Tannakin grins as she slings the shield onto her backpack. "That'll be so fun! To Irrisen! But first... let's see what's down that other tunnel, shall we?"
She saunters off down the other tunnel, humming a happy tune.
Sansaárë looks at the shield.
Let's sell it. It won't do me any good either. We all did pretty well here. Hopefully we can find what's causing all the problems without too many injuries to us.
She then follows Tann down another tunnel
As he was waiving the blue torch around, Leo noticed that Nyswyn had sat down and her leachy-friend was ministering to her wounds. Smiling as he heard the melodic voice speaking his own tongue, Leo moved closer with the torch wanting to help Nyswyn see what she was doing. Sitting down nearby, he held the torch watching her work the herbs. As he did so, Ambrose nudged his arm out of the way and climbed up onto his lap, also curiously watching the dwarf and the leachy work together.
Leo's presence wasn't unnoticed and feeling the emotions of her mistress, Verdi looked up at the man and gave him a small, sweet smile. As she applied the green balm to her wound, Ness cast a glance at the male fey-human and appreciated that he at least was concerned over her injury/welfare and not the two flighty girls she had called friends for some years. Even though she had no need of light, she accepted the torch light for it was a kind gesture. Ness'd have to inform him soon that she didn't require light to see through the darkness.
In the Sylvan tongue, so Verdi could understand as well, she spoke quietly,
"I was curt with you and you'd not deserved it for you protected me against the unnatural. Thank ye."
When talk returned to the burnished wooden shield and its selling, she packed her things once more, placed Verdi gently into her coat pocket and collecting her staff, stood up.
"Let's follow them before they get away from us too quickly," she told Leo and then made to follow Airi.
Having look after wounds, treasure and confidence, our Heroes continue investigating the underground tunnels. Passing through the barricade room, they enter another dark natural tunnel turning a bit south.
The tunnel opens up into a natural staircase leading further downward into a larger chamber. There looks to be a bit of a storage room....
At the Heroes east side, a ledge 10' above their heads appears to go somewhere also....
"Oof."
"There we go!"
Tan shouts out encouragement for the rest: "The foothold is just to your left... yeah, you got it! Don't grab that shiny rock... it's slippery... don't ask me how I know."
As Nyswyn and Verdi seemed to be finished Leo started to stand when the dwarf began speaking to him in Sylvan. He blinked a couple of times, Curt? was that how she saw it. Leo was so used to the mercurial nature of sprites that he hadn't even noticed any curtness. He smiled as she said he had 'protected her.'.
As the ladies proceeded back the way they came, discussing the shield, Leo followed along waiving the blue flamed torch. Realizing as a trick of the light, the flame left a shadow of light, Leo started trying to spell his name out with the torch. He paused realizing Ambrose was glaring at him. It took him a moment to figure it out, he had been trying to spell out his 'true' name. His eyes widened, hoping none of the ladies had turned towards him. It's not that he didn't trust them, but 'True' names were a source of power and better left kept secret.
Trying to hold the torch still, he looked at the incline, thinking back to where he left his rope. Pointing to the upper level with the torch, "Yonder enclave shouldst be the same depth as the basement we departed." As Tannakin climbs the cliff face, he frowns realizing he abandoned his rope back at the cliff. he asks, "Doest anyone have a rope, soest we might haul Ambrose up?"
Tan fishes around in her bag and extracts a well-used coil of good hempen rope. She ties her rope to the nearest likely anchor and lowers it down to the rest. "Here ya go!"
Watching Tannakin shimmy up the wall it reminded Leo of how the Grig's he knew could hop up the steepest incline. He nodded as the half elf tossed down the end of the rope, tying it around Ambrose. Tucking the torch in his belt, we went over to the wall looking for the footholds Tannakin had pointed out. Grabbing the first hold, "Whilest not a Grig, I shalt make an attempt."
His foot slipping Leo furrowed his brow and tried it again.
His eyes wide, Leo barely made it over the edge. Nodding in thanks to Tannakin, he began pulling Ambrose up with the rope.
Sansaárë looks up at the cliff then around the room.
Here we go. Make sure to stay behind us Leo. Ness, I hope you are feeling better.
If you need any help getting up. I can help you.
At Airi's words, the dwarf druidess nodded, "I'm fine. I'm fine."
Ness looked up at the ledge ten feet above her head. Another climb...by the time we've finished with this warehouse, I'll be good at it. Ness chuckled aloud, softly. She stowed her staff on her back.
Following the others and using the footholds and not the shiny, slippery rock, Ness pulled herself up and was shocked when she made it up first go. Airi makes it look easy being so sure-footed and strong.
The courageous adventurers defeat yet another cliff!
The ancient wooden door creaks open on rusty hinges, revealing a ruined chamber. Mold and rot stain every surface. On the far side of the room is stone statue of a giant squid, its tentacles reaching toward an altar in the center of the chamber. The scum covers almost everything, but it hasn’t touched the silver bowl sitting atop the stone altar. The water in the bowl is perfectly clear.
The water in the silver bowl is pure and clean, but it carries a touch of Gozreh’s magic. Anyone who drinks from the bowl regains 1d8 Hit Points, but they must roll a DC 20 Fortitude save. If they fail, they feel the ocean’s waves crash through their stomach, which makes them feel sick for the next hour. They take a –1 status penalty to all d20 rolls, their Armor Class, and spell DCs until the hour has passed. If they succeed at the Fortitude save, they feel the power of the ocean surge through them. In the next hour, they can call upon the ocean’s might to fortify themself against harm. This power is a reaction that the hero can use when hit by a critical hit on an attack. This ability turns the critical success into an ordinary success (so the attack deals normal damage instead of double damage).
Each hero can get the bowl’s benefits once per day; drinking a second time in a day has no effect. The bowl loses all of its magic if removed from this shrine, but can be sold for 5 gp.
So, what is next for our new adventurers?
Having hoisted Ambrose up to the higher level, Leo draws the blue torch out of his belt where he had stuck it. Holding the torch high, He looked around the room noting the mold and the stain. Seeing the statue of the squid creature, it tickles at the back of his brain but hears Ambrose let out a yap, he understands that his familiar is thirsty.
Pulling his eyes away from the statue he realizes that Ambrose is standing on his rear paws, with his front paws against the altar barking at the silver bowl that appears to be full of water.
Walking up to the altar he picks up his corgi, telling him in sylvan that the water may not be safe. Casting detect magic, Leo looks at his lady friends, and asks. 'What thinkest thou, is yon water safe for Ambrose to drink?"
Tannakin says, "Wow, do you think that squid is some kind of Cthulhu Old One beast or something? It looks so cool."
Sansaárë looks over at the statue and then the silver bowl.
Let me try it to make sure I don't get sick from it. Then if I am fine, yes.
Sansaárë walks over to the bowl and takes a drink.
It does taste good, but let's wait a few minutes to make sure.
Leo looks over the religious motifs, finding the workmanship and artistry fascinating...
Sansaárë walks boldly up to the fancy bowl of water. She smiles and she drinks!
Ness nodded to herself as she had a closer look at the shrine, statue and silver bowl.
"This place is devoted to the god of nature and the fury of ocean - Gozreh."
Ness began casting , calling upon the words of power and using her gesturing/outstretched hand sent out a pulse to register the presence of magic.
"There is magic in this place."
Hearing the question as to the purity of the water in the silver bowl, Ness nodded her head.
"Tis pure and clean and carries a touch of Gozreh's magic. If one's wounded, then it'll heal them, yet requires a strength of constitution. If one doesn't have this, then they'll feel the ocean's waves crash through their belly and feel sickness for the next hour. If they surpass this strain on the constitution, then the power of the ocean will surge through them for the an hour - fortifying them from harm. Each imbiber can reap the boon once a day and the bowl will lose its magic if it's removed from its shrine."
Having a vague recollection of some of the things Nyswyn shared, Leo nods his head in agreement. Chuckling at Tannakin's joke 'Cthulhu everyone knows that story was made up by the gnomes to cover up an invention that went terribly wrong.'
Frowning while Sansaárë drinks from the bowl, he knells down and calls Ambrose over. Explaining to the familiar in Sylvan that he wasn't willing to gamble with the water in the fancy silver bowl. Taking his own water skin of off his pack, he poured some in his hand, letting the little corgi drink.
After Amboser had his fill, Leo stands extending the waterskin, asking, "Might anyone else desire a drink?"
[b]Man. I don't feel too well. It is a good thing that Amboser didn't drink it. oh well.[b]
Tannakin puts an arm around her friend's shoulders and says, "Just like that time we stole that ale... poor thing."
She pulls out her own waterskin and cheers-es Leo. "Plain ol' nongodly water has its merits."
"Well, let's shake off the seasickness with more exploring, shall we?"
If all are ready, Tan leads the way back to the tunnels and the unknown beyond...
ok. But if I get sick, it's going on you.
And she follows Tann into the tunnels.
As Tannakin gets ready to hop down, Leo tells her I wilt cast your rope down, oncet I have lowered Ambrose." Tucking the blue torch in his belt, he Called the little corgi to him. Tying the rope around Ambrose chest Leo lowered him down. Then dropping the rope to Tannakin. Looking back at the silver bowl, he shrugs, picking it up he puts it in his pack. Moving to the edge he slowly eased himself down finally dropping from his fingertips. Untying Ambrose he handed the rope to Tannakin, "Thank you m'lady."
Pulling the torch out of his belt, he followed along after the ladies, waiving it back and forth. Keeping a keen eye out as he goes. As they walk, he tells the two elves. "Tis my opinion that yon silver bowl, will makest a fine water bowl for Ambrose, once we clean it out well."
Sansaárë drinks from the bowl. The 1/2 elf reals from the power of the ocean!
Climbing back down the cliff, our Heroes continue on their spelunking venture....
This large room looks like it was once a storeroom for a building above. At the far side, you can make out what might have been a cage or cell at some point, but it is now full of crates and barrels. Four lizardlike creatures the size of human children are clustered around the door to the cell, trying to pry it open.
These
Flashing the torch back and forth, Leo sees some kind of small creatures moving about. Holding the torch still and staring really hard, he whispers, "Pray tell forward by yon cell, mightest they be Kobolds?"
Sansaárë looks at the lizard things by the door.
These are kobolds. But why are they here? Ness, what do you think?
Tannakin is happy to help Leo with Ambrose, and is amused at the thought that Gozreh's relic will be a doggie dish.
"I think you're right, Leo! Kobolds! I bet they have cool stuff to trade with us..." She remembers her dealings with lizardfolk on mercantile trips to Absalom, where she picked up the lingo.
In Draconic, she hails them, doing her best to get the growly vowels of the bigger dragons into her accent. "Greetings and peace, dragonkin! We have many things to trade, if you have treasures from your kobold lands!"
Ness watched as Leo tipped the remaining magically enhanced water out and took the bowl for his dog. The druidess clicked her tongue for it seemed a disregard to the god whose shrine it laid upon. Let's pray that Gozreh's the tolerant type, she mused inwardly.
Coming upon the four lizard-like creatures, Ness paused and heard her companions proclaim them kobolds. Her brow furrowed as she viewed them and hearing Airi's question, Ness shrugged her shoulders and replied plainly and simply with, "No idea."
When Tann hailed them and began making rather strange growling sounds, Ness simply drew the staff from her back, thinking it best to keep it in hand and waited to see what next would happen. These creatures were no animals that she could try to connect and communicate with. Best leave it to Tann.
Abandoned Storeroom
The typical kobold trains with agile weaponry, favoring the light pick for its use in crafting new tunnels to expand their domains through underground reaches. Kobolds are capable of landing sneaky strikes against unsuspecting foes but are just as quick to scamper off to safety when they don’t, as a group, outnumber their enemies at least two to one.
Creeping down the twisting stone stairs, our Heroes see a quartet of kobolds busily attempting to break into a locked storage cage.
Tannakin waves and calls out in Draconic at them.
Make An Impression
One of the kobolds actually stop and listen to the sweet talking swashbuckler. While the other 3 snarl and hiss back, raising shortpears and brandishing them menacingly!
Tannakin grins. This is even better than skeletons. This is an enemy that can understand and appreciate her trash talking skills!
In draconic, she starts pouring molten burns on the central hostile Kobold, roaring like a Red Dragon: "You hissing at me, snake-face? You're just a lily livered little lizard. Ko-Bold of you to think you could take me on. Scale back your planes before I scale you like a fish. What's that smell? Smells like exstinktion."
She then ◆ rushes the nearest kobold and confidently strikes at it:
...perhaps too much effort went into the insults and too little into the fencing. But she scratches it anyway!
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Raising an eyebrow as Tannakin gives the kobold a tongue lashing, Leo realizes that he kobolds were not going be cooperative, Telling Ambrose in sylvan to say in the back, he watches as Tannakin rushes in and attacks. Not wanting the elf to wade into battle alone, Leo moves to where Tannakin had been standing He points the torch at the pile of rubble on his left,, speaking sylvan "ကျည်ဆန်." He waives his hand empty hand using Telekinetic Projectile to send a rock flying at the lead kobold.
Good job Leo. Tann, nice try with them. I was hoping we wouldn't have to fight.
Sansaárë moves 25' in front of kobold A and strikes with her shortsword.
◆Stride
◆
◆
◆
I hope this didn't killed it and they run. I really don't want to kill them if necessary. Or they surrender instead of fighting us. Sorry Ness if it did kill it.
Ness moved forward (20ft), slipping past Leo at the entrance and into the chamber - keeping to the back wall and out of the general fray.
The druidess began to cast - gesturing with her hand and speaking the words of power in a strong voice. A vine covered in sticky sap appeared in the air above her open palm and she flicked her hand, hoping to lash kobold C.
Round 1
With a flourish, a flash, a firt even, our Heroes rush into the unwelcoming arms of the snarling kobolds!
Tannakin dances up to Kobold A, just scratching it while talking s@## to Kobold C!
Leo bravely follows the swashbuckler, locating a piece of detris to toss at the same kobold!
Kobold A falls to the flooring with a thud!
Sansaárë conviently strides to stand over the fallen kobold to Feint Kobold B, making him fall for her cunning!
The smiling rogue then takes careful aim, striking the wide-eyed kobold in the throat!
Nyswyn also follows the others into the storage room. Calling on the wilds, she tosses a tangle vine at the kobolds, but her aim is a bit short.
The 2 remaining kobolds look at each other. Kobold C seems a bit stunned, but he shakes his head at Tann, snarls at Airi, and ◆Steps to Flank with Kobold D, who also ◆Steps to Flank the rogue!
They both Strike at her with their shortspears!
Kobold D then ◆Strides away from the rogue.
Tannakin hollers encouragement to Airi, "Don't worry, Airi! These aren't animals, they are warriors--they know what they signed up for! I'll distract it, then get it in the ribs! Unless I get there first!"
Tann can usually talk and fight, but for some reason she keeps getting distracted by these kobolds. Fortunately, her confidence means she still hits the kobold!
She then Tumbles Through to set up a flank for Airi:
The wiry swashbuckler leaps, folds, falls, and springs back to her feet again on the other side of the kobold, rapier raised, eyes blazing with excitement!
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Gathering amongst the rubble, rocks and ragtag supplies are a group of mice admiringly watching this show! Two seem to be imitating our swashbuckler. One is pretending to cast spells like the tall gangly fella. Another is seen gathering loose foliage. And a final mouse is tying a bandanna around its head in admiration of the pretty rogue...
Trying to stay out of the way as Sansaárë and Nyswyn move forward, Leo watches as the two kobolds fall. One to his rock the other to Sansaárë's blade. "Watch out!" Calling out as the two kobolds try to injure her Le calls out. Yelling at the kobolds, "Thou shalt not hurt my friends!" He points the torch at the pile of rubble on his left, speaking sylvan "ကျည်ဆန်." He waives his hand empty hand using Telekinetic Projectile to send a rock flying at the hiding kobold. Frowning as the rock bounced off of the wall.
Ness moved across 5 ft to get a better look at the hiding kobold 'd'.
She began casting, gesturing with her hand, her words of power echoing in the chamber like a chant. Then she released a ray of ice from her fingertip to the hiding kobold.
x2 = 8 pts of dmg
◆ Ness then raised her shield in case more of the lizard-like creatures came to assist their friends or she was targeted by one she attacked but not killed.
Nice job everyone. Be careful. We now know how sneaky they are.
Kobold, surrender to us before we injure or kill you.
◆ Stride Sansaárë moves 5' across from Tann.
Frustrated that his rock missed, Leo glares at the kobold is friends were fighting, giving it the 'evil eye.' .
Round 2
The audience applauds at the totally badass action sequences in this show!
The sounds of the kobolds snarling and shouting
mostly goes unnoticed! The 2 remaining kobolds eye these strangers warily (and with a bit of surprise!). Their other 2 companions falling so quickly to the obviously superior skill set of these adventures!
Tannakin shouts some expertise at Airi. Then the swashbuckler tumbles through a kobold's legs to only strike out from behind!
Leo calls upon his Patron to toss another bit of debris at the retreated kobold; only to have it clank off the cage! The Witch then gives the ol' stink eye!
Sansaárë then slides into a Flank with Tannakin, feinting and aiming for the kobold's heart! Her aim seems just a bit off, until Leo's Evil Eye causes the kobold to pee his pants!
Nyswyn takes careful aim, as the druidess calls upon the frosty side of nature to silence the loud kobold!
Even with a bit of cage in the way, the icy ray freezes the kobold still!
The only sounds left are the confident breathing from our Heroes (and some applause from the mice).
After the fight, the heroes can examine their foes. Some of the kobolds are carrying dried fish stolen from the fishery—clearly they were involved in the thefts, but more fish are missing than can be explained by four kobolds....
There is a door to the North.
Tannakin pulls out a hankie and wipes her blade clean before sheathing it again. She looks very pleased.
She starts poking through the kobolds' belongings, but she's already eyeing the cell. "A locked door, eh? Think you can pop it, Airi? It looks like the one on the 'forbidden books' section of your library, and of course we know that lock has never been a problem for you..."
"...even if you've never shared the secret of how exactly the forbidden books lock works with a certain good friend of yours who is certainly not bitter about it."
Maybe one day I will tell you the secrets of the forbidden book.
Look at those mice. They are so cute. I want to keep them if they will have us. They are all copying what we do.
Come here little ones. We won't hurt you.
Sansaárë walks over to the cage and tries to open it.
Damn this lock is hard to get.
And she rams right into the cage.
Sansaárë starts to get a little frustrated and takes out her thievery tools again.
Man that was a hard one. Let's see what's inside.
Look what we have here.
Inside the cell is a pile of old crates and a few barrels. While most of these contain long-spoiled food and stained cloth, one of them contains a small pile of treasure: 200 sp, a gold ring worth 5 gp, and a beautiful +1 shortsword —a magic weapon! The hero using this weapon increases their bonus to attack rolls by 1!
There is a door to the North.
"WOW nice blade, Airi! And it's just your style, too! Can I hold it a second?"
Tannakin inspects the magic blade, admiring it before handing it back to her friend. "It's almost too nice to use. Almost."
Yes, it is nice. This will go good with the rest of my weapons. It may help with this job we have to finish.
Before we head on. I should get healed first. Ness would you mind helping me out?
Sansaárë then sits down on one of the crates.
Whistling for Ambrose, Leo moved closer to the cell. Watching as Sansaárë eventually opened the lock he stood on his tippy toes. Being human had very few benefits, actually being able to see something when you stood on your tippy toes was one of them.
As they pulled the beautiful sword out of it's crate, Seamus, having a hunch cast 'detect magic.' Adding to the conversation, "Tis not only beautiful but also it hath a magical endowment which maketh it a more effective weapon."
Distracted with the battle and excitement of the lock Leo had forgotten that Sansaárë had been wounded. Nodding approvingly as she sat down to be mended.