Well we arrived in this grand city for the first time yesterday, it was during a spot of shopping that I found this. <Brenon shows the man the pin> This morning over breakfast I feel the pin glow warm and I hear that message in my head.
"So what exactly was this training anyway? Arts magical? Fencing?"
{Elvish]”The Duskblade’s training. I’m sure you’ve heard of it since its part of our culture. Its both potent and versatile. Dathi felt confident that I could learn its powerful techniques. I’ve already learned its founding principles so its just a matter of practice, study and mediation before I merge all the training together and bring the underling principles up to a practical skill level.”[/Elvish]
Spider then loosens his light wooden shield from his pack and fastens it on his arm.
[Elvish]”It also entails the knowledge of shield use. I haven’t gotten it quite right yet as it throws my attack of a bit, but I’ll get it soon enough.”[/Elvish] he says confidently as he mimics an attack stance. Spider has no intentions of letting his mentor down.
[Elvish]”Dathi did say it also involved the use of the magical arts, nothing compared to a wizards level of power, but enough. At present I don’t see how, I guess that part may come from the mediation. I figure to wield magic one must have a more disciplined mind?”[/Elvish]
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Well it is a curious pin you have there. It doesn't help with solving the riddle though. I do not recognize the symbol at all. I can tell you a little about Undermountain though. The great dungeon was origianlly built by dwarves centuries ago when they found a vein of mithral. They were conquered by drow and duergar and then in turn were conquered by a very powerful wizard named Halaster the mad mage and his apprentices. He has called it home for a very long time filling it with traps and monsters to keep out unwanted treasure seekers and upstart mages wanting his magic. Just a little while ago we had a massive earthquake and Halaster's presence disappeared. It is belived he is no longer on this world and its widely belived he is dead, killed in the earthquake, but who is to say, he was a very very powerful mage.
With Halaster gone it is rumored that many evil factions now have freedom in undermountain and easy access to Waterdeep itself. This would include the shadow thieves, a thieves guild that once had there base of operations in Waterdeep and were very powerful. They were driven out of Waterdeep by a group of adventurers with the support of the Masked Lords of Waterdeep who rule over Waterdeep a long while back. They are still active in the southern cities along the Sword Coast it is said and it is even rumored they are back in Waterdeep.
"Well you have been most helpful, I think all we need know is a map to Undermountain, are you able to supply us with a map?"
Unfortunatly most maps are going to be inaccurate due to the earthquake. The main enterance to undermountain is at the Yawning Portal Inn, I would think they would have maps there. The Font of Knowledge should have maps also but again not sure how much help they would be for you.
Artemis has been listening to the discourse and been taking notes around leaning on his Quarterstaff.
"Yawning Portal Inn..." He finishes writing and looks up at Iio."Thank You my good man, you have been most helpful and may I say that you have a wonderful setting here for your magnificent school." Artemis finishes by flashing Iio another of his friendly grins.
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Unfortunatly most maps are going to be inaccurate due to the earthquake. The main enterance to undermountain is at the Yawning Portal Inn, I would think they would have maps there. The Font of Knowledge should have maps also but again not sure how much help they would be for you.Artemis has been listening to the discourse and been taking notes around leaning on his Quarterstaff.
"Yawning Portal Inn..." He finishes writing and looks up at Iio.
"Thank You my good man, you have been most helpful and may I say that you have a wonderful setting here for your magnificent school." Artemis finishes by flashing Iio another of his friendly grins.
Thank you very much kind sir. If we can be of help in the future just drop by anytime.
[Elvish]”Dathi did say it also involved the use of the magical arts, nothing compared to a wizards level of power, but enough. At present I don’t see how, I guess that part may come from the mediation. I figure to wield magic one must have a more disciplined mind?”[/Elvish]
[Elvish]Well, discipline is important. Mastery of self and mastery of the dangers around us come together."[/Elvish]
"But look. It seems we have a destination. I suggest we check our supplies and make ready for adventure!"
Orelan stands and calls out to the others, "Artemis, Magatha -- what happened to the treasure we found before coming to this realm? This may be our best chance to investigate them."
"Thank you very much good sir. You have been a great help."
Brenon produces a few gold pieces for the man.
Looking at the party.
"Come on... its off to the yawning portal."
yawning portal? Spider thinks to himself. Between getting past the creature in the cave without any losses as far as he knows of, having extra gold for better resting accommodations and now this yawning portal which sounds like another means of travel (and he’s never heard of such a thing). He starts to think that this group has done quite well for themselves.
[Elvish]"is this Yawning Portal a means available to you that allows you all to travel from place to place?"[/Elvish] he asks Orelan, expecting that the elf will be straight forward with him.
[Elvish]"is this Yawning Portal a means available to you that allows you all to travel from place to place?"[/Elvish] he asks Orelan.
"Hmm. An inn, it seems, called the Yawning Portal. Built on an entrance to this 'undermountain' that the bard here described. So no. Not a means of travel. Not immediately, in any case. More a doorway to our next challenge."
"Well, come on then."
Orelan stands and joins Artemis, ready for the next part of their journey, simply assuming that Spider will follow.
"Well, come on then."
Orelan stands and joins Artemis, ready for the next part of their journey, simply assuming that Spider will follow.
Artemis picks up his Quarterstaff, gives Iio a short farewell wave and heads off after Brenon with Orelan by his side.
"I would have liked to have visited the Sheriff's Station first to find out more about these Shadow Thieves, but everyone seems eager to be on their way into this Undermountain, so to The Yawning Portal we go."
A silent Magatha follows the party, a brooding look on her face. She appears to already be steeling herself for a fight.
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Your group leaves the college for bards and has a nice walk back into the city. Its a short walk to the Yawning Portal, it being located in the castle ward, and Iio's directions were easy to follow. You reach your destination. The Yawning Portal is an two story inn built of stone and has a slate roof. You enter off the street right into the common room which is filled with tables and chair for dining. Along the wall to your right you see a bar with many stools for sitting at the bar. What dominates the common area is a well in the center of the room. It has an open topped stone ring 40 feet in diameter. A one foot thick rampart wall rises waist high. The outside of the well wall is studded at intervals with iron torch brackets, and block and tackle hoist is chained to a stone lintel in the ceiling directly over the well.
The common room is filled with customers here for lunch. The is only one table empty in the whole room and the bar stools are all filled. It is very noisy with people cheering, toasting, betting and taunting each other to enter the well. There are two waitresses working the room and a strong looking man is behind the bar pouring drinks.....
Spider follows the others as the group makes their way to the yawning portal inn. Once there he looks about.
"so, I guess that's must be the way we need to go huh" he says as he motions toward the large well.
Spider follows the others as the group makes their way to the yawning portal inn. Once there he looks about.
"so, I guess that's must be the way we need to go huh" he says as he motions toward the large well.
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The large barkeep says to the group quieting the crowd a bit. Can I help you folks with something? If you want drinks we have a table over there or if your here to use the well to go into Undermountain it will cost you a dragon piece each and if you happen to be able to return it will cost you another dragon each.
The crowd starts to chant, you hear the wagering begin on your group and in between the chanting you pick up pieces of conversations, That large women looks tough, i'd like to give her a romp. I give this group 1 day, they don't seem that tough compared to the group that went down 4 days ago. That young boy is sure cute, he might get scared of the dark though. They be needing that elf, I hear they can see in the dark and find all them secret rooms I hears is down there. These are just a few of the tamer things you hear....
Brenon flicks a gold piece onto the bar and jumps down the well.
"sounds like highway robbery to me." Spider says immediately "I'll pay ye fee to enter but you'll not see a copper if i bother to return." he gives the barkeep a stern look as he deposites the coin on the counter, then moves to the well, then begins his descent
"1 gold it is." making sure to give a little wiggle for the neanderthals, Magatha heads for the well herself.
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Brenon flicks a gold piece onto the bar and jumps down the well.
Just as Brenon grabs the ledge of the wall to let himself drop, a large hand grabs him on the shoulder and pulls him back. If you can fly be my guest and jump over, but I'm thinking you can't and that would be a 140 foot drop to your death young fool. The crowd laughs along with the very very large man standing in front of Brenon now blocking the well. Your the ones I have been waiting for anyways, can't break my promise to the little one before you throw yourself to your death. A little man, I think a halfling, not quite sure its so hard to tell, gave this here bag of stuff and gave me a description of you all and said I was to give it to you, made me promise and all. I never breaks my promises. Anyway here you go, you can continue to jump to yours death now. After he hands the bag over the big man returns to his seat having done his duty.
Before beginning his descent Spider eyes the block and tackle hoist chained to the stone lintel in the ceiling directly over the well. He starts chuckling to himself. Though he still doesn’t like it, he now understands the reasoning for the gold piece charge. One would have to agree to the payment so that the block and tackle is lowered for them upon their return.
Unfastening the block and tackle he hands the chains over to Brenon ”here you go, I’ll follow next”
Artemis walks over and hands the big man 1 gp.
"That must have been Jebb, I wonder where he has disappeared to. Don't tell me he has gotten himself in trouble with the law. I did warn him."
He leans over the brick wall and looks down the well.
"I'm glad this fine fellow stopped you Brenon, I don't think even Olidammara could have helped you after a fall like that."
Unfastening the block and tackle he hands the chains over to Brenon ”here you go, I’ll follow next”
Orelan takes a quick look at Spider descending on the rope, and decides that he has time for one last errand. He heads to the bar, dodging round a skinny merchant dressed in green.
"I'll have a double brandy. Oh, and would you sell me a flask of lamp oil or two? I'd be forever grateful."
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The large barkeep walks over to the group whom seems in a hurry to meet their deaths. I must operate the hoist there folks. If you like to come back up at any time just shout for Durnan, I own this place. He shows you all of the small loops with wooden crossbars woven into the rope to use as ladder rungs. The rope is thick as a humans wrist and looks to be able to hold ten armoured and heavily laden humans. There is enough room to fit the whole group so you all can decend as one....
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Unfastening the block and tackle he hands the chains over to Brenon ”here you go, I’ll follow next”
Orelan takes a quick look at Spider descending on the rope, and decides that he has time for one last errand. He heads to the bar, dodging round a skinny merchant dressed in green.
"I'll have a double brandy. Oh, and would you sell me a flask of lamp oil or two? I'd be forever grateful."
An older lady appears behind the bar while the large barkeep attends to the group wanting to decend. She slides over the brandy and two flasks of oil. That will be 5 shard sir!
While Brenon is waiting for everybody to ready themselves for the decent he briefly rummages through the bag.
Magatha pulls her everburning torch from her pack, unwraps it and tucks it securely into her sash, making sure she still has enough freedom of movement as well as the free hands to fight with.
"Ready when you are."
An older lady appears behind the bar while the large barkeep attends to the group wanting to decend. She slides over the brandy and two flasks of oil. That will be 5 shard sir!
"Thank you, most kind."
Orelan tucks the oil into his pack, swallows the brandy, grimmaces. He heads back to the group at the well and follows the others down into the dark. Those close notice he's whistling under his breath.
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The last echoes of the crowd's toasts and betting whisper about you as you decend into the well. As the flickering light from the torches above fades, a chill overtakes you, and you find yourself still sinking with no end in sight. You drop slowly and steadily deeper on the rope, almost as if you were bait on an unweighted fishing line in placid waters, but the cold and quiet of the well that surrounds you is anything but peaceful. The silence has more of a threating quality to it.
After being lowered for what seems like too long a time, you at last see the bottom. Below you stretches sand-covered ground and whatever fate awaits you in Undermountain.
Once at the bottom Spider tightens the straps across his arm just to make sure the shield is secure then he draws his short sword.
“so where to now?” he ask his new found companions in attendance
The cold and quiet of the well that surrounds you is anything but peaceful. The silence has more of a threating quality to it.
After being lowered for what seems like too long a time, you at last see the bottom. Below you stretches sand-covered ground and whatever fate awaits you in Undermountain.
Artemis reaches the bottom of the well and cautiously peers around (Spot Check) (1d20+2=20) , pulling his Quarterstaff from his back as he does so and holding it at the ready.
"Beware friends. There is something about this place that just doesn't seem right somehow".|
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Several inches of sand covers the floor of this roughly square room. Broken and dented shields hang on the stone walls covered with chalk and charcoal graffiti. The ceiling looms a mere 10 feet above you--as does in the hallway that leads out of the room to the south--but a 30 foot diameter hole in the ceiling forms a chimney that rises up over a hundred feet.
Artemis-you do not see anything out of the ordinary in this room.
Unholstering her maces, Magatha takes a few quick swings to loosen her shoulders before announcing her preparedness.
"I'll take point. I assume you boys can stop shaking in yer boots long enough to keep up with me?"
With that Magatha sets off down the tunnel.
Spider smiles at Magatha eagerness, then shrugs and rushes after her
Brenon follows along.
Brenon follows along.
Still slightly cautious, Artemis gives a flick of his head to Orelan to indicate that he should follow Brenon and the others and then falls in behind him, Quarterstaff at the ready.
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You are travelling down a hallway that is 10 feet across. As you are walking you notice tracks in the sand of all manner of things walking down this corridor, there is no cobwebs you'd expect to see and this area seems free of dust. After about 50 feet the hallway opens into a larger one which is about 50 feet across.
"did you hear that?" Spider say to Magatha in a whisper as he comes up beside her "you see anything?" he adds
with sword at the ready he turns left and advances slowly along the walls edge
"Someone moving up ahead, just off to the right"