Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Angus looks around at his other companions. "Well, that was... interesting. I thought he would just tell them it was a false alarm and send them away. Should we proceed without Sam? We are short on time. Hopefully he will catch up with us..."
(Are we still in the kitchen? If so, what are those two towers? do they go up and down?)
They're four-story stone towers topped with onion domes. The one to the south is a belltower. You or Sam or the thief you met with has seen guards up there. You're also aware that ringing those bells is an alarm that sends dozens of skeletons pouring into the courtyard. Based in prior observation, the night guard up there might be asleep, despite the whistling. Spiral stairs fill the interior of each and a guard is always on duty at the top of each tower. There is a second belltower, in the corner of the chapel courtyard. Sam would see it on his left as he exits the embassy.
As Sam leaves with the guards, you hear the man with the fourregere shouts, "Search the perimeter. You go that way, and meet up with the others."
"This way." He barks at Sam, leading him South. Sam is for a moment, alone on the street with the guard.
...
<Which way? Where to?>
(sorry i'm having trouble pulling up the maps from work... will post in a couple hours when I get to my home)
No worries. They are on the main game page.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/2895398
Tetrevess, Akame and Angus are present in the kitchen. Sam is alone with fourregere guard outside dashing along the west wall.
(So I guess I'm really bad at reading maps, but the only way up to the second floor that I see involves passing through the knights' barracks. Is this correct?)
Angus will grab the dead guard's yellow badge, and then ask Chadderlay to lead them to the nearest stairway that leads up to the second floor, looking for the guard captain's quarters, or else going to the second level of the library for that book we needed..
It's not clear at all on the maps, but I mentioned above that the towers do have stairs inside.
Spoiler (Kind of reverse meta): Chadderlay would know this. Because I let a PC live in the building you're breaking into, but like, it's a game so... why? On the other hand, things like find familiar and arcane eye exist; so, why not?
The aviary is high above the kitchen, atop a spiral staircase you can access from the second floor.
Second level is for Thayans only. But guard badges allow access and they do patrol it, and aren't Thayan. I think the original authors messed up there, but also that is really very Thayan. They have mountains called variously either the sunrise or sunset mountains. "One land's sunrise is another's sunset.' A land of paradox is Thay.
There is a web spell blocking access from the stairs to the second floor. It's suppressed by speaking the word "immortality" in Thayan
Edit: There is also a spiral staircase near the guest quarters.
Also, more spoilers added.
<funny detail. The secret staircase not on the map between the guest quarters is actually on the player map, but I posted the DM map for the first floor that doesn't show it. It's really there, though. If it used to be there and now it's gone thst would make sense, but I think this was just an error and it should have appeared on the DM map and not the player map (?) Its between the guesr quarters and staff quarters and upon descending snd opening the door, you would see through an archway into the central courtyard.>
Yellow badge in hand, (meaning Sam doesn't have one and didn't trigger the door alarm because he passed along with the guard he is with, or possibly has the red badge stolen from the porter, but appears to have a yellow one as part of the disguise) Angus, Chadderlay (Tetrevess and Akame?) quickly make their way to the center if the first floor as the guards search the perimeter. As they open the door to the hidden stairs, they hear the sound of a large bell ringing. Soon it will be followed by the sound of many bony footsteps headed toward the courtyard.
Before you stands a spiral staircase, filled with webs. But, in a flash, the webs subside. You hear footsteps descending the stairs.
What do you do?
(I did see the bit about stairs in the towers, but it looks like the part of the second floor they lead to is cut off from the rest of the building?)
(So, we are near areas 14 and 15, but just outside them, in the hallway?)
(Well, what does everyone want to do, fight or hide? That one single guard had more hp than Angus, just FYI)
It's confusing. The second floor does have passage between tower and under the aviary. But the map doesn't mark the towers on the second floor, instead it labels them in the u defined inset to the right (like Alaska), depicting the third floor of the towers and aviary.
Tbh: 1. It should have a box around it labeled 'third floor'. 2. It is stated that they are 4-story towers, so they probably are showing the 4th, (not 3rd) floor, not that there really is much to show, so I get it, but this is why a label would be nice - could matter for fall damage or ranged attacks, aoe, etc.
You are entering the middle of three doors on the north interior hallway. The daylight filled central courtyard is at your back. It looks sort if like a TETRIS T-block, with the room you're in at the central 'pivot' square.
Yeah, getting busted is not ideal. It would be described as a deadly encounter. This is definitely not a 'run in and take down all the monsters in the dungeon' scenario. Much more a 'get what you can and get out' thing.
Edit: I missed a pm from @ikarbano, discussing possible retcon. If she hasn't joined the main party (Angus, Chadderlay, Tetrevess (+Sam, outside at present)) the encounter will be adjusted for the appropriate number of PCs actively working together.
Reminder: DnD has 3 pillars, and one of you is a Red Wizard who lives in this building.
Angus says quickly, "Chadderlay, maybe you could talk to whoever it is. We are looking for a way into the captain's quarters, maybe you can find out if they are occupied, or some other useful information. We'll hide in the guest quarters while you talk to him or her."
He will then open the door to the guest quarters (while carrying the yellow badge) and see if any rooms are unoccupied. If he encounters anyone other than a guard, he will flash the badge and say, "Sorry to bother you, just searching for intruders."
Angus picks the door to the left and finds the room (14) empty, exceot dor a bed, a chair and a small desk.
Chadderly sees tbe Red robes of his colleague first. If he waits to see who they belong to he finds its the evocation wizard who lives within the embassy. If he hasn't run, she'll ask "Chadderlay, what are you doing down here? I'm on call tonight." You csn see her thinking and her expression shows her jealousy as she concludes what she believes she has discovered. "Are you secretly working with the ambassador on his little project? He's been really paranoid since it arrived. Why would he pick you to assist him, though? I'm literally standing right here. You know what? I don't have time for this, I've got to go see what the guards have found."
Assuming you waited to this point rather than turning to run, you are standing in her way, so you'll have to actively let her by.
If you do talk to her, make a Cha check (apply skill if applicable, i.e. deception, intimidation, etc.)
Also, her name is Nirresh.
IF Chadderly runs before he sees her, does he try the (left) guest room with Angus and company or someplace else.
Nirresh smiles enigmatially at the Chadderlay's words. "Well thst's hardly news, but judging by all the bells and whistles, his paranoia might be well founded. Let's check with the knights, then. They should have some idea what the guards think they saw by now." She moves to pass him, then turns as she does so. "By the way, who's been helping you get around the embassy since you lost your badge?" she asks in a playful joking manner, but when dealing with Red Wizards, it is foolish to assume you understand their exact intentions, but wise to believe thst in the end, they hunger for ever more power.
Sam follows the guard with the fourregere. As rhey turn immediately south to first clear the small area between the chapel courtyard and the main entrance, the bells in the Tower overhead start to peel. The man Sam followed calls up, "any sign of 'em?"
"No sign!" The guard in the Tower calls in reply. The man leads Sam around the chapel courtyard, through the streets of Mulmaster, away from any other guards. At this hint the place is not very active, but some folks have come to theor windows in response to the commotion, curious what impact it will have on them. Some, perhaps, contemplate gathering their things, in case the need to flee arises. When you can plainly see the destruction on tbe streets of your recovering city, especially a city like this, a good night rest is not so easy to come by.
<doing anything Sam? At the moment you're with the guard headed south outside the building, left of 10,11,12 on the map. At the end of the street, you would see one of the planar rifts glowing in the middle distance above the nearest buildings.
(Ha, this isn't going well. What's the chance Angus could crack the door open to observe without being spotted himself? not very good, I assume.)
I mean, she's literally a few feet from the door. You can hear her, if your listening at the door. She would notice the door open.
Also a reminder for Sam, the Cloaks are looking rhe other way if you use arcane magic on the street right now, since you're working for them. People might freak out, Thayan guards won't be pleased, but if they know it's you, the Cloaks won't try and stop it - you're working for them as far as their concerned, but rhey might put on a show for the Mulmen.