The small party of five adventurers and a hireling crossed the bridge into the wilderness. They headed into the forest in search of Modnar’s tower. At the edges of the forest they passed foresters and wood colliers. All were able to point the party in the right direction. The woodfolk were unanimous in staying away from the ruined tower due to the sinister creatures often spotted lurking there.

The journey through the forest which for the last mile or so was pathless was however uneventful with no monster or creature threatening the party.

What the party found was that little of the tower remained. A few toppled walls and moss cover flagstones sat in the middle of a clearing. The forest slowly reclaiming it.

OOC Ok I have the marching order as:

FRONT
Derry
Preston, Kara
Devin, Wyndham
BACK

Day 17. Time: 9:00am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement 20’

"Do you think it maybe had a basement?" Devin asked aloud.

He walked toward the tower to survey the stones.  It looked safe enough at the moment.

Before leaving Derry had bid adieu to Ms. Eadwynn Haute, regretting that his present circumstances did not permit him to extend her employment.

Grateful that they had not been waylaid by serpents or engulfed by giant toads, Derry joins Devin in poking about the ruins, looking for a way down since there was no way up, with something approaching a skip to his step.

It soon occurs to him that if they lurk about long enough that "sinister creatures" will probably show up and eat them all, dampening his mood considerably.

OOC 1 SP to pay the toll. 10 GP for a week's worth of rations.

Wyndham clutches his bow like a security blanket and glances around nervously while Devin and Derry survey the ruins.
"Probably a basement somewhere," he says in agreement with Devin.  "Otherwise, the long walk here wouldn't amount to... much."
Sensing Derry's apprehension, he adds, "How much longer before the giant bees or somesuch show up?"

"If the bees show up, then we will dine on royal jelly," Kara says her voice light, clearly happy to finally be exploring the tower ruin. Certain there would be a basement or dungeon, or even a root cellar, she also joined in looking for some concealed entryway; Preston on guard watching for any approaching threats.

DM:

I have the marching order as:
FRONT
Derry
Preston, Kara
Devin, Wyndham
BACK

That puts Kara way too close to the front. If something appears, Derry might not be able to stop them, and she might not be able to use her magic. So, if it is staying like that, than she will move behind Preston. Like so:
FRONT
Derry
Preston
Kara
Devin, Wyndham
BACK

However, I would recommend this:
FRONT
Derry
Devin, Preston
Kara
Wyndham
BACK

Derry and Devin have the best armor, and most enemies are likely to come from the front, so it makes the most sense for the best-protected people to be there.
That also preserves what people wanted- Devin not in the front rank, Windham in the back, Kara in the center-rear.


This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Fri 07 Jan 2022.

The five explorers approached the ruins and found in the centre of what was once the tower’s ground floor was a rusty trapdoor with an attached iron pull ring.

OOC
Day 17. Time: 9:00am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

With an abundance of caution, Wyndham ties one end of his 48' of rope to the iron pull ring. He then steps back about 10' from trapdoor. If there are no objections from the rest of party, Wyndham kindly asks everyone to step back apace. Then he attempts to pull open the trapdoor.

Devin has no objections to standing well back.  He vividly remembered the last time the man had "helped" him out.

In reply to Devin Harper (msg # 8):

"Devin, you're not still sore about that fire-trap thing, are ya? Yeah, sorry about all that. I know it ain't kind to say but the way you erupted in flame and started smoking? Whew! I was fearing some orcs would come by looking for barbecue or somethin'! Good thing I managed to spot that trigger so we didn't blow up again on the way out, eh?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:44, Sat 08 Jan 2022.

Taking heed of his warning, Kara and Preston will step well back.

Kara looks through the ruins to see if anything remains here, hidden and not found since the tower's destruction.
Preston remains on guard.

Devin turned away and gave himself a wider berth from the man.  He'd all but admitted he'd done it on purpose!  It was no wonder they'd all fared so poorly on these sojourns with such backstabbing and ire.

Cautious Wyndham tied his rope to the iron pull ring and at a distance tugged. He heaved and pulled then the trapdoor swung open.

The ruins except for moss and forest debris was bare. The stone worn from what might have been hundreds of years weather and the encroaching forest.

Derry lights a torch and gives it to Kara to hold. Then he sees about descending into the tower's basement if that's what it is.

Taking the torch, Kara stated, "I had been assuming that it had been unexplored, and we would thus be facing golems, undead, and vermin primarily- things that could exist without need of the seal being broken. But it did not look particularly difficult to raise the trapdoor, something one would not expect if it had been unmolested for decades. That might indicate that the checkered bandits, or orcs, or some other such beings might be within."

She looked to the sky. "The storm would have washed away any evidence here on the outside, but as we go in, perhaps tracks in the dust of ages, or the absence of such dust, might suggest if this theory is sound."


(ooc)
I assume Kara found nothing of interest while looking outside? If so, she and Preston will move on with the others.

Wyndham gathers his rope while keeping an eye out for anything resembling an ambush.

The trapdoor open the dwarf Derry went to explore whilst the others prepared themselves.

He found that the open rusty trapdoor led down to the niter encrusted steps of a spiral stairway. It was dark below and the Derry could only see far as the curve of the stairs would allow him.

OOC That’s right, Kara nor anyone else found anything of interest above ground.

Devin lit a torch of his own off of the one Kara held and followed after Derry.

Wyndham followed Devin down the stairs.

Kara followed, with Preston taking the rear. The trapdoor was left open in case they needed to flee immediately.

With the curvature of the stairwell and the niter on the steps, Kara took care not to slip, lest she cause them all to go tumbling down, and cautioned the others to watch their step as well.

As Derry reached about fifteen foot down the stairwell he was warned by Kara to look down and saw a step below slick with slime.

OOC Is it just a niter-slicked step from "The Cask of Amontillado" or something worse?

The slime appears harmless besides the fact that it may cause Derry to slip and fall down the stairs.

Mindful of the niter that has accrued on the stonework, Derry continues his descent. Derry, as a dwarf, has always thought that he had been mindful of such matters but, clearly, his mindfulness isn't as manifest as he had thought it to be.

Wary of the slime covered step the party carefully made their way down the steps. The stairwell ran for thirty foot from the trapdoor above. The steps ended in the centre of an octagonal room, thirty foot by thirty foot. Long corridors ended in darkness to the north, east, south and west. The corridors were all ten foot wide and ten foot in height.

Strands of cobwebs swayed lazily in errant dungeon draughts. The faint smell of chemicals was mixed with must and mildew.

OOC

FRONT
Derry
Devin, Preston
Kara
Wyndham
BACK

Day 17. Time: 9:20am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

"This is a lot more than a cellar," Devin said quietly as he held up his torch to see better.

"Pick a direction?" he proposed to the dwarf.

Kara's thoughts about the slime were similarly wary, that it might be some sort of monstrous ooze, and she was going to offer to pass the torch or an oil flask up. But the dwarf assured them it was harmless, so she just took care with footing as they continued. But she started to take more care looking around and up in case this was some trick to lull them into a false sense of security before the real ooze came out.

Reaching the octagonal room, she took stock of the dimensions. Sh was a bit concerned about the cobwebs and had Preston watch them for spiders, just in case.

When Devin spoke of directions, she held up a finger. "If they are all the same, it does not really matter. But let us first see if there is anything we can determine about the room and the directions. We have a lot of ways to try and gather information first, and caution matters."

Turning to Windham and Derry, assuming they have the keenest senses, she said, "Can you hear anything at all down any of the corridors?"

She also went to each of the corridors and sniffed, trying to see if the chemical smell was stronger at any one of them. "If we can tell where the scent is most prominent, that would be my recommendation, since it might indicate a wizard's laboratory, and we did well in that last laboratory with the books."

She also suggested, "Plus, the stairwell is curved. Devin and I can go up a slight bit around a bend, and Derry can use his infravision to see if he can perceive any rooms, doors, status, signs, or other features down the four exits. Because of the bend, we would not have to go too far away if there is trouble."

Finally, having previously mentioned that the tower might still be in use instead of sealed like she had first assumed, she also examined the floor, and asked if anyone was a skilled tracker. Were there any tracks or other record of travel down any of corridors anyone could see? Or was it dust free?

"And we should also give this room a proper search. Not knowing if the tower is occupied or unoccupied, there might be some hidden treasure or feature here as well."


(ooc)
Kara was kind of tagging along on what she saw as Fiene's quest in Stonehell proper, but she is quite invested in the tower, and sees it as much more personal a quest. Consequently, she is clearly giving things a lot more thought as we go! Hopefully her caution is not too overwhelming for anyone! ^_^
This message was last edited by the player at 00:03, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Derry's pretty sure that each direction will lead to trouble, for trouble was their business even if it made reliably short work of them.

Derry follows the new pit boss's instructions to the letter.

"Sounds good to me, boss," say Wyndham as he takes a few steps into the northern corridor before holding still and listening intently. If he hears nothing of interest he'll make his way clockwise to each corridor and give each a listen.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:00, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Whilst the others hid halfway up the stairs the pair of Derry and Wyndham lurked below in the darkness.

Wyndham using what senses he could in the darkness smelt rotting manure to the north, a stronger odour of chemicals to the south and nothing peculiar to the east or west.

Derry his infravision becoming keener as the darkness returned to the dungeon and he could see much further.

To the north he saw a doorway twenty foot to the east, the corridor then carried onward fifty foot before turning east,

To the east and west the corridor carried onward beyond his sight.

To the south he saw openings thirty foot to the east and fifty foot to the west, the corridor carried onwards to the south.

The dungeon was ill kempt with cobwebs strewn about, however the stone flagstones gave little away to whether others have recently travelled this way.

OOC

Day 17. Time: 9:30am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Rejoining the others after the investigation has been completed, she asked in confirmation, "So, nothing east or west, dung to the north, and chemicals to the south?" With that, she then she speculated on a few things.

"No layer of dust on the cobblestones definitely suggests this place is being used regularly, rather than being newly unsealed. So it is probable looting has already occurred here. On the bright side, my sleep spell is effective on bandits and orcs, rather than on golems and undead, so that gives us a potent weapon as we continue."

She frowned, "As for the manure- perhaps a privy, or a small farming area for something that does not need sun, like mushrooms, for the inhabitants to eat? Hmm. Did anyone encounter any valuable or dangerous fungus in Stonehell?"

Continuing, "I would suggest we follow the chemical scent south and hope for another laboratory that has not been looted. The scent is a good sign something of that sort is still present, or at least that there are reagents and supplies we might salvage and sell."

Then, with a shrug, she added, "Fingers crossed that it is not some airborne poison."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Derry would have stomped straight for the privy or mushroom yard or whatever it was that reeked of shit. There were already knee deep in it, so why not make it official?

Instead, he nods to the boss lady and leads the others twenty feet to the south, lets his eyes readjust, and peers down the eastern corridor.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

From the back of the marching order Wyndham stage whispers up to Derry: "Don't forget to keep an eye out for traps 'n flagstone triggers!"

Kara added to that with, "And up as well. Cobwebs do not just form out of nothing. Given all the other bugs we saw in Stonehell, it is a good bet that spiders are about."

"Do you want to go on ahead to get out of the torch light?" Devin asked the dwarf quietly from right behind him.  Right behind him holding a lit torch.

Derry headed south. The turned to the east abruptly ended at a door five foot in. The wooden door was closed. The south the corridor continued onwards into darkness. On the west side twenty foot further along there was an opening to the west.

At the rear Wyndham’s keen senses heard following them and he was sure it was very close, within twenty foot. Looking back everyone agreed that something was there but was unsure what it was. It appeared more like a trick of the light than any obvious change in the dungeon. The glint of the torchlight reflecting off an invisible surface.

OOC

Day 17. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 2 turns
Devins torch 2 turns

To Derry this is one more in a long line of troubling developments which could only mean more trouble. He sighs. Lugubriously, he retrieves his wineskin, approaches the presence, and attempts to splash it with burgundy.

"That, my friend, is a sad waste of fine spirits," says Wyndham, waggling a flask of oil. "If our transparent trespasser isn't interested in a toddy, I recommend something more flaming."

OOC
Wyndham prepares to light a flask of oil to throw at the unseen creature.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Wed 12 Jan 2022.

Kara retreated down the south behind the others to put some distance between herself and the semi-invisible thing. The east would leave her trapped, unless the door was opened, and without knowing what was there, she did not want to open the door in case more trouble was right behind it. Preston with her in case something approached from the south.

She then took out an oil flask as well. "If it still approaches, perhaps we can pour the oil on the floor in front of it and set it alight, rather than risk an errant throw?"

Devin also kept going south with his torch to stay in front of their female companion.  He had no idea what the others were looking at or what they were on about.  There wasn't anything behind them that he could see.

Whatever unknown monster lurked behind them, none of the party had heard any footsteps. Derry dashed toward it and splashed the corridor with wine. Wyndham stood ready with his oil as Kara, Preston and Devin retreated south. As Derry went north, both torches went south and the dwarf was plunged into darkness.

The dwarf heard the wine strike against a soft surface but in the darkness could not see what effect it had if any. Then he felt the impact of something soft and squishy push against him, fortunately for now he was able to keep it at bay with his shield.

OOC I’ve assumed that Kara and Preston are the furthest away as Devin will be moving slower. With their movement south it will plunge Derry into darkness.

The monster missed its attack against Derry. Next round please!

Day 17. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 2 turns
Devins torch 2 turns

With Devin inexplicably going south despite everyone clearly focusing on a problem to the north, Kara has Preston move back ahead of her, since Devin could now be the one to worry about anything coming from the south.

She hands Preston the oil flask, with instructions to throw it at the target if the unknown creature was set afire, and she takes out another one herself.


(ooc)
I was not clear enough in my post. Kara is not going that far south and was not continuing to go south. When I said behind the others, that was it, the total distance she was going. She moved just to get to the other side of the group so she is not in the melee range, since that is the last place a mage should be. But she definitely is not abandoning anyone or leaving them in the dark. She is only planning on fleeing if we all do so.

Her comment about pouring the oil out was to Wyndham, so she has to be somewhat close to them. Again, I was not clear on that. My statement about the oil was right after Wyndham had been talking about it, so it was clear in my mind she was talking to him, but looking back it is easy to see how this was not clear either.

So, she was behind Derry and Wyndham (leaving neither in the dark), and had Preston behind her in case things came from the south. (But having Preston move up ahead of her this post).

Devin would actually be the furthest away, since he went south further than she did (he said he was trying to stay ahead of her).

I will try to be more clear!
This message was last edited by the player at 08:55, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

OOC -- Assuming Kara and Devin are still close enough with their light sources

"Derry! Quit playing with that thing so I can light it up!" shouts Wyndham.

With some torchlight from Kara's torch Derry watched as his wine hit an invisible wall and splashed across it. The wine stained wall moved south, trying to engulf the dwarf.

OOC I'll add more info if needed after everyone's declared.

Satisfied in a small way, Derry retreats until he's in front of the true floor boss, Kara. Once there he retrieves a flask of oil from his pack.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:50, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

Holding his torch high, Devin looks in both directions, south and west, to see if either looked more favorable for retreat should they need it.  He still wasn't sure what was going on behind them.

He often felt at a disadvantage in the depths of these passages.  It often felt as if he had missed being issued a tome of every creature they'd be likely to find in Stonehell, their descriptions, weaknesses, and strengths.  As only an Acolyte of Auril of the lowest level, he would have to have faith that he would gain such experience through time and hard work.

With Derry safely behind, Wyndham hurls 2 flaming vials of oil on the floor ahead of him before retreating to the back of the group.

The dwarf Derry held his ground and the nearly invisible rolled forward in an attempt to crush him.

Wyndham, Kara and Preston all stood ready with flasks of oil. Devin saw that the corridors were empty to the west and south.

OOC The monster won Initiative. It attacked Derry and hit AC -4 for 5 damage and save versus Paralysis. Derry may not attack as he declared a Retreat but he may move his full 20’ movement.

Wyndham can only throw or pour one flask per round. If the flask if poured on the ground it will create a 3 foot pool of oil. How is Wyndham planning on lighting the oil? Are Preston and Kara pouring/throwing their oil too?

Neither quite wholly dissolved nor engulfed, Derry lurches away as he had intended to do before having been nearly wholly dissolved and engulfed.

10:13, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 19 using 1d20.  save vs paralysis.

Wyndham empties a flask then chases after the dwarf.
"Torch it, please!" says Wyndham as he rushes past Kara.

Wounded Derry beat a hasty retreat and reached the front line of the party. Wyndham more fleet of foot ran southward, he emptied his oil flask as he went. Preston switched places with Kara as she lit the pool of oil between them and the monster.



OOC That’s the end of the round. Declare your actions!

I made a few assumptions and was flexible with the order of movements/actions etc but felt the overall outcome made sense.

Derry empties his flask of oil to help the fire spread and then skedaddles as far south as he is able -- if a dwarf could be said to skedaddle which this one assuredly cannot in his partially dissolved state.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:20, Fri 14 Jan 2022.

"What are you fighting?" Devin asked Wynham once he'd caught up.  He was glad at least, that whatever it was, it was slower than they were.

The acolyte wondered if they'd been ensorcelled to see some phantom illusion that he'd escaped.

In reply to Devin Harper (msg # 52):
"Fighting? Running more like. Some cube thing. Invisible to the eye and has a hankering for fresh dwarf. We'll soon see how it likes being cooked in oil."

"Devin, regardless of what it is, if you see everyone else fighting, perhaps asking what we see and staying to see what it is, instead of wandering away without a word, would be more fruitful. It would definitely be more appreciated."

Attention back on the cube, "Perhaps if we all hit it with everything we have before it gets here."

She and Preston stepped back about ten feet, then threw oil flasks at the thing if they had a lit flask (or if they could be lit from the torch or flames in front of them then thrown).

If not, they would instead move south twenty feet and light the oil to throw next round.



(ooc)
Since Preston did not do anything last round, could he have lit the oil flask he carries to throw this round?

If possible, I would prefer to throw then move, but if the combat order sequence cannot be modified then thy will move than throw as mentioned.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:47, Sat 15 Jan 2022.

Everyone retreated from the oncoming unseen monster. Derry dumped a flask of oil on the flagstones. At the fore of the party Kara and Preston lit their oil from her torch and tossed them toward the abomination. Kara flask when straight and with combined with Wyndham’s and Derry’s oil created a wall of flame. Preston’s flask went awry and flaming oil spilled out in corridor between the party and the gelatinous cube.

The monster did not pause in its advance. The creature oozed and slimed its way forward until it reached the flaming oil. The creature’s invisible flesh bubbled and burnt but it did not stop it crawl toward them.



OOC Party won Initiative and their plan was executed. Declare for next round.

Preston had an instruction last round and he and followed it. Although whether he lit the flask this round or last round wouldn’t make a difference.

Watching in horror as the blob rolled over the flaming oil, Wyndham heeded Kara's words and beat a hasty retreat east.

Devin could finally see they were actually fighting something as the invisible surface bubbled and cracked as it continued towards them.  As the oil seemed to be working, he continued to back up south to stay ahead of it.

Backpedaling, Derry attempts to extend his lifespan a few more steps.

Kara and Preston went south- Kara her full distance (in a combat turn), Preston trailing right behind to engage the cube with weapon if it was speedier than expected, and not melted down by the other fire spot.

While Preston stood ready, Kara got out her last oil flask readying to throw as soon as possible

(ooc)

Wyndham:

Wyndham heeded Kara's words and beat a hasty retreat east.

While east through the door was an earlier suggestion, we are a bit below that now. Did you mean south, or is Windham actually going to try to reach that door now?

Edit- based on the below, it seems it is no longer a concern. ^_^
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Sun 16 Jan 2022.

The monster, now aflame, continued in it's almost mindless pursuit of the party. It oozed toward them. The oil spat and slime melted, the creature’s size dwindling as it was burnt away until finally it collapsed into a large puddle of smoking clear ooze.

OOC Day 17. Time: 9:50am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 3 turns
Devins torch 3 turns

"What was that?" Devin asked as the thing collapsed.  He tried to peer south to see if another might be approaching from the other direction.

Responding to Devin, she said, "That's the trash collector."

It was a relief to see the cube dissolve. She waited a moment to ensure it was still not active, then she and Preston cautiously approached it, looking for any remaining sign of life, and poked any of the larger bits with the torch that might be considered threatening. They were careful not to touch any of it, but looked to see if there was anything in the remains that might be of value for the group to sell.

Looking to the dwarf, she asked, "Derry, how are you feeling? Can you continue, or is the injury too severe?"
Considering options, she said, "If you can continue, then I suggest we go back up and try that door to the east. I still have my spell, and it is close to the entrance in case we have to flee."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Sun 16 Jan 2022.

A search of the slimy remains found nothing.

"Lousier than usual," Derry replies. "I think the fetid odor comes from me."

OOC Derry will wait from healing from one of Devin's scrolls. Should he receive it, he will open the eastern door he had been at before the arrival of the cube.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:09, Sun 16 Jan 2022.

Devin didn not offer to read a scroll on behalf of the dwarf.

"Let Wyndam and I take the lead," Devin told the injured dwarf.  He waved for Wyndam to check the door they were looking at.

He held the torch high for the other man to take a look at the door.

Derry shrugs and takes Devin's place in line for trouble unless trouble were to approach from the rear as it often was wont to do.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:18, Sun 16 Jan 2022.

Wyndham stared unblinking at Devin for a beat before breathing out a heavy sigh. With a minimum amount of drama he attempted to open the door.

With Wyndham moving up, Kara had move to and Preston watch the rear. Still wary of the webs they had seen, she reminded him and the others to be wary of spiders that might come from above.

The door opened to reveal a room thirty foot by thirty foot. There was another door on the eastern wall in the south corner. Along all four walls were wooden tables covered with tools of unknown design. A faint hint of chlorine hung in the air. In the middle of the room equal distance apart were three stone slabs roughly seven foot long with rusty restraints. Everything in the room was dusty.

Kara had Preston guard the door they had just come in, lest something try to enter after them. "That scent, if it does not get too strong, is a good thing. Perhaps we are closer to a lab or supply room."

She looked to see if there were any tracks in or through the dust. If not, she asked, "Wyndham, do you think you could listen to the other door to try to hear if there is anything ahead? Given the dust, it seems unlikely, but better to be sure. Or maybe Derry- are dwarven ears keener than human ones?"

She went to check the tools. "Are any of you skilled in tool use? If so, perhaps we can divine their use and value." If they were tools used for arcane purposes, she felt confident that she could determine their worth. If they were used for mundane purposes, then someone else would be better at doing so.

"I'll have a listen," says Wyndham as he makes his way to the other door. On the way he pauses to  examine some of the tools to see if he can guess their use. Pointing at the rust restraints he says, "They're likely for carving up the unlucky wretches on the slabs, and they muust have been still kicking, too."
Wyndham listens at the door.

Upon examination the tools were as old and rusty as the restraints on the stone slabs. Some of the tools were simple cutting blades, spoons or tongs, other were bizarre and unidentifiable, possibly for some magical experimentation. Their state of disrepair and neglect made them unusable.

At the door Wyndham heard nothing.

OOC Day 17. Time: 10:00am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 4 turns
Devins torch 4 turns

Derry doesn't have a proper response to this question. When closing his eyes to feign sleep, he can still hear Fiene's muffled screams as he had gone headfirst into the toad's maw. He's pretty sure that's not what she's asking about.


It is with confidence that he answers the burglar:

"Of course, they were," Derry concurs, his rich baritone freighted with the pain of his near dissolution. "All the worst things happen when you're alive."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:16, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

Kara gave a wry smile. "That depends on if you think it is worse for the victim or the ghoul."

She takes two of the unidentifiable tools and packs them away. "While they all seem to be useless, Dagunn Rakel might see a value in them that we don't, even if just as a curiosity or historical artifact. It is not the best idea to load up on these if they turn out to just be junk, but one or two to determine her interest would not be amiss. If she likes these, then perhaps we can try to come back for more later. Maybe even take a few more when we depart if nothing else is found."

Turning back to the room, she added, "As a torture/experimentation room, it seems unlikely they would put secret doors in here that someone might use to slip out, but if someone wants to take the time to look, we can stay. Otherwise, with no trails to be found, perhaps we should continue on through the silent door and look for the source of the scent."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Tue 18 Jan 2022.

"Let's keep going while we still have the light," Devin pointed out.  "I only have the one torch."

He made sure the door was closed behind them before putting on his shield and lining up with Wyndham.  Shield on one arm, torch in the other hand.

'Derry, if you're done staunching your grievous wounds, let's go."
Wyndham pushes open the door, anticipating a horde of shambling, albeit silent, undead ex-torture victims.

A few of the rusty tools packed away in Kara’s pack and the party then delved further into the dungeon. Wyndham opened the door.

There was a very short corridor, ten foot long and twenty foot wide. As well as the opened door there was another door to the south going west.

To the east the room opened up to be thirty foot by thirty, although not wholly square, in the northeast corner at an angle stood a ten foot upright ring. The steel ring was incomplete, a quarter missing. The missing section rested upon a wooden stand close by.

The room looked empty, and Kara was curious about the ring, and if anything would happen if it was completed. Those needed good examination. However, it would not do to be surprised while so searching, so she whispered to Wyndham, "Can you hear anything through the south door?"

If so, they might have to deal with that problem first.
If not, and it was quiet, they could search the east room in earnest, with Preston guarding from the room's entrance, keeping an eye on the two doors.

Kara also tried to determine if the scent was stronger to the south, or to the east from the room.

Wyndham dutifully listens at the south door. If he hears nothing, he will investigate the piece of ring resting on the stand. He searches for anything resembling a trap or a guardian or creature waiting to pounce.

At the door Wyndham heard nothing.

In the room Kara examined the steel ring. She saw that the incomplete ring was made of nine smaller sections linked together. Each section inscribed with some kind of glyph. The glyph gilded in a silvery metal.

Wyndham when he went to look at the missing piece found it was made of three smaller sections linked together. The wooded stand was buckled and warped beneath the weight of the steel section. A silver gilded glyph was on each of the three sections.

OOC Day 17. Time: 10:10am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 5 turns
Devins torch 5 turns

Wyndham flexes his under-developed muscles and asks the group:
"Could I get a hand lifting this thing to see if we can fit it on the rest of the ring over there? I expect it will open a portal to a plane full of demons, but who can resist finding out?"

Standing in the middle of the irregularly shaped room, Derry wonders aloud with his own rumination upon the chamber of vivisection, "Did heaven look on, and would not take their part?" -- repeating words he had heard from a performance about a fate-tossed usurper.

He suggests they copy the glyphs and decipher them back at the inn before inviting in a diabolic host.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Tue 18 Jan 2022.

Presumably Kara could not determine if the scent was stronger or lesser either direction. So she looked closer at the ring, and tried to determine the metal it is made from. Silvery could be many things- from silver itself for one, to platinum for another, although she doubted that they would be so lucky. "Derry- do you recognize this type of metal at all? The smaller one seemed to be silver. Is this silver as well, or something else? Is it valuable, do you think?"

On the debate about what to do with the ring, she opined, "I admit that curiosity has the better of me. I'd also like to see what happens if we put it together now, although it might not be safe. So perhaps we leave it up to Devin? We assemble it if he thinks it worthwhile, but do not do so if he prefers caution? That way we only take the risk if the majority agrees."

"But whether we assemble it or not, we should try to take as much of it back to town as we can. Dagunn might find it valuable, but if not, then at least what we know is silver will be worth it."

She went over and started to tap the walls. "We should also consider the possibility of secret or hidden passages. If it does summon something or open a portal, another exit from here might have been useful for the summoner."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:12, Tue 18 Jan 2022.

"I think we should see if we can figure out what the ring does before playing with it," he stated as his opinion.  "We don't know if this may have even caused the demise of the tower whilst still incomplete.

"Who knows what will happen if we complete it.  Let's just keep searching and we can ask about it later when we find someone who might know what it does."

He went to the quiet door and waited for the others to give up .

"Fair enough," she replied when Devin gave his opinion. "No putting it together for now. But I still think we should take the silver glyphs with us instead of leaving them behind. The ceiling is sound enough, so this is unlikely to have been the source of the explosion that destroyed the tower. Plus, I will need to have them nearby if I am to try to read the glyphs with a spell. Dagunn might also need to see them. And beyond all that, so far, they seem to be the only thing of genuine worth we have found. And if we go explore elsewhere right now, we might not have the chance to take them from the steel structure to bring with us later."

She looked at Wyndham and Derry. "What do you think? Should we leave it be or take them with us? If you also think to leave it, then it seems we leave it be. But if not, we should start taking them off while we have the time to do so before something wanders by or we go exploring other areas."

Since Devin was now out and could guard the doors, she called Preston into the room. He could either help with the removal if the others agreed on doing so, but if not, he could help her search for secret passages or similar things if they elected to leave the structure entirely alone.


(ooc)
Edited to specifically refer to the glyphs, due to the clarification below. That assumes the glyphs can be removed, which might not be the case, since it was said they are inscribed (although some are only stated to be 'on'. In the case of non-removability, she is suggesting trying to scrape out or off of what can be taken of the silver.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:43, Wed 19 Jan 2022.

The smell of chemicals was present amongst the smell of must and mildew everywhere. The hint of chlorine was stronger in the room with the three stone slabs.

The walls behind and around the ring appeared the same as the rest of the dungeon. Made of stone and rising twelve foot to the ceiling.

The sections of the steel ring were very heavy. The gilded glyphs were made of silver.

(ooc)
Edited my last post due to the clarification.

The silver can be scraped off the steel but this will take time.

"I can't imagine any scenario where we wouldn't want to reassemble the ring but if you want to leave it till later..." Wyndham shrugs.
"In any case, I wouldn't risk ruining the glyphs. They're probably important in helping the reconnected ring do its thing. I guess we're going then?"

Having found no indication of hidden passages, and the consensus being to leave the ring as is, Kara raised hands in a shrug. "It seems so. Lead on, Macduff, and hope we do not have to lay on."

Then quieter to herself, "I wonder where that just came from..."

^_^

It was Macduff who had blasphemed and Derry who had repeated him, but it was Wyndam who was to lead on, Derry still being preoccupied with sloughing off bits of himself.

Derry looks at the 10' steel ring. It's not going anywhere. Even the quarter ring looks to be more than he can shoulder. He still tries to store it in his pack before following the others through the as of yet untried door in this room.

The steel ring was big and heavy. Each of its nine sections was a solid block of steel weighting about five hundred pounds. It was possible that Derry might roll one into his backpack but very unlikely he’d ever pick his backpack up afterwards.

Investigation of the room complete Devin opened the next door. The room was twenty foot by thirty foot and full of barrels, crates and boxes. In the middle of the room was an uneven, bloodstained heap of cloth.

OOC 500lbs is 5000coins

Kara remained wary of spiders as they entered, and was even more so when she saw what was in the room. No apparent webs, but certainly many places for one to hide.

The bloodstained cloth was also a concern. She speculated, "The remains of a former adventurer? Something small and dangerous? Let us see if something wicked this way comes..." She tossed a dagger at it to see if anything stirred from underneath.


(ooc)
She is not throwing the dagger like one would in combat, but lofting it up to cause anything under the cloth to stir when it lands.

The steel ring is definitely bigger and heavier than imagined. We can probably forgo the idea of taking it back to town. But should revisit putting it together, or scraping the silver from it when we decide to depart.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:19, Thu 20 Jan 2022.

Wyndham searches the boxes and crates for anything interesting.

Yes, hopefully without giving anything away think Stargate in size, style and proportion.

Devin waited to see if anything scuttled from the cloth before venturing too far into the room.

Taking even a quarter section of the ring would be impractical. Derry abandons the notion but does commit as many of the glyphs as possible to memory. He has always had a head for runes, which aren't all that different, he has always thought.

Taking the measure of the new room, Derry amends Kara's warning, "Something wicked this way always comes."

"Or something wicked in here lies."

"Or something wicked made this here lie."

If nothing else commands his attention, he will search the crates, boxes, and barrels.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Thu 20 Jan 2022.

From the way the dagger landed on the heap suggested that something solid lay underneath.

Wyndham and Derry began to rummage in the barrels and crates. They saw that they contained mundane materials, like coal, rusted iron, rotted canvas, earthenware jugs, they did not have time to explore further when a giant spider emerged from amongst the boxes. The spider was five long its colour was very similar to the colour of the boxes.



OOC Neither party are surprise. Declare your actions.

Wyndham backs up to the wall and lets loose an arrow.

21:27, Today: Wyndham rolled 1 using 1d6.  Wyndham damage.
21:25, Today: Wyndham rolled 9 using 1d20+2.  Wyndham shoots an arrow.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:29, Thu 20 Jan 2022.

Derry shoulders up to the overly nourished arachnid and slices at one of hits eight legs, his sword glancing off its steely bristles.

14:38, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 8,7 using d20+1,d8+1.  Derry attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:41, Thu 20 Jan 2022.

It was only the one spider so Devin threw his torch at it before drawing his hammer and closing the distance.  His shield was held low against the creature's ire.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 8 using 1d20.  Torch throw! Thaco 19. More of a distraction and to free up his hammer hand.

Kara threw another dagger, this one at the spider, and unlike bbfore, intending harm to the target.

She told Preston to move forward and join the others engaging in melee.


(ooc)
Kara rolled a 12, so fingers crossed. If she hit, it was for 4 points of damage!
Preston, if he can attack, rolled a 2, so missed for certain.

Before the spider could attack it was surrounded. Despite being outnumbered none of its attackers managed to hit it. The giant spider reared up and struck at the dwarf but it missed too.



OOC Declare actions!

Wyndham hisses in frustration as his arrow flies wide of its mark.
09:34, Today: Wyndham rolled 4,4 using 1d20+2,1d6 ((2,4)).

Derry circles round until he finds an opening when the spider gratuitously hisses at the hapless Preston.

10:01, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 14,9 using d20+1,d8+1.  R#2.
Hits AC 5 for 9 dmg
Kara: If you move to within 10', you'll get +1 to your throw

Worried about being poisoned once again, Devin doesn't even come close to hitting the spider while hiding behind his shield.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 1,5 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

Kara yells for Preston try to maneuver behind the spider while he attacks. Perhaps if it is being attacked on all sides, it will find it harder to defend itself.

She herself stays in place, both to keep distance from the spider, but also to keep an ear out if other visitors come down the hallway.


(ooc)
Preston rolls an 11 to hit, 4 for damage if he hits.

Kara rolls a 19 to hit and a 3 for damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Sun 23 Jan 2022.

Quicker than the giant crab spider Kara threw her dagger true and then Derry finished it off with a swing of his sword.

As the spider curled up to die the party’s torches flickered and went out. They were in darkness!

OOC Day 17. Time: 10:20am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Darkness!

"Derry, please keep watch while we get a light again," Kara said, taking out her tinderbox and lighting another torch. If successful, she then went to rcover her daggers.

With no other threats attacking them in the darkness Kara successfully lit another torch.

"Thank Auril we got it before the torches went out," Devin exhaled thankfully.

Hoping it was the only creature in the room, Devin slid his hammer back into his belt and leaned his shield against the wall to help search the containers in the room for anything of interest.

The elation Derry feels after they have killed the crab spider is like the elation a fly must feel after it has freed itself from one sticky strand only to be caught in another after one frantic beating of its wings.

Could the answer be to introduce more flies into this web? Or more rabbits? Pet rabbits?

He helps the other complete the search of the room, using his sword to flick off the cloth from the blood-emitting thing beneath.

The party recovered from the giant spider’s attack and with Kara’s torchlight began to explore the store room again.

When Derry moved the cloth he revealed the mangled half eaten corpse of an elf. The cloth had been the unfortunate elf’s cloak.

Amongst the containers besides the mundane stores of coal, rusted iron, rotten canvas and various tools Devin found two things of interest.

The first being a tin box that contained five silver rods.

The second being that the boxes in the south east corner were all nailed together.

OOC Day 17. Time: 10:30am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Wyndham searches the nailed-together boxes for traps, concealed passageways (and spiders).

Derry offers Wyndham his crowbar to help remove the nails.

He searches the corpse of the elf for anything that might not have been ingested. He has heard that elves never leave their glades without their special cloaks.

The corpse of the elf was mangled but Derry found on it a belt pouch of coins.

Wyndham found that the nailed together boxes were on a pivot in the corner. It allowed all the boxes to be moved at once to reveal the east wall.

Derry counts the coins, thinking maybe he'll have enough to sleep inside tonight. He adds them to the five silver rods he had earlier grabbed.

He then turns to Wyndham, "Alright, man, let's see if there's a reason for that bit of deception."

Kara had Preston guard the door, watching for any incoming trouble.

If Derry had not picked up the cloak, Kara did so, and tried it on to see if it did anything of obvious note. If it turns out to be an elven cloak, it would definitely be of use to Wyndham to assist on getting the drop on enemies from behind, or for Derry for times he explores ahead of the torchlight. If it did nothing of obvious note, it was still worth bringing, as Dagunn Rakel might be able to determine if it had any enchantments.

Derry was already counting the coins, but Kara also asked if anyone could guess how much the rods might be worth. Between the rods and coins, and scraping silver from the glyphs, they might have gathered enough to go back to town so Derry could rest and heal, as well as buy more oil so that next time they could rest here.

The tools Devin had uncovered- did any of them seem useable, and therefore perhaps salable? If so, she suggested they be taken as well.

She agreed with Derry. Pivoting, nailed-together boxes neatly covering a wall definitely suggested there was more to this. She would assist them in looking for hidden openings/doors/safeways/vaults/etc.

Wyndham pivots the boxes to reveal what he will of the east wall.

Devin examined the tools to see if any were in better shape than the ones Kara was already carrying from the previous room.

The elf’s pouch contained ninety five copper pieces. The silver rods would be worth their weight in silver. The cloak was blood stained and torn in a few places but otherwise wearable. When worn by Kara she did not feel any different nor look any different to her companions. The tools and other supplies when examined by Devin were either rusted or rotten.

The nailed together boxes swung on their pivot easily, much like a door, however when Wyndham opened the ‘door’ all he revealed was a ten foot plain stone wall to the east.

"There's got to be something here. Derry. could you please help me search?"
Wyndham looks for anything resembling  a secret door or passageway"

Derry senses the fey mistress's eyes upon him, the parts that are still there and the parts that are not.

He joins Wyndham in an intimate examination of the exposed stonework. He has been told that stonework can hold no secrets from a dwarf. He is a dwarf. There is stonework. Ergo, it can hide nothing from him.

A search of the wall by Wyndham and Derry found nothing out of the ordinary.

OOC How long do you want to keep searching?

Day 17. Time: 10:40am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Wyndham extends his search to include the floor area for another turn.
"There's got to be something here!"

Derry surmises that there must be a hidden lever or switch in the room and says as much. He asks Preston to close the door and stand guard there while the rest of them search along the other walls, for starters, for a mechanism.

"Maybe we should just check out the rest of what's down here to see if there's anything easier to find?" Devin suggested.

With only the one torch, it was difficult for them all to search at once.  The swinging shelf could have also just been a convenience for making space in the room while also allowing it to be utilized wherever it could swing.

It wasn't as if they needed to solve every perceived riddle the moment they thought they had one.  He fully expected this wouldn't be their last trip out here.  Especially if they were going to haul those chunks of metal back to town.

"I dunno. The easy stuff is either already gone or junk that no one wants, like those rusty tools," says Wyndham, lighting one of his torches from Devin's.
"But if we don't find something soon, there's no point wasting more time here."

"I agree with Wyndham that there is something here. It beggars belief to think someone would nail this together and make it so easily pivotable for no reason at all. There has to be something." She brought the torch closer to the wall and floor Wyndham was searching, agreeing with him again that checking the floor was just as important as searching the wall, and assisting him with both areas.

"I would be skeptical of a hidden switch elsewhere- we pivoted this ourselves, and rather easily. It would seem that if there was a needed hidden lever, it would have been more difficult to have done so. So, we should try to find and open whatever was hidden on our own, here." she continued as she searched, then added to Derry, "Besides, even if there is a device to open something, whatever is opened will be here. So we should concentrate on finding where and what it is first, and then worry about a lever or mechanism afterwards, if it is needed."

She left Preston guarding the door if Devin was helping search.
If Devin had stopped searching, then she had Preston come over and help her and Wyndham try to find whatever was hidden here.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:21, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

Determined to solve the riddle of the nailed together boxes Derry began a search for lever whilst Wyndham, Kara and Preston searched closer to the boxes. Their searching found nothing yet.

OOC Day 17. Time: 10:50am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 2 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 1 turn

Kara was convinced there was something to be found, but Devin was right in that they could not stay here forever. So, she suggested, "Lets all make one more concerted search on the wall and floor here. If we find nothing, then we move elsewhere."

Derry often finds himself unable to follow the thread of Kara's thoughts and this time is no different. He decides to concentrate on the key words: "device" and "opening" and "here." The device that brings about an opening must be here. He continues to search for it.

Since it would get them out of there, Devin succumbed to the search and helped look around.

Despite all proof to the contrary no one found anything resembling a door, lever or anything hidden in the room, on the wall or on the floor.

OOC Day 17. Time: 11:00am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 3 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 2 turn

Kara gave a light shrug. "A mystery for another time."

With no other doors in this section, they would have to go back out to the north-south hallway. But before doing so, she asked the others, "Do you want to stop and scrape the silver from the glyphs first? I imagine if we do not do it now, it will not be done at all before we leave. When we make the decision to go, we are normally in such a state that exiting as quickly as possible is the only safe thing to do."

Maybe he had chosen the wrong words from her peroration? Should he have chosen "concentration" and "hidden" and "mechanism"?

Since Kara had given them the option of declining her shaving request, he does so. If there's shaving to be done, she ought to do it on her own.

OOC Back to the main southern corridor and down 20 feet to the western corridor leading off of it.

"My opinion is not to mess with the glyphs until we try reconnecting the ring. Instead of opening a portal to the demonic planes, we might inadvertently release something much worse, like angels." Wyndham shudders involuntarily.

"Let's leave the circle for another time," Devin said.  "We have plenty of silver from the rods.  Much more than we'd get scraping it off."

He was ready to follow Wyndahms torch whichever way they went.

She disliked walking away from an obvious source of wealth, especially as they had already done so with the slime wall. And she would have been perfectly happy to be the one to do the glyph scraping. But the others preferred to wait or avoid it completely, so, she pressed the issue no more. She and Preston joined the others in continuing on.

Once they reached the north-south hallway again, she suggested they continue to follow it south. If the western-branching corridor had a door in it, they could go explore it, but otherwise, she suggested they keep continuing south. "It also keeps it an easy exit route if we need to flee- go straight north to the stairs."

The party left the mysteries of the boxes and the steel ring behind. They headed south as far as the junction and Derry heard some footsteps to the west.



OOC Day 17. Time: 11:00am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 3 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 2 turn

Almost as a matter of course, Derry backs up around the corner, retrieves his last flask of oil, and then empties it on the ground in front of him. It has always seemed to come to that, so why wait until it might be too late?

OOC We all back up into the N/S hallway and then around the corner. If another empties a flask, we can cover the span of the western hallway.

Wyndham follows Derry's example and likewise empties a flask of oil then readies his torch.
"Does Ooze make footsteps?"

"Any time you hear footsteps, it is our doom approaching," answers Derry. Derry always hears footsteps, sometimes louder than others. He does not say this.

Devin backs up with everyone else and makes sure his shield and hammer are out and ready.

Kara and Preston also back up, opening the door they had just come through. Before Derry and Wyndham dump their oil, she whispers, "Why not just go right back inside, shut the door, and wait for them to pass? There is no reason to get into a pointless fight when there is little to gain from it. Let it wander away somewhere else. With little of interest where we just came from, they are unlikely to be heading there."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:05, Sat 29 Jan 2022.

The line was drawn, Wyndham and Derry laid their trap for whatever might lurk in the darkness. Kara and Preston prepared their escape plan. Then out of the darkness came a large white haired ape, its eyes red. When it saw the thief and the dwarf it stopped in surprise.

OOC The ape is surprised, so you can have a free round if you wish to initiate combat.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:12, Sat 29 Jan 2022.

Wyndham lights the spilt oil with his torch.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:16, Sat 29 Jan 2022.

Derry plants his feet, ready to strike the red-eyed ape as soon as it is within reach of his blade.

Wyndham successfully lit the oil and a wall of flames separated the party from the albino ape.

OOC Declare your actions and I’ll roll Initiative.

Tucked behind the corner, Derry's ready to attack should the ape brave the flames.

14:13, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 12,6 using d20+1,d8+1.  Ape Attack.

"That won't keep it back for long," Devin said, gripping his hammer.  "If it doesn't run, maybe we should."

If it did leap through the flames, Devin would strike beside the dwarf.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 18,2 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

The whoosh of the flames attracted the attention of the ape which came forward to within twenty foot of Derry and Devin. Close up the ape was large and it raised itself up to beat on its chest.

OOC Next round.

Derry scampers away from the King of the Western Corridor, back towards Kara.

OOC Continue retreating until behind the door to the portal room.

Devin followed the retreat.

Wyndham pales at the chest-beating display and beats a hasty retreat with the others.

Preston shut the door once everyone was safely inside, and then pressed (or pulled) against it to keep it sealed, in case the ape followed.

"Hopefully it goes another direction, but since it now has an idea we are about, it might follow. In case it does, perhaps we should have our strongest, as many as can, hold the door tightly to keep it out. If nothing comes, perhaps 15 minutes is enough time to wait before venturing out again," Kara suggested.

"And long enough for something worse to follow in its footsteps," Derry adds, lugubriously.

"Find one of those old tools to jam under the door to wedge it shut," Devin said as he slid his hammer back into his belt and leaned up against the door.

Protected by the burning oil and the closed door the party hid.

OOC A Turn passes, nothing happens.

Day 17. Time: 11:10am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 4 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 3 turns

Wyndham listens intently at the door.

Wyndham heard the sound of more footsteps in the hallway. However they don't stop but pass by the door. It sounded like a single individual again.

Derry considers, "Whichever way he went, we go the other way."

OOC Presumably south down the corridor and then around the corner.

Contrary to Derry's assumption the footsteps were heard coming from the north and heading south.

"How about we head north, boss?"

Derry agrees it's "time to get a move on" and further avers that since "every direction leads to a doom-trodden path," they may as well go north.

OOC North, it is, towards that door on the eastern side of the corridor. After a brief listen, we pop on in.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 14:38, Tue 01 Feb 2022.

Devin is agreeable to following the dwarf away from the ape and does so.

The party left the chamber that had smelt faintly of chlorine and headed north. When Derry stopped to listen at the door he heard nothing but could not fail to notice the strong stench of rotting manure wafting from behind the door.

OOC Day 17. Time: 11:20am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 5 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 4 turns

It's a compulsion of Derry's that he can leave no door unopened, no matter how unpromising the prospects of opening it are.

This time is no different and he opens the door.

Wyndham raises his index finger and says, in a scholarly way, "Where's there's scat, there's something that made the scat. And with a smell this big..." but he's cut off mid-sentence as Derry deftly pries open the door.

North it was- as they proceeded, as before, Kara kept an eye out above, wary of more spiders. She doubted the one they fought was the only one about.

And north again to the door- hopefully something valuable would be behind this one- the scent was strong and something valuable might be found in it.

She was a bit taken aback that Derry immediately went to open the door- sound had just served them well, so it would have been prudent to listen at this door first. But what will be will be. She was ready with a spell in case they were suddenly overwhelmed with rats or dung eating bugs.

The door opened to a very small hallway, ten foot by ten foot and another door to the east. The smell was worse with the door open.

Seeing the other door immediately ahead, Kara said, "Perhaps this time we should listen to hear if anything is beyond."

She continued to keep up her watch for spiders, and Preston kept watch behind them in case the ape returned or if something else decided to wander towards them.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:59, Wed 02 Feb 2022.

Wyndham listens at the second door.

Vigilant with checking the ceilings Kara saw that the ceiling of the small hallway was wet and dripping with a greenish tinge.

Wyndham pauses his listening and follows Kara's gaze to the ceiling. He waves his torch at the tinge to see what kind of reaction follows.

The dripping green slime pulled away from the torch flame.

Wyndham sets to work, first tearing a strip of his cloak and then marinading it in oil. He wraps, then ties it just behind the tip of an arrow.
Ushering everyone back out the hallway, Wyndham lights the arrow with his torch. Very carefully, he sets the arrow to bow and with careful aim shoots into the heart of the gooey mass of green.

Devin kept at eye on the hallway to the south.

From the hallway Wyndham shot a flaming arrow at the green slime. The target was easy to hit and the smell of burnt dung filled the hallway as the slime began to burn.

OOC We'll now enter combat rounds. Make your declarations.

Devin stayed back out of the way and watched to the south with his shield ready.

Kara watched to the north, getting out another torch since her lit torch was running low.

She had Preston assist Wyndham, but gave strict instructions that he is not to enter the room or even get under the doorframe lest he be dripped upon.

Derry stays behind those who brandish flame.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Thu 03 Feb 2022.

Wyndham stands ready with an oil flask in one hand and a torch in the other.

OOC Party won Initiative. Any actions?

Wyndham pours the flask of oil over the door frame and lights it (or asks Kara to do so if he hasn't time to do so before the slime attacks.)

Devin continued his lookout.

No action.

Kara is on guard watching the north, and was readying a new torch.

Preston was told to assist Wyndham, so he can take the other torch and light the doorframe as requested- again, not getting under the doorframe to do it.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:47, Fri 04 Feb 2022.

Prepared Wyndham poured oil on the door frame as Preston lit it. The slime agitated by the attack of the flaming arrow inched its way across the threshold, burning itself as it came forward. Much of the green slime had now been burnt away however a small part survived, now soaked in flaming oil. The last remnant of the flaming slime dropped from the ceiling and landed neatly atop Wyndham. The slime exudes acid that began to eat at Wyndham’s flesh.

OOC Declare actions. Wyndham and the slime with both suffer 1d8 damage, shared equally caused by the burning oil on the slime.

Aghast at the burning slime falling atop Wyndham, Devin dropped his shield to pull off his backpack and rummage for a large sack.  He hoped to either stifle the fire with it or scrape off the slime.  He wasn't sure which was feasible, but he'd try.

Such circumstances are common enough within Stonehell and, it would appear, its environs, and within those environs, other domains of horror, Derry has come to understood before ever having set foot on the road to any of them. To be covered in flaming oil and flesh-dissolving slime, well, that is to be expected, now, isn't it? Derry, himself, had endured one of those "events," and it would have been but a blink for the conjoining of "events" to have occurred.

He ignites his one remaining torch, ready to burn any slime that Devin brushes off although any relationship between the slime and lint strains credulity.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:43, Sat 05 Feb 2022.

Having given her lit torch to Preston, she told him, "Quickly! Apply it to the slime on his arm!" She was not certain if the oil would be enough to burn it off Wyndham entirely, but she knew the slime was a far greater danger to him than the flame would be.

The burning slime crawled over Wyndham’s flesh, eating at his skin. However the oil continued to burn until the slime became brittle and blackened, then it turned to dry chunks which fell off Wyndham’s fire and acid burnt skin. Devin ran forward and wiped what muck remained from Wyndham’s blistered skin.

OOC Wyndham takes 3 points of damage from the fire. Combat over.

"Wyndham shrinks back from the flame as he tries to brush off the slime. "Stop! You're killing me!" he cries.
Once he recovers his wits he takes stock of his various burns and emits a feeble sigh.
"I'll be back there," he says pointing, then shuffling towards  the back of the party, behind the battered dwarf.
/ooc 1 hp left

She was relieved Wyndham had survived, albeit far worse for wear.

Kara took stock of their situation. Wyndham and Derry were both seriously injured, and not much was found to show for it. But at least everyone was still alive, and she still had her spell. Crouching down in the hall, she peered into the room to see if there was still slime remaining inside the room.

If the slime had been destroyed, she would suggest trying the door since the slime would have kept interlopers from exploring it preciously, then they could return to town to heal.

If slime still remained, she asked the others if they wanted to press on or depart. She still had an oil flask if there was not much slime left.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Sun 06 Feb 2022.

Clasping one of Wyndham's missing parts with one of his own missing parts, Derry exclaims, "Brother, have you ever felt more whole?"

OOC Let us proceed through the hallway and to the next door, engaging all of the normal protocols.

The ceiling of the hallway was stonework like the rest of the dungeon. The foul smell of the midden was dispersing although still stronger nearer to the burnt hard chunks of the destroyed green slime.

"I'll check the next room," Devin volunteered, "then we can head back to town."

He refilled his backpack and slipped it on before picking up his shield.  Taking a breath, he took the torch from Kara and went to open the door at the other end of the short hallway.

"I thank you for the brothership, Derry, but maybe don't squeeze that part too hard. It still chafes a little."
Wyndham busies himself with holding his torch for the party to see... and holding himself upright.

Preston was the fittest of the ones remaining in the long hallway, so she left him there on guard in case something approached. Kara, meanwhile, entered the small room/hallway with Devin since it was not a good idea for anyone to travel alone, although she did not expect there to be significant danger- the slime would have been guardian enough.

When Devin got the door opened, she would look up immediately before either entered, not just for spiders, but in case more slime lurked here.

The small hallway fully explored the next door was opened. The room beyond was twenty foot by thirty foot. When Kara looked up she saw a corroded chain and pulley dangled from the ceiling. A bucket attached to a 10’ pole leaned against one wall. In the middle of the room were three decrepit chairs and a leaning table. Around the edges of the room were rotted crates and the remains of canvas sacks. A smell of mould occupied the room. There was an entrance to another room in the east wall, once blocked by iron bars which were now broken and bent.

Kara called to the others that it seemed safe enough to join them. Warning them to try not to breathe in the mold, she had Preston guard the exit leading to the short hallway, since they knew several creatures were prowling the hallways in that direction.

She herself went over to check the pole and bucket, since she did not think she was strong enough to maneuver the pulley and chain, even with leverage.

Wyndham shambles into the room and pokes at the sacks with his sword to provoke the inevitable surprise vermin attack.

Devin went over to examine the bent bars to see if they were bent into the room or out.  Hopefully, whatever had done it was long gone.

Some sort of larder with provender delivered from above, Derry concludes, with the foodstuffs long given to rot and decay. With the requisite caution, he shifts about the crates with his own 10' pole, not wanting to overly disturb their consignment of grubs.

The bucket attached to the ten foot pole was dirty but it was unidentifiable as to what it might have been used to carry since many years must have passed since its last use.

The sacks and crates when poked failed to prompt any movement from within. The canvas was old, rotted and empty.

At the entrance to the next room Devin saw a large room, thirty foot by thirty foot. The bent and broken bars pointed outward of the room. The floor was covered with rotted straw. The walls of the room were gouged by massive claws, scorched by flame and melted by fierce acids.

"I wonder if this is where our ape friend came from. No surprise then it was in an ill humour."

"And hungry with its schedule of regular feedings interrupted. But, brother," he smiles at the thief, "isn't so much the better that we have less to offer?"

Derry searches the sacks, crates, and straw for anything of value.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Tue 08 Feb 2022.

Derry finds nothing of interest in the rotted sacks or mouldy crates. In the straw he found humanoid bones.

Whilst the party continued their search Wyndham’s torch went out.

OOC Day 17. Time: 11:50am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 1 turn

"Ain't that always the way of it? Cue the monsters..." says Wyndham from darkness.
With the assistance of Kara's torch, he lights another one of his own.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:16, Tue 08 Feb 2022.

"Maybe this is enough exploring for today," Devin proposed.  "Head back to town for the night?"

"The ape? Perhaps," she offered. "But I don't think so. It probably would not have made it very far past the slime. But the acid and flame remnants, as well as the strength required to do this to the bars, makes me think perhaps a troll was kept in there."

She paused in thought, and wondered aloud, "What do you suppose works faster? The regeneration of a troll or the replication of a slime? Or would they cause each to arrive to a statis of some sort? Imagine that! There could be some half-troll, half-green slime creature prowling about! We definitely need to bring more oil."

She added, "It looks like just a holding cell, but let us take a closer look before we go. A troll or ape would certainly be enough to deter thieves."

She went past the bars to examine the room Dry had not already searched, in case there was a hidden hollow area in the floor or walls that might hold something.

Preston remained on guard in the storeroom, watching out the 10' hallway and listening for approaching trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Wed 09 Feb 2022.

Once everyone was satisfied, Devin led the way back to the stairs and up.  He was looking forward to a hot meal back at the inn.

Wyndham watches as Devin wanders off alone to the stairs. Then he turns to the others and shrugs.

Likewise, Derry shrugs.

"I guess we'd better be getting after him, brother. Our doom will be right here where we left it."

"That is the second time he has wandered off on his own just this delve, as well as prematurely exiting before we had gathered the valuable slime, without voicing any opposition to the idea or another opinion. I understand Stonehell's situation, but this is getting to be a bit much. If he wants to leave, fine. I will help show him to the exit with the torch. But I personally intend to stay until my spell is gone or I have enough gold to continue to employ Preston."

She considered them both, and continued, "I hope you would as well, but if not, I completely understand the decision, given your injuries. We did not find much, but I can give you what little I picked up to take back with you for possible sale. Whatever my share is from that, the rods, and anything else, you can hold until I return- that way if I do not make it back in a day or two, you can use it as you see fit, rather than the town taking it. But if you would stay, you are more than welcome."

So, to the exit.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Fri 11 Feb 2022.

"He's a man of the cloth and mail," is all Derry offers, content to lead him to the exit and rejoin him, whole or otherwise, at another time.

The party left the mouldy room behind and returned to the entrance stairs.

OOC Up the stairs or elsewhere? Let me know, I’m happy to run a split party if that’s what folks want to do.

Day 17. Time: 12:00pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 2 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 1 turn

Kara is staying. She will wait to ensure whomever is leaving makes it safely up the stairs, and then continue on- direction to be decided after seeing who still remains.

Wyndham remains.
"I'll stay as long as long as I'm able. I can't fight but I'll carry this torch."

OOC Let's head down the main eastern branch with the hireling in the lead.

Devin waited in daylight at the ruined tower to see if anyone returned.

The stairway led upward and the trapdoor opened to daylight. Devin made it safely out into the ruins of Modnar’s tower. The ruins were in a clearing so Devin could clearly see the noon sun overhead. The clearing was roughly hundred foot at its widest before in all directions were trees.

---

In the dungeon the east passage went seventy foot to a dead end. A faint glimmer of light shone at the end the corridor as the adventurers approached. The glow came from the reflection of their torchlight off a stone embedded in the chest of a life-sized statue of a man. The man was rotund man with large grin. He was bald, his feet bare and a toga of many folds was draped over his corpulent form. One hand was cocked on his hip; the other outstretched as if waiting for something.

Kara wished Devin well as he departed alone. While frustrated by his unreliability, she had not forgotten that he had cured her back in Stonehell proper. If things went well here, perhaps she could buy him a new scroll.

Returning to the dungeon with the others, she was pleased to see that Derry and Wyndham had elected to return. She just hoped that given their wounded state, it would not turn out poorly for them. She knew in case of trouble, she and Preston would have been able to flee quickly, but with Derry, they would have to be more careful.

She was going to suggest they either continue north or go east. Either would be fine, but she preferred to avoid the west for now, since that is where the ape had come from. But it seemed that rather than have the discussion, Preston took it upon himself to go east. She would have to talk to him about that later. For now, there was a statue to examine.

She examined the statue to see if she could recognize it, or if it had an inscription.
"Is this one of the gods or someone you know of? And Derry- the stone- is it valuable, and if so, do you think we could remove it, or do you think it is trapped?"

Looking at the outstretched hand, she reached out and took it in a handshake manner if it was stretched out in that manner (sideways), or she placed a gold piece in the palm if was stretched out in that fashion (palm up). But before doing either, she warned the others what she was going to do, so they could duck or otherwise press against the sides of the tunnel in case it triggered some retaliation from the statue.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:08, Sun 13 Feb 2022.

There was no inscription on or near the statue. The gemstone was pearly and opalescent.

The pose of the statue was such that the outstretched hand was sidewards rather than palm up. The fingers on the hand was half closed as if it was holding something, yet nothing was held in the hand.

She checked to see if a torch or dagger would fit in the hand, and if so, if anything happened if so emplaced.

Kara found that a dagger was slightly too large to fit into the statue's hand.

Wyndham searches the statue for traps or scrapes/tracks at the bottom of its base. "Maybe inserting something in its hand will allow it to move or reveal a passage. Do those silver rods look like they'd fit?"

"I can't think of anything else that the friar would want," Derry responds. He tries to insert one of their silver rods within the man's grasp.

"I don't have the tools to pry free a gem; it's not really my line of work," he explains.

There was no sign of any scrapes around the base of the statue. The three foot rod fitted in the statue’s hand although it looked too long for it to have supposed to have been there.

"Like this rod but shorter," Derry concludes. Having no such item, he proposes they head up the main northern corridor. He's confident with some research they can find out what this friar or saint wants to grasp in his hand. It would be best to provide that before they attempted to pry its gem free.

“Smaller than the rod- like a wand perhaps? Or a holy symbol of some sort?” She asked, not certain what gods might use holy symbols that would fit that description, if any. She then added, “What about the stone? I have a dagger we could use to pry it out. Or are you thinking it is trapped?” Having left the silver unscraped, she would rather not leave this behind too. But if Derry and Wyndham both thought it better to leave be, she would sigh in acquiescence and they could go north.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Tue 15 Feb 2022.

Wyndham holds his torch close to the gem to see if anything new is revealed. If nothing, he places his torch in the statue's hand then gives the statue a shove.

"I think it is imprudent to vandalize the statue before we make the proper offering," is the last Derry will offer. A holy symbol might be an answer but so could some saint's or minor god's implement or other symbol.

The gemstone reflected the torchlight brightly when it was held close. No amount of shoving by Wyndham however moved the statue. The gemstone was fitted into the chest of the statue, removal by vandalism was possibly. Wyndham might with his tools extract the gemstone undamaged or else a dagger or hammer would free it but with damage to the gemstone more likely.

Kara knew of Math the god of magic, a power through whom all magic flowed. His colour were black, grey and silver, he was usually represented by a single flame.

Kara informed the others that it appeared to be Math, god of magic, so a wand was even more likely to be the trigger for whatever it might open or do, if it did anything at all. While she still preferred to take the stone now, Derry was clearly against it. Given he had elected to stay with her rather than leave, and had spoken in religious terms several times, she imagined he cared more about the gods than she did. So, for now, she abandoned the idea of taking the stone at this time.

Once Wyndham was ready, they could go back west and continue north.

Wyndham scowls at the statue then follows the party away.

The statue left intact the party headed northward again. The hallway continued north for fifty foot from the stairwell before turning east. The hallway continued east into darkness with another hallway to the north directly after the turn.

OOC It occurred to me that a door spike might be a decent substitute for a wand. Can we retcon that test?

OOC Yes I'll allow you to try a door spike. It fitted in the hand. Same result at the silver rod.

Kara offered, "Let me take the torches back around the corner. Maybe that will allow Derry to see a bit further with his infravision and give us the more promising direction to go."

If they agreed, she did exactly that, coming back after they made their observation.

Derry can only smile at Kara's optimism. Perhaps she senses there is something delectable to scrape just down one of those corridors. He lets his eyes adjust and has a look down each one.

Wyndham waits quietly, as ready to forge ahead as to run screaming in blind terror.

Left in the darkness Derry saw both hallways stretch out for sixty foot. The northway turning to the west at the end.



Day 17. Time: 12:20pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 4 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 3 turns

"Neither direction is more promising," Derry concludes, daring anybody to disagree with him.

North and then peek around the corner.

Forging ahead Derry scouted the north hallway. At the turn he looked west and the hallway stretched sixty foot off in that direction before he could see no further.

Kara rejoined the others. When Derry also returned from scouting, she said, "Without some sign suggesting otherwise, let's take the east passage. We can leave the western parts of the dungeon for the next trip."

Back east with Preston in the lead.

With his torch held high, Wyndham limps along at the back of the party.

An exploration of the east hallyway found its end after eighty foot. A single door was in the northern wall.

OOC Day 17. Time: 12:30pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 5 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 4 turns

Kara got another torch out, so it would be ready when her's was about to die.

At the door, she suggested the usual- Wyndham and Derry listen and check for traps, while she and Preston stay on guard.

If the others though it safe to enter, Preston could lead the way, and as always, she would be ensuring there were no spiders (or green slime) up above in ambush, ready with her spell if there was a surprise.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Fri 18 Feb 2022.

Wyndham searches the door and area for anything malicious then listens intently at the door.

Carefully Wyndham searched the door and around the door before he laid at ear to the wood and listened. Wyndham found nothing untoward and heard nothing from the other side.

OOC Do any of the others want to do anything whilst Wyndham searched the door and listened at the door?

Day 17. Time: 12:50pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch: 1 turn

No, we're just keeping watch as always.

Likewise, I had said Kara and Preston were on watch during this.

Okay then, what's next?

Through that very same door with Preston in the lead.

Wyndham lights another torch then follows.

The door opened revealed a room twenty foot by thirty foot. There was two doors in the east wall and a single door in the north wall.

The room smelt rotten. Broken furniture, old sacks and other fabrics were fused together into small nests. In the nests laid seven giant rats. Scattered around the room on the rat soiled flagstones were fresh food scraps. The rats eyes reflected the torchlight as they looked toward the intruders.



OOC Declare your actions, if making attacks make your rolls and I’ll roll Initiative.

As Preston attacked the rat next to him at the door to keep any from escaping, Kara cast her sleep spell at the center of the room, blanketing its entire area, but not touching any of her group, provided they did not enter the area before the spell took effect.


(ooc)
9 hit dice affected by the sleep spell.
House rules on sleep specify a 30' area chosen by the castor, and with the room being 30', we should all be fine.

Derry guards the magic lady as she weaves her soporific magics.

Wyndham fires an arrow at the rat closest to Preston.
15:47, Today: Wyndham rolled 9,4 using 1d20+2,1d6 ((7,4)).

The rats laid in their nests, they chittered and squeaked but did not emerge to challenge the adventurers. Wyndham fired an arrow into the room but failed to hit a sitting rat. Then with a flurry of hands and arcane mutterings from Kara all the rats laid down their little heads to sleep.

OOC Day 17. Time: 13:00pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara's torch: 2 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 1 turn
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:38, Wed 23 Feb 2022.

Derry bestows the big sleep upon each of the sleeping seven after which he proceeds to sever each of their tails for his own keeping. He remembers having heard that a certain cave pirate captain has a rat tail and tale fixation. Having done that, he searches their nests to see what treasures they might have accumulated over their generational lifespans.

Wyndham joins in on the search, keeping an eye out for any rodent allies.

Preston remains on guard.

Kara helps exterminate the rats, then joins Preston in guarding while Derry and Wyndham search, since there are several entrances, and Preston would be hard pressed to watch them all alone.

The rats are quickly killed. The contents of the room are messy and decayed. Old furniture has been gnawed and chewed. Scraps of fresh waste and food lay scattered about. The two doors in the east wall are identical to any others they have seen in Modnar’s cellar. The door in the north has had metal plates nailed across it, the plates cover only the door and do not obstruct the opening or closing of the door.

"Well, this is unfortunate," Kara said. "Nothing here. And the stone left in the statue, the silver left unscraped, and spells all cast."

Looking at the metal on the northern door, she said, "One might guess it is to protect someone inside from something dangerous getting in, or keep something dangerous inside from getting out, so it is definitely not where I would like to go in our current state. But there are the two eastern doors perhaps?" she said hopefully. "Maybe, if it is silent behind one of them, we could just open it and have a look?"

Then in a more sober tone, she said, "But I could well be getting carried away after ~finally~ getting here. If you want to leave, then we will all go together. But if so, I would just ask that we at least listen at the doors before doing leaving, since if anything is heard, it will give us a better idea of what we might need to bring back with us in preparation, or affect what plans might be made."

Wyndham listens at the doors.

Derry rolls his eyes when Kara harps again about her scraping obsession. Then, he quickly looks away, afraid she might have caught his insubordination.

"We should get back now. Maybe that magic lady mentor of yours can loan us a practice wand for our return trip."

At the first door Wyndham, heard nothing.

OOC The action of listening at the doors takes time. Anyone else doing anything during the Turn or do we want to move straight on to the second door?

Day 17. Time: 13:10pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara's torch: 3 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 2 turns

Kara and Preston remain on guard, but Kara responds to Derry with, "There are two doors left," she indicated the north and remaining east door. "Demihumans have keen ears, no? If you listen at one of them, and Wyndham at the other, then we can go. When we make it back, I can ask about borrowing a wand, but with little to offer as collateral, it is doubtful the request would be granted."

In reply to DM (msg # 271):

Derry can listen at a door at the same time as Wyndam is/was.

In reply to Derry the Dwarf (msg # 273):
"Yes, two ears are better than... wait."

Derry heard nothing at the other door.

Then after the three doors have been well-listened at, Preston can lead the way back to the exit.

OOC Who's listening to the third door?

(ooc)
Wyndham said in post #269 that he would listen to doors (plural), so presumably he is.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:38, Wed 23 Feb 2022.

OOC I read the suggested action was to listen to the two doors on the east wall. Both of those doors have now been checked. I'll need a declaration if anyone is going near the northern door.

/OOC  Wyndham listens carefully at the reinforced door to the north.

The two eastern doors provided no clues so Wyndham moved toward the northern door. The eastern doors made of plain wood had been gnawed and chewed, the northern door with its metal plates was without any such damage. Wyndham listened at the door and heard nothing.

OOC Day 17. Time: 13:20pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara's torch: 4 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 3 turns

In reply to DM (msg # 281):

Wyndham cautiously opens the northern door.

The door opened. Inside was a den of ruined luxury, the chamber held an assortment of furnishings. A leaning bedstead, a warped set of chairs, a rickety table and a mildewed divan. Seated on the divan, cup in hand was a man. The man stared at Wyndham with beady eyes through long shaggy hair. He worn leather armour with a sword at this waist. On the rickety table lay a dagger, a jug and a ruined looking book.

OOC Day 17. Time: 13:20pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara's torch: 4 turns
Wyndham’s torch: 3 turns
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:36, Fri 25 Feb 2022.

"Pardons, but you wouldn't have a spare bandage or two for a mate, would you?" says Wyndham to the man.

Derry chips in, "Or maybe you'd like one yourself and a bite to eat?"

The man examined Wyndham indifferently, his cup in hand. At Wyndham’s question and the further interruption from Derry the man seeing he was outnumbered picked up the dagger off the table. Although he held the dagger idly rather than threateningly “how come that your friend is injured, was it those damn rats?” he asked. He shook his head at Derry’s offer of food.

"I'm Derry," Derry says, still opting for the civilized approach. "I was mostly dissolved by a nearly invisible cube of acid. What's your story?"

"My sword arm was left intact," he avers in an idle enough manner.

Kara was a bit surprised that Wyndham had opened the door- she had thought they were going to listen and then depart. Not that she was complaining, since she really did not want to return poorer than she had come.

So, she entered with the others, Preston protectively ahead of her. She did not speak yet, since Derry was currently handling that. It did not seem to her that someone who was clearly living in Stonehell was of a good nature, but that did not mean thy could not be civilized.

“Harry” the man replied to Derry giving his name “unlucky day for you, that’s the story of my whole life” when Preston entered the room Harry sat up a little straighter “I’m not really ready to receive guests in my bedchamber, why don’t you go through to the lounge” he waved the hand holding the cup toward the east door.


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:28, Sat 26 Feb 2022.

Did you mean the eastern door?

"Harry," Derry says as he joins the other three in the dilapidated den, "There are four of us and one unlucky you with one of us being a sorceress. On account of that trifle, we might just bypass the hospitality of your lounge for the time being, and you might decide your luck would be better served were you to receive us here."

"Now, why don't you be a little more forthcoming on how fortune has found you in this decadent state within the tower of Modnar? Were those rats keeping you in or others out?"

The approach of the dwarf and the refusal of his hospitality had Harry standing up “the rats, I would say they do both although not too good at keeping others out, hey” he replied to Derry “I needed somewhere to stay. The folk leave this place alone, it’s got a bad reputation but it ain’t a bad place to crash” he continued as he edged around the room toward the door “the lounge is this way” he said.

Clocking Harry's beady eyes and his shifty manner, Derry motions for Wyndham to join him by the door to Harry's lounge and for Kara and Preston to remain in front of the southern exit.

Assuming this happens as a coordinated group movement or not at all.

"Harry," Derry says again. "Your luck could get worse or it could get better. Your choice. Put aside your weapons and your scheming, and I'll keep my temper in check."

"We did just kill seven giant rats," he puts in for the benefit of the outlaw. The implication is clear; they could kill one more.

Seeing Derry's movement and motion, Kara nods. She and Preston remain at the entrance door, Preston again stands guard in front of her.

She does offer up, "Although we have no interest in seeing your lounge this day, should you wish to immediately depart to it yourself, nobody here will stop you with violence if you make no attack yourself."

She was not eager for a fight, given their state, so was content to let him go if he wished. Especially because he had left the book on the table, and books had been the most valuable thing she had found at Stonehell. Not to mention if he had any other valuables that could be found in here- he as much admitted he was a criminal sort, so she would not feel regret over appropriating whatever he had taken from others.

Wyndham smiles broadly as he accompanies Derry to the lounge door. His fingertips brush lightly against the hilt of his dagger.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Sat 26 Feb 2022.

At the further invasion into his bedchamber Harry looked ready to flee however Derry and Wyndham were quicker to move.

OOC Party won Initiative so they get to block the doors. Any other actions before Harry gets to move and act?

Derry squares up, his wounds making him look even more fierce, "Stand down, Harry, if you want to walk out of here with any of your luck left. Drop your weapons and then kick them away. Do that and your luck may yet turn."

With a shrug, he adds, "Do what you will with your mug. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your last drink if that's what you choose it to be."

Wyndham's smile widens as his fingers thrum on the pommel of his dagger.

Preston stood firm, blocking the door out, weapon ready.

Kara took a step back, still behind Preston, and held a dagger ready to throw.

As the threat from Derry and the adventurers went from the understated to the obvious Harry gave the dwarf an ill intended eye, drained the last dregs of his cup, dropped it and then drew his short sword. Defiant he had stood with sword and dagger in hand “if you want bloodshed you’ll get it” he promised “get out!” he then shouted.

Wyndham throws a dagger at Harry.
15:28, Today: Wyndham rolled 17 using 1d20+2 ((15)).
15:29, Today: Wyndham rolled 2 using 1d4 ((2)).

In a blink, Derry launches himself at the scapegrace, aiming to cut him down where he stands.

Derry hits AC 4 for 7 dmg
11:09, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 15,7 using d20+1,d8+1.  Derry attack Harry.

Kara winced. She still thought it would have been better to let him go, but combat was on, and she would do her part. Hopefully this would leave none of them with regrets.

She threw one of her daggers at the man, and went over to join Wyndham so nobody looked like a solitary, easy target.

Preston went forward to join Derry, hopefully to trap the man in the corner, keeping him in place, and swung his sword.

If the man could somehow get past Preston and Derry, it left their original entrance unguarded, but no doubt the two of them would make him regret turning his back on them.


(ooc)
Kara rolled 13 to hit and 3 for damage.
Preston rolled 11 to hit and 7 for damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Mon 28 Feb 2022.

When it was obvious they’d be not negotiations Harry made a run for the only open door. He slashed his sword and dagger at Kara, but both weapons were wide of their mark.

Both Wyndham’s and Kara’s daggers struck the thief and Derry charged after Harry and struck him with his sword. Preston’s attack failed to pierce Harry’s leather armour.



OOC Harry won Initiative and made a run for it. Declare your next actions!

While Kara had been fine with letting him run, he was fighting, not running. And they had dealt significant injuries to him, so they might be able to end his fighting if they pressed on. So, since he was still right in their midst, she threw another dagger at him and Preston continued his attack.

She reflected that given the man had a sword and dagger in hand, and not a torch to see with, he probably would not be running fast once he was out of their torchlight. Even if he knew the corridors, there were gelatinous cubes and wild apes and other things prowling about. So if they did want to pursue him, it could well be possible to do so, especially if they doused their lights and relied on Derry to lead them.


(ooc)
Rolls were 7 and 6, so both missed.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:04, Tue 01 Mar 2022.

Wyndham fires an arrow at the man but misses.
07:52, Today: Wyndham rolled 9,4 using 1d20+2,1d6.  Wyndham bow attack.

The bad luck of his partners' proves infectious.

Derry will attack Harry but not pursue him.
09:14, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 2,9 using d20+1,d8+1.  Derry attack Harry.

DM:

When it was obvious they’d be not negotiations Harry made a run for the only open door.

But he's the one who shut down parley by yelling "get out!"

Four attacks against Harry all failed to hit their mark but it was enough pressure on Harry that he stabbed at Preston with sword and dagger but failed to hit the man-at-arms.

OOC Declare your actions.

With another slash, Derry cuts Harry again.

"Last chance," he bellows. "Surrender and live."

14:20, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 15,3 using d20+1,d8+1.  Derry attack Harry.

The man did not run, and continued to attack. So, Kara shrugged. He made his decision.
"He could have surrendered or he could have run. He did neither- so finish him!"

She moved to the southwest of Preston, and threw her last dagger at the man.
At this point, whether he surrenders or not, she and Preston are attacking.


(ooc)
Kara rolled 11 to hit (and gets +1 for close range- thank you Derry!), so 12.
That's AC 7 for 2points of damage.

Preston rolled 19 to hit, so AC 0, for 5 points of damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Tue 01 Mar 2022.

Seeing the combat move away to the south, Wyndham goes to inspect the door to the "lounge," looking for traps, then trying to listen for anything big and mean.

The blood flowed from multiple wounds on Harry. Desperate and outnumbered he fought for his survival as he was cut down by the combined attacks from Derry and Preston.

OOC Kara missed due to the house of rule of -1 penalty if there's someone between the shooter and the target.

Kara recovered her daggers, and called to Wyndham that the man was dead. They could search him and the room safely now.

(ooc)
Not that it matters here, since Harry is dead, but I had thought being SW of Preston would have been fine to keep him out of her attack, since you can draw a line from part of her square to Harry's without touching Preston's square. So to clarify, since this will come up again, is the rule the line must be drawn from the center of the squares, or is it if any part of a square touches any other part? What about if it is diagonal between two others (such as if instead of SW of Preston, she had gone one space west of where she was)? Would that have been fine, or would it be -1, or -2?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Tue 01 Mar 2022.

Several of his old wounds weeping blood anew, Derry stood panting over the corpse of Harry.

"He was the eighth rat, he was."

While Kara and the others searched the Harry's nasty bedsit, he watches for the arrival of yet more rats.

OOC I had Kara to the NW, not SW, as she wanted to stay away from Harry and be guarded by Preston. From the NW Derry and Preston were blocking Kara's throwing. Attacks from the south would have been without cover.

After recovering her daggers, Kara went to search the room.

Since Derry was guarding, she had Preston drag Harry's body into the room as well, so he could search the man, and then help her search the room.




I see. So it was an error then, since I specified that Kara went to the SW of Preston, so she would have that clear throwing arc.

OOC Kara moved to join Wyndham.  This was in her declaration.

Busy at the lounge door Wyndham checked for traps and then put his ear the door to listen. Wyndham didn’t spot a trap and heard nothing from the other side.

Preston dragged the corpse of the dead Harry into the room. Preston’s search found little; Harry had nothing on his person that they hadn’t already seen. A dagger and a short sword.

Derry watched over the others, wary of more rats.

Kara found the furniture in the room was an odd assortment. All was once luxurious but now leaning, warped or mildewed. On the table the book was ruined, once waterlogged and now dried out it was illegible. On the floor there was a bag of equally decayed food, most likely appealing to rats rather than human tastes.

OOC Day 17. Time: 13:50pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Candles on bedstead and table.
Wyndham’s torch: 6 turns

Kara considered things. Harry indicated he was one of the bad guys, so might have bandit loot. He was also spending his time here and tried to get them out of this area relatively quickly, so if he does have treasure, this would be the most likely place for it. The area he was trying to get them to go to would be less likely to have valuables, and more likely to have more rats.

Since the furniture is all warped and mildewed, it is likely worthless. So, Kara will have Preston start tearing though the bedstead and the divan, seeing if any treasure had been hidden in mattresses, or cushions, or in the frame, etc.

Meanwhile, Kara checked the book over to see if any parts of it were legible. It did not make much sense to her to keep it otherwise. After that, she will start checking the walls for hidden cubbies or other such hideaways where he might have stored treasure, particularly the wall area right behind where he was located when they first entered.

Wyndham pries his dagger from Harry's mortal remains and stores it away after wiping off the blade.
"Anyone interested in what's behind door number two?"
Wyndham waits a moment for the party's acquiescence before opening the "lounge" door to have a peek.

Derry shakes his head at Wyndham, "Leave it, man. He wanted us to go there, so it's nothing we want any of right now."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:30, Thu 03 Mar 2022.

"Yeah, Preston, get away from there! You're not paid to snoop!" says Wyndham.
"So if not the mysterious room, where next?"

The book as Kara examined it proved to be still damp in places and the pages crumbled at her touch, leaving the shell of a ruined book.

Preston tore and slashed at the furniture. The bedstead was destroyed with nothing found. As Preston cut up the divan he struck something hard which was followed by the loud clattering of metal on stone as hundreds of gold and silver coins showered from the underside of the divan on to the floor.

"Well," said Wyndham. "That's something."

Derry's glittered with the avarice. He counted and gathered up the coins into his bags.

"Back to the hospitality of the Magpie," he answers Wyndham.

Back to civilization.

"Agreed," said Kara when talk turned to returning to town. "We have pressed our luck far enough for one day, and you need to heal." She was not sure of the total coinage, but with hundreds, there would be enough to retain Preston if she chose to do so and come back to explore other rooms.

Derry filled his backpack and most of his sack with coins, to the point where he couldn’t carry any more. There was still hundreds of coins strewn on the floor.

OOC Derry has picked up 860 coins and is now on max 1600 coins encumbrance carried, his movement is now 10’.

Kara and Preston also take as many as they can, filling with the most valuable coins first.

"Great call on tossin' the place to find treasure, Kara! Many thanks!" says a beaming Wyndham as he piles as many coins as he can into his pack and sacks.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Fri 04 Mar 2022.

The coins filled Kara’s backpack and there was still more coins on the floor. Preston ignored Kara’s request and replied coldly “didn’t bring a pack” that left the rest for Wyndham. Wyndham packed away the rest of the coins and still had some space in his backpack.

OOC Kara’s move is now 30’ and Wyndham’s 20’.

Derry politely asks Preston to carry his backpack or his large sack of coins.

"There will be extra coins in it for you, Preston," he coos, the avarice beginning to fade from his eyes.

If possible, Derry will shift enough of his burden to Preston to bring him back to his normal movement rate. After that we will all return the ~ 200 feet to the entrance, collect Devin, and return to the village.

Obediently Preston accepted the offer of a bonus for carrying the sack filled with coins. He slung his shield on his back and carried the sack over his shoulder.

Derry unloaded his back pack so he wasn't so burdened, dumping one hundred and thirty six coins back onto the floor.

OOC Oh isn't it fun having too much treasure! Preston is now at 10' movement.

Mournfully, Derry eyed the abandoned coins then shrugged, after ensuring they were silver rather than gold. He will also dump the 95 coppers he had picked up earlier, swapping them with more valuable coins.

...They slowly made their way out of the sub-level of Modnar's Tower.

I'd forgotten about the coppers. So it'll be 136sp and 95cp left in Harry's bedroom unless someone else picks them up.

Group movement will stick at 10' as Preston will be going at this pace. For him speed up he'll need to drop 180sp.

Thank you. Have him drop 180 sp then (to effectively double our group movement speed). And out we go.

"How kind of you to make such an offer to my employee," Kara remarks to Derry dryly, but does not object to the arrangement.

Taking some of the sheets from the bed Kara fashioned a makeshift sack. No reason to leave those coins behind, since that amount would be enough to hire Preston for close to another three days.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Fri 04 Mar 2022.

A makeshift sack made from sheets Kara gathered up the last of the coins.

OOC Okay you now have all of the coins collected. Kara's movement is now also down to 20'. All the torches have gone out, also everyone is carrying a sack. What are you doing for light and who's carrying it?

Day 17. Time: 14:10pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Candles on bedstead and table.

Kara will light a torch. And to the exit we go, hopefully unmolested.

Laden with treasure the four adventurers left Modnar’s dungeon and rejoined Devin at the ruined tower.

Outside the dungeon it was mid-afternoon. The sky was cloudy but no sign of rain.

OOC Treasure carried: 5 silver rods, 600gp, 700sp, 95cp. Everyone is moving at 20'. Only Devin has both hands free, the others all carry sacks. Do you have a marching order or any plans for the trip back to town through the forest?

Day 17. Time: 14:20pm. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

"So you made it," Devin commented as they emerged from the trap door.  And it looked like they'd found more than slimes.

He counted to make sure they'd all indeed returned.

"Thank you for waiting," Derry says without reproach. "We made it but Harry, King of Thieves, the Eighth Rat, did not."

No Plans.

Marching Order:
Preston -- Devin
Derry -- Kara
Wyndham

The return journey to Fourtower Bridge through the forest and lastly along the road was uneventful. The party arrived at the outpost town by earlier evening. The sky then was starting to dim, the torches and braziers on the bridge were lit as welcome beacons in the cold moorland evening.

At the Moorland Magpie Inn Lorna had had another large delivery of pork sausages. Tonight and probably for the next few nights she would be serving sausages and cider, as many sausages as you can eat for four silvers.

OOC 196 XP each (for those with bonuses that’s 5% = 206 XP, 10% = 216 XP). I would suspect that Devin and Wyndham are probably about half way to level 2 now

Day 17. Evening.

It took Derry four full days in all to recover what had been lost. He now had a vaguely porcine aspect, a certain pinkness to his cheeks and a tendency to emit squeals at inopportune times, owing, one would suspect, to his diet during his convalescence. Upon emerging into the light on the fifth day of their return from Modnar's basement, Derry presents Kara with a small, nearly weightless bag.

"A gift, Kara. I know the trajectory of your cravings."

There were a couple of things Derry wanted to do before the return expedition beyond the routine shopping. That was to say he had some less than routine shopping to do: a few bunches of bananas and a pet rabbit or some such animal were on his list.

Derry buys 3 flasks of oil, 3 torches, bananas (if available), and a small domesticated animal (if available). He pays for 5 nights in his own room along with 5 days of sausage.

Devin spends his time rebuilding the temple as best he could.  Sorting stones and cleaning up debris.  He wasn't a mason, but he hoped his efforts helped in some way.  As well he had 5 days and little else to do but pray and practice his martial exercises.

OOC: Paid 40sp for 5 days and bought 6 torches.

Wyndham gratefully accepts the food and drink, then spends the next three days convalescing.
Once recovered, he visits the shop to replenish supplies.
Rejoining the party, he says, "So now the happy task of redistributing our happy plunder."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:18, Mon 07 Mar 2022.

Kara paid Preston, thanked him for his service, and added, "I am much happier to be paying you than your family. And consider buying a backpack."

Sh also thanked Derry for the bag, but was a bit confused. "Is this a comment on the blankets?" she asked, not in a hostile way, but in an amused manner.

She did not need healing, so as long as there were no objections from anyone, she went to go visit Mistress Rakel to see if the silver rods or any of the tools and assorted items they had recovered had any value or enchanted purpose, and potentially selling them if she had an interest in buying them (although if anything is enchanted, she would check with the others before selling, since it could be of use to someone.) While there, she would also describe the giant silver ring they had seen, and asked if she had any ideas about it. Finally, she would also inquire about borrowing a wand as Derry had asked her to do, and explain as much about the statue as thy had discovered, in case it was familiar at all to the mage.

She would also go to the guardhouse, or wherever the authorities were and ask if there was a bounty on Harry, or any other bandits in the area. They had neglected to bring proof of his death, and given the amount of healing time the others needed, she doubted any trace of him or his body would still be the when they returned. But if there was a bounty, and it was a large sum, then perhaps it would not be unwise for her and Devin, and a hireling or two, to go back just for him, since thy might still find his corpse in place.

Depending on how much any items they had sold for, and how many coins they had recovered, she might see about adding Detect Magic to her spellbook, since that would no doubt be useful to the group.

Finally, she would also go to the general store to pick up some mundane items, but also wanted to pick up some chalk.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:53, Sun 06 Mar 2022.

The store was well stock and Millie was pleased to provide all the party’s needs for mundane gear. Displayed on her counter was a new delivery, a scabbard that made it possible to unsheathe a sword carried on the back. The scabbard was priced at a cost of thirty gold pieces. She sold sacks of apples for five coppers. A pouch of chalks for one copper. The old fisherman Frode was happy to catch Derry a rabbit for four coppers.

At the old tower Devin worked tirelessly in rebuilding the ruin. He cleared away all the overgrowth of bushes and grasses. On the stones he found them covered in old inscriptions in an unknown language. Devin felt the sense of Law grows as his labours continued. He received the occasional visit from Mother Majken. She offered no word of thanks to Devin rather when he had completed a task to her satisfaction she set him another.

Mistress Rakel was a much more gracious mentor and welcomed Kara into her tower for tea whenever the magic-user was visited. She was interested in Kara’s tales of Modnar Cellar. She suspected the incomplete silver ring was indeed some kind of magical device; however without sight of it she felt she couldn’t rightly divine its purpose. She inspected the silver rods and did not spot anything magical about them from a cursory look. She offered that if it was needed she could detect magic but would charge a fee of fifty gold pieces for the service. The description of the statue reminded Rakel of Modnar himself, he was reported to be a bald, fat mage. Rakel had no wand to offer Kara, however she encouraged Kara to find one and with caution test the statue’s purpose.

Fourtower Bridge had no guardhouse, rather Athalgrim kept everyone in line and protected the town. He was a bearded and surly man. He cursed and swore when Kara asked him about Harry. He complained that he was a wanted outlaw and pest of the forest. At news that he was dead his mood was placated only to rise again to anger when Kara asked about a bounty with no proof. Between one curse and another he offered one hundred gold pieces for the corpse.

"I think the three of you deserve to split what you found without me," Devin said.  "You took the risk, you earn the reward.

"I'll split everything before that with you."

PM to Kara

With an unmistakably sinister air, Derry fashions a leash for his rabbit and practices sticking it in his pack and taking it for short walks. Good behavior, he rewards with slices of apple. Bad behavior, he punishes with stern lectures about the place bad rabbits go when they die.

"His name's Hazel," he announces. It's not clear why he's chosen that appellation for his lagomorph. If anything Hazel's fur is predominantly ecru in hue save for a whitish stripe up and down his belly.

Derry also buys 2 sacks of apples. Derry is ready to return.
This message was last updated by the player at 21:55, Sun 06 Mar 2022.

"Unfortunately, the size and weight would make that impossible. Perhaps we could sketch out some of the symbols next time."




Kara declined politely. For one, she was not willing to spend the group's money without discussing it with the others first. For a second, it seemed unlikely that they would have found five magic rods. And for a third, since they are silver, if they were not magic, the cost might well exceed the value of the rod.

Was there any interest in the tools or other items?




She had also asked if there was a bounty on any other bandits. While she is not looking at getting into combat with the checkered bandits, they might have other ideas at that point. And if Harry was in one ruin, there could be others as well. So, she asked about any other bounties in place, for bandits, and then also asked if there were any bounties on monsters.




"Agreed, and fair," Kara replied. She then mentioned the reward on Harry and asked Devin if he wanted to go with her to see if Harry's corpse was still there while the others healed up, since waiting five days meant it would be very unlikely to still be about. But if he was busy at the old tower, then she understood. If that was the case, she would forgo the idea, since she was not going alone, or even with just a henchman.
(ooc: I assume Devin turns her down, but am mentioning it here for completeness.)

She also updated everyone on the bounty situation, as well as what Mistress Rakel had told her.