The grand three sail ship had limped into port well into the night and while the plan had been for the passengers to disembark in the morning many had surged off the ship despite the late hour. Behind them they dragged, wheeled and carried their boxes, bags and trunks. All of them eager to be on solid land after the harrowing storm. The proprietor of the nearby inn, the Beached Leviathan, had woke first with confusion, then excitement at the prospect of so many guests, and finally irritation as all their rooms filled up. Soon places on the common room floor were being rented out for a silver piece for a parcel of floor. The alternative was to go hunting for another inn in a city that was entirely strange for the passengers, or sleep on the streets.

That was a week and a half ago. Since then the passengers of the Sword's Edge have dispersed. They still hear talk about the ship and the repairs its undergoing, the locals gather around drinks in the evening and talk about 'the storm' but life is returning to normalcy for the citizens of Neverwinter. For the new immigrants, this week and a half has meant trying to find how they fit into this new world. There was work to be found, certainly there was work. If one was willing to haul, hammer or transport they could run themselves ragged all day and get a handful of copper to keep their belly filled. For more meaningful work though... that took more doing.

But Neverwinter is a town in a renaissance and opportunities are just as likely to find a soul as they are to be found. And that is how it was for you. At your current lodging, be it an inn, a halfway house, a rented room above a shop, you hear a knock at the door during one of your hours between odd jobs. Outside is a street urchin, the unofficial couriers of Neverwinter for those who prefer value over reliability. The grubby child sticks out an arm and offers up their goods. A letter of surprisingly fine quality given the nature of the deliver.

A yellow wax seal ensures the contents of the letter have remained unread. Three towers are impressed into the hardened wax. Breaking the seal, you find the following letter:

Hail and well met to the hero of the Sword's Edge,

The story of what unfolded in the last hours of the Sword's Edge's arrival have circulated the streets of Neverwinter and having pieced together these events from first hand accounts, your name was mentioned. A soul so willing to jump into the unknown and face danger is inspiring and -more importantly- rare. My employer could use just that sort of intrepid spirit. They are beginning a new undertaking and we would like to extend to you the opportunity to be part of the foundation for this grand new project.

If you're interested, please be at the Winged Wyvern two evenings from receipt of this letter.

Warmest Regards,
Sinceno

It seemed opportunity had come knocking.

OOC: In your response include what your character has been up to for the week and a half as they've familiarized themselves with Neverwinter! (It'll be assumed you're attending the meeting you've been invited to, so most of the post will be a writing exercise on your part. Have fun with it!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Fri 02 Apr 2021.

The first thing Saulucian did upon arriving in Neverwinter was find a weaponsmith and purchase a new rapier. He knew his way around the shortsword just fine, but he strongly favored having the extra reach that a longer blade provided. They had rapiers available, but all of them were simple and rather boring in design. It only took a few extra gold to convince the craftswoman to build him one with a custom design. The only drawback was that he would have to wait for over a week before it would be ready. She offered to rush it for him for twice the price, but that was a price he was unable to afford. Technically, he could afford it, but he wouldn't have been able to afford the cost of living even for those few days.

Saul was a humble enough man, he didn't mind having to take on a more meager cost of living while he looked for more work. For the first week he did just that. Work was hard to come by here, for there were far too many other people doing the very same thing. He made a few meager copper and silver from performing the blade dances for others, but that was not terribly thrilling or unordinary in such a large place. He tried gambling, and only managed to loose slight more than had gained, which in hind sight was about as close to a win as he could have expected.

At the end of that first week, his comrade in arms from the squabble on the ship came by to give him his share of the earnings from the sale of the goggles they'd found on the dead wizard. It was enough for him to buy that custom rapier nearly seven times over.

~The timing...~

That set him up for the rest of his wait, at least, and also gave him the coin he needed to afford the inks to scribe that scroll into his spellbook. The scroll itself crumbled to dust, which was mildly unfortunate, but now gave him indefinite access to its use. Overall, a more than fair trade.

There was no sense in him paying off the craftswoman for hurrying at this point. He still hadn't found any work, so having her rush it would have been a waste to begin with, so he had saved a fair amount of gold. He gave himself a figurative pat on the back for good decision making skills.

On the morning he went to go pick up his new rapier, he found a messenger boy at his door with a letter from someone Saul had never of before, who had apparently heard of him. Saul shooed the kid away, not bothering to give him any tip. He hadn't asked for this letter, so he certainly wasn't about to pay for it to have been delivered. The letter contained an offer of work though, ~Gods! Finally.~ Two more night? That was no problem. Not after the windfall from the glasses, at any rate.

He did feel a little bit uneasy at having his location known so well. Sure, he'd earned some amount of reputation from the boat, but were people really that interested in such an event that they would track his movement afterward? It seemed suspicious, and Saul was not a fan of suspicion. He was a fan of getting paid, though, and if this Sinceno person was looking to give him some coin, Saul was interested in hearing about the pay. And the job, obviously. That was important too.

Iclos had not been in as much of a hurry to leave the ship as some other passengers. In his eyes, his duty was to make sure everyone got to land safely. That meant disembarking last, with the rest of the crew. He walked the deck, thinking; confident that it was the Queen of the Depths that had tested them. They had passed this time.

By morning, he gathered his things and exchanged a few quick words with Captain Fairwind. After a shake of hands, Iclos finally disembarked and found himself in Neverwinter. The City of Skilled Hands. The Jewel of the North. Once he got a little familiar with her streets, Iclos located someone of authority to report a certain crime. He gave names and description of the robbers and murderers from the ship, including victims and witnesses. The local authorities would have to take it from here, unless they crossed his path again.

For the next few days the cleric of Umberlee was probably the prime source of the story as it spread across Neverwinter, although it changed somewhat with each telling. In every tavern he visited or in conversations with sailors, traders and fishermen along the waterfront, Iclos told the story. His primary motivation was to give everyone a healthy fear and respect of the ocean. One could never be too scared of venturing out to sea.

"The thunderous waves swept over the heroes of the Sword's Edge! It washed away the defeated ghasts and ghouls, as they faced the final monster; an undead Red wizard of Thay, with bubbling blisters on his sickly skin that glowed with ancient magic, and the gaping maw of a white shark---"

When the invitation to employment had come, at the Inn where he bunked, Iclos wondered for a moment if he had been stretching the truth too far. He hoped nobody expected him to perform quite like in the story. Not that he would accept any old job. It would have to be something appropriate. He was curious though, and mulled over possibilities over strong drinks at the dockside taverns and bars. To be fair, Iclos drank quite a bit other than seawater.

Not being held to superstition or fear of what was on the ship, Jaryn didn't try to rush along and get a room at the inn that first night. He'd simply stayed and slept on the ship instead. Iclos had apparently had the same idea, and Jaryn had nodded at them and limped off to rest and heal.

The next day he had parted ways with the captain and ship, and had gone exploring in the new and unfamiliar city. He fairly quickly purchased a quiver of arrows so that his shortbow would be useable once more. And then he searched for good food and a decent but fair-priced inn to stay at for the foreseeable future, a place to venture forth from for his searching.

He spent several days looking to see if he could find a suitable spot for a new, but small, monastery outpost in the city. Obviously, an already-built building that might be useable would be the best, but he wasn't picky. Just finding a good spot of land would be a good start. Somewhere that might be a little out of the way of the main thoroughfares, but not then in to a bad neighborhood of squatters and crime or anything. It would require a delicate balance, and a keen eye.

It had taken some time for him to feel like himself once more, but finally his body slowly returned to it's former heath and vitality. Every day he felt a little better, and he was soon able to return to his exercise regimen, though he hadn't faltered in his meditation techniques. He had wanted to work during his time, but had to get his body back in to normal form first.

When the letter was delivered, it was a surprise as was the message bearer. He regarded the child a moment and then handed a silver piece over in exchange for the letter. He had money and even if it was more than the child might normally see, it felt good. He tried to do charity when he could. He might find a soup kitchen to work at soon if he had time.

He opened the letter and read it, his eyebrows immediately raising upward. Being known as a 'hero' wasn't exactly what his mission was, but it might not hurt either. Grand new project? That sounded intriguing at least. And if the employer was a person of power and influence, it might not hurt to have them as an ally for the monastery in the future.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:58, Sun 04 Apr 2021.

Naim had settled into a comfortable life in the time since they'd arrived in Neverwinter. The gold from the sale of those wizard's glasses meant that he didn't need to find work right away, so he spent the time calling spirits of air and land to help him learn the lay of the land in the city and the dock areas as he explored and relaxed at the inn.

He went to the docks daily still looking for a ship that called Neverwinter home port so that he could maybe sign on and become a first mate or some such. He needed to learn the traditional navigation techniques, and eventually he might be able to buy his own ship and captain it...

The note had come as a surprise for sure. He didn't think that incident made any impact on anyone outside of him and the crew. It was weird for someone to label him 'hero'.

So he followed its instructions and followed to the Winged Wyvern, armor and equipment on as he didn't know what to expect from this. It could be a trap after all...

Two days later the sun had just set. The letter had been vague on when precisely in the evening the meeting would take place so the attendees trickled in gradually. They found the Winged Wyvern sitting on the southern bank of the river in the shadow of Castle Never. So close to the seat of power for the city the streets were clean, shops were prosperous and guards regularly patrolled by, it was certainly a respectable place for a meeting. The Winged Wyvern itself was a large single story building, it had several large windows that would let in the light during the day and glowed merrily at night. Above the door an intricately carved wyvern loomed down at those entered the establishment.

Inside the tavern was much like any other. Wood floors and walls, oil lanterns were hung at even intervals and the black soot stains above them said they were rarely moved. Tables crowded the room and even this early in the evening a handful were full. The clientele at this establishment looked to be tradesmen, they wore dyed wool that was clean, so a far cry from the workingman's bars found closer to the docks. Mainly human, a few halflings and dwarves were also amongst the crowd. The more rarely found elves were not to be seen. At least not till the first of the invited attendees arrived.

Saul got there first. His appearance drew a few quizzical stares, elves were less common, but far from unseen, though the tattoos on his arms were more exotic. The attention passed though. This was a city full of uncommon sights. A halfling server hurried over, "Hello! Are you part of the Sinceno party? He'll be joining you at the table by the fire." It was empty at this time.

Iclos and Jaryn were the next to arrive, their arrival went largely unnoted by the crowd. They too were intercepted by the halfling and directed toward the table Saulucian now occupied. The three recognized one another, it was hard not too after sharing the tight confines of the Sword's Edge for several weeks. Next came Naim and the bar patrons again shared a few looks. Half-elves were even less common than elves. When he too join the table by the fire the patrons of the Winged Wyvern started to speculate amongst themselves. Last to arrive was Faith and at the sight of a tiefling all conversation in the bar stopped and for several long moments there were open stares. But when the congregation just sat there interest waned.

The group had several long minutes to themselves. They were familiar with one another, but hardly on regular terms. The results was several halting silences. Thankfully, that was when their host arrived.

Another half-elf, the man who approached their table and took an empty seat was well dressed in bright blue silks. The graceful way he moved and his delicate features, he seemed to favor his elven heritage. Sitting down with practiced ease, he folded his hands on the table in front of him and looked over those assembled. "I'm glad to see everyone here. No doubt you're wondering what exactly you've been invited to, so I'll cut to the heart of the matter." Sinceno was brisk, all business. "I represent the interests of my patron. A wealthy noble of Waterdeep, he'd prefer to remain anonymous at this time. The reason for this you see, is that my benefactor sees an opportunity here in Neverwinter. This city is rebuilding itself and is ripe for new business. My employer has a bit of a romantic streak and he would like to affiliate himself with a business with more spice to it then just trade goods or tailor shops."

"My employer, you see, would like to establish a new adventure guild."

"But that's an end goal. Firstly, a guild requires a base of operations. My employer is frugal and rather than spend a large sum of money, he wanted to take advantage of the unique opportunities that Neverwinter provides. You may have heard of the Chasm? No? A few years ago the south east section of the city had a great ravine open up. Terrible creatures came out. It has been sealed now, but that part of the city still lies largely abandoned. As it stands, anyone may simply find themselves a property and claim it. My employer sees a unique opportunity to start his new guild with relatively low initial investment costs. That's where you come in."

Sinceno brought out a tightly rolled parchment and spread it across the table. It was a large map of Neverwinter. The half-elf liason jabbed a finger into two spots in the lower corner. "My employer has expressed interest in two possible buildings that will serve his purposes. He leaves it at your discretion which you claim, either will do."

Options

The Riverside Quay - The build in question itself is humble. A former merchants home it was nice, it boast of eight bedrooms and comfortable surrounding lands. The main reason your employer has taken an interest in it is that this property sits along the river itself providing easy means to the rest of Neverwinter, or easy access to the sea or traveling further inland east.
The Complication: This property buts up right against the sealed chasm. There have been credible reports that several unsavory beasts still make a nest within the home. They would need to be cleared out.

The Rellington Estate - Abandoned even before the chasm opened, the Rellington Estate is a great manor located not far from the House of Knowledge, and thus the heart of Neverwinter. With more than two dozen rooms, two lounges, a sizable basement all of which are built of fine craftsmanship, your employer sees the location and providing immediate prestige and legitimacy, not to mention lodging for future guild members.
The Complication: The estate is famously and violently haunted. Securing this property would require putting a permanent end to the ghosts that roam these empty halls.

"For your services, you would be compensated with two hundred gold for each of you, but perhaps more tantalizing, you would be able to keep whatever spoils you found during the securing of these properties. Finally, my employer would extend to you invitations to be founding members of his new guild. That would grant you a level of influence on its growth and contracts undertaken and in turn open up doors within Neverwinter by your affiliation. Of course, if that does not interest you, your share can be bought out as well."

Rolling the map back up, Sinceno regarded the gathered group. "That concludes my portion of affairs. I'll let you discuss the matter. Those who are interested in the job can meet me here tomorrow night and let me know which property you would like to stake claim." With a polite nod, the half-elf rose to his feet and departed, clearly not one for small talk.

OOC: I'll let you discuss which property you'd like to undertake. Whichever one gets the majority interest, in this case 3 votes, will be the one undertaken!

"Unless you have pressing matters to attend to elsewhere, I don't see that there's any reason you would need to wait an entire day for our decision. I'm sure we can settle on that within the hour." He left it to the man to decide for himself, it mattered not to Saul.

"Undead do not frighten me, however, they are known to have superior defenses to many other creatures. Many of us have access to magic, and so they should pose no particular problem in that regard. Some of their defenses, however, extend beyond just having to damage them, and onto things that can force their spirits to rest or else they simply reappear after some time."

"With that in mind, even if the monsters of the chasm are potentially more formidable, I think they are ultimately 'easier', so to speak, to deal with on a more permanent basis. As such, I tend toward that. Also, if the chasm presents a continual threat from beasts within, we would eventually get sent there to clean it out anyway. Might as well get it down now and save us the hassle later."

Naim was surprised and yet not to see who else had been summoned. They were the ones of the passengers like himself who'd do the most to help stave of disaster that night afterall.

It was always interesting hard for Naim to make friends or relate to others. In a way he was very glad for Faith's presence, as she took almost all the stares of the other patrons away from him which was nice. He was used to spending so much of his time on ships or alone that it was an interesting thing to sit in a bar with non-shipmates waiting on a meeting.

When their contact arrived and was another half-elf he was even more surprised, but pleased in a way.

He listened politely to the presentation and said little other than slight exclamations of surprise at different points.

When the Sinceno left, Naim stood, and then reseated himself as he thought about the offer on the table and the options presented.

"I'm of two minds. On the one hand, it would be more personally satisfying to remove the threat of ghosts from the land. On the other... if we're talking about a base of operations or a home. Well... I'd much rather live on a river or adjacent to the seas if possible."

"A former wealthy home may have more wealth to find for our own taking than a riverside merchant's home too. But I'd rather live riverside than smack in the heart of Neverwinter."

"There's nothing stopping us from doing both, either. If we have rights to claim what we find either way..." Saul left it hanging, there.

The dwarf nodded as each argument was laid forth. "I too am attracted to the river and access to the sea." His voice was slightly skewed on account of having had a couple of ales. "Yet I seek the destruction of vengeful spirits and undead creatures as much as the next priest. Once we've seen the properties, and eliminated the problems, we can weigh our options. Still, I vote for the riverfront first."

Jaryn had figured correctly that with the letter sent to him, it would have been sent to the others who had helped with the chaos on the ship. They were all a recent story, and one likely retold a bit in the city as the latest gossip. He had given a nod of greeting to them all and said, "Good evening. It is agreeable to see you all again under better circumstances." He was content to sit and wait for their host to arrive, sipping tea sparingly in the meantime.

Once Sinceno had arrived, Jaryn had looked less relaxed and laid back. He sat up a bit more, listened to what was said, looked at the map that was rolled out. He was VERY interested to hear about the ability to claim land. He made a mental note to find something suitable and do so for the monastery very soon.

To the matter at hand, he listened to the others speak and gave a small shrug. "I am not certain of my ability to harm ghosts, nor lay them to rest properly. So I agree with the Riverside Quay instead."

Naim nodded to the response and said, "sounds like we have a decision then already. Sauluian, Icloos, and Jaryn are all in favor of the Quay house first. I am swayed by both locations, though I do think we should perhaps seek out the manor house after we have secured the Quay house."

"The manor house could be the primary guild location once cleared, while the Quay house could be a sort of secondary or chapter house. Having access to shipping private for the guild will be useful. Iclos and I can abide there while the rest of you reside in the manor house down the road timewise."

On his way out Saulucian had stopped Sinceno and advised they only needed the hour. The half-elf had given an approving nod. "A decisive group. Excellent. I'll be back within the hour." True to Saul's estimate, the conversation had been quick. Luckily everyone had been on board to take up the job, so that cleared one of the bigger hurdles. That only left the specifics of which property they claim on behalf of their new employer. It turned out there wasn't much disagreement there either. Most of the group favored the notion of the water front property, with Saulucian voicing the idea that with a little extra work both properties could be possible.

Thus an hour later Sinceno returned to a plan.

"You'll be undertaking the quay? Very good, I'll inform our mutual employer. Take whatever preparations you need, I'll be here next Friday evening so you can inform me of how the venture went. With luck, we'll be holding future meetings at a more private location when this is all concluded." When the group shared their interest in possibly visiting both properties the half-elf's brows rose a fraction. "How enterprising. Well that is certainly up to you. I'll notify our employer of your intrepid spirit, no doubt he'll be pleased with such eagerness. He'll be satisfied with either property so if you do take on the task of securing any other abandoned grounds they will of course be yours to do with as you see fit."

True to his word, Sinceno procured a hefty leather bag for each of the attending members. It was with the faintest trace of reluctance that he passed over the up front payment for the services yet to be rendered. You had the distinct impression that this particular detail was something spelled out by their new employer, it seemed if Sinceno had any say in the matter the pay would wait till the job was done, but he followed his instructions to the letter.

+200g to each player as payment up front for the coming work

OOC: Let me know what preparations the group is going to take, when they plan to visit the property and any other details you feel are pertinent to the job, then I'll move things ahead to the actual visit!

Naim caught and quickly tucked the coins away as they were offered.

"I should like to see if I can get some potions of healing before we lead into this derelict area."

"Anyone else?"

The decision had been made. The assembled group seemed to need little time to prepare so it was decided they would set out and visit the quay first thing in the morning. A few hours later they reassembled. It was early in the morning, the sun still had most of its morning climb to fulfill. Despite the early hour it was warm as ever as the warmth wafted off the river running through the heart of the city. Neverwinter was just starting to wake, it's countless residents beginning another day.

The business of these five spirits took them towards the eastern side of the side. On the south side of the river, this largely residential quarter of Neverwinter was unusually quiet. It's many streets had only a fraction of the population they should and the further the group walked more and more of the houses were in signs of abandonment. Then up ahead the street opened into an unnatural clearing. There were no houses for nearly a half mile, only a very flat section of stone, then beyond that the houses appeared again. On the boundary of this empty space were a number of ruined structures, it looked like they had sunk into the stone. Getting closer, you see a seam in the ground. On your side it is dark and rich, then there is a hard line of a lighter, whiter, rock. It looked very much like if someone had patched a hole and that patch hadn't fit quite right. Only in this case the patch was several hundred feet wide and stretched to the north east and south west.

This must have been the Chasm.

It was certainly sealed now, but when it was opened it must have been quite a sight. Given the scope of the thing, and the stories of creatures that had emerged, it was little wonder that this part of Neverwinter was still a ghost town. Even the prospect of free lodging had enticed only the most daring of souls.

Now though, that chasm spelled out an easy walk. Hiking along the very flat span of ground, the group traveled north east.

An easy journey, locating their destination was even easier. The quay that interested in their new employer was pressed right along the chasm. In fact its overgrown lawn was partially lost to that chasm. The merchants property stood on a small rise and overlooked the wide river below. Two stories, it was built with Amnish tastes, which was to say rich dark wood that contrasted with bright white plaster. It was a striking structure though it wore its abandonment poorly. Shutters hung from the windows and a number of tiles were missing from the roofing. The grounds which must have once been carefully manicured were now wild, the grass was as tall as a halfling and the bushes had grown wild and gnarled. For a riverside estate it was humble, but it was still a far cry from a common home.

The details on what exactly the group could expect were sparse. They had simply been told to secure the home and ensure it was safe for the purpose of a new guild. Looking at it from the outside, it was two stories, and there was likely a basement. All the windows were dark and offered no hint of where to begin, the abandoned estate bid its new prospectors to come and see what toothy secrets it held.

OOC: Decide how you'll approach the manor! Let me know what order you plan to proceed, it will definitely be important who is in front and who is in last! If you are curious about anything, be sure to flex those skills checks, there are secrets and information that will only be uncovered by the cunning adventurer.

Jaryn had sat quietly and sipped at his drink while they waited. When Sinceno returned, Jaryn perked up again. His eyebrows lifted upwards when the money was produced - he certainly hadn't expected to be paid upfront. That was, in his limited knowledge of how these things normally worked, a bit unusual. He was given to understand that payment came after services in many cases.

He nodded to Naim when the subject of healing potions came up. "Yes, I will join you and buy a couple. They would be good to have on hand."

---

The next day, feeling rested but anxious, Jaryn showed up to meet his allies. He was thinking ahead a bit too much, and so was a little distracted. He was on the lookout for any potential monastery sites on the way to their destination.

He paused to look down when they reached The Chasm. Looks could be deceiving, but it certainly didn't look 'active' or dangerous any more. While looking he quietly asked, "Just in case it comes up, is anyone good with spotting and disabling traps, as well as opening locks?" He shook his head. "I am not an expert in such things."

When they arrived at their destination he looked the house over for a long moment, taking note of the design and size. Then he asked, "Should we clear out the first floor completely and then go up, or should we head to the basement or top-most floor first and work our way vertically from there?"

OOC: Jaryn is happy to be either second or last, unless we have no trapfinder and then he can go first though that will likely suck for us all.

23:47, Today: Jaryn rolled 11 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Purchased 4 healing potions.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Thu 08 Apr 2021.

Iclos was a little hungover the next morning, but his healthy dwarven constitution allowed him to push through with little more than a headache and irritation. He was dressed much as on the ship, with sturdy boots, chain and shield. Soon, any grumpy disposition gave way to curiosity and sense of adventure; of which he had a decent amount.

Walking alongside the others, Iclos offered some conversation. "You handled yerselves well back on the Sword's Edge. At least the Great Queen of the Sea didn't see fit to drown you that day. Maybe she was in a good mood. That is rare."

He volunteered to take front, if the others didn't object. "I have keen eyes, even without light. I have a big shield and heavy armor, so I can take a punch. Just don't expect me to be quiet. I ain't no thief. And whispering is a skill lost in the winds and the storms on the oceans. Don't know much about no traps neither."

With that said, I rolled 2 for a total of Perception 7 to see if I notice anything as we approach.

Naim was also decked out as they had seen him before on ship in the fight, with his rough hide armor and a shield of dark wood as they gathered early in the rising heat of the day to set out.

"I managed to find a couple of potions to heal last night after we split up. If someone wants to buy one off me to have on their person I can sell them to you. I got them for 40 gold each. I can sell two of them and still have one for myself. Splitting it up makes sense too so more people can administer one we need it."

"Thanks, Iclos, you did as well. I doubt I would have drowned, she's never gotten me yet, but glad I am that the storm ceased when we drowned that green ooze and mist. I must say.. you're the most... personable of the Queen's servants I've yet met!"

He stowed his shield on his pack as the walked through the city and didn't secure it to walk with until they reached the more abandoned parts of the city. As the group saw the giant patch job of the chasm he let out a soft whistle. "That's not something you see... ever."

Wary now, he summoned a blossom of flame into his opposite hand, ready to throw at need or light the way.

At Jaryn's question he shook his head, "I've no skill with traps myself, but I do like this architecture. Reminds me of home!"

OOC: I was able to buy 3 potions of healing total and can sell one to up to two others for cost so that we spread the healing out a bit.

For prep, I'll buy 70g worth of incense for use on Find Familiar, and I'll use one of them the night before to summon an Owl, which I will have tucked away in its pocket dimension for the time being.

"I can make a decent showing at discovering traps, either of mundane or magical design. Disarming them is another matter. I've neither spells, tools, nor the know-how to handle them. I've a steady hand for it, but I'd be guessing as much as the next person." I've got +5 Arcana and +5 Investigation for spotting them, but a +3 Dex is the best I've got for trying to disarm traps.

For marching order, I suggest Iclos, Jaryn, Saul, Naim, Faith

Upon seeing the chasm for himself, Saul reached for the crystal that hung from his neck and spoke a short phrase in the elven tongue. A white-blue light shone around his body before settling into it and fading from sight. Cast Mage Armor. AC 16

"Yes, everyone performed quite well against the zombie crew and the mad wizard. I perform best in hand to hand combat, with spells to assist me. Inside a building our ability to move around is somewhat hampered, so I may do a combination of close and ranged combat, depending on the situation. Nearly all of my spells are for offense or personal defense, so outside of combat my magic will be of little use."

OOC: Sorry about the delay! Work has been hectic this week.

Climbing the small rise to the abandoned estate, Iclos took the lead, blazing a path up along the overgrown walkway. Standing a head taller was Jaryn, followed by Naim and Naim. It was more natural moving single file as they pushed through the bushes that pressed in tight on either side. Getting closer the wear and tear of neglect became more apparent as the plaster was falling away in places. The front door was still in place, but it had swollen from moisture and only relented when Iclos threw his shoulder into it, sending a spray of rotten wood raining down on him.

(Failed Perception Check!)

Their employer might have imagined he'd be walking into a ready to claim he was going to be sorely disappointed. Inside the front entrance opened up a large foyer. Here moss from the unseasonable warmth of Neverwinter had climbed the walls, paint had peeled and there was a moist smell to the earth. Stepping a few paces forward, Iclos felt the floorboards sag under his feet.

To the left was a large foyer, the furniture once housed there was broken and moldered and unrecognizable. A few bones were scattered in one corner. That did not bode well. To the right was a dining hall, it was large and long and continued down and out of sight. Directly ahead of the group a wide set of stairs rose up and split to connect to the upper landing in two places.

Naim and Saulucian had just come inside at the tail end of the line and gotten there bearings, that's when a deep loud groan filled the air. Where was that coming from? Oh. Directly under Iclos and Jaryn. They had a split moment before the floor beneath them crumbled away into rot and splinters.

Iclos and Jaryn: Roll a Dexterity Save DC 15!

Rotting wood, moisture and moss (which was almost like green algae) made Iclos feel like he was aboard some derelict ship. In other words, he felt right at home! He looked to bow, port and starboard, but when the deck gave away under his feet he quickly decided to drop his mental ship-metaphor. Iclos heaved himself aside, entirely without grace, but obviously fell through boards and splinters like a dropped anvil.

Dex save 9.

There was so much to look at, so many things around, Jaryn's head was on a swivel. He wasn't sure what was going to be in the house, but it would likely be bad. He just had that feeling, like someone was about to pull the rug out from...

...under him? Then the floor gave way and he was so shocked he was slow to move and didn't move out of the way in time.

OOC: Theoretically...Jaryn's good at that save.
10:52, Today: Jaryn rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Dexterity Save.

Sometimes when wood broke it was with a sharp crack as durable boards reached their breaking point. That was not the sound this time. It was a tired sound, low and deep and inevitable. Iclos and Jaryn crashed through what was once the main floor and created a gaping chasm where they fell. A shower of debris came down with them. They fell into what must have been the basement, Jaryn was plunged into darkness while the world turned into shades of gray as the dwarf's dark vision allowed him to still see.

(-3 HP from Iclos and Jaryn from the fall. The dice were on your side today!)

Up above Saulucian and Naim peered down into the newly created hole. It was about a fifteen foot drop into what looked like a complete basement with flagstone flooring. Rotted wood littered the ground around them and seemed to be... moving? No, not the ground. It seemed that when the floor had come down, something within that floor had come down with it. Spiders. Hundreds of spiders. They were large too, each about the size of a mans thumb. Now that your eyes were adjusting you saw skeletons of rats and birds amongst the rotted well. These spiders had eaten well and now that their nest had been disturbed they were wild and agitated and eagerly trying to climb up Jaryn and Iclos' legs.

Roll for Initiative! (Include your opening actions along with your initiative roll!)

20 - Swarm of Spiders - AC 13 HP 36/36

Saul looked down at the swarm with disgust, glad that he hadn't been one of the ones who fell down to face it. He sent fire down at them rather than going to mingle with all those....legs.

Initiative: 15
Action: cast Fire Bolt
Result: Hit AC 21 for 9 Fire damage

11:03, Today: Saulucian Bensvelk rolled 21,9 using d20+5,d10.  Fire Bolt.
16:39, Today: Saulucian Bensvelk rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:04, Sun 11 Apr 2021.

Iclos grunted as he stood on the floor of the basement, surrounded by debris. "I...suggest we uhm...start with the basement. Come down--" It was at this point he noticed the floor moving and the realization that they were surrounded by spiders. "Curses!"

Current AC: 18 (Shield equipped).
Initiative: 19.
Move: Stand.
Action: Cast Sacred Flame, save vs Dex DC 13 or take 7 damage.

Jaryn let out a pained whoosh of air when he landed heavily. He slowly recovered but couldn't see anything really. Just shapes....and movement? He realized what the shapes were only once they started trying to crawl ON HIM!! "Ahh! Spiders!"

He wasn't scared of spiders as a general rule, but neither was he overly fond of them. But having a small one that you ignore or scoop up and set outside of your home is MUCH different than a swarm of them attacking you!!

Jaryn scrambled up as much as he could and quickly drew his longsword out of reflex, before realizing it might be too cramped to really make use of it, so he began kicking and flailing at the spiders instead.

OOC: So for flavor and to try something different. +2 AC with Agile Parry.
Hit once for 8 bludgeoning damage, missed with the bonus attack

00:02, Today: Jaryn rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.
00:07, Today: Jaryn rolled 17,8,11,8 using d20+6,d4+4,d20+6,d4+4.  Unarmed Attack and Martial Arts vs SWARM!
This message was last updated by the player at 17:55, Sun 11 Apr 2021.

Naim's own stomach dropped out when the floor fell out beneath Iclos and Jaryn, but he was relieved to hear them joking. His sight adjusted quickly and he saw the huge number of spiders headed for the pair almost before the spiders moved.

On instinct he hurled the flames in his hands and splashed fire over quite a few of the creatures as they started their movement. "Get out of there!"

Initiative: 19 (Dex 14 for tiebreaker with Iclos)
Action: Produce Flame, hit AC 26 (CRIT!)
 - 8 fire damage

10:42, Today: Naim rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.
10:43, Today: Naim rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Produce Flame attack.
10:43, Today: Naim rolled 8 using 2d8 with rolls of 4,4.  Crit damage.

Down below Jaryn and Iclos broke out into what almost looked like an impromptu dance as they lurched from one foot to the other, trying to achieve the impossible feat of maintain both feet off the ground at once. Despite how the antics looked though, it worked. The thumb sized spiders were knocked loose as they tried to clamor up their legs. For the moment the pair remained unbitten.

Peering down from the safety of the main floor, Naim held out a hand. A bright surge of fire engulfed his hand, then the half-elf skillfully tossed the ball of fire below. It landed in a thick heap of the arachnids and the air was filled with the sizzling sounds of burning spider bodies and a faint whiff of smoke. (-8 HP Swarm of spiders) The brief flame illuminated the area below revealing a musty cellar, but then the light snuffed out again.

Iclos for his part had the same thought. Calling upon his fickle goddess, the cleric called up flames the color of stormy seas. The spiders tried to scamper to either side, but the flames caught a great many of them inside the blue blaze. (-7 HP Swarm of spiders)

Fire seemed to be the common refrain as Saulucian joined in the fiery deluge. Standing alongside Naim up above, the elf had the luxury of safety and he took a moment to expertly assess the movements of the spiders, then lobbed down his own bolt of fire. With so many displays of fire alongside one another it was easy to get an appreciation for just how many different forms flames could take. (-9 HP from Swamrm of spiders)

Down below, Jaryn continued to dance and hop. It was a testament to his nimble training that even as he flailed he was able to bring down a solid kick even as he worked to avoid being touched. He felt the squish and pop of bulbous bodies beneath his heel, but landing a solid hit against such a creeping mass was difficult to say the least. (-4 HP spider swarm.)

The latest flames in the basement had guttered out when Naim and Saulucian heard a creak of floor boards. Behind them a stranger had arrived. A tall slender human he was silhouetted against the door they'd just arrived through and most of his features were hidden in the contrast of light. It seemed the group had an unexpected guest!

Initiative

20 - Swarm of Spiders - AC 13 HP 08/36
19 - Naim
19 - Iclos
15 - Saulucian
08 - Jaryn

Naim whirled on the newcomer, flames igniting his hand again as he called out, "who are you? Speak quickly."

"Saulucian," he said, "keep an eye on Iclos while I try to deal with the newcomer."

Action: ready action to cast produce flame and attack the newcomer should they attack.
 - hit AC 19, 2 Fire dmg should it be needed

15:54, Today: Naim rolled 19,2 using 1d20+6,1d8.  Readied Produce Flame attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Tue 13 Apr 2021.

Saulucian turned toward the newcomer, more fire already building in his hands. He was trying to decide if he should attack or not when Naim said he'd handle it. Saul nodded then looked down and sent the flames toward the spiders once more.

Fire Bolt hits AC 19 for 3 Fire

17:58, Today: Saulucian Bensvelk rolled 19,3 using d20+5,d10.  Fire Bolt.

"Whoa, whoa, hold your fire there friend." With the luminance of Naim's fire turned toward him, Karangi became more than a silhouette. Immediately distinct were his eyes that reflected the light ever so slightly with a deep purple shade and his hands held up in placation, empty but for a ring snugly fit on one of them. His outfit was one fit for travelling but definitely blinged up just enough to give a slightly eccentric look to the whole outfit considering the massive pack on his back, lanterns hanging from his belt and multiple weapons in various holsters and sheathes.

"We aren't here to harm, rather, to help." It's all very quickly said but the mention of 'we' was accompanied by a glaring lack of any other new individual anywhere nearby.

"I was hired to help secure the building for a new adventurer's guild, and judging by the descriptions I was given you're the party I was meant to be completing that task with... I'm just a little late is all... Bit of a spider problem eh?" The rapid change of subject is a accompanied by his eyes darting down toward his various bits of gear that are strapped to his person and quite possibly helpful in a... fight? like this. But seeing as it seemed almost entirely in hand he didn't offer any help, rather waiting for them to judge him a threat or not before going for any weapons.

Karangi rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Initiative (if it matters)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:39, Mon 12 Apr 2021.

Iclos was glad to see the ones above helping, thinning out the swarm of spine-curdling spiders. The priest zapped another group of the remaining creatures. He glanced up only to see the others in conversation with someone new. "Don't forget we're fighting spiders the size of cats down here!"

Action: Cast Sacred Flame, save vs Dex DC 13 or take 8 damage.

Jaryn kept his composure as best he could under the circumstances, which wasn't all that much. He stomped and kicked, hopping between feet to keep the things off of him and away from him as far as he could. He kept a hold of the longsword, though, mostly because he was too busy with the spiders to think about sheathing it at the moment.

OOC: +2 to AC again, stomping and kicking, (Nat 20 for 11 damage. 2nd a miss.

10:02, Today: Jaryn rolled 26,5,12,6 using d20+6,d4+4,d20+6,d4+4.  Unarmed vs Spiders (assuming they're still around by my turn).
10:03, Today: Jaryn rolled 6 using 1d4+4.  And apparently a critical hit lol.

The spiders had managed to get a foothold, not surprising given how many legs they had to spare, while Iclos managed to brush them off, they climbed Jaryn's legs. He felt the sting of fangs biting through his clothes and into flesh. (-8 HP Jaryn, roll a Constitution Save DC 12 or take an additional 1d8 damage)

But between the flames and fists, they spiders that initially numbered in what must have been thousands were reduced to mere hundreds. As their numbers finally depleted enough they lost their cohesion, they on longer moved like a single hungry entity and instead became singular hunters again, scattering every which way and disappearing into cracks and crevices in the paving stones. It was best that one not think of how many were still hiding about them. The ground was left littered with hundreds of tiny bodies and several gooey spots where Jaryn had smashed the arachnids.

Down below Jaryn and Iclos had a moment to catch their breath, and for Jaryn to assess the swollen welts now swelling on his leg. The basement they were in was spacious, they could see what looked like wine racks set against one wall, two huge barrels large enough to hold a man looked like they were kegs. There was no obvious way back up, but they couldn't see the other end of the basement, not surprisingly, thick spider webbing blocked their vision in that direction.

Meanwhile on the main floor, Naim and Saulucian were left greeting their unexpected arrival.

Possible Areas for Exploration

Basement
     Eastern Side

Main Floor
     Lounge
     Dining Hall
     ???

Upper Floor

Naim lowered his shield slightly though the fire stayed pooled in his hand as he regarded the newcomer.

"What's your name then? I'm Naim, this is Saulucian. Iclos and Jaryn are in the hole..." he said to the newcomer. He called down, "you guys want to come up or want us to come down? I've got some rope if you need help up."

Throughout this series of questions to both the newcomer and his companions Naim kept his eyes on Karangi and fire in hand.

Karangi's brows raised and dipped as the sounds of the fight below petered out. Left only with the inquest by the flame wielder, Naim, he decided to give his answers and try and persuade them all of his intentions. Hands still raised and palms outward in that near universal sign of 'I'm not gonna attack' he spoke his name. "Karangi. The name's Karangi. And I definitely recognize your names as the folks I was to be working with. Last minute addition, pardon my tardiness, but I'm here to help now."

Very slowly he started to shift his hands downward testing the response but ready to halt all movement if it looked like he was about to be burned.

"So you're not alarmed, you should know, I've a familiar that travels with me. Won't be popping in til I know you're not about to crisp me up though. How's the investigation into the building's soundness going?"

Jaryn hopped a few more times trying to get all the spiders off of him, "Ow! Damnation! Ow!" He definitely had a score of bite marks and some swelling. He looked miserable as well. He let out a sigh and shook his head. "Easy come, easy go I have heard the saying." He pulled out one of the healing potions he had just purchased yesterday, uncorked it and downed it. The swelling went down a little bit.

He then glanced at his ally in the basement with him. "Should we look around while we are here?"

OOC: Wow. Double ones on the potion followed by a 1 on a d20. Sheesh. At least I made the save.

21:11, Today: Jaryn rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  Constitution save.
23:36, Today: Jaryn rolled 4 using 2d4+2.  Potion of Healing.
23:39, Today: Jaryn rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Iclos gave Jaryn a nod before adressing the people upstairs. "Ahoy. We're checking the eastern side of the cellar. Figuring there are stairs thataway. If you scout east on the first floor, we'll meet up I guess."

He started looking around, but added: "Oh and if you hear us calling for help uh...come and help." With that, Iclos first looked at the nearest area for anything interesting other than webs, before moving east.

Perception 12.

"In an area we know to be dangerous, splitting up seems the most unwise decision we could make. Give us a minute to tie off a rope and we'll just you down there. We can work our way from bottom to top."

Naim let his hand drop, though it remained wreathed in flames and motioned the newcomer inward. "I am Naim," he said simply.

"Iclos, let's do as Saulucian suggests. We can come down on a rope with our newly arrived and separately hired companion Karangi. He can go down first to meet you in fact."

The fire on his hand guttered out and Naim reached to his pack and pulled out a rope and handed it to Saulucian to tie off.

"Well Karangi, I hope you don't mind spiders..."

"Aye." Iclos stood back while the other climbed down. He noticed the bites on Jaryn and grimaced. "That's nasty. You're lucky their poison didn't take hold. I seen people retching their guts out from bites like that, like fresh landlubbers' first ventures at sea."

He brought out his little flask of sea water. "Take a sip. It'll please the fickle lady." While Jaryn did that, Iclos put his hand on the monk and healed his wounds, at least partially.

Cast Cure Wounds on Jaryn for 6 hp.

A tentative peace struck with the new arrival, he did know the name of their new employer after all. Saulucian offered up a rope and the three remaining on the ground floor took the quick path down. Below the air was cooler and had a scent of mildew. There were further signs of water damage from the staining of the walls to the moss and fungus that had abundantly sprouted up.

The eastern side of the basement was obscured by cobwebs and it seemed a solid place to begin their explorations. Jaryn continued to lead the way (as no one said differently) and he pushed through the webs, they were dense enough that it took more than a casual swipe to dispel them. Pulling through them he could audibly hear the strands snapping and breaking and his hands were soon coated in the sticky substance. On the far side of the basement a number of crates were revealed. Several of them had holes gnawed in the sides, they'd likely contained food years ago, but vermin and time had done their work. Along with the crates, the group also uncovered the more conventional way down - namely a narrow set of stairs leading back to the main floor.


Overall it was quite a spacious basement and when it was cleaned up it would offer a large amount of room for storage of food, drink and other items that would benefit from the quiet cool darkness.

Possible Areas for Exploration

Basement - Fully Explored!

Main Floor
     Lounge
     Dining Hall
     ???

Upper Floor
     ???

"Hold on, fellas." Iclos stood watching one of the massive beer kegs, not least dreaming of a time when it would be full of that glorious golden substance. "There's a secret passage!"

He continued to explain how it was split, something that could be seen where the wood had splintered away over time and decay. A lower keg where the tap connected which would function and serve to hide the fact that the upper portion of the keg was actually a secret opening.

With that said, Iclos tried to open the secret passage. Was it a place to store something? A potential hiding space? Or possibly an actual passage to another room or an escape route outside?

Naim had once more ignited flames in his hand and comfortably held it aloft as a light source and ready as an attack should one be needed.

He burned away the trailing webs that Jaryn's hands didn't paw through as they went, making sure that the fire didn't spread with his other ability to control nearby fires.

He paused when Iclos called out to them and held ready to react should the passage be trapped in some way and harm the dwarf. "Careful there Iclos... new guy! You any good with traps and locks and the like?"

Saulucian pointed up toward one of the crates and he reached out with his mind and his will. A grey horned owl appeared, wings fluttering as it adjusted its balance from being pulled through to this dimension. "Aryviir, keep a watch for us. Alert me to any people or creatures you see that are not of this party."

Bonus action to summon my familiar from its pocket dimension

"If the door leads further down, it may be best for us to finish the house first, as there's no telling how far down it could lead after the ground below was destroyed. We could end up inside the chasm for days."

Jaryn paused when Iclos spoke up, turning back towards the dwarf. As the priest explained what he had found, Jaryn took time to try and clear the webbing from his hands. He was content to someone else open the secret door while he kept an ear out for any more trouble....or more spiders. He repressed a shudder.

With the revelation that the basement held a secret there was a pause, during which Jaryn scrapped the offending spider webs from his hands and onto a nearby wall while Naim cleared the remaining sticky residue hanging from the ceiling, Iclos had gone over to the secret door and finished what nature had started. the wood was soft beneath his hands and it tore away in pieces. Soon a dwarf sized hole was left and peering inside Iclos confirmed that this was indeed a passage. A roughly hewn stone hallway cut down and to the north in the direction of the river. It was a tight fit for a human, it could be done, but it would require them to hunch, and it was a little too narrow to be comfortable for a broad chested dwarf. But the passage could be navigated. You could vaguely hear the sound of running water echoing up from the revealed passage.


At the same time, Saulucian called forth a familiar. With a flicker of fey-light an owl materialized on the wrecked crates. It perched itself and peered back at them with its wide eyes, then swiveled its head, looking about it as Saulucian had requested. It would be hard for those great yellow eyes to miss anything.

Possible Areas for Exploration

Basement
     Secret Passage!

Main Floor
     Lounge
     Dining Hall
     ???

Upper Floor
     ???

"It's clear this is an addition, not original. Built for secrets, too, I'd say. Smuggling, perhaps."

"Smuggling holes would be a big benefit for an adventurer's guild..." Naim chuckled. "I suppose we should follow it and see where it goes?"

He looked with interest at the owl that Saulucian summoned and contemplated summoning his own, but declined for the time being, one fey spirit was enough for this basement.

"I can be in the back for light or middle with my flames. Whatever works for people."

Jaryn nodded. "Agreed. It could be important."

He thought for a moment as he eyed the hole. "It looks like it would be tight in there..." Then he glanced at the owl that Saulucian had just made appear. "But perhaps roomy for an owl to investigate? If you feel comfortable with that."

"I don't mind sending the owl in. He's incredibly slow when he can't fly, slower than a toddler, and there's not nearly enough room for his six-foot wingspan in there, so we may be sitting and waiting for quite a while. With the size of that tunnel and where it leads being an unknown while the building itself is definitive, I would still suggest we clear the building before we venture down. I'm willing to do it, though."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Tue 20 Apr 2021.

Naim chimed in, "if we want to send a creature through there, I can call a rat or a spider to go explore it. That would be somewhat quicker than a poor owl hopping down a tunnel."

"Or we can brave it ourselves..." he added with a chuckle.

OOC: can use Wild Companion to summon a different kind of familiar that is more suitable to a tunnel passage.

Iclos was happy to have some wizardly familiar explore the tunnel before he crawled in. He wasn't as big as some dwarves, but wore bulky armor. Meanwhile, he stood back and expamined the stone and wood work as best he could, to see if it looked like a sturdy building (other than the floorboards come crashing down).

Jaryn, note that Iclos healed some of your wounds in a previous post.

Jaryn frowned and then nodded slowly. "Hmm. You're right. The owl would not fare well in there." He glanced at Naim and shrugged. "I guess it's up to you since it would be your creature entering? But a rat or spider would definitely feel at home in a tunnel I would imagine. And definitely fit more easily."

He gave another shrug. "Or we go in."

Naim nodded and concentrated for a second and extended his hand, still wreathed in flame, then drew in towards him as he spoke a binding. A slight flicker of wind and the small shadowy form of a spider appeared near the tunnel's entrance. It crawled up the side and started to enter.

"Keep an eye on me, while I look through its senses to see what we can see."

With that, he moved to the side and his eyes went glassy as his sent his senses into the spider's own and abandoned his.

OOC: using wild companion to spend a wild shape to cast find familiar with no components. Summoning a spider (Darkvision 30 ft, Speed 20ft, Climb 20ft; Spider Climb).

I can follow its senses out for 100 ft before losing contact, so will stop it before it goes too too far.

Decided, Naim held out his burning hand. An unfelt breeze rustled the flames and then by the wall a shadow congealed into a spider. At Naim's urging it crept down the revealed passageway and out of sight.

Naim spoke as his eyes formed back into their natural grey rather than the faded sightless grey of displaced senses. "It seems the tunnel goes maybe twenty or so feet through stone to a natural cave with stalagmites and stalagtites both. Also many other ruined boxes down there. It can sense or hear running water but not see it. The cave must be pretty large as the spider can't fully take it all in, and the water is farther away than the range of this ability allows the creature to relay its senses to me."

"So... shall we explore the rest of this building before we delve too deep? and get in trouble? or down down we go first and then explore the building after the fact?"

"Caves and dungeons can be just about any size. The upper floors are bound to the walls and roof. Let's clear them out first, before we go down." Iclos suggested.

Jaryn listened and gave a nod himself, "I agree. I would search the house first before exploring the cave." He gave a shrug. "Who knows how far that goes? That may be more than a day of searching. Or not."

He turned towards the stairs leading up. "Shall we?"

Naim nodded and concentrated. Soon enough the spider he'd called emerged from the tunnel and he motioned for it to climb up the rope and start exploring the first floor while the group found the stairs and went up those to a different part of the house.

"Sounds good," he replied verbally. he held up his hand and the flames lit the surrounding area for those with no ability to see in the dark to have some view of events.

"Since we know the flooring is weak near the front door, we might as well use the stairs here for their stability and leave the rope at the entrance for later in case we need it." Saulucian dismissed his familiar, sending it back to the pocket dimension that it called home when it was not actively in his service. He would bring the bird back later if necessary, but it would be next to useless inside a building.

Iclos was near the front of the party as they moved up the stairs to continue exploring on the first floor.