Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

The noble drow frowns as Khessa naïvely tries to bring along the servant of Jubilex. Even if it wouldn't devour them as they slept it would  slow them down considerably as they raced to outpace their drow pursuers. He shakes his head and readies himself for what may lie beyond the stone gate.

Perception: 22

Ebzer and Silas slog through the rising water to the stone door.  The duergar grunts "Well, whaddya waitin' fer? Let's go.  I dinnae fancy swimming in me best loincloth!"

Stepping into the room you see it contains a stone fountain with a raised edge. The basin contains shallow, brackish water. At the center of the pool, the rubble of a broken statue rest atop a pedestal. All that remains recognizable are a pair of clawed stone feet clutching the pedestal’s top. Carved into the walls are seven niches. Water seeps into one niche through a crack in the wall. The two niches that flank it are empty. Strange, formless sculptures occupy the four remaining niches.

"The water is escaping over there, it could mean there is a hidden exit for us there too." The noble drow says grimly, waiting for someone else to investigate the niche.

(@DM: From the original map, it looks like there are no exits... is that the case, unfortunately? Because, you know, we've explored everything, now that we've reached this last room... and so I'd be a little concerned to find out that we're trapped like mice... Is that right? There aren't any doors, passages... apparent passable ways?)

"A fountain," Khessa reasons, "must have (or at least have had) a drain. Or the water would have flooded everything, when the fountain was still running. Maybe, if we can restore the drain, we can make the water that's invading the dungeon flow out of there... And then search the place that Traydark indicated".

"Globbagool," it occurs to the tall adventuress, "it seems like you've picked a really good time to start your adventuring career; we already have a new mission for you: could you get into this fountain, find where the drain is (the hole from which the water from the fountain went out - it should be under this shallow, brackish water) and free it? we'd still have to find a way out, but at least we'd not drown. Are you up for it, my dear?"

"(Oh, and don't be jealous, if I call it 'dear', Traydark..." Khessa whispers to the drow noble "You are always my dearest, you know)" and, while Globbagool (she hopes) goes about its job, Khessa tries to look for possible secret passages in the place indicated by the drow warlock.

Khessa's Investigation check (advantage because of Traydark's help, I assume): 16

While Khessa investigates the niche where the water is escaping, Katryl moves over to take a look at the formless sculptures in the other niches.  (Investigation: 15, 2nd roll if Eldeth could provide HELP: 9)

Globbagool squeezes their way down into the room and slicks up next to the fountain and begins trying to plunge down into the fountain. "Self circulating!" They say after a minute, "But there are some shinies in here too!" They pop back up and wiggle happily.

You check the niche where the water is coming in but it is a hard stone wall and the stream isn't too heavy there. As Katryl goes to check the sculptures, her hand lightly bumps into one of them and the statues begin to move! They're alive! 4 more oozes come to life in the room and attempt to engage you!

Combat started:

Ebzer/silas

Katryl/Eldeth

Traydark

Khessa

Oozes

OOOOOK... Now... Good news and bad news, it seems...

Bad news:

- the fountain is self circulating (so not useful to us - it's a pity)

- 4 more oozes to fight (we really did not need them! Grrr...)

Good news:

- shinies

- and maybe... 'it is a hard stone wall and the stream isn't too heavy there'... this sounds like a clue to me...

Well, we'll see after the fight.

Ebzer growls. "More jellies! Blasted nuisances! Globba, you think you can reason with 'em? or maybe just get in their way a bit?"  The duergar backs up toward the door, worried that his melee attacks will only cause more problems.

Silas growls, and holds aloft his holy symbol, purring a prayer, and sending a fluorescent bolt of energy streaking at the first ooze.

(Attack: 8 Damage: 12 radiant damage)

Katryl will Disengage (Bonus Action) from the oozes and moves back away from them as fast as she can. She draws her shortbow and first at the nearest ooze.

(Shortbow Attack: 22 Damage: 8)

Eldeth will also Disengage (Action), moving back with Katryl as she draws her Longbow.

With a tired sigh the noble drow swiftly retreats away from the new adversaries and places his Hex on the closest ooze before unleashing a purple beam of eldritch crackling force against it.

Eldritch Blast: 7 Force: 6 Necrotic: 2 

'Fire consumes air...' Khessa ponders, quickly '...but these creatures consume us! And much faster. I have no choice. And anyway, it's just motes of fire that burn for a few moments'.

Then the blonde arcane warrior directs a dart of fire at the ooze already targeted by her companions and takes distance, even leaving the room if it is too small - we can always go back to it after the battle.

Fire Bolt Attack: 21 Damage: 10 ((fire))

Ebzer backs up out of the room and into the narrow hallway back up the way you came down.

Silas's spell goes wide of the ooze though and blasts the stone and earthen wall.

Katryl deftly pierces one of the oozes as she begins backing away as well along with Eldeth.

Traydark's blast goes wide as well as he hurries back away from the oozes.

Khessa lobs her mote of fire at the ooze and watches it burn for a moment before it continues its sickly slicking and sloshing their way.

Globbagool splooshes around in the rising water and just makes it in time to stand in the doorway blocking the oozes from chasing you down the hallway! "Wait! Wait for me! I'm coming!"

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only one ooze was close enough to take an opportunity attack against Khessa as she was the last one out before Globbagool got in the way but it misses handily!

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Sloshing back out away from the room the added water from the small flow from the room makes the water rise up toward the middle of your calves, also having filled the trap holes you found earlier. What do you do?

Ebzer will try a Stonecunning roll (  7 ) to see if he can gain any insight as to where in the caves they have explored might have higher ground, or potential exits out of this catacomb.

Quote from Gnomesftw >>

 

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Globbagool splooshes around in the rising water and just makes it in time to stand in the doorway blocking the oozes from chasing you down the hallway! "Wait! Wait for me! I'm coming!"...

 

"Don't worry dear!" Khessa tries to reassure her gelatinous friend - she feels so much pity for Glabbagool, with its fear of being left behind... it reminds her of Rumpadump lost with his longing to go home... "Of course we are waiting for you! We will leave together... Speaking of this, if you feel cracks along your path that have emptiness underneath or behind, let us know... We could try to widen them to escape. We have to find a way to get out of here".

Meanwhile, the blonde arcane warrior tries in turn, lacking a real escape route, to find points that are clearly weakened, in which one can reasonably think of opening a passage.

(OOC: Is Khessa able to help Ebzer with her Stonecunning? If yes, she does that. If not, she tries to locate some point in the dungeon where the walls are weak or where the weight of the water could perhaps open a passage, with a little physical 'help' from the group)

(She isn't a dwarf so she can't help with stonecunning, but she can make an Investigation check)

With Globbagool blocking the way and the fighting paused a moment, Katryl stops to ask the ooze, "You mentioned shinnies, did you happen to grab those? Perhaps there was something there that would help us find a way out." 

Khessa's Investigation: 13