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12:14, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Day 23: The Decay Node.

Posted by Wyrm of WyrdFor group 0
Wyrm of Wyrd
GM, 955 posts
Mon 28 Sep 2020
at 13:11
  • msg #1

Day 23: The Decay Node

quote:
Team Arda-Nuff have been staying at the Dripstone Inn for the six days it took for Moffa's new items to be created.

When she returns, the cowled figure of Es Sarch raises a bony finger to beckon you all over for a quiet conversation with him.

"You call yourselves Team Arda-Nuff and have proven yourselves worthy of that name by defeating the self-styled Talon of Tiamat. I do not know your plans for the future but if you are starting to feel bored, I have a small task you might like to undertake for someone I sometimes do business with; one might even consider him a friend of mine.

"There is a cave below one of the old warehouses in the city that is a natural focus of the forces that cause all matter to decay over time. Some call it a Decay Node, if that means anything to you. My friend wishes to have access to that node as any cleric spending a number of hours there can gain access to an additional divine domain – the Decay Domain. Anyone who is not a cleric would also gain some affinity with that domain from spending time there; my friend called it a 'Touch of Decay', but I am unsure what that would entail.

"Unfortunately, a drow priestess named Esmar'ra has commandeered that cave and refuses to allow anyone else access to the Decay Node. She is a priestess of Lolth, so there are few in Pedestal who would wish to be seen opposing her will. But I suspect that would not be a particular for visitors from the sun-poisoned skin of the world, such as yourselves.

"Would you be interested in taking on such a mission? Your reward would be access to the Decay Node itself, of course, as well as whatever valuable items Esmar'ra has down there with her."

quote:
"I am pleased that you will look into this matter for us," Es Sarch responded emotionlessly.

"From the few reports we have received to date there do seem to be some puzzling things happening there. The reports of a low barricade across the entry to the antechamber are, perhaps, not surprising, but the heat and glow of firelight from the antechamber certainly do not belong there. I shall await your report with great interest, when you return. It is possible that the weeks the priestess has already spent in the Decay Node is longer than is wise.

"However, there is no particular urgency. If you wish to rest and make any preparations before you  undertake this mission that will be perfectly satisfactory, and I understand you would need to spend at least eight hours in the Decay Node to benefit from it. Speak to me again when you are ready to go and I will arrange a guide to show you the way there."

After a good rest and a chance for the team's spellcasters to prepare new spells for this mission Team Arda-Nuff meets again at the Dripstone Inn and are met by a pair of duegar guards who have been assigned to show them the way to the old warehouse where the entrance to the Decay Node is to be found.

Half an hour's walk through the dimly lit streets of Pedestal brings the team safely to the old warehouse and the two duegar show them where a 5-foot trapdoor behind a stack of crates in a back corner of the warehouse leads to a long staircase leading down 100 feet to the Decay Node.

The duegar guards say that is as far as they will go but they will wait up here in the warehouse until the team returns (or until the drow priestess emerges, if that happens first). Their orders then are to report back to Es Sarch, either way.

So Team Arda-Nuff descends the stairs and reaches the bottom without incident. A natural tunnel winds away to the left from the base of the stairs. There is a narrow line of sight from the southern edge of that tunnel near the stairs that allows the team to see that the tunnel runs for about 50 feet before opening out into a larger chamber. There is a 3-foot high barricade of stones piled across the entrance to that chamber and that chamber is brightly lit by firelight and flames within a widen central area of that chamber can be seen reaching higher than the barricade. The warmth of the flames can already be felt at the foot of the stairs and the crackle of the fire is softly heard as well.

There is no sign of any guards at the barricade and no sign of life in that chamber can be seen from this distance. Indeed, you would need to get quite close to the barricade to be able to see the floor of that chamber beyond the barricade.

OOC: The noise of the fire does not affect conversation at this distance but if you want to withdraw back up the stairs at all to make any preparations or to speak to the duergar guards before moving closer that option is still available.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

Minmorc
player, 815 posts
I am fastest
I am strongest
Tue 29 Sep 2020
at 15:49
  • msg #2

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Imma gonna start wid der magics, I follow yous when yer decide ter move." Minmorc will start the party by casting bless on everyone. He has his greataxe in hand and is talking in  low voice that hopefully wouldn't be heard over the cackle of the fire.
Jurz
player, 806 posts
Goblin Druid
Thu 1 Oct 2020
at 18:58
  • msg #3

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Does youse want me to goes an have a look first?" Jurz asks with a grin.  Then adds, "Does anyone speak wiv animals?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:11, Thu 01 Oct 2020.
Dregz
player, 691 posts
Goblin Priest /Bargrivyek
As it is written !
Sat 3 Oct 2020
at 05:04
  • msg #4

Day 23: The Decay Node

Dregz is being very careful not to touch anything down here, but takes time out from his efforts to maintain constant vigilance to reply to Jurz.

"Ise c'n unnerstan' animalz talk, but Ise don' tink dey can unnerstan' me," he tells the druid, furtively.
Jurz
player, 807 posts
Goblin Druid
Sat 3 Oct 2020
at 06:09
  • msg #5

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Den Ise could be a rat and goes and look over de top of de barricade ..." Jurz suggests.
Bulldust
player, 667 posts
Full grown Bugbear
Moffdust's little bruvver
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 01:29
  • msg #6

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Dats not much ov a barricade fer stormin.  I could jus step over it." The young bugbear murmers his thoughts quietly and pushes a pebble with his toe.  "I'll go when you'se all ready."  Meanwhile he blows a little bugbear magic into his fist to make it stronger and holds his wand of Magic Missiles ready in case something needs shootin'. 

OOC: how high is the roof please?
This message was last edited by the player at 06:10, Sun 04 Oct 2020.
Moffdust
player, 480 posts
Female Goblin Summoner
Bully's big sister
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 04:53
  • msg #7

Day 23: The Decay Node

Moffdust nods at Jurz suggestion. "Bests we's looks, buts lets protect youse from evil spellses first... drows is sometimes nasty, Llolthses too." she add matter of factly.
She casts protection from evil once Jurz gives her the go ahead.

While Jurz is taking a look she summons a small Fire Elemental as her cohort for the day. "Hey Sparkys, you is wid us all todays... deese is my friends don't burns dem up. Can youse says what dat fires is?" She waves airily in the direction of the fire beyond the barrier. "Is it specials?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:03, Sun 04 Oct 2020.
Jurz
player, 808 posts
Goblin Druid
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 07:18
  • msg #8

Day 23: The Decay Node

Once Moffa has cast her spell, Jurz changes.   Not so much shrinking, as dropping to all fours, growing fur and a long bare tail as he does so - his snout lengthens until he is a full sized dire rat.

Without a squeak, he sets off towards the barricade.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:15, Sun 04 Oct 2020.
Bulldust
player, 668 posts
Full grown Bugbear
Moffdust's little bruvver
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 11:01
  • msg #9

Day 23: The Decay Node

Nice!  Bulldust watches Jurz, impressed but a bit confused.  He turns to his older mentor.  "Min, is e stormin da barricade wivout us?"
Wyrm of Wyrd
GM, 956 posts
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 11:51
  • msg #10

Day 23: The Decay Node

While other members of Team Arda-Nuff make a few preparations Jurz transforms into a dire rat and cautiously scurries down the tunnel and climbs up the 3-foot high barricade of stones to peek over the top.

Moffa summons a small fire elemental, which illuminates the party quite nicely at the bottom of the stairs. It provides a lovely crackling sound effect to go with the firelight it casts.

OOC: Main Game Map updated. Ceiling height is typically 8-10ft in the tunnel and up to 15ft in the 30ft diameter cave.
Minmorc's Bless spell gives everyone +1 on saves vs fear and +1 on attack rolls.

Jurz
player, 809 posts
Goblin Druid
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 12:12
  • msg #11

Day 23: The Decay Node

Jurz-rat climbs back down the barricade and makes his way back to his companions.  When he gets there he squeaks at Dregz, expecting the cleric to understand him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:30, Sun 04 Oct 2020.
Minmorc
player, 816 posts
I am fastest
I am strongest
Sun 4 Oct 2020
at 12:41
  • msg #12

Day 23: The Decay Node

Minmorc will think this over carefully. "I fink Jurz stormed up, den stormed off but ee asn't stormed it, yer gots ter like rush der barricade an snot somefing fer a barricade ter be proper stormed so it ain't bin stormed yet." Minmorc will cast divine favor on himself in the hope there's something to storm.
Bulldust
player, 669 posts
Full grown Bugbear
Moffdust's little bruvver
Wed 7 Oct 2020
at 09:29
  • msg #13

Day 23: The Decay Node

Bulldust listens attentively to Min's explanation.  Yeah, how's a rat gonna do all dat?  Sneeze on em?"  He watches Jurzie-rat run back squeaking.  "Whats he sayin Dregzie?"
Moffdust
player, 481 posts
Female Goblin Summoner
Bully's big sister
Wed 7 Oct 2020
at 09:41
  • msg #14

Day 23: The Decay Node

Moffdust waits with Sparkie, feeding him little bits of cobweb on a stick and anything else that looks combustible and not tied down. She may have discovered a new hobby. She waits to hear what Jurz saw, and casts Protection from Evil on herself too. "Does anyone elses wants protections from drows and stuffs?"
Bulldust
player, 670 posts
Full grown Bugbear
Moffdust's little bruvver
Wed 7 Oct 2020
at 09:46
  • msg #15

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Good idea Moffa.  I got one in a bottle."  He drinks a potion of Protection from Evil.
Minmorc
player, 817 posts
I am fastest
I am strongest
Wed 7 Oct 2020
at 14:01
  • msg #16

Day 23: The Decay Node

"Yeh, ifs yer can stops dem from gettin in me head an protects me from stuff would be good, cause I got a big head an I don't know if I could find dem again."
Dregz
player, 692 posts
Goblin Priest /Bargrivyek
As it is written !
Sat 10 Oct 2020
at 00:32
  • msg #17

Day 23: The Decay Node

Dregz bends down to listen to Jurzy-rat squeak, then replies, "Dere is Sally-Mandas in dere? Dey is taking a barff in a big fiery pit?"
Raven
player, 427 posts
Kenku
Wed 14 Oct 2020
at 16:23
  • msg #18

Day 23: The Decay Node

Raven tilts her head to one side and looks from Dregz to Jurzy-rat and back again.

"Salamanders?" she squawks quietly. "Shall we go think about this a bit and come back when we've got a plan for how we're going to do this?"
Minmorc
player, 818 posts
I am fastest
I am strongest
Thu 15 Oct 2020
at 01:51
  • msg #19

Day 23: The Decay Node

Minmorc has a blank look in his eyes, looks down at his axe, looks back at Raven. "Hit fings wid axe not a plan?"
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