Sera landed with a soft grunt, armor settling into place as she dropped the last few feet to the ground. She rose smoothly, her eyes drawn to the soft radiance of Merkas’s dancing lights effect.
The light shimmered around his silhouette, casting the image of him that made him look almost celestial—like some radiant messenger from Paladine himself. Sera couldn’t help but smirk. “Shining angel Merkas… who knew?” she thought wryly, but the moment passed quickly.
No time to admire the ambiance. She moved forward, crouching slightly, eyes scanning the disturbed dust stone beneath her boots. The light from Merkas’s magic cast elongated shadows, making it tricky—but not impossible. To be sure she gets enough light she ignite her sword...the energy blade buzz into existnce poviding good light over the chamber. (Sera ignite her sword to see better and have it ready )
She began to search carefully, her fingers brushing over scuffed marks, faint indentations—anything that might hint where the last cultist had gone. If he had fled, he left traces. Sera intended to find them.
“Let’s see where your fear dragged you,” she murmured to herself, eyes narrowing as she examined the ground beneath her crackling sword.
Hastos reaches the bottom of the ladder and also scans the hallway floor for any signs of the escaping cultist. (Investigation: Nat 20 +1) as he brings his shield around and draws the scimitar. “I can take point, unless some else would prefer to be shot at first.” He quips. “That is, if you two can handle the view.” He ends with a sarcastic harumph.
In the well-lit corridor, you can tell that the pathways are well-worn and frequently used. It seems to have been some sort of underground irrigation or waterway system to funnel rainwater in and waste out.
The corridor narrows to 5'x'5 once you exit the ladder. At the end of each corridor, there is a door.
Hastos squeezes by Ororana to examine the West door. “Sorry.” He says to Ororana as the space crampens.
“Here.” He says pointing to the latch on the door and above and below. “Looks like our friend here is a real sweater.” Hastos points out the drops of sweat above and below the latch as well as the smeared wet areas on the latch itself.
Ororana tilts her head as Hastos points out the clue. "You know... I'm pretty good at picking locks. Want me to give a try?" Unsubtly she pulls her axe from its sheathe on her back and smirks.
Sharn descended slowly. The bottom was packed when he arrived. His companions took point, and that was for the best. His focus was spent, so he'd have to be more careful than usual. The talks of axing a door to have it open, told him that he had been right.
Both doors are locked, but one not for long, as Ororana makes her way to the door and checks for clearance. Once she's sure everyone is safe, she takes a swing, grunting with the effort of giving it all she's got. With a single chop, the door explodes open and the handle clangs onto the stone floor. In reaction, the door sends an explosion right back! As if kicked by a mule, air erupts from Ororana with a sudden "OOHF!" as she flies backward into Hastos!
Ororana takes 5 HP of Fire Damage.
Her leather armor is lightly singed, and she coughes after taking a raspy breath. "There *cough, cough* might be *wheeze* some traps..."
What you see before you is more of the corridor. There is a sewer grate ahead of you over a dried up waterway.
Since this is single file marching, I'd like a marching order, please. So far, the order seems to be:
Hastos in front.
Ororana second.
??
??
Sharn in the rear.
Merkas's glittery clone can go wherever as well. If you want him to scout ahead, adding a little range to your light and serve as a decoy, just let me know. But he'll move on Merkas's turn. There's no initiative order yet though.
"Not just traps." Sharn said. "Something claws, and skitters, and waits beyond those halls. Something hungry, but who's to say if it is natural. All I can say is that it growls. And it knows we're coming."
“Y’know, if you were running from us, would you go the way it looked like you were going or would you try and distract us with a different way to buy you some time?” (Insight-11 trying to think like the cultist running away) Merkas nods to the glowing kender, the dancing lights clone heads down the corridor, keeping a good 20’ in front of Ororana. “Well Sera best you go after Haz, as you got the light, Blinky will stay ahead of ya’ll just to keep things from startling us to badly”
Hastos turns sideways and catches Ororana as she’s blown backwards. He has to take a couple of smalls steps backwards to absorb the concussion and Ororanas mass being hurled backwards.
As the blast subsides, Hastos gently pushes Ororana back upright. “You ok?” He asks, alarmed.
Hastos turns sideways and catches Ororana as she’s blown backwards. He has to take a couple of smalls steps backwards to absorb the concussion and Ororanas mass being hurled backwards.
As the blast subsides, Hastos gently pushes Ororana back upright. “You ok?” He asks, alarmed.
Surprisingly, aside from scorched leather and soot on her face, she seems perfectly fine. She accepts Hastos's help righting herself, then dusts herself off. "Yeah," she says with an embarrassed chuckle. "I'm tougher than I look." Sharn's warning of danger makes her eyes flash dangerously. "Good. Am I right in guessing we can kill monsters?" Her tone is playful, even if there's a hint of uncertainty in it. She's the kill-first-ask-questions-later type, but Sera seems to have reservations about that approach. If she has to wait for Sera to attempt to convert wandering monsters to Paladine's light, Ororana was going to have a fit.
She waits for Merkas's glowing decoy, Blinky, to glide past her and watches it stroll down the hall with immense curiosity. It makes it to the grate and stops. She then gestures for Hastos to lead the way. At that distance, it adds little to the visual range of those who don't have darkvision, but it does provide enough light in the dimly lit range of the sunblade for your to make out more details within the space. The waterway below the grate has a thin slick of slime on it... a grimy gray puddle.
Hastos gives the group a glance. Returning his gaze forward, he enters the room, bringing his shield back into position and the scimitar to ready. He scans the room for traps and other dangers. (Investigation: 14)
Sera raised her sunblade high, and with a silent command of will, the golden weapon flared to full brilliance. Warm, divine light flooded outward, pushing back the gloom in a broad 60-foot radius. Shadows recoiled into cracks and crevices—nothing would catch them off guard now, not if she could help it.
Ororana’s dry remark about hoping to slay monsters made Sera snort softly.
“I don’t know…” she replied with a sideways glance and a crooked smile. “Last large fire-breathing, aggressive lizard we ran into… Merkas adopted it.” Her tone dripped with mock solemnity as she added, “So... best ask him about monster-slaying policies. I’d have killed it.”
The corners of her mouth twitched into a sly grin as she walked up tp the elf.
( Sera take position no 3 in line )
She paused, lifting her silver holy symbol and murmuring softly, “Paladine, grant this doubting elf some help… even if she wouldn’t ask for it.” A brief shimmer of radiant light spiraled down like a breath of moonlight, brushing over Ororana before fading—a divine nudge of guidance, gently given. (give Orerana Guidance)
Sera returned her focus to the path ahead, advancing slowly through the darkened underground corridor. Her sunblade cast gleaming reflections against the old stone, her senses sharp and her mind attuned to every echo and shifting shadow.
She was ready—for danger, for discovery… for whatever lay deeper within this tomb. ( Get only 8 on investigation )
As Hastos moves into position at the front of the party, he doesn't have to investigate long to spot the trap.
Blinky appears to slither and warp in an unsettling way. Then, his face distorts into something horrifying, making a choking, gurgling sound. It suddenly becomes apparent that it's not blinky making these faces and sound, but the slime that was under the grate, which has come up through the holes of the grate to feed, and is now furious that its target has no blood!
Ororana readies her axe and sets her feet to charge in.
Having thought over his own question about which way to go, Merkas looks at the ladder they just came down. "Y'know if I was these guys, I'd let us go one way then come back around the other way to get out. I think we should get rid of the ladder. What do you think, Sharn, shall we heat it up?" With the word heat it up a small bonfire is lit just at the base of the later, the flames licking up the rungs, heating the structure over time. "Woah, Sharn! I was asking didn't expect you to do it immediatly, give a little guy a warning would'ya"
Joining the others as the conversation of taming Barkly was broached, "Hey, Barkly is no monster, she was only doing what her former master asked of her, Speaking of I better check on her after this, gotta make sure she stays warm. And Yeah, Ory, feel free to kill monsters, We killed off the fire newt that had barkly as a mount, and I only think we shouldn't kill the cultist people more as...Blinky, you alright?" Merkas attention completely diverted by the strange faces coming from the glowing kender, as the slime makes itself apparent Merkas readies himself, pulling one of the looted daggers out of his belt and holding up loose on his palm like feeding a horse sugar. (Initiative:22)
Sera recoiled instinctively. “By Paladine’s grace… gross.” Her lip curled in disgust. “Burn that abomination from the face of Krynn!”
She thrust out her open palm, the symbol of Paladine faintly etched into her gauntlet. Light began to gather—a radiant glow blooming between her fingers like molten sunlight. The air shimmered with divine tension as she prepared to call down holy wrath.
“Face judgment, filth,” she growled under her breath, eyes locked on the oozing monstrosity. ( initative 11 )
“Hey is he supposed to..” Hastos’ question to Merkas was cut short as the slime presented itself. “Oh, great.” He said disgustedly. He started to alert the others, but could immediately tell they had spotted it by the expressions of revulsion that issued from behind him. (Initiative:20).
Sera landed with a soft grunt, armor settling into place as she dropped the last few feet to the ground. She rose smoothly, her eyes drawn to the soft radiance of Merkas’s dancing lights effect.
The light shimmered around his silhouette, casting the image of him that made him look almost celestial—like some radiant messenger from Paladine himself. Sera couldn’t help but smirk. “Shining angel Merkas… who knew?” she thought wryly, but the moment passed quickly.
No time to admire the ambiance. She moved forward, crouching slightly, eyes scanning the disturbed dust stone beneath her boots. The light from Merkas’s magic cast elongated shadows, making it tricky—but not impossible. To be sure she gets enough light she ignite her sword...the energy blade buzz into existnce poviding good light over the chamber. (Sera ignite her sword to see better and have it ready )
She began to search carefully, her fingers brushing over scuffed marks, faint indentations—anything that might hint where the last cultist had gone. If he had fled, he left traces. Sera intended to find them.
“Let’s see where your fear dragged you,” she murmured to herself, eyes narrowing as she examined the ground beneath her crackling sword.
(Get 18 on perception test)
Hastos reaches the bottom of the ladder and also scans the hallway floor for any signs of the escaping cultist. (Investigation: Nat 20 +1) as he brings his shield around and draws the scimitar. “I can take point, unless some else would prefer to be shot at first.” He quips. “That is, if you two can handle the view.” He ends with a sarcastic harumph.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
In the well-lit corridor, you can tell that the pathways are well-worn and frequently used. It seems to have been some sort of underground irrigation or waterway system to funnel rainwater in and waste out.
The corridor narrows to 5'x'5 once you exit the ladder. At the end of each corridor, there is a door.
Map:
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My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos squeezes by Ororana to examine the West door. “Sorry.” He says to Ororana as the space crampens.
“Here.” He says pointing to the latch on the door and above and below. “Looks like our friend here is a real sweater.” Hastos points out the drops of sweat above and below the latch as well as the smeared wet areas on the latch itself.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Ororana tilts her head as Hastos points out the clue. "You know... I'm pretty good at picking locks. Want me to give a try?" Unsubtly she pulls her axe from its sheathe on her back and smirks.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos holds up a finger, then tries the doorknob to see if it’s locked.(Does not try to open it)
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sera shrugs. "well is it even locked? " She do step back giving Orerana space to swing the axe.
Sharn descended slowly. The bottom was packed when he arrived. His companions took point, and that was for the best. His focus was spent, so he'd have to be more careful than usual. The talks of axing a door to have it open, told him that he had been right.
Both doors are locked, but one not for long, as Ororana makes her way to the door and checks for clearance. Once she's sure everyone is safe, she takes a swing, grunting with the effort of giving it all she's got. With a single chop, the door explodes open and the handle clangs onto the stone floor. In reaction, the door sends an explosion right back! As if kicked by a mule, air erupts from Ororana with a sudden "OOHF!" as she flies backward into Hastos!
Ororana takes 5 HP of Fire Damage.
Her leather armor is lightly singed, and she coughes after taking a raspy breath. "There *cough, cough* might be *wheeze* some traps..."
What you see before you is more of the corridor. There is a sewer grate ahead of you over a dried up waterway.
Since this is single file marching, I'd like a marching order, please. So far, the order seems to be:
Merkas's glittery clone can go wherever as well. If you want him to scout ahead, adding a little range to your light and serve as a decoy, just let me know. But he'll move on Merkas's turn. There's no initiative order yet though.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
"Not just traps." Sharn said. "Something claws, and skitters, and waits beyond those halls. Something hungry, but who's to say if it is natural. All I can say is that it growls. And it knows we're coming."
“Y’know, if you were running from us, would you go the way it looked like you were going or would you try and distract us with a different way to buy you some time?” (Insight-11 trying to think like the cultist running away) Merkas nods to the glowing kender, the dancing lights clone heads down the corridor, keeping a good 20’ in front of Ororana. “Well Sera best you go after Haz, as you got the light, Blinky will stay ahead of ya’ll just to keep things from startling us to badly”
Loyalty Begets Honour
Hastos turns sideways and catches Ororana as she’s blown backwards. He has to take a couple of smalls steps backwards to absorb the concussion and Ororanas mass being hurled backwards.
As the blast subsides, Hastos gently pushes Ororana back upright. “You ok?” He asks, alarmed.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Surprisingly, aside from scorched leather and soot on her face, she seems perfectly fine. She accepts Hastos's help righting herself, then dusts herself off. "Yeah," she says with an embarrassed chuckle. "I'm tougher than I look." Sharn's warning of danger makes her eyes flash dangerously. "Good. Am I right in guessing we can kill monsters?" Her tone is playful, even if there's a hint of uncertainty in it. She's the kill-first-ask-questions-later type, but Sera seems to have reservations about that approach. If she has to wait for Sera to attempt to convert wandering monsters to Paladine's light, Ororana was going to have a fit.
She waits for Merkas's glowing decoy, Blinky, to glide past her and watches it stroll down the hall with immense curiosity. It makes it to the grate and stops. She then gestures for Hastos to lead the way. At that distance, it adds little to the visual range of those who don't have darkvision, but it does provide enough light in the dimly lit range of the sunblade for your to make out more details within the space. The waterway below the grate has a thin slick of slime on it... a grimy gray puddle.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos gives the group a glance. Returning his gaze forward, he enters the room, bringing his shield back into position and the scimitar to ready. He scans the room for traps and other dangers. (Investigation: 14)
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sera raised her sunblade high, and with a silent command of will, the golden weapon flared to full brilliance. Warm, divine light flooded outward, pushing back the gloom in a broad 60-foot radius. Shadows recoiled into cracks and crevices—nothing would catch them off guard now, not if she could help it.
Ororana’s dry remark about hoping to slay monsters made Sera snort softly.
“I don’t know…” she replied with a sideways glance and a crooked smile. “Last large fire-breathing, aggressive lizard we ran into… Merkas adopted it.” Her tone dripped with mock solemnity as she added, “So... best ask him about monster-slaying policies. I’d have killed it.”
The corners of her mouth twitched into a sly grin as she walked up tp the elf.
( Sera take position no 3 in line )
She paused, lifting her silver holy symbol and murmuring softly, “Paladine, grant this doubting elf some help… even if she wouldn’t ask for it.” A brief shimmer of radiant light spiraled down like a breath of moonlight, brushing over Ororana before fading—a divine nudge of guidance, gently given. (give Orerana Guidance)
Sera returned her focus to the path ahead, advancing slowly through the darkened underground corridor. Her sunblade cast gleaming reflections against the old stone, her senses sharp and her mind attuned to every echo and shifting shadow.
She was ready—for danger, for discovery… for whatever lay deeper within this tomb. ( Get only 8 on investigation )
As Hastos moves into position at the front of the party, he doesn't have to investigate long to spot the trap.
Blinky appears to slither and warp in an unsettling way. Then, his face distorts into something horrifying, making a choking, gurgling sound. It suddenly becomes apparent that it's not blinky making these faces and sound, but the slime that was under the grate, which has come up through the holes of the grate to feed, and is now furious that its target has no blood!
Ororana readies her axe and sets her feet to charge in.
Please, everyone, roll Initiative.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Having thought over his own question about which way to go, Merkas looks at the ladder they just came down. "Y'know if I was these guys, I'd let us go one way then come back around the other way to get out. I think we should get rid of the ladder. What do you think, Sharn, shall we heat it up?" With the word heat it up a small bonfire is lit just at the base of the later, the flames licking up the rungs, heating the structure over time. "Woah, Sharn! I was asking didn't expect you to do it immediatly, give a little guy a warning would'ya"
Joining the others as the conversation of taming Barkly was broached, "Hey, Barkly is no monster, she was only doing what her former master asked of her, Speaking of I better check on her after this, gotta make sure she stays warm. And Yeah, Ory, feel free to kill monsters, We killed off the fire newt that had barkly as a mount, and I only think we shouldn't kill the cultist people more as...Blinky, you alright?" Merkas attention completely diverted by the strange faces coming from the glowing kender, as the slime makes itself apparent Merkas readies himself, pulling one of the looted daggers out of his belt and holding up loose on his palm like feeding a horse sugar. (Initiative:22)
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera recoiled instinctively. “By Paladine’s grace… gross.” Her lip curled in disgust. “Burn that abomination from the face of Krynn!”
She thrust out her open palm, the symbol of Paladine faintly etched into her gauntlet. Light began to gather—a radiant glow blooming between her fingers like molten sunlight. The air shimmered with divine tension as she prepared to call down holy wrath.
“Face judgment, filth,” she growled under her breath, eyes locked on the oozing monstrosity. ( initative 11 )
“Hey is he supposed to..” Hastos’ question to Merkas was cut short as the slime presented itself. “Oh, great.” He said disgustedly. He started to alert the others, but could immediately tell they had spotted it by the expressions of revulsion that issued from behind him. (Initiative:20).
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Ororana's breath hitches as the spell runs over her, then she smiles and winks at Sera. "Thanks, babe!"
The Battle Map will be uploaded once I have initiative for Sharn and Hastos.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin