"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war |Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
Marasatra inclines her head to Captain Zodge. “We’ll clear the interior and follow any spoor the raiders left.”
Turning to the party, she speaks low: “Steel and scale mail make poor shadows—I’ll anchor the rear with Gorin. Sarris, your bow and quieter tread still suit the van.”
Before anyone steps across the threshold she raises a gloved hand. “One precaution.” From a side-pouch she draws a walnut-sized phial of powdered acorn, taps it into her palm, and tips the grains into the lip of her plain tin cup. The vessel flares, reshaping into faceted emerald glass that fills itself with a faintly luminescent jade liquid.
“Boon of the Emerald Goblet. A swallow will lend you thirty feet of clear sight in perfect darkness, or push your current vision that much deeper.” She offers the cup round—Arkon first, then Valeria, Sarris, Zim, and Gorin—allowing each to sip before she drains the last draught herself. The glass returns to dull tin with a soft plink.
“Darkvision shared, scouts ahead, marks every third turn,” she reminds them, staff ready. “Lead on, Sarris. We’ll follow—as quietly as clinking armor allows.”
(EDIT: Only corrected an error with the colors of her speech.)
Gorin thanks Marasatra yet again "That's gonna be very helpful down there"
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"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war |Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
"You can go up ahead, won't harm having more eyes scouting ahead down there."Val says quietly to Sarris, inclining her head to Marasatra as she would likely give out instructions on how to proceed now.
The young red-haired patriar politely declines the offering of the cup. "Thanks but that won't be necessary. I have a chaperone of sorts that stays with me while in service of the Flaming Fist. He mostly stays out of sight but will keep me informed if he spots any threats ahead in the tunnels. Admittedly we have still been caught off guard several times so having Sarris scouting too is probably a good idea, but not without it's own dangers." She quetly explains to Marasatra, ready to take her place in the formation.
Meanwhile Mal silently flutters ahead to scout for threats. Stealth: 7 Perception: 2
Marasatra arches a brow, the faintest hint of exasperated concern softening her measured cadence.
“Val, I take no issue with unseen ‘chaperones,’ but contingencies thrive on redundancy.” She holds the shimmering cup a little closer. “Should some enterprising cultist snuff every lantern, I would rather you keep your footing than decorate the flagstones with your broken ankle—or, by Jergal's grace, forbid any other lasting disfigurement of your perfect aspect.”
She tilts the vessel so the pale green liquid swirls lazily. “It tastes of toasted walnut and little else. Indulge me a single sip; my conscience will sit quieter knowing you see as clearly as the rest of us.”
A pause long enough for acceptance—or a firmly voiced refusal.
Her gaze then sweeps the line. “Formation: Sarris and your… associate ten paces ahead; Arkon in the vanguard. Val and Zim center, myself and Gorin rear. Chalk every third turning, hush between intersections, and signal on any sighting.”
She waits, cup still proffered, the hint of a knowing smile at the corner of her lips. “Darkvision is a trifling boon compared to emergency bone-setting, I assure you.”
"Thanks but really, it is not necessary, I can assure you I will be able to navigate on my own in the dark as well as anyone, please trust me on this." Valeria explains with a slight frown.
Marasatra closes the stopper on the now-dull tin cup and slips it away. “Very well—your choice,” she concedes with a small, practical shrug.
Before the scouts slip ahead, she reaches out and lightly taps two fingers to Sarris’s shoulder, murmuring a quick canticle under her breath. A faint silver sigil—an open ledger page—flickers and sinks into the ranger’s cloak.
“Jergal’s Guidance(on Stealth): let the shadows enfold you cleanly and the floorboards stay silent,” she whispers.
With that, she signals the march order and sets off, staff tip clicking softly as the party descends once more toward the hidden tunnels beneath the bathhouse.
[[With the new guidance spell, the caster has to choose a skill...]]
Going back into the bathhouse, you see the foes that you dealt with last night piled in the pools. Blood trails from the pools to the entrance below. The entrance to the stairs was held open with a stone, with the blood trail follow down as well. Deeper in, the dungeon had change only a little, with blood trailing in the not sunken parts and when the party comes to the intersection, the carved doors of the dead three have been broken down. Still no signs of any other life in the dungeon, the party comes to the area where they fought the baneites. Left with two ways to proceed.
(Mal is still invisible, the white outline helps me keep track of him.)
"There's a particularly stinky chamber to our left where we can go on to explore, or we can continue down ahead."Valeria explains to Marasatra as the team enters the sacrificial chamber. "Can't see that it matters too much in which order we explore the rest of the hideout, I suggest Sarris who is taking point can be left making those decisions." She suggests quietly, ready to follow in the selected direction, again sending Mal ahead to scout.
Marasatra studies the blood-slick floor and shattered doors, uneasy in the coffin-tight hallways. “Sarris, choose our path—left into that foul reek or straight on—just keep the chalk marks regular.” Her voice drops as she edges aside for Zim and Arkon. “Shields high; these walls would hide a waiting quarrel.” A faint rustle stirs beneath her cloak, as though a fold of fabric shifted of its own accord before settling again.
She nods to the scouts. “Lead on; we’ll stay close.”
Sarris nods and edges forward into the 'stinky zone'. "ZIm, do you think Marasatra might be able to make sense of the wall drawings or maybe the chamber where those rock mounds were... before we stumbled into the necro witches zombies?"
Passive Perception: 17
As Sarris slowly edges forward, he listens for any movement in the waters ahead or signs of 'ripples coming his way'.
Sarris hopes to guide the group down to the location marked with a STAR. They can then decide to go look at the necro-witch ambush room further to the west and then double back to the path to the south that has yet to be explored.
(( QUESTION: Are all the wall imagery still there and intact or did the ninja goon squad bust them up? ))
Marasatra advances at the measured distance she set—close enough to aid, far enough not to telegraph every clink of her scale. Whenever Sarris pauses, she sweeps the nearest masonry with augmented gaze, murmuring quick identifications. (Religion: 27, incl. 3 from guidance)
A faint twitch under her cloak betrays a stowed creature shifting against her ribs; she absently stills it with two fingers while studying something scratched into wet plaster ahead.
Sarris's route is...quiet. The only movement he could sense is the party's and going through the room with the bones show no sign of change. Moving back into the hallway where the fireball was, the scorch marks remain but the bodies have been dragged away like the others.
Sarris makes a mark pointing to the covered alcove that had a trap the last time them explore this area.
Moving on, he leads them to the corridor and room where the necro witch nearly tpk'ed the party with her necrotic fireball. "It seems someone, either the late night ninja group or the other bath house necro worshippers 'cleaned house'. No bodies; just battle marks. Anyone feel like doing a detect spell to see if this room has been cleared of magic traps?"
He will wait if someone does wish to 'detect' or Marasatra wishes to do a circuit of the room before backtracking to the hallway junction leading south. (green star)
Sarris makes a mark pointing to the covered alcove that had a trap the last time them explore this area.
Moving on, he leads them to the corridor and room where the necro witch nearly tpk'ed the party with her necrotic fireball. "It seems someone, either the late night ninja group or the other bath house necro worshippers 'cleaned house'. No bodies; just battle marks. Anyone feel like doing a detect spell to see if this room has been cleared of magic traps?"
He will wait if someone does wish to 'detect' or Marasatra wishes to do a circuit of the room before backtracking to the hallway junction leading south. (green star)
Once we are all ready, Zim leads the party south to the unexplored door (below green star)
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Sarris moves up next to Val and whispers in her ear, "Am I the forward scout or is your special friend going to play it like before?"
Gorin will bring up the rear again.
"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war | Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
Marasatra inclines her head to Captain Zodge. “We’ll clear the interior and follow any spoor the raiders left.”
Turning to the party, she speaks low: “Steel and scale mail make poor shadows—I’ll anchor the rear with Gorin. Sarris, your bow and quieter tread still suit the van.”
Before anyone steps across the threshold she raises a gloved hand. “One precaution.” From a side-pouch she draws a walnut-sized phial of powdered acorn, taps it into her palm, and tips the grains into the lip of her plain tin cup. The vessel flares, reshaping into faceted emerald glass that fills itself with a faintly luminescent jade liquid.
“Boon of the Emerald Goblet. A swallow will lend you thirty feet of clear sight in perfect darkness, or push your current vision that much deeper.” She offers the cup round—Arkon first, then Valeria, Sarris, Zim, and Gorin—allowing each to sip before she drains the last draught herself. The glass returns to dull tin with a soft plink.
“Darkvision shared, scouts ahead, marks every third turn,” she reminds them, staff ready. “Lead on, Sarris. We’ll follow—as quietly as clinking armor allows.”
(EDIT: Only corrected an error with the colors of her speech.)
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Gorin thanks Marasatra yet again "That's gonna be very helpful down there"
"grandpa" Salkur, Gnome Arti/Sorc: Forged in Chaos | Pepin, Human Arti/Cleric: Goblin horde | Mixtli, Volc Genasi Arti: Champions of the Citadel | Erix Vadalitis, Human Druid: Rising from the last war | Smithy, Human Arti: Night Ravens: Black orchids for Biscotti | Tamphalic Aliprax, Dragonborn Wizard: Chronicles of the Accursed | Doc, Dwarven Cleric (2024): Adventure at Hope's End | Abathax, Tiefling Illriger: Hunt for the Balowang | Gorin Mestel, Human Arti: Descend into Avernus
"You can go up ahead, won't harm having more eyes scouting ahead down there." Val says quietly to Sarris, inclining her head to Marasatra as she would likely give out instructions on how to proceed now.
The young red-haired patriar politely declines the offering of the cup. "Thanks but that won't be necessary. I have a chaperone of sorts that stays with me while in service of the Flaming Fist. He mostly stays out of sight but will keep me informed if he spots any threats ahead in the tunnels. Admittedly we have still been caught off guard several times so having Sarris scouting too is probably a good idea, but not without it's own dangers." She quetly explains to Marasatra, ready to take her place in the formation.
Meanwhile Mal silently flutters ahead to scout for threats.
Stealth: 7 Perception: 2
Marasatra arches a brow, the faintest hint of exasperated concern softening her measured cadence.
“Val, I take no issue with unseen ‘chaperones,’ but contingencies thrive on redundancy.” She holds the shimmering cup a little closer. “Should some enterprising cultist snuff every lantern, I would rather you keep your footing than decorate the flagstones with your broken ankle—or, by Jergal's grace, forbid any other lasting disfigurement of your perfect aspect.”
She tilts the vessel so the pale green liquid swirls lazily. “It tastes of toasted walnut and little else. Indulge me a single sip; my conscience will sit quieter knowing you see as clearly as the rest of us.”
A pause long enough for acceptance—or a firmly voiced refusal.
Her gaze then sweeps the line. “Formation: Sarris and your… associate ten paces ahead; Arkon in the vanguard. Val and Zim center, myself and Gorin rear. Chalk every third turning, hush between intersections, and signal on any sighting.”
She waits, cup still proffered, the hint of a knowing smile at the corner of her lips. “Darkvision is a trifling boon compared to emergency bone-setting, I assure you.”
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
"Thanks but really, it is not necessary, I can assure you I will be able to navigate on my own in the dark as well as anyone, please trust me on this." Valeria explains with a slight frown.
Marasatra closes the stopper on the now-dull tin cup and slips it away. “Very well—your choice,” she concedes with a small, practical shrug.
Before the scouts slip ahead, she reaches out and lightly taps two fingers to Sarris’s shoulder, murmuring a quick canticle under her breath. A faint silver sigil—an open ledger page—flickers and sinks into the ranger’s cloak.
“Jergal’s Guidance (on Stealth): let the shadows enfold you cleanly and the floorboards stay silent,” she whispers.
With that, she signals the march order and sets off, staff tip clicking softly as the party descends once more toward the hidden tunnels beneath the bathhouse.
[[With the new guidance spell, the caster has to choose a skill...]]
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Arkon sips from the goblet when offered and takes his position as Marasatra instructs, giving a quiet nod to Val as he heads inside after Sarris.
The young red-haired patriar gives the massive goliath a smile and a nod, falling in line behind Arkon and Zim.
Going back into the bathhouse, you see the foes that you dealt with last night piled in the pools. Blood trails from the pools to the entrance below. The entrance to the stairs was held open with a stone, with the blood trail follow down as well. Deeper in, the dungeon had change only a little, with blood trailing in the not sunken parts and when the party comes to the intersection, the carved doors of the dead three have been broken down. Still no signs of any other life in the dungeon, the party comes to the area where they fought the baneites. Left with two ways to proceed.
(Mal is still invisible, the white outline helps me keep track of him.)
"There's a particularly stinky chamber to our left where we can go on to explore, or we can continue down ahead." Valeria explains to Marasatra as the team enters the sacrificial chamber. "Can't see that it matters too much in which order we explore the rest of the hideout, I suggest Sarris who is taking point can be left making those decisions." She suggests quietly, ready to follow in the selected direction, again sending Mal ahead to scout.
Zim will stand in front and follow Serris or have Serris follow him. Left and towards stinky-ness
Marasatra studies the blood-slick floor and shattered doors, uneasy in the coffin-tight hallways. “Sarris, choose our path—left into that foul reek or straight on—just keep the chalk marks regular.” Her voice drops as she edges aside for Zim and Arkon. “Shields high; these walls would hide a waiting quarrel.” A faint rustle stirs beneath her cloak, as though a fold of fabric shifted of its own accord before settling again.
She nods to the scouts. “Lead on; we’ll stay close.”
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Sarris nods and edges forward into the 'stinky zone'. "ZIm, do you think Marasatra might be able to make sense of the wall drawings or maybe the chamber where those rock mounds were... before we stumbled into the necro witches zombies?"
Passive Perception: 17
As Sarris slowly edges forward, he listens for any movement in the waters ahead or signs of 'ripples coming his way'.
Sarris hopes to guide the group down to the location marked with a STAR.
They can then decide to go look at the necro-witch ambush room further to the west and then double back to the path to the south that has yet to be explored.
(( QUESTION: Are all the wall imagery still there and intact or did the ninja goon squad bust them up? ))
Marasatra advances at the measured distance she set—close enough to aid, far enough not to telegraph every clink of her scale. Whenever Sarris pauses, she sweeps the nearest masonry with augmented gaze, murmuring quick identifications. (Religion: 27, incl. 3 from guidance)
A faint twitch under her cloak betrays a stowed creature shifting against her ribs; she absently stills it with two fingers while studying something scratched into wet plaster ahead.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Sarris's route is...quiet. The only movement he could sense is the party's and going through the room with the bones show no sign of change. Moving back into the hallway where the fireball was, the scorch marks remain but the bodies have been dragged away like the others.
Sarris makes a mark pointing to the covered alcove that had a trap the last time them explore this area.
Moving on, he leads them to the corridor and room where the necro witch nearly tpk'ed the party with her necrotic fireball. "It seems someone, either the late night ninja group or the other bath house necro worshippers 'cleaned house'. No bodies; just battle marks. Anyone feel like doing a detect spell to see if this room has been cleared of magic traps?"
He will wait if someone does wish to 'detect' or Marasatra wishes to do a circuit of the room before backtracking to the hallway junction leading south. (green star)
Meanwhile Mal scouts down the tunnel to the southwest.
Stealth: 25 Perception: 19
Once we are all ready, Zim leads the party south to the unexplored door (below green star)