GM Aerondor |
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Milady creeps forward. She has seen a lot of holes in her time. Hidey holes, rabbit holes, toad-in-the-holes, bolt holes. She might almost regard herself as an expert in holes. And this one, this one certainly did not look like a safe hole to approach.
Milady' |
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"Oh... this is very exciting! It seems like an unsafe hole.
If you wish," she tells her comrades, "I could borrow some rope from someone and jump down the hole so we can explore down there!
Seriously, I love jumping down places, and am quite safe... well, rather safe, doing so."
The Mad Hoppper |
"Holes? What do I know about holes? I am an alchemist. I was a happy alchemist until a week ago..." thinks Hopper following after his fellow agents.
Flint Thunderstriker |
"Be careful. Be very careful. It wouldn't do to have this whole place come crashing down on us. If there's nothing important there, let's move on. If there is, be quick about it."
Milady' |
»We can move on and come back later if you want.
Unless there is something else to see here...
But I so hope I can jump into a hole!»
Pell the Peerless |
Pell produces a length of rope from his adventure's pack. "If you wish to repel down, I can secure this end. I certainly would not wish for you to miss an opportunity to explore an 'unsafe hole'. The prospect seemed to generate such excitement that I would not want to see such quelled."
Anjo Aroh |
"It would seems whatever uses the hole may have gone up the stairs."
Anjo designates the creature as his Target for Hunter's Edge.
GM Aerondor |
@Arrus <groan>
Milday, roped up, approaches the hole. The floor creaks ominously and suddenly gives way. However with the rope, you are able to jerk her back before she comes to any harm.
A skilled engineer may be able to brace the floor to stop it collapsing any further..
Milady' |
"I have no such kits..."
Milady looks around for a pebble to roll into the hole, and try to evaluate how deep it is...
If a non-secret roll is needed:
1d20 ⇒ 2
Lore +0 ; Nature +1 ; Survival +4 ; Perception +6
GM Aerondor |
It doesn't sound especially deep.
Anjo meanwhile peers through the cobweb filled doorway into what must have once been a dining room beyond. The furniture in the once-fine dining room lies crushed by bits of the ceiling that have come down on it. Water obviously gets in here too, as what remains is somewhat sodden.
Zanderel Elerin |
Pointing at the raven perched on his shoulder, Zanderel says, "I could have my familiar take a quick look. Shuru flies like a proper avian creature, even if they are magical."
If no one objects, he sends the bird on to scout down the hole.
Milady' |
"Familiar, shamiliar...", grumbles Milady, "what's the fun of of jumping into holes you already scouted. That's just work..."
Milady waits for the raven to tell them what's what.
GM Aerondor |
The familiar flies down the hole and then back. Zanderel doesn't get any particular feelings of worry or concern from it. Hunger, maybe? Or it could be greed. Hard to tell really.
The Mad Hoppper |
"You are awesome enough with wings Lizzy." With that he pats her on the head.
Milady' |
»So... onto that next room over there and back here after if needed? »
Anjo Aroh |
Determined to leave no table unturned,
"We should check each room, thoroughly. Was there someone here who could detect magic? Can you peer into this room? I'll stand guard in case something jumps out."
Anjo readies his bow to shoot anything that pops out as hostile. So this means I'm no longer in Scout.
After the detect magic sweep. Anjo stares into the room looking for anything suspicious.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Zanderel Elerin |
GM: The familiar can speak Common, so it would describe in detail (not just convey emotions) what it saw.
"Yes, I can identify the presence of magic. Given time, I can perhaps share what I know about any items that resonate with magical auras too," the wizard says, then turns to Shuru. "Tell me what you saw, my winged friend."
Milady' |
"Oh? You can speak, Raven?! Please tell us... do you like flying down holes?"
Anjo Aroh |
Anjo looks at Milady,
"Perhaps you can cut the inane chatter until we are on the street. It would be prudent not to broadcast our position every step of the way."
Anjo Aroh |
"Let's find whatever is ho... Whatever is living in here and then we can search the place at our leisure."
After Zeanderel scans the room, Anjo motions to the stairs and goes back into scout mode.
Milady' |
"Sorry, mister useful chatter", tells Anjo.
"So, which stairs are you aiming for? Any that climb beyond head level?"
Getting bored, Milady will check the door to her right, and, if okay--
try to open it... aiming, if it opens, to pass through the room, looking around as she goes, and move up to the two doors on the wall to her left.
She wants to see if it is a set of double doors, or two distinct doors.
Her goal is to check the pair of doors if double, or the left one if separate, and then try to open either the pair or the left door.
The Mad Hoppper |
Hopper walks into the room and positions himself behind Milady near the opposite wall.
I made Lizzy's avatar smaller to represent her being tiny. And I keep her stick to Hopper's shoulder.
He keeps the bottle in his hand ready to throw it at whatever threat will be there.
GM Aerondor |
Question in discussion about the familiar, but for the moment let us proceed with it talking.
The raven says "Meal.." pointing with its beak toward the hole in the ground.
It can speak, but it does have an int bonus of -4, so is hardly going to be an eloquent conversationalist
"Bad smell"
--
Meanwhile, back in the other room the Mildary and Hopper go through the ara in some detail. There is nothing of note save soggy, smashed furniture. Nice view of the sky through the hole in the roof though.
The rooms beyond are empty of anything remotely useful.
No magic has been detected.
The rest of the team stay in the corridor, preferring to avoid the dangerous looking spider webs that the goblins happily plough through.
Milady' |
Having checked both doors in the second room, and seeing nothing of note behind them, Milady asks:
"So, down the hole there is something ravens can eat but that stinks... we can go check that out.
Or keep on checking the other rooms on this level for now.
Whatever you prefer."
Anjo Aroh |
"If we want to explore the hole, then I suggest we go outside and see if we can access it from the well, though it seems unlikely given the distance. I suspect that whatever is in the hole is probably not going to change much in the next hour. My guess is it might be a local."
Anjo pauses, as he contemplates whether the body might have something useful.
" We might be better served in tracking down whatever may be lurking about first, which means going up the stairs."
Milady' |
Which stairs does Anjo keep on talking about?
What I understood is that: None of the three staircases climbs beyond head level before ending abruptly, debris from their fallen upper reaches scattered across the floor.
Are there other stairs that do climb up (sorry if I missed reading that)?
______________________
"Yes, I should've explored the well... but, let's do this first, then."
Milady checks to see if the door leading back into the foyer opens, and, if it does--
--she passes through, and peeks carefully around the corner, towards the part that remains still unseen.
Anjo Aroh |
I believe Anjo found tracks leading up to the stairs, so that's either the stairs we went up or the spiral staircase in the main room. Maybe the GM can clarify.
Anticipating Milady's exit into the main halll, Anjo moves back to the main hall to keep a look out. Still scouting
GM Aerondor |
Ango found tracks that led up the outside stairs that you climbed, to the level you are currently on. The tracks turned away at the outside door.
Milday goes back into the main hall and checks round the corner. Collapsed stairs lead up toward where the next floor once was.
The raven sits on Zands shoulder.
Anjo Aroh |
Can I use Assurance with Survival to figure out the tracks?
Zanderel Elerin |
"It seems there is something here. Shuru hears scratching, and has noted a bad smell. Perhaps rats, but probably something worse."
Milady' |
»So, there IS scratching going down below?! »
Milady shivers.
»Does it not smell of brimstone? »
Looking around—
»Shall we not finish scouting up here? Maybe even find other ways down? »
Milady' |
Unless the group is truly against finishing a quick scouting above--
--Milady will carefully creep across the entry hall to check out what is opposite this broken staircase--
Yellow arrow
--and, if finding nothing, start moving back towards the front of the house, checking the rest.
Red arrow
+7 Stealth ; +6 Perception
The Mad Hoppper |
Hopper shadows Milady, giving her enough space to explore without bumping into him or Lizzy.
"Let's check all the rooms, and then we can explore the lower levels. "
GM Aerondor |
@Anjo you can use assurance with your survival, but it doesn't tell you anything more about the tracks that were outside. And the only tracks you can make out inside are those of your companions.
Hands tear free of the rotten floorboards beneath Milady's feet. They tear into her legs. Everyone hears her scream, and the smell of brimstone is strong in the air.
up front damage to Milady: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 6, 2) = 17
bleeding...: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3 Lucky!
Milady screams in pain, her legs rent by the horrible hands that vanish as soon as they came. Blood pours down her legs!
Status, bold may post
Milday - 17 damage; bleed 3
Everyone else.
Milady' |
As clawed hands pop out through the floor and go for her legs, Milady is afraid they will tear her silk pants-- but they actually rip her legs to shreds!
Religion, untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
"I'll hail your Crimson Son, you..."
any idea what that Crimson Son is (which roll?) Here is a D20 in case (bonuses in my profile or I can add):
1d20 ⇒ 4
She shreaks--
17 damage = 1 HP left
--and tries to move away, hoping the hands have not grasped her tight.
1 action to move along red arrow
She pulls her healing potion from her bandolier and drinks it--
Healing: 1d8 ⇒ 8
--very happy that her Swords' trainer gave her the good stuff!
2 actions ; +8 = 9 hp left
But her legs are bleeding profusely, as she reflexively rubs them together in a sort of a Goblin jig, trying stop the blood from leaving her body--
DC 15 flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 2
--but dancing will not do, and the blood pools at her feet.
fail ; -3 = 6 hp left
The Mad Hoppper |
Hopper inhales with delight:
"Ahh, sulfur. It is so delicate and full of hidden flame..."
When he sees what is happening to Milady, Hopper begins to do what he does best: Hop!. He quickly jumps around towards the wall.
1 action: Move in a hopping manner towards the wall;). My remaining 2 actions Hopper delays until he sees an enemy.
GM Aerondor |
Those trained in religion might have an idea about what happened here... We'll stay in rounds just for the moment.
Anjo Aroh |
Anjo tries to pick up the tracks (through smell or sound or whatever) of the creature that attacked Milady and designate it as his target.
Using Assurance Survival = 15
Anjo motions everyone outside"this creature has the advantage in here, we must get outside and regroup."
Ajax heads out, realizing there is no defense against these types of attacks.
There's no reason to stay in the building. Let's get out and heal and figure out our next move.
Milady' |
Still shaking, Milady tries to get a grasp on what... grasped at her!
Does she remember if this was one pair of hands, like a creature, or numerous hands, like a few critters... and what size they were: small hands, average hands?
Zanderel Elerin |
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Religion: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Hearing Milady's pain, Zan moves forward into the room to better see what danger there might be. Not immediately seeing anything, he speaks several arcane syllables to conjure up a hovering shield of pure force to protect him. When he doesn't immediately see anything, he commands Shuru. "Find what hurt the well-dressed goblin, my friend."
Actions: Stride, Shield (V), Command
The raven takes flight from his master's shoulder, flying towards where Milady was and cawing as it looks about.
Actions: Stride, Seek (+5 Perception)