DM Carbide's Core Emerald Spire

Game Master John Woodford

Salus accompanies the party back to the tower ruins. No goblins seem to have returned to the area--the bodies are mostly still where you left them, although they've been chewed a bit by scavengers. The sage remains on the main level while the party descends the stairs; about half a turn of the spiral below where the zombies were, the darkness effect abates, and the stairs are clear of rubble.

Come Blitz. By the Green, all seems unchanged so far. Let us hope it stays that way and we can investigate this in peace.

I'm sure we will encounter more perils as we go down these stairs. I wonder how far below the ground the tower goes. Surely more than one or two stories, or it wouldn't stand unexplored, I suppose.

Corbrae casts Dancing lights to illuminate the way

"Well, that's what we are here to find out. Someone put a lot of effort into it though, you can tell that much."

"Either more goblins or something that kept the goblins out."

Joseph stays near the front. Bow in hand and looking for traps.

Take 10 for a 21 if allowed.

Map in the header is updated.

The stairs straighten and lead away from the strangely glowing Spire core, and after a descent of another fifty feet or so end in a stone-lined room. A large stone door stands directly south of the stair, a small alcove lies to the east, and another door to the southeast is slightly ajar. An extinguished torch rests on the floor of the alcove. Joseph has noted no traps...so far.

The area is dimly lit by irregular patches of luminescent, greenish-white furry mold. It's not clear what the mold subsists on, though.

After Joseph gives the all-clear, the party advances. The stone door to the south is locked, and there's no sign of a key.

What knowledge roll for the mold, dungeoneering?

"hey, how about that. this level isn't pitch black. A nice change. hope all the other differences are as nice."

What actually is the lighting on this level? Any need for torches and such?

Nature.

You'll still need torches and other light sources to avoid a 20% miss chance, but you won't need to roll Perception checks to target a square.

By the Green! Maybe this will not be infested with goblin filth afterall.

He will cast light on the tip of his spear.

Mrs. Book breaks out a sunrod and attaches it to her backpack.

The room is now well-lit.

Know Nature: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 1 = 21

Corbrae looks at the mold a little closer-but not too much close, just in case-bringing her dancing lights with her

Corbrae, the mold is growing on what you recognize as the dried excrement of some large arthropod.

"Hmmmm arthropods... either prepare for jumbo shrimps or some giant centipedes folks..." jokes Tibearius, getting his mace out and readying his shield. His holy symbol in the shield hand, he gets ready to bless the party for battle should any non-shrimp creature decide to rear its ugly head up.

Mrs. Book immediately sets her eyes on the ceiling and walls. Things with lots of legs tend to crawl long the ceiling.

Viridian will hold his glowing spear toward ceiling and walls as well looking for secret areas or movement

”By the Green. Filth exists after all. “

Perception : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

Viridian's distaste at the prospect of larger-than-usual arthropods distracts him, and he finds nothing hidden in the room. Mrs. Book sees nothing clinging to the ceiling and walls.

What now? There's a slightly open door, a locked door, a torch on the floor, and possibly more.

Maybe we should try the easiest path, with the open door, first? Does someone want a free torch?

Yes, on the door. No for the torch. It can rot where it is....although. Who dropped it here is a question.

Viridian kneels next to the torch to see how recently extinguished and if there is a trail from the torch to one of the paths.

survival?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Mrs. Book moves down the stairs for a better look, assuming the place of Viridian on the crowded stairs as he leaves to examine the torch. She has her brand spanking new wand of magic missiles ready to go, glad to dispense with the erratic acid blobs she managed to coat everything but the goblins with.

I moved Viridian's icon next to the alcove where the torch is and mine to where his was.

The torch is room temperature, and has probably been there for some time. Viridian finds no obvious tracks.

It seems like an eternity as she waits for Viridian to finish his examination.

"We ready to move on now?"

Viridian looks up

”This torch is cold. No sign of who
Left it. We can move forward. “

He points to the closest door.

”Blitz…this way “

The door opens onto a hall leading east, with an alcove to the north containing a door, and another door at the east end of the hall. The luminescent mold casts a faint sheen of light across the scene.

We head down the hall, halting at the first door, carefully searching for hazards.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Corbrae looks around too, her crossbow ready to shoot.

If needed, she renews her spell so the small balls of light continue to dance around

Neither Mrs. Book nor Corbrae notice anything unusual.

Anyone else searching?

Tibearius looks around Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Viridian and Blitz continue the search and advance as well.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Still taking 10.

The party's cautious approach pays off, as both Viridian and Joseph spot a seam in the floor (delineated by the black square on the map). It looks like a slab of flooring about ten feet on a side will probably give way if any weight is put on it.

"Hmm. One moment. I suspect a trap."

Joseph works to prevent the trap from triggering.

disable device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

”Strong work! “

Joseph pounds a couple of spikes into the gap and figures that the slab shouldn't move.

Which door do you want to take?

Just to be contrary, how about taking the far one?

Works for me.

When the party gets closer to the door, they can see that it's held slightly ajar by a chunk of stone used as a doorstop. The glow from the ubiquitous fungi coming through the opening seems somehow softened or diffused. Everyone but Tibearius can hear a faint metallic clinking coming from the other side of the door.

Any preparations before you open the door the rest of the way?

Viridian tries to identify the fungus

Kn nature : 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Or any tracks

Survival : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Mrs Book just readies her new wand of magic missiles, happy that if trouble starts she has something that will actually hit what she is aiming at.

No one can see into the next room yet--the door isn't open far enough for that.

Viridian sees too tight for the door.

Perception : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

sticks the pointy end of his glowing spear through the crack of no traps…

Blitz stands close to him.

Joseph has his bow ready.

*Nod at Viridian*

The door opens easily, revealing the reason for the diffuse quality of the light: the walls and ceiling of the room are hidden behind a thick, gray-white forest of spiderwebs that blocks all vision beyond ten feet. Sheets of webbing hang from the ceiling, creating a sort of maze. Dust clings to much of the sticky strands. A desiccated, shriveled corpse dangles from one of the sheets, and a variety of rusted-looking hand weapons are stuck in webbing around it.

”Spiders! Not good. “

"Burn those webs, and let's smoke out whatever may hide in there..." says Tibearius, backing up and getting his mace and shield ready.

"I like that plan better than just bulling our way through them. I have a torch in my backpack."

"I reek at darts... someone else should chuck that torch. But wait! we have an able-bodied archer in our midst! May Desna bless this most holy of endeavors!" adds Tibearius, waiting for the torch to be lit and in Joe's hand before casting the spell.

Casting 'bless' when torch is ready to be thrown in the webs; holy symbol still in shield hand

The torch sails into the room, where it ignites a patch of web that starts to burn slowly. However, the view of the scene is quickly cut off by a cloud of dense fog emanating from somewhere inside the chamber!

Round 1:

Joseph
Corbrae
Viridian/Blitz
Enemy
Mrs. Book
Tibearius

Joseph, Corbrae, and Viridian can act!

@GM: Tibearius cast bless on the party before Joe threw the torch, if that's ok. If not I'll save it for my turn or another time.