"I find it hard to believe that the people we seek would have left this armour alone without a good reason. Especially if Lotus' eyes are anything to go by. We could carry this out afterwards, rather burden someone with an extra suit of armour."
"Keep searching inside the sarcophagi for anything we can use now."
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Bedu & Lotus:
The second sarcophagus holds a skeleton identical to the first, though its hands clasp the haft of a large warhammer. The metal of the hammer's head has a strange, lustrous purple sheen.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 15, (history) DC 20, or (geography) DC 25:
Knowledge (dungeoneering) or Craft (weaponsmithing) DC 17:
Knowledge (Dungeoneering)=11, Knowledge (History)=27 and Knowledge (Dungeoneering)=25
Bedu spends a while twisting the warhammer and its strange iron alloy, "ahj-iron I believe."
Lotus is amazed by the find in both sarcophagi and confirms Bedu's estimate of the hammer. Ahj-iron indeed Bedu. It can only be found in the veins deep below Mt. Ahj in the Erm Hyar mountains. We should really find good use for this hammer.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 15 Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 17 (1d20+5=15, 1d20+5=13)
"The iron hammer will swing well and its added weight means a greater wound. I though am happy with my trusty scimitar, does anyone else want to use this."
Bedu passes the weighty hobgoblin mattock about the rest.
"We should be moving on, by now they may be beginning to expect news from the ones we have slain."
Alright, let's get going then. Lotus says in reply to Bedu. And after one last glance at the riches they are temporarily leaving behind she is ready to go.
"Good - if you're all done grave robbing, maybe we can move on and remember why we're down here," Skittle scowls. "The sooner were above ground, the better."
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The group prepares to head south through the short passageway to the next room, Skittle leading the way as usual. As he steps into the passage, there is the grating sound of metal on stone, and a curved blade lashes out from the wall, slicing deeply into the gnome, before disappearing back into the wall again. The gnome crumples to the floor.
"Skittle!" calls the dwarf as he moves up to the gnome. Frantically he tries to see how bad the wound truly is. The blood is everywhere.
He picks up the wounded warrior.
"Gaah!" screams Skittle as he crumples to the ground.
Indo walks a few paces away while the companions tend to the gnome. He listens for approaching enemies brought on by his friend's cry of pain.
"Liet! get yourself over here and heal Skittle." Bedu puts one arm around the gnome's shoulders. "They will know we are coming now."
The dwarf takes a breath and looks about to see if the trap has stopped working or just reset.
He then looks and listens further on, straining to hear what may be going on round the corners.
Sword and dagger out and ready for action when they start moving, Lotus is at her regular place at the back of the party. When Skittle goes down in a flash she is surprised indeed. What the ... More alert now she turns to make sure noone ambushes them from the back.
Getting the impression that Bedu can't find the trap that Skittle walked into Lotus volunteers to have a look. She moves up to the front of the party and takes her time to search for the trigger of the trap.
Once she finds the trap she figures this will be easy and nonchalantly attempts to disable the trigger.
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Taking several minutes of unbearable tension for the rest of the group, Lotus searches the corridor's entrance for the trap, finally declaring it found, and noting that anyone entering the corridor will set it off. Confident that she can disable it, she is taken by surprise as she accidentally triggers the trap again, the wickedly curved blade scything out to slice into her just as it did Skittle.
The stubborn woman exclaims in pain as she sets off the trap. Oh now they'll never think I'm any good. I'll simply have to try again. She ignores the enormous bleeding gash and immediately goes back to work on the trap, confident that she now knows it intimately. Yeah, a little too close for comfort Quickly she declares it safe to pass forward.
Lotus disables the trap completely and tells the others that they can continue. Quite happy with herself to have beaten the trap so convincingly, even though it was in two tries, she takes up her place at the back of the group.
Bedu looks around to see what state everyone is in. He wipes his bloody fingers against one stone wall as he assesses the group.
"Liet can you see what you can do for the wounds? Like I said before I am no expert in this."
I have some wounding from the ghouls. Do we still have one of those healing potions the goblin gave us? Not for me, but perhaps for Lotus.
I feel reasonably alright, but I could do with some tending of my wounds. That swinging sword trap slashed me pretty good. Lotus replies at Indo's suggestion of healing receipients.
Bedu attends to Lotus' wounds.
He mutters a few words and a halo of light forms around the largest cut. Slowly the blood and flesh starts to mesh.
Cure Light Wounds (1d8+2=3) Oh dear!
He stares at the girl and shakes his head. "I am bereft of all healing abilities on this day." He looks across at Liet..
Bedu muses out loud, "Lotus you could scout ahead but you have no light source and the presence of one would give you away. Could you crawl forwards carefully in the darkness listening? No that would be a mistake too. We have to move on as a group."
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Liet casts another light spell for Lotus.
Skittle (1d20+4=14)
Indo (1d20+5=16)
Liet (1d20+3=11)
Pindara (1d20+3=18)
Lotus (1d20+4=24)
You head into the next room, fanning out as you enter. The center of the room is filled with rubble, and the walls are lined with small shelf-like alcoves. Bones are visible within some of them, dry and brown with age. Two statues face each other from opposite corners of the room, depicting leering fiends with slavering, fanged jaws and sharp claws. A large iron door stands closed on the opposite wall.
Lotus:
Map can be found here.
Bedu moves forward just into the chamber and points to the corners without a statue.
"It would be this newly healed dwarf's pleasure to get out the way of any would-be nasty traps. I have a feeling that this chamber will be guarded by magic at the very least. Can anyone see if the door is trapped magically? Before Lotus opens it and all hell breaks loose. Putting a door here is indicative of something important behind. Lotus I would check to see if there are writing on that door too."
Bedu continues walking into the northwest corner.
He murmurs to no one in particular, "I'm being to feel a little like a fly about to enter a spider's lair. The presence of a hobgoblin champion as a guardian lends weight to these flights of fancy."
Unconsciously he pulls out an old chicken leg and quickly gnaws the meat away. That helps.
Indo surveys the rooms carefully while his companion speaks. With a few ancient words, his eyes flare blue and he begins to look carefully around the room. He begins with the statues and the door.
[ooc]I cast resistance, followed by detect magic. Does anything catch my notice?
Lotus immediately points out the possible presence of snake-like creatures lurking in two graves near the ceiling on either side of the far door to those standing in front of her. By the gods! More of these creatures? She grits her teets as she prepares for another battle. Her weapons at the ready (short sword and dagger) waiting for the others to make the first move after she points out the dangers of the room.
Skittle, having already taken more than one beating, is showing an abundance of caution. He moves into the room behind Bedu, with steel in hand.
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As you slowly file into the room, Indo casts a spell, while Bedu wanders towards one of the corners. Lotus cries out that something is hiding in the graves near the door that none of the rest of you noticed. Suddenly, two of the graves near the ceiling on either side of the far door burst open as something lurking within them lunges out to attack.
Combining the worst features of a rabid maniac and an oversized snake, a gray, lipless goblin head with blank white eyes, broad torn ears, and a wide maw filled with jagged yellow teeth sways atop the body of a powerful, black, greasy-scaled serpent. There are two of them here.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 11:
The snakes lash out, stretching surprisingly far from their alcoves. One of them bites Bedu , while the other sinks it fangs into Indo. . The snakes recoil back to their alcoves.
Map can be found here.
Goblin Snakes! Lotus cries out as she steps forward to slash at the eastern goblin snake. Her desperate lunge lacks direction and misses the creature completely. After her first miss Lotus moves so she can set up a flanking position against one of the goblin snakes with Indo. From that position she has a much better angle to attempt to penetrate to snake armor.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 11; Initiative; Melee Attack +5; Damage 1d6+2 (1d20+6=16, 1d20+4=7, 1d20+5=7, 1d6+2=6)
Melee Attack +7 (including flank); Damage 1d6+2; Sneak Damage 1d6 (1d20+7=23, 1d6+2=6, 1d6=3)
As the fanged goblin strikes, Bedu drops his leg in horror.
The dwarf draws his scimitar and attacks the goblin snake before him.
DM
Liet moves back cautious out of the striking distance of the snake. He however distracts it so that the others could have an easier time of it.
Skittle quickly moves to flank the other goblin snake opposite Bedu.
initiative, attack, damage (1d20=6+7=13, 1d20=9+3=12, 1d6=1+1=2)
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Initiative order:
goblin snakes
Bedu
Indo
Skittle
Liet
Lotus
Pindara
Taken by surprise, only Lotus reacts to the appearance of the snakes. "Goblin snakes!" she cries and steps forward, but her attack misses the recoiling snake.
Round 1:
The western snake coils itself back in its alcove, shrieking with a horrible noise. The eastern snake opens its mouth and releases a disgusting sounding belch. The stench is worse, however, enveloping Lotus, who doubles over coughing and retching.
Bedu steps forward, followed by Skittle, but both miss the snake as it recoils back. Indo also steps forward to assist Lotus, but he misses as well.
Liet hangs back, trying to distract the beasts, but is unsuccessful.
Lotus slips behind the eastern snake. Unable to flank, she is still able to strike the foul creature.
Pindara tentatively steps forward, looking for an opportunity to aid her friends while keeping herself out of danger.
Round 2:
The western goblin snake, coiled into its alcove, lets loose with its own belch.
Bedu & Skittle: Fort save, DC 13
The eastern snake starts shrieking now, and strikes at Lotus, its fangs sinking deep into her leg.
Post your actions for round 2. Updated map is here.