Another time, another place. Through the mysterious and magical weave of time comes a tale of what is, what was, or what might be. Our tale revolves around a group of adventurers deep within Undermountain, home of the Archmage Halaster Blackcloak.
Welcome to Arcturiadoom.
ENTRANCE TO ARCTURIADOOM
AREA 1a - We begin our adventure in a large cavern. Something huge has bored through the rock here. Reference the map above. There is a double door here. It's framed with carvings of worm-ridden skulls. Carved into the lintel above the double door is a sconce sculpted to resemble a skeletal hand, with a continual flame spell cast in its palm. A pair of stalagmites flank the double door. Around the edges of the cavern are more stalagmites and stalactites. More of these formations fill a smaller cavern to the southeast (AREA 1B).
EXITS:From here, you can explore AREA 1B, AREA 1C, AREA 2a, b, c, or AREA 3.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
After the mayhem of the previous level's final battle, and upon arriving on this new level, Gnomon (with her usual quiet and meek personality) slinked off to the shadows, where she felt most comfortable.
In its usual methodic manner, the Warforged whirrs on into the room, expressionless face surveying the entryway. Blackcloak certainly created an imposing ambiance. The construct idly traces some runes in the air, testing the chamber with a quick Detect Magic.
The voices swirled, rising and dipping in a cacophony of endless chatter, a storm of thoughts...a haze of chaos. Caim sighed, gathering his wits about him as he cast a glance around his surroundings. "How in Hades did I get here," he mutters to himself, looking at the companions. "Allies? Enemies?" the thoughts race in his head. "No, allies. They seem familiar." The haze in mind clearing a bit, releasing snatches of recent memories. The battles. The victories. The losses. The terror. These others were with him. Fighting. Dying. Running. "Where is my sister," he mutters louder as he touch the odd lightning like marks along his arm, shuddering when he doesn't feel her presence. "I don't feel her."
Abruptly, he turns to the others.
"Why in the Nine Hells are we here?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Corrin Kettlewhistle: Halfling Life Cleric (Curse of Strahd) Kip Dalton: Human Lore Bard (Waterdeep Dragon Heist) Debauchery Dalliance: Half-Drow Oath of Conquest Paladin (White Plume Mountain)
A small white dog about the size of a Jack Russel terrier with a large clenched fist for a face trots around the corner, wearing a sign around it's neck. It stops and lets you read it.
"GREETINGS, HONORLESS FOOLS. YOU HAVE ENTERED ARCTURIADOOM - HOME OF THE GREAT EMBEROSA, FIRE GIANT QUEEN OF THE SIX. TRY AND SURVIVE, AND THE BLESSINGS OF BANE WILL BE UPON YOU ALL. FAIL, AND YOU'RE MY NEW CHEW TOYS. HAVE FUN."
From the swirling mists of the shadows, a meek voice calls out from nowhere “Someone check on Master Caim ....I think he knocked his head a little too much in that last battle!” she snickers quietly until the part fist-part dog appears.
Alexa looks around the cavern with her usual serene expression. The dark-haired woman is wearing worn chainmail, and the symbol of Ilmater hangs around her neck. A marble staff in her hand is carved with Celestial runes, and her golden eyes take everything in calmly. She seems unworried by the threat that the Fistborkus is bearing, but then again, the only thing you've seen shake her serene demeanor is the suffering of others.
Alexa is a powerful priest of Ilmater, here on behalf of his Waterdhavian temple to clear what she can of Undermountain and alleviate what suffering there is. She is relaxed, determined, and seemingly unworried by the many threats that Undermountain holds. As the not-really-a-dog trots off, she glances at the others. "I suppose we're being threatened again. Shall we?I would vote saving the doors for last." Murmuring a brief prayer to Ilmater, she begins moving steadily towards area 1b.
Alexa (important: she is NOT wearing the collar-style necklace):
The Warforged swivels to face towards the dog - perhaps a Boxer Terrier? The fist seemed conducive to the pun - and remembers the previous taunts the curator of this lovely dungeon had thrown at them. Many battles have gone and passed, just like their allies, and Chronolo regards the dungeon with the same indifference you have seen before. Chronolo was all about efficiency and time management; a faint ticking sound radiates from the center of its mechanical interior, and to see a moment wasted is what grinds the Warforged's gears the most.
Chronolo can most succinctly be described as the result of a magical disaster. Sentience is sometimes granted to certain constructs to help aid the creator in tasks, but something went wrong in the process of creating Chronolo; a sliver of rebellion popped up inside the Warforged's metallic brain, corrupted and molded by the magic that bound it. This little sliver of clockwork magic yearned for full sentience, and a being had heard it. With a quick pact and pledge for freedom, the Warforged gained full control over the magical capabilities that had infused it with life.
Maintaining the Detect Magic spell, the Warforged moves on after Alexa, beginning to whirr a mechanical voice box for a moment before stopping. It was about to suggest they move clockwise, but that may have been a little too on the nose.
Chronolo may notice that its shadow is a little longer than logically normal, but other than that, pays no heed to the fact that Gnomon is silently and invisibly following along next to him.
Caim shoots a sidelong glance in the direction of the jesting voice, but turns his focus to the strange dog. He listens, sighs, and turns to the others. "It appears the dog days are upon us." He follows the healer. "Alexa, show us the way." Waiting a beat for a practiced response, he just shrugs and follows, whispering harshly as he passes Chronolo's trailing shadow. "Quiet you."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Corrin Kettlewhistle: Halfling Life Cleric (Curse of Strahd) Kip Dalton: Human Lore Bard (Waterdeep Dragon Heist) Debauchery Dalliance: Half-Drow Oath of Conquest Paladin (White Plume Mountain)
At AREA 1B, you enter a damp, dripping cave that contains a veritable forest of stalagmites and stalactites. So far, all is quiet. Strangely, Fistborkus trotted down this way, deeper into the cavern, but there is no sign of the Acheronian pooch. The only sounds you hear is the dripping of water from the natural cave formations.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Wait up!" Diesa called out quietly as she jogged over to the others from behind, her twin swords swaying at her side and strange luminescent motes escaping her hair with each step. "I'm sorry, I was a bit distracted by the fauna on the last level. Plant life is truly unusual in this place!" Seeing the others, back on guard, "Wait. What did I miss?" she asked before looking out ahead.
Perception: 18
While the others may have been traversing this seemingly endless cavern for a while, Diesa was still utterly confused on what exactly was going on. One minute, she had been minding her business in the Feywild. The next, a mysterious portal opened up in front of her and the next thing she knew, four odd looking folks where staring down at her with a confused look on their faces, except for the construct off course. That was two levels ago.
Note: It's really only the face of the image below for Diesa, the rest does not match.
Alexa looks around, gaze taking everything in levelly before she continues towards area 1C (unless Diesa saw anything with that stunning Percepton, ofc).
Nothing TOO out of the ordinary yet, despite the amazing Perception roll.
AREA 1C - THE CLAW-SHAPED CAVE
There are three backpacks here made of woven spiderwebs. Each pack contains a mess kit, 10 days of rations (dried mushrooms, moss, and boiled cockatrice eggs), 50 feet of spider silk rope, and a full water skin made from a lizard’s bladder. You're pretty sure, from you experiences, that this shit belongs to Drow.
"Drow!" spits Tor Blackhammer, a dwarven cleric of the forge. "Tricks, backstabbing, and throat cutting are their stock in trade. I don't like the looks of this. Count on them being nearby or dead by something even worse."
"Either way, it looks like a dead end unless this wall is just some sort of illusion. You have no idea how many times I've run into something invisible back home." Diesa comments as she begins testing the wall randomly at various points. 16
Chronolo idly strolls into the area, robotic hands tracing glyphs in the air. Detect Magic is still up. "If magic is present, this one will know. These provisions appear to be mostly untouched," the construct notes in its usual mechanical whirr. "This one thinks the Drow have not been here long."
For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any.
The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
DUNGEON OF THE MAD MAGE
LEVEL 14
Another time, another place. Through the mysterious and magical weave of time comes a tale of what is, what was, or what might be. Our tale revolves around a group of adventurers deep within Undermountain, home of the Archmage Halaster Blackcloak.
Welcome to Arcturiadoom.
ENTRANCE TO ARCTURIADOOM
AREA 1a - We begin our adventure in a large cavern. Something huge has bored through the rock here. Reference the map above. There is a double door here. It's framed with carvings of worm-ridden skulls. Carved into the lintel above the double door is a sconce sculpted to resemble a skeletal hand, with a continual flame spell cast in its palm. A pair of stalagmites flank the double door. Around the edges of the cavern are more stalagmites and stalactites. More of these formations fill a smaller cavern to the southeast (AREA 1B).
EXITS: From here, you can explore AREA 1B, AREA 1C, AREA 2a, b, c, or AREA 3.
After the mayhem of the previous level's final battle, and upon arriving on this new level, Gnomon (with her usual quiet and meek personality) slinked off to the shadows, where she felt most comfortable.
Stealth: 25
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
In its usual methodic manner, the Warforged whirrs on into the room, expressionless face surveying the entryway. Blackcloak certainly created an imposing ambiance. The construct idly traces some runes in the air, testing the chamber with a quick Detect Magic.
The voices swirled, rising and dipping in a cacophony of endless chatter, a storm of thoughts...a haze of chaos. Caim sighed, gathering his wits about him as he cast a glance around his surroundings. "How in Hades did I get here," he mutters to himself, looking at the companions. "Allies? Enemies?" the thoughts race in his head. "No, allies. They seem familiar." The haze in mind clearing a bit, releasing snatches of recent memories. The battles. The victories. The losses. The terror. These others were with him. Fighting. Dying. Running. "Where is my sister," he mutters louder as he touch the odd lightning like marks along his arm, shuddering when he doesn't feel her presence. "I don't feel her."
Abruptly, he turns to the others.
"Why in the Nine Hells are we here?"
Corrin Kettlewhistle: Halfling Life Cleric (Curse of Strahd)
Kip Dalton: Human Lore Bard (Waterdeep Dragon Heist)
Debauchery Dalliance: Half-Drow Oath of Conquest Paladin (White Plume Mountain)
A small white dog about the size of a Jack Russel terrier with a large clenched fist for a face trots around the corner, wearing a sign around it's neck. It stops and lets you read it.
"GREETINGS, HONORLESS FOOLS. YOU HAVE ENTERED ARCTURIADOOM - HOME OF THE GREAT EMBEROSA, FIRE GIANT QUEEN OF THE SIX. TRY AND SURVIVE, AND THE BLESSINGS OF BANE WILL BE UPON YOU ALL. FAIL, AND YOU'RE MY NEW CHEW TOYS. HAVE FUN."
After a minute or so, the dog trots away.
From the swirling mists of the shadows, a meek voice calls out from nowhere “Someone check on Master Caim ....I think he knocked his head a little too much in that last battle!” she snickers quietly until the part fist-part dog appears.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Alexa looks around the cavern with her usual serene expression. The dark-haired woman is wearing worn chainmail, and the symbol of Ilmater hangs around her neck. A marble staff in her hand is carved with Celestial runes, and her golden eyes take everything in calmly. She seems unworried by the threat that the Fistborkus is bearing, but then again, the only thing you've seen shake her serene demeanor is the suffering of others.
Alexa is a powerful priest of Ilmater, here on behalf of his Waterdhavian temple to clear what she can of Undermountain and alleviate what suffering there is. She is relaxed, determined, and seemingly unworried by the many threats that Undermountain holds. As the not-really-a-dog trots off, she glances at the others. "I suppose we're being threatened again. Shall we?I would vote saving the doors for last." Murmuring a brief prayer to Ilmater, she begins moving steadily towards area 1b.
Alexa (important: she is NOT wearing the collar-style necklace):
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
The Warforged swivels to face towards the dog - perhaps a Boxer Terrier? The fist seemed conducive to the pun - and remembers the previous taunts the curator of this lovely dungeon had thrown at them. Many battles have gone and passed, just like their allies, and Chronolo regards the dungeon with the same indifference you have seen before. Chronolo was all about efficiency and time management; a faint ticking sound radiates from the center of its mechanical interior, and to see a moment wasted is what grinds the Warforged's gears the most.
Chronolo can most succinctly be described as the result of a magical disaster. Sentience is sometimes granted to certain constructs to help aid the creator in tasks, but something went wrong in the process of creating Chronolo; a sliver of rebellion popped up inside the Warforged's metallic brain, corrupted and molded by the magic that bound it. This little sliver of clockwork magic yearned for full sentience, and a being had heard it. With a quick pact and pledge for freedom, the Warforged gained full control over the magical capabilities that had infused it with life.
Maintaining the Detect Magic spell, the Warforged moves on after Alexa, beginning to whirr a mechanical voice box for a moment before stopping. It was about to suggest they move clockwise, but that may have been a little too on the nose.
Chronolo may notice that its shadow is a little longer than logically normal, but other than that, pays no heed to the fact that Gnomon is silently and invisibly following along next to him.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Caim shoots a sidelong glance in the direction of the jesting voice, but turns his focus to the strange dog. He listens, sighs, and turns to the others. "It appears the dog days are upon us." He follows the healer. "Alexa, show us the way." Waiting a beat for a practiced response, he just shrugs and follows, whispering harshly as he passes Chronolo's trailing shadow. "Quiet you."
Corrin Kettlewhistle: Halfling Life Cleric (Curse of Strahd)
Kip Dalton: Human Lore Bard (Waterdeep Dragon Heist)
Debauchery Dalliance: Half-Drow Oath of Conquest Paladin (White Plume Mountain)
1B - STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES
At AREA 1B, you enter a damp, dripping cave that contains a veritable forest of stalagmites and stalactites. So far, all is quiet. Strangely, Fistborkus trotted down this way, deeper into the cavern, but there is no sign of the Acheronian pooch. The only sounds you hear is the dripping of water from the natural cave formations.
"Wait up!" Diesa called out quietly as she jogged over to the others from behind, her twin swords swaying at her side and strange luminescent motes escaping her hair with each step. "I'm sorry, I was a bit distracted by the fauna on the last level. Plant life is truly unusual in this place!" Seeing the others, back on guard, "Wait. What did I miss?" she asked before looking out ahead.
Perception: 18
While the others may have been traversing this seemingly endless cavern for a while, Diesa was still utterly confused on what exactly was going on. One minute, she had been minding her business in the Feywild. The next, a mysterious portal opened up in front of her and the next thing she knew, four odd looking folks where staring down at her with a confused look on their faces, except for the construct off course. That was two levels ago.
Note: It's really only the face of the image below for Diesa, the rest does not match.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Alexa looks around, gaze taking everything in levelly before she continues towards area 1C (unless Diesa saw anything with that stunning Percepton, ofc).
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Nothing TOO out of the ordinary yet, despite the amazing Perception roll.
AREA 1C - THE CLAW-SHAPED CAVE
There are three backpacks here made of woven spiderwebs. Each pack contains a mess kit, 10 days of rations (dried mushrooms, moss, and boiled cockatrice eggs), 50 feet of spider silk rope, and a full water skin made from a lizard’s bladder. You're pretty sure, from you experiences, that this shit belongs to Drow.
Why are these here?
Alexa frowns faintly and picks up one of the backpacks. "Scouting party or signs of something bigger, I wonder?" she murmurs thoughtfully.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
"Drow!" spits Tor Blackhammer, a dwarven cleric of the forge. "Tricks, backstabbing, and throat cutting are their stock in trade. I don't like the looks of this. Count on them being nearby or dead by something even worse."
"Either way, it looks like a dead end unless this wall is just some sort of illusion. You have no idea how many times I've run into something invisible back home." Diesa comments as she begins testing the wall randomly at various points. 16
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Chronolo idly strolls into the area, robotic hands tracing glyphs in the air. Detect Magic is still up. "If magic is present, this one will know. These provisions appear to be mostly untouched," the construct notes in its usual mechanical whirr. "This one thinks the Drow have not been here long."
For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any.
The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
Alexa nods in agreement with Chronolo. "Which means they're probably still on this level."
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!