following the directions, it's not hard, especially because it means going by your own house. A wide cave opening leads into a rocky hill sheltered by a stone overhang. Dense trees and berry bushes grow near a few logs arrayed around a well-used fire pit.
Bibi holds up a hand before htey get too close, and she scans the area for deadfalls, tripwires, pits, etc.
GM, use a HP to reroll if it fails, please...
The cold firepit has remained unused for weeks. There are no signs of traps or alarms...
Bibi looks over her shoulder and head-jerks the group forward.
take a look in the cave...
This area contains several stalagmites and stalactites, ranging from a few inches to a few feet in length. The alcove to the north holds a pool of clear water with a mineral tang. The cave also hooks around further than the intrepid halfling can see.
Check for traps again
Elena keeps a couple paces back from Bibi, her concentration held on a spell to allow her to detect magic.
As Bibi advances, she sees that the shadows in the cave don't move in time with the light of the day. Before she can understand why the shadows animate and attack!
Initiative
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Avoid Notice (T)
Detect Magic (A: +2 (U), N: +11 (T), O: +2 (U) , R: +11 (T))
Investigate (A: +13 (T), N: +9 (T), O: +11 (T) , R: +9 (T))
Search (E)
Avoid Notice (E)
Scout (Init ties to Tal)
ROUND 1:
Tal (66/66): Go
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Volluk: 80
Used:
level 4 - 3
Level 3 - 1
Tal strides to the front, Hunts Prey, and looses a shaft at the northern shadow...
, Damage on Hit:
Having faced incorporeal foes before, Tal isn't surprised to see his arrow pass through the target. Nevertheless his sharp eyes do see some tendrils of shadow leak and bleed away from the swirling center.
As Bibi advances, she sees that the shadows in the cave don't move in time with the light of the day. Before she can understand why the shadows animate and attack!
ROUND 1:
Tal (66/66): Hit
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 4
Black:
Noroc doesn't know what these things are, but they appear from the shadows, so he thinks, hey, probably evil...? He determines to find out. So...
Noroc's spell is way, way off!
Something about Tal's elven blood draws the creatures as they float towards him:
for It then pulls on Tal's shadow. His shadow pulls and fights, independent of Tal's motions.... The second one tries the same.
for this one also pulls on Tal's shadow, and nearly separates it from him!
ROUND 1:
Tal (45/66): Hit
Noroc (58/58): Miss
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Go
Elena (48/48): Go
Carrufikus (68/68): Go
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 4
Black:
Carrufikus moves up and casts DivineLance on White.
” Guddommelig Lanse!” the pilgrim calls out as a burst of butterflies fly out toward the creature.
Elena moves her hands through the necessary gestures for a spell. One she has cast many times. The now familiar crackling sound of electricity and smell of ozone presages her attack on the shadow creatures.
She then focuses her mental energy on another bit of magic. A ring of arcane glyphs expands out from her body, swirling protectively around her.
Carrufikus hurls a divine lance through the center of the wounded shadow!
Elena tries to harm both:
But only zaps the other shadow.
ROUND 1:
Tal (45/66): Hit
Noroc (58/58): Miss
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Go
Elena (48/48): Zap
Carrufikus (68/68): Lance
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 13
Black: 8
Out of habit, Bibi moves around to get some flanking going--even though she's not hopeful it'll actually work.
Bibi moves around and when she goes to stab, she realizes that there's nothing specific to stab. Nevertheless she connects twice to lightly disrupt the shadow.
ROUND 1:
Tal (45/66): Hit
Noroc (58/58): Miss
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Hits
Elena (48/48): Zap
Carrufikus (68/68): Lance
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 22
Black: 8
Peldur rushes forward, leaping over the shadow...
...and landing in a ferocious feline form. He lashes out at the shadow.
Peldur lands and strikes true on his second attack, but his hand passes completely through the shadow without harming it.
Bibi moves around and when she goes to stab, she realizes that there's nothing specific to stab. Nevertheless she connects twice to lightly disrupt the shadow.
ROUND 2:
Tal (45/66): Go
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 22
Black: 8
1. Recall Lore. +2 because it is prey. I suspect Religion, which is +2 (total of 4). If it can work with Occult or Arcana, total is +11. How do I kill it?
2. Quickdraw Smoking Longsword, and Ignite. When in doubt, Fire.
3. Strike, taking advantage of the Flank with Bibi
Tal stays light on his feat, and there's a hiss as his blade is unsheathed. Smoke billows out of the scabbard and drips down from the blade as it makes a high arc over Tal's head. He takes the time to hold the cruciform guard to his eyes, with a quick utterance of Elven--a prayer to Calistria, but one that serves as more of a mantra or focus for martial skill as Tal pays no homage to any god or goddess. The words are part of his training from hundreds of years ago, and habits are hard to break. Tal pivots, seems to pause for a moment and then the flaming sword cuts...
, Damage on Hit: physical slashing, and Fire.
Tal knows these to be undead. Weapons can be forged to strike the incorporeal as assuredly as if they were flesh, but they must be forged purposefully. For now, magic is the best you've got. Tal knows that Peldur likely can't hit hard enough to hurt them, unless someone bathes his fists in light...
Tal sees that while his blade isn't supernaturally sharp, it does give off light, allowing it to cut through some of the ghostly defenses.
The shadows still pull at Tal's shadow. The shadow fights back, but is losing the battle...
ROUND 2:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 2): Crit
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
White: 28
Black: 8
Noroc moves over, checking to make sure his own shadow is staying put, then manifests spiritual energy into his cupped hands before firing off a storm of bolts and beams in a line.
The closer shadow sees the spell coming, but the other does not! It's completely burned away by the radiance!
The remaining shadow redoubles, frantically trying to pull Tal's shadow away:
for It then gives as powerful a pull as it can,as if its undead existence depends on it....
And it tears it free! Tal slumps forward a bit, weakened. His shadow, now free of the living immediately switches sides and joins in the fight!
ROUND 2:
Tal (33/66, Enfeebled 3): Crit
Noroc (58/58): Kill
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Go
Elena (48/48): Go
Carrufikus (68/68): Go
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Blue: 0
Black: 8
Seeing one shadow dissipate, Bibi cheers YES!! Then immediately after, Tal's shadow replaces the fallen one, and she cries NOOO!
She continues to swing
<--I take it no effect from poison...
Bibi connects twice, though no poison rubs off onto the target. The second hit is the shot of her life and nearly undoes the shadow! Unfortunately the mundane weapon does very little damage.
ROUND 2:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Crit
Noroc (58/58): Kill
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Crit
Elena (48/48): Go
Carrufikus (68/68): Go
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Blue: 12
Black: 8
Carrufikus casts Distrupt Undead on the Blue shadow.
"Perturbare Immortui!"
CRIT FAIL
Carrufikus levels a spell at the cameo of Tal and utterly destroys it. Some of the party quickly look down, but Tal still has no shadow and looks haggard because of it.
ROUND 2:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Crit
Noroc (58/58): Kill
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Crit
Elena (48/48): Go
Carrufikus (68/68): Crit Kill
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Black: 8
Elena whispers arcane words, hands gesturing with each syllable as three darts of force appear before her. With a final flick of the wrist the darts zip forward to strike down the shadow!
The trio of darts strike with full force!
CRIT FAIL
Carrufikus levels a spell at the cameo of Tal and utterly destroys it. Some of the party quickly look down, but Tal still has no shadow and looks haggard because of it.
ROUND 2:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Crit
Noroc (58/58): Kill
Shadows: ATK
Bibi (56/56): Crit
Elena (48/48): MM
Carrufikus (68/68): Crit Kill
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Black: 18
Peldur rushes in, leaping over the shadow and striking out with a sweep and an uppercut against the shadow.
Peldur's aim is true, but without either a magical light on his hands or a magical weapon, he's not sure he can hit these things hard enough to hurt them.
The trio of darts strike with full force!
CRIT FAIL
Carrufikus levels a spell at the cameo of Tal and utterly destroys it. Some of the party quickly look down, but Tal still has no shadow and looks haggard because of it.
ROUND 3:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Go
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Black: 18
Peldur's aim is true, but without either a magical light on his hands or a magical weapon, he's not sure he can hit these things hard enough to hurt them.
The trio of darts strike with full force!
CRIT FAIL
Carrufikus levels a spell at the cameo of Tal and utterly destroys it. Some of the party quickly look down, but Tal still has no shadow and looks haggard because of it.
ROUND 3:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Go
Noroc (58/58): Go
Shadows: TBD
Bibi (56/56): TBD
Elena (48/48): TBD
Carrufikus (68/68): TBD
Peldur (83/83): TBD
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Black: 20
Tal steps forth, heedless of the numbness in his arms and he moves to flame the creature.
Concentrate, Stride and... , looks bad but physical and Fire if a hit.
Noroc lets another beam of divine energy go.
Then he moves over and...can one flank something insubstantial like a shadow?
Well, he intends to find out.
Tal's swing is a miss, but Noroc's beam of energy lands! The spell seems to be the most effective weapon yet as the shadow dims considerably.
It's also enough to alter the shadow's tactics. It moves just a bit before trying to grab Noroc's shadow:
for
ROUND 3:
Tal (45/66, Enfeebled 3): Miss
Noroc (45/58): Hit
Shadows: ATK[b]
Bibi (56/56): Go
Elena (48/48): Go
Carrufikus (68/68): Go
Peldur (83/83): Go
Location: Smuggler's Cave
Black: 31
Bibi takes Noroc's hint and tries the flank, using only Otari's dagger since it's been most effective for her.
Bibi makes two quick hits. There's no good place to aim, but they're on target, and they're exactly what's needed to finish off what Noroc's spell accelerated!
”Thank the holy Desna! You have slain those vile shadows! Thank you, everyone. Now let me see what I can do to treat your wounds.”
The gnome healer quickly moves about treating wounds on Tal and Noroc.
After ten minutes, Carrufikus declares. ”Let’s see if Desna can speed things up.”
The cleric channels a three action heal.
Tal (57/66):
Noroc (57/58)
”Your wounds appear stubborn to heal.”
In the moments after Carrufikus casts his spell an exasperated shout from deeper in the cave. Everyone immediately jumps to action, prepared for more undead....
But it's but a man. It's Carman. “You’ll never take me alive! This is my sword! I only took what’s rightfully mine!”. He doesn't attack, but he does brandish the blade.
"Hold on, hold on! No one is looking to kill anyone here," Elena tries to de-escalate the situation. "Why don't you tell us your story first. How is the blade yours?"
Tal slumps and takes a rest.
“It’s mine, I tell you! The sword is mine! How can I steal something that already belongs to me? It belonged to Vol Rajani, and I’m her only surviving descendant. That uptight mayor says the sword belongs to his family just because a pack of kobolds had their hands on it for a while, and his ancestor snatched it from them. He says an heirloom is an heirloom, and he’s right, but it’s my heirloom! Look, I tried to buy it off him, but every time I saved enough coin, he raised the price—fifty gold, then one hundred, then two hundred. Then he said it wasn’t for sale! I had no choice but to take it. It belongs to Vol—to the Rajani family. It belongs to me! Now I get wind that you're going to take it from me. How can this be fair”
"Hi Vol. I'm Carrufikus." The gnome calls out in greeting. He then proceeds to talk calmly and to try and deescalate the situation."We all have weapons, I don't think you are in any danger of losing your sword to us. It looks like a nice weapon. Have you been able to successfully defend yourself with it down here in a place like this?"
"I know you. I literally talked to you earlier. I'm no fighter. Those shadows are new! Rumor has it there’re ghostly things going on since Gauntlight lit up, but it’s nothing to do with me. Sounds like a problem you brought with you!"
Peldur rushes forward and strikes out at Vol's grip on the sword.
Before the sword hits the ground, Peldur snatches it up.
Peldur!! What are you doing?? We need to resolve this, not just TAKE it.
Bibi tries to get Peldur to back off, then stops and eyes Vol.
Vol, how is the sword yours if Vandy said it was there since "before her time?"
Blacksmithing makes him strong, but it doesn't make him a combatant. Peldur rushes forward and knocks the blade from Vol's hand.
"Bloody hell! As long as you’re not taking it or me back to town, I’ll go with you to do whatever you need to do. Please, don't be the next link in the chain of my cursed family.”
"Bloody hell! As long as you’re not taking it or me back to town, I’ll go with you to do whatever you need to do. Please, don't be the next link in the chain of my cursed family.”
Bibi's brow crinkles. There's obviously more going on here than we know. Vol, how is the sword yours if Vandy said it was there since "before her time?" And what curse are you talking about? Here... she hands him her flask for a pull ...calm yourself, sit your arse down, and fill us in, won't you?