"Don't know - never been down there myself. Best of luck, though - I am sure you will do the Ratter's Guild proud."
The guard calls after you, a little cheerfully.
As you all begin your descent, the walls quickly become claustrophobic. Old stone, holding an incredible weight above you. The staircase is very narrow, and the steps both thin and steep. After several sharp turns, you see a wider space open up below you, though Lyrandan halts the descent to pick apart the remains of a nasty tripwire trap, containing ancient-looking poison needles.
Entering into the open space, it appears to be a kind of atrium, with a shallow series of broad steps leading to the bottom of a shallow pool, currently empty. Three different doors lead off on each of the walls, all of them leading immediately to staircases, all of them going down.
Alynys answers Red, saying "I'm perfectly comfortable in the dark. It's my natural state, really." She follows along after Lyrandan, perfectly happy to let someone else go first in a place like this.
When they reach the atrium, she says "Let's take a look around. Maybe someone's left some markers for which way to go."
The door on your left (relative to where you entered) has a faint glowing mark at knee level, little more than a red smear. It appears smudged, little more than scrawlings of some kind, though with purpose. The other doors have similar scrawlings, though these are in blue.
"What that could mean? All seems to go down so it seems that, for now, there is no way to avoid getting close to Undermountain."
His tone is calm and his voice low, as if nothing could surprise him for worse.
Could a survival check help Lyrandan to know their relative position in relation with the surface? Like "We should be near the Lamia Plaza which is east of the castle..." or something? and have an idea where those exits "lead" like "this one goes in the genereal direction of the docks, this one goes to the west gate.... something like that...
Speaking to the guard as he passes, "Indeed we will. And don't forget about that hazard pay!" (Although two coppers is all most of us will need if we can't get the hell out of here, he thinks to himself wryly.) "Yes Red, I'm quite alright in the dark. Quite alright indeed! I'd say I prefer it, but a dark bar will have you go home with... Nevermind." Sliding his Rapier of Warning out of its sheath, he follows the group down into the atrium. "The acoustics in this place are definitely not up to my usual standards." He strolls up next to Lyrandan to look at the doors. "Flip a coin to decide," he says as he chuckles.
"Let me look quickly. I can also cast detect magick...although the glow tells us that there is magick abouts" Red will see if he can decipher any of the symbols ...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(Alynys only speaks common and goblin)
Alynys ponders over the odd scrawling, not sure what to make of it. "It could be thieves' cant. I always meant to learn it but I just never made the time... Damn, almost anyone on my crew would be able to read it if they were here."
It occurs to her that they might be some kind of runes. She works with them often in her work, but can't say she knows them ALL. There's so many and they can change from place to place. She'll wrack her brain to see if she's encountered the symbols before in her study.
(Where did that barrel go?) <whistles> "Ah, there you are," he says, turning around to see the barrel hovering in the air, just off of the staircase. Commanding it to the floor, Arturo takes a seat, resting the tip of his rapier on the ground. Settling back against the wall, he begins humming an Elvish tune. A small wisp of dim smokey light begins drawing itself from him to Red. As the light collects above Reds shoulder, a tiny stem of thorns with a faint purplish hue appears. The light stops, but he continues to hum, closing his eyes and becoming lost in the tune.
Red
I cast Bardic Inspiration on you.
Bardic Inspiration: As a bonus action, a creature (other than yourself) within 60 ft. that can hear you gains an inspiration die (1d8). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.
Mote of Potential (Special)
When granting a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you summon a Mote of Potential that orbits within 5 ft. of the creature.
Ability Check. The Bardic Inspiration die can be rolled again - choose which roll to use.
Attack Roll. The target and each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 ft. of it must succeed on a CON saving throw (DC: 15) or take thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die.
Saving Throw. The creature using the Bardic Inspiration die gains temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die +4.
DM: Did Mr. Peabody see anything in the barrel earlier and how long would you say it's been since the performance in the hall with Alynys?
(Apologies! Remind me about the barrel - last thing I recall reading about that was that Arturo stood on it to draw attention to himself during his performance, but I don't recall much else? I could have missed something. Let me know.)
Lyndaran: It is indeed Thieves Cant, and so you can understand it. Unfortunately, it is also further encoded, as the individual markings do not actually correspond to complete words or thoughts. It seems that whoever made them was very security conscious, and did not even trust your average criminal with such matters as directions in this place.
The pathway leading off to your left (relative to your original entry door) should take you in the direction of the Dock Ward, assuming relatively straight lines are involved somewhere in the Undermountain's construction.
To all: the runes appear to be magical, but not dangerous. Evidently they served as guide markers for those who once dwelt here, though their scratched-on appearance makes them seem like a late addition.
Across the room from you, the far door's blue marking suddenly shifts color to red. As it does, the left door's marking shifts to blue.
(No worries! Arturo had the barrel follow them down the hallway towards the guards, which was when Mr. Peabody mentioned checking inside it. After we talked to the guards it floated down the stairs after me.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Alynys bites a fingernail, deep in thought. She notes the empty pool at the center of the room. She remembers the poison dart traps they passed to get here. Clearly there's some mechanical or arcane systems at work in these tunnels. Some force switched the colors of those symbols. She listens for the sounds of movement, like rushing water or turning gears or latches locking or unlocking, to determine if the shifting color of the markers is triggered by some machinery or hydraulics that they can't currently see. She encourages her companions to do the same, knowing the elves especially to have keener ears than she. "Can any of you hear anything?"
(Let's say for general convenience that it was an empty barrel, on its way to being sent out of the castle. It probably contained fresh fruit or vegetables from the orchards outside of the city, but it does follow you down teh steps.)
Alynys, for a moment, hears nothing. Then, a scrape. Then several. Drawing closer to you from the door that currently has a red mark on it, across the chamber from your original entry point.
"Ah, Erm... what was that you said? Hear anything? No I was humming." He glances around the room again. "Now wasn't that other one there and the other one... " He begins walking from door to door listening at each one, to see if he can hear anything of consequence.
Perception or Investigation (they're the same): 16
"I can say that this way " Lyrandan points to the left passage the one which mark is now blue "Will take us to the Dock Ward. Perhaps we could take a look and see if our evacuation plan for the people is viable. Then we could go and try that tower in order to create a diversion for the people to leave..."
He looks to the runes and adds "I can't make any sense of them though... it is encoded"
Alynys looks to Lyrandan and says in an authoritative whisper "It seems we still need to discuss the nature of our plan, but let's forget that for now. Something's coming up those stairs! Position yourselves! I'll draw its attention so the rest of you can be ready in ambush."
Alynys steps forward towards the staircase now marked with a red symbol. A warm, copper glow begins to shine through her clothes and to arc between her gauntleted fists. She raises a hand to her face and in a flash, her tricorn hat is replaced with a sallet helmet, the visor painted with a white, grinning skull. She picks up a stone from the ground, squeezing it and imbuing it with that same warm light (using magical tinkering to make it shed 5 feet of bright light and 5 feet of dim light). She stands very conspicuously in the doorway, wreathed in the light of her arcane armor. She tosses the glowing rock down the stairs and peers down into the darkness to see just what's coming up to meet them.
(Alynys has virtually no stealth, not to mention disadvantage on stealth checks due to heavy armor, so there's no point in her trying to hide. But hopefully she can give all the rest of you an advantage on your stealth checks by just taking up so much stinkin' attention!)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Lyrandar smirks to Alynys "oh do we have a plan?" but her warning makes him move quickly. He takes several steps towards the left of her, covering the exit of the passage with his bow and trying to meld into the shadows.
Stealth: 25
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP Character: A few ;)
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Lyrandan replies
"Fine. If I see danger ahead I will try to shoot an arrow in your direction if I can't go back."
He then starts to walk down the passage looking for defensive traps that could had been set to hinder the advance of any trespasser.
Investigation: 23
(four more if we use Perception)
PbP Character: A few ;)
"Don't know - never been down there myself. Best of luck, though - I am sure you will do the Ratter's Guild proud."
The guard calls after you, a little cheerfully.
As you all begin your descent, the walls quickly become claustrophobic. Old stone, holding an incredible weight above you. The staircase is very narrow, and the steps both thin and steep. After several sharp turns, you see a wider space open up below you, though Lyrandan halts the descent to pick apart the remains of a nasty tripwire trap, containing ancient-looking poison needles.
Entering into the open space, it appears to be a kind of atrium, with a shallow series of broad steps leading to the bottom of a shallow pool, currently empty. Three different doors lead off on each of the walls, all of them leading immediately to staircases, all of them going down.
Alynys answers Red, saying "I'm perfectly comfortable in the dark. It's my natural state, really." She follows along after Lyrandan, perfectly happy to let someone else go first in a place like this.
When they reach the atrium, she says "Let's take a look around. Maybe someone's left some markers for which way to go."
Investigation: 26
The door on your left (relative to where you entered) has a faint glowing mark at knee level, little more than a red smear. It appears smudged, little more than scrawlings of some kind, though with purpose. The other doors have similar scrawlings, though these are in blue.
"What that could mean? All seems to go down so it seems that, for now, there is no way to avoid getting close to Undermountain."
His tone is calm and his voice low, as if nothing could surprise him for worse.
Could a survival check help Lyrandan to know their relative position in relation with the surface? Like "We should be near the Lamia Plaza which is east of the castle..." or something? and have an idea where those exits "lead" like "this one goes in the genereal direction of the docks, this one goes to the west gate.... something like that...
Survival: 20
PbP Character: A few ;)
Would Mr Peabody have any idea about the meaning of such marks? Adventurer traditions or practices etc?
I'll roll a history check, but feel free to say "no" or ask for a different check.
6 history
Paladin - warforged - orange
Speaking to the guard as he passes, "Indeed we will. And don't forget about that hazard pay!" (Although two coppers is all most of us will need if we can't get the hell out of here, he thinks to himself wryly.)
"Yes Red, I'm quite alright in the dark. Quite alright indeed! I'd say I prefer it, but a dark bar will have you go home with... Nevermind." Sliding his Rapier of Warning out of its sheath, he follows the group down into the atrium.
"The acoustics in this place are definitely not up to my usual standards." He strolls up next to Lyrandan to look at the doors. "Flip a coin to decide," he says as he chuckles.
Signature
"Let me look quickly. I can also cast detect magick...although the glow tells us that there is magick abouts" Red will see if he can decipher any of the symbols ...
investigation 5
he speeks Common, Draconic, Elvish, Sylvan
(Alynys only speaks common and goblin)
Alynys ponders over the odd scrawling, not sure what to make of it. "It could be thieves' cant. I always meant to learn it but I just never made the time... Damn, almost anyone on my crew would be able to read it if they were here."
It occurs to her that they might be some kind of runes. She works with them often in her work, but can't say she knows them ALL. There's so many and they can change from place to place. She'll wrack her brain to see if she's encountered the symbols before in her study.
Arcana: 9
Lyndaran speaks Common, Draconic, Elvish, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan, and... ahem... Thieve's Cant
PbP Character: A few ;)
(Where did that barrel go?) <whistles> "Ah, there you are," he says, turning around to see the barrel hovering in the air, just off of the staircase. Commanding it to the floor, Arturo takes a seat, resting the tip of his rapier on the ground. Settling back against the wall, he begins humming an Elvish tune. A small wisp of dim smokey light begins drawing itself from him to Red. As the light collects above Reds shoulder, a tiny stem of thorns with a faint purplish hue appears. The light stops, but he continues to hum, closing his eyes and becoming lost in the tune.
Red
I cast Bardic Inspiration on you.
Bardic Inspiration: As a bonus action, a creature (other than yourself) within 60 ft. that can hear you gains an inspiration die (1d8). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.
Mote of Potential (Special)
When granting a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you summon a Mote of Potential that orbits within 5 ft. of the creature.
Ability Check. The Bardic Inspiration die can be rolled again - choose which roll to use.
Attack Roll. The target and each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 ft. of it must succeed on a CON saving throw (DC: 15) or take thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die.
Saving Throw. The creature using the Bardic Inspiration die gains temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die +4.
DM: Did Mr. Peabody see anything in the barrel earlier and how long would you say it's been since the performance in the hall with Alynys?
Signature
(Apologies! Remind me about the barrel - last thing I recall reading about that was that Arturo stood on it to draw attention to himself during his performance, but I don't recall much else? I could have missed something. Let me know.)
Lyndaran: It is indeed Thieves Cant, and so you can understand it. Unfortunately, it is also further encoded, as the individual markings do not actually correspond to complete words or thoughts. It seems that whoever made them was very security conscious, and did not even trust your average criminal with such matters as directions in this place.
The pathway leading off to your left (relative to your original entry door) should take you in the direction of the Dock Ward, assuming relatively straight lines are involved somewhere in the Undermountain's construction.
To all: the runes appear to be magical, but not dangerous. Evidently they served as guide markers for those who once dwelt here, though their scratched-on appearance makes them seem like a late addition.
Across the room from you, the far door's blue marking suddenly shifts color to red. As it does, the left door's marking shifts to blue.
(No worries! Arturo had the barrel follow them down the hallway towards the guards, which was when Mr. Peabody mentioned checking inside it. After we talked to the guards it floated down the stairs after me.)
Signature
Alynys bites a fingernail, deep in thought. She notes the empty pool at the center of the room. She remembers the poison dart traps they passed to get here. Clearly there's some mechanical or arcane systems at work in these tunnels. Some force switched the colors of those symbols. She listens for the sounds of movement, like rushing water or turning gears or latches locking or unlocking, to determine if the shifting color of the markers is triggered by some machinery or hydraulics that they can't currently see. She encourages her companions to do the same, knowing the elves especially to have keener ears than she. "Can any of you hear anything?"
Perception: 9
(Let's say for general convenience that it was an empty barrel, on its way to being sent out of the castle. It probably contained fresh fruit or vegetables from the orchards outside of the city, but it does follow you down teh steps.)
5
Alynys, for a moment, hears nothing. Then, a scrape. Then several. Drawing closer to you from the door that currently has a red mark on it, across the chamber from your original entry point.
"Ah, Erm... what was that you said? Hear anything? No I was humming." He glances around the room again.
"Now wasn't that other one there and the other one... "
He begins walking from door to door listening at each one, to see if he can hear anything of consequence.
Perception or Investigation (they're the same): 16
Signature
"I can say that this way " Lyrandan points to the left passage the one which mark is now blue "Will take us to the Dock Ward. Perhaps we could take a look and see if our evacuation plan for the people is viable. Then we could go and try that tower in order to create a diversion for the people to leave..."
He looks to the runes and adds "I can't make any sense of them though... it is encoded"
PbP Character: A few ;)
Alynys looks to Lyrandan and says in an authoritative whisper "It seems we still need to discuss the nature of our plan, but let's forget that for now. Something's coming up those stairs! Position yourselves! I'll draw its attention so the rest of you can be ready in ambush."
Alynys steps forward towards the staircase now marked with a red symbol. A warm, copper glow begins to shine through her clothes and to arc between her gauntleted fists. She raises a hand to her face and in a flash, her tricorn hat is replaced with a sallet helmet, the visor painted with a white, grinning skull. She picks up a stone from the ground, squeezing it and imbuing it with that same warm light (using magical tinkering to make it shed 5 feet of bright light and 5 feet of dim light). She stands very conspicuously in the doorway, wreathed in the light of her arcane armor. She tosses the glowing rock down the stairs and peers down into the darkness to see just what's coming up to meet them.
(Alynys has virtually no stealth, not to mention disadvantage on stealth checks due to heavy armor, so there's no point in her trying to hide. But hopefully she can give all the rest of you an advantage on your stealth checks by just taking up so much stinkin' attention!)
Lyrandar smirks to Alynys "oh do we have a plan?" but her warning makes him move quickly. He takes several steps towards the left of her, covering the exit of the passage with his bow and trying to meld into the shadows.
Stealth: 25
PbP Character: A few ;)