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11:31, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Chapter 6: Out of the Black.

Posted by RaellusFor group 0
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 719 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Sat 4 Aug 2018
at 19:49
  • msg #425

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"Unf."  Nicolai wipes his gloves on the cephalopod's robes before stripping them off and inspecting them for lingering contamination.  "Okay, that's enough fun for now.  I'll take over at the other tunnel."  He trots over to the entrance Gronk indicated earlier.  "Hey, Corros.  When you're done there, the dead thing had a scroll.  I've never seen its like.  I think it's written in Squid."
Raellus
GM, 886 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sun 5 Aug 2018
at 20:43
  • msg #426

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


Gronk takes Ulfgar's teasing in stride. In fact, he thinks he probably wouldn't mind knowing what it feels like to be a dinosaur for a bit. He snorts at Ulfgar's analysis of the structures. "What about that Tiefling you mentioned? Think he might be able to tell what this is?"

-
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 567 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Mon 6 Aug 2018
at 08:58
  • msg #427

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Jenna takes a few minutes  to study the unfamiliar structure, moving around the things that might be pillars, at one point standing inside them and looking upwards before stepping back out, into the main part of the cavern, and shaking her head. ”In the Cloisters they had books, tomes, that described the different ways that false gods were worshipped.” The young Acolytes had been schooled in the contents of these tomes, that they would know their enemy when they encountered it.

”This is unlike anything that I have heard of. No cult or sect was recorded as having constructed underground stone circles.” She shrugs. ”I am no Builder but it seems to me as though this structure would be incapable of bearing the weight of a roof. So I think it highly unlikely that this is some form of Temple. If it is it is not associated with any false god that I am familiar with.”
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 43 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Tue 7 Aug 2018
at 22:02
  • msg #428

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Raellus:
"What about that Tiefling you mentioned? Think he might be able to tell what this is?"


"Perhaps, but I'll need to rest to move the block of stone out of the way so I can get back to her," Ulfgar said, with the last word spoken a bit sheepishly.
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 720 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Wed 8 Aug 2018
at 02:15
  • msg #429

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Nicolai parses the subtext, flashes an exquisitely bland Ah. to Corros, and makes sure he's facing away from Ulfgar before briefly smirking into the darkness.
Raellus
GM, 887 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sat 11 Aug 2018
at 02:37
  • msg #430

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


Corros consults the Library, comes up empty. If he has to guess, he'd say that this is some sort of eldritch beast, long entombed- the sort ambitious necromancers would love to get their hooks into.

He studies the plundered scroll. He can read the text, no problem. It's a Imprisonment spell, a particularly powerful ritual.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:24, Sat 11 Aug 2018.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 534 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Sat 11 Aug 2018
at 17:55
  • msg #431

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Corros prods the squidheaded pile of mush gently with a boot, one eye turned towards Jenna in concern, and the other at the imprisoned remains of whatever they happen to be camped out in.  "Best guess?  This guy here had some necromatic tendencies that we interrupted with some of our own.  He planned on waking this thing up, at least its spirit, and imprisoning it to do his will, yeah?"  The half elf shakes his head. "This thing is an asshole magnet.  Might be worth sealing off one of these caverns just to slow everyone down and let them fight over it.  If we hang out, we're just going to be killing more and more people."  From the tone of his voice, it doesn't sound like Corros is particularly bothered by the idea of killing the kinds of things that are going to come down this far into the dark to play around with this thing.

"So then, is this The Sleeper?  A sidekick?  This is huge, yeah?  If this is the little buddy, we need to figure out how to stop the main event."If they're even related.  This could just be something else buried far underground in the hopes of never being found again.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:14, Sat 11 Aug 2018.
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 722 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Sun 12 Aug 2018
at 12:17
  • msg #432

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"Huh.  Is anyone else getting the crawling High Court paranoia again?"  Nicolai casts a glance over his shoulder.  "The last time we were down here, something was poking at our heads.  If we're not experiencing that, I don't think that's the Sleeper.  It's clearly valuable to every asshole down here, as you say, but it doesn't seem to be active in any way."
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 569 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Sun 12 Aug 2018
at 13:21
  • msg #433

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"Can we destroy it?" Jenna asks, standing with the others, her arms folded, looking up at the structure. "If we let everyone fight over it then sooner or later someone will win. But if we can destroy it then there is no prize for the eventual victor to claim."
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 44 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Sun 12 Aug 2018
at 14:06
  • msg #434

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"There use to be a miner's pick in the bag," Ulfgar says, motioning to the bag of holding.  "Someone could start chipping away at skeleton." Frostbeard knew that it would take a long time to destroy the creature, but perhaps targeting a few key points, might be enough to render the rest worthless.
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 724 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Sat 18 Aug 2018
at 18:14
  • msg #435

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"Huh again."  Nicolai glances over his shoulder at the skeleton.  "Kneecaps and elbows?  Maybe the jaw hinge for good measure?"
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 47 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Sun 19 Aug 2018
at 15:10
  • msg #436

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Ulfgar settles in to continue his long rest.  He wasn't as much concerned about his remaining slots, as he was updating his spells to deal with this environment and its enemies.

Updated Prepared Spells (13):

Level 0: Druidcraft, Produce Fire, Shillelagh, Guidance
Level 1: Absorb Elements, Faerie Fire (DEX), Goodberry, Speak with Animals (R)
Level 2: Darkvision, Heat Metal (CON), Hold Person (WIS), Spike Growth [CoL: Spider Climb, Web]
Level 3: Conjure Animals, Plant Growth, Wind Wall (STR) [CoL: Gaseous Form, Stinking Cloud]
Level 4: Conjure Woodland Beings, Wall of Fire (DEX) [CoL: Greater Invisibility, Stone Shape]

Spell Slots: 1st: 4, 2nd: 3, 3rd: 3, 4th: 2
Spell Save DC: 16             Spell Attack Modifier: +8

Assuming we don't get interrupted again...

Raellus
GM, 892 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sun 19 Aug 2018
at 21:18
  • msg #437

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


Ulfgar magically seals the upper cavern entrance with a wall of rock. While Jenna and Ulfgar bed down (not together, of course) to get some more restorative sleep, the others set a guard at the lower entrance and attempt to destroy what they can see of the giant skeleton. As they approach the exposed ribs of the long-dead megabeast, tools in hand, the would-be vandals are struck with a sudden wall of fear. They exchange glances, both reassured and troubled that each is not alone in experiencing this odd, seemingly-irrational emotion (the creature is, after all, dead already). Gronk shakes it off and strikes at a massive rib with his morning star. The blow knocks a chip out of the rib, and the orc experiences no immediate ill effects. The feeling of fear is still there, however, rubbing against consciousness, but it doesn't stop the adventurers from whacking away at the skeletal remains. Still, it turns out to be a lot of work for little apparent reward.

At the end of the fourth hour, Jenna and Ulfgar awake, refreshed. The others, on the other hand, are tired and frustrated. Not surprisingly, Deepdelver, and experienced miner, produced the best results, removing an impressive 4'x4' chunk of from the lower end of one rib (about 90% of undamaged rib remains exposed). Gronk takes second place, with a  6"-square excavation. Nic and Corros barely chipped their ribs, their only reward being numerous blisters. The massive creature is still dead, the strange fear diminished but still present.

Long Rest (Jenna & Ulfgar) completed.


Your Turn.

-
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 728 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Sun 19 Aug 2018
at 23:54
  • msg #438

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"This is the advantage of being rich," Nicolai comments sotto voce to Corros.  "You can hire other people to do your manual labor and dangerous exploration.  Say, some rootless adventurers without any inconvenient strong local ties."  He restrains himself from tossing the pickaxe aside only through a long-standing habit of not needlessly abusing tools.

"So.  Amaldaris is missing.  He'd only been with us a day or three and his loyalties were questionable but he was at least not trying to kill us.  Zima's still unaccounted for.  Kerek is, unfortunately, accounted for.  Where do we go from here?"  He spreads his hands.  "I'm not sure we've learned much beyond this thing," he tilts his head toward the skeleton, "is important and creepy and prone to attracting trouble."
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 541 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Sat 25 Aug 2018
at 15:47
  • msg #439

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


"I don't know," Corros replies to Nic, flexing his hands and trying to gauge the blisters to necessary flexibility needed for casting spells ratio.  "I mean, we get all the physical benefits of our work: blisters that will turn into callouses, the fitness of constant fights, and the views of beautiful caverns, complete with mostly dead monsters from ages long ago.  Who wants to be rich and miss out on all of that, yeah?"

His hands hurt, there is no denying it.  "If we can get back on our feet, I guess we go hunt down the rest of the Drow.  Based on earlier sudden throat bashing, maybe Amaldaris headed that way.  Or he got pulled into stone and his screaming bloody murder as his sanity is drained away by the next creature to find this thing." From his tone, it's not obvious whether the half-elf has strong feelings on the matter.

"We've got too many loose ends and too many people missing who know what we're doing here."

Corros looks over at the stirring spell casters.

"All else fails, we keep going down."
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 50 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Wed 29 Aug 2018
at 11:22
  • msg #440

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Ulfgar clapped his hands after standing and stretching.

"Alright, since no one made coffee, I guess we'll get back to exploring the Underdark," Frostbeard said.  "I can open up the upper passage now that I've gotten some rest.  We should be prepared for a horde of baddie to be lurking behind it." he said, as he motioned toward the location where the passage had been, before he'd sealed it up with his Stone Shape spell.
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 573 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Wed 29 Aug 2018
at 16:09
  • msg #441

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Jenna could feel the renewed connection with the Goddess as soon as she opened her eyes. Arma was with her, was in her thoughts, Her power and grace was rippling through her as she rose. Blinking away the last vestiges of sleep she walked across the cavern to join the others gathered around the giant skeleton, her neck craning as she looked up at it. She was a little confused, for she had thought that the others were going to knock it down while she and Ulfgar rested but it seemed that they had made little impression on it.

”It looks much the same as it did before” she said to Corros innocently before turning her thoughts to the conversation about their next moves. ”So, are we going onwards and downwards?”
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 545 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Wed 29 Aug 2018
at 20:22
  • msg #442

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


The blisters in Corros' hands burn about as bright as his face.

"Lucky I love you," he croaks out quietly.  Then he freezes, aware of what he just said out loud.  He quickly proceeds like nothing at all has happened. "Down.  The bad guys are always down, yeah? Things have never gotten better by going farther down.  Ever."  He knows it's true.  The Library told him so.
Raellus
GM, 894 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 00:04
  • msg #443

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Corros Graelor:
"Lucky I love you," he croaks out quietly.  Then he freezes, aware of what he just said out loud.  He quickly proceeds like nothing at all has happened. "Down.  The bad guys are always down, yeah? Things have never gotten better by going farther down.  Ever."  He knows it's true.  The Library told him so.


Despite his lofty status as "mayor" of Yonder's Hole, Deepdelver has so far not been one to offer unsolicited opinions. For once, however, he speaks up, "Hm. I've been thinking about what's above us- those big, finished tunnels with the tile and the Golem guard. When we first entered from aboveground, we had a choice- right or left. We chose right. The tunnel continued to the left, though. And we haven't found anything down here that makes dead folks into undead ones. It's just a suggestion, but why don't we head back up, and explore the left-hand tunnel, see where it leads?" He getures towards Ulfgar, "We can stop at your druid friend's along the way, ask him about this thing." This last, clearly a reference to the massive, partially exposed skeleton that denizens of the Underdark are so interested in.

-
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 732 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 00:12
  • msg #444

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Forewarned by the couple's body language, Nicolai has enough self-control to not react outwardly to Corros' unintended declaration.  He does, however, turn away slightly to give the witchling a moment of privacy to get his blush under control.  Part of him considers warning Corros of the hazards of giving fortune unnecessary hostages, but it's a small part.  Jenna, as demonstrated repeatedly over the months of their acquaintanceship, does not let her steadily-eroding cloistered naivete get in the way of taking care of herself.

Deepdelver's apparent obliviousness to the byplay - nope, definitely oblivious, as Nicolai checks the dwarf's mien - saves him from having to excavate the conversation.  "Her."  When Deepdelver pauses in confusion, Nicolai amplifies, "The druid is a she."  He quirks an eyebrow at Ulfgar.  "But otherwise, I'm easily convinced to try another branch.  I think we've squared our accounts with the gnomes and I'm sure they'd rather we were on our way out of the neighborhood.  Though we may want to warn them about this."
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 52 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Thu 30 Aug 2018
at 17:09
  • msg #445

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"Aye, it's 'her'," Ulfgar said, trying not to sound too defensive about it.  In a land of dragons, faeries, and powerful magic, Ulfgar's platonic relationship with a female tiefling was the hardest thing for some people to believe in; some people meaning Evra.

"Well, we'd best be about it," Frostbeard grumbled out as he moved to face the rock face that he'd created just a few hours ago.  "I'm going to turn it into a door this time," he said.  After pausing for just a second to center himself, he started chanting in the ancient Druidic tongue.


Ulfgar Frostbeard
Casting Stone Shape and creating a door with two hinges and a latch per the spells:

The object you create can have up to two hinges and a latch, but finer mechanical detail isn’t possible.

https://roll20.net/compendium/...tone%20Shape#content

Raellus
GM, 895 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Fri 31 Aug 2018
at 00:12
  • msg #446

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black


As Ulfgar prepares to weave the ancient druidic [Stone Shape] spell over the interior rock face, constructing a hinged and latched door through the barrier, he hears the insistent metallic tinking of picks striking against its far side. Someone is trying to get in.

OOC: Ulfgar can either continue the spell to completion, or terminate it without expending the spell slot.


Your Turn.

-
Ulfgar Frostbeard
player, 53 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Fri 31 Aug 2018
at 00:58
  • msg #447

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

Ulfgar executed an abrupt spell pull-out; a frustrating experience as he had pent up 4th level spell energy.

"Fuuuuuu...  fuuuunnny sound coming from there," Ulfgar said as he pointed at the 5 foot section of wall he was moments away from casting all over.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 546 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Sat 1 Sep 2018
at 16:30
  • msg #448

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"If we pause to fight, we're going to be right back where we started," Corros says.  Their other spell casters just got back up to full strength.  "Maybe a hasty retreat through the back door, yeah?"  Of course, that's our way back up and maybe it's the other half of the Drow slaver party.  That would be fun.  And who knows how long it would take them to figure out a way around this room.  "Otherwise, let'em work and ambush'em on the way in."
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 733 posts
Human Expediter
Tegyrius
Tue 4 Sep 2018
at 18:31
  • msg #449

Re: Chapter 6: Out of the Black

"If we go out the back, do you know how to get to the fungus garden by that route?" Nicolai asks, looking at Ulfgar.  "If not, then the ambush option is probably the best of a bad set."
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