You pick up some last-minute gear, pay Durnan one gold coin, and are led to the back room amidst a flurry of cheers, well-wishing, and wagers on your fate.  When the heavily-reinforced door shuts, the room falls relatively quiet.
   "Remember, when you want to come back up, just bang on the shields and cause a ruckus; we'll lower the rope for you.  When you're at the top, you gotta pay another gold piece or go back down... without the benefit of a rope, if you're too feisty about it.  If you can't pay, we'll hold your gear until you can.  Unless you're completely out of luck, though, you won't have to worry about it."  A half-elven man, wearing the garb of a priest of Tymora, steps up to Durnan's side, granting the group a blessing from the Luckbringer.  "Best wishes to you, and the best of luck.  You'll surely be needing it."
   With that, you are securely lashed to the rope and lowered down the well.  As the rope descends into the increasing darkness, faces become visible in the opening above; customers toasting the group, wishing them good fortune, or asking for trophies.  The last echoes of the crowd's toasts and betting whisper about you as you descend deep into the well.  As the flickering light from the torches above fades, a chill overtakes you, and you find yourself still sinking with no end in sight.  You drop slowly and steadily deeper on the rope, almost as if you were the bait on an unweighted fishing line in placid waters, but the cold and the quiet of the well that surrounds you is anything but peaceful.  The silence has more of a waiting quality to it.
   After being lowered for what seems like an eternity, you at last see the bottom.  Below you stretches sand-covered ground and whatever fate awaits you in Undermountain.
   Several inches of sand covers the floor of this roughly square room.  Broken and dented shields hang on stone walls covered with chalk and charcoal graffiti.  The ceiling looms a mere 10 feet above you -- as it does in the hallway that leads out of the room to the south -- but a 30-foot-diameter hole in the ceiling forms a chimney that rises up over a hundred feet.
This message was last updated by the GM at 21:23, Sat 28 Apr 2007.

Malik nodded courteously to the Tymoran. "We thank you for your blessing."

Turning to his new companions, he added, "Let's take a little light into the darkness."

When we got to the bottom, he flipped the shutter on the bullseye lantern that hung at his side. In the beam of its light, he took a careful look around before shrugging.

"Looks like there's only one path out from here.  Who wants to lead off?"

"Sure hope this rope can hold me. Seems like a long way down,"  Borin says as they are being lowered. As he sees the floor he says "Anything in that room better get outta my way, fer I am a coming."

Once down he looks down the hall way and says "There can't be traps this early can there? Tell me there be none and I will head down the hall," Borin says as he hefts the mighty shield into place and pats his waraxe.

Zorian shifts his backpack over both shoulders to make it fit right and takes a carefull look around. Then then he takes a parchment and his inkpen placing it on a small wooden plank about a little bigger then the parchment.

"I will make a map that covers all our crossings. You guys know how to read a straight line map? Just in case."

Malik shrugged, "I can probably find my way back with one if I have to."

He idly rubbed the handle of the mace that hung from his belt as he looked down the hallway.  He took a few steps closer to the tunnel, and looked further down it by the light of his lantern.

Turning back to the others, he asked, "So, should Borin lead us off, or do one of you want to go first in case of traps that he might not see?"

"Whichever it is, I'll follow second in case our leader needs healing, or go last to guard against attacks from the rear, whichever seems wisest."

Borin letting the others decide what is going to happen, hefts is heavy shield and walks out to th ecenter of the hallway looking south.

Seeing Borin move forward, Malik smiled grimly, lifted his lantern and followed closely behind the dwarf.

Zorian looks at the indecisiveness of his party members and chuckles. His friend Khidrath was most likely the best suited to scout ahead even though he doubted that was neccecairy at this point.

"Khidrath why don't you move ahead and check for traps backed by Borin. Malik and i will close the line then. Don't move to far ahead thoughso we can hear and see each other in case of trouble."

Zorian writes down Start on his map and a square to mark a room on their path followed by a straight line that signifies the start of their journey.

Khidrath stepped forth "I’ll take the lead, but you’d better stay close by, just in case." he moves slowly towards the southern hallway, carefully looking for traps.

As you cross the room, your feet shifting in the layer of sand, you notice that prior visitors have left graffiti on the walls.  Some of it looks interesting.
  There is something fairly lengthy in Orcish near the southwest corner.
  On the west wall, in common, someone wrote: "Hesod -- Went to check out a strange music only Jayce can hear. Have a few drinks until we get back."  Below that, you see: "It's been two days. Leave a message if you have returned. -- Hesod"  And just below that: "It's been two weeks. I can wait no longer. I seek you out myself. None of our 'friends' would come with me. If you are not with me when you read this, then I am dead. Avenge my death on those who abandoned us in our time of need. -- Hesod"
  The north wall has something very short, in Dethek letters, though it's clearly not in the dwarves' language.
  In the northwest corner, some wit has written a little poem:
    Here there lies a secret door,
    but you will not find it or,
    you won't be able to open it,
    and then you'll rot here in this pit.
    Ha ha.
  On the east wall, someone wrote, "Beware the she-wolf and her night hounds.  They killed Sarth."
  Directly above the arch in the southwest, someone has written, "You came here unbidden, now you'll die in this midden."  It's not even good poetry.
  Near the floor on the south wall, right between two of the shields, is scrawled "Tymora, remember me."
  Right next to the arch, on the west wall, is something boldly scratched into the wall in Dethek.  Right underneath it, someone has delicately written a short message in chalk, with careful Espruar lettering.
  Near the northeast corner, there are two messages that, while using Thorass, are clearly not in Common.
  Lastly, another message using Dethek is on the east wall.

Kidrath and Zorian make out some hurried conversation from above, though they can't make out any of the words.

Khidrath takes a closer look at the Espruar lettering, still listening to the conversation from above, trying to make some sens of it or determine if it is coming closer.

The clearest part of the Elvish script is the horizontal line, with a curve beneath it -- the elven number eleven*.



*_{Note that elven numbering is base 12, so the number "11" in elven is actually 13 -- 12 + 1.  Elves outside of Evereska and Evermeet might revert to base ten like the humans use.}

Zorian chuckles as he reads the orc text and mumbles.

"Someone made a good impression on Durnan."

Then he steps back to under the well and looks upwards to see what is causing the conversation above.

Someone else is coming down the well, slowly being lowered at the end of the rope.

[Trinity, time to introduce yourself.]

Malik glanced back at the sound of the creaking of the rope, and glanced up to see the lady descending.  He waited patiently until she hit the sand.

After a seeming eternity of excited descent into shadow, Trinity suddenly finds herself plunged into a brightly lit room.  Her feet hit the sand and with a slight hop she quickly regains her balance.  Although she notices the people gathered in the immediate area, Trinity first secures her buckler and loosens her short sword before focusing her attention upon the group.  "I am ready.  Thank you for waiting."  Her manner suggests that her sudden appearance at the last minute was entirely planned, despite the impossibility.  "Please call me Trin."

Malik bowed, even though something in her manner told him a salute might be more in order.  "Malik of Lathander.  And you're welcome."

His tone wasn't quite a chuckle, but it did acknowledge the absurdity of her implied statement.

Trinity politely acknowledged Malik's response with a solemn nod of her head, yet her eyes twinkled in the flickering light and her lips twitched slightly in amusement.  As she notices the graffiti and also the chalk in the cloaked figure's hand, she asks with an upraised eyebrow, "Either you've been quite naughty in a very short time, or someone wanted to tell us something."

Borin says rather loudly for everyone comfort, "Well, are we moving on or waiting here till we have an army?"

Khidrath looked rather surprised when the newest arrival addressed him “Well meet. Trin. No I didn’t make this, I’m actually not sure what to make of it – it means eleven in elven? Perhaps we will find some sort of use for it later.”

With that he turns to Borin “patience my friend, we wouldn’t want to miss any important information or the likes – that said I think we should move on unless someone else have seen something of interest?”

He then searches the walls for secret doors or anything else of interest. If he doesn't find anything of interest he continues down the southern hallway using his darkvision.

Zorian just nods as Trin lands next to him and exchanges names.

Zorian Argerios Porquan is my name. And welcome to our little party.

Turning to Borin he smiles.

A man of action i like that. Lets move indeed friends. for whealth and glory!

With that he follows his fellow adventurers.

Borin eyes the wizard Zorian and says "I think I may like you just fine lad...just fine.....ya got a good attitude on ya." He turns to face south anxious for battle more then anything else.

Trinity nods and replies, "South is as good as any other direction."

Khidrath finds a couple interesting things in his examination of the room.  In the north wall, where the bad poem is written, is a concealed door.  There doesn't appear to be any means to open it from this side, however.
   He also finds, behind one of the shields, a single gold coin wedged between two of the wall's stones.  Judging by the forty-year old date on it, whoever left this coin to cover their return trip never made it back to use it.

The south passage only goes about twenty feet before turning to the right.  From there, the corridor runs another thirty feet, then opens on the right side into a wider passage.  This hall sports arched columns every twenty feet or so, supporting the ceiling.  Shining his lantern down this passage, Malik can see that it runs about sixty feet before opening into a larger room.

[Your bullseye lantern is good for distance viewing, but is little help in seeing your overall area.  It only lights a 60-foot cone, in whatever direction you point it in.  Anything outside of that cone will remain dark.  It's up to you guys if you want to use a secondary light-source, like a torch or sunrod.]

Following the others from her rearward position, Trinity finds herself walking in almost total darkness.  "Perhaps illuminating a wider area would be wise?  Does anyone have a mundane means of providing light?  I have cantrips, but they do not last overly long."

Malik shrugged a bit ruefully. "This was all that I was able to get for now.  I too can provide lighting for about an hour each day, but the more powerful prayers for light are still beyond my reach.  Perhaps someday..."

"Still, should we need more light quickly for a battle, it should be able to be provided.  For now though, I think I agree with Borin.  The less light we show, the safer we will be."

He looked down at the larger gallery that was just visible in the lantern's light, and tapped the mace that hung from his belt.

Khidrath takes a few steps back to the group and whispers "perhaps I should scout a little further ahead since I can see in the dark, if any of you have darkvision you could follow just behind me."quick glimpse at Borin "This way, at least one of us should be able to make a sound if we come across anything dangerous?!"

He could feel the excitement growing within him, this was what he had been longing for. Observers notice a red glow deep within his eyes, like his soul is on fire.

"Aye it be the truth, I need no lights to see down here." Borin says. "That is why I never thought of a light source. Plus, this be the first party I have travelled with that needs such...And I would be glad to guard your back lad." he adds to Khidrath's comment.

With that Elomion loads his crossbow and starts moving towards the large room, trying to do so as silently and hidden as possible. The red glow in his eyes has now disappeared.

"Well with enough light they at least see us comming and have time to flee. You two be carefull friends."

Zorian rewets his ink pen and starts drawing the lines for a room to mark the large hallway. Ocasionally scanning around for any signs of danger or other intresting things.

Broad steps lead down into an irregularly shaped room filled with a forest of twelve thick granite pillars. The vertebrae of some large beast lie scattered about the floor in a haphazard fashion. There are three other sets of broad stairs and exits, one for each compass point. On the southeastern diagonal wall someone has written "Certain death this way!" with an arrow pointing at the southern exit. On the northwestern diagonal wall someone else has written "Even worse this way!" with an arrow pointing to the northern exit. Unlike much of the rest of the dungeon, the ceiling in this room appears to be about 12 feet tall. Otherwise, the room appears empty.
   As soon as you begin to enter the room, Zorian, Malik, and Trinity feel a dull ache in the backs of their heads.  It's slightly distracting, but not enough pain to cause concern, except for one detail: such aches are typically caused by entering an area that has been cut off from the Weave. 

Khidrath raises a hand ”From the looks of things” he gestures towards the remains of the beast “something made short work of that beast. Perhaps it would best if I run things over before we decide which way to go?!” he then runs over the room, first looking for traps, then checking the remains of the beast and finally the pillars.

Trinity grimaces as her connection to her Art is blocked.  "There will be no arcane casting in this room, though at least I still have my weaponry."  She waits until Khidrath has completed his check before entering the room.

Malik nodded, "It feels much the same to me.  As though Lathander were somehow farther away...  Still, Dawnstar and I are ready to face the challenges." He tapped the mace that hung from his belt almost nervously.

He looked at the signs scrawled on the walls. "So, should we go for the certain death, the even worse, or the one we're supposed to presume is safe?  Though if half the stories I've heard about this place are true, the one marked safe is likely the most dangerous of all."

Trinity agrees with the cleric's wisdom.  "We certainly have no reason to trust these words.  Toss a coin.  Its all the same at this point."

"Whichever we do," Malik added, "let's do it soon.  This place makes my skin crawl.  My choice would be south, to the 'certain death'."

"I got me axe. No casting needed yet," Borin roars with laughter as he enters the room. Seeing the design, he immediately goes and checks the pillars. What kind of stone they are, do they match the stone of the floor and walls. Are the pillars actually structural or decorative? He walks over the monster bones as if he does not see them. "Maybe we should follow the arrow that says even more dangerous. They probably marked it thus to keep it too themselves."

Malik grinned.  "I think certain death is about as dangerous as I can handle.  Though we can always come back and check the other if we miss the certain death."

Trinity smiles but says nothing aloud, letting her eyes show the others her desire to move southwards.

Bones crunch under Borin's feet as he examines the columns.  The first thing he notices is that the center column is different from the others; where most of the pillars are carved with images showing various monsters in battle with elves and dwarves, the central pillar looks more like an elongated female body.  He also spots that it doesn't quite meet the ceiling, and doesn't support any weight like the others.

Khidrath concludes his search then looks up "I take south is as good as any of the other directions, perhaps a peek up each of the stairs will give us an idea of what lies ahead?"

He then proceed to take a closer look up each of the stairs and the writing next to them "One can never be too cautious in a place like this, who knows what lies hidden in this maze.".

Zorian moves even mora cautious as he feels the strange throbbing in the back of his head. That was not good at all. He hoped at least his wands would funtion in case of an emergency. He did not care where to go next and the writings on the walls where of uncertain trustworthy and so useless. For that he let his fried and the one that asembled the party decide where to go.

Zorian oves up to the center pillar shortly after Khidrath and when he moves away to inspect the stairs Zorian takes a closer look to the statue trying to figure out if it has any ties to the strange feeling in the back of his head.

"Here now. If perhaps one of you is a wall crawler, this here center pillar is different. And does not reach the ceiling. And since it didn’t come to life yet, I think it can stand further scrutiny." Borin calls out. "I wonder why they would put a female looking pillar here, when all the others tell stories of battles?"

Trinity pulls forth a pair of spectacles from her beltpouch and places them upon her face.  Wrinkling her nose around them, she focuses upon the female-looking tree.

Malik turned the lantern toward the column that was being inspected.

With a sigh, Trinity replaces the spectacles inside her beltpouch.

"Iffin ya think there is nuthing to it, speak out. Then we can be on our way to our deaths," Borin says with a smile.

After having cured his curiosity with the stairs, Khidrath moves over to the column and takes a closer look at it, trying to determine if it would be possible to climb it and if is it has any irregularities.

"Without magic, I cannot say what the purpose of this pillar might be.  It could be the source of the anti-magic field or something else entirely.  Who can say?"  Trinity waits and watches as Khidrath conducts his own examination of the pillar.  Perhaps he can?

Borin will wait as the others inspect his findings. Doing his job he will face the openeing that said certain death. All the while scanning around for any approaching creatures......Borin is on guard and ready to charge at the moment.

Khidrath starts climbing the column "It might be what is causing the anti-magic field but I think I'll give a go, might be something interesting. It must have some other purpose since it's not supporting the structure." once he is up he will search it for anything of interest.

Zorian is still circling the statue and examining it without touching it as he chips in his 2 cents into the conversation.

"If its power only functions in this room we could move on. It doesn't appear that there is anything of importance here except that we are all cut off from the weave. If it stretches through this whole dungeon though it is definatly a bad sign."

"If your cut off from dat weave so is the oppoenents. Sounds good to me." Borin says hefting his dwarven waraxe.

Khidrath's climb reveals that there is a gap between the column and the ceiling, perhaps an inch or so.  Nothing else is visible in that gap, so he lets himself hang at arm's length, then does a controlled drop to the floor.
   The column doesn't seem to mind his clambering over it.

After dropping Khidrath stands up "It almost seems life-like can’t help but wonder if use to be a person?! South it is then."With that he makes his way up the southern stairs crossbow ready and carefully checking for traps.

"South ya say," Borin says as he shifts his weight and starts to head south.

Malik hurried forward to get into his place in the order.  He drew his mace as he moved, making sure that he had things free to move if he neede to set his lantern down.

As soon as Borin crosses the arch leading to the southern stairs, the sound of metal sliding across stone brings him to a halt.  The central column has changed, no longer simply resembling a humanoid female, but now an animate form wielding a two-handed sword.  It moves towards him, clearly intent on violence.

[Initiative rolls, please.]

Caught moving in the wrong direction, Malik was slow to respond to the advancing figure.

22:17, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 5 using 1d20+4. Initiative.

Hearing the noise Borin turns to face it, shield and axe raised. "Ahh, that I did not expect. But should have." Borin calls out.

Initiative: 17

Trinity moves to stand close to the others and readies her blade and buckler.  "No magic and a hard-skinned foe.  Not a good combination for us."

Init: 9

"What is that thing?" Borin ask.

Knowledge Dungeoneering Check: 21

Borin's experience in well-protected dungeons helps him recall something of this sort -- a caryatid column -- though he can't recall anything more specific about the constructs.

[Anyone wanting more info on it needs to make a Knowledge (arcana) check.]

Clearly taken by surprise Khidrath turns to see their first and what may very well be their last foe, heading towards Borin "Not sure, bu-but to think I was climbing that thing only seconds ago" he replies Borin, with a clearly shaken voice cutting in half midway through.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:18, Sun 10 Sept 2006.

Zorian utters a curse in Orc a language that is well suited for exactly that kind of thing as he looks at the moving statue. As he moves away from the statue to be on its left side he puts away the map he was making and reaches for his wand of ray of frost. This was at least a nice experiment to see if they alone or bound spells also where no no longer funtioning.

"This is what i call a bad start my friends."

[10:22, Today: Zorian Porquan rolled 20 using 1d20+4. KNowledge arcana.
10:22, Today: Zorian Porquan rolled 21 using 1d20+2. Initiative.]

Initiative Order:
Zorian
Borin
Khidrath
Trinity
Caryatid column
Malik

[Okay, we're not going to bother with a map, and there's not much point in keeping things secret unless doing so will make things more dramatic -- and this isn't the case.  Zorian, you're aware that these things normally carry magical weaponry, which means it's going to be somewhat weaker than usual.  You also know that caryatid columns have the ability to break most weapons that are used against them, but this protection is magical in nature.  If you keep it within the dead-magic zone, it loses two major advantages.

Everyone please post your actions for round I.]

Khidrath drops his crossbow, graps his mace and moves around it trying to flank it with Borin, without drawing attetnion to himself.

Trinity also moves in an attempt to threaten the colum from yet a third angle, hoping that someone else can benefit from the additional distraction.  In her haste, she misses badly with her initial swing.

Zorian moves furher  to get behind the Caryatid column and aims with his Wand  firinga bolt towards the creature mainly to see its effectiveness in the no magic zone.

"Stay out of its melee range friends and keep it in this room with no weave. It its is struck in melee it might destroy your weapon so try to keep it at a distance."

Though the advice is great, it comes a little slow for Borin. He charges straight in shield first. Trying to impale the thing and knock it down with his shield.

AttacK: 25  Damage: 8
 Touch trip attack no AoO: 30  Strength Check: 12

Malik turned and dashed across the chamber, preparing to come in from the back in case Borin's attempt to knock it down failed.

OOC: Double move if that'll get me there, run if necessary.  He'll miss its reach, and try to stop so that a simple move will get him in place to flank it.

Borin's axe slams against the column, but fails to hurt it -- it's literally like trying to hurt stone.  He attempts to shove it to the floor, but it stands firm.  As Trinity and Khidrath move to flanking positions, the construct slashes at Borik with its sword, and lashes out with its free hand.  He quickly ducks under the blade and intercepts the stone fist with his shield.
   Zorian moves around the fight, and tries to discharge one of his wands -- to no effect, as even magical items have lost their effectiveness in this room.

[The column has hardness 8.  It made the Strength check, but you did roll pretty low, Borin.  For those of you without a lot of damage potential, you might want to use Aid Another actions to help others hit or avoid attacks.  Or... you could try to draw it out of the room to get your magic working, just don't hit it with nonmagical weapons.]

Trinity continues to distract the enemy from her defensive stance.  "Get ready, Borin!"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:51, Mon 11 Sept 2006.

Khidrath takes a swing at the column, not sure if it would work with non-magic weapon.

Zorian nods to confirm his failed axperiment and then puts his pack a bit firmer on his back before he starts running towards the statue from its side in an attempt to knock it over in a similar atempt as Borin did. As he lowers his shoulder to ready it for impact with the statues hip he yells with an almost childlike glee in his voice.

"Incoming mage!!"

Malik moved in behind the column, Dawnstar swinging in at the stony body.

OOC: Looking for flanking bonuses, not that they'll matter.


12:08, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 7 using 1d20+6. To hit Column.

With a flanking bonus that would become a 9...

Having such a good solid hit on the creature and nothing happening, Borin seems to go mad with spittle flowing out of his mouth as his axe sems to move with great speed.

Attack Axe: 21  Damage: 17
Attack Axe: 13


OOC: Hmmm, maybe I should stop using Power attack...

Zorian's charge proves to be the construct's undoing, as he shoulders it aside.  It crashes to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.  Borin immediately follows it with an axe-strike to the back, digging a deep furrow in its midsection.
   Khidrath tries to follow suit, but his weapon skitters off the stone.  Trinity begins distracting the creature, drawing its attention away from Borin while it tries to stand up.

[Remember what order you're going in, folks.  After the column, it's Malik, Zorian, Borin, Khidrath, Trinity.  Anyway, it's trying to stand up, so you all get attacks of opportunity.  Remember, you're all flanking it (+2 to attack), and it's currently prone (another +4).  You can't try to trip with this AoO, 'cause it's already on the ground.  So go ahead an post your next set of actions -- Trin, your Aid Another will affect this attack from Borin -- along with your free attacks.  The AoO's will take place first, then your normal actions.]

Trinity starts hacking away at the column with her shortsword.

Borin takes his tacticle advantage.

AoO Axe:    32  Damage: 21
Attack Axe: 25  Damage: 22
Attack Axe: 27  Damage: 13
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Tue 12 Sept 2006.

Zorian brings his weight down on the colum to hamper its movement and to keep it pinned to the ground to give his fellow adventurers an edge over the thing.

10 Strength Check.
21 Grapple.

Malik swept in with Dawnstar as the carved woman tried to rise, followed by a moulinet that ended with the mace swinging in at her wrists, trying to knock the sword from her hands.

22:22, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 29 using 1d20+12. AoO as it tries to rise.
22:23, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 6 using 1d8+2. Dawnstar damage.

22:26, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 20 using 1d20+12. Disarm check if needed.


OOC: It may get an AoO on the disarm check, depending on how tightly it's grappled.  The disarm check assumes the same prone & flanking bonuses from the AoO, change it if necessary.

The construct takes multiple hits as it tries to rise, though only Borin's finds purchase.  Zorian doesn't bother with his weapons -- instead, he throws himself bodily onto the thing, holding it to the ground.  Borin takes advantage of this, scoring two more hits.

[Waiting on you, Khidrath.]

Khidrath follows Zorian’s lead and jumps on the column trying to help him pin it down.

Borin waits and strikes again as soon as he finds an opening for his axe.

Zorian locks himself around the statue applying all his strength to keep it down and giving Borin the opportunity to finish the thing off.

Get its damned head off that should stop it!!

[In its current state, I won't waste time with dierolls.  I mean, it has like 12 hit points left.]

Being prone and unable to dodge thanks to Zorian and Malik's manhandling, the construct is practically helpless, and Borin's next axe-blow does just what the mage asks.  Apparently damaged beyond functionality, the golem stops struggling, and goes limp.

[New XP is on the board.]

Trinity sheathes her silvery shortsword and gives Borin a hearty clap on his heavily armored shoulder.  "Well done!  I am impressed."

"Wif all da help it was easy. But I thought there was sumthing wrong wif that pllar when I first sees it." Borin says looksing down at the golem. Then looking at Trinity "Ye'll see me fight yet I think." Borin says with a large grin. Very pleased he has no blood to clean off him.

Malik lifted the head and looked it over for any other signs of animation.  Finding none, he sat it down on the other side of the floor from the body, just in case.

He turned back to Borin and the others. "Anybody hurt?"

"Let's take that golem's sword and move on.  This room is...unnerving..."

Khidrath gets up and smile as he picks up his crossbow and puts away his mace "Good thinking guys, with this sort of teamwork we might stand a chance after all. If no one is hurt we might as well move on south, Borin are you with me?" already feeling confident about his new companions, Khidrath start moving up the southern stairs without checking if Borin is behind him.

Malik walked toward the sword and picked it up.

"It looks like the sword turned back to stone along with the rest of her.  You're right though, let's get out of here; this place makes my brain itch."

Zorian gets up and gives the immobilized statue a firm kick before dusting himself off. So much for Mages are useless without magic. Looking his party over Zorian smiles contently and then follows after the others.

"That was one being of evil brought down in the name of good."

Zorian takes out his map set and marks where they are going and a small note of the antimagic room.

Borin replies, "I am with you," And he lifts the very heavy spike shield, twirls his waraxe and start to move to the south ready for combat.

Trinity takes her place at the rear of the column and stands comfortably next to Zorian.  "Yes, our good deed shines bright in this darkness.  But let us hope this room of un-magic is the last we encounter!"

Malik nodded a little grimly as he started moving up beside Borin, then chuckled. "I'd hate to miss out on the certain death..."

You decide to try one the the standard methods of exploring a possible maze: following the right-hand wall for as long as you can, or until it becomes evident that you're crossing your path again.

The southern passage extends about twenty feet before a side-passage opens on the left side.  Something else is more noteworthy, however; a lone goblin, examining something on the floor, another twenty feet or so down the main corridor.  As you ascend the stairs, the goblin catches sight of your light-sources, and leaps to its feet, running full-tilt down the passage.  On the floor where it was crouching is a single gold coin.

Zorian looks after the Goblin wondering if he spells trouble and is going to get his friends. His hand is already on his wand as he decides against it and reaaches down to the goldcoin on the ground to pick it up.

"Nice they are dropping money."

As soon as Zorian grasps the coin, it bursts into white-hot flames!  Reflexively, he drops the coin, which begins melting the stone directly beneath it.

[Zorian, you need to make a Reflex save to avoid taking damage.]

Malik quickly moves forward and watches with concern, a simple prayer to Lathander already on his lips, and his mind already reviewing the chants for healing in case they're needed.

OOC: No spell yet, until I find out if he's hurt, and if so, how badly.

14:10, Today: Zorian Porquan rolled 14 using 1d20+4. Reflex.

OOC: Sorry I was dealyed in posting. I'll react as I would if I posted first

Borin charges after the goblin....

Seeing Malik stop to assist Zorian, Trinity chases after the goblin with Borin while drawing her sword.  "Could be an ambush, you know!"  Despite the words, she hasn't stopped running.

"Then we both get to have fun!" Borin roars back in what sounds like a joyus voice. Well as joyus as a dwarf can get anyway....

Zorian manages to drop the coin before it can burn the skin off his hand.  While Khidrath checks him for injury, the Trinity and the dwarf tear off after the goblin.

The goblin rounds a corner to the right, perhaps forty feet from where it dropped the coin.  As Borin and Trin rush after it, they come around the corner to see that it was waiting -- standing next to an old wine-rack, with a half-dozen crossbows lashed to the frame.  As soon as they come into view, the goblin yanks a cable, causing all six crossbows to fire at once, and making the entire rack fall across the passageway.  Two of the bolts manage to hit Trinity, and the goblin runs away even faster, giggling.

[Trin takes 12 points of damage from the two bolts.]

"By the gods!!! Damned Goblin!!"

Looking rather dissapointed at the gold coin he waves Malik distractedly away.

"I'm alright lets get that thing."

With that Zorian starts a delayed pursuit readying his wand of magic missiles to blast the damned thing.

Malik broke into a lumbering run, the weight of his armor slowing him down some.

If he could catch up with Trinity, he placed his hand on her wounds and chanted a prayer to the Morninglord, golden light flowing from his hands to close and cleanse the injuries.

That done, he turned to look where the goblins had run, trying to see if they had more surprises prepared.  He called out, "Watch for more traps."

18:58, Today: Malik Sundancer rolled 15 using 2d8+3. Cure Moderate Wounds on Trinity.

Khidrath follows the rest of the group, ready to knock an arrow at the first sight of a goblin.

Her back against the wall and still gasping for breath, Trinity nods her thanks to Malik before turning her gaze towards the trap that had wounded her so badly.  "Bad as it was, that could have been much worse."  She resumes her place in line.

Borin tries to use his shield, weight and strength to get through the debris and attack the goblin.

By the time Borin has shoved the rack and crossbows out of the way (and six light crossbows add a lot of weight to a six-foot wooden rack), the goblin has run to the end of the passage and rounded another corner.  The little blighter could be anywhere in the tunnels by this point... assuming something bigger hasn't caught and eaten it.

"That little rat...someone shoot him and slow him down fer me next time," Borin grumbles. Angry that someone got hurt by this goblins ploy.

Zorian reaches the corner where the pursuit has ended and looks at the devious trap the goblin prepared.

"I suggest we just kill everything we run into. That will avoid someoen of us getting hurt by sneaky bastards running off."

'Now that is a battlepaln I agree with here," Borin concurs.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:32, Tue 26 Sept 2006.

Malik just nodded his own agreement.

"Well now that is settled i suggest we move on unless Trinity needs some more time to recover. It might be getting friends to ambush us."

"I am perfectly fine, once again.  Let us proceed!"

Malik moved watchfully up to his own position and grinned at Borin before starting carefully forward, Dawnstar ready in his hands.

Borin starts down the hallway, large shield in front of him. Walking like a moving spiked wall to anything in front of him.

Making another notch on the map to keep up with their track Zorian falls back in line at his last position following the living sild in front of him.

Khidrath takes up his place in the group just infront of Borin, keeping an close eye on any could-be traps.

"And be keeping an eye out fer that goblin..make sure you hoble the thing as soons as ya sees it." Borin says to Khidrath.

The passage turned left and then switched back to the right before turning back to its original direction.  As another corner came in sight, you heard running feet from around the corner.  It seemed small, and whatever it was didn't seem like it was worried much about what was in front of it (like you, for example).  Whatever it was should be in sight in a moment or two.

Borin hoped it was the goblin and readied his spike shield to charge the blighter if it was. He is tired of that little creature making light of them.

Zorian keeps track of their movements on the map he is making and as the footsteps sound he empties one hand to take a Wand of Ray of Frost preparing to blast anything that comes around the corner.

As you got ready, the screaming started.  When the footsteps and screams came around the corner, it was indeed the goblin you'd been chasing, but he kept looking behind him, and wasn't paying much attention to you.  A short blade was ready in his hand, and seemed to be dripping something clear.

OOC: You have readied actions if you want them, but he looks like he's ready to just blow on past if you'll let him.  And he's obviously more worried about what's behind him than he is worried about you.

Onto Zorians face crept a smile. Time for revenge and then time to see what made it flee. Firing his wand to stop it in its tracks so Borin could make short notice of the thing. The green ray shoots foreward towards the thing as Zorian almost growls.

"Slaughter that pest."


09:38, Today: Zorian Porquan rolled 2 using 1d3. |Dammage if i hit by accident.
09:38, Today: Zorian Porquan rolled 10 using 1d20+3. Shoot wand (ranged Touch).

Borin will keep his shield ready for what ever is behind the goblin but attack it as it comes near him with his axe.

AoO: 21 Damage: 8
Readied Attack: 20 Damage: 8

This message was last edited by the player at 22:49, Sat 14 Oct 2006.

Trinity swings wildly at the passing goblin (unless Borin already killed it, in which case she merely looks on with cold satisfaction radiating from her.)

The fleeing goblin narrowly dodged the beam of Zorian's wand, bounced off of Borin's axe with a scream of pain, but barely slowed.  Trinity's wild swing wasn't enough to even scratch it as it continued to barrel on down the corridor.

Borin switches his attention to the front and what ever was chasing the goblin. Leaving him to those who are faster then he.

Khidrath ignores the goblin and waits for what is coming around the corner, crossbow ready.

Trinity sends a bolt of pure force, slightly tinged with cerulean motes, streaking towards the fleeing goblin.

As Khidrath prepared, Trinity tossed her bolt of magical force at the fleeing goblin.  It staggered, tripped and rolled to a very still halt against the wall of the corridor.

Trinity rushes down the corridor towards where the goblinoid lies.  She kicks away whatever weapons it might have before checking its condition.

When the noise from the goblin's flight stopped, the corridor ahead fell silent except for a faint rustling sound, almost like small sticks and pieces of leather being rubbed occasionally against stone.

Khidrath signals for the others to be silent as he moves over to the corner, pulls out a small steel mirror and uses it to peak around the corner.

Borin, tries to stay still in order to give Khidrath the silence he asked for.

Zorian moves back with Trinity his wand ready to knock the thing down if it decided to show any unexpected sign of life. Just keeping an eye on the thing he tries to be silent himself as Khidrath goes off to peek around the corner.

In the bits of light that spilled around the corner from the lantern that Malik carried, you could see that the corridor opened up into a room that was dominated (at least in the section you could see) by a large (about 9' above a 3' cubic base) by a statue of a nude human woman, at least up to her neck.  Above that, her head was replaced by the open mouthed fanged head of some sort of serpent.

You could also see something moving over the floor and over the statue.  They appeared to be whitish ants with orange mandibles.  Each insect was nearly three inches long, and they swarmed over every visible surface.

Borin remains quite, but at the ready for combat.

Khidrath walks back and whisper to the others what he's seen.

"Sounds like it may be too many. but I'll take on my share if we go that way," Borin says. "They didna do a good job chasing da goblin."

After finishing with her search of the goblin, Trinity rejoins the others and peeks around the corner.  She stares at the ants for several moments trying to remember anything useful.

Zorian returns with Trinity and checks his map for any other route to take they came across. He digs in his knowledge for any clue about ants of this size and how to dispose them as he frowns towards the corner.



"So what you suggest? If there are as much as you say we need something rather effective to get past em."

OOC: Sorry, Trinity.  I missed the searching of the goblin... it looks like it slipped in while I was writing a post and I still haven't picked up the habit of looking above my last post for near simultaneous posts from players.

Trinity's search of the goblin had revealed little of true use... a few mundane weapons and light armor, a small bag of copper coins... nothing of real worth.

Her knowledge of matters mystical likewise revealed little of use about the ants.  Perhaps they were some natural swarm of creatures, but not any that she'd previously encountered.

Khidrath whispers "I have an alchemist fire, but I don't think that's enough? Guess we could go back and go another way?"

"That might be the wisest course.  I have magic that can affect an area, but it is rather weak."  Trinity's face is covered with distaste as they discuss the vermin.

Zorian nods.

"I agree. It might be the best to see if there is another way."

OOC: I'll wait for Borin to chime in here, but in the meantime, if you go back, where are you going to?  There was one other side passage on the way down that you passed while chasing the goblin, or you can go back to the carytid column room and pick another path from there.

"Since we have a choice and can go back I will do so if that is what the party dedcides," Borin says. Then he ask with a grin, "How many ants exactly are there?"

Peering around the corner to see the answer to his question for himself, Borin could easily see somewhere between 100 and 120 ants in the visible section of the room.  They appeared to be swarming over the floor, the statue, and the remnants of the nearly clean-picked skeleton of a goblin.

Khidrath whispers "Let's go back and check the second passage?!"

Standing in the rear of the group's formation, Trinity nods vigorously and motions the others to move past her on their way back to the previous chamber.  "There is little glory in bug stomping.  Besides, think of the mess."

Hrmmph, yes no glory at all. Lets go the other way." Borin agrees. He starts to move off away from the ants.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 18:08, Wed 25 Oct 2006.

Zorian just nods and follows his fellow adventurers whle he updates the map for their new route.

As you turned back to follow the corridor back to the last turning, Malik paused, raising his lantern to look at the wall.  He reached out toward whatever he was looking out, and started to ask, "What does this mean..." As he neared the end of the last word, his hand touched whatever he was looking at, and he vanished with a flash, his lantern falling to the stones with a clatter.

The first of you to reach the spot found a glazed tile set into the rough stones of the wall, painted with a stylized sign that any of you who had studied the history of Undermountain at all could easily recognize as the the sigil of Halaster Blackcloak.

No matter what tests or trials you tried on the glazed rune, you couldn't get any kind of reaction from it.  Since there was nothing you could do here, you moved along back to the last turning.

Following the only path through a few turnings, you rounded a corner to the right to find a doorway almost directly in front of where you would have been before you turned, and started to hear the pulsing beat of what sounded like some sort of large drum in the shadows down the hallway.

Khidrath signals for the others to be quiet then started moving as silent as he could down the hallway hiding in the darkness near the wall, trying to see where the drumming comes from.

Trinity freezes in place at Khidrath's signal.

Seeing the signal, Borin instantly stops with axe and shield ready. Wary of what may have casued the delay.

Khidrath disappeared down the hallway, returning moments later.

Zorian Stops just like the rest taking a relative safe space at the end as he looks behind them just to be sure.

Knowing there are friends behind him, Borin stays focused on what is in front of them.

Khidrath gathers the group and whisper to them "There is four grey skinned humanoids crouched around a small pile of human and humanoid bones, gnawing them, and cracking them to suck at the marrow.

Two others sat at either side of what looked like a circular shield covered with the stretched skin of some sort of creature, banging on the skin with what looked like human thighbones."

Zorians eyes narrow as he hears the description and instinctivly reaches for the 3 wands hanging from his belt as he whispers.

"What do you suggest we do? Attack them using the element of surprise? If we are fast we can take half of em out before the know what hit em."

"Well, we either attack these beasts, return to face the ants, or go home.  I would prefer to face these foes.  Let us all focus our attacks on the closer of the two groups."  Glancing at Khidrath, Trinity asks, "Which group would that be - the two near the shield or the four with the bones?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:38, Tue 31 Oct 2006.

"I prefer to take the battle to my opponents." Borin says, "It is when I am at my strongest."

OOC: The two at the shield/drum are closer.

"I can send a spread of fire towards the two at the shield, but not if anyone is in the way."

"You send the fire and then I will follow up by charging the one on the left if all agrees." says Borin.

Khidrath listened in, nodding in agreement, he liked taking initiative, especially in combat "How about I fire my crossbow at the one on the right as a starting signal, perhaps I can hit a vital spot if I concentrate?"

Zorian nods as he starts to cast mage armor upon himself the halo of force surrounding him as he takes his Wand of magic Missiles in his left hand.

"I got your backs."

OOC: Let me know when you're done planning, and if you're ready, go ahead and toss me initiative checks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:37, Thu 02 Nov 2006.

"Anyone know what these things are?" Borin ask as he readies his shield for a charge.

"Let me think a moment.  They seem familiar."

PM

PM

Trinity nods to herself then whispers, "Ghouls.  Their touch brings paralysis."

"Well that not be a good thing...Hopefully my charge will knock down the one I hit," Borin says with a smile.

Khidrath looks unhappy with Tinity's answer, he didn't like the prospect of being paralyzed "Okay - are we ready to go and are we attacking after I fire?! I think I'll stay in the back using my crossbow, if that is okay with you guys?" he whispered.

Zorian nods with his wand ready in his hand although he was more holding it as if he wanted to hit something with it instead of  casting spells from it.

"Go"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:52, Fri 03 Nov 2006.

"Focus on the two by the shield.  Khidrath, then Zorian, then me, then Borin.  Zorian, feel free to step behind me if you wish."  She then draws her shortsword and waits for Khidrath to start the battle.

OOC: Sound good?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Fri 03 Nov 2006.

Borin has his shield in front of him looking as if a spiked wall is about to charge.

OOC: Khidrath, to keep things moving, I'm going to roll to match the actions you seem to be wanting.  Let me know if I've messed up and I'll revise if needed.

Khidrath stood and fired as the others prepared to charge in, nicking one of the drumming ghouls, who screeched and turned to face the invaders.

Trinity stepped forward and raised her hands, a gout of flame leaping from her fingertips.  The ghouls ducked under the worst of the blast, but you could smell a faint aroma of crisping remnants of hair.

The ghouls screeched at the invaders and started forward.  Only the drummers were close enough to reach your foremost attacker.  The first sunk his teeth into Trinity's arm, but stood in the path of the second, protecting her from a further attack. OOC: 5 points damage

I can't get enough of a feel for what Borin and Zorian want to do, so I can't push through their actions.  Sing out and we'll move forward.

Trinity, I need two DC12 Fort saves, one for fever, one for paralysis.

Initiatives remain:

Khidrath Aranath     21
Trinity Silverthorn  10
Ghouls...             7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

Trinity recoils in disgust as the fangs sink into her arm.  Outrage sends her hand darting towards her sword, but an even quicker sense of numbness succeeds in immobilizing her before the hilt is even in her grasp.

Fort Save (fever) DR = 14.
Fort Save (paralysis) = 5.

OOC: Borin wants to do a Shield charge/slam/trip against a ghoul....

Zorian will zap the closest ghoul with magic missiles from his wand.

OOC: Khidrath?

Khidrath reloads his crossbow and fires at whatever Ghoul looked most hurt or if possibly flanked.

Khidrath's bolt spun inches away from the ghoul's face, doing no harm, but drawing its attention.

Trinity watched helplessly as the ghoul's teeth descended toward her throat, feeling it gnaw as it sought for her jugular. OOC: Take 13 points damage for the coup de grace, and I need a Fort save vs DC 23 or die.

The ghoul that Khidrath had fired on bounded toward him, claws extended.  It would reach him in a moment.  Behind it came the second wave, those who hadn't been clustered by the drum.

Borin thudded forward, hammering the ghoul backward with his shield and neatly hooking a foot behind its ankle.  All that fell though was its corpse, as the smash had already crushed its ribs and driven the bones into its heart.

Zorian's dart of power slapped into Khidrath's attacker, but barely slowed it.

OOC: Initiatives remain:

Khidrath Aranath     21
Trinity Silverthorn  10
Ghouls...             7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

OOC:
Is there one far enough away for me to charge?
Or one 5' away?

OOC: Since they're moving steadily toward you, and the room's small, a charge is easy, and the 5' step is possible too.

OOC: Fail.

OOC: Well then....Borin wants to do a Shield charge/slam/trip against a ghoul....

PM

Zorian blasts another magic misslile to the closest ghoul.

PM
This message was last edited by the player at 14:55, Tue 14 Nov 2006.

Realising he wouldn’t do the group much good being dead, Khidrath starts stepping backwards while loading his crossbow.

Khidrath backed away to safety and readied his weapon to fire again.

The other drummer bounded over Trinity's body toward Khidrath, but tripped and was thrown off balance.  The others swarmed toward Borin, except for one that hung back and started along the wall toward Khidrath and Zorian.  The ones swarming the dwarf clawed at him, but were foiled by his armor.

For his part, Borin hammered his shield into the center ghoul, trying to drive him to the ground.  Though the ghoul was clearly injured by the smash, he barely held his feet, trying to push Borin down instead. OOC: Borin, he beat your trip attempt, and made a roll of 15 to try to trip you.

Zorian's mystic bolt struck the ghoul that was trying to claw Khidrath, but failed to finish it off.

OOC: I'm going to try a map since one of the players has put together a macro that allows me to easily convert a spreadsheet to a tagged map.  Let me know in the OOC thread if you have a problem with it.

Alec and Laerwen, I've added you in at the edge of the map.  You can be as much as 20 or 30 feet further back down the corridor if you like.

Initiatives remain:

Khidrath Aranath     21
Trinity Silverthorn  10 - dead
Ghouls...             7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

Each square is 5' on a side
The numbers and letters on this map are walls.

Key

A - Alec
B - Borin
K - Khidrath
L - Laerwen
T - Trinity
Z - Zorian

1 - Drummer 1
2 - Ghoul 2
3 - Ghoul 3
4 - Ghoul 4
5 - Ghoul Leader

C - Corpse

st - Solid Stone

Borin seems to be enjoying be out numbered too much to the normal eye as he wadws in.
Raging
AoO: 34  Damage: 11   (did he even live through the AoO)
STR Check trip Attack: 15

This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Sun 19 Nov 2006.

Zorian switches his wand of magic missiles for his Wand of Acid orbs and Takes a 5 foot step next to Khidrath (F11) Striking out with his wand at the Ghoul drummer fighting his companion. Unleashing a charge when he hits the target.

Got a 17 to Hit it with a Touch Attack using Wandstrike.
Did 6 normal dammage if hit and 2 acid dammage from the spell if hit

Khidrath fires his crossbow at the Ghoul in front of him and reloads it.

Borin stormed over the ghoul that was trying to trip him up, crushing its skull beneath his boots as he stomped past. OOC: Resolving the AoO

The other drummer goes down, Khidrath's bolt stuck cleanly through his head.

The two ghouls at Borin's sides lashed out at him, and almost miraculously, both of them managed to get a claw through some sort of chink in his armor.

OOC: Borin, I need two DC 12 Fort saves or you'll be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.  If you're still mobile, you still have an action in this round.  Toss it my way and I'll try to get it resolved ASAP.  I wanted to move as far as I could since I had a chance to get online.

Zorian, by the time you get moved (and I took you to G11, since F11 is a stone wall) the ghoul you wanted to target was down.  Let me know what you want to do instead.

Initiatives remain:

Khidrath Aranath     21
Ghouls...             7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

Each square is 5' on a side
The numbers and letters on this map are walls.

Key

A - Alec
B - Borin
K - Khidrath
L - Laerwen
Z - Zorian

1 - Drummer 1
2 - Ghoul 2
3 - Ghoul 3
4 - Ghoul 4
5 - Ghoul Leader

C - Corpse

st - Solid Stone

Fort save: 20
Fort Save: 18
Borin attacks the ghoul on his left...

Attack: 27 Damage: 12
Attack: 23 Damage:  8
Smash: 12  Damage:  7

Shoot Ghoul 5.

Khidrath realeash another bolt (Ghoul 5), than reloads his crossbow.

Alec peered down the tunnel and into the darkness. "So... this is Undermountain, huh? You know, I though it would be, um, bigger." He turned to face Laerwen. "Well, we've seen it. I guess we should be getting back now." he said with an optimistic air.

He doubted it would work. Laerwen didn't seem the type to give up a few corridors in. Of course, he could dash back quite quickly on his own. But that would leave him on his own. And somehow, he wouldn't feel right leaving the elf here on her own. Even though she seemed a lot more capable at this sort of thing than he did.

So he kept walking beside her - or rather, slightly behind her. She was an elf, a genuine elf. Normally he didn't have much luck with elves. They kept trying to kill him or break his lute. But so far it had gone good. So he didn't want to do anything cowardly or stupid to antagonise her.

This is an adventure, Alec told himself. Like all stories bard tell, and like all great bards go through. You can't say you've been to Undermountain without seeing a monster or stealing some treasure. Just do that, and you can be out of here. That's all.

Alec got his unwanted wish when the tunnel opened up onto a scene of battle. Adventurers battling undead horrors. Oh grand.

He knew that he should run for it, but... it was an adventure after all. The bard swung his lute up, and began to play. An old undead hunter's tune that he'd just made up. Which was probably why it didn't rhyme so good.

A skeleton's not so bad
if you hit it really hard.
And a zombie's not a threat
if you give it a good cut.

But with a ghoul you got a mess.
Coz it's big and purple and yuck
and I don't know what to do with it.
But there's something about paralysis.


OOC: If the fight isn't already over...
Inspire Courage, +1 morale to attack, damage, saves vs charm and fear to everybody.
Initiative 27
Perform (string) 29
Bardic Music 2/day
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Mon 18 Dec 2006.

OOC: Did that song come in time for my attack...if so add +1 to my attacks/damage above.  :)

Hmm, good reson to keep drow alive I see....to sing about how great I am.... :o

Laerwen smiled encouragingly at her skittish new friend and led the way down the corridor.  As loving and accepting as she was, even she was surprised that she had becomes friends so quickly with somebody of drow blood, but it had happened just the same.  When she realized there was a battle up ahead, Laerwen turned and placed a comforting hand on her friend's arm and smiled once more before drawing her blade and carefully taking stock of the situation, in particular looking for anybody who seemed injured enough to need her assistance.

Moving in from the hall, Alec's song preceded him, bringing courage to those facing the ghouls.

Khidrath's bolt narrowly missed his target, causing it no harm.

The largest of the things bounded toward Zorian, and the human felt its fangs drive home into his flesh. OOC: 6 points damage that I've alread marked on your sheet, plus I need a DC 15 Fort save or you'll be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.

The other two clawed away at Borin, but nothing got through his thick armor shell.

Laerwen looked over the scene, finding one corpse on the floor, apparently beyond her help, and the crosbowman nearby facing a hostile thing with long claws and fangs.

Borin's attacks shattered the ghoul's chest, leaving its corpse motionless on the stone of the floor. OOC: Yes, you got the benefit of Alec's song.

Startled by the things assault, Zorian's bolt spun wide of the mark.

Initiatives remain:

Alec Schmeezle       27
Khidrath Aranath     21
Ghouls...             7
Laerwen               7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

Each square is 5' on a side
The numbers and letters on this map are walls.

Key

A - Alec
B - Borin
K - Khidrath
L - Laerwen
Z - Zorian

1 - Drummer 1
2 - Ghoul 2
3 - Ghoul 3
4 - Ghoul 4
5 - Ghoul Leader

C - Corpse

st - Solid Stone

Borin attacks the last ghoul on him...

Attack: 19 Damage: 17
Attack: 13 Damage: miss
Smash: 28  Damage:  5

Khidrath carefully aimed at what seemed as the Ghoul leader, but just as he was about to release the bolt he heard something he wasn’t expecting and turned to see what it was making him miss horrible. Behind him was this drow playing the lute and singing an inspiring song – now there was something you didn’t see every day.
----------------
OOC:

Attack 1 fumble?

Welcome to our newest addition, hope you don’t mind I used your son to explain my fumble Alec :P

OOC: No worries. Happens all the time. :)


Done singing - though not too impressed with the tune, he was satisfied to see these people fighting a little more heartily - Alec swung his lute around on his shoulder and dashed forwards, drawing his whip as he did so.

He'd never used it before.

Here goes...

He snapped the whip between two of the adventurers, towards the big ghoul.


OOC:
Move to H12.
Attack Ghoul Leader, trip attack
19:35, Today: Alec Schmeezle rolled 19 using 1d20+5. touch attack.
19:36, Today: Alec Schmeezle rolled 14 using 1d20+2. strength.

Zorian stands paralized under the attack unable to respond to the treath before him.

ooc: Just a quick question. Arent Magic missiles always supposed to hit their mark?

The strains of Alec's tune continued to have an effect.

OOC: Lingering effect, round 1/5. Inspire Courage, +1 morale to attack, damage, saves vs charm and fear to everybody.

After sizing up the situation, and seeing a magic user under assault and seemingly unable to do anything about it, Laerwen rushed forward to help him.  "Please, sir, get behind me," she said from behind him, not yet touching him in case she would become his next target.  Laerwen didn't wish to startle or scare him, after all.

OOC: Yes.  Magic Missiles ALWAYS hit their target.  Is that what you meant by "Shoot Ghoul"?  I read it as 'fire missile weapon at ghoul' and looked to see what you had and made appropriate rolls.

If you were using MM instead, just let me know and I'll revise.  If you want to toss in a damage roll while you're at it that would be nice, otherwise I'll toss it through the roller myself.

Sorry i thought i was just retargeting cause my former target was dead. And im used to my DM making the dice rolls so i keep forgetting them. did 4 dammage

OOC: I don't think RoA normally uses the Fumble variant rule, and it's not one of my favorites, so let's just call that a miss and move on.

Alec's whip snaked around the ghoul leader's legs, and the drow deftly jerked the thing's feet from beneath it, driving it to the ground.

Khidrath's bolt whistled and snapped as it bounced off the far wall of the chamber.

With a snarl, the leader pulled free from the whip and started to rise.  The other one went wild and sank its fangs again into Borin's flesh. OOC: 8 points damage, and I went ahead and rolled your Fort save in the interest of speed.  Hope you don't mind.

Laerwen moved closer, touching Zorian's paralyzed shoulder, but the young mage didn't move aside at her request.

Borin's attack crushed his foe, leaving only the ghoul's leader alive and moving.

OOC: I'm going to dispense with the map at this point, because there's only one left, and he won't last long.

Initiatives remain:

Alec Schmeezle       27
Khidrath Aranath     21
Ghouls...             7
Laerwen               7
Borin                 6
Zorian Porquan        5

Flushed with success after successfully tripping the ghoul, Alec tried again, snapping the whip once over the ghoul's head and again around it's leg.

A tune came to him then. "Hey, you, gonna get you too, another one bites the dust!" he chanted.


OOC: Attack of Opportunity, attack 10 - miss
Trip: Touch Attack, attack 22
Strength: 18
Inspire Courage continues, 3/5 rounds

Remains paralized

If da Ghoul is alive and he has a line of attack Borin while charge it with a battle cry, angered that the ghoul had bit him.

Laerwen shakes the man's shoulder, realizing that something must be wrong for him to completely ignore her, and tries to pull him away and out of danger.

Laerwen pulled Khidrath out of harm's way, and between Alec's whip and Borin's charge, the last thing hit the ground hard.  It tried desperately to scrabble away, but a moment later, Borin finished it off.

Over the corpses of the ghouls and their leader, the adventurers eyed one another in the newly restored silence.

Alec reeled in his whip and tucked it in his belt. He waved. "Hi!" he said cheerily.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Tue 02 Jan 2007.

Laerwen continued to try and help the man who was seemingly paralyzed after a fashion, asking the others, "Can you tell me what happened to him?"

Borin hacks up the leader of the ghoul pack before he calms down and seems able to look around. He starts to clean his weapons and armor. "Are all OK? And how did I get bit?" He ask as if noticing for the first time he took wounds in during the combat.

Snapping out of the Paralize Zorian eyes the drow next to him muscles tensing around his wand but realizing it is no threath at the moment he checks himself and his wounds from the things attack one wouldnt wantto attract some vile disease from those undead beings.

"Someone able to take care of this wound?"

Alec considered. He knew a song of healing, of course, but would the man want such help from a drowblood. Still, it was better to make himself useful.

"I can." he piped up, then moved hesitantly closer to inspect. With a barely a glance at the messy wound, he placed his hands near it and whistled up the tune of healing. The wound knitted closed with a fairly pleasant feeling.

"So..." Alex began. "My name is Alec and this is Laerwen."

Zorian nodded. These guys where obviously trustworthy for now. Just dont sleep without them. He spoke softly but genuine.

"Thanks, What brings you drow to us? And to help us instead of a dagger in our back?

[ooc: is there a description for Laerwen i missed there is non in the profile itself so i take its a drow looking figure to.]

OOC: Laerwen's not a Drow, at least as far as I know...


"Drow?" Alec frowned. "Oh, I'm not a drow. I've just come back from a tour of the Anauroch and got badly sunburnt. The sun bleached my hair too."


Bluff 15

:D

Laerwen almost offered to heal the man, but when Alec stepped forward she decided it might be a good idea for him to offer his friendly gesture as a show of his non-drow nature.  She knew her friend was trustworthy, but these others did not and she would understand them having a difficult time, at first, with a man who looked very much drow.

OOC: Sorry, I forgot to make one up for her.  I did that now, but it's not great.  I just woke up, after all, and I am so not a morning person.  :p  But no, she's not a drow.  She's a wood elf.

Zorian nods clearly believing the story.

"I see. That still leaves the question open why you are here at this specific location at this specific time. We are a bit distrusting of strangers as it seems everything out here instantly attacks on sight."

Zorian did not release his wand and remained ready to strike out at a moments notice if needed. He threw a quick glance to his companions as they had agreed to kill things before asking questions but these two might be on their side (for now)

"Happenstance.  We are lost, we heard the sounds of battle and came to see if we could help.  And we haven't attacked anything on sight.  In fact, this is the first fight we've seen," Laerwen explained with a small shrug of her slight shoulders.

"I know eleven races well...should I just act on my instincts," Borin ask sounding calm, but in a low voice. But you all can tell the battle rage you saw come to the fore front quite easily just a few moments ago is stil there. While he stands and waits he makes sure no other enemies sneak up on them.

Alec looked over the ferocious-looking dwarf, and seemed a bit uncertain. "Well, we were just looking." he said as pleasantly as he could. "And now we're just going. Let's go." he said to Laerwen, but he wasn't about to wander off into the darkness alone.

"No elf. Dat won't do." Borin says, "you helped a stranger..now that may have been outta kindness or fear. But I must know who is wif me and if I can trust em. wandeing off in da dark to skulk behind us, well it will not happen. We done seen what happens when we let one wander off since we have been here."

Zorian just nods and looks at the two to find out their intend as the discussion goes on. He felt most like blasting them of their feet with magic and solve the problem te easiest way.

Alec wasn't sure how to respond. So he avoided the problem by changing the subject. "Oh, what happened?" he replied to the grumpy dwarf.

"I had to kill him later after given him free rein to attack us," Borin says with a snear as his hand tightens on the haft of the great waraxe and the large spiked shield seems to take up most of your view now. "So speak yer peace. Why are ye here and how did you find us? And you might as well add what ye can do fer us."

Alec made a small choking sound as he processed the dwarf's words. "Um, well, we thought we'd take a look around Undermountain, you know, see what there is to see, do what there is to do, say we'd been here, leave. We just walked right down that corridor, there, not far."

"I'm a, um, a bard." He waved his lute around, as if it wasn't obvious. "I know some songs that can help, and some spells."

Khidrath smiled from the background, he wasn't going to interfer, Borin seemed to have everything under control. Instead he loaded his crossbow and started searching the room for valuables or other interesting things.

"A bard ye say huh," Borin says not loosing his grip. "My prowess with weapons does need to be told ta da world. Hmmm. But still, your a drow. I'll tell ye what. Ya can come along. But iffin ya can't help, stay outta da way. And if ye betray us...I'll kill ye. And do not think even poison will kill me before I can do the deed, Understood?" Borin ask looking into the elves eyes.

OOC: I would have continued on with my line of questioning and such..but I need a response to see if I speak with yer friend next or....

The search didn't take long, but unless you count the remnants of the ghoul's last meal, which did include a small, lady's gold ring on the pinky of one of the bits that was still recognizable as a man's hand, there was little to nothing of value.

Alec nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes, definitely." How did he see through my ruse? he wondered.

"So be it," Borin's gaze leaves Alec. And turns on his companion. "You heard all I said to your friend. What is your story? Tell me what you can do for us?"

When the hard part was over, gaining acceptance for one of drow blood, Laerwen was more than ready for her turn.  "I am a priestess for the Creator of the Elves, and my purpose is to explore," she explained quite simply.

"Another elf does me no good. Nor does an explorer," Borin says. "But ye say you be a priestess. If that is so, can ye heal? And if you can heal, you must take it as your job for all here....you would be welcome. For I think what we face will only get worse as we go further in."

"But of course I can heal, and Corellon grants me extra favor in warfare and the arcane as well though I could certainly never pass for a true warrior or mage.  However, while I am more than happy to assist those in need, my job will always be, first and foremost, to follow Corellon and then take care of my friend first," Laerwen replied as she smiled at Alec.  "Other than that, if you help me then I will help you.  All of you.  That means that while I am able to fight if necessary I must be allowed protection in order to heal any of you for I cannot easily cast spells while being mauled in battle."  For some reason Borin rubbed the young priestess the wrong way, for one she did not like taking orders from someone she had just met, and for two she did not like the idea of her "job" being to heal people she barely knew.  However she did know there was strength in numbers and if he could respect her then she could respect him.

"I can heal too." Alec piped up.

Borins' eyes start to look wild. Those with him when he tore apart most of the ghouls recognizse the battle fury he fights to contain. Ignoring Alec, "Elf. I am the Battlerager Borin from the Great Rift. It is time of peace there now so I can not be there. But know this, talk to me like that again and I will not be responsible for what transpires. You are in my world now."

Laerwen's perfectly shaped eyebrows shot straight up in surprise and indignation but she wisely held her tongue.  There was certainly no convincing this...savage that they were in Corellon's world, not his own.  And she had no wish to fight him for she would not leave Alec on his own.  Instead she prayed for patience and simply shrugged her shoulders and nodded her head as a calm expression replaced the anger that had been simmering there not a moment before.  She would stay silent, yes, and she might even heal him should he ask her to, but she would call out Corellon's name each and every time she did so.

Taking her silence as acceptance, Borin says "Shall we move on then and see how will the larger party works together."

Zorian overheard the conversation at all time ready to spring into action espacially when Borin declares the elf a drow after all. As the discussion is over Zorian hangs his wand from his belt and gets ready to move on.

"Borin is right though. If you want to tag along you have to have a use for us or you can better find your own way."

As the threat of immediate violence faded, at least among yourselves, you started to look around to see what choices presented themselves.

There was the hallway back the way you'd come from, which led to safety, but probably not to glory.

There was the hallway to the north, which went about 20 feet then deadended, with an ironbound wooden door to the west.

There was the hallway to the south, which only went about 10 feet before splitting, one branch paralleling your course back, and one jogging a bit before continuing on to the south.

As you discussed your options, Khidrath bumped the drum that the ghouls had been beating when you arrived, and was somewhat surprised to hear something rattle within the drum.

OOC: Here's a crude map, but maybe it'll be clearer than the description.  This map is not to scale.

  dx           d is for door
   x
  xxxxx
  xxxxx
  xxxxxxxxx(you came in here)
  x
xxxxxx(and on)
x
(on south)

"Ya might as well cut open da drum and look inside since ye bumped it," Borin suggest. "Then maybe we can try that door. Now that we have a bard, we must seek glory." A rare smile crosses the dwarf's face. Rare that is unless he is in the middle of combat.

Me? "Oh, of course. Glory."

"Hang on," Alec dashed over to the drum, and began to inspect it. It certainly wouldn't do it ruin a perfectly good instrument.

Alec looked the drum over.  It could only be described as a 'perfectly good' drum in the fact that it would go boom if you hit it.  Basically it was a rudely tanned skin (possibly best not to consider from what) stretched over a deeply curved round shield.

"Or, never mind." Alec said as he rolled it back.

Khidrath followed the discussion from the back even if he liked Borin's crude way, he couldn't help but feel he was a little harsh.

He pocketed the ring, passed the drum and took it back after Alec’s examination. He pulled out a dagger and cut it open curious to see what someone would hide inside a drum. Meanwhile answering Borin "Sure, we’ll try the door as soon as I have looked at this – as for the ring I pocketed a moment ago, I take it we share everything once we decide to leave this god forsaken place?" he glimpsed towards Trinity’s body, again the red glow in his eyes shows.

Inside the drum, there was a heavy golden key.

OOC: And that reminds me, what are you doing with Trin's body and stuff?  You're not far from the well, if you want to drag her back and come back here.

Khidrath eyes again turn to Trinity "I say we quickly return her body to the upper world, she deserves dignified funeral instead of rotting away down here? Also I’d like to think you’d do the same for me if there is no way to return me to life" the last part is added with a smile.

While he await the others reply, he adds "the key is probably for the door, but you never in places like this.".

Zorian looks at the corpse and shrughs. They where not rich enough to ressurect her but she might have things on her the party could use in their advantage.

"Before we return her body we should see what she carries that we can use to aid us down here if it is not enough to put her back on her feet."

"Agreed. Lets see what there is of use, then send the body up. We  can only hope there is some honor in the tavern and they will bury the body or what ever her people do." Borin agrees.

Trinity carried a top quality broadbladed shortsword, fine leather armor, and a well crafted buckler.

She also had 29 gold and 3 small but pretty garnets (300 gp total).

Apart from standard type gear, she also had a silver Tormite holy symbol, a copper signet ring, a slick and warm cloak of unusually tight weave, a silver drink shaker, a set of spectacles with runes carved into the corners of the lenses, and a small pouch with a half dozen vials of clear liquid.

Alec stood off to the side and waited patiently and quietly. He didn't even try to play a funeral dirge, lest he draw attention to himself. He didn't know her, and didn't know if he should pay respects, or if the others would grow hostile over an insult.

Khidrath wasn’t one for looting his friends, even if it made sense. So he left it to the others and instead prepared Trinity for her return to the upper world, closing her eyes with his fingers and trying to make her look as peaceful as possible.

Once the others were done he helped carrying her back, banged the shields, and placed a gold coin on her chest after she was securely tied to the rope. As he watched her go back up he whispered "May your luck be better in the afterlife …"

He the returned to the door and examined it closely for any traps, before listening if he could hear anything going on behind it and finally checking if it was open.

Seeing no things that would benefit them when not in the hands of Trinity and as such he took nothing and the others seemed reluctant to do either. He put a not in her gold pouch reading. Please bring this lady to her temple for a proper burial this gold should pay for the service.

"Ya take what ya think we needs." Borin says standing over the body, "But leave some coin to bury her and no on touches her holy symbol." And you can tell he means it. But Borin will not let the body be sent up with the vials, gems or spectacles. He knows those above will just take them.

What could be done for Trinity's body was done with proper respect, and all of her gear was left to her except for the vials, gems, and spectacles.  If no one else took them, they went into Borin's stuff, as he would hardly notice the weight.

She was taken back to the well that lead to the Yawning Portal and placed on the platform, along with the gold necessary to get her back above, and anything that was left to her.

As you returned to this room, Khidrath darted ahead to check out the door.  He found nothing that appeared to him like a trap, and heard no motion or voices from the other side of the door.

Trying the door gently, he felt it open slightly and bump against some obstruction on the other side, apparently something set on the floor near the door itself.

OOC: Made an assumption on gear storage to keep things moving.  If we need to correct, we can do it on the fly.

If nothing else gets mentioned, I'm assuming Borin's list is all that gets taken.

Also in the interest of speed, I went ahead and tossed Khidrath's rolls through the roller.

Borin places her body on the platform after removing her cloak. You notice he is not wearing one. He gently takes her hands and places them in such a position to be holding her holy symbol on her chest. With the note and coins attached to be easily seen when raised. All who watch notice a brass ring on her finger. He looks at Zorian when he mentions the ring and stands up to step away from the platform.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Mon 15 Jan 2007.

OOC: I'll pause a bit longer.  If anyone else has actions for Trinity's body, feel free.

If you're ready to move along and deal with what's behind Khidrath's blocked door, jump in there.

Laerwen watched as the broken body of the fallen woman is taken care of respectully, praying to her god that the lady's soul was at rest.

When they all continue on without the body, Laerwen stays quietly near Alec, still not yet trusting the others not to harm her friend.

Khidrath tried peeking in, if nothing was to be seen or there was no apparant danger he would wait for the others and then open the door.

Alec waited anxiously while the door was investigated, ready to sing or bolt for his life at a moment's notice.

Having tied the cloak on, Borin says "Lets send the signal to raise the platform then go check out dat door."

The signal sent, the group quickly returned to the hallway and gathered behind Khidrath.  Whatever blocked the door prevented it opening more than an inch or so.  That only gave him a glimpse of the north wall.

From that little slice was enough to tell him that the room was only 30' or so deep.  In the center of the visible north wall was a glowing rectangle of greenish light that faintly lit all of the visible parts of the room.  On each side of that 'doorway', a stone dwarf was carved in high relief from the stone of the wall.

Something had apparently noticed the slight swing of the door though, because you could clearly hear a guttaral voice that sounded like it was giving some sort of order.

OOC: If you speak Orcish, roll over the spoiler text below.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
"Drink up boys! Company's coming."

---

I also need to know beside Khidrath who's closest to the door.

Alec stood well back, and away from the door. He didn't understand the language, but it didn't sound friendly.

Laerwen positioned herself between Alec and the door in a protective gesture, pulling her sword quietly.  That voice certainly did not sound friendly and its gutteral inflections made her decide this was certainly not a friend.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:06, Thu 18 Jan 2007.

PM

Zorian was mapping and standing in the back like he was doing since they settled a marching order. As the orcish sound came out of the room zorina sighed and applies mage armor on himself.

"Most likely theres an orc welcomming commite behind that door."

Borin, not knowing the language braces himself for a charge. He stands far enough away from the door so that if it were to fall, he would not be hit by it. As usualy, he is not only ready..but hoping for combat with his waraxe in his free hand.

Khidrath made a swift move to thee side pressing himself up against the wall he replaced the crossbow with a rapier and pressed himself against the wall trying make room for Borin should the need arise. He was pretty sure the voices wasn't friendly most voices down here didn't seem to be, present company excluded of course.

Alec felt himself begin to shake as the others got ready for combat. "Orcs? Um, perhaps we should say hello? To avoid a fight if we can."

You seemed to be as ready as you could get, not knowing more of what awaited you beyond the door.  And since nobody who spoke the language seemed inclined to follow Alec's suggestion to talk and avoid the combat, there was nothing else to do beside shove the door open.

Beyond the door were a trio of fairly common looking orcs, their grey skin, matted hair, and battered black blades well known to those who'd faced their kind before.  Each of them also had an empty vial falling from their fingers toward the floor as the door swung open.

Behind them was possibly the largest orc that many of you had seen.  He's watching and looking as the door slams back, seeming more alert than most of his kind.  He wears rough splint armor, with a bloodied longsword gouged into the metal of his armor.  Propped against his left shoulder was a blade almost as long as he was tall; unlike most common orc gear, this blade is lovely to look at, set with gems, and well cared for.  In his other hand was a shortspear, ready to cast.



Each square is 5' on a side
The numbers and letters on this map are walls.

Key

A - Alec
B - Borin
K - Khidrath
L - Laerwen
Z - Zorian

1 - Orc 1
2 - Orc 2
3 - Orc 3
4 - Orc Commander

C - Corpse

st - Solid Stone

OOC: And we'll go to initiatives.

As the door was opened, Alec muttered "_{I guess not.}"


OOC: Init 8

OOC: Well, the only one who seemed like they spoke the language, or didn't immediately say they didn't, was Zorian.  Without a common language, negotiation's not likely to be an option.

If I've assumed too much, and I'm wrong and need to back up, yell and let me know.

"Well look wut we got here." Borin says looking at the so called warrior orcs.

Initiative: 19

Glad she had sword in hand, Laerwen gripped it tightly as she watched the flasks drop to the ground suspiciously.

09:09, Today: Laerwen rolled 17 using 1d20+2. Init.

As the door swings open revealing the orcs Zorian was just about to ask Alec why there was a need to say hello to some evil orcs but with the four wariors revealed he puts his mapping material away and talks to the revealed monsters in his best orcish.

"Hello. My friends and me where looking for an inn and hoped you where able to help us find one. As my mate here is really thirsty and our bard thought you guys would surely be able to help us."

Zorian motions to Borin at the mention of the inn and Alec at the mention of the bard.