach for her? I am stumped.

Nik frowns as he straightens his belt and pouch. "Might doesn't make right." he replies flatly.

Vaascht sneers at Nik and grumbles, "I beg to differ. Might usually gets to decide what's right."

Ethyl Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Dr. Ermengarde raises one eyebrow watching Rinika but doesn’t comment on the Catfolk’s antics, ”Oh? Pot meet kettle. If you want we can ask the nearest lawyer on how jurisdictions work.” She covers half of her face with her palm and sighs, ”Are you sure I’m not dead and in hell? Anyway you’re both wrong because it's more complicated than your one sentance generalization. But that’s neither here nor there and I would not withhold anything from you if it meant escaping.”

"So if you aren't a medical doctor, what kind of doctor are you?"

Jek chuckles at Vaascht's statement.

"Might's overrated. If might makes right, then why aren't I a much higher ranking signer? It also didn't stop us from falling asleep and getting tossed into the fire plane."

Jek searches around the area with the obsidian arch.

Do the markings from foot traffic stop at the archway?

Nik looks less amused at Vaascht's statement, ignoring Dr EE's complaints.
"See? Jek gets it. I always liked that about him. Anyway, dustmen at least make contracts. The Contracts! And just because our clients pass away doesn't mean we don't hold up our end of the bargain."
Nik starts to go through the loot that's been gathered so far in hopes of finding a vellum sheet the team has overlooked.

The druid creates a Detect Magic Rune and scans the area.

Vaascht looks at Jek with his blank, lizard state for a beat before replying.

"Because we were not strong enough, clearly."

"As I recall, it was the Dustmen that put us all in this hellhole."