Not really having a way to get across, Leo readies himself with his dagger and watches to see if Shae draws the creature to within striking distance.

The ice skeleton lashes out, slashing Shae at the tail.  (6 hp damage.)

It begins following her across, and is suddenly buried in the spiked stalactites that line the ceiling.  It takes substantial damages but begins shaking them off to continue.

Tahldar casts fly on Borimer, and Borimer has Godslayer ready as the ice skeleton emerges from the spiked stalactites.  He chops down, slicing off one of its crystal arms.

The creature has just moved within striking distance, with your group forming a semicircle around it.  It appears very damaged by the spikes and the lost arm but still has some life in it.

Tahldar hangs back and let's Borimer finish it off.

This message was deleted by the player at 15:44, Sat 11 Mar 2017.

Borimer lands and slashes twice at the creature, trying to take it down before it can strike...

Leo slashes at it with his dagger.  "Not sure how much damage I can do but we are in it now."

Shae transforms back into her half-elf form to join in the fight.

Shae begins changing back.

Although Leo's attack misses, it performs the vital role of distracting the ice creature.  It lunges forward, slashing at Leo with both arms.  One of its crystal claws slices open Leo's right shoulder.  Oddly, it burns it is so cold.  (8 hp dmg.)  Leo's shoulder starts bleeding uncontrollably, spilling red into the otherwise crystal clear water coming up to his waist.  (Leo continues to suffer bleeding (anticoagulant) and acid damage from the blow until healed.)

Borimer takes advantage of Leo's distraction, hitting a critical blow as he swings Godslayer.  The blow severs the ice creature's arm and sends the thing backwards, where stalactites fall and impale it.  As it loses life or whatever animated it, the crystalline skeleton dissolves in shards of crystal under the water at your feet.

"Nice job, Borimer," Shae says.  She then swims across to the chest without touching the ground and tries to open it or break into it.

"This chest outta be worth it." Tahldar says as he waits for it to be opened.

Shae finds that the chest is locked.  Even worse, because it has an iron interior surrounded by wood, it cannot be easily broken.  (It will likely take a rogue or knock spell to get it open.)

Borimer flies over to the chest and tries to gauge if he could break it open.

Leo moves out of the water and continues to bleed profusely.

Borimer could try to break it open, but he would likely dent the iron of the chest and possible break anything inside if it is fragile.  He could break the ice around it and move the chest, if he wanted.

Leo loses 1 hp in blood loss.

Borimer begins breaking the ice around the chest. If it takes longer than 3 rounds he will give up and fly back to the others.

"Borimer, just break it out and we can carry back up and try to open it once we're back top side."

"How long can I fly?" Borimer redoubles his efforts to free the chest within its own unbroken block of ice and fly it over to the others as Tahldar suggests.

"A good long while.  At least an hour and a half." the mage says in reply.

OOC:  I took the liberty to roll the fly spell duration.  The spell will last 2 hours, 20 minutes. (1d6 turns, plus 9 for mage level)

16:46, Today: Tahldar of Tyrannia rolled 14 using 1d6+9 ((5)).

Borimer frees the chest.  The iron inside coating is completely airtight and it actually floats on the water as Borimer brings it back.  The party steps back into the large cavern with the headless dragon body embedded in the wall, where you can again step onto dry land and contemplate your situation.

(The effects of cold and breathing underwater will expire soon, so you will either have to renew those spells or get back to where Vuzyl is guarding the remaining gnomes.  Vuzyl, in case you forgot, is a rogue with lockpicking skills too.)

"Let's head back.  Leo needs healing and there's little more we can do here."

Borimer nods, picks up the chest, and if no one has another plan, leads the way back to Vuzyl when the party is ready.

Because of the buoyancy of the chest, you find it hard to take it down into the water...

...[strength check] However, Borimer is able to push it down with his strong swimming.

Your group pops up in the water next to Vuzyl and the remaining gnomes.  You step up onto the rocky dry area where they wait for a report.

You are back here:




Reminder or Area Description:  Here the water is very cold, with short stalactites, many of them caked in ice.  The cave dips low on your right hand side where there might be an underwater cave if you dare swim in the icy cold water and can hold your breath long enough.

Otherwise, the cave and blue water continue to weave around to your left.

Borimer puts the chest down onto the rocky floor. "Anyone want to check it for traps before we open it?"

"Sorry, can't help with that.  Or opening it for that matter." the mage says in reply to Borimer's request.

Vuzyl does the honors of checking for traps but finds none.  He then proceeds to pick the lock...and is successful.

The chest opens to reveal a dry interior.  Something is carefully wrapped in sackcloth inside the chest, which has been loaded down with rocks to prevent it from moving too much.