"Gregory C. Hatfield, I fear that we cannot wait until morning. As the creature got away without a proper meal, I can only assume that it will return this evening for a follow up raid.
I am proposing that if this thing lairs in the the well, we could go down and attack it in its den.
However, as an alternative, we could lay an ambush around the well this evening and attack it when it surfaces. This may be the better course of action as it would allow us more room to attack it from multiple directions.
If we want to attack it's lair, then we should go now. If we would prefer to lay an ambush by the well, then I would propose that we purchase what we need and get a good meal and a rest before the ambush.
Preferences? Objections? Alternative ideas?"
Frantino will take some time to examine the gauntlets.
[dice=Spellcraft]1d20 + 10 = 27
[dice=Knowledge arcana]1d20 + 9 + 2 = 22 with heightened awareness
"These seem to be creatures of the night, so there could be advantage to be gained by going into their lair during the daylight, when they're not likely to be as active or expecting it. If this isn't their only exit into our world we could waste a night watching this place while one or more kill more townspeople in another area. I think we should take the fight to them."
"I agree we should wait until after we eat and sleep," Roscoe says, his stomach growling wildly.
"Like--after a feast!"
Nasir sighs.
I don't think that I will ever get used to this lack of discipline. Civilians...
He addresses the group.
"I think that a trip to Riddleport, either in person or via an agent, would be useful...in the future.
We have immediate concerns about the safety of the town with these rampaging flesh creatures, and we seem to be the only ones who can end the threat. So we should focus on this immediate challenge before travelling again. We should purchase what is available in town for our needs and that should hold us until the threat is neutralized.
As for my original proposition, Frantino Kaddren votes to go down the well now. From Roscoe Elring's response, he would prefer an ambush around the well in the evening. What are your votes Gregory C. Hatfield and Ayita?
Roscoe Elring, we should save the feast until after we have defeated the security threat. In victory, there is time to celebrate and boast!"
Nasir continues to ponder the situation he finds himself in.
I cannot believe that I am allowing voting on a plan of action. Such is the life of an adventurer I suppose...
Sun's going down. Attack occurred last night. Ayita has tracked monster to well. Decision is to either wait and set an ambush (assuming monster comes back tonight) or go down the well and investigate. If the latter, when? NOW? Or tomorrow?
Or plan an attack of Peacock Manor?
"Why don' we ask folks we can trust, like Audrahni or Ladia, ta make the shoppin' trip fer us?"
Frantino will take some time to examine the gauntlets.
[dice=Spellcraft]1d20 + 10
[dice=Knowledge arcana]1d20 + 9 + 2 with heightened awareness
They are made from noqual (a rare skymetal that has potent antimagic qualities) and strips of leather. The metal and leather bear hundreds of softly glowing Thassilonian runes.
The use of detect magic reveals a strong abjuration aura about the gauntlets. Frantino is unable to identify more details. The gauntlets are obviously ancient and incredibly powerful. Frantino surmises that they are protective in nature.
Nothing happens through the night while you watch the well.
For a brief time in the deep night you feel your skin crawl, a shiver running up your spine. Weird sounds, splashing, come from the well at one point, and then... nothing for the rest of the night.
Dawn arrives and you all feel a bit hungry, and of course slightly unrested, having watched the well through the night.
The town will truly open in an hour or so. Time to eat and prepare to sell your gear, where possible, and equip yourselves for what will certainly be a tough day or so ahead.
"Another option is that I can drop in and test out this ring, giving me a few seconds to step aside and take a glance around seeing in the dark while the rest of you climb down. I'd like to have one end of a rope with me in case the water is deep! I'll even bring your lit pebble with me in my pocket and take it out as you get near, otherwise it'll just drop into the water and probably be obscured. I'll augment my vision to see invisible creatures as well right before going down."
In reality, Frantino will test the ring by jumping off a tall wall first, before leaping into a well!
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"Another option is that I can drop in and test out this ring, giving me a few seconds to step aside and take a glance around seeing in the dark while the rest of you climb down. I'd like to have one end of a rope with me in case the water is deep! I'll even bring your lit pebble with me in my pocket and take it out as you get near, otherwise it'll just drop into the water and probably be obscured. I'll augment my vision to see invisible creatures as well right before going down."
In reality, Frantino will test the ring by jumping off a tall wall first, before leaping into a well!
Sounds good! We need to be ready in case you're attacked right away by that thing.
Roscoe grumbles incessantly at the lack of a feast, but eventually goes to sleep with his stomach growling.
In the morning, he tries to determine which spirits he might commune with as they prepare to go down the well.
I am becoming more and more powerful--Thassilon will rise--wait--what?!
Frantino waits for everyone to complete their shopping, wonders what Roscoe's séance will be today and possibly participates, ties off his rope at the well, pockets Ayita's light stone, casts see invisibility, and finally jumps into the well with one end of his rope in one hand and a dagger in the other. If the water is deep he'll pull himself back up above the waterline and look around while the rest of the party starts climbing down. If there's no immediate threat, he'll sheath his dagger and draw his greatsword.
Nasir agrees with Frantino's plan.
"I do not like the fact that you are going in alone, but your tactics are sound, Frantino Kaddren. I will help to lower you down. Tug on the line when you need us to stop or pull you back up if you are unable to yell up at us.
This should be reconnaissance to establish an entry point only. We cannot support you from up here, so try not to engage if you can avoid it. Hopefully, these creatures are nocturnal."
"I do not like the fact that you are going in alone, but your tactics are sound, Frantino Kaddren. I will help to lower you down. Tug on the line when you need us to stop or pull you back up if you are unable to yell up at us.
This should be reconnaissance to establish an entry point only. We cannot support you from up here, so try not to engage if you can avoid it. Hopefully, these creatures are nocturnal."
"I appreciate your concern, Nasir, but I'm going to be using this ring of feather fall so there's no need for me to climb down. This way I can also be far quieter than I would be in my armor. If the water is deep this rope will help me pull myself back up to the surface rather than forcing me to swim with all this gear."
"As soon as I jump in and start floating down I'm hoping that the rest of you will immediately start climbing down quietly, I have no interest in being down there alone any longer than I have to! If I'm attacked I'll be casting spells to protect myself first, giving the rest of you time to join me."
"Doc, I'm grateful for the healing link you're providing again, I hope I don't have to rely on it as much as the fight with my brother forced me to do! Assuming that I can get on firm ground and I'm not attacked I'll help the rest of you get off your ropes directly onto whatever dry ground is available."
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I would like us to be ready to descend and help Frantino quickly, if he were to be attacked immediately. There is a chance we wouldn't be able to get him back up.
She gets out a second rope and secures it nearby, coiling it to toss down,as a way to quickly descend -- using gloves to avoid rope burn.
Why am I imagining a huge tentacled sea creature living in the well??
Nothing that strange lives in this sleepy town!
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"Since we're heading down a well, take this.
Hatfield touches Frantino and Nasir on the shoulder. They can feel a small bit of warmth sink into them; it feels like standing in the sun on a spring day.
Frantino, having successfully tested his magical ring, uses it to slowly drop down the well. It becomes dark and dank as he descends. A sense of foreboding reaches into him.
There are ample handholds along the well wall, making it quite easy for his compatriots to join him, he thinks as he continues down down down.
Soon, he sees the shaft open up westwards. If he likes, he can easily step onto a rocky ledge and cease his descent into the water at the well's bottom.
Beyond the rocky ledge... water stretches before him. This is no well.
Nasir readies himself to go into the well immediately after Frantino jumps.
"Please could someone cast a light spell on my shield so that I can light our way down? Many thanks."
Once he has light cast on his shield, Nasir will begin his descent into the well using the secured rope until he discovers the handholds in the wall.
Ahh...so this is how these creatures managed to climb in and out of the well...
Assuming that the hand holds are as safe or safer to use than the rope, he will use the handholds to descend until he catches up with Frantino or finds the open shaft. He will stop there and find secure footing before unslinging his shield to peer into the water in the shaft to discover how deep the water is.
Seeing the opening in the shaft and not wanting to do any unnecessary swimming, Frantino will push off the opposite side so that he lands on the rocky shelf. If he doesn't see or hear any possible trouble, he'll drop Ayita's light pebble on the ground in the opening so that everyone knows where to go, switch to his greatsword, and take a few more steps in to keep watch while everyone else climbs down. He'll use his sword to probe the water in the room off the rocky shelf to get an idea how deep it is.
He'll use his sword to probe the water in the room off the rocky shelf to get an idea how deep it is.
Frantino can see that this is a flood room. The rubble of the ancient walls blocks him from seeing further, but they don't quite reach to the ceiling (having collapsed at some time in the past).
The water in the room varies from 3-5ft deep. Difficult to navigate. Frantino's sharp eyesight notes that the cavern is connected to the well. He can see that it flows beneath his feet, under the rubble upon which he stands, to the well behind him.
Assuming that the hand holds are as safe or safer to use than the rope, he will use the handholds to descend until he catches up with Frantino or finds the open shaft. He will stop there and find secure footing before unslinging his shield to peer into the water in the shaft to discover how deep the water is.
Nasir reaches the bottom of the shaft and steps out to join Frantino.
Roscoe arises in the morning knowing deep down that he is the most powerful of all his companions. He is slightly angered, knowing that Frantino will be the first down the well. That should be HIS job!
Just outside his vision, the spirits of envy and pride swirl about him, seeking entrance.
Me! I deserve your pathetic wretch of a body! shouts the spirit of a greying, portly old woman with the rune of envy upon her brow. A second spirit, looking like a strutting peacock of a man, his sharply pointed black beard giving him an arrogant look, lifts his nose at Roscoe and smiles proudly. I know I shall be his choice, Belimarius. Begone!
Roscoe looks down the dark hole.
"Alright, people. Listen up. I'm in charge, so everyone do what I say and you'll survive. Come with me if you want to live."
Roscoe grabs a rope and begins climbing down.
Although Nasir remains wary of the source of these boons that Roscoe shares, he is pragmatic and recognizes the benefits of Roscoe's mumbo-jumbo.
"I will join your summoning, Roscoe Elring. What do your spirits tell you this day?"
What is the price that this halfling pays for these boons? Who is his patron? At least I have not had to pay a price for its benefits...yet...
Frantino will also participate to take advantage of the +2 to damage.
"Frantino Kaddren, I do not think that those creatures were able to climb through that space in the ceiling, so they must have come from the source of this water.
Let us secure this space before the others arrive so that we can make room for all of us. I'll wade through this water to make sure it is clear. Try to take a look through the space between the collapse and the ceiling. Maybe we will get a better idea of this space."
Nasir readies his shield and scimitar and enters the bog water trying to make sure that the area is safe.
"Do not worry, I will not go far. I just want to secure our entry point. One cannot move quickly in this water anyway."
While Hatfield slowly descends the 95ft to the cave entrance, careful not to fall all the way into the water at the bottom of the shaft, Roscoe finishes his climb. He lands nimbly and looks out at Nasir wading through deep water.
Nasir is in water nearly five feet deep. It rises nearly past his neck. As he pushes through, he can tell the floor is not even. It seems to be rising somewhat as he walks forward into the cavern.
CORRECT.
Roscoe looks down the dark hole.
"Alright, people. Listen up. I'm in charge, so everyone do what I say and you'll survive. Come with me if you want to live."
Roscoe grabs a rope and begins climbing down.