The Kenku gets close and whispers in the corpse's voice: "Ask. For. Progress. On. Halaster's. Research. If. They. Don't. React. Act. Like. It's. Need. To. Know."
Hearing the question being asked Pisgah begins to prepare to pull a javelin from its case and will move around to have a clean line of sight on the bugbears from near the top of the stairs. He won't pull and throw the javelin unless the bugbears attack or he hears Jaya say "Owl".
DM: You have gotten past the bugbears and you've entered the second level of the dungeon: 850 XP for everyone.
Time: Anyone using a torch, please tick one off.
The bugbear grunts "Good luck down there." as you head down.
The stairs are old and dusty, but seem to be used fairly frequently enough. As you decend, it almost feels like the air pressure changing. You're covering some 200 feet in height, deeper and deeper.
Finally, you arrive on another dungeon floor. The hallway ahead splits into a larger room with a corridor continuing west and a closer corridor to the east that leads into a 30 by 30 foot room that is littered with trash and debris. From a corridor leading north from that room, you hear a loud banging noise and the distant chatter of many voices. The noise is not unlike what you might expect on a busy market day in Waterdeep. The walls are adorned with bas-reliefs that clearly once depicted dwarves carrying supplies. The dwarves’ faces have been chipped away and replaced with cartoonish goblin heads drawn in charcoal.
In the middle of the large room to the south, you see a mechanical pump.
Pisgah says "I think the goblin market is around the corner to the north. I'll try to take a quick peek." and is going to try to quietly peek around the corner.
Pisgah is able to sneak up undetected to an entrance denoted by a heavy but decorative wooden beam construction. Icons of goblin make hang from it, representing their faith in Maglubiyet.
This room has a soaring, 60-foot-high ceiling supported by two rows of stone pillars. It is lit by many flickering torches and lanterns, so you can take in everything at once. The middle of the chamber is taken up by eight vendor stalls. Pisgah counts around two dozen goblins milling about here, half of which are operating the stands. A granite throne stands against the north wall atop a rectangular stone dais. There are several paths and doors that could be taken in and out of this huge chamber.
Two goblin guards each stand at the three entrances leading to the east and the south.
The loud banging noise comes from the north of Pisgahs position.
Rico comments, "We may want to remember this place, and maybe come shopping before going deeper. We might be able to replace consumables here without having to go all the way to the surface. We will need to be careful to examine the quality though."
"And that will assume that we will be able to easily access the market. Maybe having the password will gain us access? I agree that some supplies may be available but I wouldn't want to rely on it, especially not for rations. Do we want to go through the pump room or head north up the corridor next to the market? "
Pisgah saw them selling all kinds of adventuring equipment. Although from the market stall closest to him, he heard that the prices the goblins demand are probably easily triple what he could get these for in Waterdeep itself.
DM: Basically all items from the PHB are available here, but at much elevated prices.
"North works, assuming the corridor doesn't just turn east and go back to the goblin market. Give me a second and I can move up enough to see if the hallway turns back into the market or continues on North."
Pisgah moves up the corridor (about where the end of map is now) to see if it continues north or just turns back to the market.
To the north, Pisgah comes up on goblins are erecting a stage against the north wall of this 20-foot-high chamber using various bits of differently sized wood. Seems like the stage will be quite large once it’s finished but is still in the preliminary stages of assembly. A pile of wrecked wooden furniture lies in the area’s northwest corner.
From the stage room, there is a hallway going south, from which Pisgah hears a goblin wailing "Just one bite, come on! I'm so hungryyy." Pisgah can't quite make out what's in there without heading into the room and potentially giving his presence away, but it's safe to say that it's probably some kind of prison.
Back with the bulk of the party, Halleth looks feverishly towards the goblin market. "I can feel him. Copper Stormforge is in there. One of my betrayers. He's with the goblins. I have to get to him." He looks like he will be able to hold himself back if the party decides to go in a different direction, but he will glance back towards the market all the while.
Pisgah shakes his head slightly and begins to move toward the stairs.
Rico also shakes her head, though she waits to follow the others down the stairs.
The Kenku gets close and whispers in the corpse's voice: "Ask. For. Progress. On. Halaster's. Research. If. They. Don't. React. Act. Like. It's. Need. To. Know."
It's a theory, but one that excites him.
“One last thing before we take our leave, have you heard any update on Halaster’s Research?”
Hearing the question being asked Pisgah begins to prepare to pull a javelin from its case and will move around to have a clean line of sight on the bugbears from near the top of the stairs. He won't pull and throw the javelin unless the bugbears attack or he hears Jaya say "Owl".
The bugbear looks confused. "What research? The mad mage is dead."
Jaya hears in his head:
"Is this some kind of code phrase?"
Telepathically back…
It is not a code phrase. I’ve heard rumors is all, wanted to see what you had heard, if anything.
“Indeed, he is” Jaya responds, then turns to Halleth and says “come, let’s go find your friends down below.” and heads towards the stairs.
Pisgah begins to head down the stairs.
Stealth roll of 10
Perception roll of 9
DM: You have gotten past the bugbears and you've entered the second level of the dungeon: 850 XP for everyone.
Time: Anyone using a torch, please tick one off.
The bugbear grunts "Good luck down there." as you head down.
The stairs are old and dusty, but seem to be used fairly frequently enough. As you decend, it almost feels like the air pressure changing. You're covering some 200 feet in height, deeper and deeper.
Finally, you arrive on another dungeon floor. The hallway ahead splits into a larger room with a corridor continuing west and a closer corridor to the east that leads into a 30 by 30 foot room that is littered with trash and debris. From a corridor leading north from that room, you hear a loud banging noise and the distant chatter of many voices. The noise is not unlike what you might expect on a busy market day in Waterdeep. The walls are adorned with bas-reliefs that clearly once depicted dwarves carrying supplies. The dwarves’ faces have been chipped away and replaced with cartoonish goblin heads drawn in charcoal.
In the middle of the large room to the south, you see a mechanical pump.
Pisgah says "I think the goblin market is around the corner to the north. I'll try to take a quick peek." and is going to try to quietly peek around the corner.
Stealth roll of 22 (nat 20)
Perception roll of 20
Pisgah is able to sneak up undetected to an entrance denoted by a heavy but decorative wooden beam construction. Icons of goblin make hang from it, representing their faith in Maglubiyet.
This room has a soaring, 60-foot-high ceiling supported by two rows of stone pillars. It is lit by many flickering torches and lanterns, so you can take in everything at once. The middle of the chamber is taken up by eight vendor stalls. Pisgah counts around two dozen goblins milling about here, half of which are operating the stands. A granite throne stands against the north wall atop a rectangular stone dais. There are several paths and doors that could be taken in and out of this huge chamber.
Two goblin guards each stand at the three entrances leading to the east and the south.
The loud banging noise comes from the north of Pisgahs position.
Marked torch used for Steel.
I will slip back to the party and tell them what I saw with the goblin market and suggest we keep moving on into the other room with the pump.
Rico comments, "We may want to remember this place, and maybe come shopping before going deeper. We might be able to replace consumables here without having to go all the way to the surface. We will need to be careful to examine the quality though."
"And that will assume that we will be able to easily access the market. Maybe having the password will gain us access? I agree that some supplies may be available but I wouldn't want to rely on it, especially not for rations. Do we want to go through the pump room or head north up the corridor next to the market? "
“Any idea what they were selling? Either direction is fine with me, why not North since were here?”
OOC: DM, did I see what was being sold at any of the 8 stalls?
Pisgah saw them selling all kinds of adventuring equipment. Although from the market stall closest to him, he heard that the prices the goblins demand are probably easily triple what he could get these for in Waterdeep itself.
DM: Basically all items from the PHB are available here, but at much elevated prices.
"North works, assuming the corridor doesn't just turn east and go back to the goblin market. Give me a second and I can move up enough to see if the hallway turns back into the market or continues on North."
Pisgah moves up the corridor (about where the end of map is now) to see if it continues north or just turns back to the market.
To the north, Pisgah comes up on goblins are erecting a stage against the north wall of this 20-foot-high chamber using various bits of differently sized wood. Seems like the stage will be quite large once it’s finished but is still in the preliminary stages of assembly. A pile of wrecked wooden furniture lies in the area’s northwest corner.
From the stage room, there is a hallway going south, from which Pisgah hears a goblin wailing "Just one bite, come on! I'm so hungryyy." Pisgah can't quite make out what's in there without heading into the room and potentially giving his presence away, but it's safe to say that it's probably some kind of prison.