In which our heroes stumble
around in the dark again Book Two, Chapter 3.1
(session 61, 13 th September 2018) The Party: Naergon Harna, elven
wizard (diviner); Mads Rangle, human fighter/warlock; Jamna Gleamsilver, gnome
rogue (arcane trickster); Tomaz Stormwind, human ranger (hunter); Druscilla
Oakenrock, dwarven cleric (trickster) Mads attacks the veteran in front of him, hitting
him three times as his glaive whirls through the hot air, Maelgot manages to
retain his footing on the narrow causeway through the first attacks but then
Mads trips him with the butt and with a cry he plummets over the edge,
careening off the wall of the chasm. Druscilla, grabs for her mace as she
stands up, and moves forward along the force bridge, unslinging her crossbow.
Wessic advances onto the causeway and Mads takes a jab at him but misses [reach
opportunity attack]. Jamna shoots at Wessic but misses, the arrow sheering off
the doorway behind him. Tomaz advances along the force bridge and shoots
Wessic, hitting him but the veteran keeps his footing. Tomaz then casts hunters
mark [bonus] and shoots again, missing. From the doorway Sorvik raises his
heavy crossbow and shoots Mads, the bolt slamming into him but failing to
dislodge him. Mads attacks [reach] Wessic in another brutal flurry
of slashes and jabs, wounding the veteran but failing to knock him from the
causeway. Druscilla advances alongside Mads and shoots at the veteran, hitting
him as he advances and attacks Mads, missing. Mads ripostes and hits him, but Wessic
retains his footing and attacks again, finally stabbing Mads with his short
sword and heaving him off the causeway. From the force bridge, Jamna shoots at
Wessic, the arrow slaming into his left eye socket [sneak attack] and the
veteran falls lifeless into the chasm. Tomaz transfers his hunters mark [bonus]
to Sorvik and then shoots him twice despite the cover of the doorway. In return Sorvik shoots at Druscilla, the
bolt flying wide before retreating into the chamber behind him. Mads continues to fall [250’] but casts fly and,
avoiding the corpse of Wessic, he starts to head back up the chasm [190’].
Druscilla steps forward and shoots at Sorvik but misses. Jamna races along the
force bridge as Tomaz steps forward and peers into the chamber taking note of
the statues of robed, heavily bearded humans that line the walls on both sides.
From within the room Sorvik shoots at Druscilla, misses and backs up to the
door at the far end, dropping his crossbow and drawing a sword. Mads continues to fly up the chasm [70’] as
Druscilla moves into the doorway and shoots at Sorvik, injuring him. Jamna
advances behind her and shoots him as well, followed by Tomaz who shoots twice
but misses. Sorvik growls and draws his shortsword “ come and fight, yer cowards” he snarls. Naergon races along the
force bridge. Mads flies up and over the causeway, over
Druscilla’s head and lands in the chamber: “ someone
want a fight?” Behind him Druscilla raises her crossbow and shoots Sorvik
yet again, with a long sigh, the veteran slumps to the ground, back to the door
his swords clattering on the tiled floor. Taking stock of the chamber, they see six of the
robed and bearded statues lining the walls of the chamber, the floor a
chequerboard of black and red tiles. Behind Sorvik’s body stands a wooden door.
“ Does anyone need any healing?” asks
Druscilla, “I could do with a bit”
replies Mads, “me too” pipes up
Jamna. Druscilla casts Heal on Mads [70HP] whilst Jamna drags the body of
Sorvik out and pitches it into the chasm. Druscilla then casts cure wounds on
her [23 HP]. Tomaz examines one of the statues, which appears to be very
ancient and worn [perception 24] and stylistically similar to the other imagery
in this complex. There is a vague indication of wings behind each figure but it
is impossible to tell whether that is real or just some kind of representative
imagery – otherwise the figures just appear to be humans, albeit dressed in
archaic looking robes. In the background the force bridge disappears as Naergon
enters and ceases to concentrate on it. “ Hey,
priest” says Jamna “ do you have any
idea what these figures are? They have some kind of cone or something in their
hands, is it important?” Druscilla takes a look but finds no similarity
with any religious iconography she knows of “no
idea, doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever encountered” she replies. Jamna approaches the door and inspects it closely
but doesn’t notice anything suspicious beyond it being locked “ this would be easier with a key, maybe, but
let’s give it a go” she says under her breath as she picks the lock
[thieves’ tools 18]. Tomaz, standing over her asks “ that chap you threw off the ledge, did he not have keys on him?” “No,
not that I noticed ” grunts Jamna. Mads pushes past and through the door, down a short
corridor he turns left and sees a strange statue of a horned figure sitting in
a fine chair atop a dais. To either side of the statue, ancient scroll shelves
line the walls, the contents long since reduced to dust. “ Does this
mean anything to you Naergon” asks Tomaz, “ maybe you should take a look?” “It means nothing to me, these scrolls
are ancient and fall apart at a touch, maybe you should ask the priest for an
opinion?” Druscilla takes a quick look [religion 22] and says “ I think it’s some kind of ancient Netheril
god or demon. Don’t ask me for a name, all I can say is it’s ancient and the
imagery and style is similar to that of the Netherese Empire.” Mads moves past the statue, Naergon following, and
takes the northern corridor which turns west towards another door. In the
northern wall are a series of arrow slits, peering out he can see the fiery
chasm and causeway beyond “this is where
those archers were shooting us from ” he calls over his shoulder. Turning to
Naergon he says “ there’s a door should we
get Jamna to check it out”, “no need, it’ll be fine, just open it ”
encourages Naergon from the end of the corridor. “ Damn it, its locked ” says Mads, “ so? Unlock it then ” mutters Naergon, peering through the arrow
slits. “I can’t.” grunts Mads, then
shouts “ Jamna we need your assistance”. Jamna
approaches and examines the door [perception 27] and then picks the lock
[thieves’ tools 22]. “ All yours” she
says, stepping back behind Mads. Mads pushes the door open, revealing what was
clearly once an alchemical workshop, strange sigils and carvings cover the
walls. A summoning circle is inlaid into the floor in the north-west corner but
is now heavily damaged and split. Ancient wooden racks and benches line the
walls, the contents reduced to dust and broken shards. Peering over his
shoulder, Naergon says “ do you want to
search it, see if there’s anything useful?” Mads, turns and looks at the
elf “ yeah, I would like someone to search
it, just not me. Jamna!” Shaking her head, Jamna steps in and starts
searching the chamber [perception 10] but finds nothing, kicking the dust aside
and sweeping things off the tables she says “ there’s nothing here, it’s dead and boring ” and then leaves to go
and look at the next corridor. “ Nonsense”
says Mads “ there must be something here ”
and steps in and starts to search through the shelf contents [perception 21]
but finds nothing of any interest. Meanwhile Jamna examines the next door in the
southern wall of the eastern corridor, deciding it’s not trapped [perception
19] she spends some time struggling to pick the lock [thieves’ tools 13].
Beyond is a small reading room, complete with ancient chairs, tables and scroll
shelves, the contents long since reduced to dust. Frustrated Jamna, searches
the room, kicking tables and chairs over but fails to find anything of interest
[perception 14]. Turning to the opposite door in the northern wall,
Jamna again inspects for traps [perception 19] before setting about picking the
lock [thieves’ tools 24] which she speedily accomplishes. Beyond is another
abandoned, dusty and ancient reading room. A quick search reveals nothing but
fragments of parchment and scrolls that crumble into dust when touched
[perception22]. “ No one has been here in
millennia, if I’m any judge” she says, emerging from the room. “There’s
no cult activity in these chambers. Whatever they are doing here must be beyond
this jade door” Jamna continues, pointing at the slab that seals the
corridor at the eastern end. It is identical in look to the one at the entrance
chamber with a human archer standing in front of a circled sun with wings,
engraved into the centre. “ We know how to
open these ” says Mads, stepping forward “ who’s going to help me?” “I will” says Druscilla, stepping up
beside him. Rotating the wings and pushing the central disc,
causes the slab to descend smoothly into the floor with barely a whisper.
Beyond is a large stepped, octagonal room, the floor some ten feet below, the
ceiling nearly forty feet above at the centre. The walls tiered in steps down
to the floor and up to the ceiling. Across the chamber is another slab door,
this time coral pink and decorated with a winged bull carving. An intricate
tiled mosaic in abstract patterns adorns the floor in the centre of which
stands an empty bronze podium. A fine bronze chain hangs twenty feet down from
the centre of the ceiling, directly above the podium. Druscilla calls “ Jamna,
do you want to come look at this floor ?” “ Who wants to come and pull this chain?” shouts Mads. “What chain?” chorus Naergon and Tomaz
from down the corridor as Jamna pushes past “ let me see what the deal is then” she grumbles as she enters the
room. Standing on the steps she follows the weave of the patterning and studies
the steps to her front but can’t make out anything suspicious [perception 26].
Looking up and studying the celling, Jamna sees what might be an alcove – a
darker slit of shadow in the recesses of the tiers in the far corner. She
points up and says “ there might be
something up there, a niche or something”. Druscilla walks up to stand alongside Jamna and
peers up as well, whilst Mads standing behind turns to the others, skulking at
the far end of the corridor and calls “ how
come it’s the girls that are the brave ones?” As he does so his glaive
vibrates in his hand and his dead wife’s voice shrieks in his head “ pay attention, I need you to live and suffer
for my forgiveness. Be alert!” Spinning around he casts eldritch blast,
preparing to hurl the spell at the first threat he sees [readied action]. As he does so a glass orb comes sailing down from
the shadowed niche Jamna is pointing at, it misses and smashes on the steps at
her feet, cold and frost blossoming across the floor. Simultaneously another
orb is lobbed from the opposite corner towards Mads, smashing on his upraised
arm and bathing him in ice. Druscilla, raises her crossbow and shoots blindly
into the dark niche area, the bolt shattering on the stone tiers opposite.
Naergon remains at the end of the corridor, Jamna retreats through the door,
casts mage hand and attempts to pull the chain, managing to tug it down by two
or three links but she can’t keep the pressure on with the spell and the chain
returns to its previous position. Tomaz takes cover at the end of the corridor,
keeping a watchful eye on Naergon. Mads advances into the room and attempts to grab the
chain but can’t reach without standing on the podium but quickly realises he
can’t do that whilst keeping hold of his glaive. Turning he shouts “ someone give me a bunk up, so I can grab the
chain!” as he does so another orb comes sailing out of the darkness and
shatters on his shoulder, more ice and frost blossoming across his dragon scale
armour. A second orb drops from the other side of the chamber, missing Mads and
shattering across the bronze podium, wreathing it in frost. Druscilla crouches
in the doorway and readies her crossbow to shoot at anyone that appears [readied
action]. Naergon remains at the rear of the corridor, Jamna calls back “Tomaz you should get up here” and then
casts invisibility on herself and creeps across the chamber [stealth 21]. Tomaz
casts pass without trace on himself and Naergon and whispers to Naergon “ move forward”. Mads summons his familiar, the imp Ringo and then
moves across the chamber. An orb comes sailing towards Ringo but misses, splattering
ice across the podium. A second orb shatters on the steps next to Druscilla as
she studies the ceiling vainly looking for a target [perception 7]. Ringo
becomes invisible and then flies up towards the dark niche. Naergon remains at
the rear of the corridor, refusing to move forward despite Tomaz’s urging.
Jamna, creeps along the wall to stand below the dark niche and studies it for
signs of movement [perception 21]. She can just make out the shape of a cultist
standing behind the horizontal slot. Tomaz creeps forward to the steps and
tries to locate the enemy [perception 24] and sees some kind of movement in the
deep shadows in the ceiling tiers. Mads also studies the ceiling tiers [perception 13]
but fails to identify anything. Meanwhile an orb drops next to Druscilla,
bounces, rolls and shatters against the podium, a second one shatters on the floor
near Mads. Druscilla continues to study the ceiling [perception 6] but fails to
spot anything, likewise Ringo fails to identify the slits [perception 2].
Naergon pulls out his dragonlamp and fires it up, generating light deep in the
corridor. Jamna and Tomaz both prepare to shoot a cultist when one appears at
the niche. Mads moves back to the podium and climbs up it and
starts pulling the chain down, he gets the chain down but can’t see anything to
do with it or anything to fix it to. A cultist appears at the arrow slit and
both Jamna and Tomaz shoot, Jamna becoming visible as her arrow flies true and slams
into the cultist [sneak], Tomaz’s arrow misses and shatters off the stonework.
Both orbs fall around Mads, one hitting him squarely and causing more cold
damage. Druscilla continues to study the slots and following Jamna’s arrow see’s
the dark figure behind the slit [perception 18]. Ringo, flies down to the
plinth and studies it for some way to attach the chain [perception 16] he
discovers that the top is artfully hinged and separate from the rest of the podium.
Naergon pulls out his eversmoking bottle and muttering the command word pulls
the stopper. Thick smoke pours out, heavily obscuring the entire area inside
the complex. Jamna moves away and hides against the wall [stealth 15]. Tomaz
also takes the opportunity to hide [stealth 19]. Mads, hanging on to the chain, calls for Ringo to
assist him with the podium. Druscilla casts disguise self on herself to look
like a cultist and then walks out of the chamber and down the corridor. Ringo
and Mads scrabble at the top of the podium, there’s a definite lip and ridge
but they can’t discern how it works [investigation 4]. Naergon, re-stoppers the
bottle. Jamna stays hidden where she is, Tomaz blunders through the smoke until
he collides with a wall. Mads again attempts to feel his way around the podium
top but fails [investigation 7]. Druscilla makes her way through the smoke into
the chamber with the seated statue. Ringo also attempts to understand the
podium [investigation 7] without success. Naergon creeps forward and studies
the top of the podium [investigation 19] in the dim light of the dragonlamp and
sees that the top of the podium can be manipulated to flip it over and in on
itself but he can’t do that whilst Mads is standing on it. “ Tomaz, get
over here and help with this, right now” shouts Naergon. “ Where are you?” calls Tomaz from within
the smoke. “Here, in the middle” yells
Mads. Tomaz stumbles forward and collides with Naergon in the smoke “ what is it?” he asks. “ You need to hold up Mads, who has hold of the
chain whilst I flip the top of this podium” explains Naergon. “ Why?” “Good question, just do it will you!” To be continued . . . No levels were gained this session:
Naergon
13 th level
Mads
12 th level
Jamna
12 th level
Tomaz
12 th level
Druscilla
12 th level
XP earnt is now irrelevant as the rest of TOD is
based on milestone XP In-Game the session ended at 18:30 on 22 nd
Tarsakh 1485 DR (The last Long Rest was completed at 08:00 that
morning, 1 short rest has been taken since by NH, MR, JG)
Next session TBC – but will move to Tuesday evening