OOC: Reaching the 1,000 post mark in the other thread, so time to shift to this one.


===== Mithra's Group =====

Mithra heads down the long tunnel. After 50 feet, she comes to a side passage on the right. It goes only 10 feet before turning right into a dead end. It's a worked tunnel, but it's hard to tell if the end was being mined and the miners gave up, or if it just collapse. Probably the former, as a longer tunnel would have led back to the pool room.

Ten feet further along the main tunnel there is a passage on the left. It goes 20 feet before branching left and right. The left branch goes down about 50 feet and ends in collapsed section. There was a side branch off of it on the right that went 20 feet before turning right.

The right branch went 30 feet before ending in another collapse, but it, too, has a side tunnel on the left that appears to open into a maze-like network of openings and tunnels.

Back in the main tunnel, another opening on the right is a 10-foot dead end. 30 feet further there is an intersection. The right passage goes in about 15 feet before splitting left and right, though both directions end in dead ends. The left passage goes 20 feet before a collapsed roof prevents further passage, while a left-hand tunnel appears to lead back to the maze.

The main tunnel goes another 20 feet before opening into a cavern. She finds herself standing in a lower section that's maybe 1/4th of the whole cavern. The rest of the cavern opens up to the right, but the floor of the rest of the cavern is 20 feet above her.

However, she spots a rope changing down from above.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:37, Fri 16 Mar 2018.

===== Mithra's Group =====

Eredan peers down the first side tunnel, then the next. Within that one he sees the network of mazed tunnels and entrances and his face gives a small tick. Two corridors later and side tunnels he is rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers, massaging it hard and when he spots a rope going up it's all he can do to remain sane.

"This is more convoluted than visions of the darkness I've seen - you have some insight into this mess of tunnels I hope Mithra?"

Arms crossed Eredan suddenly looks as if he wish he still were drinking in a pub.

In reply to Eredan Corlinus (msg # 2):

Ezguar looks shocked. Eredan my good friend are you telling me you don't see the beauty in the architecture and strategy of these tunnels? I feel right at home down here. Something about a good tricky tunnel brings back the nostalgia. Ezguar runs his hands against the wall in admiration.

===== Victor's Group =====


No floating skull. No conflagration. Dwarves and spellcasters did battle. The Dwarves won. I am still here, and I still guard the treasures!

Wait. Thinking. Green flaming skull that floats in the air! Dead wizard he is! I heard them talk about it. It can't leave the room where it died. That's why it's never come here.

==== Victor's Group =====

"Yes, you are quite right.  We saw it earlier," Nixon replied aloud and "in thought", not certain if it made a difference. "Is there a name you go by, or would prefer we call you?  I am Nixon of Waterdeep."  The warrior-mage spoke very easily, non-threateningly, and in tone of respect and courtesy, somewhat between barchat and more formal polite inquiry as he sounded out the social footing with this strange creature.  <brown>

"Friend guardian, was the wizard the one that summoned you to protect the treasures, or was he an attacker?

"Oh, and where did the dwarves go afterwards, if they won?

"You truly have great powers, in speaking to the mind, and seeing the hidden.  Did they turn the sword invisible? - we cannot see it with our eyes, not being as skilled as you.  Are you wishing to remain here, or can we help you to travel with us?  If you are wishing to return home, how can we help you to do such?"

==== Victor's Group =====

"Is the dead wizard skull bound as a guardian, too? By the dwarves? Please tell us what you know about the battle between the dwarves and wizards." asks Victor.

Nixon spoke sideways towards Victor, in response to his question, but continued overwatch. "Tales I've heard spoke of them as undead spirits, wizard power with malice... haunt the area of their death, reveling in causing pain and venting their fury - some think as result of their true impotence, others that it's an effort to draw magical energy.  They're purported a tough fight for both sword and Art.

"So I hear, anyway.  Rare to encounter, so there hasn't been a great theocratic investigation on them.  Revelries can be found in better locales as well for those seeking challenge, and with the tied-to-death haunting, they don't move around much to draw attention, save from those that frequent the places where the death occurred."

===== Mithra's Group =====

"It looks like some sort of abandoned mine", opines Lureene. "I think we did well in going straight to this cave, however. We should go up the rope and see where it leads." She smiles faintly. "After we make sure it's secure and it's not some sort of alarm bell, of course."

===== Victor's Group =====


There is no name. Yes. Name. Designation to identify one being from another being of the same kind. Yes. I understand this. But it has no meaning.

Nixon of Waterdeep. That is a name.

Possibly. Many wizards were here. Could be. Dwarves haven't gone. They are still here. No one can take the sword.

I am here until released from my guardianship.

No battle between Dwarves and Wizards. They worked together to make the treasures. Green skull is not guardian.

---Victor's Group---

"Perhaps our verdant skull is amiable.  Shall we chance a parley?"

"Respected spectator, what exigency necessitates an unbinding from your committal.  Could we abet you in any way?"

===== Mithra's Group =====

Eredan chuckles at Lureene and walks up towards the rope hanging down. Not daring to touch it he peers upwards towards where it comes from, wondering what is up there, and if he can even see anything.

ooc: 21:06, Today: Eredan Corlinus rolled 19 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 17.  Perception +2.

===== Mithra's Group =====


"Anybody have a grappling hook?" she asked.

"On the off chance that the rope is either a trap or an alarm, we could circumvent it with our own rope."

"Failing that, we could try the old 'alley-oop' maneuver: one of you with a bit of acrobatic training could run towards me, step into my cupped hands, and I could then boost you up maybe high enough to grab the edge."

"I just don't like leaving this route unexplored. If we get driven into this chamber at some point, I'd rather know there was an option other than something we didn't explore."

===== Victor's Group =====


Wizard that summoned me. He can release me. If I can no longer perform my service, I can return home. I do my job well. No one may touch the magic items except the Dwarves and the Wizards.

==== Victor's Group ====

Ero chances on an idea.  "I am a prestidigitator.  May I take the treasure?  Or is it limited only to certain wizards?  And if so, how do you identify the right wizards from the wrong ones?"

===== Mithra's Group =====

"Grappling hook? No, this is quite a pre-dick-a-mint!" Squatting down and limbering up he appears to be preparing for an acrobatic endeavor.

"I do happen to have pitons and a hammer should the opportunity arise for us to ascend by climbing." Eredan swivels his hips and starts a long stretch of his legs and winces. "Let me say that if there was someone who was a fair gymnast that they should go up first."

In reply to Eredan Corlinus (msg # 15):

=====Mithra's Group=====

Sorry climbing and the such just isn't really my forte. I will try my best to assist but don't expect to much help from my short arms. Ezguar holds up a short hand in a gesture of helpfulness.

---Victor's Group---

Nixon shook his head slightly at the suggestion, although whether or not Ero would see the action of course depending on timing and head angle - but it was habit to do so, and so it happened regardless of the need.

"The undead was lethal in encounters -or destroyed- in all stories related to me, and I would not recommend alerting an unknown undead that is magically-enabled and resistant to attacks... certainly not prior to attempting to dispatch it with all haste and effort. Especially when it does not appear to be in our needed path.

"I'm used to seeking out troubles... but not troubling troubles that aren't troubling me," Nixon chuckled, half to himself.

"Master Guardian, my friend raises a good question - is there a name, or description that we might hear, so we can find the caster that summoned you here to such diligent duty."

=====Mithra's Group=====

"Just tug on the rope slightly", said Lureene. "If it has no give then it's for climbing. If it has any give then I wouldn't try."

In reply to Lureene Raventree (msg # 18):

=====Mithra's Group=====

Ezguar takes Lureenes advice and tugs lightly on the rope to see if it has any give and if it has none he would attempt to climb it. Well here goes nothing chaps.

Eredan narrows his eyes and looked skeptically at the rope. Sometimes some things were best left un-thought. A rope up a hole was for climbing. Suggesting that it was for something else suddenly brought a certain amount of paranoia into the half-elf's purview of the world.

===== Victor's Group =====


Allanzani summoned me. You all look alike to me. Taller than most. Gray-bearded.

Don't know about certain wizards. Allanzani said only Dwarves and Wizards could take the magic items.

===== Mithra's Group =====


Ezguar first tugs on the rope. It feels solid, so he begins to climb. As he reaches the top, he sees that it has been tied around a stalagmite. The rest of the cave is about 60 feet across in both directions, but has the two ends a bit tapered.

There are several stalagmites that dot the floor.

Ezguar sees two openings. One is over on the left and has a narrow ledge leading to it. The other one is almost straight across from him. It appears a bit larger, and he can feel the breeze coming from it.

===== Victor's Group =====


"Allanzani..." says Victor. "Can't say I know the name. Knew an Alenandra, in my youth. Allie, I called her. Lovely lass, grocer's daughter. Father didn't like me at all. Said if I ever came back around, he'd nail my ears to the door jamb. Came back one last time, to ask if he had any nails. As it turns out, he did. Brash youth that I was, I knocked the old man out cold. Allie didn't like me much either, after that. That was before the academy, of course."

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 22):

===== Mithra's Group =====

Ezguar moves forward enough to make space for his companions. Ah good news. It seems that it was indeed not a trap and that is simply more diverging paths ahead. Although I would recommend looking out for the dense rock forest of stalagmites here.

In reply to Ezguar Grimlock (msg # 24):

===== Mithras group =====

Eredan looks up after his friend climbs the rope and listens as new information is related down. Grasping the rope firmly the warlock scrambles his way upwards.

===== Mithra's Group =====


"Guess I should have figured that,"<purple> Mithra said. <purple>"It's good news... and bad news. The good news is that this isn't a dead end so we won't be trapped. The bad news is that they can circle around behind us."

She took a minute to examine the wall leading to the upper level, pulling at a few rocks as she went.

"Don't let rope dictate your options. If we're forced to retreat here and the rope has been removed, we can still climb the wall. It may not be easy, but it's doable."

"Also, if we do get chased into this cave, and they circle around up top, they'll have an advantage up there... with range weapons. You can even that advantage up a lot by getting right up against the wall, cause then they have to lean over to even see you. That makes them vulnerable."

"So, Ezguar... any indications that one of those passages leads out? We came in the backdoor of this mine, so the main entrance should be up this way somewhere."

"Anyway, that's all I needed to know. Now we need to go look for those Dwarves."

Once Ezguar climbs back down, she leads the way back through the tunnel.

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 26):

====Mirhra’s Group=====

Thressa climbs down remaining with her group.

===== Victor's Group =====
Nixon chuckled at Victor's quick trip down memory lane.  After pausing for a moment to allow the guardian to reply, Nixon added a follow-up question.  "Master guardian - you indicated that it was permissible for casters of the Art to access the items under your care.  Victor is a learned caster, and I have some small Art myself.  Would it be permissible for us to see or access the items in your care?"

Nixon's question was very much in the hypothetical, unconcerned vein, for he saw nothing to access.  While there could exist a forge of invisible weapons or trove of untold knowledges concealed in a pocket dimension... they could, like the damaged doors and dead wizard, be long gone and lost, or the guardian suffering 'neath a mantle of corruption or twisted magics.  That latter was especially concerning, for allies had been warping in and away - Nixon knowing from first-hand knowledge, and that the safe paths had been less than fully reliable.

====== Mithra's Groups =====

As Mithra moves beyond the rope Eredan pauses a moment before scrambling back down. Glad to have his feet on the ground he falls in and wipes his forehead. He was coming down from a nice buzz and the ale was leaving him feeling not quite right.

===== Victor's Group =====


Wizards and Dwarves, Dwarves and Wizards! You are no Dwarf, so wizard you must be. Take all that you wish. I will not stop you.

--- Victor's Group ---

"You are quite astute, sir," Ero says with pride.  "I am a conjurer of no small repute.  We will gladly abscond with these trinkets and liberate you from your obligation.  But if we could beg your indulgence, may we prorogue this a few hours?  We must first emancipate a guaranty from his shanghaiers."

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 26):

===== Mithra's Group =====

I didn't get a good enough look down those tunnles but knowing a little on caves I might be able to make an educated guess.

Ezguar attempts to muster what he knows on cave architecture to help navigate the group in the right direction.

Rolled 10 on knowledge History

===== Mithra's Group =====


Air currents were stronger on the upper level, so Ezguar has a reasonable estimation that the tunnel that seemed to continue on probably led to the outside. The tunnel looked mostly natural, but he could see some signs of workmanship--most likely Dwarven.

The more curves and corners that the air has to go around, the lest coherent and detectable it is. The other passages headed back into the rest of the mine. No doubt they would connect up with the other team.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 33):

===== Mithra's Group =====

Ezguar takes a moment to ponder before coming to his conclusion and relaying it to his party. I believe with the way the air flows that the tunnel strait ahead would lead us to the outside and these side passages would take us back further down into the cave.I have to give those dwarves credit they sure know how to clean up a tunnel

====== Mithra's Groups =====

Bringing up the rear, Lureene finished climbing the rope as Ezguar spoke. "Well, little reason to head outside with our mission unfinished, though it may be worth making sure the path is clear in case we need to beat a hasty retreat from these caves. But ultimately we should rejoin our friends and move on together."

====== Mithra's Groups =====

Eredan sniffs once or twice and winces.

"Some fresh air would do me good right about now. But it seems like onwards we are headed! Or at least that's what it seems like."

Eredan continues striding after Mithra. Stumbles and trips but catches himself against a wall and straightens.

"Aaaahhh....*inhale*... that stings. Cut my hand. Sharp rocks!"

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor addresses the nameless spectator, "In any event, it was a pleasure meeting you, but I believe we have pressing matters to attend to. Take care." He began to back slowly out of the doorway.

This new cave had some potential, but it could just as easily turning into a killing zone. At least, there was no immediate threat there; it looked like it was an unused section at the moment. If that was the entrance, maybe they weren't using it so as not to draw attention to it.

She said the same to the others.

"This mine is supposed to be a secret... well, it was lost. No one remembered where it was. So maybe they aren't using this entrance in order to keep from being spotted. That back way in was sure convoluted. No one could possibly find that by accident."

"Still need to find those Dwarves, though, so let's go looking."

She led them back to that other side passage. There was no point in crawling back through the tunnel. That was an emergency exit if they needed it.

When she got to that side passage, she headed up the stairs. She didn't bother stopping to listen--she was almost hoping to run into somebody, even if it was the other half of the team. She did pause at the top step, though, before stepping out into the cross hallway.

As Victor decides to leave, both Nixon and Ero spot the items on the workbench at the back. They are the only signs of anything valuable, kind of dull from dust. There's no sword but there is a mace and part of a suit of armor--just a breastplate.

Outside the room, Cunaar and Rausdendod manage to hear some sounds in between the booming of the water, but they are too faint and intermittent for them to make them out. They can't even tell if they are man-made, but think they might be.

The booming is starting to get annoying, and it gives the two of them an odd feeling about this place. There's clearly inhabitants here, yet they haven't actually seen--or heard--anyone. There has to be something going on that they haven't yet figured out.

At the top of the stairs (only a short flight), Mithra listens for a moment, and hears faint voices that seem to be coming from the closed door across the hall. Looking left, she sees another flight of stairs 20 feet away leading up. To the right, the hall goes only 10 feet before ending in either an unfinished tunnel or a collapsed tunnel. It's hard to tell which.

The door across the hall is recessed in a few feet, so if Mithra crossed the hall, she could still be concealed in the recess.

The voices don't sound like they are whispering. In fact, they change in volume a bit. After a minutes of listening, she can tell that they are speaking goblin. One seems to be complaining that he's hungry.

Ero runs a finger across the breastplate to make a line in the dust,  "Convoke a spectator for some tarnished metals.  No, that is counterfactual."

"If this is all hitherto, let us acquire these appurtenances forthwith.  I can better assess them latterly."

===== Victor's Group =====


Ero has no problem picking up the items and leaving the room with them. The spectator doesn't seem to be bothered by them.

The last of the treasures are gone! It is good that you took the sword, for now I am released from my service!

With that last parting thought, the spectator vanishes.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor looks towards where the spectator had been, saying "that was certainly... interesting. Our many-eyed friend there is quite mad I'd say. Be careful with those items, in case the wizard who left them was mad as he is. Might be cursed. Oh well, we still have a job to do, friends, we can examine them later, when we rest."

===== Mithra's Group =====


"I think we've stealthed our way into action now," she whispered back to the others. "Heard voices on the other side of that door before. Could be where they are holding the Dwarves."

She gestured to the door across the cross hallway at the top of the stairs.

"There's a good chance we won't be able to put the genie back in the bottle if we go through that door. Just letting you know."

She looks down both side passages and then steps across the hallway to the door. She carefully reaches out, grabs the handle, and tries to open the door.

If it opens, she'll rush in!

=== Victor's Group ===

"To where will we be venturing next?" Ero asks Victor.

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 44):

===== Mithra's Group =====

I'll follow right behind her and ready an action to cast a spell if there is a trap sprung or a group of surprised foes.

===== Victor's Group =====


There's the tunnel you entered this cave through, there's the another tunnel off on the right (as you are looking ahead)--that's the one that leads to the Green Skull.

Continuing straight ahead takes you to the back half of the cave, which is 10 feet lower than the part you are in, but there is a flight of stairs carved into the side of that ledge.

There is another building at the back of the cave, with another tunnel just to the right of it. There might be another passage on the right side of the cave, but you can't tell because there's a 20-foot diameter stalagmite blocking view. It's actually a stalagmite and stalactite that have grown together to form a single column.

The doors to the building are in the front. Even from up on the ledge, they look scorched.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor looks around for a moment before speaking, "Perhaps we should take our chances with the greenflame skull. We may have to fight it regardless, and it would be best to do so before we wear ourselves out. Then again, we could hold off on that until reuniting with the others. How about that other building? Looks like a battle with mages happened yonder. Perhaps that is where the dwarves were once held? May be a trail."

===== Victor's Group =====
Nixon didn't spend a great deal of time considering the issue before replying, but such appeared to be from previous forethought rather than dismissing nature.

"No sense troubling trouble til trouble troubles you, as they say.  If this ends up being a suitable complex to take over for a permanent base, then by all means.  As it stands, the undead appears confined to site of its death. I'd suggest we move forward while fresh, clear the area, and reconnect with the other group.

"Looks like the last building was similarly-treated as these two, so clearing it first would make sense.  The area behind the pillar is ripe for another path, judging by the cavern arrangement.  If you're looking for input, I'd suggest clear the last building, then check the pillar area for paths, and, at last route, trek back to follow-up and catch up with Mishra ... but I have a feeling from the honeycombing here that there will be one or more paths branching back into the other areas."

===== Victor's Group =====
"My thinking as well, Outside. Chances are we needn't bother the undead at all, though, if we have the time, once our mission is taken care of, dead wizards often carry magical treasure, if we can find its former body. Not worth endangering our mission, but I'd be amiss not to mention it. Keeping up a Baronet's lifestyle must cost a fortune, after all." There seemed to be a slight edge beneath the teasing remark about Nixon's station.

====== Mithra's Groups =====

Lureene stands right next to Mithra, so that she may rush after her if the door opens, and fan out alongside her to face whatever peril they find inside the room.

===== Victor's Group =====
"Terribly courteous of you on that point, as always, old friend," Nixon smiled, diffusing the obvious edge to the words, and working verbally with the context as the pair walked, leading the silent host behind themselves.  "Most folk have to worry about themselves, or a family, but the working peerage have the worry for all the families under their care.  It's why I spend more time away from home working than at home, but I'm sure that applies to most of us.  I suspect the life of ease of the upper rich must be nice, but I'm a working man whatever clothes or titles I wear.

"Now, I can't say that I didn't consider the same, but the task in hand first, as they say.  Hopefully one or both of those former-chambre items will bring a bit of coin to help the family.

"Speaking of, what's been new in your world?  Been a good few months since I saw you last."

====== Mithra’s Group ==========

Thressa stands nearby Mithra and Laurene alert and ready. The

"I third the preference," says Ero, not that it mattered since he was already out-voted.  He give the spectator's lair one last quick search to ensure nothing was missed then follows the others to the next building.

===== Victor's Group =====
Victor spoke with care for the volume of his voice, but it was clear stealth was never in his wheelhouse. He kept his voice below its customary boom, saying, "Army wore at my soul over the years, felt like a cats-paw for the idle rich, so I jumped at retirement while I could still think of myself as a good man, or as good as someone who's only good for killing can be. Bought a cottage, some goats. Retirement didn't sit well with me, either. Got bored, felt useless.  Got a letter from old Hallwinter, my own former captain, offering work. Figured I'd take a job keeping the peace around Phandalin, instead of rusting away with my armor. It was that or banditry, and I have a bad habit of murdering bandits, so I doubt they'd take me." Victor winked. "Sold the cottage, ate the goats, joined a caravan headed here. Worked as a guard for my spot in the caravan of course. Met these fine folk, helped take out an orc camp, then we agreed to find some dwarf's brothers, or cousins, can't remember which. Which leads us to here. A startling number of people have come and gone these few weeks, but those who've stayed, I feel I've known for years. Good folk. A little softhearted at times, most of them seem to believe in such a thing as fair fight, but capable one and all. Before I die, I hope to learn elvish, so I can understand a word our friend here is saying." He claps a hand on Ero's shoulder, jostling the slender elf, and chuckled lightly.

===== Victor's Group =====
"The men under you used to say you bleated like an old goat, but I think they meant it with affection.  I'm sure they'd be proud that you finally cooked  up the buggers.  I did a couple runs for Hallwinter back - oh, three years ago, I think?  Three-four.  Always square with me, so don't doubt that you took him up on that offer."  The warrior-mage gestured to his veteran counter-part, motioning the outside area clear of hostiles - though both knew that was subject to change, in time.

Nixon gave the recovered items a once-over, then made gesture for the group to get moving.

"Gundren," Nixon added a touch more quietly, filling in the details while trying to not interrupt the story.  "Two brothers."

"I certainly don't mind a fair fight, Victor - I'd just have the backup plan to ensure we survive it, fair or not, right?  The Raven Queen respects courage, but she respects more folk that use what they have been given to keep her gift of life intact."

Seeing none challenging the plan, Nixon started walking quietly towards the last building.  "So, last building, pillar, any other path out... otherwise back to hook up with Mishra, and once we clear this place, back to clear the greenskull for bonus booty hopes.  Sounds a workable planA."

Ero clears his throat.  "My erudition is quite unambiguous.  I could articulate myself in a more base affectation but I'd rather strive to augment others' articulation than debase myself to mere flummery."

===== Victor's Group =====


"Shhh. Keep the noise down," Rausdendod cautions in a whisper in between booms, although the booming is a bit duller down at this end of the cave. "Sounds echo through these caverns."

"If the Dwarves are here, they are probably being held prisoner by something. We've just eliminated one of the deterrents."

===== Mithra's Group =====


The door wasn't locked, and as Mithra pushed the door open, she realized it wasn't barred or blocked either. Charging in, she suddenly finds herself in the midst of 5 bugbears.

There is another door out of the room, on the opposite side, but it has been blocked by a large table that was probably in the room's center originally.


Two bugbears are standing over by the barricade, arguing, while the other three are sitting on the beds--two to the left, one to the right.

They were not expecting to be surprised, of course, so Mithra has the initiative, as do Lureene and Thressa behind her.

So far, there hadn't been sufficient motivation to put up his ward, but it was starting to feel a bit creepy in this cave, what with that incessant booming of the ebb and flow of water from the underground river.

While the others were advancing, he created his ward.

"I don't think there's any threat behind us," he whispered to the others. "The Green Skull is rooted to its spot, and any threat to us would have to get past it."

"I think coming in the back way has given us a distinct advantage."

===== Victor's Group =====
Victor approaches the last building and checks around the sides, looking for any open windows or doors first.

===== Mithra's Group =====

When Mithra charged into the room, she wasn't expecting THAT many bugbears! She had no expectation of the bugbears surrendering if she asked, even if they were trapped. They were too aggressive to do anything sensible like that. Still, it wasn't her mindset to attack first.

She could attempt to subdue them... or at least cowl them, so she let into the closest one she could reach.

08:56, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 20 using 1d20+5 ((15)). Attack!

That should be a hit... unless these are souped-up bugbears.

09:00, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 7 using 1d8+3 ((4)). Not bad.

I wonder what's behind that other door? she wondered, as her blade bit into the bugbear.

"Lady Firehair, grant me the strength to smite our foes!", calls Lureene, willing her spiritual weapon to come into reality as she charges at the bugbear next to Mithra. As she does, she swings her mace in a great overhead blow, the lovely priestess's surprising strength backing her attack, followed by a strike from the hammer of golden light.

OOC: I'm attacking the same bugbear as Mithra until he's down then the next nearest one.

07:52, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 23 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 18.  Mace attack.
07:52, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 6 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 3.  Mace damage.

07:53, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 10 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 3.  Spiritual Weapon attack.
I expect that's a miss but just in case:
07:53, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 8 using 1d8+5 with rolls of 3.

In reply to Lureene Raventree (msg # 63):

Thressa looks at one of the Hobgoblins.

“ Lord Aumanator, shed thy light amongst out enemies ”

A column of Golden flame like radiance descends on the one Lureene attacked.


Dex Save DC 14 or take half

Damage: 1


This message was lightly edited by the GM at 20:59, Sun 10 June 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====


Victor looks around the side of the building, but there are no windows. The building is built against the back of the cave and far end of the cave, so there is no way to get to those sides of the building, and there probably aren't any windows in them anyway.

The double front doors are, however, cracked, and the iron hinges are partially melted. They'll probably have to be forced open.


===== Mithra's Group =====

Mithra hits once, and Lureene hits with only one of her attacks, while Thressa's golden flame engulfs the bugbear for minimal effect.

The triple attack, unfortunately, isn't enough to take the bugbear out. However, the assault was so surprising and quick that the damage momentarily stuns it. The other three bugbears, though, haven't been hit, so they recover from the surprise faster.

((OOC: Next round, everyone in Mithra's Group needs to roll initiative before attacking.))

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 65):

===== Mithra's group =====

18:10, Today: Ezguar Grimlock rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8.  Initiative. Ezguar as ready as he might have been was still unsure of what might happen after the door was swung open so it came as no surprise when he reacted a little more sluggish than he would have liked. Still he wasn't to be completely counted out as he had prepared a spell before and let out his incantations just as things were breaking out into full on combat.

Ezguar cast mage armor on himself as a readied action. This activates his arcane ward which has 10 hp and soaks damage before Ezguar does yay. A shimmering field of transperant magic appears around his body like that of a cresent shield all the while being covered in a seemingly ethereal blue armour bringing his ac to a 14. Have at thee knave!

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor looks at the others with a smile, "Think we should crack this one open and see what's inside?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:05, Mon 11 June 2018.

12:18, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 11 using 1d20+2 ((9)). Initiative.


She was disappointed but not surprised that the triple-threat attack hadn't eliminated the bugbear; they were rather tough. Now, however, the others would get into the act! She suspected her group would have to divide their attacks just to keep from getting flanked.

She tried to interpose herself between the other bugbears and Lureene, attacking if she got the chance.

12:27, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 11,9 using 1d20+5,1d8+3 ((6,6)). Atk + Dmg.

Nixon, not particularly muscled, quirked a brow at the party... right. No muscle-bound front-liners here - this was a party of Men of Skill.  Also code for less-developed musculature.
Not to suggest that Nixon was frail, but his situation was more what one expected to see in better circles of society - a duelist over a heavy-weapon grunt.

"I am a lover, not a fighter, as the saying goes.  But being that we have the time, I'd suggest preserving resources and let the Art do the trick for us."  Extending his blade towards the hinges in pointing gesture, a crackling stream of purple-highlighted black energy snapped forward to strike the uppermost hinge. "Work smarter, not harder?  Helpful that the last group decided to give us a head start on the last door as well before becoming distracted away."

21:58, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 10 using 1d20+2 ((8)).

Seeing Mithra move to intercept the incoming bugbears, Lureene understood her role and struck at the one she was already fighting, the real mace and the spiritual hammer striking simultaneously from opposing angles.

21:59, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 6,7 using 1d20+5,1d6+3 with rolls of 1,4.  Mace attack. - great, natural 1 :(

22:00, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 21,7 using 1d20+6,1d8+4 with rolls of 15,3.  Spiritual Weapon attack.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor gives the door a light push, and if that doesn't work, a good kick between the hinges. Contrary to Nixon's assessment, Victor is a musclebound frontliner, who only dabbles in Skill.


19:39, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 18 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 15.  Strength check.

===== Mithra's Group ======


The bugbear Lureene is fighting was surprised and then attacked by three people; he hasn't recovered enough to attack this round. Lureene only hits once, though, and that may allow him to recover next round as her single hit still doesn't take him down.


10:50, Today: StarMaster rolled 16 using 1d20+2 ((14)). Bugbear initiative.

Two of the bugbears are able to attack Mithra; the other two are blocked by the two in front of them, and are slow to change mental gears. Charge forward and attack is what they think, but it takes them a round to change tactics to move around past the bugbear Lureene is fighting and get at the other attackers.

11:09, Today: StarMaster rolled 17,12,23,11 using 1d20+4,2d8+2,1d20+4,2d8+2 ((13,3,7,19,3,6)). bugbear attacks on Mithra.

The first one misses, but the second one hits Mithra for 11 points of damage.


If Ezguar is physically attacking the bugbears, specify which one.

Alexia, meanwhile, as she moves through the door, spots a tied up body on a bunk in the corner to the right.

A sparkling mist drifts down from Ero's blue-glowing fingers as he waits behind Victor.

Prep Ray of Frost in case there's an unfriendly waiting.

In reply to Victor Harkness (msg # 71):

======Victor's Group======
Thressa follows behind Victor. Victor maybe a frontline but Thressa isn't a true mage either and should be near the warrior to help fight and heal.

===== Victor's Group =====

The door moves easily enough but it can't be opened because the hinge has been welded together. However, Victor's kick is enough to break the hinge off of the building and send the door toppling to the floor.

It lands on a long edge corner, however, so it doesn't make a lot of noise, and it's almost timed with the booming.

Looking past the remaining door you can see a single room. Dust and ash, heaps of debris and walls blackened by fire, plus a sagging ceiling, would seem to indicate this room was damaged by a destructive blast. All the furnishings--tables, chairs, bookshelves and beds--are charred and splintered.

The back wall of the room has a small protruding wall that appears to serve simply as a dividing wall to give a bit of privacy to whoever was staying here. On either side of the short wall is one of the beds. The bed on the left has a scorched iron chest at the foot of it.

It was a rather large room, but with the bunks, 5 bugbears and 4 of them already in the room, it was getting a bit crowded.

Alexia managed to stick her head in just to see what else was in there. That's when she spotted the tied up figure on the bed on the right. The figure clearly wasn't a bugbear. Could it be one of the Dwarves they were searching for?

She squeezed past Ezguar and hurried over to the bed.

She quickly pulled out a knife, and tried not to hold it in a threatening manner as she cut the person's bonds.

"I'm Alexia. We're here to rescue you!" she said to the freed prisoner.

The halfling held her hands out in front of her as Alexia came over, and then lithely held up her feet for that rope to be cut as well.  She's dressed in a dark mottled dirty-looking cloak on top of once-fine clothes.*  She has a couple bags on her belt.

"Thanks," she said, the words spilling forth quickly, "I didn't think I could take on those bugbears and their boss all at once, and I could hear you get closer, so I thought I'd just wait.  So, who are you, what's your mission here, how can I help?"

*{{Investigate 8 to see that her clothes are still fine, just magically disguised.))

{{How many are in this group again?  Which ones are they?))
This message was last edited by the player at 13:33, Sun 24 June 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor looks over the chest for tell-tale signs of magical traps, and then, if he
doesn't find any, he looks for mundane traps. Finally, he looks to see if it is locked.


23:21, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 12 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 9.  Arcana, to look for magical traps.
23:23, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 7 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 6.  Investigation for mundane traps.

In reply to Journey Bandersnatch (msg # 77):

===== Mithra's Group =====

This is how we have been indicating who is with who. So in our group currently we have me, Mithra, Laureen, and you two. Oh and Ezguar was not attempting to melee merely taunting the bug bears to attack him instead.

===== Mithra's Group =====

Thressa is also in Mithra's Group. She's already attacked one of the bugbears.



===== Victor's Group =====

Victor never makes it to the chest, for as soon as he steps into the room a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes rises up out of the floor. It is either made of or is wearing a tattered black robe. It speaks in a sepulchral voice that sounds as cold as the grave:

"Your presence is offensive to me! Your life is forfeit! My treasures are mine alone, not yours to plunder!"

===== Victor's Group =====

"My mother would claim this to be a good excuse to visit the carpentry masters,"Nixon opined wryly, as he looked up and around for hidden troubles.  "Chest by the bed, there."  The warrior however silently made a 'caution,uncertain' hand signal, and pointed out behind the pony wall, potential places for trouble.  He crouched briefly, examining the doors to determine if they were barred from the inside or not.

Nixon pointed out if it was barred or not - barred meant very likely someone inside, or another exit hidden.  After confirming safe to step, and nothing about to jump out from under the bed, behind the door, or drop from the ceiling, he was slightly less worried.  Still, with the amount of magic thrown around in the battle, and the spirit guardians, he wasn't about to give a clear pass on even an empty room.

---

OOC: check for trouble/traps/tracks
Then enter room if appears clear, check for other exits/bodies/etc.
If all clear, see if we can open the chest from the side to avoid traps
Books or any information on what went down here, when, and the rest of the complex to help find the dwarves
Last of priority is any goodies

If nothing in the trap, to the pillar/stalactite to see if any passages back there, I believe is the plan?

===== Mithra's Group =====

The halfling continued to chatter non-stop, spewing forth words.

"It looks like there's five of you, if I'm counting right, I see a green gnome arcanist ((Ezguar)), two armored women (Mithra, Alexia), and two priestesses?  Are you both worshippers of Sune?  Gosh you're pretty!"

Her voice is a bit muffled as she pulled the lower half of her baklava back up into place and her hands disappeared under her cloak as she reassured herself that the bugbears hadn't yet taken anything.

"So where to next?  I'm ever so grateful that you rescued me and I'm really happy to help!  This is going to be so exciting and to be working with a group like this, oh my goodness there's still one alive! AUGH!"

She crouched low and started moving towards the bugbear, juking and weaving to get close enough to strike it while it was unwary.  "I am so sorry, I'd probably forget my head if it wasn't firmly attached!"

She reached behind her back under her cloak and pulled out a rapier that had probably been concealed somewhere back there amidst the folds in her cloak then crouched low and swiftly moved across the ground to get into position to attack the bugbear.

((17:06, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 19 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 11.  To hide stuff. If you beat that, you see where she pulled the rapier from. Send me a PM. :)
17:14, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 13,9,3 using 1d20+6,1d8+4,1d6 with rolls of 7,5,3.  rapier sneak attack? Hits AC 13 for 12 points of damage, presuming I can attack this turn.))

===== Mithra's Group =====


Mithra continued to attack the bugbears. Because of their positioning, she and Lureene were able to keep the bugbears in the other half of the room. That temporarily put four of them on her, but only two could reach her at a time.

She swung again at one of the other bugbears.

22:51, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 19,6 using 1d20+5,1d8+3 ((14,3)). Atk + Dmg.

That's a hit! Not a lot of damage, though.

After her attack, as she prepared to fend off the counter-attack, a Halfling wielding a rapier suddenly appeared by her side and attacked another bugbear.

Now where the heck did she come from? she wondered.

===== Mithra'sLink back to this game= Group =====

Lureene and her conjured hammer continued to attack the bugbears, first finishing off the one she was fighting then moving to Mithra's side to assist her.

OOC:

01:30, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 19,7 using 1d20+5,1d6+3 with rolls of 14,4.  Mace attack and damage.

01:30, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 10,9 using 1d20+6,1d8+4 with rolls of 4,5.  Spiritual weapon attack and damage (magic melee).

Ero fires off his waiting spell.  A pale blue light lashes out at the newcomer.

20:32, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 14,6 using 1d20+5,1d8 ((9,6)).

Caught off guard, Victor swings at his own shadow."[Language unknown: Ofer!]" He lets out an orcish curse in frustration!

20:43, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 11 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 10.  Initiative!
20:52, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 7,13 using 1d20+5,1d8+5 with rolls of 2,8.  Warhammer Attack, Damage.

===== Victor's Group =====
Nixon's idle expository cut short as his concern about trouble was directly answered.  Even as Victor and Ero scrambled to bring their attacks to bear, Nixon was a gazelle in action, darting through the doorway and leaping off the slumped platform to strike from above.  Just before he shifted his shield to slash down with the blade so natural to his hand, the warrior snapped out words harsh and painful to the ear, bringing his will to bear alongside the steel in his hand.

Though the duellist had some question to himself about what a solid blade would do to a spirit that rose through solid earth...

---

OOC:
Cross-posted!
Bonus: Hexblade curse the nasty.
Mv: to melee range, circle to flank if possible.
Std: attack sword
22:47, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.
23:10, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 14,8 using 1D20+6,d8+6.  Longswd Attk/Dmg.
Hit AC14, dmg10 with the curse (so I'm guessing maybe 5 dmg, if it's not immune)?
Knowledge check re the characteristics/ID of this fellow?

*Did Ero/Victor check the mace/breastplate for magical auras?
If no one specified taking them, Nixon would have stowed the breastplate and hooked on the mace for a backup weapon.  If anyone had expressed interest, defer to my mates

This message was last edited by the player at 05:22, Tue 26 June 2018.

===== Mithra's Group =====


Due to Journey's size and the fact that the two bugbears are focused on Mithra, Journey does have Advantage, which is just enough to hit the bugbear on the left, and deal 14 points of damage to it.

It's going to take a few more of those to take it down, though, but it does cause it to focus on Journey rather than Mithra.


Mithra also manages to hit, but she attacked the bugbear on the right. She also hits, but doesn't do enough damage to kill it.


Lureene also hits the first bugbear again, but isn't having any luck with her spiritual weapon. The damage is still not enough to take down the bugbear, but it's clearly hurting.


The three bugbears in front are blocking the two bugbears behind from getting into the fight. This is partly due to the way Mithra and Lureene positioned themselves.


Still outside the room, Eredan casts Eldritch Blast at one of the bugbears in the rear to help try keeping them at bay. He didn't notice the faint crackling blue energy that started to form around him... or else he just thought it was his spell. The release of the spell, however, had an unexpected effect. The blast clearly strikes the bugbear he was aiming at and does 15 points of damage (an unexpected critical), but then it begins bouncing around the room. Of course, it isn't the Eldritch Blast but the strange energy that was crackling around him. After bouncing off three walls, the floor and the ceiling, it comes back and strikes Eredan! And he disappears! But not the energy, which is still bouncing around.

It bounces off the outside wall and back into the room. It does look like it's losing power with each bounce, though. It strikes the wall next to the door, rebounds up to the ceiling and then back down to the floor... and finally disappears in a bright flash of blue light.

Standing there is Eredan. No, it's not Eredan... it's someone else. It appears to be a male Human... holding a mug of ale.

17:08, Today: Eredan Corlinus rolled 26,15 using 1d20+6,2d10 ((20,10,5)).

The bouncing energy has another effect--it makes the bugbears duck as it bounces over their heads, especially since it seems to have been directed at them and even hit one. This disrupts their attack for this round.

"What the...?!" the young man stammers, looking around and taking in the sight. Seeing the beastial bug bears he immediately dropped the mug, causing it to shatter, then drew forth a slender rapier, pointing it forward defensively.

He had shirt cropped brown hair with a lightly stubbled face. Leather armor wrapped tightly around him with a small buckler shield strapped to his arm.

Belie was slender, but muscular, and clearly not a novice to the blade.

===== Victor's Group =====


I don't believe anyone checked for a magical aura on the chest plate or the mace from the other room, but it was assumed that they were because of the dialog with the spectator.


In this room, no one had a chance to move over to the chest before the wraith floated up out of the floor. And, yes, it's a wraith.


Ero casts his spell at the wraith and seems to damage it.

Victor swings at it, but misses.

Nixon's swashbuckling attack from above hits the wraith easily, and his curse also takes affect, and delivers 10 points of damage to it!

((OOC: As I read (and interpret) the rules, the instant he hits, the blade delivers the curse which instantly makes the attack a critical (because he rolled a 19). That takes place before the wraith's resistance comes into play. So Nixon did 10 points of damage, criticaled to 20, and then halved by the wraith's resistance.))

The double attack doesn't seem to anger the wraith any more than it was, but then it has no face so you can't read its facial expressions.

Since Ero is out of range, and Victor missed, it focuses its retaliatory attack on Nixon.

17:50, Today: StarMaster rolled 18,15 using 1d20+5,3d8+3 ((13,1,4,7)).

It just misses Nixon.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor chants an incantation and swipes his hand diagonally across his body, starting near his hip. Along the swipe, 3 glowing, blue darts of force fly out from between his fingers and strike the wraith at point blank range.


16:42, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 11 using 3d4+3 with rolls of 3,3,2.  Magic Missile.

===== Mithra's Group =====

Ezguar eager to help his friends channels his arcane energy when he notices the strange effect spells are having. Suddenly there is a man and oh boy we lost someone too he thinks. This surely is a predicament if Ezguar had ever seen one. He doesn't hesitate however, as his friends safety is more important right now. 20:17, Today: Ezguar Grimlock rolled 26 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 20.  Arcana to identify the strange aura of the room.



Ezguar casts magic missile at the first bugbear. 20:23, Today: Ezguar Grimlock rolled 5 using 1d4+1 with rolls of 4.

20:23, Today: Ezguar Grimlock rolled 2 using 1d4+1 with rolls of 1.  Magic missile.

20:23, Today: Ezguar Grimlock rolled 4 using 1d4+1 with rolls of 3

Have a taste of my forest friends magic incarnate! Hercules, Rhino, and Stag! The missiles of magic take the shape of a Hercules Beatle, a Rhinoceros Beatle, and a Stag Beatle. Each one with small intriguing characteristics and little clothes.

===== Mithra's Group =====

"New guy, right here!  This bugbear's going to eat me!"  The halfling stabbed the rapier again at the bugbear, this time with her head more fully in the game.  "I don't know who you all are, but you don't look like cannibals or cultists and I don't want to end up tonight's dinner, so in for a penny in for a pound!"

((17:00, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 19,14,9,1 using 1d20+6,1d20+6,1d8+4,1d6 with rolls of 13,8,5,1.  rapier sneak attack with advantage.
That hits AC 19 for 10 damage.))

===== Mithra's Group =====

Seeing the halfling address him and order him forward caught Belie by surprise, but comparing the size of the bugbear and the small person he snapped to action.

Belie stepped forward in a lunge, stabbing at the brute's vulnerable stomach.

Belie Ekik rolled 24,10 using 1d20+6,1d8+4 with rolls of 18,6.

I am a rogue with sneak attack as well, may I use that?

I don't see a battle map or anything, so not sure about movement.

Could I move to flanking position?

Ero switches his attack.  He lowers his right hand and lifts up his left.  A small knife of flame flares out at the ghost creature.

I wonder what it's like to hit something...

04:26, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 7,9 using 1d20+5,1d10 with rolls of 2,9.  Firebolt.

As for Nixon's stuff, we didn't check.  We were going to wait until we got back or at least stopped for a long rest.

The wraith's last attack nearly took off Nixon's head - only a last second drop to his swordhand knuckles AND bringing his shield in to deflect the blow had kept the dashing swordsman in the fight.

The party's magical strikes drew a fraction of attention, and critically so.  With the wraith distracted, Nixon rolled out from beneath its blows, rolling into regaining his feet.

Fine leather boots dug into the floor and launched a strike that would have decapitated a lesser foe, but Nixon quickly found this foe held an unnatural resistance.  He hammered his shield at the undead as well, trying to overwhelm it, trying to keep its attention from his allies slinging magic that would likely be more impactful than his mundane blows.

---

OOC:
Std: melee sword attack
Bon: shield bash
08:49, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 14,15,14,10 using 1D20+6,d8+8,d20+6,d8+8.  longswd Attk/dmg/shieldattk/Dmg.
Hit AC14, 15dmg(halved 7),
Hit AC14, 10dmg(halved 5)
==============
2hits, total 25dmg(12 halved).

===== Mithra's Group =====

Frustrated by the bugbear's stubborn refusal to fall down, Lureene continued to apply blunt trauma in an attempt to convince him at last. Her mace proffered a particularly convincing argument in that regard.

OOC: 00:54, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 25,9 using 1d20+5,1d6+3 with rolls of 20,6.  Mace attack and damage.

Crit! 00:56, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 2 using 1d6 ((2)).

11 damage critical hit.

00:57, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 22,9 using 1d20+6,1d8+4 with rolls of 16,5.  Spiritual Weapon attack and damage.

I'll send the hammer hit another bugbear if the one I am fighting falls from the mace hit.

===== Mithra's Group =====


Mithra attacked bugbear #3 (25/36 HP) and missed.

Journey attacks bugbear #2 (32/32 HP) and hits for 14 points of damage (18/36 HP now).

After the bugbears attack, Mithra again attacks bugbear #3 (25/36 HP) and this time hits for 11 points of damage (14/36 HP now).

Journey again attacks bugbear #2 (18/36 HP) and hits for 10 points of damage (8/36 HP now).

Belie enters the fray and attacks bugbear #2 (8/36 HP) and hits for 10 points of damage. That finishes off that bugbear.

Lureene continued attacking bugbear #1 (12/40 HP) and critical hits with her mace for 18 points of damage. That finishes off that bugbear.

She is able to switcher her spiritual hammer to attack bugbear #4 (33/33 HP) and delivers 9 points of damage (24/33 HP now).


There's only 1 bugbear in position to attack back at this point; the remaining two have to step over the bodies of their dead comrades, and will get to attack next round. One will step forward to engage Journey and Belie. The other will step forward to engage Lureene. Lureene, however, can see that the bugbear's clothes are still smoldering from being hit by the errant lightning bolt.

00:31, Today: StarMaster rolled 21,11 using 1d20+4,2d8+2 ((17,5,4)).

He hits Mithra for 11 points of damage.

There were three bugbears strung out across the room... pretty much all the room there was. The one on the far left was the one Journey and Belie attacked. The one in the middle was the one Mithra attacked. And the one on the right was the one Lureene finished off.


((OOC: That's all the energy I have tonight. I'll get to Victor's Group tomorrow (Friday).))

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 98):

>====== Mithra's Group ======<

Thressa casts Guiding Bolt at the last Bugbear. A Radiant Bolt which looks like a miniature sun springs forth from Thressa's holy Symbol in her outstretched hand striking out at the last Bugbear then surrounds him giving the next attack on him advantage.


Guiding Bolt Attack: 19
Guiding Bolt Damage: 11
Okay this is when a rogue needs to appear.


This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Fri 06 July 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====
(Cunaar Clothar IV, Ero, Nixon, Rausdendod, Victor)


Krazh the Druid and Wendell the Half-Giant returned back from whence they'd come to secure the back door into the mine... just in case.

Cunaar and Raus were guarding the two exits out of this cave. Cunaar was guarding the passage to where the Green Skull was doing whatever it was supposed to be doing. Raus was still keeping an eye on the exit... just in case, too, since it had another path into the mine.

Unfortunately, they can't hear the sounds of battle because the wraith is insubstantial.

After the wraith (AC 13; 29/45 HP) attacked Nixon (and missed), Victor fired off a Magic Missile spell. The force spell has no trouble hitting and damaging the wraith for 11 points of damage (18/45 HP now).

Ero then attacks with his Firebolt spell... but misses.

This is followed up by Nixon's double attack with sword and shield. Both attacks hit, and deliver 15 and 10 points of damage, but both are only half effective, so do only 12 points of damage (6/45 HP now).


It is uncertain if the wraith will heal on its own, should it survive the battle, but does not appear to be capable of retreating as long as it 'lives'.

Nixon has still done the most damage to it, so it attacks him once again.

00:07, Today: StarMaster rolled 15,15 using 1d20+5,3d8+3 ((10,4,5,3)).

The creature misses again.

After a quick tantrum consisting of a grimace and footstomp, Ero takes more careful aim and shoots off another Firebolt.  He watches with disgust as it misses even worse than the first.

21:28, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 12,9 using 1d20+5,1d10 ((7,9)).

Belie takes advantage of the bugbear aging to step over its fallen kin. He grabs a dagger from the many on his belt and throws it into the belly of the beast.

Nixon above hit with a 14 so I apologize if I actually missed.

Belie Ekik rolled 14,6 using 1d20+6,1d4+4 ((8,2)).

===== Victor's Group =====
(Cunaar Clothar IV, Ero, Nixon, Rausdendod, Victor)

---

With his allies blasting away magical bolts into the back of the spectral undead, Nixon held into the fight despite the eidolon's ability to shrug off the greater part of his blows.  As the pair of meleeing opponents circled each other, Nixon considered the mace - definitely a need to check it for magical properties.  In such a fight as this, and likely ahead again, a magical weapon might allow blows to strike with real merit.

The wraith's horrible claws snarled out again for his life energy, but Nixon danced away from the first blow, showing his skill as a duelist, and spun his shield in the same motion - deflecting the follow-up strikes.

When the creature lunged again in frustration, Nixon stutter-stepped to drive his sword through the ghostly figure.  The strike elicited a fierce grin from the baronet as he found better purchase, and finally vanquished the wraith.

---

OOC:
18:52, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 13,14,11,14 using 1D20+6,d8+8,d20+6,d8+8 with rolls of 7,6,5,6.  longswd Attk/dmg/shieldattk/Dmg.
Close one, but:
Hit AC13, dmg14(reduced to 7 - just enough!)

===== Mithra's Group =====

"Come and get me, you dumb monster, I saw under your armor earlier and you have no hair!"  Journey called out as she stepped back away from the nearest still-alive bugbear, attempting to lure it to come more between Belie and someone else instead of her, dropping her rapier as she moved back.  She really wanted to just turn and run but she was pretending to be a brave talkative halfling named Melindy and if she wanted to fit in with these adventurers then she'd have to act like them.

She reached back into her cloak and pulled out a shortbow and arrow from behind her back somewhere as she moved (beat a DC 16 sleight of hand to see where), waiting and hoping for the intelligent creature to put itself between two allies, waiting for just the right moment to shoot for maximum effect.

"MNYAH!" She screamed around her stuck-out tongue at the bugbear nearest to her.

((12:12, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 25,25,10,6 using 1d20+6,1d20+6,1d8+4,1d6 with rolls of 19,19,6,6.  potential attack with advantage, sneak damage, will attempt to lure it in.
12:42, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 16,6 using 1d20+8,1d6+4 with rolls of 8,2.  hide stuff and bow's only 1d6 bleagh.
Hits AC 25 for 12 damage if the bugbear gets close enough.  Turned out to be the same damage rolled from either rapier or bow. :p))

"Two down and three to go!" Mithra said a bit loudly. She was only marginally trying to Intimidate the remaining bugbears. It was one of those odd situations--there wasn't anywhere for them to flee to, and she really didn't want them to surrender as that would cause problems.

She had to take out this bugbear; she probably couldn't take another hit from it.


17:35, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 23,5 using 1d20+5,1d8+3 ((18,2)).

That's a hit, but not enough to eliminate the bugbear. This is going to hurt!

======= Mithra's Group =======

Thressa aims at one of the last two. A bolt of arcane energy that looks like fire blasts out at it.

" Aumanator's Flame burns the unrighteous. "


Eldritch Blast Attack:16
Eldritch Blast Damage: 5

This message was last edited by the player at 22:56, Wed 11 July 2018.

======= Mithra's Group =======

Having dispatched her opponent, Lureene called the Lady Firehair to help her and hers and then moved to assist Mithra along with her floating hammer. Maybe she could take down the bugbear before it struck Mithra.


00:13, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 24,4 using 1d20+5,1d6+3 with rolls of 19,1.  Mace attack and damage.

00:13, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 7,11 using 1d20+6,1d8+4 with rolls of 1,7.  Spiritual Weapon attack and damage.

Those rolls are not ideal.

In reply to Lureene Raventree (msg # 107):

===== Mithra's Group =====

Ezguar seeing his allies in need came rushing in. He moves so Mithra is within touching distance and casts Blade ward! Then attempts to move in front of Mithra to interpose if possible. Stand behind me young one! You have much to live for haha!

((OOC: I could have sworn I posted the results of Nixon's attack! Since I keep having intermittent internet problems, I suppose the post may have not gone through and vanished into the ether!))


===== Victor's Group =====

Nixon managed to hit the wraith and do just enough damage to destroy it. At least, that's the impression he has, as the black shadowy non-substance of it appears to rip apart and then just fade away.

Going over to the scorched iron chest, you find that it is unlocked. Opening it reveals half a dozen leather pouches.

You also notice that the burnt wooden shelves still have a few books on them. Although slightly scorched, the six books appear to still be intact.


===== Mithra's Group =====

Thressa fires another magical spell at bugbear #5 (15/30 HP), mainly because there are too many others around the bugbear Mithra was fighting, and hits for 11 points of damage (4/30 HP).

Belie throws a dagger at bugbear #4 (24/33 HP) and hits for 6 points of damage (18/33 HP).

Journey also targets  bugbear #4 with her bow and arrow. There's not really any way for her to do sneak attack damage; she just can't get into position at the moment. She does hit the bugbear for 10 points of damage (8/33 HP).

Mithra hits bugbear #3 (14/36 HP) but only does 5 points of damage (9/36 HP).

Thressa, perhaps sensing weakness, again targets bugbear #5, and once more hits. And while it's only for 5 points of damage, that's enough to kill it.

Lureene moves to help Mithra, attacking bugbear #3. She hits with her mace for 4 points of damage, which is just enough to kill that bugbear. Lureene's spiritual hammer, however, misses, even though she redirects it to the last bugbear standing.

Ezguar enters the fray by stepping in front of Mithra and casting Blade Ward on himself.

At this point, however, there is only 1 bugbear (#4) left standing, and he's in bad shape, as well as a bit confused by all the targets he can attack. The closest one is Ezguar.

15:48, Today: StarMaster rolled 14,11 using 1d20+4,2d8+2 ((9,5,4)).

That should hit Ezguar, but his Blade Ward resistance reduces the damage to only 5 points of damage.

===== Victor's Group =====

Victor ignores the pouches for the moment, and looks at the bookcase. He carefully removes a book from the shelf, examining the cover before skimming the pages.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 109):

=====Mithra's Group=====

By the Flames of Aumanator

A golden flame like radiance shines out from Thressa and hits the last Bugbear.


Sacred Flame
Dex save dc 14 or damage equals 2

====Mithra's Group=====

Belie pulls a second dagger from his belt, and sends it spinning end over end at the final bugbear.

00:10, Today: Belie Ekik rolled 22,5 using 1d20+6,1d4+4 with rolls of 16,1.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:57, Mon 23 July 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====
As Victor went to examine the books, Nixon grinned at his fellow warrior's nonplus response to fighting the spirits.  'Another day, another fight, another coin,' as line soldiers were wont to say.

Nixon followed a like action - and not too dissimilar a mindset - as he sheathed his blade after inspecting it for damage in the battle.  The chest was his area, as the books had been Victor's.

"Six pouches.  Let's see what we have here.  How are those books, Victor - magicked, or just dumb luck not burned away?"

---

OOC: inspect the pouches and the chest for false panels, see if the chest is moveable/concealing anything below/behind it.

=====Mithra's Group=====

As she pulled out another arrow and fitted it to her bow, Journey pondered what "Melindy" would do. What sort of god would she worship? Brandobaris was the god of stealth and adventuring, but he was also the god of thieves and that might give the wrong impression. She wanted to trust this group as far as was reasonable and be trusted in turn, so perhaps it wouldn't be wise to mention Brandobaris.

Arvoreen, perhaps? The halfling god of war could be a good choice. But he seemed a little militant. Who would Melindy have worshipped before setting out? Maybe Yondalla, the provider and protector. Because that's what a Melindy would have set out to do, provide for adventuring companions of chance, and protect them from monsters, traps, etc. Hopefully without dying in the process, of course.

"By Yondalla's Grace..." she proclaimed as she let an arrow go.

((08:06, Today: Journey Bandersnatch rolled 23,7 using 1d20+8,1d6+4 with rolls of 15,3.  Shoot))

Ero joins Victor but instead of the books, he inspects the bookcase itself.

"Be heedful," Ero warns.  "More than a few fantabulors ambuscade their compendia.  You may unwittingly convoke an agglomeration of hellions.  That would be most unfortunate."

The wizard taps on the sides of the bookcase, checking for any hidden compartments.

===== Victor's Group =====
"When you two are done with the books, let's take a little breather here for a moment - it would be a good idea to check if the items we found with the guardian spirit are indeed magical, and their traits to see if useful... we overwhelmed that spirit before it got going, and it still nearly took off my head twice - a second one would have had us in a tough grind.  I found my blows could connect, but it shrugged off much of the force.

"Likewise, if any magicked books, Ero's suggestion of caution in examining them magically would make sense."

---

OOC: if party agrees to rest, Nixon will also convert his spells into two healing elixirs before resting.
Victor has one - Ero, did I hook you up with a healing potion?  They only last 24h, but we haven't been active for more than a few hrs game time :)
EDIT:1 elixir to Ero (might as well use up the short-term ones, and save your good ones), 1 elixir to Nixon

This message was last edited by the player at 16:45, Wed 25 July 2018.

I don't think so, but I already have two.  Thanks though.

After the search, we may as well start checking out our booty.  I'll Detect Magic first on our loot to separate out the really good from the good, then Identify what needs identifying.  It'll take a little over an hour for me to run one Detect and five Identifies.

===== Victor's Group =====
Victor placed the books carefully with the rest of the loot so Ero could see if they contained any magic. "Do your thing, my elven friend."

===== Mithra's Group =====


Thressa, Belie and Journey all hit the remaining bugbear with sufficient force to kill it.

So, there are now 5 dead bugbears in the room.


===== Victor's Group =====


Ero casts his Detect Magic and Identify spells on the loot that they've found so far.

As expected, most of it is magical.

The mace is named Lightbringer, a +1 mace made for a cleric of Lathander, the god of Dawn. The head is made of brass and shaped like a sunburst. When commanded, it will glow with light as bright as a torch. While glowing, it will deal an extra 1d6 of radiant damage to undead creatures.

The breastplate has a gold dragon motif worked into its design, and was created for a human hero of Neverwinter named Tergon. It is a +1 breastplate, and grants its wearer Advantage on saving throws against the breath weapons of creatures that have the dragon type.

As expected, the books are all magical, but Ero is able to discern that this is just preservation magic... which is what has kept them in such good condition after all this time.

One, however, turns out to be a spellbook that once belonged to Allanzani. The magical aura of this book is greater than the others, which might mean that it is magically trapped. If it is, Ero can't detect any aura of the trap.

On the other hand, it just may be a typical magical spellbook--that is, one that has the spells cast into each page such that you can read the page like a scroll to cast the spell. The spell vanishes from the book after that, though, just like it does from a scroll.

Considering each item, Victor says, "I've no use for the breastplate-- not planning on going near any dragons any time soon--and Ero could make better use of the books than I. I'm sure there must be valuable information in them. Now, wasn't Allanzani the wizard who summoned that spectator? In any case, I could make use of the Lightbringer if no one else needs it more."

"If you're stepping into the melee scrum, by all means - if it's fighting like the last, with you and Ero doing ranged support, then I'd think the magicked mace would be a touch better served in my hands, Victor," Nixon opined inoffensively, simply thinking as he continued to explore the chest's pouches, trying to determine just what they contained, and how to best use the contents.

"That fight was closer than it seemed, and that's the second spirit in here.  If you're not slinging magicked steel against spirits, then you're fighting at half strength against them.  I should have been able to drop that thing in one or two strikes, not needing a sustained battering like that."

The mace clearly didn't have the bling-factor that drew eyes, but the practicality of use on top turned a made-for-faith mace into very interesting.

"I can do ranged support as well - I don't want to misrepresent."

"I much prefer to fight up front, my friend. I stayed back only because it was clear weapons weren't doing much good," Victor stated. He picked up the mace, feeling its weight and balance. It was much lighter than his hammer. He gave the others some space and took a few practice swings.

===== Victor's Group =====


What was in the pouches in the chest was a bunch of coins... 203 silver pieces, 75 gold pieces, 3 small clear gems, and a wooden pipe with silvery filigree (the powder in the bottom is probably the tobacco that went with it that has long passed its expiration date).

=====Mithra's Group=====

Journey stuck her bow back under her cloak and picked up her rapier, wiping blood off of it, then sheathing it beneath her cloak as well.

"Thanks for the rescue," she said in a chipper voice.  "You can call me Melindy.  I was hoping to be able to sneak in, maybe find a little loot, maybe rescue someone, but it looks like I bit off more than I could chew!  You'd be surprised how often that happens, or then again, considering the size of my mouth, you wouldn't be.  I'm sometimes told that I have a big mouth though."  Bending low, she riffled through the creatures pockets then started looking around to see if she could recover her arrows.

"So, who's your holder?  Coins and such that we find, who do I give them to, to divvy them up afterward?"

((Journey Bandersnatch rolled 9 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 1.  hide that bow...
If you beat that, you see that she stuffed the bow into a pouch that is too small to hold the bow.  I should have just taken 10 since we're out of combat. :p))
This message was last edited by the player at 20:42, Mon 30 July 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====Nixon was clearly interested in the mace, but made no push on the issue, since his words had already been shared.  Perhaps... he had been the only one demonstrating meleeing in battle, but he was smoothly diplomatic, and focused on the in-hand goal of having someone else up front to shoulder the combat.  Victor had been a skilled warrior when Nixon knew him, and pumping up a fellow linesman was a solid long-term strategy, since he was committing to use the weapon in up-close action.

"Then I'd take you wielding that up front with me as a good investment in my hide, Victor.  Good stuff.  If we find something similar, however, I'd be putting forth my interest - that fight was proof enough of need.

"Turning to my findings, we have a bit of coin to share about the hands.  3 gems, a fancy pipe, 75 gold.  I'd estimate around a couple hundred silver, give or take a handful.  The others really weren't involved at all, and didn't come to aid when trouble raised, so I'd be inclined to share here, distribute otherwise if they prove worth.  Your group, your call, however."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Tue 31 July 2018.

"Lighter weapon than I prefer, but the balance is good. Give it a try. Makes little difference to me which of us uses it. But whoever has it gets to deal with any more spirits we run into." Victor says, flipping the mace in his hand to hold the handle out towards Nixon.

Nixon took the proffered weapon, measured the weight, and confirmed Victor's assessment of the balance.  "Agreed on all counts.  It doesn't have quite the reach of a good blade, but nice for closer in work."

The duelist flipped the mace back and forth a couple times, then returned it handle-first to Victor.  "Rather have you up with me.  Take turns with you, and see how the track record is with using it on them.  Even put a wager on it.  I'm of course counting the last one as a first win for me, of course - you'd have no respect for me if I didn't."  Nixon grinned at his counterpart.

As he took the proffered weapon back, Victor's eyebrow went up at the word "wager." When Nixon finished speaking he said, "A wager, huh? You know I'm loathe to turn one down. Terms?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:15, Tue 31 July 2018.

Ero ignores the twos conversation as he inspects the spellbook.  A smart wizard wouldn't just use a magical trap on his spellbook because that's what everyone would suspect.  But a mundane trap?  That would be sneaky.

Anything that could be construed as a trap?

07:27, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 23 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 19.  Perception.

=====Mithra's Group=====

Belie looks around, seeing the woman stow her bow like someone hadn't just appeared out of thing air in the midst of her battle.

"What in the nine hells is going on?! Who are you people?! I was just standing in a tavern, enjoying a drink, then all of a sudden I'm here?!"

He looks around at each of the people, then the dead monsters, and keeps his rapier tip up, but not threateningly. Belie's eyes jumped from face to face awaiting someone's answer to his predicament...

=====Mithra's Group=====

"Wait, you're not with them?" Journey gestured to those around her.  "Yollanda's Grace, what sort of deity would be just..."

A wry smile crossed her face as she said, "Ok, tell the truth.  Which god have you most recently angered? Whose temple did you rob?"

=====Mithra's Group=====

Lureene approached Mithra and laid a hand on her. "Lady Firehair's love enfold you and warm you and cure your ills in your time on need", she said softly.

OOC: Level 1 Cure Wounds on Mithra.

16:01, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 14 using 1d8+8 with rolls of 6.  Cure Wounds on Mithra.

=====Mithra's Group=====

"Me?! I haven't robed anything, or angered any gods. I don't even worship a deity. Who are you all? How did you all arive here?"

In reply to Belie Ekik (msg # 133):

===== Mithra's Group =====

I was sent here to aide in a rescue mission and to help investigate the strange happenings in this mine. The name is Ezguar.

The gnome bows curtly with a smile on his face.

I dare say that was a well put up fight. Is everyone alright?

===== Mithra's Group =====


When the last bugbear fell, Mithra's shoulders slumped and she leaned heavily on her sword. She glanced around the room to see if there was a mirror, and sighed when she didn't spot one as she really didn't want to see what a bloody mess she must appear.

She shuffled over to one of the bunks and sat down on it, vaguely noting with a bit of relief that it didn't collapse under her.

A moment or so later, Lureene comes over and casts a healing spell on her.

"Thanks, Lureene. I really needed that. I was this close to going down."

When Ezguar asks if everyone is alright, Mithra responds, "I am now. Mostly."

At Belie's questions, Mithra offers an explanation.

"Well, some of us came in through the back door of this mine. We think it's the Lost Mine of Phandelver. We were part of a larger group that were looking to see if any Orcs had come back into this area. We split up so that a few of us could for three missing Dwarves. We think they are prisoners here in the mine. At least, we hope they are still alive."

"Ezguar here, he got teleported into the mine by some wizard, but we think the teleport got twisted around somehow from the old magic of the mine. And that probably explains how you got here."

"I'm Mithra Stormraven, our cleric is Lureene Raventree, and our wizard is Thressa Wildflame."

"Oh, and we found Journey there tied up here in the room."

"So, who are you?"

===== Mithra's Group =====


The thin, but muscular man ran his left hand through the short crop of brown hair on his head and blew out a low whistle after the bevy of information Mithra offered. He walked over and retrieved the thrown daggers, replacing them on his belt, at the same time sheathing his rapier.

"My name is Belie Ekik." ((Bee-lie. Eck-ick) "I'm a bit of a traveler, lock smith, and I've been known to gamble a bit. Some wizard magic gone awry has apparently landed me in a cave...?" He managed a weak smile, nervously adjusting a string across his chest which held a short bow across his back.

"We had just pulled into town from caravan duty, so I hadn't even taken off my gear." The young man gestured to his backpack, bow and quiver. "One pint in and poof! Here i am..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:57, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

"If it's a good-natured wager amongst friends, I'd keep the terms loose.  First to kill five spirits?  Taking turns with wielding the mace to be fair, of course.  Stakes - a gold?  Five gold?"  The warrior-warlock grinned encouragingly to his warrior-wizard counterpart, clearly pleased to be alongside an old friend as much as the friendship rekindled.

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 135):
======Mithra's Group=====


" Our Celestial Pact warlock is Thressa Wildflamme or the Wildflamme Thressa. I am in service to a Tome Archon in service to Aumanator, the Lord of Flame and Sun, the Judge that burns evil to ash. "
This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====


Not surprising, Ero finds the spellbook belonged to Allanzani. There was no mechanical trap in it, no poison, no magical traps... at least, none that have gone off just by opening it.

There are about 30 spells in it, from 1st level to 5th level.

===== Victor's Group =====


Raus comes walking up to join the resting group.

"I don't think anything's going to come through that side tunnel," he says. "That's the one that leads to that flaming Green Skull. It can't leave that area, and it's not going to let anyone else pass it."

"If anyone can get past it--besides us, of course, I'm pretty sure we'll hear it... even over the booming."

"So, what have you found?"

===== Mithra's Group =====


"That's interesting, Thressa, will you be able to detect evil as we travel? It could be a most useful skill."

Journey made a mental note not to play a practical joke on the person whose patron was the god of burning to ash those who did the pranking. At least until she found out how "evil" was defined.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:58, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

===== Mithra's Group =====


In reply to Journey Bandersnatch (msg # 141):

" That spell unfortunately is not granted by my pact. Something which my patron,  Radiance beyond Measure, finds disturbing. And has said I should take some paladin training to correct. But, I have not done so yet. It would mean less devotion to her glory and more devotion to our shared God. If I had wanted that I would have just been a paladin. "
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

===== Mithra's Group =====


"Please to meet you, Belie," Mithra says to the newcomer.

"I suppose it isn't that strange. After all the Orc raids from years past, the area is being resettled, so it shouldn't surprise us that we keep running across more and more adventurers, since this is where the action is now."

"I'm going to sit here and rest for a minute. How about if the rest of you search the bugbear bodies and the room for anything of interest or value?"

===== Victor's Group =====


===== Baroun and Berath =====

After encountering Baiss and Wendell guarding the secret entrance into the mine and convincing them you were legitimate adventurers looking for the missing fellow Dwarves, they opened the secret entrance and told you how to navigate through the treacherous tunnels.

You were suitably impressed with the passage since it clearly had been made by Dwarves. You swam through the tunnel until you reached the rock wall and needed to climb it to the ledge above. It wasn't until you reached the ledge that you heard the booming of the water below. Some sort of current caused a rhythmic booming every few seconds.

You had two ways to go, and chose to go left. The ledge quickly led to a pair of tunnels 20 feet apart that seem to go in two different directions. It was evident by then that Dwarven digging in the mine had uncovered this underground river, and that the miners had cleverly made an emergency escape route out of the mine.

As Wendell had informed you, the leftmost tunnel was the one you wanted to take. It doesn't go very far before you find stairs leading up. At the top of the stairs, the tunnel opens into a cavern. You can see a stone building about 30 feet in front of you.

No sooner do you step into the cave than you are confronted by a man. He does not appear to be armed like a fighter, and has the stance of a spellcaster.

"Halt! Who are you? What are you doing here?" the man demands.

===== Victor's Group =====
Nixon tossed the breastplate in Raus' direction, an easy toss meant to be caught.  "A magicked breastplate.  Some magicked books that Ero is checking out.  A couple coin."  The warlock tossed a few silver 1-2-3 to Raus as well.

"Fierce fight with an undead spirit, but the three of us took it down.  Good teamwork, it was.

"I think we've recovered our breath, gents?  Let's go take a look behind that pillar, see if there's a passage there.  If not, we're backtracking."

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 144):

===== Victor's Group =====


===== Baroun and Berath =====

Berath raises his hands, almost lazily. "Woah there. Me and my companion here are dwarves, can't you see? We are just some bold adventurers looking for our fellow kinsmen. You wouldn't have seen them, would you? A lot of mining bunch?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:51, Thu 02 Aug 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====


===== Baroun and Berath =====
Baroun digs around inside his spell component pouch, checking to make sure he didn't forget anything. Most of his spells didn't need components, but better safe then sorry. A human spell caster, great. Maybe he will be smart and not give them a hassle.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:13, Fri 03 Aug 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====

"That may be, but how did you get into the underground river?" Cunaar asked. Of course, they were Dwarves, so it wasn't unreasonable that they'd be underground. And ever since the 3 Dwarf brothers apparently re-found the mine, it's almost like it was a magnet for adventurers.

===== Victor's Group =====

"Well if that isn't obvious to you, me will try and clear it up. There was a folk at a secret entrance that after a bit of jaw jabbing let us in. We then had a bit of swimming to do, notice the wet clothing? A short climb put us in front of you. So unless yous is planning on chronicling our adventure, which way to our kin please." Baroun tried to keep the contempt from his voice, but it slipped in anyway.

Hearing the voices from outside, Victor raises a finger in a "just one moment gesture," and goes to see who Cunaar is talking to, catching the tail end of the conversation. He says, with a smile "If we knew that, friend, we'd be done with this godsforsaken place. I am Captain Victor Harkness, Neverwinter Infantry 42nd Division, retired. We were sent by another of your kin to find his cousins. And you are...?"

===== Victor's Group =====

Instantly, Berath's head darts toward the new man entering, but he relaxes when he sees the friendly demeanor. "Ah, two noble and goodhearted adventurers seeking for the very same dwarves solely out of the goodness of our hearts. Name's Berath. I suppose we'd be cooperating and whatnot."

The lovely priestess gave a little bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Belie. I am sorry for your misadventure, goodsir, and I am at a loss to explain it. But I do hope you'll consider assisting us before you leave. Our errand is a goodly one."

She turned solicitously to Mithra and assessed her wounds. "How do you feel? I can call upon the Lady for more healing, if you have need."

In reply to Lureene Raventree (msg # 152):

=====Mithra's Group =====

" I am out of spells as of now, or else Radiance would be hounding me to assist Sister Raventree in healing. Another thing she hounds me about regarding Paladin training. "

===== Victor's Group =====
Nixon checked behind the pillar for an update on the hidden part of the area, then strolled back quietly towards where Victor had gone - he hadn't seemed rushed or worried, but Nixon approached with discretion nonetheless.

--- Victor's Group ---

Ero ignores the others, more interested in the soon-to-be new additions to his spellbook.

He lets out a little snort.  "Incredible he wrote 'phtharegensco' instead of -- hmph.  Nevermind.  He's using the past pluperfect tense.  Certainly an irregular way of composing it...."

=====Mithra's Group=====

((I guess I should have rolled.

I'd rather rely on passive perception than investigating, though, because I have +0 to investigation and a bonus to perception. She just tries to keep herself open to the possibilities of finding things. ;)
))

===== Victor's Group =====


There was nothing behind the pillar but more cavern... a 10-foot path around the pillar. Exactly why the pillar was there was hard to say, but perhaps it was left to support the cavern ceiling.

However, there is another passage behind the structure. It was kind of hard to spot from the upper level, but now that you are down here in front of the building, you can discern a greenish glow from somewhere down the tunnel.

Cautiously venturing down that way, Nixon finds it goes about 30 feet before opening into a more irregular shaped cavern. The green glow is coming from large puffballs that cast an eerie green light throughout the cavern.

Nixon can further see that dense carpets of weird fungi cover large sections of the cavern floor. Equally weird shelf fungi grow on the several stalagmites that are in the cavern and there are large caps and stalks 5-feet high.

He can see that there is another tunnel on the opposite side of the cavern that appears to head off to the right. It's about 40 feet across the cavern to reach that tunnel.

===== Victor's Group =====
"The more the merrier," said Victor with a hearty laugh. "You've met Cunaar Clothar. Come this way and I will introduce you to my other compatriots! Oh, there's one! Nantickle, why don't you introduce yourself to our new Dwarven friends, Berath, and... not Berath. Then we can introduce them to our verbose elven friend."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:32, Thu 16 Aug 2018.

"That's okay, then, Berath," Cunaar replies to the Dwarves.

"And you must be the Dwarf With No Name," he adds good naturedly, indicating Baroun.

"Raus and I... now, where did he go? Anyway, Raus and I were acting as rearguard while Victor, Ero and Nixon investigated those buildings. That was some fun stuff, weren't it? Some sort of floating eye beast in one and a... what was that you called it? A wraith? Yeah, a wraith in the other."

"Oh, and then there's the Green Skull. Flaming green skull. The skull isn't really green but is enveloped in a green flame. Nasty thing. We avoided it for now. So don't go down that tunnel there or that other one from the ledge. The ledge tunnel is a channel that was cut to feed the waterwheel. We think the underground river may have changed course at some point, probably due to an earthquake."

"Hey! Am I getting used to that damn booming?" he finishes, referring to the constant booming from the river that echoes through the mine about every three minutes.

=====Mithra's Group=====
Journey cursed inwardly. She could just fly through the cavern, probably without alerting anything, but what if any of the people in this new group were thieves and tried to kill her in the night for what she had? I mean, she'd only sneak attack someone in their sleep or pickpocket them while their back was turned if the other person was actually evil and deserved their karmic comeuppance, and then she'd happily engage in such an activity, but she couldn't be sure that the other members of the group were on a similarly high moral level like she was.

"Hmm, this could be tricky. What if these things explode into poisonous dust or release devil spore that emerge as adult devils or, you know what? Those creatures and their leader came through here, so these mushrooms don't indiscriminately attack nearby people, and we didn't find any talismans, so those probably aren't needed to pass, so if we go quietly then we should be fine. Unless they were trained."

Pausing to finally take a breath, she continued. "So what I'm saying is, does anyone want help muffling their armor? Maybe we should all go into the previous room and attempt to silently enter and cross one at a time. Or just take your armor off."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:49, Thu 16 Aug 2018.

===== Victor's Group =====

He'd been torn between following Nixon or keeping Ero company. He'd finally decided that Ero was absorbed in his spellbooks and wouldn't even notice he was there, and headed off after Nixon. It was odd to split up their forces this way, but sometimes that was the best way to do things.

"Is that a way out, Nixon?" he asked Nantickle.

===== Mithra's Group =====

While Journey searched the bodies, Mithra took a closer look at the barricade in front of the other door. She was paying particular attention to how it was secured and how easy it would be to get out that way.

"Our spellcasters need to recover their spells, so I think we'll rest in this room for awhile. Now that Journey has searched the dead bugbears for anything useful, move them out," she suggested.

"We can take them across the hall and head down to right out of the pool room. The first right was a deadend. It's as good a place as any to dump them."


((OOC: Since the other group took a rest for the same reason, we should probably do the same so that the timelines stay in sync.))

"It expands farther, phosphorescence ... yes, let's hold on that path.  Fungi is great at a party, less so in the lungs.  Certainly not the express tunnel to dwarven absentees, and I don't see signs of their traffic, but keener eyes, maybe, I suppose.

"Let's go connect back up with Victor before he gets a leg up on our bet."

~
"The more the merrier," said Victor with a hearty laugh. "You've met Cunaar Clothar. Come this way and I will introduce you to my other compatriots! Oh, there's one! Nantickle, why don't you introduce yourself to our new Dwarven friends, Berath, and... not Berath. Then we can introduce them to our verbose elven friend."

"I find a tunnel of glowing fungi and you recover a pair of dwarves... not the ones we're seeking, but did you ask them if they know where the ones are that we were sent to recover?  Well met - Nixon to my friends, or Nantickle to Victor," the engaging swordsman quipped to the new arrivals, with a wink towards his friend.

"Berath and...?

Turning to Victor, Nixon pointed to the green skull cave, and the fungi.  "Green skull undead down that path... and it looks like the path reconnects to the main river cave - If we're going after it, dibs on the mace for that fight.

"I did find another exit, half concealed, leads to a glowing cave, but phosphorescence instead of skull flame.  We could check it out, or we might be better off heading back to catch up with Mishra.  Mold and fungus doesn't scan to me as common development where industrious dwarves would have been working.

"Your call, really."

Victor thinks for a moment, then says"I suggest we reconvene with Stormraven and the others. Exchange information, see if they've found any magic items they'd like to trade with us. Maybe team up against the skull before splitting up again."

Journey searched the bugbears and found only a few coins, 3 gold and 37 silver. The bugbears weapons (spiked clubs, odd long swords, daggers) were in good shape, but only of average quality.

Nothing else of value or interest was found on them.

===== Mithra's Group =====


She didn't want to rest for too long, since there was no telling what Victor and company had gotten into. Not to mention something else showing up. And they still needed to find those Dwarves.

"Okay, people. We could go back the way we came, but here's my idea," she says to the others. She takes out her dagger and scratches a simple diagram into the stone floor.

"We came in at this point indicated by the 'x'. Victor went straight ahead. We went to the right. We kind of went this way." She draws a crooked line that angles off to the right and then goes left a bit.

"Not sure about the orientation, of course, but I think we wound up paralleling Victor's movement, so, if his route was roughly the same direction, we should be pretty much even with them."

"Now, we went up this way and found what we think is the main entrance to the mine. We peeked at some of the area between the two, but didn't really explore it."

"Except for the bugbears, we didn't see or hear any sign of activity. So I'm thinking the Dwarves may be farther back in the mine. Maybe down here in this other corner that we bypassed."

"Unless any of you spellcasters have a way to contact Victor magically, I think we should try to go across this way. That way, we'll let him know we found the exit."

She gave the others a chance to toss in their two coppers.

"I don't have any spells in my repertoire that would allow us to contact the others," Rausden said. "How about you two?" he added, directing his comment to Ero and Cunaar.

"For that matter, Baroun and Berath... any chance you might be able to communicate with them by banging on the stone? Could you tap out a code in between the booming?"

"Let me try something. It might not help much, but it should prove interesting, at least." He concentrates for a moment, raising his right hand and performing a slight beckoning motion which quickly becomes a fist. "There. We have no way of knowing right now if it worked. But we may soon find out."

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 166):

Ezguar ponders for a moment. Well I do have a spell that works for what we need the only problem is I have never met the individual. I haven't tried contacting someone I haven't met. Ezguar ponders once more before shrugging and starts focusing. Please give me all the details you can on this person. Casts message attempting to contact Victor with the message Mithra had mentioned

Mithra feels a tug on the pick she's carrying, but when she looks around, there's nobody there.


Meanwhile, Ezguar sends a message to Victor via his spell.

~Found exit. Direction you were heading. Opposite corner entrance. Going that way to rejoin you. No Dwarves yet.~

When she felt the tug on the pick that was hanging through a strap on her backpack, she spun around to see who was tugging on it. But there was no one there. That's when she remembered that Victor had lent her the pick. Victor + pick prompted her to recall that the pick was bonded to him somehow, though she didn't really know what that meant.

It was a connection of some sort, probably magical... Was he trying to summon the pick to him? Or... maybe he was just trying to get her attention.

"Well, that's good timing... I think. Victor is trying to get my attention. Do you have anyway of knowing if he gets your message, Ezguar?"

"Do you think they are in trouble? Maybe we should hurry!"

Victor relays Ezguar's message to the others, asking if any of them can do the same to return a message. Otherwise he suggests heading the way Ezguar said he would meet them.

"So... which way is that?" Cunaar asked.

"Is that through the Green Flaming Skull cavern? Or through the glowing fungus among us cave?"

"I don't have that spell in my repertoire. Maybe Ero found it in that book he was looking through."

Ero looks up from his book.  "Hmm?  What spell?"

"A Message spell, something similar that will lets us contact or communicate with Mithra," Cunaar replied. "Someone in her group sent Victor a magical message; we were just trying to figure out if we could reply."

"Yo, Baroun and Berath. Not saying you know anything about mushrooms and stuff, but on the off chance that you do, want to take a look at the cave up ahead. It's got some kind of glowing fungus in it."

"That seems to be the way Mithra is likely to rejoin us."

Ero looks as if a fly had landed in his beer.  "Individualistically?  No.  An oft misused confabulation.  I possessed it in Academy.  It was quite commodious at first, but then all I would acquire was 'Ten Ways to Glamour Women' and 'Make Your Magic Last Longer.'  Tedious."

He reopens the book.  "Let me peruse the installment on Cantrips."

So what spells have I found so far in the book?

===== Mithra's Group =====

"We might as well rejoin them now. Easy enough to split up again if we need to, but if they need help they'll be glad to have us quickly", opined Lureene. "That is, if we're fairly sure to know the way to reach them quickly."

Cunaar and Nixon both know that the spell Message allows for a whispered response. They aren't sure about the range, but the residual magic in the caves may have augmented it. At least, they know that there aren't any intervening doors blocking the messge.

Ero can pick any 5 spells of 1st-3rd level that he wants. There are more in the book, but of higher level.

Ooooo... the best kind of DM response :)

===== Mithra's Group =====


"If the bugbears had barricaded this other door, there must be something beyond that they were afraid of," Mithra speculates. "I must confess, though, that I can't think of anything that would threaten 5 bugbears that would be stopped by such a weak barricade. Or that would live down here in the mine."

"Anyway, I don't recommend we find out just yet."

"We know that the tunnel on the other side of the hallway leads out to the entrance, but a section collapsed into a pit, which we would have to climb down and then up the other side. There are ropes there already."

"Still, there was a side passage in the tunnel that looked like it opened into the main part of the mine. As near as I can tell, we went down one side of this area while Victor went down the other side. So, if we scout around the entrance, that should connect us up to Victor and company."

She didn't quite understand why she had become the leader... perhaps because, like Victor, she was strictly a fighter and saw things with the simplicity of a soldier's eye. When you got promoted, it was usually because you started seeing things differently... tactics and strategy and the 'big picture'. She never wanted to get to that point, though. She preferred things remain simple.

She led the group out of the room, crossed the hall (that dead-ended on the left anyway), went down the short flight of stairs to the pool room, continued left along the edge of the pool and exited the pool room into the tunnel. The first opening on the right was where they'd dumped the bugbear bodies.

She continued past a short distance to the first opening on the left. She paused and listened for a moment, before going that way. A right, a short left until it turned right again, she continued in a generally forward and right direction to get to what she thought would be the opposite 'corner' of the mine.

After passing a couple of dead-end tunnels, the one she was in made a sharp right and after 50 feet, came to 4-way intersection. The right-hand tunnel led to a dead-end, and, if she was correct in her estimation of distance and direction, the sort-of straight ahead tunnel would lead to the collapsed pit at the entrance. That left going left.

Twenty feet in, there was a door on the left opposite another side tunnel. Straight ahead, there was another dead-end but a left-hand passage just before it, which led in the wrong direction.

"There could be more bugbears in this room, so I'd rather avoid them just now," she whispered to the others. She then led them down the right-hand passage.

It only goes 20 feet before opening into a cavern, 30 feet high, 30 feet across and 50 feet wide. Dozens of skeletons in rusted scraps of armor lie scattered across the floor.

The walls of the irregular-shaped cavern have been carved with simple reliefs of showing Dwarf and Gnome miners hard at work. Half a dozen large brass lanterns can be seen sitting in niches and on ledges around the cavern, but none are lit.

Side passages lead off from both ends of the cavern, and another passage leads off across the way, but appears to dead-end after 30 feet.

OOC: Sorry about the delay. In the midst of a move. Things are hectic.


===== Victor's Group=====

Victor relayed his group's location and condition to Ezguar if it wasn't to late.

In reply to Victor Harkness (msg # 181):

===== Mithra's Group =====

ahhh lady Mithra I seem to be getting a message back. It's a little fuzzy but I think your ally is giving me a route to their destination.
Ezguar repeats nixons message to Mithra if possible

Even if Victor's reply was 'too late' as per the rules of the spell, the disrupted magic in the mines has a tendency to make some magics work a bit differently. Of course, the spell doesn't allow for whether Victor knows whether his reply was received, although, I suppose, technically, it should...

Ezguar does, indeed, receive Victor's reply.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:29, Sun 16 Sept 2018.

So, if Ezguar received Victor's reply, and presuming Victor relayed some directions, and Ezguar passed them on to Mithra...


"Fwew! that's a relief. I guess that means we're heading in the right direction," Mithra tells the others.

"What do you think of all these bones? Some are clearly Dwarven bones. Some look like Orcs. I'd say they've been here a long time, and they probably have been... ever since the mine fell... what? 300 years ago?"

"But, I notice there are teeth marks on a lot of the bones. The don't look like animal marks, either. Probably a ghoul or two. And they might still be here."

"Anyway, let's keep moving... I think to the left is where we want to go, rather than straight."

If there's no objections or other suggestions, she picks her way careful over the skeletal remains. Even with the constant booming, reduced this far away from the river, stepping on a bone could make a resounding crack.

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 184):

That could be true Mithra, or it could be a very big set up by a wizard. I could all to easily recreate this old and dusty effect. If magic is a bit awry here I can only presume another mage is at work here. So take everything with a grain of salt. Ezguar then casually cast prestidigitation in an attempt to clean all the dust from the area and make it a smell like a welcoming tavern.

In reply to Ezguar Grimlock (msg # 185):

=====>>Mithra's Group<<<=====

Thressa snaps out of her daydream. She has been following along but not really awake for some reason.

" Ah yeah, very much so, Message is not something I have yet. "

===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====


As Victor's group awaits Mithra and company to rejoin them, there is suddenly a flash of bluish light that flickers around the cavern. After a half dozen or so such flashes, two of them flicker right in front of Victor... and when the light fades, there are two people standing there.

There's a bout of coughing from one of the two creatures, its hand waving infront of its face as if to clear a scent from the air or to fan one's self. The one doing the coughing was very noticeably humanoid rather than human; nearly seven feet tall and covered, presumably, from head to toe (talon?) in coppery scales and a simple set of leather armor it was a sight to behold...if only because because of the entrance it had made

"Nine below! Was there any other way that I could have been sent?!"

=====  MITHRA'S GROUP =====


Mithra leads the group through the cave of bones and down the side passage. It goes about 70 feet before it comes to another cavern. This one is about the same size as the boneyard one, but longer and narrower. By the glowing fungus on the floor, she can see an opening across the way... 50-60 feet away.

The floor appears to be carpeted with some sort of weird fungus, there are several large puffballs in the room that are glowing, weird shelf fungus grows on the falls and stalagmites, and large five-foot stalks with caps are scattered around the room.

===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====


           As the warlock, Axia Gryxis sensed the blinding light fade away she allowed her eyes to open. In an attempt to shield them from being fully blinded she had shut them before it had had the chance, though, nonetheless, when her eyes opened once again they did have to adjust a small bit. When her vision settled she made out the images of what seemed to be a band of misfits, though by her own since of self preservation she knew she would keep that thought to herself until she knew more information of where she had landed. Perhaps this ragtag group could provide the small bit of knowledge she did not already possess.

           "Why excuse me, do any of you speak in the Common tongue and could possibly tell me where we are?" She nodded to the group as she watched them intently.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:54, Tue 18 Sept 2018.

Unfazed by the sudden appearance of these two strangers, Victor says with a smile, "I'm Captain Victor Harkness, Neverwinter Infantry 42nd Division, retired. You've been teleported into an abandoned mining complex, where my friends and I have been sent to find two missing dwarves."

"Also those who cannot countenance his significant skills and unfortunate attempts at humour," Nixon deadpanned, spoiling the seriousness with a late-blooming smile.

"Welcome to the mines. Sounds like you had a similar arrival path.

"If you're of good character, and wishing to assist the endeavour, welcome aboard.  Good fellowship of skilled, if sometimes too quiet people.  If you plan to backstab, please try to arrange it in the social calendar so we don't have double-bookings.  If you're looking for the tunnel out, that way is the river.

"_That_ way is a dangerous magical skull spirit.  Other undead have been found in the area.
 Consider yourself warned.

"Nixon Nantickle, you know Victor, and .." the slim duelist listed off names for the other folk visible to him.

==== Victor's Group ====

"Hrull, of family Derdazk, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The dragonborn offered his hand seemingly without thinking and left it in the air between Victor and Nixon while his head turned from one to the other. "Dwarves and unread you say? That's sounds almost like the beginning of some jest, but I shall offer whatever aid I can provide."

Hrull chortled as a moment's pause before adding "Were we to come to blows I can assure you that we'd be facing eachother, if it had to come to it." As if the though amused him.

Victor readily takes the the Dragonborn's hand, shaking with a firm grip. He said with a laugh, "That's exactly what someone who intended to stab us in the back would say!"

==== Victor's Group ====

        Axia watched the randomness of this group in front of her, but, nonetheless she answered in her most friendly tone. "Well, I can make no such promises, though it might put some at ease to know that I never do anything unprovoked. My name is Axia Gryxis. I am a warlock from the Northern island of Luskan. I am relieved to find some who share a language of mine. So dwarves you say? Friends of yours or....?"

"Never met 'em before in my life. Their cousin hired us to find them. I can't remember his name, or theirs. Hopefully someone in my party does, or we're probably never getting paid, but at least we found an interesting place to die!" Victor says with another laugh.

==== VICTOR'S GROUP ====


           This man who spoke in front of her seemed a bit too excited for an interesting death. Even if he was human, he was too handsome to die without her being able to have her fun with him.

           "Dear Captain, if it is a death wish you have then I am a poor addition to your group, however I do hope you'll consider giving me a chance to give you a reason to live. Even if it is only for a night." She winked at him with a sly grin.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:52, Tue 18 Sept 2018.

Victor cocked an eyebrow at Axia and said with a wink,  "Young lady, I was only jesting about death. You look like more than this old soldier can handle.

Cunaar stepped forward and introduced himself to the newest newcomers.

"My old master would probably refer to this as a confluence of events," Cunaar said. "I'm Cunaar Clothar, and this here is..." He looked around to gesture to Rausden but couldn't spot the other man. For that matter, he didn't see the two Dwarves!

"I think we lost 3 people to gain us 2," he commented. "I'm pretty sure teleport doesn't normally work that way, but with that magic forge that went wonky, I wouldn't rule that possibility out."

"Or maybe they were grabbed by the invisible hornswoggles that live in the mine."

Between the wave booms that echoed through the mine's caves and tunnels every two minutes, Cunaar thought he heard someone calling out Victor's name... from somewhere up ahead?

"Did you hear that, Victor? Someone was calling your name. Maybe it's one of the Dwarves that got teleported somewhere else. Oh, wait! Maybe it's Mithra! Wouldn't she and her group be coming through the cave with the fungus?"

"I didn't hear anything. We best head that way to investigate. If Stormraven is calling for help, it must be serious! Lets go," Victor says before moving in the direction of the fungus tunnel.

Hrull had heard of some strange things in his time, but the apparent shenanigans with the teleportation seemed to strike some sort of chord in him, drawing out a coarse "Hruh!" from the man and little more. "Strange fellows you keep, captain, and stranger magic!" The dragonborn was going to follow behind Victor, things were unfolding, and he'd much rather have that happen with someone atleast willing to give him notice before a fight rather than wandering through a cave.

Nixon took the fore with Victor, presenting a solid presence of weaponskill at the lead.  The two fellows had quite different combat styles, but with their confidence and techniques, they had a variety of tools available.  With the new arrivals, the party had swelled with great ranged and magical options.

Knowing Victor could be protective, and fearing a touch too close to headlong action, Nixon started to reach out to caution him, but waived it off to himself.  Victor would be as Victor would be, and he always had the grizzled veteran hammering that caught even when his spirit was raised.

Polite, if low-pitched conversation kept the party communicating at the start of movement, filling them in on what had happened within the mine tunnels, and whom the other part of the party were, and had gone.  As the party closed to nearer the sound, he dropped to silence.

As the party had done earlier, Nixon conjured a sign before them.


----------------------------------------
            |   |
            |   |
            |   |

Victor nodded, and began to time his movements along with the booming of the water.

==== VICTOR'S GROUP ====

Axia stayed toward the back of the group, though she did follow. Even if she wasn't as connected to this quest as the others she knew numbers were better odds then travelling alone when posed with possible attack. Besides, it sounded as if this group were headed toward a fight and Axia loved a good fight, especially when there was a backer paying for it.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:17, Sun 23 Sept 2018.

=====  MITHRA'S GROUP =====

Lureene gingerly kicks at some of the fungal carpet with her boot. "These are neither pretty nor reassuring", she opines. "I would not feel any safer crossing this room than if it were filled with enemies. These fungi may be predators, or hide them." She shook her head and sets her belt at her mace. "If there's fighting to be done here, I'll wager flame will serve better than blows."

===== MITHRA'S GROUP =====

As Lureene kicked at the fungus on the floor of the cave, it erupts in a cloud of dust. She can barely step back to avoid them.


===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====

Victor leads his group back to the other end of the cave where Nixon had reported the secondary cave with all the fungus. You can't see the other side of the cave, though, because of the stalagmites sticking up out of the floor and the matching stalactites hanging down over top of them. In another hundred years or so, they might actually connect to form a column.

===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====


"If you don't mind me asking, Axia," Cunaar says to the newcomer, "but what exactly are you? I've never seen anyone with skin that color before... not even a really bad sunburn."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:28, Fri 28 Sept 2018.

===== MITHRA'S GROUP =====


"Whoa!" Mithra said at the cloud of stuff Lureene kicked up. "Can't say I wasn't expecting that... well, something like it, anyway."

"If you got some flames to burn through it, Lureene, go for it! I was just going to say, cover you mouth and nose and run through it, but I like your idea better!"

Holding Lightbringer aloft, Victor commands it to glow, and picks his way carefully through the room, taking extra time to avoid touching any fungus if possible.

===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====

         "A sunburn? Well, aren't you funny?" She scoffed in a humorless manner. "I am a creature of fire and chaos, though I only chose to enact those when I wish. I am a tiefling, a creature born with the ancestry of a demon. A race that should not be taken lightly." Axia didn't bother to look at curious human as she spoke.
          She simply stroked the chest feathers of her trusted familiar which sat firmly on her shoulder. This well mannered feathered beast was a beautiful owl with feather colors ranging from white, grey, silver, and black all in a random spotted pattern. With great green eyes it watched keenly for every possible bit of movement, but even with it's focus unbroken one could see the pleasure this pet felt by receiving love from its mistress.

===== VICTOR'S GROUP =====

Ero pulls a small container from his pack.  With his knife, he attempts to scrape off some of the fungus into it.

Axia, forever keeping a keen eye out for anything of question, matches her familiar quite well. She watches for everything and anything.

Hrull, invoking the power of his Devil Angel's Sight, peered ahead of them as best he could, watching for anything that might try and lurk in the shadows beyond the radius of Victor's light.

Victor and Ero lead the way to the other end of the large, long cavern with the buildings, and come to the cave with the fungus.

Although the fungus on the walls glows with an eerie green light, Victor still holds the magic weapon up and commands it to emit light. As he looks for a path through the fungus, Ero steps forward and gathers up a sample of the fungus. Even that small effort sends up a cloud of spores, but it's small and easily avoidable.

That's when you hear Mithra's voice from across the cave. A moment later, the cave erupts in flame as Lureene casts her Sacred Flame spell.

It's not a particularly violent or dangerous flame, but it's enough to destroy all the fungus on the floor of the cave, as well as most of that on the wall.

When the flames finally burnt out, there is a person standing there in the middle, facing the side wall. He looks around in confusion.

She'd already learned that magic here in the mine had a tendency to... well, misfire, maybe was the best word, as a lightning bolt had somehow appeared and new 'orc-hunters' (for lack of a better term) kept appearing and disappearing.

When the flames of Lureene's spell died down, there was another such person standing there in the middle of the once-fungus-covered cavern.

He didn't look dangerous... well, no more than she or Victor did. And it wasn't like it was a bugbear or an ogre, both of which would have made sense since they'd already encountered those creatures. Or an Orc.

"*sigh* Why couldn't it have been one of the Dwarves we were looking for? No, that would be too easy," she said, mostly to herself but also to the rest of her group.

"Friend or foe?" she asked the newcomer. The Red Brands hadn't been monsters... not in the normal sense, of course... but they had been foes.

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 215):

" Yes, hmm, weird how magic is working here. "

"That was rather more effective and impressive than it should have been", offers Lureene, "but I certainly feel safer now. I rather think, Thressa, that it was not the effect of the spell that was altered, merely the fungus that was exceedingly flammable." She looked again at the ashes. "Though there was nothing 'mere' about how that went."

She looks at the figure in the middle of the room as Mithra asks them their intentions. "Friend, foe... or rather unsure?" she asks, adding to Mithra's question. "That was certainly dramatic as entrances go."

Seeing a newcomer pop out of nowhere was not exactly surprising to Axia considering that she too had somewhat arrived out of nowhere herself, but before she commented chose to look for any signs that could explain this individual.

10:50, Today: Axia Gryxis rolled 14 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 10.  investigation check for clues as to who the newcomer could be or how they arrived.

Determining that this being looked more scared then threatening she whispered to the group, "You guys get people popping up out of nowhere quite frequently don't you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:50, Wed 03 Oct 2018.

Looking wild-eyed and concerned, Vilderhardt stands with his hands poised as if ready to cast a spell, but utterly unsure of exactly what or how. "What the-"

Hearing the voices, he turns to the group. A bizarre, insect-like longsword appears in his hand from thin air. He doesn't hold the weapon menacingly- more like an object of comfort. "Who?" He seems a bit weak when it comes to focusing, but after a moment straightens himself. "I- uh, friend, I guess. Not entirely sure how I got here, so I can't see myself picking a fight."

Feeling painfully awkward and embarrassed, he gives the group a formal bow. "My name is Vilderhardt Auros." He looks to each face in turn, trying to clearly etch them into his mind. "Um... can someone explain to me exactly where I am?"

Soon as the flames died down, Victor sprinted forward. "Everyone alright? Ah, more newcomers!  We have some of our own." Victor exchanges introductions and shares what he's learned about the place.

"For some reason, I'm not surprised at your sudden appearance, Vilderhardt," Mithra says to the newcomer. "It seems to be happening quite a bit here in these mines. I think it's the old magic gone awry."

"Anyway, my name is Mithra Stormraven. This here is Lureene Raventree, Thressa Wildflame, Ezguar Grimlock, and... Journey! You still here? How about you, Belie?"

"Well, we had two others that seem to have flickered in and out."

After she and the others cross the flame-scoured cavern to join up with Victor and the others, she explains to them what her group found.

"When we left the ledge, we encountered a crevasse that had some bugbears scavenging down in it, with another up top supervising. We were forced to dispatch them as they wouldn't surrender."

"After crossing the crevasse, we found a trickle of water coming out of small tunnel, and decided to go through that tunnel than the other tunnel. That took us to cave with a pond from which the water was coming. As near as we can tell now, it put us on the other side of the mine."

"We continued to head in that direction, stumbled across a guard station or barracks with some more bugbears. Took care of them with the help of some wild magic."

"Continuing on, we came to a collapsed floor with ropes leading down. We think that's the entrance out of the mine."

"Backtracking a bit, we headed in this direction. Found a small maze of tunnels. Some dead-ended, like they were abandoned. We also found another room with a closed door. Didn't hear anything, so we skipped it. And wound up here."

"From what you've said, Victor, there would appear to be two areas we haven't searched yet. From our side, we passed by a section on the back corner. And then there's that area in the middle with the green flame skull."

"Anything I may have missed?"

Ero waves his newfound treasure, an old book.  "Unearthed this compendium.  Quite the pearl."  He dives back into his reading.

Without looking up, he adds, "Oh, and a rather buoyant skull within a viridian blaze.  Very prepossessing.  We should likely expunge it."

Seeming much more coherent and focused as he adjusts to the situation, Vilderhardt's smile turns wild and genuine. "Sounds like you all have been quite busy!" The elf-looking man animatedly gestures with his hands as he speaks, though the gestures don't seem to clearly match up with his words. "If you all would not mind, I would enjoy following along. This sounds far too entertaining to pass up."

In reply to Vilderhardt Auros (msg # 223):

Ezguar cast prestidigitation to make an illusiory thumbs up in the air. Ahh the rest of the party and friends at last. It is such an honor to meet you all! As Mithra mentioned I'm Ezguar Grimlock, Abjurist wizard at your service. Ezguar curtly bows and extends a friendly hand shake gesture to all of his new comrads all while wearing a stupidly wide grin on his face.

Victor cocked an eyebrow, "Ah! Ezguar! I believe we have spoken. I'm Captain Victor Harkness, Neverwinter Infantry 42nd Division, retired. And Auros, I for one would not object to you joining us!"

In reply to Victor Harkness (msg # 225):

Ezguar perks up after hearing Victor speak. Ahhh yes yesss! So you did get my message, oh how delightful! Truly the pleasure is all mine. Meeting people is one of my favorite things to do after all. I love your array of titles it shows off hiw well traveled you are my good sir. I'm eager to adventure with your band of heroes. Ezguar is basically jumping out of his boots happy to meet all these people. His eye falls on the grimour and his eyes sparkle. Art tho a fellow wizard? Ezguar squees in excitement at the idea of exchanging knowledge with another arcane spellcaster.

Ero nods his head in acknowledgement.  "Ero Sulaanin, Conjurer of the Kolehmainin School."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:49, Sat 13 Oct 2018.

In reply to Ero Sulaanin (msg # 227):

Egads lads this beyond exciting. I have so much to teach and so much more to learn. A conjurist ahh what a wonderful school of magic. What a time to truly be alive!!!! Ezguar is practically jumping with Glee and immediately starts pulling out his fancy list of spells. Like a child sharing his collection he starts explaining how they work and how he came across them to Ero.

"I suppose introdutions will be needed quite frequently so I'll make mine quite quick." The red skinned warlock stepped forward."My name is Axia Gryxis and this is my familiar Moongazer." She gestured to her beautiful feathered companion, a great owl which sitting upon her shoulder not moving its gaze from the newcomer. "Good to meet a new potential ally."

In reply to Axia Gryxis (msg # 229):

Thressa sees Axia and frowns.

" Lord, grant me a generous portion of thy strength. "
This message was last edited by the player at 06:14, Fri 12 Oct 2018.

She'd seen so many people come and go on this... adventure... that the new batch of people didn't faze her in the least. What a person was wasn't nearly as important as what they did.

Mithra realized that Thressa and Axia were mostly the antithesis of each other, but as long as they were helpful and understanding, she didn't see a problem.

"So, what's the plan, Victor? Should we check out the far corner before we tackle this flaming skull? I'm just thinking that any conflict with that skull might alert anything else in the mine."

Always appreciative of gnomes and their more practical uses for magic (unlike other races), he shares is own collection, detailing the ephemera only wizards care for.

"Perhaps should transcribe each other's collection of legerdemain into our individual tomes as soon as we determinately disgorge this subterrane of its malefactors."

In reply to Ero Sulaanin (msg # 232):

Oh yes we simply must! I also think this subterranean abode has some strange affect on the arcane! Maybe a fellow studier of the arcane can help me decipher the strangeness in the air. Ezguar giggles at the attempt to attend to his more rhustic side and reciprocates by showing off some of the interesting flare you can pull off with the spells he knows.

Victor ponders for a moment, then says, "I agree with your assessment of the situation, Stormraven. We should explore that far corner, first."

"What about those rooms we passed getting here?" Journey says, stepping out from the shadows.

"Also... from what you've all said, it sounds like there is a lot more area in the center that hasn't been explored."

"It's clear that the bugbears were being controlled by someone. None of them was smart enough to run this operation."

"Can't any of you draw a map of where you've been? So the rest of us newcomers can see where we're going and what we're doing?"

"If no one else can draw a map, I can take a stab at it," Cunaar offers. "I've got some parchment and ink."

"I pretty much know where we went, and Nixon can correct me if I get any of it wrong. How about it, Mithra? Any of your party... well, let's see, if I remember correctly, that'd be just you, Lureene and Thressa that was with the group when you split from us. I mean, we had lots of people come and go when we was out looking for Orcs. Seems rather strange here in the mine... especially since no one's died yet."

He pulls out his parchment and quill pen and ink, sits on the floor and prepares to draw.

"Ero and Ezguar are swapping spells or something, right? Victor, you and Mithra should figure out what all these other folks can do, and then figure out a strategy."

"Just sayin'."

"Or take a nap."

"I can see about helping you draw our portion of the map, while the fearless warriors confer", says Lureene. "Then I think we should go room-by-room methodically until we either find our dwarves or we've mapped out the whole thing. With a map, it matters little where we start, so long as we're thorough and maintain an escape route should things become too ugly."

 While everyone was going about their task, no one seemed to be keeping watch, so it was a minute or more before Hrull noticed someone standing in the opening into the cavern that had the fungus in it. At first, he wondered if it was someone from one of the two groups that he hadn't been introduced to, but then he realized that the person was rather surprised to see the rest of them.

A wild-looking human enters the cavern, sniffing around. He has unkempt brown hair and slightly crazy-looking green eyes. There is a small twig sticking out of his hair, but he hadn't seemed to notice it, or he had but didn't mind. He waves a wooden staff around as if to brush away huge cobwebs that aren't really there. His head turns here and there, taking in the entire space and everyone in it. Sniffing the air and addressing no one in particular, he suddenly asks: "Do you also smell smoke? Smells kinda like roast mushrooms." He then stops for a second, sniffs his left armpit and mumbles to himself something that sounds like "It's not me this time."

"Also, what's that sound?" he adds.

Victor approaced Kae. "Ah, another newcomer! I'm Captain Victor Harkness, Neverwinter Infantry 42nd Division, retired. Pleased to meet you. My friends and I are looking for some missing dwarves, if you'd join us, we'll make sure you make it out of here in one piece... probably." he said with a laugh under the booming sound.

In reply to Victor Harkness (msg # 240):

" I am the Wildflamme, Thressa Wildflame. Welcome to our group. "

A hermit? Or perhaps a druid? Mithra thinks as yet another new person appears. At least this one didn't appear in a puff of magic. He certainly didn't look like he belonged in this place... unless he was a hermit, and then he would.

"I'm still astonished at the number of people that are making their way into this mine," Mithra commented to no one in particular.

"What he said," she adds, indicating Victor. "I'm Mithra Stormraven. I once heard a sage call this a confluence of events. Or, in this case, a confluence of people. I think this might be one of those turning points in the course of events. If we succeed, this region becomes dominated by Humans and Demi-Humans. If we fail, Orcs and other nasty humanoids will most likely overrun the region."

"Stay or go, stranger, but it's time for us to get about our business."

"Do we have any scouts in our group now?"

"Oh, and to answer your other question, Hermit, that steady booming sound is the action of the underground river as it surges through the tunnel it's created."

"Hm," Vilderhardt grumbles. "Sounds important. Certainly entertaining."

His sword seems to crumble into dust at a quick flourish of his fingers. "Well, I can certainly scout ahead if that is what we need. Not really the type for going it slow, anyways."

With a mischievous grin he wills his skin to harden like chitinous plates on his arms, shoulders, and chest. A soft clicking sound like cicadas accompanies the spell, but the caster hardly seems to notice.

"Thoughts? Concerns?" he asks playfully.

15:01, Today: Vilderhardt Auros rolled 6 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 2.  Casting False Life at-will.

Kae walks around Victor, his look still taking in everything - the room more than those in it.
"Captain?" He replies, ignoring the last bit. "Does that mean you tell all these people what to do and they obey?" He continues, curiously.
He stops a few feet behind Victor and goes down on all fours. He picks up a small stone and studies it as if it were the most interesting thing you had ever saw, and places it back down a few inches to the side, mumbling something seemingly incoherent and unrelated about balance. He then pinches some of the soot and tastes it, but doesn't say anythimg about it, seemingly lost in thought.

After the introductions, he suddenly realizes people are looking at him, waiting for him to speak. "Oh. Kae," he says. And after a short pause he clarifies - "My name, it's Kae."

He then adds to Mithra: "A river, you say? Good.. Yes, that makes perfect sense, of course... Good, very good."

"Retired captain, Kae," says Victor. With a wry grin he says, "that means I tell these people what to do, and they decide whether to obey. I'm not responsible for anyone's choices but my own. Its better that way."

"Good man, Vilderhardt," Mithra replies to the newcomer.

"And nice to meet you, Kae."

"Follow me, Vilderhardt; I'll show you where we've been and what we need to be searching."

She leads him back through the fungus cavern, and back through the tunnel to the cavern with the skeletons. It isn't until they reach there that she looks around to see if anyone else has followed.

"Not sure what's down this tunnel on the left. As you can see, it dead ends only after about 40 feet, but there are those two side passages. We skipped over it the first time through, so we need to make sure we didn't overlook our Dwarves."

"Can you scout them out? I've got your back."

With his elated little swagger he follows Mithra to the tunnel. He eyes the right-most side passage as he listens to her explanation. "Okay. Let us go, then."

Hugging the right wall of the dead-ending tunnel, he attempts to quietly slink his way up to the right-most side tunnel.

07:38, Today: Vilderhardt Auros rolled 8 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 4.  Stealth. Approaching the right-most side tunnel.

Victor follows Mithra and waits with her while Vilderhardt scouts.

Axia remained quiet as the others started dealing out orders, but she soon grew impatient so she followed those who finally started moving just not going so far as to follow the scout. She kept a keen eye on everything around them nonetheless.

00:46, Today: Axia Gryxis rolled 3 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 2.  Perception.
00:55, Today: Axia Gryxis rolled 20 using 2d20+3, dropping the lowest dice only.  Familiar's Perception.

Vilderhardt heads down the tunnel to the intersection, making a bit of noise as the rubble crunches under his feet.

He can see now that the tunnel ahead has collapsed rather than a dead end that was never finished. He thinks this once might have been the main entrance to the mine. It would certainly explain why no one could ever find the mine.

He peeks around the corner on the right and spies a door only 5 feet in. It's closed, but seems to be in good shape. He can also see down the left-hand passage, which duplicates this one--goes 5 feet and ends in another closed door.

He goes up to the door on the right side and listens, but doesn't hear anything.


Although Axia doesn't sense anything in the area, her familiar picks up a bad scent... not in the direction that Vilderhardt and Mithra went, which was down on the left, but back the other way on the right. It's the smell of death.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 250):

Thressa remains quiet but alert, like an ever vigiliant flame.


21:29, Today: Thressa Wildflame rolled 13 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 8.  Perception

Ero reluctantly puts away his book and readies a spell.  Pale eldritch flame flicker across his fingers.

Not everyone has moved into the area yet, and as those in the front stop and the others behind them are forced to stop, it momentarily gets silent... except for the incessant booming of the water from the back of the mine. It's a bit dulled up here, though--too many caves and tunnel turns for the echo to carry that far into the mine.

In between the duller booms, Thressa hears a kind of crunching sound. It's faint, and repeats between booms. She realizes it's coming from behind the door down on the right--the area behind Mithra and Vilderhardt.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 253):

Thressa walks toward the door.

" Mithra, door behind you? "

Feeling comfort with the progress he's made, Vilderhardt turns to wave his allies forward as he contemplates which door to try.

Mithra turns around a bit to see what Thressa is indicating.

"Yeah, we passed that door. We were in a hurry to rejoin Victor," she explains. "We didn't get any sense of bugbears there, though, which we weren't inclined to engage again at that moment anyway, so we passed it by."

"So, Vilderhardt, there's a door to the right and to the left? Have you listened at both of them?"

She could sense the others were getting impatient.

"Victor... how about you and Thressa checkout that other door?"

"Nixon and Hrull... keep watch on that right-hand passage by Victor. I think it probably leads to the Green Flame Skull room, but there might be other things along the way. Or, it could just dead-end."

"Sounds like a good idea." Victor proceeds to the door, raises his shield to the side that opens, and motions for Thressa to open it.

Cunaar, not being necessarily suspicious of these new people, brings up the rear, as much keeping an eye on the newcomers as he is keeping watch to the rear.

As far as they know, nothing can come at them from back that way, although based on Mithra's team's explorations, there is another way from the other side of the ledge. Plus, who knows why might crawl up out of the river!

And then there's the magic-gone-awry. He couldn't say if it was due to the forge they found, but the evidence suggests that there was some horrific arcane battle waged here in the mine a long, long time ago. It could just as easily be the fallout from that battle that was twisting magic in strange ways.

He took a mental roll call of those that have moved ahead of him:

Axia, Belie, Ero, Ezguar, Journey, Kae and Lureene.

Three of them were semi-vouched for by Mithra (Belie, Ezguar and Journey), and two he knew already (Ero and Lureene), but the other two (Axia and Kae) were even newer newcomers.

As Axia had gone forward to assist, Cunaar stepped over to Kae.

"So, Kae, is it? What do you know about this mine?" he asks the newcomer.

With a nod back at Mithra, Vilderhardt less cautiously saunters over to the door to the left.

12:23, Today: Vilderhardt Auros rolled 8 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 4.  Stealth. Approaching the left-side door.

While Vilderhardt isn't very quiet as he walks over the scattered rubble on the floor, the intermittent booming is probably sufficient to block out any sound he makes.

Nothing happens, though, and listening at the door doesn't hear any sounds. Vilderhardt does, however, notice that the door isn't closed all the way. It swings away from Vilderhardt.

Vilderhardt carefully opened the door a crack and took a peak in, searching the space beyond for any sign of life.

22:16, Today: Vilderhardt Auros rolled 14 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 15.  Perception. Looking for any living creatures in the room beyond the open door.

Devil's Sight: You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a
distance of 120 ft.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Thu 08 Nov 2018.

Lureene holds her mace loosely. "I'll back up anyone who gets into trouble", she suggests. "We should probably do the doors one by one, though, not open more at once in case we get into more than one set of trouble. I don't think it would be wise to split up for a fight if we can avoid it."

In reply to Lureene Raventree (msg # 262):

Thressa follows her companions alert for danger and that Tiefling fiend.

Vilderhardt opens the door only slightly and peers through the narrow opening.

Beyond is a room 20 feet across and 40 feet long, opening more to the left than the right. A stone counter splits the room in half cross-wise, and Vilderhardt can see three balance scales setting on the counter. Against the back (left) wall, there are a number of cubbyholes cut into the rock face. It looks like there might be scraps of paper in them.

Sprawled across the floor in front of the counter are several corpses.


Meanwhile, back across the cave, Thressa opens the door behind which she'd heard noise and Axia's familiar had detected the scent of death.

The noise becomes more distinct now--the sound of crunching and splintering. As she throws the door open, Victor can see three gray, hunched figures squatting among the remains of half a dozen corpses all clad in scraps of armor.

16:15, Today: StarMaster rolled 20 using 1d20+2 ((18)). Ghouls' initiative.

They become aware of Victor about the same time as he sees them. They stand up and move rapidly forward.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 264):

" in The Radiance of Aumantor's Flames. "


14:04, Today: Thressa Wildflame rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Initiative
My action will be Sacred Flame on closest Ghoul so Dec save on my Turn Starmaster.

Victor was too to busy listening to Lureen when Thressa opened the door. In a rush, he stumbles into the room and swings ineffectively at one of the ghouls.


Action: attack with Lightbringer, automatic miss.

14:18, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 3 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 2. Initiative.

14:20, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 7,9,2 using 1d20+6,1d6+6,1d6 with rolls of 1,3,2.  Lightbringer attack, damage, bonus damage vs. undead.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:15, Sun 11 Nov 2018.

"A mine? Yes, seems like it is. Explains a couple of things, I guess," Kae replies to Cunaar. "So what are all of you..." he started, but before he could finish, he heard in the distance ahead a shout, something about "radiance" and "flames", or possibly "fame", he wasn't sure. Anyways, it sounded like something up ahead had surprised the people who went forward. Full of curiosity to see what's going on, without a further word to Cunaar, Kae started dashing towards the others.

Dash towards Thressa.
During the dash, donning my shield and drawing my scimitar.
14:56, Today: Kae Greenleaf rolled 15 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 12.  Initiative.

Although feeling unfashionable late to the party, Nixon's slim duelist form raced from down the hallway at the cry of trouble.  Seeing Victor move in to engage, Nixon chuckled to himself at his friend testing out his new weapon- ah!  More undead!

The dextrous warrior leapt ahead, one soft leather boot redirecting momentum from the doorframe to join Victor and prevent his being flanked.  In mid-air, Nixon uttered something harsh-sounding, and slid low, delivering what would have been a disemboweling strike to a normal foe... but were these?

Perhaps even worse - would this swing the wager in Victor's favour?

"Care to share the fun?" he quipped, rising to intercede his shield against another attack.

---

OOC:
09:40, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.
Mv: to engage melee
Bon: Hex
Std: longsword melee
09:45, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 21,13 using 1D20+6,d8+6.  Longswd Attk/Dmg.
09:52, Today: Nixon Nantickle rolled 1 using 1d6.  hex.
AC21, dmg14, and disadvantage on str checks

This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Fri 09 Nov 2018.

Already waiting for something bad to be behind the door, Ero is able to get off his spell before everyone decides to charge in.  The flame hits true, hitting one ghoul's chest dead center.

17:48, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 20,5 using 1d20+5,1d10 with rolls of 15,5.  fire bolt.
17:46, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 18 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 15.  Init.

Lureene unhooked her mace, but realized that they were ghouls, famous for their paralyzing poison. She was perhaps the one best suited to healing any comrades should things not go well, which she could not do if paralyzed. She sighed, but it made more sense for her to stay back for this one. She had other means to help. She quickly figured out who would be in front, and called upon the Lady Firehair's blessing, bring golden warmth to Kae, Victor and Nixon; the grace of the Lady would guide their attacks and, crucially, help protect them from the ghouls' foulness.

OOC:
03:24, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 20 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 18.  Initiative.

Cast Bless on Victor, Kae, and Nixon. Those three will be able to roll an extra d4 on attack rolls and saving throws.

Please remember to roll them. :)

I go before Victor, so he'd benefit from the spell for his attack, but I'm not sure a d4 will help his strike enough.

Ghouls (Initiative 20): Although they grabbed the initiative, their movement delays their attack until later in the round.

Lureene (Initiative 20): Just as Thressa opened the door, Lureene was able to cast her blessing spell on Victor, Kae and Nixon.

Ero (Initiative 18): Casting a Firebolt spell at one of the ghouls, Ero easily hits the undead creature and delivers 7 (5 + d4) points of damage to it.
>>>>> Ghoul #1: 27hp - 7 = 20hp.

Thressa (Initiative 17): Also getting to act before the ghouls attack, Thressa casts Sacred Flame spell on one of the ghouls, enveloping it in flame that does 5 points of damage.
>>>>> Ghoul #2: 28hp - 5 = 23hp.

Kae (Initiative 15): As Kae reaches the scene, he sees that the group has split into too smaller groups. Some went to the left to investigate a dead-end tunnel there, and some went to the right and are fighting something in the room.


Nixon (Initiative 4): Not quite bringing up the rear, Nixon manages to slip into the room and attack the ghoul that wasn't attacked by spells. He manages to do 15 (14 + d4) points of damage.
>>>>> Ghoul #3: 24hp - 15 = 9hp.

Victor (Initiative 3): Stumbling into the room in his haste, Victor doesn't manage to hit any of the ghouls, not even with Lureene's blessing spell... just barely managing to miss one.

Ghoul attacks:
23:34, Today: StarMaster rolled 21,4,18 using 1d20+3,1d20+3,1d20+3 ((18,1,15)).

Nixon was the first one to attack with a melee weapon, so that's the ghoul that retaliates first. It manages to bite Nixon for 9 points of damage.

The other two ghouls miss.

With a loud swear, Vilderhardt gave the rectangular room one last look before booking his way toward the sounds of combat.

07:38, Today: Vilderhardt Auros rolled 18 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 16.  Initiative.
Dashing toward the fight.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Mon 12 Nov 2018.