You return to your ogre friend, who is a little bit disappointed that you leave him out of all the fun. In return he has Roylenna tell him over and over again how you defeated the dragon. Every time she reaches the end of the story he laughs and claps his hands. Evidently he held a grudge against the dragon.
For Grosh's enjoyment, Roylenna begins to compose a song about the defeat of the dragon, each verse more ridiculous than the last.
For Grosh's enjoyment, Roylenna begins to compose a song about the defeat of the dragon, each verse more ridiculous than the last.
As Roylenna sings the verse where the dragon wets itself at the sight of the size of Ka'kara's sword, she briefly wonders if she's gone too far when Grosh keels over laughing until he cries.
To relieve your boredom you decide to open Grezzo's chest (which isn't locked). Aside from a poison needle trap it contains a gold picture frame (75 gp), a string of pearls (200 gp), six silver rings (15 gp each) and 12 pairs of earrings (10 gp a pair), all expertly appraised by Hella.
"Ka'kara has a good idea. Perhaps, now that we have rid ourselves of the dragon, as well as the water demon, perhaps we should see what lies in his lake. He did speak of a magic dagger that he would give to us should we rid him of a certain mist demon. Also, perchance we can explore the islands that lie in the middle of the lake."
"Ka'kara has a good idea. Perhaps, now that we have rid ourselves of the dragon, as well as the water demon, perhaps we should see what lies in his lake. He did speak of a magic dagger that he would give to us should we rid him of a certain mist demon. Also, perchance we can explore the islands that lie in the middle of the lake."
Ka'kara looks up from the tattoo on lower abdomen that she is currently working on and smiles, obviously pleased by Proteus' compliment.
As Roylenna sings the verse where the dragon wets itself at the sight of the size of Ka'kara's sword, she briefly wonders if she's gone too far when Grosh keels over laughing until he cries.
To relieve your boredom you decide to open Grezzo's chest (which isn't locked). Aside from a poison needle trap it contains a gold picture frame (75 gp), a string of pearls (200 gp), six silver rings (15 gp each) and 12 pairs of earrings (10 gp a pair), all expertly appraised by Hella.
"I agree. Exploring the lake sounds good to me."
Sandros nods, agreeing with the rest that the lake is where they should next explore.
[ooc]No change to my prepped spells, just FYI.[ooc]
To the lake then, all healed up and with spells prepared. I assume you will be skirting the beetles. Who's going to test the waters and where?
To the lake then, all healed up and with spells prepared. I assume you will be skirting the beetles. Who's going to test the waters and where?
Ka'kara offers to go back to that island she jumped to way back when. She is also a very good swimmer and plans to take a everburning torch and search the bottom of the lake around that area.
Hella has a distasteful look on her face as she enters the stagnant water, but she soon begins to search where she spotted the mephit the first time she met the party. She then broadens her search in a meticulous spiral out from that point.
Diving into the lake with an everburning torch in her hand, Ka'kara soon discovers the mephit's stash, which consists of three moonstones and a magic dagger.
While she's at it, Hella discovers a secret trapdoor on the nearest island, opening into a deep shaft with metal rungs set in the side.
Diving into the lake with an everburning torch in her hand, Ka'kara soon discovers the mephit's stash, which consists of three moonstones and a magic dagger.
While she's at it, Hella discovers a secret trapdoor on the nearest island, opening into a deep shaft with metal rungs set in the side.
Ka'kara hands over the dagger and loot to Hella so she can take a look at it, "The water devil said the dagger was magic. Maybe you and Lenna can make sense of it." With a questioning look, "You found a trapdoor on an island? That's an odd place for one." Taking a look down the trapdoor, "Wonder what's down there? Do you think the other islands have them?"
Proteus seems very intrigued with the finding of the trap door. However, at Ka'kara's suggestion, he pauses. "Ka'kara is right, we should check the other islands before proceeding."
A further search indicates that there are indeed shafts going down from each of the islands.
A further search indicates that there are indeed shafts going down from each of the islands.
Ka'kara is completely shocked that her flippant suggestion turns out to be true, "There are?!? Really? What do you think they are for?!"
"Okay, this I gotta see," Sandros announces. Once Proteus lights up his rapier, the half-elf quickly begins a descent down into the darkness.
"Okay, this I gotta see," Sandros announces. Once Proteus lights up his rapier, the half-elf quickly begins a descent down into the darkness.
Giving him about a 10' foot head start Ka'kara follows and says down to Sandros, "Well, hopefully they aren't some sort drainage system for the lake..."
Roylenna will peer down past the fighters, casting Dancing Lights and sending them down the shaft to lead the explorers. She won't attempt the ladder just yet .
She will also, if Hella asks cast Detect Magic on the dagger. While the spell is still in force, she will scan her surroundings for anything that might have an aura, including the hatch and any other islands that are within range.
The shafts from the separate islands all lead 50 feet straight down and connect to a short passageway that ends in front of a heavy metal door with three separate locks aligned vertically along its right side.
The dagger is medium-sized but could be wielded as a Small shortsword if you like. It radiates faint transmutation magic. Nothing else is magical here (excepting your own gear).
The shafts from the separate islands all lead 50 feet straight down and connect to a short passageway that ends in front of a heavy metal door with three separate locks aligned vertically along its right side.
The dagger is medium-sized but could be wielded as a Small shortsword if you like. It radiates faint transmutation magic. Nothing else is magical here (excepting your own gear).
Ka'kara takes a peek over Sandros' shoulder, "Here move aside, I think I can muscle it open..." He turns to see her big grin as she pauses for a moment and then yells up the shaft, "Hella! We have found something that could use your personal touch! What?!.......No, I am asking y.......Ohhhhh, what is it? It's a big metal door that has lots of locks!" Glancing back at Sandros with a mystified look as Hella makes her descent, "Why do you suppose there are three shafts that all go to the same place? There are three locks. Do you think that has anything to do with it? Is it some huge trap?" During her musings it doesn't seem to occur to her that if it is, she is currently in the wrong place. When Hella arrives Ka'kara asks in all seriousness, "Can I do anything to help?"
After giving the new 'short sword' a sideways glance, Hella tucks into her belt for later. She climbs down the ladder. Stopping before she gets all the way to the bottom, so that she can be eye to eye with Ka'kara, she says, "Your help would be most appreciated. Can you and Sandros climb back up and guard the hatches from the outside? I see no reason to risk more than necessary." The irony of telling this to Ka'kara is entirely lost on her.
Hella proceeds to slowly inspect the door and the locks. She has so many devices attached to her head, wrists and hands that a layperson might confuse her for some sort of surgeon.
After giving the new 'short sword' a sideways glance, Hella tucks into her belt for later. She climbs down the ladder. Stopping before she gets all the way to the bottom, so that she can be eye to eye with Ka'kara, she says, "Your help would be most appreciated. Can you and Sandros climb back up and guard the hatches from the outside? I see no reason to risk more than necessary." The irony of telling this to Ka'kara is entirely lost on her.
Hella proceeds to slowly inspect the door and the locks. She has so many devices attached to her head, wrists and hands that a layperson might confuse her for some sort of surgeon.
A look of suprise crosses her face, "And leave you down here alone?! One of us should stay in case something goes wrong. Some guardian may be about." Frusteration sets in as Hella gives her a very patient look, "Bu....we shou....Sandros! Help talk some sense into her."
Hella:
A look of suprise crosses her face, "And leave you down here alone?! One of us should stay in case something goes wrong. Some guardian may be about." Frusteration sets in as Hella gives her a very patient look, "Bu....we shou....Sandros! Help talk some sense into her."
Sandros shrugs. "You keep an eye on her," he says, gripping the rope. "I'll go back up top. That way, she's not unprotected, and she's also not worrying about more than one of us." So saying, Sandros quickly scales the rope once again, offering a description of what they found below to the others. "The three locks might be a deterrent against a knock spell," he concludes thoughtfully. "Even an arcanist who happened to have one prepared would be stymied without a second."
A look of suprise crosses her face, "And leave you down here alone?! One of us should stay in case something goes wrong. Some guardian may be about." Frusteration sets in as Hella gives her a very patient look, "Bu....we shou....Sandros! Help talk some sense into her."Sandros shrugs. "You keep an eye on her," he says, gripping the rope. "I'll go back up top. That way, she's not unprotected, and she's also not worrying about more than one of us." So saying, Sandros quickly scales the rope once again, offering a description of what they found below to the others. "The three locks might be a deterrent against a knock spell," he concludes thoughtfully. "Even an arcanist who happened to have one prepared would be stymied without a second."
"Ooh, maybe one is the real lock and the others are traps!" A look of concern crosses the halfling's face at that thought. "Should we tell Hella, or do you think she already knows that?"
Everyone is waiting to see how Hella does down there, but nothing but an ominous silence reaches you from the bottom of the shaft. Huddled on the small island you exchange glances, unsure of what to do if something should happen.
Hella methodically works on the first lock. After pausing to give Ka'Kara a patient, slow-blinking stare, and waiting for her to get the hint that her humming is not helping, Hella continues. If she is successful with the first lock, then she will continue to work on the second and third locks.
The waiting is interrupted by a flash and a boom, sounding like something just exploded down there.
Reflex w/ Evasion: 1d20+8=20
"Whoa!" Sandros shouts, already grabbing for the rope to rappel down the shaft.
Proteus follows quickly after Sandros.
The walls in the passage are blackened with soot, but Hella somehow managed to duck for cover. She looks more annoyed than hurt although her cloak is a little scorched. The door, for its part, looks entirely unperturbed.
The waiting is interrupted by a flash and a boom, sounding like something just exploded down there.
"Hella, was that you?"
A mildly concerned, mostly curious halfling peers down the shaft at the other halfling. She sends some Lights down to see better.
The waiting is interrupted by a flash and a boom, sounding like something just exploded down there."Hella, was that you?"
A mildly concerned, mostly curious halfling peers down the shaft at the other halfling. She sends some Lights down to see better.
An annoyed barbarian glares back up at Roylenna, "Who else do you think it would be?!" Then glancing back toward Hella, "That was impressive. I thought you had completely blown up or something. It wasn't til you asked me "whether I was just gonna just stand there staring" that I realized you were behind me. Made me jump." Looking curiously back at the door, "You think it's safe now?"
Hella gets back up on her feet from the yoga-like posture that she had sprung into. She brushes off her gloves, gives a wistful look at her fine cloak, now a humbling singed reminder of her need for more practice.
"I am unharmed, but cannot say the same for my outfit. I suspect that these locks are trapped in a manner that is beyond my training to discern. At this point, I will require the keys to open this door. Three individual keys." She walks back to the ascending shaft, shaking her head in discouragement, and looks up to Ka'Kara: "Let us look for these keys. Perhaps they will turn up in our further search of these caverns."
Hella gets back up on her feet from the yoga-like posture that she had sprung into. She brushes off her gloves, gives a wistful look at her fine cloak, now a humbling singed reminder of her need for more practice.
"I am unharmed, but cannot say the same for my outfit. I suspect that these locks are trapped in a manner that is beyond my training to discern. At this point, I will require the keys to open this door. Three individual keys." She walks back to the ascending shaft, shaking her head in discouragement, and looks up to Ka'Kara: "Let us look for these keys. Perhaps they will turn up in our further search of these caverns."
You can tell Ka'kara is warring with the curiousity inside her. She takes a long look at the door and sighs, her shoulders slumping. "There's keys for everything in this place! It's crazy! At least the dragon sat on it's hoard and didn't hide it behind some magic lock. What kind of people build places like this?!" She climbs back up the rope, "Ok, what now? Squishing beetles? Going back to see if the dragons come back?"
"I hate bugs. Is there anywhere we can reach from the dragon's cave we have yet to explore?"
"I hate bugs. Is there anywhere we can reach from the dragon's cave we have yet to explore?"
"That I don't know but there are plenty of ways to explore out of it's cave. Let's just go back there and pick a tunnel."
A little disappointed to hear that they didn't discover a grand treasure, Roylenna brightens at the prospect of new, unexplored tunnels.
Ka'kara's vote is for east of the dragon's cave.
Roylenna sends her Dancing Lights down each of the choices to see if there's anything of interest in the range she can view without actually entering any of them.
The passage east from the dragon's lair opens up into a natural cave (about 30 feet across). On the floor there are two half-eaten carcasses. They look like they might have been some sort of very large wolves.
You can't see whether there are any exits without actually entering the room.
She will slowly approach until she can discern enough detail about what happened here, hopefully before whatever caused it attacks her.
She will slowly approach until she can discern enough detail about what happened here, hopefully before whatever caused it attacks her.
Sandros follows a step or two behind her, trying to watch everywhere at once while Ka'kara focuses on the carcasses themselves.
It does look like the dragon killed and ate them. You discern both bitemarks where it took a chunk out of them, and also places where they have been singed by acid.
Moving closer, Sandros notices that the room has two exits, one to the left (east) and one to the right (west). Nothing stirs in there.
It does look like the dragon killed and ate them. You discern both bitemarks where it took a chunk out of them, and also places where they have been singed by acid.
Moving closer, Sandros notices that the room has two exits, one to the left (east) and one to the right (west). Nothing stirs in there.
Looking carefully over the wolves corpses, "Looks like the acid lizard got them." Standing from her crouch she nods at Sandros and begins to head toward the eastern exit.