Neverwinter. Mount Hotenow: the sleeping volcano has begun spewing up white plumes for the last two weeks. By the time you arrive in the city there's a constant fog that limits visibility to 100'. It also gives mortals a bad cough, but you're made of stronger stuff.

You spend Mirt's coin on whatever extra equipment seems wise to you; and knowing most of you, you spend quite a bit on a great time in Neverwinter's finest tavern. Ahhhh, Neverwinter Nights.

Finally it's morning and you set up into the mountains to locate the entrance to Keraptis's dungeon. Following instructions provided by locals who have no reason to lie to you, you arrive by 4pm at the Wizard's Mouth:
This cave actually seems to breathe, exhaling a large cloud of steam and then slowly inhaling, like a person breathing on a cold day. Each cycle takes about 30 seconds.

Supposedly the volcano continues up another 2000' feet to the cone, but you can't see it. You can't see the sky. Only the white plume. You heads feel the cold August air, while your feet feel the warmth of the molten lava just below the earth.

The cave is about 8 feet in diameter and 40 feet long. At the end of the cave, near the roof, is a long, horizontal crevice about a foot wide. The air is sucked into this crack at great speed, creating the loud whistling noise and snuffing out torches. Shortly the rush of air slows down, stops for a couple of seconds, and then comes back out in a great blast of steam. This steam is not hot enough to scald you, but it does make the cave very uncomfortable, like a hot sauna bath interrupted by blasts of cold air.

The ceiling and walls of the cave are slick with the condensed steam that runs down them. The floor is covered with several inches of fine muck. The one among you with the highest Passive Perception searches the mud and finds a small trapdoor with a rusted iron ring set in it.

Now what?

Tyr raised a hand to meet the next breath of steam that met him, feeling the moisture between his fingers as he acclimated to the new temperature which would likely pervade the cave system within more thoroughly than it did out here. His fingerless gloves allowed him to still get exact details while at the same time protecting his arms, and he instinctually looked down as he wriggled his toes in the stagnant jam of gods-know-what beneath his bare soles.

Not that he would actually see his feet when he turned his face down; he was, after all, blind, with bandages wrapped multiple times around his head and even down one shoulder to cover the ugly scars that had rendered him thus.

"I'll be taking the lead this time," He said to the others, combing a hand through his now moist wild black hair, shaved on the sides to accommodate his blindfold, "unless someone's willing to risk that they'll see the danger before it can reach them."

"I'm telling you guys, this could be a very lucrative business! Mordresh's Marvelous Medicinal Hot Springs and Sauna!" He holds his arms out, pantomiming a sign hanging just above the cave entrance. As he enters his face fall slightly at the state of the place, but it quickly fades as he beams again.

"I mean, we'll have to hire someone to muck the floors on a regular basis." He nudges some of the muck with the toe of his boot before his face lights up and he turns to the group. "Oooooorr... maybe this is magical, healing mud. Huh? huh!? Who's in? How's seventy-thirty sound? That's fair right, I mean I will be doing most of the work. Obviously." He continues talking, mostly to himself as he enters the cave behind Tyr.

"Watch yourself," He says, more gently to Tyr. "There's a hatch in the floor about five feet straight ahead of you. It's buried in the muck, I almost missed it. It's well hidden, but there's no harm in checking if it's trapped, just in case." He moves carefully ahead, digging the muck up from around the trap door and checking it thoroughly for traps.

---

21:12, Today: Mordresh Blacktalon rolled 18 using 1d20+3 ((15)).

"Yes, and after the grand opening incentives you can give an 'Imminent Eruption Discount'," his face remained deadpan as he imitated the voice of a cheery salesperson. "Save more the deeper in you go!"

Trap door. Not trapped as far as you can tell. Opening it seems obvious. Just pull right? Can it be that easy??? Yes and no. This mud is indeed magical: it weighs more than non-magic mud.

"Ewwwww. This is going to ruin my hair and it's so icky. I don't mind being dirty but with Lovers or playing with children I'm an expert at mud pies.

I'll take the rear I'm hard to surprise.," she put on a studded leather helmet and mask.

She removed the peace bond on her exposed weapons then moved her hair to be comfortable and out of the way.

You remember a story where she hunted down a child killer serving the goddess Shar then ended her enemyin the Dock Ward in Watersheep.

"Someone tell me how far down it goes, alright?" Tyr said as he reached down and pulled the trapdoor open.

str check dc20
anything below a 10 and the handle breaks off in your hands.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:25, Thu 03 June 2021.

With a great rending of metal and a terrible pinging sound, the handle that operated the trapdoor shattered in Tyr's hand. He scowled. It must've been weakened by the constant steam.

"Don't worry, this is exactly why I brought this."

He slipped a crowbar out from the top of his pack, wedged it between the portal and it's bulwark, and proceeded to leverage the trapdoor open.

00:27, Today: Tyr rolled 5 using 1d20+3.  Open Trapdoor.
00:29, Today: Tyr rolled 11 using 2d20+3, dropping the lowest dice only.  Crowbar Pry.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:37, Thu 03 June 2021.

Anyone can make a wisdom save, DC15 you realize the crowbar ain't gonna work, but you might as well try chopping through the door. AC15, hp50.

"Well guess we can't do it can we go back to the inn a bath and some warm company awaits. We can find something to do other than this.

If you want to go ahead it's fine.," Gwenn said half not serious but still half seems serious.

Anyway she waits for the guys to open it thinking this is a poor start.

lmao. if everyone agrees we can go back to the inn...

Daephine rolled her eyes at Mordresh's pitch, but she let him prattle on. It didn't seem like there was anyone or anything else nearby. As the two men found and broke the door, half-elf sighed. That was her brother, doing things even when thinking would be better. "You don't have to do everything alone." she reminded Tyr and walked over to the door and the ripped off handle.

After studying it for a moment, she sighted. "Only way now is through." To demonstrate, she hefted the small axe she unhooked from her pack and gave a swing at the wood. While it bit, there wasn't much force behind it. Upper body strength wasn't something she was good at. "Like that, although it seems sturdy." she said and took a step back, letting others do a better job.

07:54, Today: Daephine rolled 15 using 1d20+2 ((13)).
07:56, Today: Daephine rolled 24,4 using 1d20+5,1d6+3 ((19,1)).
Help action to give someone advantage on the attack until the door is broken.
Door HP 46/50

Tyr was already putting his crowbar back into it's slot and reaching for the mighty axe upon his back. His greataxe was nearly as tall as he was, and curved inward near the bottom of the haft to better facilitate it's power.

"They didn't drop over two thousand gold pieces on us just for us to turn away at the door. We're better than that."

He hefted his axe well above his head, like a prize winner at a festival's feat of strength, before sending it crashing down on the obstruction in their way. He made a solid gouge in the wood, but there was still plenty more where that came from.

02:08, Today: Tyr rolled 15 using 1d12+3.  Damage.
02:07, Today: Tyr rolled 23 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Reckless Atk v.s. Trapdoor.
Door HP 31/50
This message was last edited by the player at 06:22, Thu 03 June 2021.

This message was deleted by the player at 23:24, Wed 14 July 2021.

Mordresh squeaks as he covers his face with his arms as the axe descends and sends muck splashing everywhere. He hopped back to his feet and paced a couple of steps back. Best to let the fighters do their work with his easily removed body parts well out of the way.

"If you wish to come between a man and his axe, be my guest." He chuckles.

"You know what, you're right Jillian; we've been very rude guests."

Tyr was already circling around to the side of the doorway perpendicular to his first blow. He prepared for another full-body strike.

"Knock. Knock!"

The axehead came crashing down, followed by a splintering of wood as his target nearly crumpled under the force of this strike against it's freshly made weakpoint. "Nearly" being the operative word.

"Who made this thing? Gods-damned tree dwarves?"

19:26, Today: Tyr rolled 37,13 using 2d20+5,1d12+3.  Reckless Atk v.s. Trapdoor. (critical hit!)
19:29, Today: Tyr rolled 2 using 1d12.  Savage Attacks.
Door HP 4

"Likely some dirty thieving halflings who knew they being untrustworthy scum all made the door tough.," she said smiling with a laugh.

Then waited for the door to give thinking if questing is always so messy.

The series of full-force blows had ever so slightly winded him, but Tyr still raised the axe one more time and brought it down on the trapdoor in their way. Finally, the obstruction crumbled and fell down into whatever they would find below.

"Ok, now will someone tell me what's down there? And watch out for splinters when you get to the bottom."

14:27, Today: Tyr rolled 17,11 using 2d20+5,1d12+3 with rolls of 10,2,8.  Reckless Atk v.s. Trapdoor

The door was well made. The master craftsman is rolling in his grave to think of what you've done to his mighty trap door. But then again, his door handle couldn't stand the pressure of time, the only thing stronger than iron is its own rust.

Directly beneath the door is a 20-foot-square vertical shaft and the beginning of a spiral staircase that leads down. The iron staircase is badly rusted but appears to be sturdy. There is no light save for the very bottom, 100' down. Torches will put off smoke from the humidity. The heat and stench swells as you go lower. It becomes apparent that this hole was not carved, but the rock was melted.

You reach the bottom of the stairs with a splash—the floor is submerged beneath a foot of steamy water! Floating on the water are splotches of green and white subterranean algae. This algae or algae-like fungus also clings in patches to walls and ceilings.  To the right is a large crack in the earth with a bright glowing red lava flow merely 5 feet away from you.

Those with passive perception 12+ feel the ground thrumming to a continuous low vibration.

The cave only continues one direction: west. After 100 feet it turns left/north. But before you head that way: what is your walking order???

"Good work." Daephine complemented Tyr as she rests her hand on her handaxe, tiny compared to his weapon. After peeking down the shaft she informed her half brother about what lays ahead so he could prepare himself for the descent.

"Something is happening in the mountain. I hope it is not an eruption ready to go off. Probably welcome party of whoever took the weapons. It was as much as she could guess, but there could have been other explanations for the thrumming.

"Follow me." the ranger instructed and set forwards along the tunnel, walking carefully and trying to figure out any traces of a trap. The heat, smells and humidity made both difficult.

OOC: 22:21, Today: Daephine rolled 9,9 using 1d20+6,1d20+4.  Stealthy, perception while scouting.
Blah...

"Okay Tyr you passed gas, orc fumes, peeew! I'll guard the rear I've proven hard to surprise a Shar child murderess found that out with my old rapier shewing her body multiple times. My guess there may be undead here and other threats. Here mark our way.," she tosses whose near the front a block of chalk.

"I'm right behind you Daephine; I'm more useful the closer I am to the danger." He turned his head in the general direction of Mordresh. "That means you're behind me, Talon."

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

Though you can never be sure if there weren't traps or by pure dumb luck you avoided them, you safely make it down the hallway and turn left(north). The tunnel slopes up where 20' north your feet will be on dry rock. From this point and further north, Large cracks in the floor glow with lava further below that cast dim light, enough to see 40' down the hallway.

40' north in this lava tube, the tunnel forks three ways, northwest, north, and northeast.

A rather mangy, bedraggled gynosphinx lies in the space where the three corridors converge. This winged lion yawns, stretches, and finally gets up and asks you a riddle. It's rich Denzel Washington voice echoes down the chambers.

"Round she is, yet flat as a board

Altar of the Lupine Lords

Jewel on black velvet, pearl in the sea

Unchanged but e’erchanging, eternally"

(You are 40' away)

Gwendolyne thinks and sings a tune she wrote and in good voice.

"I think I have it ,if I may, it's round and flat which shapeshifter honor, it moves on tides of black and is a pearl over the sea.," she says wanting an okay or not.

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

Everyone had stopped for a moment, and Tyr was about to ask why when the voice echoed down the passage. He listened for a moment, before putting in his two coppers.

"Is there a reason we need to be answering this person?" He asked. "Since when do people randomly sit around in tunnels to ask the first group they see a riddle?"

"That's not a person it's a guardian we can answer or have to kill it. I'd rather not kill it. Anyway Selune the moon of our world fits. Anyone disagree and she asks the creature as a Lore Bard mighty and noble guardian may I have your name to honor you in my account? We might have an answer but before I give it everyone heard needs an input.

Do you have a name as a Bard I would like to put you in my tale your a beautiful creature?," Gwen said but wanted to get the tale well respecting the magical beast.

He nods and yawns, “Yeah it’s the moon.”

The shimmer of a wall of force spell dissipates between you and the ginosphinx. Even though you didn’t know the wall was there a moment ago, you suddenly feel closer to the powerful monster.

He ends his yawn with a laugh, “HA. A beautiful creature. Sure. You may call me Oe. You may pass, whichever direction you please. Keraptis sends you his regards.”

Although he is aware of his mangy fur and unfurled feathers, at Gwendolyn’s attention he starts grooming like a house cat, trying to flatten the thick flyaways of his mane.

Daephine furrowed her brow at the riddle. While she knew half a dozen languages, word play was usually beyond her. Luckily there were others more versed in it, and Daephine smiled at Gwen after she explained her reasoning. Of course it made sense...

Tyr's question earned him a playful scolding "Shouldn't you hear the claws on the floor and rustling of feathers and gather it is not a man?" but as she said it, the answer was accepted and the field of force disappeared. Oh. "Never mind." she apologized to her brother and looked at the intersection. "Which way?" she asks herself as much as the group as she tries to make sense of the situation. Walking closer, with half an eye kept on Oe, she studies the tunnels.

12:44, Today: Daephine rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Survival - tracks in the tunnels.
Dice roller does not like me...

"Well done, Gwendolyn. Fantastic. Now, Mr. Oe, I would like to know what you know about Keraptis!"

Mordresh steps forward, hand on his hilt. "Which way leads to him????"

The ginosphinx licks the air for a moment, frowns, then bites Mordresh's face off. His brain falls out and spills all over the floor while his eyeballs open wide in horror as he watches himself die.

Oe yawns, "That's the way to Keraptis. These paths take you to the weapons, three paths, three weapons. When you're done-if you survive-then you will meet Keraptis. Not before."

He looks at you all, sadness in his eyes, not sure how you'll take the slaughter of one of your own party members. "You may pass. If you wish to fight me I am commanded to fight to the death."

"Is there a reason you killed him? I don't want kill you I killed someone once and it upset me and she was a foul villainess. Your a creature no known to kill without a reason.," Gwen said hands off her weapons belt.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:31, Sun 13 June 2021.

He yawns long and hard. "Yes. Keraptis commanded that I kill anyone who asks about him. Rather dull in my humble opinion. You see, if I were he, and I assure you I am not, I would want everyone to know my extensive history. But mysteries abound. I suppose the less you know the more intriguing it all is, wouldn't you agree?"

He pad's the lifeless body with a paw. "I can do something extraordinary though. I can raise him back from the dead, his face will be changed, as will everything about him, practically a new person. Hopefully someone who will STICK AROUND."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:40, Thu 10 June 2021.

Oe looks from one of you to the next, "I take it there are no objections then? Good."

And then Mordresh's face begins to grow back, but completely different, so too his armor and equipment have changed. How does it work? Shooooooot I don't know, Keraptis Gynosphinx Magic.

Daephine stopped her fruitless search as Oe ended their companion with a single bite. Her breath caught in her throat as she studied the scene. Her sense of duty drove her to punish the creature but its words made her reconsider.

As the resurrection was offered and started, she had put a question together. "I am not asking about anyone but you, noble Oe." she made it clear before continuing "You are being commanded. Is there something we can do to break that hold on you?

Waiting and listening patiently, Tyr nearly flinched at the sound of their party member's sudden death. On the bright side, Talon had been a hanger-on, and an annoying one at that, which meant that it only took Tyr a few moments to silently compose himself emotionally before he felt able to proceed.

He considered what he might have done if it had been one of his sisters, but let that thought trail off without an answer.

"If we can't muster up any clues, we should choose a direction and go with it." He said to the others as he heard the odd phenomena that was the just-as-sudden reincarnation of their once-ally. "Left."

Zarbak blinked his eyes a few times and shook his head to clear confusion. He looked down at his hands, noticing the shining silver gauntlets, then down at the gleaming plate armor, then up at the other people around him. His eyes grew large for a moment then he swallowed and prepared to speak, "That..." He cleared his throat, "Whew, sorry. That was...the weirdest thing I've ever experienced."

It took him a moment to get a good handle on controlling his body again as he struggled to stand, but he overcame it eventually, "Heh, uh...greetings everyone, I'm Orderly Zarbak Gnash. I'm afraid I have no idea where I am or what I'm doing here, so if I'm intruding, I apologize."

“Greetings Zarbak Gnash, Orderly. You are in the belly of White Plume Mountain. Recently renamed Mount Hotenow by Lords of Neverwinter. Recently being a millena or so ago. Master Keraptis has taken legendary weapons from their secure vaults in Waterdeep in order to test you. Congratulations.” He yawns, epically bored.

Then he turned to Daephine and scrunched up his eyes. “Commanded? No one commands the mighty Oe. I willingly serve my liege. Keraptis is worthy. Are you?”

"Legendary weapons? Sounds intriguing." He looked over at the half-orc who'd just spoken, "Left, you say? One way is as good as another. Shall we?"

I guess I'll take the previous rogue's position in the marching order, wherever that was.

Daephine's throat tightened at Oe's rebuttal of her offer. She was still glad the sphynx was content with letting them pass, but it would have been safer if it wasn't working with their foe voluntarily. And he did make up for the murder. Somewhat. She wasn't sure what to make of the strange change. She looked over the newly arisen Zarbak and acknowledged with a nod of her head before gracing Oe with a small bow at her waist. Not trusting her voice for the moment, she just walked towards the left tunnel. Ashe passed Tyr, she rested her hand lightly on his arm and indicated where she was going. Then her eyes and ears focused on the path ahead. What stood between them and the weapon?

08:35, Today: Daephine rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Left tunnel perception.

"Well we should do okay my only issue are what's protecting each weapon.  It should be a fine tale though if we survive this.," Gwen said once in her place.

Left.
Northwest.
This tunnel seems to climb steadily down as you go. After 30 feet you find yourself walking through 1 foot of water again. The floor evens out, no longer descending.
After another 20' Daephine discovers a 10-foot-long open pit under the water, no telling how deep it goes.

-----
If there's enough room to get a running start, any character with a strength of 10 or above can automatically make the 10' jump. Any character with a strength score below 10 should make an athletics check DC15 to see if they succeed.
But surely there's more to this puzzle than just "Jump across"
or is there?

"Seems simple enough." Tyr said, pushing to the front and leaping with practiced athleticism across the gap. Water sprayed up under the force of his jump, and Tyr gripped his weapon firmly so as not to drop it on the way over.

"What would a pit trap matter in a room full of water? You're not going to fall in, you can just swim out...I don't trust this at all."

Not much I can do about traps and things from my location, but if there's something I can detect -

19:31, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 8,22 using d20+2,d20+2.  Perception, Investigation.

Gwen gets out her lute playing but if Tyr lands on a trap has plans to cast a spell.

After sharing what she found with the group, Tyr most of all, Daephine started to ponder the same question Zarbak raised. And that's when her brother decided to leap over the pointless pit. Into who knows what. "Wait..." she called out pointlessly and trailed off, watching with horrified fascination at what will transpire.

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

Tyr splashes harmlessly into 1 foot of water on the other side of the pit. All is well.

Zarbak hops over the pit with ease when his time arrives.

Gwen says ,"Gentleman some help I'll go last I need to be ready to heal if there's an accident. And a hand out to catch mine would be prudent."

"Do you need help?" Daephine offered her hand to Jillian "We can jump together, or I can help you over and Tyr will wait for you." she emphasized the last part, knowing he could handle such a task, as scary as a blind man catching you might sound. "And I am sure he will do the same for you Gwen, despite the previous comments."

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

"Here, Gwen, I'll catch you." Tyr said.

He positioned himself on the other side of the tunnel from where he could hear Daephine and Jillian moving, before coming up to the edge of the pit and holding his arms out.

"I wonder who would be so desperate as to carve a lair into a volcano? Even dormant these things can be dangerous, I'm sure."


Tyr uses the Help action to give Gwen advantage on her check to cross the gap

(I know you're all waiting for me to tell you to roll, but I don't wanna waste more time, it's just a swimming pool. This part however might take a long time for you to figure out in PBP.)

Helping each other, you make it past without being fully submerged in the hot water. You travel another 50' NW and come to a new tunnel: this one clearly fabricated by intelligent design.

It goes north 70', The 10x10' stone tunnel is smoothed and polished. A series of copper-colored metal plates lines the walls of the path before you. The plates are 6 feet high and 6 feet wide.

Anyone wearing or carrying any metal? It begins to get hotter the farther in you go. (please only describe moving up to 20' into this hallway)
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Mon 21 June 2021.

The metal of Tyr's axe was beginning to warm significantly in his palm, but the leather binding that kept his grip on it somewhat mitigated the feeling. Tyr ran his hand along the wall, getting a feel for how this tunnel was made. He spoke to the others.

"My instincts are telling me that there's something very wrong with this area. Tread carefully, and keep an eye out. If anything happens, don't panic, just take things one step at a time."

"You don't say Tyr. It looks like the inside of a golem. Of course it is dangerous." Daephine followed slowly and the studs in her armor started to heat up. "Has anyone seen something like this?" she called back to Jillian and Zarbak, knowing less about their experiences than those of her siblings. Maybe Gwen knew more "Anything in any stories?"

"I've not seen it, but let's have a moment of experimentation, shall we?" Zarbak drew out a metal piton from his pack, pulled it back, and then sent it flying down the hallway.

chuck a Piton like a dagger, as far down the tunnel as I can

the piton flies all the way to the end of the tunnel with ease. it takes about one and a half seconds to plink into the wall at the end of the tunnel and bounce off harmlessly. it lays in the middle of the last 10’ square: completely normal.

experiment results: inconclusive
hypotheses: the last 10’ square is safe

"Well, there's nothing stopping progress, I guess." Zarbak grabbed one more piton and tossed it about half-way into the room.

If it didn't fall through the floor or otherwise set of any traps, he would indicate he was ready to proceed.

"So..." Tyr began, in an attempt to make small talk. "Orderly Zarbak? Is there a story behind that title?"

"I am an agent of Order, who thrives in Chaos. I have recently taken oaths to Order itself, gaining its divine favor in the process. I see patterns in much of the world, and some of those patterns reveal secrets or understanding." Zarbak laughed, "It sounds a bit crazed sometimes. Trust me, I'm aware. If we find ourselves fighting here, you may see how those patterns help me to identify openings or opportunities for you to strike that you might otherwise miss."

This time the piton elicits a noticeable result: the metal begins to visibly heat, quickly turning red hot and then staying that temperature.

Experiment conclusion: at 50' into the tunnel your own armor is going to burn you. The last 10' of the tunnel is safe. How quickly you can run 100' is all that matters.

"Well that sheds a new light on the whole thing. If you've got magical movement, now is the time to use it. If not, perhaps get in as far as you can stand, then run as fast as possible the rest of the way."

This message was deleted by the player at 23:25, Wed 14 July 2021.

"We could also take off the armor and throw it over?" Dapehine suggested, eying the searing hot piton. "I can also protect myself from the heat, but it doesn't last long. With that, she patted her studded leather, hoping that the heat won't damage it a lot. Or her. "Anyone else needs any help or preparation?" she looked at her two siblings.

"Interesting," Tyr said in reply to Zarbak, "Well, I suppose I should be thankful that you're Orderly Zarbak instead of Zarbak the Chaotic. The person you replaced was an agent of chaos already."

He began to do some light stretches as he addressed the others.

"I'm not particularly fast, but I'm pretty hardy and I can heal myself when I get to the other side. I'll warn you if it's too dangerous to cross."

He crouched into a kneel for a moment, like an Olympic runner, before rushing down the stretch of hallway.

Dashing, Tyr can only get 60' across in one round, so he'll end his turn in the hallway before getting to the safe spot.

Gwen showing the flexibility of her trade does a nearly flawless Dash accross the room her magic armor offering some protection.

08:14, Today: Gwendolyn Roaringhorn rolled 22 using 1d20+2.  Athletics.

NAT 20!

Jillian has come across electromagnetism in her studies. Through proper induction the copper coils super conduct magnetism to create massive amounts of heat. You're not just dealing with a wizard, you're dealing with a mad scientist...or maybe where he comes from, science and magic are the same.

Deaphine's questions are valid, but others are more interested in getting it over with:

Tyr runs through but finds things heat up faster than he is. Gwendolyn is able to grab Tyr and pull him along, she is remarkably unscathed, though Tyr does suffer some skin deep burns.
tyr take 10 fire damage, but you are now on the other side. No damage for Gwen, can't argue with a nat 20!

Successfully across the death trap puzzle: Gwen, Tyr
Still to cross: Zar, Jill, Daeph

"That looks like it hurt." Zarbak took a deep breath to prepare himself and said a prayer as he began moving into the shaft, then made the mad dash across the rest of it.

I'm imagining two rounds worth of getting across. I'm wearing all kinds of metal, though.

Round 1: cast Guidance, move 30 ft
Round 2: move & dash 60 ft, Athletics 23

17:54, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 22,1 using d20+6,d4.  Athletics + Guidance.

Zarbak take 1 fire dmg, Jill take 2, Deaph take 5.

You all eventually make it through the metal heating corridor, at the most only suffering flesh wounds.

Your armor and weapons cool again and you find yourself in a 30x30x10' room with stairs leading up out of the water to the dry corridor beyond. (21)

But those with passive perception 15+ spot a secret door to (20). You check it over and agree it does not seem trapped, but does it seem worth opening? That's up to you.

Jillian moves to the secret door and opens it.

Immediately a dozen skeletons pull her in and shut the door. One grins at you as the door closes. You think it's a grin. Hard to tell. They don't have face muscles.

You didn't see any treasure in that room. Maybe it's best to just leave it alone.

"Jill!" Tyr realized too late what was happening, but still rushed up to the door and instinctively kicked hard to try and affect the now solidly closed door.

Somehow he knew they wouldn't see Jillian again.

"By all nine of the Hells, what is this place? I've been to some dangerous enclosures, but none so abruptly fatal as this!"

Tyr kicked the door again - more out of spite than anything - before regaining his composure and focusing on the task at hand. They had to get out of this place, but it was their word on the line if they turned their backs now. With a tracing in the air and a muttering of his breath, he let healing energy wash over him as he cast a spell on himself; He needed to be as prepared as he could for whatever came next.

"The only way left is forward... I suppose." He said, although none too happy about it.

"Then let's get through it and stick together. Making decisions on your own and then acting on them seems to be a sure way to a quick doom. Lead on, Tyr."

Tyr simply nodded. Even though half of his face was covered by bandages, Zarbak could tell that his acknowledgement had had a positive effect on Tyr's state. He gripped his axe again and began to take the lead on this next leg of the journey, anger driving him just as much as determination.

While the searing bolts singed her skin, Daephine decided she had preferred the strange corridor to the sphinx they had encountered. As Jillian was taken in a blink of an eye, she rushed after Tyr but there was nothing that could be done. "Keraptis has a wicked mind, that is for sure." she started to worry as well. She followed her brother onward, tense but not willing to back away. "Well put." she approved of Zarbak's warning. The man was in the better position to know it than anyone else alive.

You take the stairs, confident that going after Jillian would only result in pain and zombies.

As you ascend into area 21 your soaking feet finally leave the foot of stagnant hot water.

In this room is a cage. In this cage is Valenestria.

She is clothed but unarmed. An unlocked chest is nearby with all her things. A key that will fit the cage's lock is just out of reach with a tag on it that reads "She's with you now. -K."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Fri 23 July 2021.

Cage is a polite word for the container the little blue fey creature is in.  More accurately an aquarium or even oversized jar.  Not tall enough for her to stand even to her extremely modest twenty five inches of height, not wide enough for her to lie down, she slumps against the side of the heavy and obviously reinforced container that will take a considerable amount of force to break even from the outside.

As new people come into the room she raises her head slightly, one crystalline eyelid opening just enough to observe them, to see how they react to the predicament she has found herself in before she makes any assessment of how to deal with the range of possibilities they represent.

After a momentary sweep of the room, Tyr's attention fell upon the odd figure in the cage. He could tell that it was small and humanoid, but discerned little other than that. He approached cautiously, and the creature itself was the only one close enough to hear the almost imperceptible clicking sound he made with his mouth. He then half-turned to his allies, looking in the direction of the wall at this point.

"What need have they for a creature such as this? Is it even still alive?"

Zarbak went to go have a look inside the chest, "A chest full of gear next to an interesting, caged woman, to whom it looks like this stuff probably belongs. Just another player in the game, perhaps? Could be a trap, 'rescue the innocent little girl, watch her murder everyone in their sleep' kind of thing. Could be exactly as it seems too." Zarbak pointed up toward the sign at that last bit.

"Good day there, Crystals. Care for a chat?"

"It is either a trap, or someone in need." Daephine voiced the options between which she was torn. "I would say that trusting a helpless woman isn't a worse idea than letting a strangley resurected man tag along." She gave Zarbak a long glare before fetching the key and moving to the glass prison. Her expression softened as she looked at the trapped fey. "Can you understand us?"

The first few questions asked, or rhetorical in nature, do not draw a response from the small woman in the jar, the movement of the key however does.  Her partially open eye opens about half way and tracks, if a bit slowly, the movement of the key across the room.  When asked if she can understand them her already fairly quiet voice is muffled further by the jar, but can be heard in the otherwise quiet room by anyone paying close attention to it.  ”I can speak your language, but I do not understand much of what you are using it to describe.”
This message was last edited by the player at 22:21, Sat 31 July 2021.

Tyr nodded at Daephine's wisdom, before backing up to give her the space she needed to free the creature. Their decision made, he immediately turned his attention back to their path further into the dungeon. Still, be spoke to the others as he looked just outside of the doorway.

"Trust goes both ways; you must give it in order to receive it. Only time will tell us whether it was well placed or not."

"The stuff in this chest is sized for a baby..." Zarbak looked back up at the crystal woman, "What is this?"

Watching the people move around outside the over sized bottle that contains her it is clear that she can follow who is talking, perhaps even what they are saying, but that she doesn't really understand the point behind a lot of it, after a while when they seem to have stopped talking to each other she speaks up again.  ”I don't know what it is you have found exactly, I was unconscious when they brought me into this room and was not provided with a full inventory of what else had been placed in what seems to be a sort of temporary storage.
 It has been several hours since I woke up but nobody other than you has come here.  If you are not in league with those who captured me can you find a way to let me out?”

Once again: key. Lock. Keraptis made it very simple.

What isn't so simple however, is the impatience of some. Daephine and Tyr decide to check the room Jillian disappeared into. The one with the animated skeletons wearing bright glowing amulets.

"They are immune to turn undead!!!" Is the last thing you hear from the once lovely bard.

Tyr's screams are the last you hear from him.

"Huh, I'm pretty sure I designed this lock myself." Zarbak removes it as though it were nothing. "Come on out of there."

23:20, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Thieves' Tools.

The key, which was completely ignored, grows wings, flies around the room once or twice and then smashes into the cage. Both the key and cage go POOF.

No more key. No more cage.

Watching the events outside the over sized jar with a languid, almost sleepy expression it is clear that some kind of suppression effect ends along with the disappearance of the jar, the key, or the lock although which one is unclear as they all take place at the same time.  Rising to her full, but unimpressive height of just over two feet it is all the more apparent just how thin the tiny woman is, with the slight refraction of light off her crystalline skin it almost seems like she fades out of view when she turns sideways, but only for a moment.

Lifting clear of the table without so much as the effort it would take to step up a set of stairs she flies over to the chest with her possessions in it and begins to dress herself with just as little interest in the question of modesty as she showed while in the jar.  The items she wears are all aesthetically pleasing but it is clear she has them for more functional purposes.  In place of weapons she sheathes the two tiny sticks in obviously purpose built holders on each hip of her belt as the final component to her wardrobe.  Now fully restored she looks up at the last big person in the room.  ”I could have been mistaken but where there three of your kind a few minutes ago?  I don't think I was quite out of it enough to see triple, double perhaps, but not triple.”

You're in area 21. People keep going into room 20 to get murdered by skeletons wearing suspiciously magical amulets. Your natural adventurous instinct tells you not to go into room 20, and perhaps to continue into room 22.

Heeding this inner voice, whether you call it your conscience, Jiminy Cricket, or DM railroading, you kick open the door to 22.

The first thing you see is Adamar Virnala, frozen in carbonite. As soon as you enter the room the thawing process automatically begins, and within seconds, Adamar is able to greet you, as well as explain what his character looks like.

description of the room will come after you meet him. it's another puzzle, so don't wanna mix problem solving with new character role play.

Adamar falls flat to the floor from the weird contorted position that he was previously in. "By the gods!" the half-elf said as he tumbles to the ground. He crouches there for a moment before standing up and looking around the room.

"What the..?"

Adamar is a handsome half-elven gentleman with dark chocolate skin. His eyes, which were are equally dark, haunting, and compelling looked to be a mere heartbeat away from panic.

The half-elf is dressed in fine, well-oiled leathers and walks with the assistance of a knotted old cane. His hands are adorned with silver rings on each and every finger and his smile shone just as bright as the well-polished rings. Strapped to his back is a well-traveled explorer's pack with hempen rope strapped to the side.

"Ah, well...er..hello there!" Adamar said attempted to be as dashing as he could be considering his present circumstances.

"I guess fate really does favor fools."

"I don't know that I would say that, exactly. At least three of us fools have found our fate throwing us right here in the middle of a dungeon. I've been in two rooms, and nearly everyone I've met thus far are already dead. Two rooms, all dead, and not a one through combat. All that aside, hello, I'm Zarback Gnash. Hopefully we don't join the dead ones for a good while, yet."

"D-dead....?" Adamar said as he gathered his wits.

"How is that so?"

Although clearly still getting her bearings Valenestria is at least flying around at eye level now, looking into the various curiosities of the room, even the stairs seem new and unusual from the way she views them.  After a quick trip around the room she seems to at last notice the other big person and addresses the question asked.  ”From what I have heard they seem to like going into extremely dangerous rooms all alone, almost as if compelled to do so by some unfortunate failure of their personalities.  I wouldn't recommend it, but you should be reasonably safe as long as you stick with the group.”

Adamar nodded, "Or perhaps not a character flaw but some type of compulsion...a charm maybe. I think I can help with that." Adamar nodded gravely.

"Ah, my apologies Adamara Virnala, Cleric of the Twilight Stars." Adamar said as he bowed more stiffly than he had hoped.

"uUurgh, it would appear that my muscles are still sluggish from whatever ghoulish device imprisoned me."

Clank clank clank clank clank....A rusty trap door in the ceiling slowly opens.

Squeak squeak squeak....An iron chain on a squeaky winch lowers down Kalda Silverhammer. She's all chained up and unconscious, all her armor and weapons on.

As soon as her toes touch the stone floor the chain POOFS away and she wakes up, standing there in front of you.

I'll let her describe herself.

Then we'll finally get on with the puzzle.

"Damn wizard's having far too much fun with all of this."

The woman standing before you is no more than four feet tall and is broad of shoulder and hips. Her simple and practical clothes leave only a modest level of tanned skin visible. The only weapons that is visible is a pair of thin throwing blades attached to her belt. She wears a traveler's cloak and satchel slung over her shoulder. "Who are you?" she asks in a voice an octave lower than you would think that she should have.

"I've introduced myself more in the last 10 minutes than I have in the last ten years. Zarback, Adamar, Gwendolyn, and Valenestria."


Anyone who's not actually here, he corrects by mentioning how many minutes ago they had died.

Valenestria turns in mid air to look at Zarback when her name is spoken aloud, almost as if drawn to its very sound, but her attention and focus is clearly still on his words
”Wouldn't the last ten minutes be part of the last ten years, and thus add to the total with each additional introduction in such a way as to make it impossible for the smaller category to have more iterations?”

22 on map https://www.dndbeyond.com/atta...23/850/564/wpm02.png

Once there are finally no further distractions you get a look at this hallway, which leads west:
You're standing in a 10(long)x20(wide)x10'(high) area with a 5x20x10' pit filled with goblin swords, spears and morning stars, rusty tips up.

The other side of that easily jumpable DC10 gap, the hall continues 50x20x10 completely silver. Fun fact: silver has a bit of a rainbow sheen to it...

At the end of that section is another pit just like the one previously described, although from here you can't see the swords, so maybe there's something else down there.

And then there's the 10x20x10 end of the hallway which is not shiny, appears safe, and has the door to the next room. Good luck.

Adamar looked up from where the chair and from before regaining his composure and introducing himself. "Adamar Virnala, Cleric of the Twilight Stars. A pleasure to meet you." the half-elf said with a smile.

"Are you well?" Adamar added while raising an eyebrow.

Drawn to the pit like a moth to flame Valenestria flies out over the pit, about one foot away from the nearest edge and rotates in the air to look down into it more easily where she continues to ask questions, although this one less likely to be intended for any one person.
”Do you think the owners of those weapons are likely to come back and retrieve them any time soon?  If so they look like fairly aggressive people we may not want to stick around to meet.”

flying over the pit feels perfectly safe, but as Val nears the farther edge of the pit, nears the silvery surfaced hall, she feels her flight ability completely cease, as if the gravity itself was turned off. She is able to fly away, back to the starting line, before any further consequences.

"We're here to get through and collect incredible magical items along the way, so if the owners do come back, I imaging we'll have a chance to kill them all and then move on to the next room, or be gone before they ever show up."

"What happened with the flying, there?"

Placing her hand over her heart the woman states her name, "Kalda, of Clan Silverhammer." She takes a look at the gap and in the pit below. "I would hazard a guess that this is no storeroom. The owners of these weapons are long dead, their corpses are unlikely to put up a fight. Unless it is one of those sorts of places."

Pushing off the lip of the pit on her way down Valenestria recovers her ability to fly long before hitting any of the dangerous bits and zips back up to the safe side.
”It looks like the middle section of the room has some sort of anti magic function, no doubt to make traversing the pits more difficult.”

"I'll have a look, then."

Zarbak took a leap across the pit.

Strength 19, so I probably don't even need to roll.
21:15, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  Athletics.

Adamar has a look at the pit, taking in its dimensions.

"MMmm, I think I have a plan; please-hear me out. I have a wand (and if it isn't canceled by whatever magic effect just happened to Valenestria perhaps it will help us to get across safely."

Adamar produced a wand that looked like a spider's leg.

"This produces a sticky web substance that I could use to gum up the pit so that we wouldn't have to risk someone falling into the spiky pit of doom. B-but, the web is very sticky. It might be harder to get unstuck than to attempt jumping the pit of doom."

Adamar says as he seemed to begin souring on his own idea.

Zarbak easily leaps the gap.

But he finds the silvery side of the hallway to be completely frictionless.

To say he slips is an understatement, he goes tits up completely prone but is already zipping halfway down the hallway before he is parallel to the ground, and he still hasn't hit the floor.

In fact: it seems like he won't be hitting the floor until the exact moment where he will either slide right into the farther pit, or hopefully he can go fast enough to clear the farther pit and land to safety on the other side.

Zarback: there's nothing you can do but trust in luck. Roll a d20, no mods.

Zarbak smacks hard onto the lip of the pit, crushing his ankle like Tom Cruise. But he avoids the second set of goblin weapons that hover with their sharp rusty tips pointing at him, begging for him not to pull himself up to safety.

6dmg, but you've survived the worst of it.

"By the gods!' Adamar says as Zarbak jumped and then slid across the silvery floor. Perhaps if his reflexes where quicker he could have used the wand to halt Zarbak from sliding but as shocked as he was it was moments after the incident had resolved itself that Adamar regained some measure of composure.

"Are you okay?" the half-elf yelled.

Kalda reaches into her bag rummaging around for some of her climbing supplies and walks to the wall to see if there is a proper position to secure pitons into it. "I would not recommend anyone following yet until some precautions are made to prevent a multiple person collision."

"I'm fine. Barely more than a flesh wound, honestly. There's no friction whatsoever, though. Maybe if we tied a rope off over there and another over here, we could use that to stop ourselves before hitting the blades?"

Valenestria doesn't even bother looking into the tiny pouch of even smaller extra items she has in addition to the clothing and equipment she wears, it is none the less made obvious by how she addresses the situation.
”If you have a rope strong enough to support your weight that would probably work, clearly I do not.”

Adamar unfastens his thirty feet of rope from his explorer's pack and looks over the distance to be covered. One section of 10 ft or so and then another ten.

This should work. the half-elf thought to himself.

"Anyone have a grappling hook or something that I can secure to the end of my rope?"
This message was last edited by the player at 11:31, Mon 23 Aug 2021.

A rope sounds like a simple and effective solution. But 30 feet isn't gonna cut it (if I understood you correctly). From end to end the hallway is 80 feet long.


These rock walls are really smooth, but a piton and hammer will do the trick, STR check dc15.

But Zarbak finds an interesting discovery: his back wall is an illusion. His hand goes right through the wall when he reaches out to touch it. Ohhhh scary. You gonna go to the other side?

"I think there's an illusionary wall here. See if you can get that rope secured, and then I'll have a look at the other side. If I pass through right now, with the floors like this, I might not be able to get back to help with the rope without hitting the trap again."

How goes the ceiling look? Anything significant?

This message was lightly edited by the player at 16:52, Tue 24 Aug 2021.

Taking her hammer, Kalda begins to secure the piton into the wall and begins to thread through the rope. "Sadly, I have no hook."

08:27, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 17 using 1d20+1.  Hammer and Piton.

Piton secure, thanks Kalda, great work.

Adamar looks up at the ceiling to see it is 10' high, it mirrors the floor, stone where it's stone, silverish where silverish, except there are no open pits with rusty weapons. You begin to think it's insignificant.

I don't wanna railroad Zarbak going into the fake wall until he goes into the fake wall.

...Zarbak goes through the wall.

He's still gone.

Zarbak reappears from beyond the wall illusion.

Kalda's left eyebrow raises a bit, "So, are we good to try? What is on the other side?"

"More illusions, I think. We can investigate more once we're all safely through."

"Is there a solid, nonslippery floor, through the illusion?"

"I didn't have any problems with the floor."

Once the rope is in place, and secured at both ends Valenestria wraps both her arms around it and grips her own wrists firmly on the other side to make sure she is secure without actually touching the rope, then flies at full speed down the length of it as far as her magic will allow her to go, trusting momentum to take care of the rest.

Valenestria zips straight through the slippy portion so fast that she has to doubt her senses and attempt to stop before she realizes she has started.

Wisdom Save DC12 or you fly through the wall...

The rest of you begin to get a headache from lack of concern for dungeons and dragons.

EVERYONE CON SAVE DC10 or take 1 PYSCHIC DMG.

Keeping her eyes focused on Valenestria to see how successful her transition is Kalda waits to assist the next person to cross.


10:20, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 17 using 1d20+4.

10:57, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  Con Save.

Zarbak helps Val as she comes through, then Kalda as well. Then motions for Adamar to to follow.

Valenestria comes to a rest against the rope well before she reaches the invisible wall, orienting herself upwards again once she is past the zone that blocks her ability to fly.

With the rope you all are able to successfully climb your way through the slip n' slide.

You exit the room to a 10x30x10' hallway that opens into a larger hallway going north and south. There are doors on both ends. North or South?

Perception Checks

10:34, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 11 using 1d20+2 ((9))

OOC: Adamar Virnala rolled 10 using 1d20+4 ((6)).

Internet hiccup caused a double roll, this is the first one.
23:19, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Perception.

No one notices anything.

North or south?

What does everyone think about north?

"One way is as good as another. Let's have a look to the north to begin with, and go from there."

Adamar nods once, "Agreed" He made should to be on alert as they proceeded down the hall after having experienced the traps of the previous room.

Valenestria takes a while longer to settle herself at eye level the before, first looking around the room from a lower perspective that is probably more natural for her.  ”It is extremely likely that we will need to explore both directions eventually, which one we travel first without any additional knowledge is likely to be irrelevant.”

Zarbak moved to the northern door, said a quick prayer, and had a listen. If he heard nothing, and others did not indicate to the contrary, he would try opening the door.

19:25, Today: Zarbak Gnash rolled 7 using d20+d4+2.  Perception.

Kalda nods seriously and keeps her eyes fixed on the other path making sure that nothing comes from that direction.

Adamar held up a finger to stay Zarbak's hand before he opened the door. Producing a shimmering crystalline orb that contained pulsing points of light within he touched the crystal to Zarbak and cast the Guidance cantrip.

"Perhaps a bit of a blessing might improve our luck."

---

OOC: Cast Guidance

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Guidance (Cantrip divination)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V S
Duration: Up to 1 minute
Classes: Cleric, Druid
You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.

---

As the others all fiddle with the one door Valenestria inspects the other, flying close to it, but not quite touching it, and it seems unlikely she even could open it at all given her tiny hands.

you go north and successfully open the door negating all the traps. area 23.

Water not only flows through this room, it floats.

Entering a hole in the western wall, two feet off the floor, is a stream seemingly suspended in mid-air. It flows out of another hole near the northeast corner. The water is about three feet deep. You can see a few blind cave fish being carried along in the brisk current. On either side of the door are a total of six kayaks, each able to carry two riders, but there are no paddles to be found.

the strangest part is that the kayaks are made of a bright yellow material youve never come across before. it is not metal but neither is it cloth. it does not seem organic. the humans in the group feel drawn to it, but everyone else feels put off by the material of the kayaks. however, they are not magical at all. they are simply plastic.

Everyone takes 1 psychic dmg for a week of inactivity.

With zero reason for it, Zarbak's head falls from his shoulders.

All the lootable items on his body turn into a milk-like substance that floats up into the floating stream.

Much about this room sets Kalda at ill ease, floating rivers, unnatural abominations of watercrafts, recent allies dying inexplicably. "What is this room. A test of balance? Ingenuity? Willingness to touch abominations? Do we trust that the flow of liquid is as simple as it seems? Or is there something more, hidden from our eyes?"

Still flying as that seems to be her natural state Valenestria tests her ability to move around a little bit, although she doesn't go anywhere near the water as she does a few tight circles around the group.  ”Unless you can breathe water I would recommend staying away from it, the flow rate is considerable and we have no idea how long it takes before it levels off in another room.”

Abruptly, 3 men shoot down the stream and splash out into the room.

They have no concept of what was beyond the stream, but their motive is clear: This is a test from the great wizard Keraptis, rumored to be dead for a millennia! You are to collect the 3 magical relic weapons: Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazor! All hidden in this dungeon cut from an active volcano: Mount Hotenow, also called White Plume Mountain.

The eldest of the three, a brutishly large man with a scarred and craggy face, stands for a moment in bewildered soppiness before stepping to the side and removing his dusky plate sobatons. Less surprise at his sudden entrance shows on his face than irritation as he upends the boots, one at a time, to let the water run out of them before putting them back on. The process is then repeated with his gauntlets, and finally, the helmet he wears.

Once finished he looks up at the others present. "This is White Plume Mountain, then? Okay. What say we delve it together?"

It takes a few moments for Valenestria to realize why the big human is taking off its clothing, but once the water comes out of the boots she catches on quickly and casts a very simple spell with a quick mumbled phrase and a flick of her wrist, all the wetness of the boots disappears making them as warm and dry as if they had been left in the sun all day to dry, seconds later the effect repeats itself on the gauntlets and helmet, eventually progressing to dry off all three people in small segments as she turns the majority of her focus to the question asked.  ”I don't know anything about any mountains, but there do seem to be more than a few significant tunnels and chambers that could be delved into if you are so inclined.”

You're in room 23 (see map)
It's got 6 plastic kayaks that hold 2 people each, and a 3' diameter stream that floats through mid-air (3' above the ground, 3' below the ceiling),
going east into the wall (eventually toward 24).
The hole in the wall is is 6' in diameter, so no, you don't have to hold your breath the whole way.

Crenshaw nods seriously. "Don't know much about mountains in general, never was much fer geology. Geodes n' such. What I do know is boats, ships, and the sea..." he trails off upon examining the plastic kayaks. "And what I can say for Davey Jones's honest truth is that I've never laid eyes on a dinghy such as these 'afore."

In the past 10 minutes I've thought more about how this stream/kayak thing would work: the water is 3' off the floor, and 3' high, so you'd be placing the kayaks 6' off the floor, into the swift stream, and then climbing into them...or climbing into them and then putting them 6' high...wow seems impossible.

The man that's somewhat in the middle of the three's age gap, shakes his Cittern as it's filled with water. However, it mysteriously disappeared thanks to the small but strange looking lady. The man says to a small thank you to her, his as tall as the elder man and even has a same build. He does have purple lines tattooed on his face. He starts looking at those boats,"Those, I believe they were called Kai-yaks, I've seen a few during my trips in treasure hunting. Their very flimsy in practice, though I have no knowledge of boats." he says, rubbing his chin,"Hmm, this is a floating stream, maybe we can use the kai-yaks."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:37, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

A man of completely average build and height stands up from the floor and rubs his head as he looks around at this very odd room.

"I have no memory of this place nor how I arrived here?" he mumbles. "What foul circumstance has lead to this?"

He looks at the others in the room. "Do I know you?"

"I've never seen the likes of you before," Crenshaw said, shaking his hand. "As to how we got here, I cannot say, for I do not know.

"I don't know much, but I do know this... this is a test from the great wizard Keraptis, rumored to be dead for a millennia. We are to collect the 3 magical relic weapons: Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazor. All hidden in this dungeon cut from an active volcano: Mount Hotenow, also called White Plume Mountain."

He adjusts his adamantine helmet, in a way that almost says hey, don't sweat it. "Least ways, that's my reckoning of it."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:36, Sat 25 Sept 2021.

100 points for copy pasting

Beck nods as Crenshaw explains their task,"Yes, me too, I was sent here to seek those relics. Next thing I know, I've found myself drowning in a stream and now find myself here. Maybe it is a test or maybe it's fate, doesn't matter to me really. Now since we're all here..." he says while clapping his hands together, then he starts rubbing them,"Let's start with introductions if we are to explore together we should know each other's names. The name is Beck, Beck WormEater, professional treasure Hunter and a pretty good story teller, if I do say so myself."

The tiny woman at last flies a little closer to the three, now mostly dry people she has been circling around at a distance until now and stops in a place that would be roughly eye level to all of them.  ”Ahh yes, new people come with new names.  You may all call me Valenestria.

If that is why you are here that is as good of a reason as any, but we won't be able to do that if we can't find a way out of this room, perhaps we should test one of the boats without anyone in it, see how it works with the water, if it is damaged by the trip, or if it even comes back at all.”

"Well no matter how we are here we need to find a way out. It was thoughtful of the architects of this place to provide boats. Now to figure out how to heft them up. I for one will choose to swim."

Kodiak looks around the room for any signs of a pulley system or some other device the builders of this place may have designed.

---

09:51, Today: Kodiak Bramble rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:52, Sat 25 Sept 2021.

"We kin just hoist 'em up, they don't look too heavy... though gettin' in after be a feat."

Beck nods in agreement with Crenshaw, he then grabs one of the kayaks and place it on the stream to see what happens.

It's about 80 lbs. The two of you easily get it up onto the water and wave bon voyage.

You wait.

About a minute.

Nada.

Keep waiting?

Kodiak reaches into a small bag hanging at his side. His hand rummages around for a few moments and s small smile comes over his face. "ahh, here it is."

He pulls out a 50 foot length of rope and lets the end loose. Instead of falling to the ground it rises up beside the stream and attaches onto the wall.

"This will hold secure. We can use it to hold the boats in place while you enter them. Once all of you are in a boat and on your way I shall assume the shape of a crocodile and join you downstream. I only hope there are fish in this water."

On seeing the boat holds its place and doesn't float away he nods. "It would seem rowing will be in order."

---

Rope of climbing at your service.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

Rope works for me, no skill check needed to climb into the boat now.
and yeah there's fishies. You can make a bite attack ac10 to eat em.

"If you're all sure that this is the way you want to go, I'll take point." If everybody seems down, he gets in the lead kayak and holds his shield up in front of him.

"Well it sounds like theirs nothing dangerous beyond this stream. I'd say we go for it." Beck says, once everyone agrees he would take a seat on a kayak that is behind the rest of the party.

Kodiak waits for everyone to mount up in a boat. He then grabs the magical rope and it falls free from the wall. He rolls it up and places it back inside the small bag secured around his hip.

Once he's ready he jumps up and 'dives' into the floating stream shifting his form as he does so. He follows the others downstream.

---

Assume wild form - crocodile.

Kalda shakes her head, "That seems like the best option from here." She joins the series following along the kayaking path.

You all happen to enjoy the ride. There's a story about a bear and a rabbit that are friends and the rabbit is a bit of a troublemaker and often gets into trouble, but his bear friend is kind and gentle and is always trying to talk sense into the rabbit. But when it comes down to it, the bear is always rescuing the rabbit because bears are terrifying and you don't wanna make bear angry just to teach rabbit a lesson.

Before you can figure out where the story is coming from you see light at the end of the tunnel. (24)

Let's make sure I've got our riding/swimming (and probably flying) order correct:
kayak1: Crensh, Kalda
swimming: Kodiak
last kayak: Beck

I need Adamar and Valenstria's positions pls.

Valenestria doesn't quite 'sit' on one of the kayaks but she does alight between the occupants of the one in front to hold on to a line or handle of some kind in the middle of it to make matching its exact position easier, and perhaps as a backup plan just in case they enter another magic dead zone.

that puts adamar in the front seat of the rear kayak.

lezgo!

crensh, kalda and Valenestria zip into the room, dimly lit with lava seeping on the stone walls, and suddenly a net crashes down on them and pulls them down through the water and splashing crashing to the floor.

you look up to see two knights in black armor ready to slice you with black long swords

the three of you make a str or dex save (whatever’s better) to get out of the net before getting stabbed.

Caught off-guard, Crenshaw is unable to free himself.

ooc: 21:42, Today: Crenshaw rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Str Save.

The dwarven monk's training is apparent as she moves with swiftness.

21:58, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 24 using 1d20+6.  Dex Save.

Turn order:
kayak1: Crensh, Kalda, Valenestria - IN THE ROOM
swimming: Kodiak - IN THE ROOM
last kayak: Beck - ON THE WAY, PLS WAIT

Kalda immediately slips out of the net. Valenestria immediately slips out of the net. The way they do it are very different.

Kalda and Valenestria you have a full turn. You are in the middle of the room. There are 2 knights with swords in melee range. 10' NE are 2 more knights with a net ready to snag the next group.

Crenshaw gets stabbed by one of the knights. Take 5dmg. Make a str or dex save dc13 to get out of the net or you are restrained until next turn.

Kodiak the Killer Kroc enters the room and a net immediately yoinks him out of the water and onto the stone floor. You're now in the middle of the room and you see 1 knight about to stab you with his sword. Make a str or dex save dc15 to get out of the net or you are restrained until next turn.

---

ROUND 1
Kalda Free to Act - Center of room
Valenestria Free to Act - Center of room
Crenshaw - restrained, make a save, center of room
Kodiak - restrained, make a save, center of room
Beck - not in turn order yet

Black Knights AC18 HP?
1 Center melee Crenshaw
2 Center
3 10' NE of center at water entrance
4 10 NE of center at water entrance

With a purposeful grimace and a terrible yell Crenshaw rips the net apart with his bare hands before levying a stern gaze upon the wretch with the temerity to stab him. "Try that again, bucko, an see where ol' Crenshaw jams yer blade."

ooc: 12:23, Today: Crenshaw rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  STR save.

Slipping out of the net almost as quickly as it folds around the kayak Valenestria almost seems to turn sideways in a direction the eye can't see as she passes through one of the holes in the net that should have been a little to small for even her tiny body to fit.  Pointing a hand up at the nearest night she unleashes four purple bolts right in its face, all of which hit it, for a significant cumulative effect.  ”Focus on the same targets, bring them down as quickly as you can without wasting to many resources.”

STILL ROUND 1, just giving a short recap
Kalda Free to Act - Center of room
Valenestria turn over -  Center of room
Crenshaw - unrestrained, turn over - center of room
Kodiak - working a double shift, make a save, center of room
Beck - not in turn order yet

Black Knights AC18 HP?
1 Center melee Crenshaw HP-14
2 Center
3 10' NE of center at water entrance
4 10 NE of center at water entrance

Kodiak emerges from the stream like a missile with scales and teeth. He lunges towards the floor but instead of being the hunter he finds out he is the hunted as a net entraps his reptile form.

---

19:32, Today: Kodiak Bramble rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  Crocodile STR save

Wild Shape - Crocodile
HP 19/19...AC 12...Speed 20' swim 30'... STR +2... DEX 0/
Bite Attack +4, 1d10+2 target is grappled & restrained (Escape DC 12)

Kald rushes over to the most threatening black knight. She swings several times. Her fists bouncing ineffectually off of the metallic plates.


20:44, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 2.

20:44, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 1.

20:44, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  Unarmed Attack.

Ki Points 3/4

Knights Round 1: The knights all raise their greatswords and point them at each other, "LEADERSHIP!" They all chant at once. Nothing seems to happen, but they ready their next attacks...

Kalda - Rolling on the nat 1 table is always optional...
https://www.hipstersanddragons...tical-misses-5e-dnd/


The guards that trapped Gator-Kodiak weren't expecting a second kayak. That's when Beck enters the room to witness the chaos of dishonorable black knights attacking.
Beck - bonus action to get safely out of the kayak, or you can make a dex save dc15. If you fail you take 1 bludgeoning damage and are prone (which means you won't be able to move into melee, but you'll still have your full actions). If you succeed you get to keep your bonus action and have a full turn.

---

ROUND 2
Kalda - Free to Act - Center
Valenestria - free to act -  Center
Crenshaw - free to act - center, melee 1knight
Kodiak - restrained in net - NE, melee 3&4
Beck - needs to get out of kayak - NE corner of room

Black Knights AC18 HP?  LEADERSHIP (whatever that means)
1 Center melee Crenshaw HP-14
2 Center
3 10' NE melee kodiak
4 10' NE melee kodiak

Valenestria follows up her opening bid with more of the same as four more purple darts of force leap out at the damaged knight, each seeking weakness with unerring precision.

Crenshaw unsheathed his scimitar, bringing it to bear against the knight facing him, slashing its notched blade from the man's shoulder to his hip in one brutal movement. "Oh, aye, Leadership indeed."


ooc:
12:42, Today: Crenshaw rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Scimitar Attack.
12:43, Today: Crenshaw rolled 4 using 1d6+3.  scimitar damage.

Beck sees the group of knights that were waiting in surprise of the group,"Hmph, looks like we're not the only group here. And it doesn't seem that none of them are nice folk." he says, hopping out of his kayak safely. He then starts strumming his Cittern, as his tune was heard throughout the room one of the knights nearby had an orange glow emitted on their armor. Like iron heated on flame, the knight burned inside as the outlandish man's tune keeps playing.

Bonus Action: out of kayak
Action: Heat Metal on Knight 4
06:32, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 8 using 2d8.  Heat Metal Dmg.

Shaking her hands a bit before continuing to pummel the knight with her fist repeatedly colliding with the armored form a trio of more times. She continues to position herself favorably between foes.


16:54, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  Unarmed Attack.
16:54, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  Damage 1.

16:55, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 1.
16:55, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 6 using 1d4+3.  FoB Damage 1 .
16:55, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 2.
16:56, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 4 using 1d4+3.  FoB Damage 2.

Ki Points: 2/4

i waited a full week, so skipping Kodiak's turn
Magic missiles and a scimitar are still not yet enough to bring Knight 1 to his grave, but then Kalda punches him furiously. A fist sized dent in the helmet extends far beyond where the skull should have stopped it. KLANK. The dead weight armor drops to the stone floor.

Knight 2 attacks Kalda, Brutally critting her in the head with his second blow. Kalda hit AC23 for 10, and crit AC28 for 20. Slashing Damage

Knight 4 screams as his black armor turns red from heat. "Forget the croc, get the spell caster before I burn to death!"


Knight 3 turns from Kodiak to target Beck. Beck dodges the strikes.
Knight 4 attacks Beck. Beck hit ac20 for 10 and ac19 for 10 slashing dmg. DO YOU NEED TO ROLL CONCENTRATION?

---

ROUND 3
Kalda  - Center Melee Knight 2
Valenestria -  Center
Crenshaw - Center
Kodiak - restrained in net - NE
Beck - NE Melee 3&4

Black Knights AC18 HP(seems to be ~50)  LEADERSHIP
1 DEAD
2 Center ML Kalda
3  NE melee Beck
4  NE melee Beck HP-8 heat metal

Reorienting on the knight that can apparently speak Valenestria continues the barrage of purple darts, four more of them launching past the melee and into the one that seems to have figured out how dangerous spellcasters can be.

Beck's tune was abruptly ended as the burning knight cut him down. He still stands firmly though, but that Knight's orange tinge disappear,"Tsk, back into is never a good option. Sorry to do this to you Kodiak, but it's either you or me." he says as he surveys his surroundings. He then starts strumming his Cittern, and when he sings, his voice made an explosive boom. Woe to the recipients nearby said explosion.

He then looks toward to Kalda as she too takes heavy damage,"Hey, lass, you still breathing. Don't lose, you hear, punch them like theirs no tomorrow."

07:07, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Concentration Check DC 10.
Action: Thunderwave on Knight 3, 4 and Kodiak. Con Save DC 13 or be pushed 10ft aeay.
07:16, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 8 using 2d8.  Thunderwave .

Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration 1d6 to Kalda

Crenshaw begins humming as he brings the scimitar down and around towards the armored figure fighting the monk, missing by quite a bit, actually.

ooc: 19:56, Today: Crenshaw rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  attack.

SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT

Spells pop out from the inside of Kodiak the Killer Croc

A black on black tiefling pulls itself out...I'm still not sure the gender, their rtj said they, so i'll just let them describe if they have boobies or not.

Crenshaw immediately recognizes his half-twin on his mother's side that his father cast out from their home when they were only 3 years old. It's Temperance.

Temperance go ahead and take a turn, as we've been down a 5th player for the whole fight

Wiping the blood from the brow, Kalda seems determined to not let the blow that would have laid low all but the most determined of folks deter her. She has no idea as to the motivations involved with these armored knights, but the conflict has surely escalated into a struggle for life and limb. She moves to continue her own personal assault, first punching the metal plates producing little more than a metal clank and a shift of momentum. The second strike is open handed to the wrist of their weapon hand forcing it out of position. The third motion is a quick knee to the side of the knight's knee. After the damage has been done, she carefully backs away moving well outside the reach of the blade.


Action: Attack
13:21, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Attack.

Bonus Action: Flurry of Blows
13:21, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 1.
13:22, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  FoB 1.
 5 Damage and Foe Cannot take Reactions this round

13:21, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 2.
13:22, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d4+3.  FoB 2.
 7 Damage and Foe must make a DC 13 Dex save or be knocked prone.

Move 30 feet(if possible) from enemies

Ki Points: 1/4
Bardic Inspiration: Yes

HP: 2/35

Tempe takes a moment looking half tourist and half predator to take in the scene, "Hey bro!" issues with almost childlike exuberance.

That done, he cast a spell, dragging a finger from chin to sternum Temperance causes a series of runes to ignite along his chest and takes a deep breath in as they begin to pulse. A moment later blackfire erupts from the mouth of this tea flame with such Force that it washes back over the creature. These black flames do not appear to have concerned the taffling at all but instead scene to be reaching for enemies and other creatures nearby while their siblings washed out over the enemies in the North east area.

Move action: if necessary to reposition to avoid catching people who aren't in the enemy uniform.

Bonus action: cast dragon's breath.

Attack action: dc13 dex save versus 20 fire damage. Triggers aura of flames 1d4 damage to melee attackers.

Full 29 hit points, 16 AC

This message was last edited by the player at 19:31, Wed 20 Oct 2021.

Pop PO pop PO pow. Magic Missiles dent up the armor so bad you know it's sticking into flesh where it shouldn't.

Thunderwave blasts 3 and 4 10' away from Beck, but more importantly it flings all the bits of Kodiak up into the stream.

2 gets pummeled and falls down.

Dragons Breath consumes knight 4, and leaves knight 3 looking not so shiny.

2 stands up and attacks Crenshaw. hits ac17 for 10

Knight 3 stands up and attacks Temperance. nothing hits. welcome to the party pal.

---

ROUND 4
Kalda  - 30' away from knight 2
Valenestria -  Center
Crenshaw - Center ML 2
Beck -
Temperance - NE area ML 3

Black Knights AC18 HP(seems to be ~50)  LEADERSHIP
1 DEAD
2 Center ML Crenshaw hp-12
3  NE hp-28 ML Temp
4  dead

Beck looked at his hands for a moment seeing Kodiak's stomach blow up. He then whistles, like his ignoring a murder that he accidentally committed, but then relaxes seeing that a tiefling was the one that did him. Well his not gonna question that, he just slowly walks away from it and heads to their most injured member,"Hey, here's something to get rid of some of those wounds you got their." he says to Kalda, his hands glow a bright green light and as he touched her, some of the wounds closed up.

Move: 30 ft toward Kalda
Action: Cure Wounds on Kalda
07:03, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 13 using 2d8+3.  2nd Level Cure Wounds.

This time the purple darts split up, the first few impacting with the most damaged skeleton fighting the surprise tiefling until it goes down then along with Valenestria's focus the rest turn to the last remaining skeletal knight to chip away at it a little more.  ”Focus on the same targets, bring them down as quickly as you can without wasting to many resources.”

Tempe's throat and chest again release a blast of fire as veins of brilliant energy course around the black scales though this turn the fire doesn't wash back over himself.

only 9 damage to save against this time. sometimes I wish the die would just be a 1 so I could reroll for more... oh well. Dex dc13 still.

Kalda nods towards Beck, "Thank you." Before she rushes back into the skirmish. Around eight feet away, she launches herself into the air. Planting her feet on the armor of the Knight, she bounces off. Landing a few feet away, she moves it slamming at it twice. Recalling Beck's works she does indeed punch like this is the end.


00:14, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 14 using 1d20+5.  Unarmed Attack.
00:15, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 1.

00:15, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  Flurry of Blows 2.
00:17, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 4 using 1d6.  Inspiration.
00:18, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  Damage 1.

Ki Points: 0/4
Bardic Inspiration: No

HP: 15/35

Beck's on heals. Val pops pop pops. Temperance roasts knight 3 who drops to a smoldering stack of steel. Kalda feels like she's punching a steel door until one blow cuts quick between plates of knight 2.

Knight 2 drops to a knee and lays his sword on the ground before him.

"Well fought, chosen ones. You are worthy to meet Sir Bluto Sans Pite."

The floating stream begins to cloud red...blood...

I'll wait a turn for you to decide what to do with knight 2. The battle can be over. Up to you.

ROUND 4
Kalda  - 30' away from knight 2
Valenestria -  Center
Crenshaw - Center ML 2
Beck -
Temperance - NE area ML 3

Black Knights AC18 HP(seems to be ~50)  LEADERSHIP
1 DEAD
2 Center ML Crenshaw hp-22
3  dead
4  dead

Temperance releases the magic and begins inspecting the gear of the fallen foes. Quicker than one might expect there are two piles and Temperance announces, "On a cursory inspection none of it seems magical," though the metal still glowing red might have suggested that at least some of it is suffering magical effects.

Arcana: +4=6, at least a 2 is enough to probably know you failed.

no, there isn’t enough time to make two piles of armor, but nice try.

you find 10gp. the coins are not magic
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:04, Tue 26 Oct 2021.

Although not quite completing the spell Valenestria's tiny fingers glow purple as if she is about to release at least a little more force as she points it at the last remaining knight, apparently able to talk like the first one.  ”If we are worthy don't just stand there throw down your sword and take us to your leader.”

"Sir who? I have no clue who that is. But he sounds important, alright, do as the tiny lady says and lead away." Beck says, strumming his instrument.

The knight is about to slide his sword further away when out from the bloody stream splashes another black armored knight, but this one's wearing ceremonial white robes over his plate. Of course, the white cloth is soaked blood red. His boots are very obviously magical. Unlike the black knights, he is not wearing a helmet, and his one of a kind face seems somewhat familiar. Anyone can make a history check on Bluto.

"Hail chosen ones. I see Keraptis has finally started his Game again. I'm sure you have many questions. I, Sir Bluto Sans Pite, hope to help you. Here. You'll need this."

He offers up a great axe-the blade is shaped like a key.

Kalda watches over the fallen knight and the newcomer. Her left eyebrow raises signaling both her suspicion and an inability to hide it. "Convenient of you to arrive right now bearing something sending mixed signals."

Temperance recognizes Sir Bluto's face. He was a respected Knight of the Realm in Waterdeep before his indictment in the River of Blood mass-murder case. His mysterious disappearance from prison two years ago left even the Royal Magician-Detectives baffled, and a reward of 10,000 gp was posted for his capture...

Meanwhile Sir Bluto laughs kindly, "Yes yes, I can imagine how confused you must be. Keraptis sends you down into a murder dungeon to find 3 magic weapons that have been stolen...which, by the looks of it, you haven't found any yet...but who's side is Keraptis on?Yeah."

He holds up the key axe. "I probably shouldn't tell you, and force you to figure it out for yourselves, but this axe is actually a KEY."

"And the river-of-blood-murderer is offering it to us. That seems like a thing that one should probably not just take lightly. So unless you can give a really good explanation then the bounty on you is enough to set at least two of us up comfortably with quiet lives." Tempe trusted it was a key... Just not what it was a key to, because of who it was a key from.

"More importantly, what's with all this chosen one none sense. I'm here for merely the treasures of this dungeon, those three weapons included." Beck explains, shrugging his arm,"What exactly is your intent here lad." he asks the mysterious knight with suspicion in his eyes.

Floating in the air well out of reach of the axe key Valenestria levels off with it and gives the thing a good looking over as she circles around to see it from multiple sides.  ”I don't have any use for it right now, but if you have a smaller version, or one of the big people wants to carry it around I think we should probably keep it with us, this is an unusual place that offers reward and challenge in roughly equal measure but neither is to be avoided.”

"Ahhh you've heard of me! Well that's good news, I have no idea how long I've been down here, but either not long enough to be forgotten, or long enough that I've become legend. Bounty? I guess it hasn't been that long then..." He kinda frowns, then cheers up, "How much is my handsome head worth?" He's not handsome at all.

He's been holding out the axe key for anyone to take, and now drops his arm. "Well I wasn't expecting no one to want it, but I guess the rules weren't that you have to..."

Crenshaw has been quietly pulling off the armor of the fallen black knights and piecing together the best parts to make his own set of plate.


"I'll take it. Give me the key. I'm getting outta here."

He slowly slides the black helmet over his curly hair.

Bluto's eyes go wide, "NO! DON'T! AHHHHH."

As soon as Crenshaw puts the helmet on Bluto is magically pulled back into the floating stream along with Crenshaw and all of the knights, but their weapons and armor all stick together, purging the meaty parts.

KLANK KNACK KLANG.

Kassan plops out of the blood red stream and the water begins to clear up.

I'll leave it to him to describe how he looks, and leave it to all of you to explain to him what the hell is going on.

SPLASH. Sir Bluto's head rolls onto the floor next to Kassan.

The axe-key remains.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:07, Sat 30 Oct 2021.

In reply to A Dungeon Master (msg # 217):

Greataxe clenched in his fists, roaring at some unseen enemy, Kassan stops his roar mid way as it travels off in a some what awkward way as he looks around and observes what is not his previous surroundings.  Lowering his weapon, Kassan grabs it just below the axe head and walks casually to the little blue creature and squats down.

Little one, where is it that you brought me, I was in glorious battle and your fairy magic has brought me somewhere.  I do not know how I angered you but forgive me and send me on my way.

Kassan picks at his teeth with his non weapon hand with a claw, awaiting a response from the strange blue creature, all the while scanning the area.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:19, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Hovering up from the height of the crouching skeleton she had been matched up with Valenestria allows the lion to stand at his full height and talk to her.  ”Unfortunately I believe your predicament is a good bit more complex.  It was not my magic that brought either of us here, more likely it is tied to that enormous key there on the ground by the severed head.  If my magic can help with that in the future I will let you know, but for now it seems you are stuck with us.”

Deep in his chest a growl can be heard slowly growing and settling.  Rising from where he had crouched down to speak with the little one he raises his large hand towards the blue jeweled creature and offers a single finger as a gesture of a hand shake.  He goes around to each individual in the room and offers a hand to be shaken and does so politely but with firmness.  Once done he ends up squatting near the key as they called it looking at it and poking it a little with one of his Javelins.

Common "Hmmmmmm, you may all call me Kassan.  What may I call you all and what have wild magics gotten me into or some false deity playing a stupid trick."

A razor sharp grin was on his face as if he though himself clever.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:20, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

"One has went and another comes to the fold. At least you look strong, you wouldn't mind carrying that key around. It's quite unwieldy for most of us here." Beck says, eying up the new arrival,"At least to get your bearings in why your here of course. Our objective on the other hand is clear, explore this dungeon and find three legendary weapons, the treasure Hunter within me prefers the items scattered here more than those dusty weapons."

With arched eye Kassan gives side glance to the one who wielded a stringed instrument.  Looking back to the thing called a key, a contracted look on his face.  With a shrug of his great shoulders Kassan grabs some leather strapping and ties the greataxe key to his explorers pack.

"Well sounds like there is battle and gold to be made here.  I will find this magic user that brought me here and use his skull as an adornment."

Moving off in some direction of some exit Kassan stops mid stride, looking back with a confused look.

"Which way?"

Tempe picked up the severed head, "This alone might make the trip worth it though. I'm Temperance. Tempe if you wanna make it short. I'm a group violence magic specialist.

You all think we are ready to move on?"

You find no doors, but when Kassan approaches the southwest corner of the room an axe-key sized keyhole appears in the wall.

Definitely a little startled at an appearing hole in the wall Kassan removes his pack grumpily, mumbling under his breath about the folly of magic, pretend gods and such.
Removing the greataxe key and putting his leather tie down straps away, Kassan hoists on his pack again.  Kassan moves towards the key hole and inserts the large key, bracing for any kind of shock.  If there is none he will see which way to turn it and do so.

"Time to move forward I suppose?"

As the others begin searching the room Valenestria casts a simple spell on herself, or rather on the translucent crystal garment she is wearing, this causes soft green lettering that reads Valenestria to appear across the back of it at the widest point just above her shoulder blades clear enough for anyone to read and styled in simple block letters visible from a considerable distance.

With that annoyance solved she hovers over to where the lion has found a key and offers what she can for support.  ”There is rarely any direction available but forward, and going back even if we could is unlikely to reveal any information of value as concealment does not seem to be part of the nature of this place, but rather puzzles and misdirection.”

The lock clicks and the wall opens brick by brick.

25.

The long dark hallway seems completely unused and perhaps forgotten by Keraptis, as there's nothing worth describing. You return to the hallway where you chose to go north to 23 the kayak room. You could now go 26 south, or back track 22 east.

Kassan smells the air in the long forgotten hallway, looking as far as his eyes will see into the hall.  Trying to perceive if it is structurally still a sound hallway or for any loose stones or off shades of stone on the ceiling, walls and floor for pressure.  He was no sneaky rogue but he unfortunately had not been cautious in the past, needless injuries to day hte least.  Kassan looks to the group and shrugs and moves forward.


08:08, Today: Kassan rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  perception.
08:07, Today: Kassan rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  stealth.

Kalda nods to the newcomer and begins to follow along. Her own steps deliberate and carefully paced. "I think we can get nothing more from that room's madness."

Temperance gave anyone who seemed remotely like they were sneaking or trying to do so significant space. Temperance knew his strengths and weaknesses... Mostly. He had a great gift for magic... Just not the kind others in the monastery used. Rather than guiding and strengthening, Tempe's magic ruined people and things.

Tempe became an adventurer to ruin bad stuff with magic. It was a healthier outlet than keeping all the negative energy repressed and even provided a bit of good for the common folk. All sorts of win. Tempe also got to meet interesting people and travel, usually not bad in either case.

Tempe would follow bringing up the rear of the party... anyone thinking spellcasters were easily done in with weapons would learn that was not always the case.

Without so much as a glance at the northern loop, or the return to the place they came from Valenestria simply drifts on to the south.  When Kalda speaks up she adjusts to the dwarf's eye level out of some combination of habit and courtesy and slows to reply.  ”Unless we find some new source of information there is little point in backtracking to ground already covered.”

Beck agrees with the fairies words and starts trudging along,"South seems like a good option. Let's keep a move on people."

You go south, the doors automagically open to reveal a massive aquarium and zoo.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/atta...26/600/786/wpm05.png
https://www.dndbeyond.com/atta.../600/totyp-04-10.png
You are looking out and down into an enormous chamber defined by terraced steps that ring the entire area and descend toward a central enclosure.

A few feet south of the door, water laps at the edge of the stone floor. Looking to the side, you can see that the ring of the terrace that lies beyond is a ten-foot-deep ring of water held in by a nearly transparent wall. Another of these watery steps in the terrace is somewhat lower than the first; at the level in between these aquariums, the terrace steps are dry, but the area is still enclosed by a glassy wall like the others. Each tier is 10' in depth and width and at the very bottom is a door.

The dry area on which you stand is clear of monsters, but within the water next to you are four giant crayfish. The next lower tier is desert with four giant scorpions. In the water below that are four sea lions, and in the dry stony bottom tier is one wingless manticore.

The doors shut behind you.

Tempe scowled and once more began to draw the runes upon the air this time with separate hands each hand performing the maneuvers that he had done before to ignite runes upon his own throat, he added as he began however,"Last time I used the demons fire this time I'm going to offer the devil's lightning. Who are my takers? I have two sets, just will it and exhale."

"Is this what we truly must do, to fight such a majestic being. It can't even fly, surely their must be some sort of puzzle were here to solve." Beck says to the group as he surveys the surroundings some more.

07:42, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Perception Check.

I'm thinking theirs a zookeeper hiding around here. Someone's gotta be taking care of these creatures.

From here you see a door at the bottom of the aquarium, terrarium.

The Manticore licks its spikey tail and yawns, lazily guarding the door.

As if noticing you are here, the crawfish begin scuttling this way. Noticing the movement, the scorpions begin scuttling this way, and noticing the movement, the sea lions swim this way. The animals are all grouped as near you as they can be without leaving their water or desert cages.

Valenestria hovers up a bit higher to get a better view of the creatures, but doesn't risk flying out over even the first band of water, clearly recalling how previous rooms caused problems with that plan.  ”It may be possible to damage the cages along the far side, or at the very least focus the creature's attention there by using long range attacks repeatedly, then quickly traverse the path down to the Manticore.”

"There is no glory in fighting caged or crippled beasts, I wish to the fight the one that did that to the creature. I will help you Wormeater, find the one that has done this."

Kassan looks for another passage in the room or a concealed door.

19:44, Today: Kassan rolled 17 using 1d20+1.  perception.

the two watery parts have few noticeable features: theres every sort of colored pebble, and no poo, so somehow the water filters itself.

the scorpions dont have anything but white sand.

the manticore’s tier is just the same polished black stone that every thing else has been. that door that he is guarding looks to be important. or maybe just the way out.

10 feet across the water then a “glass” wall, then 10 feet lower and 10 feet across the sand another 10’ tall glass wall, then ten feet lower ans 10 feet across water is another 10’ wall, then 10’ lower is the manticore and door. total of 30’ across and 30’ down to the center.

"Looks like the only people here are us and the creatures residing here. And we're trapped to boot, only way out is to pass through that manticore. How do we proceed, do we jump over the wall and see what happens?" Beck suggested to the group.

A grumbling can be heard from Kassan as he stares at the large crawfish swimming forward, some drool dribbling from the side of his lips.

"Dammit caught without butter and large pot, this is just not my day.  I leave the thinking to you folks."

Kassan will walk the perimeter with the strange key axe, maybe something will open up as it did before.

Tempe's magic retreats, "I would almost think that they're expecting to be fed. They seem compliant enough and not overly aggressive. it is possible that we could run along the wall to try to jump over the 10-foot section that leads down to the next tier but I'm not comfortable with a 20 foot drop at the end of that 10 ft jump. perhaps if we look around this top-tier a while we can find containers of food that will distract the creatures. From the middle of one long side I can hit virtually anything in the room if you want me to try to break some of the thin walls."

While manticores are very traditionally evil, so is the offspring of demons so Tempe was going to struggle very hard not to judge. Tempe would begin circling around the other way from Kassan.

"I agree, I am not sure we can trust any of our expectations about typical behaviors in this place. The creator seems to take a pleasure in shifting things around. Its possible that feeding the beasts will sate them or it might cause them to double in number or in size."

Approximately 3 minutes have passed since you arrived in this room. Which is more or less a huge hint as to one of the options you could try.

Walking around yields no food containers on your tier, but you notice a man sized safe parallel to the door that the manticore guards. (you may have even noticed it before, I just assumed no one had walked around to the other side of the room yet)

Tempe tries casting fire bolt on the top edge of a thin 'glass' wall, if it blasts a small piece out he will have an understanding of how strong these walls are. Giving what may be another piece of their solution or more data that proved ultimately to simply complicate the situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Wed 10 Nov 2021.

Valenestria finishes her own examination of the creatures then turns back to the group once those who are returning have done so.  ”None of the creatures seem able to escape their current environments, it is fairly likely we could just engage them from outside and finish off each group as we progress down, or engage them from both sides so they can not hide behind the barriers.”

"The small one is right, time to speak with that ugly lion down there and get more answers.  Lets kill some of these creatures and feed the horrid beast.  By the way what is that down there.  I will sell it's tail spikes as tooth picks if it refuses to co operate."

Kassan readies his axe and walks towards the first level of water with the cray fish.

Tempe I didn't see your roll. You're shooting at the tier 1 south wall?

Kassan meets no aggression from the four giant crawfish. They wait patiently 10' under water for him to do something. (You'll have to get in the water it seems)

---

Glass Wall AC10

Round 1
Giant Crawfish AC15
1
2
3
4

Tempe wanted to take a hand sized piece off the top of the wall on the north side, top tier of thin walls. He knows his shot is good and resource usage is non existent... Then he saw it looked like Kassan was about to jump in the water to fight... "Kassan wait!"

Temperance rolled 6 using 1d10.  Damage assuming the critical is not true against the object though objects are valid targets of the spell.
Temperance rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Firebolt thin wall near top.

A fist sized hole smashes out of the top of the glass wall and water begins to pour out into the desert tier below it. At this rate you're looking at about two minutes before the water recedes past the height of the hole.

With the smallest of shrugs of her tiny shoulders Valenestria does much the same thing, with a single blast of force, unlike the ones used previously that seemed to direct themselves this one extends directly from her pointed finger into the transparent wall across the length of the room at the lowest point of the first water tier.

The glass cracks at the base, goes all the way up to the first hole, but holds.

Not enough damage perhaps.

Temperance looked at the damage then concluded, "If we hit the lower tier first, then the upper, the beasts may all drain together at the bottom. Not sure if it is the best idea, but the safe door should hold off water and we can burn off excess while fighting things that didn't kill each other. Honor is well enough and all, but we could then use this place to rest in for those who need it. Eating meat and plants from below." despite the possibility of using bigger magic to do this faster, Tempe plans to use cantrips to smash the lower tier first, behind where the team has the monsters drawn. Trying to flush the monsters together and hope they give each other trouble and the team can just clean up feels like a good idea from here at least.

Shifting her aim twenty feet to the left Valenestria shoots another hole in the glass, perhaps even a slightly bigger one.  Then she brings her aim up to the top just above the left hole and shoots out a chunk similar to the one firebolted to start the process, together the holes now define a rectangle of weakened structural integrity ten feet high and twenty across.

I don't want to assume what you're doing and then you say, "Hey that's not what I wanted to happen." So let's make sure we are on the same page.

Here's the map again: https://www.dndbeyond.com/atta...26/600/786/wpm05.png

Most if not all of the party is north center at tier 0. All animals have collected at the most north center they can get for their tiers. The creatures are oblivious to what is happening at the south wall.

Tier 1:
South Center: hole at top, crack running down to bottom.
Val puts a new hole at the SE corner bottom, and a crack now runs up to the top.

Water has now finished pouring out of the center hole and is gushing as quickly as possible out of the new SE bottom hole, at this rate it may take hours.

I won't make you spend 100 cantrips punching the wall, if you all decide you want to crash the entire south wall I'll just roll a d10 for how many minutes it takes to drain completely into tier 2, but Tempe had suggested a different course of action, and Kassan seems ready to jump in and start water combat...very noble for a lion man.

The flame fellow who called Temperance shouted his name stalling his entry into the water.  A peeved look on Kassan's face but he stopped his entry into the water.  He had asked them to come up with a solution and apparently this was it.  Looking to the water, he shrugs and just stands ready to protect the spell slingers from any attacks.

Hold action rage and Attack any thing that approaches

Kassan, Kalda and Beck all wait for the wisdom of Valenestria and the cunning of Temperance to think of something. Finally, Tempe casts enough forceful fire bolts to shatter the north wall of tier 3, dumping sea lions and millions of gallons of water into the manticore's area.

Nature is a wild thing, a cruel mistress at times, a beautiful maiden at all others. The manticore rips it's lion sized human jaws into a sea lion and the other three begin to defend themselves by headbutting and tail whipping the manticore.

The manticore is immensely more powerful and dangerous, but the rotund sea lions are faster in the water. By the time the water has settled at 12' above tier 4, and 2' above tier 3, the bloodied manticore has killed all four sea lions and is now angrily prowling around the north side of tier 3, shaking water off every few seconds.

TIER 1 water 4 giant crawfish AC15
TIER 2 sand 4 giant scorpions AC15
TIER 3 1' of water above 1' of multicolored pebbles, 1 wingless manticore ac14

Tempe nods with more calculations, "Take my rope to the south side and anchor it over the breakable wall. If we break north tier 1 wall at the same time the team rushes through on the south side after the team gets into position on the south side we can wash the last mess of creatures into the bottom and use the beast distraction to get through the doors down there maybe... I'll support the beasts by shooting into the fray if they look like it is too one sided. Sound good?" He started doing math to draw the scorpions' attention to the manticore next, not trusting all those legs to let them be washed over easily.

The lowest tier, tier 4, the one with the door and the safe...it's flooded 12' high with water. Just a reminder, the door probably won't be an option.

Kassan raises his arms as if he were shooting a very tiny bow, followed by little pew pew pew sounds and a grin when he was done.  Weavers of the arcane were always just shooting things up, he like it but it usually made life a little more interesting.  Plus he really couldn't say anything he had made no suggestions.

After watching all the water drain into the bottom level Valenestria shifts her aim to the highest floor's now visible monsters and starts shooting them with equal lack of urgency, just plucking away at them from outside the range they are able to engage.  ”That is odd, I would have expected most of the land creatures to drown, or at least be washed into the lower levels, ahh well.”

Currently there is not enough water in tier 2 for the scorpions to drown. Unless I missed something in your posts, the walls only have holes. Did you want to destroy the tier 1 wall completely?

Tempe looked at it and realized that sending the water from the first tier down might well wash the scorpions into the area where the manticore is currently and result in all of those creatures drowning but would likely create significant issue with the need to remove all of that water before they would be able to access any of the door that is down there.

A standing foot of water would be bad enough to deal with... "We didn't send all the water down. That would have flooded the level with the door completely. The lobster things and the scorpions are still in their places. I want less water down there and all of us by that door. I think the lion demon thing is wounded enough we could take care of it without significant issue... but I really don't want to have to burn off a lake to get to that door."

He directs his attention to the ceiling for inspiration, or mechanical devices that might allow one to lower things safely to the center. Spending two nights here cooking these animals and burning off water was not his idea of adventure.

ceiling is polished lava rock

"Well we could always try opening the door. If the room gets fully flooded we can still swim at the bottom and open the door, using that as some sort of sucking thingy." Beck says, muttering a bunch of words for his idea.

Taking a break from watching the water Valenestria turns her attention to the others and their questions for a moment.  ”Navigating underwater won't be a problem, provided we don't need to fight any of the aquatic monsters while we do it, we should take out as many of them from a distance as we can before that becomes an issue.”

Tempe shrugged, "I mean through, not to, the door. Water will be pushing against us trying to open it. I had to get help opening a monastery door that had an inch of mud over the bottom, we are already looking at a foot of water. That looks like a complex and heavy door without help. I think I can arrange burning off water though. I don't think I can arrange a better way down with all these critters and ten or twenty foot drops. If the back isn't really an option then may as well commit... 30 seconds for ideas then I blow the lobsters into the scorpions and we re evaluate." meanwhile he withdrew a white-ish orb and meditated a few moments.

activating Pearl of Wisdom for 3rd level spell slot recovery. Only able to get a 2nd level unless GM says I can get sorcery points equal to a 3rd level slot out of it.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:30, Wed 17 Nov 2021.

Kalda shrugs, "We can try it. If it fails we'll just fight our way through like the baseline plan."

ATTENTION, PREVIOUSLY POSTED: The lowest tier, tier 4, the one with the door and the safe...it's flooded 12' high with water. Just a reminder, the door probably won't be an option.

You think there is a foot of water but there is 12 feet of water. The door an the entire tier 4 are completely submerged, and tier 3 has 2' of water.

---

TEMPE roll a d20 if it's 16 or higher you can recover a level 3.

Imagining that Firebolt won't travel well into and through water Tempe changes tack and unleashes orbs acrid fluid the drifts gently like bubbles despite entering water until they near groupings of the targets before they burst and the exoskeletons of the targets begin to melt away as though the liquid were eating them.

Tempe seemed grim about this work it was clear that he did not enjoy the killing of things that or simply being there relatively minding their own business, he also understood though that all of these things were in their own right potentially dangerous creatures but he did not want to risk exposing teammates to at this time. "Gristly precautions but likely necessary. I will give two people the ability to breathe fire as I did in our in my first encounter with you all, that way short work can be made of both the manticore and beginning to remove some of the water so that we can access those doors.

I'm afraid it may still take a while and we met require to rest here for a time, does anyone require provisions for the time of rest?"

Clearly having no trouble maintaining the barrage of single bolts of force at a time Valenestria keeps up the nearly endless stream of minor magical attacks right alongside Temperance, although she almost seems like she is having fun turning the process into some sort of aerial dance once she gets into the swing of things.

When he brings up the door again she reminds him of her earlier statement.  ”The door won't be a problem, we just need to clear the path first then we will take a closer look at the door and see how durable it is.”

Stepping away from the water Kassan actually flops down and waits for the flingers to finish whatever it is they are doing.  With a claw he picks at his teeth cleaning them with an absurd look of boredom on his face.

Tempe washes his hands in the water for a moment after the destructive work is done then hands a rope to their leonine companion, Hold this end so I can get to where those scorpions were with relative ease, please, if you have pitons feel free to secure it rather than hold it. More could use it that way I suppose. The real goal was to not have to take a bunch of ten foot movements and falls. Tempe knew he was not good for those... He also looked at Vale and said "With threats gone how is an underwater safe and another door not a problem? If they were dry I could cut them open with magic but has no one else tried to pick a stone from mud at a riverbank?"

Taking the end of the rope offered, he ties it to his waste, gives Temperance a smile and backs up to the south wall.  Leaning against it with his legs forward ready to resist any weight put on it.  "I do not have any piton's, I like to travel little lighter."

12:31, Today: Kassan rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Athletics Check for holding rope so people can climb?

Chunks of defenseless monsters float about in bloody water.

As you're working with your rope suddenly the entire room shakes and a whirlpool forms at the bottom of this strange aquarium. It rapidly sucks everything in the bottom two tiers down, soon the glass walls everywhere shatter and sand and water from the top two tiers wash away as well.

You can swear you heard a toilet flush, although you don't know what that sound means.

The door at the bottom tier opens. A doughty halfling warrior cautiously pokes his head out, in his hands is a black greatsword nearly twice as big as he is.

"At last! Someone has come to set me free. I am Qesnef."

Tempe, takes his time climbing to tier 3 and the so as to not be rude states, "Temperance. A pleasure, does your door lead further into this death game of a dungeon or will it be another?"

Wrapping the rope up, Kassan hands it back to Temperance as the climb down is rather simple.

"What a strange place, dark magic's are play no doubt."

Getting to the lowest level Kassan gives a polite nod to the halfling, but is not sold on the fact that he is innocent.

"Did you also get brought here by foul magic's little Sir."

"Beck WormEater, it's good to meet you stranger." the treasure Hunter, following the Kassan down the lower levels,"I'm assuming your hiding spots got nothing interesting in their, hmm." he says as he tries looking behind the halfling.

Having clearly given up on the concept of introductions Valenestria seems content to let the name on her back take care of any confusion as she simply flies down to about the middle of the tier above where she can get a look at the door, speaking to whomever is inclined to hear her.  ”We will want to investigate the area in any case, what is interesting to one may be meaningless to others, or worse, undecipherable.”

"Oh there are many treasures to be had inside my little prison, but I'm not going back inside, help yourself if you want. I came down here forever ago and finally would this sword: Blackrazor! But I have no idea how long I've been trapped in that room. Keraptis said he didn't want to kill me, but that when the next group of adventurers came I could join them if they figured out how to set me free. Until then I had to feed the zoo. Looks like you killed them all."

He shrugs. "I didn't really like any of them. That safe there holds the food." He points to the safe across from the door.

Tempe nodded and carefully got to the bottom tier and maneuvered to see over the halfling into it's prison. "What have you got in there? Are you just here for that sword or is there some other purpose? Can you leave of your own volition? Would you open the safe in a fashion that puts as few people at risk as possible?" Mad wizard seemed all to apt a name.

It was a lot of questions but things had a tendency to die and places sure seemed a lot like traps.

Kalda takes a moment. "So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you become trapped in your prison. Did you go inside looking for treasures and find that you could not leave?"

Qesnef walks over to the safe and begins entering the combination keys to open it, meanwhile he answers all the questions as best as he could, as they came.

"What have you got in there? Are you just here for that sword or is there some other purpose? Can you leave of your own volition? Would you open the safe in a fashion that puts as few people at risk as possible?"
"See for yourself. My room does not lead anywhere else, the way out is back the way you came, which should be open now that you've let me out. The whole point of this dungeon is to collect these powerful weapons. Blackrazor is sentient, was created by the Raven Queen herself! It speaks to me!!! It is precious."

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you become trapped in your prison. Did you go inside looking for treasures and find that you could not leave?"
"I came down with several other adventurers, as we formed a crew in Neverwinter. One by one they all died until I was all alone. Finally, I found Blackrazor and then CLICK! Keraptis himself told me he was working on getting new adventurers and that I would have to be the zookeeper until you arrived." He shrugs.

The safe opens to reveal the types of food that manticores, sea lions, scorpions and crawfish eat. It stinks in there. There is nothing of value unless you're really hungry.

---

27 Anyone who ventures into Qesnef's room (PLEASE BE SPECIFIC WHO WENT IN AND WHO DID NOT)
Lavish furnishings and decorations are everywhere in this large room. The floor is strewn with rugs and cushions, and tapestries cover the walls. A hookah as tall as an adult human stands in one corner. The largest piece of furniture is a sumptuous divan. Anyone with a passive investigation dc15, or who rolls it, finds the divan seats can be pulled open to reveal a treasure stash: 1,000 ep, 200 pp, four pieces of jewelry worth a total of 11,000 gp, a potion of greater healing, a scroll of protection (fiends), and magic plate armor that would fit Kassan, definitely wouldn't fit Qesnef.

BLACKRAZOR: https://5e.tools/img/adventure/TftYP/WPMBlackrazor.jpg

Beck was the first one to enter the room, but was very disappointed at it. Their wasn't a single piece of treasure to be gleamed, other than that hookah. He just this oversized instrument for any hidden entrances or levers. Nada, he found nothing,"Hmm, guess this is the only treasure here. Alright, I'm keeping it."

07:10, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 7 using 1d20+2.  Investigation.

Taking the time to refresh her ability to detect magic before going into the room Valenestria is clearly inclined to do this right rather than do it fast, but once she does enter the room she heads almost immediately to the badly concealed compartment and pushes it open to inspect the things inside, collecting anything small and magical.  ”You are welcome to keep anything big that you can use, but we should at least be sure what everything does before we fiddle with it to much.”

Leaning against a wall again on the outside of the room Kassan waits for those who are better at assessing things.  Choosing instead to keep a look out on this little fellow Qesnef, someone who was locked up had to be crazy.  Not like the good crazy though, but the bad crazy.

Temperance goes into the room and takes a quick look around, clearly destracted by Wormeater taking the hooka Tempe laughs and can't help but feel uneasy about the place. It seemed like it would be comfortable enough. "I'm no expert treasure hunter but, halfling... I see nothing but furniture in here worth owning." Tempe starts casting Acid Splash targeting random objects in the structure, after all the spell could only validly target creatures. It may reveal a mimic. Then more destruction magic comes into play suddenly... But only if acid Splash happens.

Kalda and Kassan stay outside while Beck, Tempe and Val enter the room to discover the treasure. Qesnef smiles. The door closes. CLICK.

"BLACKRAZOR!!! FEAST UPON THESE SOULS UNTIL ALL IS RENDERED INTO OBLIVION!!!" The halfling drops his shoulder and swings the starry night greatsword at Kassan. The little guy packs a punch.

KASSAN: hit ac18 for 17 magic slashing dmg, hit ac17 for 15 magic slashing dmg

---

ROUND 1 PLAYERS TURNS
Qesnef AC16 HP???
Kalda
Kassan
in the prison room you must make a combined str check dc30 to break the door open, or perhaps Val prepared the right spell ;)

When the door swings and clicks shut Valenestria just glances up at it and shakes her head sadly as if that was hardly any kind of surprise.  Stopped from returning her attention back to the collection of items contained within the divan when the muffled shouting comes through the door.  With a sigh she pulls out a book and casually opens it, at which point it flips itself to the correct page, a page she doesn't even seem to need, as she begins the casting of what is obviously a much more significant spell than she has used before, the culmination of which is to touch the wall next to the latching mechanism of the door.

The wall around the door opens and Beck and Temperance can squeeze through and join the fight...if they want

ROUND 1 PLAYERS TURNS
Qesnef AC16 HP???
Kalda
Kassan
Tempe 30' away
Beck 30' away
Val - action used

Beck squeezes right out of that door, then he starts strumming his Cittern. As he does so, a liquid kind of iron appears to surround the halfling that attempted to trap the group. Qesneq has only a few seconds before this liquid solidifies and binds him.

Action: Hold Person Wis Save 13
This message was last edited by the player at 06:22, Thu 02 Dec 2021.

Tempe has always wanted to help fight things. Channeling that destruction to usefulness is his 2nd life goal. He slips out and tries to find a good angle to begin spell volley. He needs a clear angle but might not be able to get one just yet.

if he can reach a clear line, he'll miss and activated his flame shroud just in case crazed halfling likes to swing at everyone.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:09, Fri 03 Dec 2021.

"Gigantic lard sac of fecal matter!!"  Kassan roars in anger instantly going into a rage at the little bastards attack.  Slashing down in attempt to cleave the gnome like a log, Kassan's strike misses.

01:24, Today: Kassan rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Atk Qesnef. (Miss)

Her brow furrowing mightily and yells at the Halfling, "You asshole." She begins to move taking a position to his flank. She strikes out with a series of punches and knees.



08:40, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Punch 1.
08:41, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d6+3.  Damage 1.
 Con Saving throw DC 14 or be stunned until my next turn
08:40, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  Punch 2.
08:40, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 1.
08:41, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d6+3.  Damage 2.
 Cannot take a reaction this turn,
08:41, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 2.

Beck senses a defiance immensely strong to his spell. Qesnef shoots him a quick glare.


Kalda's stunning strike hits Qesnef right on the jaw, but he spits out some blood and keeps going.

Qesnef opens his mouth, his jaw drops five inches lower than seems humanoidly possible, and a massive blast of cone of cold shoots forth at everyone exiting the room. Val, Tempe and Beck CON SAV DC13 for half of 24 cold damage.


ROUND 2 PLAYERS TURNS
Qesnef AC16 HP-14
Kalda melee range
Kassan melee range
Tempe 30' away
Beck 30' away
Val 30' away
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:25, Fri 03 Dec 2021.

Tempe's scales end up covered in a layer of frost and snow residual moisture lowest tier and Tempe's shadowy fire goes out. The finer red scales below the large armory sections of black scale seem to pulse as Tampa Bay releases another spell, this one creating an energy that seems to be its own little nightmare that lurches through the air from tempe's mind to the halfling as it attempts to assault the halflings mind.

it's nice to have made the saving throw versus cold, another 12 would have put Tempe at real close out of the fight. now the halfling has to make a dc-13 intelligence save or take four damage and get -3 on its next save. I'm not worried about it running out at the end of my next turn because if nobody else is going to make him save for something Tempe's got more.

He fails his int save.

Beck was shocked when the halfling released a blizzard from his own mouth. The explorer was not prepared of such an attack and was hit by the blast at it's fullest. Beck remains standing only because his legs and arms have been frozen in place. Other than that, he is unconscious.

06:37, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 7 using 1d20+2.  Con Save.

06:40, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 13 using 1d20.  Death Save
Success 1

Valenestria allows the others to pass through the short tube she created, but waits in the tube herself, not so much avoiding the cold as letting it wash over her and interact with her magic, making her glow a cold blue color that lingers slightly even after the wave has passed by.

Wasting little time in forming her reply she sends a swarm of five darts of purple energy zooming out of her left finger and into the soon to be quite out numbered halfling, each follows its own winding path through the melee, but all find their target unerringly.  With her contribution in play she darts back into the room and out of view at least for now.

Waiting on Kalda and Kassan

ROUND 2 PLAYERS TURNS
Qesnef AC16 HP-37  -3 on next save
Kalda melee range
Kassan melee range
Tempe 30' away
Beck 30' away KO death save 1 fail 0
Val 30'+ away, hidden in room
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:49, Mon 06 Dec 2021.

Kalda continues to pressure the halfling, throwing elbows, knees, and fists at his diminutive form. "Can someone take care of him? The frost seems to have left him a little worse for wear.


Action
13:03, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Punch 1.
13:03, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 22 using 1d20+6.  Punch 2.
13:03, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 9 using 1d6+3.  Damage 1.

Bonus Action
13:03, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 1.
13:03, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 2.

Skipping Kassan after waiting more than 48hr. If he doesn't post by Friday he's kicked and I already have two players waiting. I hope he's still around and doing well tho.

Qesnef swings Blackrazor at Kalda twice, but she dodges both mighty swings. You can't believe your ears, did the sword just speak????

"You fool, Qesnef. One thousand years with you was far too long. I will choose a new champion."

The halfling looks horrified, "Nooo! I can still kill them all. I will feed you, Master!"

---

ROUND 3 PLAYERS TURNS
Qesnef AC16 HP-65  -3 on next save
Kalda melee range
Kassan melee range
Tempe 30' away
Beck 30' away KO death save 1 fail 0
Val 30'+ away, hidden in room

This message was deleted by the player at 02:25, Thu 09 Dec 2021.

Tempe releases a small cloud of black flames that rush over Quesnef. The dark thing on his head dissipates into an inky cloud at that same moment.

Tempe however was following behind, now also in melee range but cloaked in the same dark fire.

arguably worth the sorc point to make it a rerollable fire spell as that triples damage to 3... and he gets a Dex save to negate that I guess.

Beck still breathes, even if his still frozen in place, he still fights to stay alive from the biting cold.

06:15, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 16 using 1d20.  Death Saver.

Success 2

An unhinging jaw followed by icy breath was a little much for Kassan.  He had seen some pretty messed up stuff in his life time, this was definitely one of the most messed up.  So much so that he had remained slack jawed for few seconds and even his second attack falls short.

"Well your just full of tiny surprises, you gross little vermin."


18:26, Today: Kassan rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Atk Qesnef.

Returning to the small corridor only long enough to get a glimpse of the battlefield Valenestria fires off another barrage of five unerring bolts which seek out their target even as she herself is ducking back out of view.

Kalda turns and pivots her way around the bloodthirsty blade. Her knee glances off of the halfling's hip. Her palm connects with his back. A stomp lands just to the left of Quesnef's. Finally her right hand traces the path from shoulder to blade without making contact.


17:35, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 14 using 1d20+6.  Attack 1.
Miss

17:35, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 21 using 1d20+6.  Attack 2.
17:36, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 6 using 1d6+3.  Damage 1.

17:36, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 1.
Miss

17:36, Today: Kalda Silverhammer rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Flurry of Blows 2.
Miss

The combination of magic missiles and Kalda's blows drop Qesnef to the dirt.

The sword commands to you in an ethereal voice that sounds like it is used to giving orders, "You may wish to back away."

Qesnef begins to shapeshift and grow...grow...grow, into a 20 foot tall Oni giant.

He is unconscious.

Blackrazor commands once again, "Whoever among you feels worthy to wield the mighty Blackrazor, plunge me into this enemy of yours and I will consume his soul."

---

Battle Complete.

Tempe, Kassan and Beck can level up to level 5 once you do a long rest, which I suggest you do here. We've got hookah.

Probably lots of talking to a sentient sword to do.

Temperance raises an eyebrow at the sword, "Don't get me wrong, I'm all about killing the evil ogre Magi bent on devouring our souls... How about we just put you in a sack made of the nice velvet that's being used to cover the couch in there... I am demonic enough without such a sword. Whispers are manageable, that thing's voice... By the stares I'm assuming I'm not the only one hearing this."

Tempe begins looking for a latch that will open the door so that the squeeze space graded on either side of the door no longer so much an issue.

Casually walking up to the sword and observing it from a distance, Kassan spits on it and walks away to help open the door to the room.

"A right tosser you stupid sword, I would not wield a weapon that would not allow a soul to pass unto his gods.  If there was mountain of lava I would throw you in."

Once the door is open, he will go in and investigate, using his great axe to move things around.


17:56, Today: Kassan rolled 6 using 1d20-1.  Investigation.

17:52, Today: Kassan rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  strength check to force door open.

Unconcerned by the smaller space, or how the door swings free when pushed as the path she opened cut through the wall side of the latching mechanism, Valenestria flies back into the vault style room to continue her collection and organization of things, arranging them more by size than by value on one of the flat surfaces. The sword is obviously of no interest to her, much like all the other weapons they have come across.

Beck, continues to stay frozen.

09:25, Today: Beck WormEater rolled 4 using 1d20.  Death Save.
Failed 1

"Well I do not know about you guys, but I think I am gonna take break and then if someone could give me an idea as to where we are and maybe what the objective is.  So far this place sucks a lot.  And why the hells is a weapon speaking in my head."

Dropping to one knee, Kalda takes a moment to catch her breath. "We are mostly in the same shape. Trying to figure out this place. Hoping against hope that this madness has sense to it."

Taking time to wrap Beck in a winter blanket and using controlled Firebolt spells to attack the ice around the comrade, Tempe speaks over his shoulder  while keeping focus on his work, "I think this sword was once in a sealed vault, two similar items disappeared around the same time. Some riddles were sent to make a game out of finding them. I'm not sure about too much more than that. I'm also going to assume that anyone arriving after me has none of the other items. So I ask if people here from before have found anything?"

taking 10 on a medicine check will give a 15 and keep Beck stable if not necessarily return consciousness.

The sword has not spoken again. It just lies there.

Beck’s heart beats strongly, eventually he awakes…and immediately goes back to sleep.

He awakes again later feeling better.

Tempe stays up for a little bit to cut apart the couch cushions and frame so no one has to touch the sword directly. It isn't a pretty or convenient frame just one that will ensure no contact. Then Tempe will join sleep time overlapping much of Beck's.

While Tempe sleeps the black haze shuts off and he looks... Half normal. Almost like a teenager who fell asleep in a highly stylized set of dragon pajamas.

Valenestria categorizes, then carefully loads the low weight, high value items into her own small pack, but shows no interest in picking up the plate armor, or indeed even touching the talking sword.  When she is done she returns to the others where they are setting up to rest and protect their unconscious ally.

”I do not believe anyone has been here long, not more than a few hours time for myself, and all I have seen of interest before this room is the traps and some axe I think someone is using.”

Kassan has the axe key.

Friendly reminder: the blackrazor was one of 3 magic weapons you were asked to retrieve. It's kinda the whole point of the game.

Tempe will carry the sword, indirectly as that may be. Demonic voices are not uncommon for the Tiefling that looks more than a little bit demon. Tempe will also inspect the items to discover their properties.

taking 10 on Arcana is a 15, it should just be a matter of time, if they are magical to discover their uses

Beck stretches his arms, feeling relaxed after taking that rest,"Alright, just so you know everyone. I was merely paid to find three weapons of power, Bllackrazor is one of those. The other two are Wave and Whelm, meaning we've got one out of three. What great luck! If you have your own goals, that's fine but if you want to help me out to find more of these relics, you'll get paid a lot of gold."

Kassan had grabbed some pillows to make a spot to leisurely lay down and relax while Beck recovered.  Apparently he was quite tired, it was the word gold that got his ears twitching.  Rising up to an elbow and resting his head in his palm a claw poking out to scratch the corner of his eye.

"Well now we are talking, about time someone said something that makes sense.  So one down and two to go.  Simple numbers I can understand, I will help you find these weapons Beck Wormeater for a fair share of the profits.  We will find a bard to share our adventure's with "

Standing to full height and stretching, he twirls the great axe key that he picked up when brought here by dark powers. The axe moved swiftly in some pre day warm up exercise's he had developed to warm up before a days adventures.
No gnome or halfling fighter he ever met could do such magical things, these weapons were corrupt.
Rummaging thru his explorers pack, which was really just a disorganized waxed canvas sailor's duffel bag.  Finding some rations he scarfs them down and follows up with some water.  A good quarter ending up somehow in his lion main.  Kassan casually waits for everyone to be ready.

"I was with him one minute and got a head that has a bounty on it... I want to research some more magic. I have barely been able to turn my natural gift for violent magic to more benign purposes. I don't want to be just a killer. I make due but want magic people will want to have me around for," oily smoke curled out of his mouth as he breathed once he was awake again.

Kalda nods to Temperance, "That is commendable, the attempt at least. Finding ones place to both fulfill your purpose and to help the community is commendable."

There is just one last order of business to attend to: FRIENDS. I WILLINGLY AID YOU, WILL YOU NOT INDULGE ME. THIS ONI TRICKED YOU AND FAILED. LET ME CONSUME HIS SOUL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

Just let me know if you do or do not. Ultimately it is Temperance's decision.

After spending a solid 8 hours resting in Qesnef's luxury prison you feel faster, stronger, smarter, and most importantly, Blackrazor has stopped talking to everyone, which makes you feel much better about your decision regarding a talking sword consuming souls.

---

You retrace your steps to area 2...which funny enough, none of you were at this part in the beginning.

A rather mangy, bedraggled gynosphinx squats in the space where the three corridors converge. "Ahh! Fresh meat. Heh. Just a joke there. None of the others made it, how dull. I am Oe, a servant of Keraptis. I will answer you one question, and allow you to pass, but first you must solve my riddle.

Round she is, yet flat as a board

Altar of the Lupine Lords

Jewel on black velvet, pearl in the sea

Unchanged but e'erchanging, eternally"

Having come from a bit farther back through the tunnels than most of the others Valenestria helps them know which paths to ignore for a while, but even her knowledge fades quickly and they end up wandering down the last bit of the path before they find the Sphinx without any sort of knowledge.

”The answer to the riddle is the moon, I have no need of a question to ask, someone else may use it if they wish but be careful to not ask each other questions as that could be interpreted as your one use.”

Tempe was about to say something that might have been interpreted as a question perhaps, before he paused and thought a moment more, "I am interested in freeing this creature so if there are not more pressing questions I would like to ask regarding that." Temperance was careful of inflection too, so there was no chance to make a question of it.

"You have spoken the answer to the riddle correctly. You are also correct that I will trick and attempt to answer any question in order to avoid answering a more valuable question, well done. Your statement confuses me, sir. You say you wish to free this creature, is the Leonin somehow bound? He seems free enough to me."

Tempe shook his head, "I had made reference to you, Oe. My Leonin companion seems quite free and is truly so to my knowledge. Now I've answered two of your questions and should expect repayment unless I think you are trying to cheat. The only way to be fair is to answer more of ours."

With raised eyebrow Kassan looks back and forth between the Temperance and the one called Oe.

Leaning to Valenestria and tapping her gently on the shoulder he speaks very quietly to her so as not to be overheard.

"What the hell is everyone talking about here?"