Dragons Demand - LJM table 1

Game Master Liam Mooney

As you descend the ladder you enter an underground room larger than the tower above.

The walls of this chamber have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor — the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.

You haven't been in there long before you hear a scurrying sound from beneath some rubble, turning towards it you see two very hungry looking Giant Centipedes coming towards you.

Initiative Order:
Pink (19)
Ludvic (17)
Halders (16)
Yellow (13)
Ragnar (12)
Shondra (10)
Galessa (8)

The first of the creatures moves up to Ludvic and tries to bite at him.

Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 171d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

It hits him but only grazes his skin.

Ludvic and Halders are up now, Ludvic needs to make a fort save vs poison though from the attack.

Halders follows the group through the trapdoor, remaining behind Ludvic, using the taller party members to hide behind.
Halders can hide behind medium-size creatures to perform sneak attacks: Human Shadow racial trait
stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

Upon seeing the centipede attack Ludvic, Halders will throw two daggers at the creature.
1d20+2 (TWF) -2 (ranged into melee)
throwing daggers: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 2 = 161d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 - 2 = 5
Assuming hits, 1d3-1 regular damage, +1d8 sneak attack. 1d8 instead of 1d6 from archetype
damage: 1d3 - 1 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) - 1 + (5) = 71d3 - 1 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) - 1 + (8) = 8

Halders will then wait, letting the others rush forward past him, (hopefully) dissolving into the shadows behind them.

Halders's first dagger pins the creature to the floor killing it. His second misses the other creature.

Ludvic is up now

Ludvick will move up fifteen feet and go to stab at the other creature.

"Stay behind me. I can take on this beast!"

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 1

At which point he will utter flub his stab, tripping on one of the loose rocks as makes his stab.

The creature tries to bite at Ludvic.

Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 41d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

But fails to connect.

still need a fort save off Ludvic for the other Centipedes hit please (was only 1 damage though).
Ragnar, Shondra and Galessa can act now.

Galessa circled around to flank the creature. Double move

”I’m sure you can. But let’s just get this done before Ragnar and I need to heal you all even more than we have to.”

"Heh, vermin! I am not surprised"
He loads his crossbow and fires at the remaining centipede.
Ranged attack into melee: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 - 4 = 7 damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

He curses as his bolt skitters on the floor after whizzing by the centipede.

fort save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Ludvic feels the Centipedes poison trying to slow his reflexes but is able to shake off the effect.

Shondra drops the torch and draws back an arrow. Taking a breath to steady her aim she lets go the arrow...

Shondra vs centipede: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

...and swears in a very unladylike fashion as the bowstring stings her arm!

Halders is impressed with the range of expletives coming out of Shondra's mouth

Ragnar and Shondras ranged attacks both fail to hit the remaining centipede.

Pink (19)
Ludvic (17)
Halders (16)
Yellow (13)
Ragnar (12)
Shondra (10)
Galessa (8)

Ludvic and Halders up now

Halders sneaks up to hide behind Ludvic, drawing two more daggers from his bandolier as he goes.
stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

damage: 1d10 ⇒ 1

Ludvic will take a move action to adjust his grip, now able to attack the creature next to him with a glancing swipe.

Slightly injured the Centipede bites again at Ludvic.

Bite Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 191d6 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Hitting this time.

Need another Fort save please

Pink (19)
Ludvic (17) -5hp
Halders (16)
Yellow (13) -1hp
Ragnar (12)
Shondra (10)
Galessa (8)

Everyone up

Flank Hit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Galessa circled around and stabbed the centipede with her star knife. She was no warrior, but with the sacred weapon of her deity she was certainly able to hold her own.

Shondra again draws back her bow, taking careful aim.

Shoindra vs. centipede: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Galessa cuts down the centipede with her star knife.

Ludvic -5hp

room description again:

The walls of this chamber have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor — the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.

Once the big bugs are reduced to puddles on the floor, Halders rights himself, tucking the daggers into the bandolier and stretches, arms up, leaning back and forward to touch his toes.
"alright all round?"

He'll retrieve the daggers he threw earlier and hide them amongst his clothes, then search the area.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Ragnar bows his head in prayer and then holds his holy symbol loft. A pulse of golden light flows him and the faint tinkle of clinking coins follows in its wake.

Channel Positive (healing): 1d8 ⇒ 6

"Stay sharp, and be careful. I doubt that is the last danger we will find down there."

He rubs his beard and examines the statue pondering its worth.
Appraise, +2 if any noticible precious metals: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Ludvic rolls his shoulders as the golden light begins to seal and stitch his wounds together.

”I appreciate that. That little bugger really took some chunks out of me.”

Exploring the room the Western end looks to have been a small armoury and there are several rusted weapons and fragments of armour, no longer of any value. You do find a tightly latched iron case though containing a pair of mithril daggers with a strange series of notches carved into the flat of each blade.

As he approaches the statue, Ragnar realises that it is in fact a closed iron maiden, ancient bloodstains on the front giving it a rusted appearance.

”Mithril! Do you all see that? Those are made of mithril! Desna’s laughter, if we can find a buyer we can make more off of these than we would have if the caravan had made it.” Galessa exclaimed, beaming a smile in the darkness.

Ludvic will shiver when he see's the iron maiden before getting a morbid idea. "D-Do you think some one is still inside of it?"

His curiosity getting the better of him, he will attempt to open the thing.

Haders' eyes light up at the sight of the Mithril daggers.
"I can put'em to good use- until we sell em, ofcourse"

Halders wants them, especially if we come up against anything with DR

Whether he is given the knives or not, he'll hide behind Ludvic in case something jumps out of the Iron Maiden them when he opens it;

A thought flits through Halder's mind as the swashbuckler opens the torture device;
"Didja check for tra-

Ragnar stands next to Ludvic as his own morbid curiosity gets the better of him.

As Ludvic opens the iron maiden a skeletal figure lurches out at him but the bones drop to a heap on the floor by his feet. There is a rusty key amongst the bones.

The dust from the Iron Maiden kicks up and Halders' coughs, waving it away.
"Poor sod. 'Ow long you reckon he's been in there?"

He picks up the key, turning it over in his hands;
"This'll come in handy, eh? Keep an eye open for treasure chests."

”Yes, we will. Makes you wonder about this place though. Quite a demented person to keep something like this in their home.”

"A deterrent to burglars, most likely, or the remains of one," Shondra lets her voice trail off.

Halders will wander off towards the southern door.
peception to listen beyond the door: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"Oi muckers, theres a door 'ere. Who wants to come'n open it?"

Ludvic will jump, letting out a slight gasp as the skeleton falls out.

"Gods! I hate stuff like that!"

After regaining his nerve he will volunteer to open the door, weapon at the ready.

The door appears safe and there's no sounds coming through. It opens onto a branching corridor.

Numerous jail cells line these long-abandoned corridors. Each of their solid iron doors hangs ajar, and includes both a peephole at eye level, covered with a piece of sliding metal, and a smaller slot for food and water at floor level.

"Keep an eye out for them insect beasties friend..."
Halders lets Ludvic pass him and waits for a beat- if nothing jumps out he'll follow the human into the room.

Once in, Halders looks through the rooms.
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

with a 10 I would think Halders hasn't found anything but the obvious.
"Picked clean in 'ere- them kobold beasties musta taken anyfing worfwhile"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

”Don’t be so hasty. They missed the mithril daggers. Who knows what else is left behind? Maybe we will even find an adamantine fork!”

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Ragnar thoroughly inspects each cell starting on one end and methodically searching and working his way to the other. As he crosses paths with the halfling, he speaks soberly."Halders could you imagine being locked up for years in a place like this? Or end up like that poor fellow back in the torture chamber. What would your mother say? I can just imagine the number of confessions obtained with those knives you found."

”Real confessions?” She scoffed. ”Id imagine most people would admit to being Asmodeus himself!”

Halders blanches angilry;
"Don' you speak about me ol'mum- she's a saint. Brought a dozen of us into the world and taught us all to survive on na'but a copper."

As the cleric walks past he mutters to himself;
"wait till me mum writes back, she'll visit more wrath than Asmodeus."

You can't find anything of use in any of the cells but do notice a strange semi-circular ridge running along part of the ceiling. blue line on map

Ragnar finds a pair of secret doors along the far wall, age and decay have left them easier to spot - they look like they were once very well hidden.

"Hmph, nothing in these cells but dust. What sort of place was this? Torture chambers, secret doors in the jail?"The old dwarf thrusts a finger indigently up at the ceiling."And they do not even conceal the plumbing or whatever that is!Gah!"

"Hmph, nothing in these cells but dust. What sort of place was this? Torture chambers, secret doors in the jail?"The old dwarf thrusts a finger indigently up at the ceiling."And they do not even conceal the plumbing or whatever that is!Gah!"

"If'n this place a prison; plumin' is the least of their worries."

Shondra suppresses a shudder. For no apparent reason, this place gave her the creeps.

Looking closer at the ridge it appears to 6 inches across and sounds hollow if tapped.

What is it made out of? I am assuming the ceiling is stone?

Yes, stone ceiling and the ridge hanging down is also stone.

Halders sidles up to the other members of the party; "Once Ragnar's finished fiddlin' with the plumbin which way do ya want to go?"

There's a few ways to go from here; south to the east, south to the west, east or west through the secret door that Ragnar found or east and north.

While Ragnar examines the plumbing, Halders stands, turning on the spot talking to himself, sniffing the air, licking a finger and holding it up- trying to figure out which way to go.

"I say we go through the secret door first! I have never been let down by that yet!"

The secret doors lead to more cells, however whilst the earlier ones were all empty, many of these contain the skeletal remains of their previous occupants. It seems as though the liberating forces failed to find this hidden extension to the jail when raiding the keep.

Halders will explore along the south passage, having a look through the newly discovered cells.
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Shondra follows Halder, holding the torch so that they might both see.