Gaius responds to Hoid's question asked in character, "Hoid, it took me all of three weeks to get home from Luskan. And, I had help with a friendly wizard teleporting me from the coast."
After a short time, Ajax appears. He hovers next to Starker and speaks to him in Draconian:
"There is a roughly circular cavern. There is a large pool of water. Beyond the pool is a patch of dry land inaccessible, other than crossing the water. There is a great pile of refuse there. There is an opening of a similar tube to the one you are in above you about 45' on the opposite wall."
"It appears that the water is deep. Gneuman would guess 25' or more. There are large boulders and an irregular bottom. We saw glimpses of what appear to be large fish moving amongst the boulders at the bottom.
Gneuman is looking closer at the heap, he says that he sees large grubs eating their way through the refuse."
"Other than that, it should be relatively safe to descend."
The tiny dragon then begins to fly back to Gneuman and blinks out of sight, just a quickly as he once appeared.
Starker: “Friend Gneuman says it is seemingly safe to descend, though there are some large refuse-eating grubs of which we should remain aware and wary.”
Starker:”This ring I wear is not just decorative, but also allows the wearer to walk on water as though it were solid ground. It does not require attunement. I could use it and Tensor’s Floating Disk to ferry us across the pool Gneuman reports, though there is a finite but large weight limit to the capacity of the disk. Just tossing a small pebble into our collective thought pool.
”This reminds me of a test question involving druidesses and wolves and a canoe. The task was to avoid having a druidess eaten by a wolf. My solution was to start by killing either all the druidesses or all the wolves on the near side. For some reason, I did not receive full marks. My genius was not fully appreciated back at The Academy …” <shakes his head>
"Wolves can swim, why would they need to use a canoe? Plus how would they even use the oars?"
(Figured having a few of us with an unusual language would be good if we need to speak in front of NPCs. Plus the next time we encounter the white dragon Chadwick can properly tell it to go mate with it's mother. Also figured it worked better for roleplaying so he didn't just magically know a new language.)
Speaking quietly "We need to discuss which is the greater threat and evil; Almanal or the evil attacking the Stonejaws?
I am loath to walk away from the search for Almanal and with Shalecliff being three weeks away I'm not sure if we could make it time to sway the outcome. We should discuss this amongst the whole company once we are reunited."
(Or we could spilt the party and half of us go to Shalecliff. Oh look at that a giant lighting bolt from the heavens striking down Chadwick. It's almost like he angered the gods.)
To mage Starker “Keep n mind, my friend, our means of crossing the moat at Ravenshield Maner. I used Tyrs power to allow us to walk across, I can call on Tyr again if necessary.”
smiles and lightly grasps his shoulder and then frowns at that damn staff.
Starker:”Good point. In all the excitement since then I had forgotten. It is good that small expanses of water no longer serve as a barrier for The Company. Next time you speak to Tyr please thank Him for me.”
Paying no heed to the sage Essop, The Company has, once again, divided itself. Gneuman is running along the walls through the dark cavern. Ajax is flitting about invisibly as his escort. The rest of you cower in the smooth, tubular tunnel. Doom has been foretold of certain malevolence to be found in the cavern. As yet, nothing has revealed itself.
To the best of my knowledge, we do not have means by which all party members can get down safely and then climb up to the other tunnel. Gneuman can run around like a spider and Trolkarl 2024 can fly. Conveniently, other modes to traverse vertical distances are limited to 30’, and the tunnels exceed this distance. We have no rope or other climbing gear. Unless we want to have most party members free climb down and up the other side, or someone has an unusual combination of equipment and/or abilities to get The Company across, it seems we must turn back.
Gneuman will run along the walls to get a better view of the rubbish pile, then over to the other tunnel. If nothing of interest results, he will return to the group to depart.
Even with Fly or another spell, someone using Dispel Magic while above the lake will quickly ruin the day of an armored dwarf. We know the drow has cast high-level spells and used traps, so even if we are on the right path, it seems a prime opportunity for ambush.
Gaius, how do you feel about the safety of the lands knowing our situation? My friends have mentioned others that are in dire need of help as well. We risk much continuing the pursuit of Alamnal. I want him to experience justice more than any here... but not at the cost of helping others. We have driven him away, but who can say for how long
Gaius considers Trolkarl's question, "The safety of our people is the highest concern, Trolkarl. Alamnal has been driven from your House, at last. With Garrent's observations he should no longer be welcome anywhere in Cormyr. Our pursuit of him is warranted, but, he has an extensive head start and familiarity with the terrain. We are at a decided disadvantage." He looks around the group of you, "We should take the win we have earned. If he shows again, we will be better prepared for him. If better information is gained, another, better prepared expedition in search of him in the Underdark can be pursued."
(How long is the journey to Shalecliff?)
Gaius responds to Hoid's question asked in character, "Hoid, it took me all of three weeks to get home from Luskan. And, I had help with a friendly wizard teleporting me from the coast."
After a short time, Ajax appears. He hovers next to Starker and speaks to him in Draconian:
"There is a roughly circular cavern. There is a large pool of water. Beyond the pool is a patch of dry land inaccessible, other than crossing the water. There is a great pile of refuse there. There is an opening of a similar tube to the one you are in above you about 45' on the opposite wall."
"It appears that the water is deep. Gneuman would guess 25' or more. There are large boulders and an irregular bottom. We saw glimpses of what appear to be large fish moving amongst the boulders at the bottom.
Gneuman is looking closer at the heap, he says that he sees large grubs eating their way through the refuse."
"Other than that, it should be relatively safe to descend."
The tiny dragon then begins to fly back to Gneuman and blinks out of sight, just a quickly as he once appeared.
Kragen looks at the departing Ajax and looks to the group. “Do we still feel this leads to Alamnal?”
”I have only heard stories or fairy tales however what Ajax describes sure sounds like a place this Monster Worm would make home!?”
Starker: “Friend Gneuman says it is seemingly safe to descend, though there are some large refuse-eating grubs of which we should remain aware and wary.”
After Ajax's report "Huh, think I'm finally starting to understand our winged little friend."
(Chadwick now knows Draconian)
Starker:”This ring I wear is not just decorative, but also allows the wearer to walk on water as though it were solid ground. It does not require attunement. I could use it and Tensor’s Floating Disk to ferry us across the pool Gneuman reports, though there is a finite but large weight limit to the capacity of the disk. Just tossing a small pebble into our collective thought pool.
”This reminds me of a test question involving druidesses and wolves and a canoe. The task was to avoid having a druidess eaten by a wolf. My solution was to start by killing either all the druidesses or all the wolves on the near side. For some reason, I did not receive full marks. My genius was not fully appreciated back at The Academy …” <shakes his head>
(Good grief, who doesn’t know draconic?)
"Wolves can swim, why would they need to use a canoe? Plus how would they even use the oars?"
(Figured having a few of us with an unusual language would be good if we need to speak in front of NPCs. Plus the next time we encounter the white dragon Chadwick can properly tell it to go mate with it's mother. Also figured it worked better for roleplaying so he didn't just magically know a new language.)
Speaking quietly "We need to discuss which is the greater threat and evil; Almanal or the evil attacking the Stonejaws?
I am loath to walk away from the search for Almanal and with Shalecliff being three weeks away I'm not sure if we could make it time to sway the outcome. We should discuss this amongst the whole company once we are reunited."
(Or we could spilt the party and half of us go to Shalecliff. Oh look at that a giant lighting bolt from the heavens striking down Chadwick. It's almost like he angered the gods.)
To mage Starker “Keep n mind, my friend, our means of crossing the moat at Ravenshield Maner. I used Tyrs power to allow us to walk across, I can call on Tyr again if necessary.”
smiles and lightly grasps his shoulder and then frowns at that damn staff.
Starker:”Good point. In all the excitement since then I had forgotten. It is good that small expanses of water no longer serve as a barrier for The Company. Next time you speak to Tyr please thank Him for me.”
Paying no heed to the sage Essop, The Company has, once again, divided itself. Gneuman is running along the walls through the dark cavern. Ajax is flitting about invisibly as his escort. The rest of you cower in the smooth, tubular tunnel. Doom has been foretold of certain malevolence to be found in the cavern. As yet, nothing has revealed itself.
/Plans?
To the best of my knowledge, we do not have means by which all party members can get down safely and then climb up to the other tunnel. Gneuman can run around like a spider and Trolkarl 2024 can fly. Conveniently, other modes to traverse vertical distances are limited to 30’, and the tunnels exceed this distance. We have no rope or other climbing gear. Unless we want to have most party members free climb down and up the other side, or someone has an unusual combination of equipment and/or abilities to get The Company across, it seems we must turn back.
Gneuman will run along the walls to get a better view of the rubbish pile, then over to the other tunnel. If nothing of interest results, he will return to the group to depart.
No new observations are gained by Gneuman.
Even with Fly or another spell, someone using Dispel Magic while above the lake will quickly ruin the day of an armored dwarf. We know the drow has cast high-level spells and used traps, so even if we are on the right path, it seems a prime opportunity for ambush.
Gaius, how do you feel about the safety of the lands knowing our situation? My friends have mentioned others that are in dire need of help as well. We risk much continuing the pursuit of Alamnal. I want him to experience justice more than any here... but not at the cost of helping others. We have driven him away, but who can say for how long
Gaius considers Trolkarl's question, "The safety of our people is the highest concern, Trolkarl. Alamnal has been driven from your House, at last. With Garrent's observations he should no longer be welcome anywhere in Cormyr. Our pursuit of him is warranted, but, he has an extensive head start and familiarity with the terrain. We are at a decided disadvantage." He looks around the group of you, "We should take the win we have earned. If he shows again, we will be better prepared for him. If better information is gained, another, better prepared expedition in search of him in the Underdark can be pursued."
Hoid heads back toward the lodge. There is still work to be done there.
Starker, shaking with rage, disappointment, sorrow, and foreboding, follows Hoid.