Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

Quote from Culuril >>

 

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As they start to get the feeling of being watched, the fire genasi starts to be more wary, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever might be observing them. She tries to spot what she assumes must be some elusive creature. (Perception: 27)

 (Katryl will need to make a Wisdom save as well)

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

Quote from Gnomesftw >>

(Make a Wisdom save for Anator)

 

Anator's Wisdom save: 6

 As Anator tries to peer into the darkness and examine the eyes, the continually evade his understanding, rendering him mad for a few minutes seeing even more vivid hallucinations and will have disadvantage on all ability checks for the following 1 minutes.

(Katryl WIS Save: 18)

Khessa, sorry for what happened to her brother, sends him back to the safety of his pocket dimension, comforting herself with the fact that at least he will recover soon. She immediately warns the others: "The eyes that spy on us... They can induce moments of hallucination and madness in those who look at them. Probably yet another effect of the Demon Lords' madness".

Quote from Culuril >>

(Katryl WIS Save: 18)

 Katryl manages to shake off the unnerving glares from the ephemeral eyes, as they don't seem bound to any particular creature, but appearing randomly to watch...always watching...

Eventually you are informed, or notice, that the tunnel you're in, comes to an end. At least horizontally. There is a drop off into a circular shaft, about 30 ft wide, that drops around 100 ft. There are some rope ladders, however, that can be used to scale down the shaft, and peering down the area is dimly lit by fungi, and the faint outline of what might be openings in the sides of the shaft can be seen here and there down the walls.

"Really a bad place to meet a Beholder..." Khessa comments "The abomination could float freely in the center, away from the threat of melee weapons, and bombard victims with the multiple powers of its eyestalks... Plus, anyone who wanted to attack it form range, would have difficulty doing this, having to hold on to rope ladders. Some of us can overcome this problem by using Lizards, to descend, instead of ladders... but we don't have Lizards for everyone".

"Truly a battlefield that would put us at a serious disadvantage" the blonde arcane warrior concludes. "Now... ok, we have come to meet a Beholder... but I hope that we will not meet it exactly here".

"We can take turns on the ropes, with the rest of the group standing guard here or on the next ledge down. That limits the number of vulnerable people...Hey Traydark, did the directions you received include this shaft, and which tunnel we need to go in next?"

(The answer to that will be no, as you are, according to the directions, at the Vast Oblivium)

Katryl nods. "We should head down slowly, see what's down there. I think you have a good idea Horkas." She gets near the edge - but not too close - and peers down. (Perception: 27) "Now might have been a good time for a flying spell to scout this place out," she suggests. 

Lulu puts a hand on Horkas' shoulder, glad to have his strategic brain in the group, then crouches next to Katryl to peer into the darkness as well. "Would ye like me to fly down for a peek? Could carry a few of ye down to the next ledge as I go?" 

It's still hard to tell a lot of specific from the top of the shaft here, but the rope ladders do not go all the way up and down, but rather are spaced out to meet some of the doorway outlines at various points going down.

Seeing the ladders only do down to certain ledges, Katryl nods to Lulu. "Perhaps you could get some of down to one of the first ledges and we check that out.  If there's room we could move down step by step." 

"No, I'm afraid I didn't get any specifics after this point, but assuming the drow huntress spoke the truth we should be by the beholders lair by now." The noble drow explains and then listens to the others planning before speaking up again. "The environment certainly is to the beholders advantage but that is no coincidence I'm sure, if anything this shaft suggests we are drawing near to it's lair. As before I can use my magic to gift others with flight but remember the risk that the beholder appears and neutralizes it with it's central eye. Using the riding lizards is probably the safest way to descend." Traydark says calmly, not ready to go near the shaft just yet, instead sending the invisible Grax'xt down the shaft to scout for beholders.

Grax'xt perception: 18

"I think Skitter can probably make it down, but the big guy here should probably stay on this level...the ropes won't hold his weight, and he's no good at climbing!" Horkas says. "I'm not as much for a ranged fighter right now, so I can ride down on one of the lizards to check things out..."

"I suggest we wait and see what my familiar will find out before any of us descend the shaft." The noble drow says grimly, looking around at the others. "And regarding the big guy, considering his impressive self-repair function I would assume he could simply crash down there and shake it off." Traydark adds with a grin and a wink at the artificer.

Khessa approaches the noble drow, smiling at him: "It is truly wonderful, Traydark, that you have found your sense of humor and that you are managing to maintain it even here, in the lair of a powerful Beholder. I think it helps a lot... If you must risk your life... why not carve out the time to smile a little, before launching into it?"

The blonde arcane warrior remains close to him, waiting to know the outcome of the exploration of his familiar...

Grax'xt reports no sign of any beholders in the shaft anywhere. There is a tunnel at the bottom, however.

Grax'xt intrepidly continues down the tunnel...

After another 100ft the tunnel opens to the bottom of an enormous cavern, with multiple zurkhwood and gut string bridges spanning the width at different places. They are also accosted by a human who stares right at him with a cruel smile. "Well well, what is this? A little pet trying to spy for their master? How quaint. We already knew you were coming though, so run along back to your master and tell them we'll allow a few of you to approach the great Karazikar but not everyone. So bring your 10 best and pray they bring the news the Master wants to hear." He shoos the invisible familiar to go back the way it came.

Grax'xt is disturbed by the wicked man seeing him in spite of being invisible and flutters back to his master, reporting what has transpired.

"It seems we are invited to meet with the great Karazikar. We are only allowed ten of us to meet with them. To be clear, they know we are coming so we must assume we are watched and quite possibly also overheard. If you'd let me I can do the talking?" The noble drow says with a small smile, ready to descend the shaft by riding his lizard steed while leaving the zhent merecaries behind.