You turn to ask the question of Dabbledob, who just looks shocked "No, no I never knew about that, if I didn't know about it I can't imagine anyone esle would, other than Fibblestib, going by our location though that must lead into the Kings bed chamber, it might not be wise to enter there."
((The corridor is lit up the same as the rest of the caves, it's a marvel to Gnomish invention that the door managed to block all light from escaping, the lights surrounding you are now beginning to flicker out one by one))
Outside, Agmar take in a deep breath whilst scanning the mountain for a suitable entrance. Seeing the cave with stairs, he makes for that particular entrance. Suspicious of the mushrooms, he take care not to disturb them in the passing.
"Haughlin!.... HAUGHLIN? are you okay? " Agmar calls out trying to out roar the waterfall.
You manage to cross the stream (and avoid the mushroom islands) without any issue, for such a ferocious waterfall the stream is very calm and not very deep either. Climbing the narrow slope up the side of the cliff you arrive at the entrance to Gnomengarde entering into the caves. For being the home of Gnomes the ceilings are especially high (7ft) and lined with oil lanterns interconnected by ropes and pulleys. As you enter the caves you note that the sound of the waterfall does not relent, if Haughlin is inside the caves you fear he will not have been able to hear you at all.
Immediately as you enter into the caves you come across a junction, either able to head North or continue East.
You head North quickening your pace in order to find Haughlin entering into what appears to be a dining room. The room is filled with a number of small dining tables, each with four small chairs, against the East wall there is a stout wooden cabinet filled with various dishware and cutlery. Finding nothing of interest and nobody around as well you continue out the Northern exit back into the tunnels of Gnomengarde. Still surrounded by the rush of the waterfall you are unable to hear any activity within the caves.
I apparently forgot to flesh out the dining room with items!
If the Dinning room provides no fresh leads, then proceed further along the Northern Path. Making no effort to maintain stealth or subtlety. Calling for Haughlin throughout. Should that lead to a dead end, follow the next closest path.
[OOC] can I see any tracks, or signs of my friend and his companions? Wet or muddy footsteps on on the cold stone floor, or signs of external vegetation (grass flowers, leafs etc)
You can't see any signs of a Hauhlin and the others, however you can make out faint footprints in the stone floors where they have been worn down from frequent travels, it would appear that the Northern path sees a lot more foot traffic going to and from the dining room than the path to the East. You also spot odd markings on the floor that follow the pattern of footprints but look like they were created from a sharp object. These markings seem to follow a uniform pattern like foot prints, but not of any creature you can think of.
You follow the path North following the flow of the foot traffic and reach a door.
If you decide to open the door see spoiler below, if not let me know.
You burst open the door ready for any that could appear at the other side and enter into what is clearly a kitchen. There are various pots and pans hanging from more intricate ropes and pulleys to allow the Gnomes to access them withouth any hassle, the stoves and tables all are close to the floor to let the Gnomes work with ease.
In the kitchen immediately to your left is a female Gnome teetering on a stool as she is stuffing one of the big purple mushrooms from the islands outside into a barrel. Next to her is a another female Gnome standing on top of a table using some odd contraption to flatten a green substance, she is surrounded by the caps of several of the green mushrooms. In front of you is a male gnome with his back turned to you, he appears to be taking the green substance from the female and forming them into loaves of green bread.
At the far end of the room against the Eastern wall is another female Gnome poking at the hot iron stove with an metal poker, while another male Gnome is using another odd contraption but this time to squeeze out a liquid substance from big red mushrooms. The contraption squeezes out the liquid through a series of tubes and bottles before it finally reaches flasks on the table, there appear to be at least 4 full flasks of red liquid.
As you stand taking in your surrounds the Gnome making the loaves of bread turns around, his tongue sticking out of his mouth from concentration and shouts "Oi close the door, we can't hear ourselves think in here with that racket from the falls!"
Haughlin turns back to the others, "If this does lead to the kings' bedchamber, then I think you're right that we shouldn't follow it, let's close this back up."
After closing the hidden door, Haughlin dusts off his clothes, "One of the kings were definitely attacked by something, the blood proves that much. We should make haste with our search. We should enquire with Fibblestib, see if he's seen anything strange, and we can search the workshop for anything odd too."
Agmar proceeds through the door. Entering the kitchen and pausing in awe of the peculiar scene before him. At the beckoning of the Gnome chef's he closes the door behind himself, muffling the roaring of the near falls.
"Hail friends, Ma name is Agmar Wyrmfoe, and I've come to find my pal Haughlin. He set off to find aid here from the inhabitants of your citadel. There's been sightings of a dragon, and sadly, the town of Phandalin was attack nary less than a day ago... Ye wouldn't have seen him perchance? He's an unusual sort of looking chap. Blueish hue to his features, white hair. The town master of Phandalin was hoping too that we'd be able to procure some assistance from your settlement here, we don't want Gnomengrad to suffer the same fate as Phandalin. Can anyone help me or take me to the people who can please?"
You head back to Fibblestib and relay all the new information that has been found.
"Hmm if what you say is true then we need to find this shapechanger, you lot look like a capable lot though. Me and Dabbledob will stay here and make sure nothing unusual trys to make another run at the Kings." Fibblestib begins to rummage around in his pockets "Here take this key, it'll let you into our invention storage room back down the hall there, if you find anything that could be useful take it." the Gnome hands over the key and points back down the hall you came down.
Agmar
"Pleasure t' meet you Agmar I'm Uppendown, A blue fellow walking around? it's not too unsual round here the magics like to play funny buggers on those that try to cast spells, Dimble over there try to use a magic wand once, turned him green for a week!" Uppendown turns and points towards one of the Gnomes by the stove before turning back towards Agmar "If he has passed through no doubts Fibblestib and Dabbledob will know about it, they've got their hands in everything round here! We can't spare anyone to take you but I can certainly give you directions" He starts to rummage round the kitchen, the other Gnomes paying no notice of you and pulls out a large piece of parchement paper and drawers a crude map and points "There's where you'll find them they don't leave their workshop much." was he always blue? The magic round these caves do funny things to people who try and cast spells."
If you want to follow the map let me know or you can still investigate other rooms
Haughlin takes the key from Fibblestib, "Thank you for this. And we'll do what we can to root out this shapechanger and protect you all."
He takes off back towards the storage room, "You and Dabbledob, keep an eye out and if anything strange happens, make a racket and we'll come running back, okay?"
He walk back down the corridor, keeping and eye out for anything out of the ordinary and carefully unlocks the store room.
Agmar thanks the group in the kitchen and takes the map gratefully. Opting to waste no more time wandering aimlessly though seemingly friendly territory, and wishing not to impose upon thy gracious hosts, he follows the map to the laboratory of Fibblestib and Dabbledob.
"I'll wait here with them" Ruby pipes up as you turn to leave for the storage area "If anything comes this way I'll give it a clobber"
You turn back on yourself and quickly reach the storage room on the left. The key provided by Fiddlestib fits perfectly and turns with ease as does the door. Opening the door you see what the Gnomes consider a storage solution and are amazed they are able to find anything. The room contains a jumble of nonfunctional gnomish gizmos, as well as loose gears, twisted bits of metal, and other scraps that the gnomes use to cobble together new inventions.
"What are they expecting us to find in here? It'll take weeks to find anything of use!" Pete moves into the room and starts picking up random pieces of machinery throwing them to the side, creating another jumbled pile.
"There's got to be a quicker way to do this, if there's anything of use in here that the Gnomes of made it'll surely have a bit of magic about it?" Donnabella moves into the middle of the room as best she can and sits down beginning to cast a spell. After about 10 minutes, she opens her eyes "There!" she points over to one of the large piles in the bottom corner of the room, while scanning the rest of the room "Another one there!" she points to the pile Pete is working his way through.
It takes the 3 of you another 5 minutes just to dig your way through the piles to find the items Donnabella sensed, but you do find something. A tiny copper amulet containing tiny interlocking gears, putting it to your ear you can hear faint ticking and whirring noises coming from within. You also find a 1ft rod made from an unusual substance, it doesn't look like much but Donnabella swears it's giving off some magical energy.
Agmar
You leave the kitchen again back into the roar of the waterfall, closing the door to the kitchen behind you, and follow the map provided by Uppendown turning away from the dining room through a curved cave path, as the curve gets to it's apex a room opens up to your left and you spot two gnomish contraptions parked in alcoves in this otherwise empty room. Each resembles a crab with a barrel for a shell, six articulated metal legs, and a pair of forward-facing pincer claws.
If you decide to investigate the crabs further
A hatch on the top of each barrel opens to reveal an interior compartment equipped with a small, leather-padded seat surrounded by levers, pedals, and gears. The barrels are not airtight. You suspect the gnomes use these to move around any heavy containers through the caves.
You continue down the path it now curves back on itself before turning South. Looking at the map Uppendown prepared for you, you turn the corner and suddenly hear a loud thud come from the floor just in front of where you see a large crossbow bolt dug into the ground. You stop in your tracks and look up to see bolted to the floor of the room in front of you a large rotating platform equipped with 4 heavy crossbows. Mounted above the crossbows is a small leather chair surrounded by pedals and levers and a small female gnome sitting on top with a large smile on her face and madness in her eyes. "ooh hoohoo" She laughs maniacally as she pulls a lever in front of her and the crossbow poiting at you begins to reload and the whole contraption spins counter clockwise moving another crossbow into position.
(I'll roll initiative for everyone and then you can post your action, for any rolls feel free to use the character sheet dice roller if it's easier than the forum ones)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Agmar
The female gnome continues to laugh maniacally as she begins pulling levers and pushing all number of pedals and another crossbow bolt shoots towards you
Attack: 19 Damage: 4
This bolt strikes true this time, impacting against your shoulder.
"Thanks Donatella, not sure how we'd have found anything in here without your help." Haughlin places a hand on her shoulder and smiles. "Let's take these back to the others and find out what they do!"
Haughlin puts the amulet around his neck and takes the curious rod and heads back towards the gnomes. As he walks he inspects the rod, baffled as to what it's use could be.
"GAH! JiNGS Wumin! Ye shot me clean! Now Calm Down please!? I'm here to help! Uppendown sent me this way. I've to go speak with Fibblestib and Dabbledob "
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Haughlin
Roll Investigation to see if you spot anything on the rod.
You head back to the inventors workshop with your new items, not sure how they might help you.
"Find anything of use?" Ruby shouts over the waterfall as she spots you coming back into the room.
"Hmm never seen these before, must be one of the others that made them, though there could be stuff in there from centuries ago." You show the two items to Fibblestib and Dabbledob for identification but they haven't seen either of them before.
Agmar
"Help? I don't need help!" Facktoré laughs maniacally again pulling all manner of levers, the crossbows spinning round again counterclockwise, while her chair spins clockwise before coming to a stop pointing at you again and fires.
Attack: 6 Damage: 4
She pulls a lever again and the crossbow makes a loud cracking noise and the bolt launches up out of the mechanism and the cross falls off it's support.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Investigation: 16
Haughlin turns the rod over in his hands a few times, trying to discern what it might be.
When they reach the workshop he replies to Ruby, “We found something, whether they’re of use or not is still to be answered.”
He shows both the amulet and the rod to the Gnome inventors, and finding out that they have no knowledge of either device turn his attention to the amulet. Investigation: 14
“Thank you both for allowing us to use these, we should go seeking this so called shapechanger. The sooner we get your kings out of that bedchamber, the better.”
Looking over both items you don't see anything that jumps out that would help understand how to use the items, you will need to spend some time looking them over to fully unlock their abilities.
You leave the Inventors workshop back into the tunnels of Gnomengarde as Fibblestib and Dabbledab turn back to their desks and begin working on their inventions again. As you turn right into a small area, lightly obscured by mist from the waterfall which roars even louder now blocking out the sound of two rapidly spinning devices in the eastern section of the room. The devices look like turnstiles fitted with stacks of long, sharp blades spaced 1 foot apart with the northern turnstile spinning counterclockwise, while the southern one spins clockwise.
Set in the southern wall of the western portion of the room (where you are) is a brass lever currently in the up position.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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“Good job Pete!” Haughlin clasps a hand on him shoulder as he follows the trail with his companion.
When the hidden passageway opens, he steps back slightly, turning to Dabbledob. “Did you know this was here?” He asks the gnome.
“The blood seems to lead this way,” Haughlin takes a few tentative steps into the passageway, “We should follow this and see what it leads to.”
[if the passageway is dark, Haughlin will cast dancing lights to light the way ahead]
You turn to ask the question of Dabbledob, who just looks shocked "No, no I never knew about that, if I didn't know about it I can't imagine anyone esle would, other than Fibblestib, going by our location though that must lead into the Kings bed chamber, it might not be wise to enter there."
((The corridor is lit up the same as the rest of the caves, it's a marvel to Gnomish invention that the door managed to block all light from escaping, the lights surrounding you are now beginning to flicker out one by one))
Outside, Agmar take in a deep breath whilst scanning the mountain for a suitable entrance. Seeing the cave with stairs, he makes for that particular entrance. Suspicious of the mushrooms, he take care not to disturb them in the passing.
"Haughlin!.... HAUGHLIN? are you okay? " Agmar calls out trying to out roar the waterfall.
You manage to cross the stream (and avoid the mushroom islands) without any issue, for such a ferocious waterfall the stream is very calm and not very deep either. Climbing the narrow slope up the side of the cliff you arrive at the entrance to Gnomengarde entering into the caves. For being the home of Gnomes the ceilings are especially high (7ft) and lined with oil lanterns interconnected by ropes and pulleys. As you enter the caves you note that the sound of the waterfall does not relent, if Haughlin is inside the caves you fear he will not have been able to hear you at all.
Immediately as you enter into the caves you come across a junction, either able to head North or continue East.
Proceed on the North Path, at pace.
You head North quickening your pace in order to find Haughlin entering into what appears to be a dining room. The room is filled with a number of small dining tables, each with four small chairs, against the East wall there is a stout wooden cabinet filled with various dishware and cutlery. Finding nothing of interest and nobody around as well you continue out the Northern exit back into the tunnels of Gnomengarde. Still surrounded by the rush of the waterfall you are unable to hear any activity within the caves.
I apparently forgot to flesh out the dining room with items!
If the Dinning room provides no fresh leads, then proceed further along the Northern Path. Making no effort to maintain stealth or subtlety. Calling for Haughlin throughout. Should that lead to a dead end, follow the next closest path.
[OOC] can I see any tracks, or signs of my friend and his companions? Wet or muddy footsteps on on the cold stone floor, or signs of external vegetation (grass flowers, leafs etc)
You can't see any signs of a Hauhlin and the others, however you can make out faint footprints in the stone floors where they have been worn down from frequent travels, it would appear that the Northern path sees a lot more foot traffic going to and from the dining room than the path to the East. You also spot odd markings on the floor that follow the pattern of footprints but look like they were created from a sharp object. These markings seem to follow a uniform pattern like foot prints, but not of any creature you can think of.
You follow the path North following the flow of the foot traffic and reach a door.
If you decide to open the door see spoiler below, if not let me know.
You burst open the door ready for any that could appear at the other side and enter into what is clearly a kitchen. There are various pots and pans hanging from more intricate ropes and pulleys to allow the Gnomes to access them withouth any hassle, the stoves and tables all are close to the floor to let the Gnomes work with ease.
In the kitchen immediately to your left is a female Gnome teetering on a stool as she is stuffing one of the big purple mushrooms from the islands outside into a barrel. Next to her is a another female Gnome standing on top of a table using some odd contraption to flatten a green substance, she is surrounded by the caps of several of the green mushrooms. In front of you is a male gnome with his back turned to you, he appears to be taking the green substance from the female and forming them into loaves of green bread.
At the far end of the room against the Eastern wall is another female Gnome poking at the hot iron stove with an metal poker, while another male Gnome is using another odd contraption but this time to squeeze out a liquid substance from big red mushrooms. The contraption squeezes out the liquid through a series of tubes and bottles before it finally reaches flasks on the table, there appear to be at least 4 full flasks of red liquid.
As you stand taking in your surrounds the Gnome making the loaves of bread turns around, his tongue sticking out of his mouth from concentration and shouts "Oi close the door, we can't hear ourselves think in here with that racket from the falls!"
Haughlin turns back to the others, "If this does lead to the kings' bedchamber, then I think you're right that we shouldn't follow it, let's close this back up."
After closing the hidden door, Haughlin dusts off his clothes, "One of the kings were definitely attacked by something, the blood proves that much. We should make haste with our search. We should enquire with Fibblestib, see if he's seen anything strange, and we can search the workshop for anything odd too."
Agmar proceeds through the door. Entering the kitchen and pausing in awe of the peculiar scene before him. At the beckoning of the Gnome chef's he closes the door behind himself, muffling the roaring of the near falls.
"Hail friends, Ma name is Agmar Wyrmfoe, and I've come to find my pal Haughlin. He set off to find aid here from the inhabitants of your citadel. There's been sightings of a dragon, and sadly, the town of Phandalin was attack nary less than a day ago... Ye wouldn't have seen him perchance? He's an unusual sort of looking chap. Blueish hue to his features, white hair. The town master of Phandalin was hoping too that we'd be able to procure some assistance from your settlement here, we don't want Gnomengrad to suffer the same fate as Phandalin. Can anyone help me or take me to the people who can please?"
Haughlin
You head back to Fibblestib and relay all the new information that has been found.
"Hmm if what you say is true then we need to find this shapechanger, you lot look like a capable lot though. Me and Dabbledob will stay here and make sure nothing unusual trys to make another run at the Kings." Fibblestib begins to rummage around in his pockets "Here take this key, it'll let you into our invention storage room back down the hall there, if you find anything that could be useful take it." the Gnome hands over the key and points back down the hall you came down.
Agmar
"Pleasure t' meet you Agmar I'm Uppendown, A blue fellow walking around? it's not too unsual round here the magics like to play funny buggers on those that try to cast spells, Dimble over there try to use a magic wand once, turned him green for a week!" Uppendown turns and points towards one of the Gnomes by the stove before turning back towards Agmar "If he has passed through no doubts Fibblestib and Dabbledob will know about it, they've got their hands in everything round here! We can't spare anyone to take you but I can certainly give you directions" He starts to rummage round the kitchen, the other Gnomes paying no notice of you and pulls out a large piece of parchement paper and drawers a crude map and points "There's where you'll find them they don't leave their workshop much." was he always blue? The magic round these caves do funny things to people who try and cast spells."
If you want to follow the map let me know or you can still investigate other rooms
Haughlin takes the key from Fibblestib, "Thank you for this. And we'll do what we can to root out this shapechanger and protect you all."
He takes off back towards the storage room, "You and Dabbledob, keep an eye out and if anything strange happens, make a racket and we'll come running back, okay?"
He walk back down the corridor, keeping and eye out for anything out of the ordinary and carefully unlocks the store room.
Agmar thanks the group in the kitchen and takes the map gratefully. Opting to waste no more time wandering aimlessly though seemingly friendly territory, and wishing not to impose upon thy gracious hosts, he follows the map to the laboratory of Fibblestib and Dabbledob.
Hauglin
"I'll wait here with them" Ruby pipes up as you turn to leave for the storage area "If anything comes this way I'll give it a clobber"
You turn back on yourself and quickly reach the storage room on the left. The key provided by Fiddlestib fits perfectly and turns with ease as does the door. Opening the door you see what the Gnomes consider a storage solution and are amazed they are able to find anything. The room contains a jumble of nonfunctional gnomish gizmos, as well as loose gears, twisted bits of metal, and other scraps that the gnomes use to cobble together new inventions.
"What are they expecting us to find in here? It'll take weeks to find anything of use!" Pete moves into the room and starts picking up random pieces of machinery throwing them to the side, creating another jumbled pile.
"There's got to be a quicker way to do this, if there's anything of use in here that the Gnomes of made it'll surely have a bit of magic about it?" Donnabella moves into the middle of the room as best she can and sits down beginning to cast a spell. After about 10 minutes, she opens her eyes "There!" she points over to one of the large piles in the bottom corner of the room, while scanning the rest of the room "Another one there!" she points to the pile Pete is working his way through.
It takes the 3 of you another 5 minutes just to dig your way through the piles to find the items Donnabella sensed, but you do find something. A tiny copper amulet containing tiny interlocking gears, putting it to your ear you can hear faint ticking and whirring noises coming from within. You also find a 1ft rod made from an unusual substance, it doesn't look like much but Donnabella swears it's giving off some magical energy.
Agmar
You leave the kitchen again back into the roar of the waterfall, closing the door to the kitchen behind you, and follow the map provided by Uppendown turning away from the dining room through a curved cave path, as the curve gets to it's apex a room opens up to your left and you spot two gnomish contraptions parked in alcoves in this otherwise empty room. Each resembles a crab with a barrel for a shell, six articulated metal legs, and a pair of forward-facing pincer claws.
If you decide to investigate the crabs further
A hatch on the top of each barrel opens to reveal an interior compartment equipped with a small, leather-padded seat surrounded by levers, pedals, and gears. The barrels are not airtight. You suspect the gnomes use these to move around any heavy containers through the caves.
You continue down the path it now curves back on itself before turning South. Looking at the map Uppendown prepared for you, you turn the corner and suddenly hear a loud thud come from the floor just in front of where you see a large crossbow bolt dug into the ground. You stop in your tracks and look up to see bolted to the floor of the room in front of you a large rotating platform equipped with 4 heavy crossbows. Mounted above the crossbows is a small leather chair surrounded by pedals and levers and a small female gnome sitting on top with a large smile on her face and madness in her eyes. "ooh hoohoo" She laughs maniacally as she pulls a lever in front of her and the crossbow poiting at you begins to reload and the whole contraption spins counter clockwise moving another crossbow into position.
(I'll roll initiative for everyone and then you can post your action, for any rolls feel free to use the character sheet dice roller if it's easier than the forum ones)
Facktoré: 17
Agmar:8
Agmar
The female gnome continues to laugh maniacally as she begins pulling levers and pushing all number of pedals and another crossbow bolt shoots towards you
Attack: 19 Damage: 4
This bolt strikes true this time, impacting against your shoulder.
"Thanks Donatella, not sure how we'd have found anything in here without your help." Haughlin places a hand on her shoulder and smiles. "Let's take these back to the others and find out what they do!"
Haughlin puts the amulet around his neck and takes the curious rod and heads back towards the gnomes. As he walks he inspects the rod, baffled as to what it's use could be.
"GAH! JiNGS Wumin! Ye shot me clean! Now Calm Down please!? I'm here to help! Uppendown sent me this way. I've to go speak with Fibblestib and Dabbledob "
Use my action to DODGE any further bolts.
"Cmon, we're on the same side here lass"
Haughlin
Roll Investigation to see if you spot anything on the rod.
You head back to the inventors workshop with your new items, not sure how they might help you.
"Find anything of use?" Ruby shouts over the waterfall as she spots you coming back into the room.
"Hmm never seen these before, must be one of the others that made them, though there could be stuff in there from centuries ago." You show the two items to Fibblestib and Dabbledob for identification but they haven't seen either of them before.
Agmar
"Help? I don't need help!" Facktoré laughs maniacally again pulling all manner of levers, the crossbows spinning round again counterclockwise, while her chair spins clockwise before coming to a stop pointing at you again and fires.
Attack: 6 Damage: 4
She pulls a lever again and the crossbow makes a loud cracking noise and the bolt launches up out of the mechanism and the cross falls off it's support.
Investigation: 16
Haughlin turns the rod over in his hands a few times, trying to discern what it might be.
When they reach the workshop he replies to Ruby, “We found something, whether they’re of use or not is still to be answered.”
He shows both the amulet and the rod to the Gnome inventors, and finding out that they have no knowledge of either device turn his attention to the amulet. Investigation: 14
“Thank you both for allowing us to use these, we should go seeking this so called shapechanger. The sooner we get your kings out of that bedchamber, the better.”
Haughlin
Looking over both items you don't see anything that jumps out that would help understand how to use the items, you will need to spend some time looking them over to fully unlock their abilities.
You leave the Inventors workshop back into the tunnels of Gnomengarde as Fibblestib and Dabbledab turn back to their desks and begin working on their inventions again. As you turn right into a small area, lightly obscured by mist from the waterfall which roars even louder now blocking out the sound of two rapidly spinning devices in the eastern section of the room. The devices look like turnstiles fitted with stacks of long, sharp blades spaced 1 foot apart with the northern turnstile spinning counterclockwise, while the southern one spins clockwise.
Set in the southern wall of the western portion of the room (where you are) is a brass lever currently in the up position.