I think I initially said we'd move them over to here, but at the time I thought this table would be ahead and that everyone would cross paths sooner than we did. Since they were "further" in the dungeon, I'm having going to use that thread.
I've never done this before so I'm trying to make it as smooth as possible and to be as accommodating as possible. I still plan to GM much like I have with your group.
I'll keep this thread up so I can reference things.
There's obviously going to be a good deal of retconning we'll have to figure out. But I'm confident it will all be good!
The ceiling of this chamber rises to a lofty twelve feet. The cave floor drops away into a pair of long, ten-foot-deep pits. Between them, a ridge of stone forms a dubious walkway to a landing on the opposite side, where a five-foot-wide shaft with a knotted rope hanging down into it awaits.
Hanzo leads the way down a snaky path. You encounter nothing, but you do begin to hear some faint echoes coming from somewhere. Hanzo stops when he notices another path on the left hand side.
Perception 15:
You're hearing the sounds of battle, coming from the path to the left.
Perception 25:
Your keen ear allows you to make out the words "Rock’em, sock’em, Make him see red! Come on axe him, get him dead, dead, dead!" as they are shouted out.
there are no traps that you can find, and the corpse has nothing of value. However, searching the second half of the tunnel takes twice as long because it's practically collapsed, cluttered with so much rubble. (Difficult Terrain) A large, but low-ceilinged cave is where you find yourself at on the other side of this broken tunnel. In the middle of the cave sits a large pool of dark water.
You all descend the rope, entering an ovoid cavern with two shallow pools and a path between them leading beyond. In the dim light from the rope, you can see that the tunnel-y hallway bends to the right and, at the corner, lies a dead kobold.
Out of character information for you: I'm trying to move y'all along as quickly as I can so you can join up with the other party and I can combine them into one table.
Thanks to Thomas' cleverness, the rope now glows with a gentle brightness. Your eyes adjust to the change in light in a few seconds time. There's a momentary dull ache that quickly fades from your temples as your pupils contract. The hole appears to be about a 20ft descent.
You encounter no traps in the tunnel, however, a thick layer of straw covers the floor of this cave. The cave's northern end hooks around a corner to the east, and is out of sight from the south. A large section of straw has been stained green and is still wet-looking.
Heal or Kn(Nature) DC15:
This substance is a poison known as Greenblood Oil. It's only harmful if delivered via injury, entering the bloodstream. Still, it's best to keep one's distance.
Lying on top of the straw not far from the narrow portion of the cavern are the remnants of what looks to be a spring trap. The various parts have been tossed to the side and discarded, rendering it useless.
Sorry for the absence y'all. I never realized how much I updated at work until they blocked the site.
Yeah, that's really rough. Fortunately, it's not blocked at my work (yet). But even so, when I'm at home I like to spend time with my wife and children, and the rest of the time is filled by housework. Hence why I still didn't make a single post over my 4-day weekend.
Hanzo and Guruthos, you find no evidence of booby traps or ambushes lying in wait. However, passing through the second wooden gate, you enter a large cave with a twelve-foot-high ceiling. Dozens of well-chewed deer bones lie scattered around the cave. Apart from the party itself, there doesn't seem to be anything else living.
The small sound echos a bit, but not in a worrisome way. The tunnel that heads west does, in fact, lead outside to the flooded quarry, perhaps 40 feet or so south from the tunnel you entered through.
There must have been guards posted at both entrances. The tribe had already been expecting some sort of retribution or retaliation.
Once the gang is back in the room with the pile of rotten fruits, vegetables, refuse...
While examining this cave, everyone except Hanzo notices some pieces of rope on the floor near the back of the larger alcove to the north. On the back wall of this alcove are a couple iron spikes, driven into the wall.
Thomas and Guruthos also notice a few small reptilian-looking scales. Very small, like noticing a long strand of hair on the floor...(in a dark cave underground).
There seems to be two tunnels, apart from the one you came through, that lead out of this room. One seems to primarily head west and its ceiling gets progressively higher. The wooden gate that is installed at the entrance of this tunnel is wide open.
The other tunnel heads directly south before curving left towards east.
What do you do?
(By the way, I'm super sorry everyone for my absence. Life turned into one of those perfect storm type of situations when your entire schedule and routine is out of whack for several days).
I will be on vacation starting Friday for two weeks. I will, of course, have internet, but I can't promise, I'll use it to check in with you guys regularly. Please bot whenever necessary.
This next room has two exiting tunnels to your right, one of which looks to have been secured by a wooden gate at one time, but the gate is unlatched and open. The path heading due south is unblocked, and there are two small alcoves in the northern part of the room. A mound of what appears to be rotten vegetables, fruit, and excrement sits heaped in the middle of the room.
When Thomas gets closer, the light reveals something dark. The pit is merely five square feet, and an alcove to the right provides a small slanted ledge you could use to walk around if needed. What lies before you is a pit trap that's been triggered, causing rubble to fall into the pit from the alcove and onto whoever was unlucky enough to be beneath it.
As Joriannika peers into the pit, she can easily see the horror. Two bodies lie at the bottom of this pit, bloodied and broken. One is short and stocky, with a squashed nose and blonde hair while the other is that of an ifrit, though the normally fire-like hair seems to be extremely dulled, as if the colors are fading to grey. If he wasn't bloody and buried under large sharp rocks, he'd be extremely handsome.
They don't seem to be moving.
OOC:
These are, if you haven't already guessed, the two players who quit the other table. These characters are dead.
When Thomas gets closer, the light reveals something dark. The pit is merely five square feet, and an alcove to the right provides a small slanted ledge you could use to walk around if needed. What lies before you is a pit trap that's been triggered, causing rubble to fall into the pit from the alcove and onto whoever was unlucky enough to be beneath it.
As Joriannika peers into the pit, she can easily see the horror. Two bodies lie at the bottom of this pit, bloodied and broken. One is short and stocky, with a squashed nose and blonde hair while the other is that of an ifrit, though the normally fire-like hair seems to be extremely dulled, as if the colors are fading to grey. If he wasn't bloody and buried under large sharp rocks, he'd be extremely handsome.
They don't seem to be moving.
OOC:
These are, if you haven't already guessed, the two players who quit the other table. These characters are dead.
The creature shakes off Guru's magic, but it still provided enough of a momentary distraction for Hanzo to close the gap and slice up the lizard. The creature collapses.
Everyone hears a muffled, lizard-esque grunt coming from the corridor you entered this cave through.
Turning, you see Yellow staring around the corner, trying and failing to be stealthy. It must have stubbed its foot on a rock or something. He hides behind the rock, hoping to not have been seen.
(Jori, it's a DC 15 Climb check to get up on the western ledge, because the rope ladder was never rolled over the edge. The others you did have their ladders rolled out, so you are able to check those easily enough. Not gonna make you roll for those)
On each kobold she checks, she finds leather armor, spears, and slings. The slings could prove useful, though everything else is sized for small creatures.
What does everyone do now?
GM Newsie wrote:
Stat Tracker
Global Condition: Inside Cave: Attack Rolls -2 |
Purple’s eyes instantly roll back into his head as he collapses. Hanzo walks over, twirling both daggers in his hands and driving them both into kobold!
Black stabilize:1d20 - 4 ⇒ (1) - 4 = -3(Fail! 1pt of damage and dying) Light Blue stabilize:1d20 - 3 ⇒ (7) - 3 = 4(Fail! 1pt of damage and dying.)
Orange loads a stone in its sling and whips it at the rogue!
Sling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Damage:1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
But, with a comrade having just been shot with an arrow bleeding out next to him, he can't focus and the rock goes wide.
Climb DC 5:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
The creature, apparently not wishing to die or surrender, immediately descends the rope ladder and moves to escape.
Blue Stabilize DC 10:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Although you can't see it, you hear the raspy breath of the blue kobold quicken. It may be unconscious, but it's in a lot of pain.
(Blue takes 1pt of damage)
GM:
Double movement for Green, who has now reached the Snacking Pools
Botting Jori
Seeing the Yellow one running, attempting to jump the small gap, she runs to head him off, whipping out her rapier.
Rapier:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 Damage:1d6 ⇒ 5
But instead falls flat on her face.
The yellow kobold can barely believe its luck! It doesn't slow down as it jumps the gorge.
Acrobatics DC 5:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Its little legs are much stronger than one might have thought. The creature jumped nearly 20ft. Without missing a beat, the reptile continues running down and out the tunnel on the south western corner of this cave.
Purple looks at Red, nods, and then begins descending the rope ladder.
Climb DC 5:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8
While it climbs down, Red offers cover, slinging a stone towards Thomas!
At the base of the ledge, Purple turns towards Joriannika, and pulls out its spear, and makes a careful approach.
Sling attack:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 Damage:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Red whips a stone right in the knuckles on the back of Thomas' hand, dealing 1pt of damage.
Blue, looking woozy, musters its concentration long enough to load one more stone into its sling.
Sling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 Damage:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
But its strength is wasted. It slings the stone pathetically at the ground in front of it; its legs get shaky, then the poor creature simple collapses. (Now Blue is unconscious and dying).
With much more force and muscle than they've so far mustered, Thomas' slung stone embeds right between the eyes of the black kobold, who falls backward, unconscious.
Woohoo! Good luck in bad! :D GM, where did her nl dmg come from?
Joriannika:
A kobold had scored a critical hit against you when you crossed the bridge, but the extra damage was zero (1d3-1=1-1=0).
Guruthos' shot slams into the wall next to the descending kobold, who flinches, but then starts running toward the trench, across from which is the only other exit out of here. While he's running, Hanzo fires an arrow from his short bow, but is unable to connect.
Black loads another stone and slings it at Hanzo!
Sling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 damag:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1Hanzo takes 1pt of damage!
Light Blue, like the first, loads another stone but slings it at Thomas!
Sling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 damag:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Orange, like the second, loads another stone but slings it at Joriannika!
Sling:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 damag:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
1d8 ⇒ 6 When she does throw it, it hits the wall above and slightly right of the orange kobold, but essentially its same square, because it can't go any further. Splash damage will apply to Orange and Light Blue.
Joriannika lobs a bomb at her attackers from the north, but overestimates the distance a lets go a little late.
Ref DC14 for half to Orange:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17Success! Takes 2 damage Ref DC14 for half to Light Blue:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12Takes 4 damage!
Red, Purple, Yellow
Red loads another stone into his sling and whips it at Thomas, while Purple does the same at Joriannika.
Sling Red:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Damage:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Fortunately, Red's aim is off, probably due to its sizzling scales. The pain. Oh, the pain!
Sling Purple:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 Damage:1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Purple actually hits, but probably more from luck than anything else. Joriannika's shin is scraped up by the sharp stone, taking 1pt of damage.
Climb:1d20 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 - 1 = 15
A rope ladder, probably anchored to the ground atop the ledge, suddenly unrolls over the ledge and the Yellow kobold descends it as quickly as it can.
The arrow pierces the lizard in the chest; it collapses out of sight, but you doubt it's gonna get back up anytime soon.
(Guruthos, from your position, you can't see the kobolds on the northern plateau, so nothing they do is going to trigger your readied action)
The three reptiles in the northern part of the room, continue their onslaught against the humans they can see. The black kobold throws one at Hanzo while the other two sling 'em at Joriannika.
Sorry all! Today's been crazy. I'm actually not at work but we're doing a potty training weekend. (Literally, every fifteen minutes, we're sending our kid to the use the potty. So far so good. Also, yes I'm aware I used the word potty. It's just part of the parent vernacular, I suppose.
Also also, actually actually: I typed up a huge post that I technically started around lunchtime Thursday, and lost it all!!! Sad face. What follows is essentially describing a large portion of the battle thus far. There was a bit of retcon involved, so bear with me.
The new continuity:
Hanzo defends the party's backside with a readied short bow attack.
Joriannika moves carefully, preparing a bomb to throw at the three scaly fiends atop the raised, rocky ridge to the southeast. She crosses the narrow bridge, and is about to lob her bomb when three rocks come at her from the north. There's another ledge up there, too, with three more kobolds (Black, Light Blue, Orange) on it. Fortunately, only one of the stones hits Joriannika, but it gets her right on the forehead, leaving a cut and a quickly-forming, rather nasty bruise, dealing 2pts of damage and 1pt of nonlethal damage.
Jori, however, doesn't lose focus. If anything, she knows her next target. She lobs her bomb at middle reptile (Purple) which hits it in the chest and explodes on impact dealing 4pts of fire damage to all three kobolds up there. They're hurt, but still standing.
But rather than retaliate, they throw their stones at Guruthos, on the other side of the cave. One fails miserably but the other two make contact, though not dealing much damage. Guruthos takes 1pt of damage and 1pt of nonlethal damage.
Thomas casts divine favor upon himself.
Green doesn't make an appearance, but Blue, now having a clearer vantage point, slings a rock at Joriannika, but it falls short, tumbling down into the pit.
Guruthos prepares and readies an attack from his bow for the next time a kobold makes its face visible.
With the turn you described, your move action could put you in range if you were to cross the bridge. This would allow you to throw it without waiting. Confirm whether or not that's what you want to do. If not, your bomb becomes inert.
Guruthos steps aside but is still really the only target within range, so the three kobolds on the southeastern ledge all sling stones at him. One fails miserably but the other two make contact, though not dealing much damage. Guruthos takes 1pt of damage and 1pt of nonlethal damage.
This might would trigger Joriannika's readied action, as she is now aware that three kobolds are grouped together on top of the ledge. They are roughly 50ft away, and 8ft up. If this triggers your readied action, it happens before they sling their stones.
Blue & Green
With a much better vantage point, Blue slings a stone right at Jori.
Guruthos only caught a glimpse of one of the assailants when he fired his arrow. He didn't see the creature, but the echos of wood hitting stone meant he'd missed, and the kobold was likely laying flat, where he wouldn't be seen.
A faint sound of falling rocks echos across the large room, and a small dust cloud can be seen behind the westernmost alcove.
GM only:
The three kobolds each ready their slings to shoot at the first enemy to cross the narrow bridge.
Hanzo, Joriannika, and Thomas may act. (Mori too, if Guruthos wants).
GM Newsie wrote:
Stat Tracker
Global Condition: NO PENALTY IN THIS ROOM! |
Mori's keen eyes hone in on the ledges. As she rises up past 8ft, she sees kobolds flat on the tops, lying in wait to ambush the intruders. Before her eyes can get an accurate count...
Mori flies up to get a better vantage point but the moment she's higher than the 8-ft-high ledges, two rocks come whizzing towards her from the south. The first misses but the second hits her wing, dealing 2 points of damage. The bird caws out, drawing the attention of the rest of the party
Fly DC 10:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Fortunately, Mori is able to stay in the air.
Mori:
Mori saw the two assailants on the westernmost ledge as well. She can't be sure how many, if any, are on top of the northernmost ledge. She definitely saw 3 kobolds on the easternmost ledge, as well as a rope ladder that's been hoisted up so no one can use it to help climb up the ledge.
Two more rocks come hurtling from atop the westernmost alcove, one heading again towards the bird, and another heading towards Guruthos. Both fall short, one landing in the 20ft-deep trench, and the other plunks down maybe 6 full feet away from the elf.
GM rolls:
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Blue and Green // Guruthos // ?? // Hanzo, Mori, Joriannika, Thomas // ??
GM Newsie wrote:
Stat Tracker
Global Condition: NO PENALTY IN THIS ROOM! |
The party reconvenes at the eastern corridor. Guruthos slowly stalks ahead, looking for traps, finding none.
Around the corner, Guruthos sees the layout of the next room. Straw is strewn across the floor of this large cave. The ceiling vaults to a height of twelve feet. Three ledges, eight feet off the ground, look out over the main cavern. A five-foot-wide, twenty-foot-deep trench runs north to south through the western half of the cavern, with just one five-foot wide bridge of natural stone allowing passage from one side to the other. In the not-quite-center is a large bonfire, which lights up most of the space. The edges of the room are in dim light.
The married couple help the younger girl, who has remained silent. They inform you that they'll take her back home before they continue on their way.
In response to Jori, Carlo says, "Oh, Talia! What a warm spirit she was. We sold her a necklace, I think. Or a pendant. I'm not sure."
In response to Carlo, Sela says nothing but sighs and shakes her head.
In response to Jori, Sela says, "Thank you all so much! We'll see to it Bophre gets home. I'm sure someone will recognize her. I believe she once mentioned her family owns one of the farms. And we'll tell of your deeds to the city! Thank you all so much again! Good luck on your quest. And farewell!"
With that, Carlo and Sela Bellathi lead Bophre Malak back towards Belhaim.
"We was allowed to draw water from the well, and they gave us frogs...raw frogs..." Carlo shutters at the memory. "All in all, it seemed like they wanted us healthy, strong...but not too strong, if you understand my meaning."
His wife chimes in, "They like their productive slaves," she spits the sentence out as if the words taste like bile in her mouth.
