Chapter 3.1 (Session 62, 16th October 2018)

In which our heroes emerge from the smoke   Book Two, Chapter 3.1 (session 62, 16 th October 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 lets go of his glaive (Ringo catches it for him) and hauls himself up the chain, allowing Naergon and Tomaz to examine the podium. Between them they manage to turn the top over revealing a large iron ring set into the underside. As crossbow bolts fly across the smoke shrouded room Mads and Tomaz both haul on the chain trying with all their might to pull it down and link it onto the ring.   As the chain ratchets down an ominous grinding noise of stone against stone can be heard from the east (where the door is located). Jamna continues to fire blindly at the arrow slits in the ceiling as more crossbow bolts clatter off the floor and around Mads, Naergon and Tomaz. In the distance Druscilla blunders through the smoke filled corridors trying to find her way back to the chamber, choosing to drop her cultist disguise as she does so. Naergon grabs the end of the chain and attempts to link it to the ring – as he pushes the bronze chain towards the ring it magically interlocks.   Mads drops from the chain, grabs his glaive from Ringo and stumbles through the smoke to the doorway, shouting “Come on! Let’s go”, as he slams head first into the still closed door. He begins ponding on the door with the butt of his glaive as a crossbow bolt shatters on the stonework above him. Near the podium there is a cry from Naergon as another bolt, slams into his shoulder.   Druscilla makes her way back into the stepped chamber and finds Naergon in the smoke “what’s happening?” she asks “Honestly I don’t know” replies Naergon rather distractedly. He then begins to examine the ring and collar attachment on the podium [investigation 20] and determines that the entire collar will now rotate, screwing down the podium, dragging the chain with it. “ Mads, Tomaz get back here we need your muscles” he shouts. Tomaz grabs the collar “ you want me to wind this down, yes?” he asks Naergon. “ Yes, do get on with it” replies Naergon rather testily.   Mads makes his way back to assist Tomaz but briefly they struggle, each winding the thread in opposite directions. More crossbow bolts skim across the floor near them as Druscilla retires to the northern wall. Jamna again shoots blindly into the smoke shrouded darkness of the ceiling. Tomaz and Mads have a brief discussion and establish which way they should be turning the collar and then between them wind it down about a quarter of the way. From the east comes the sound of stone grinding against stone.   Druscilla steps towards the podium and helps turn the collar getting it to the halfway mark, more grinding noises come from the east. Naergon moves across to the door and discovers that the stone slab has lifted about half way up. Jamna shoots into the darkness of the ceiling but without effect. Tomaz and Mads again wind the collar down all the way. Mads then dashes towards the door, as he does so the collar starts to wind back up the podium. Tomaz and Druscilla grab for it, Tomaz just managing to keep it in place, “ Mads get back here and grab this” he shouts. Crossbow bolts clatter across the floor. “ Wedge it down” cries Druscilla. “ What’s happening now?” calls Naergon. “ The collar won’t stay down” says Tomaz. “ So wedge it, use an iron spike or something. Be creative!” demands Naergon. “ We could use your immovable rod” says Tomaz. “ Don’t be ridiculous ” scoffs Naergon “why would we need to, surely there’s a way to pin the collar down, you wouldn’t design this on the assumption people are carrying immovable rods around!”   Druscilla inspects the collar looking for a catch [investigation 9] but can’t find anything. “ There’s no catch, nothing” she shouts to Naergon.  “ Honestly, has no one got an iron spike or something?” shouts Naergon despairingly. “ I’ve got some pitons” calls Jamna. Naergon walks back to the podium, pulls out an iron spike and wedges it into the chain collar mechanism. “ That’ll do it! It’s not the way it’s supposed to work but it’ll hold. Now can we get out of here?” he asks as crossbow bolts clatter all around. Tomaz gingerly lets go of the collar, the chain snaps taught but holds. He looks suspiciously at Naergon, picks his spear up and moves towards the door.   Mads steps through the door “ Come on. Let’s go!” and steps through the smoke onto a flight of stairs that ascend and turn in front of him. Druscilla follows behind him also emerging from the smoke to see a steep flight of stairs ahead. Naergon steps away from the podium and onto the stairs behind Mads, Jamna follows and stops behind Druscilla. Tomaz steps through the doorway to the foot of the stairs. Mads peers up the stairs as he comes out of the smoke, the stairs ascend within a stone corridor, the ceiling never more than 5’ high as it angles steeply upwards. The stairs turn right after 20’ and then ascend straight up another 60’ towards a small stone platform. In the flickering light of a torch he can see the silhouette of a cultist standing guard. Mads charges up the stairs with a roar , as he does so the cultists steps sideways and bangs on the large, highly decorated bronze door to his left, with the hilt of his sword.   Mads cuts and slices with his glaive, retaining his reach. At the bottom of the stairs Tomaz half turns in the smoke checking behind himself but fails to notice anything untoward [perception 15]. Druscilla climbs up the stairs behind Mads, drawing her crossbow and shoots the cultist in the chest.  Naergon climbs up behind them, leaving the smoke behind and, turning the corner, peers up the steep staircase after Mads and Druscilla. Jamna climbs up beside Naergon and takes a shot at the cultist but misses. Tomaz climbs the first flight emerging from the smoke but stops short of the turn. On the platform the cultist charges at Mads, who slices at him [reach opportunity attack] and chops him down, the body continuing to fall down the stairs past Druscilla to thump into the wall next to Naergon.   Mads calls down the stairs “ that guard was banging on the door up here, calling reinforcements, let’s get them! Come on.” And he readies an eldritch blast spell. At the foot of the stairs a cultist emerges from the smoke and stabs Tomaz [critical hit], a second cultist then appears and likewise stabs Tomaz in the back. As Tomaz cries out, Druscilla turns but can’t see anything past Naergon and Jamna so continues up the stairs to the platform and takes a look at the bronze faced, stone door “Jamna, you need to come up here”. Naergon climbs up after Druscilla, followed by Jamna. Tomaz carefully retreats up the stairs [disengage action].   Mads climbs the last few steps and bangs on the door “ This is the dragon man, send your weakest guards now” he shouts and then looks at Naergon and grins. At the foot of the stairs, two cultists creep around the corner and stab at Tomaz. Druscilla shoots down the stairs hitting one of the cultists. Naergon casts a firebolt but misses, Jamna steps past Mads, shoots and hits [sneak attack] before sidestepping out of Mad’s way. Tomaz casts hunters mark on the first cultist and then stabs with his spear, the cultist crumples and falls down the stairs.   Mads steps forward and cuts and slices with his glaive [reach], the cultist stabs Tomaz, dropping him and then advances towards Mads who cuts at him [opportunity attack reach] before the cultists stabs him in the guts. Druscilla drops her crossbow, advances and swings her mace hitting the cultist. Naergon steps up the door to see if there’s any way to open it [investigation 23] he determines that the central inner circular pattern rotates around the engraved head. “I think I can open this ” he calls. Jamna leans forward and shoots the cultist [sneak] with a cry he falls and bounces down the stairs in a series of dull thuds. Tomaz groans [death save fail]. Druscilla casts cure wounds and sits him up against the wall. Tomaz thanks her and casts more cure wounds spells on himself.   Mads and Naergon discuss what to do next and everyone agrees that a short rest would be helpful. Naergon ritually casts Leomund’s tiny hut and the heroes settle in on the platform at the top of the stairs, wondering what lies beyond the bronze faced door. [Mads 6HD=48HP; Tomaz 2HD=12HP; Naergon1HD=5HP; Druscilla 3HD=27HP].   Next time, what’s behind the door?   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 20:00 on 22 nd Tarsakh 1485 DR   (The last Long Rest was completed at 08:00, 1 short rest has been taken by all and a second by NH, MR, JG)   Next session Tuesday 23 rd October at 07:15