Dungeon of the Mad Mage (#9 PbP)

"Looks to be an Elf trick." Lythril says as she takes a close look at the stone box. She runs her hands over the rock, sniffs the edges, and peers closely at the imagery looking for a way to open the box.

Investigation 5

"Naw, it's a solid rock bit. Time to move out I guess?"

Azrael from the other room, huffs and agree's We should all head that way... pointing towards B.

These halls contain dozens and dozens of petrified creatures ranging from humanoids to lower level monstrosities and abberations. They all appear to have faces of horror on them, the ones you can tell. Its like someone has amassed a collection of creatures to use for a later time, none of them look damaged.

Among the halls of creatures is a stairway leading to level 3.

(Quick! Everyone rush to the next level down so we can level up! That's how this work, right? Who cares if the Xanathar and Zhentarium take over this level, cutting off easy retreat. :D)

"Whatever you say, Big Blue. Better than watching the square gentlemen run circles. Though it makes a goblin wonder.... just what is it doing here of all things? The rest make some sense." He admits as he followed after Azrael. Wedge continues to watch over the others, but isn't above giving OU812 admonishing looks for trying to pry open the coffins. "Even the fake sarcpha-... Oh. well would'ja look at that? A way down. Question is, does the rest of you folk have any more business on this level first to take care of? Or head right on down? That goblin.. what was her name.. hmm.. Fitz?" He shakes his head. "She still owes us one, and we never did collect on that. I'd like to see what's she's got for us personally, but it can wait if you folk are in a hurry." 

Alessandra has been quietly stalking behind the rest of the group, minding her own business until they came up upon the stairs leading down to the next level. “That’s useful,” She eyes the staircase “I, personally, do not have any lingering business down here so I’m ready to go when everyone else is.” She then turns to the bugbear. “I believe her name was Glom, but you are correct. We could even go and see the light of day again before heading down, but that is up to everyone else.”

“My keen instincts, finely honed by years of breaking things, lead me to believe that there are cooler things to break downstairs. Let’s roll.”

"Agreed. This fake sarcophagus is probably a trap anyway."

Lythril follows the group from the front, shining a light from her shield. Wary for traps and tricks.

Super Keen Awareness 5

Ok! Go ahead and level up!

The goblins flourished with the death of their "leader" Yek the Tall. Glom, the female goblin you all saved, enjoyed a short time as leader - until she was killed. While the goblins expanded on the level, they encountered the Xanathar gang led by Nadia the Unbent, the massive 7' tall muscular amazon you all decided to pass by. The goblins were no match for the Xanathar guild, and the gang managed to take over most of the level. That was, until a roaming, lost, angry band of adventurers slaughtered them all. There was nothing left but the Xanathar guild's destruction on this level, and the roaming monsters left of the level to fend for themselves.

You were able to return The Yawning Portal without incident. 

Obaya gives you a little preview of level 3:

"The subterranean town of Stromkuhldur lies divided in chunks by ancient cave-ins that drove away its original inhabitants. Since then, many factions have fought over this outpost. Currently the drow of House Auvryndar and the goblinoids of the Legion of Azrok are teetering on the brink of a war that Halaster and the Xanathar Guild both seek to foment."

What i'm going to do is post a map, and explain what you see at each of the locations marked below. Areas with no combat are described and can be explored - and a roll can be made, if possible, to know a bit more. The areas marked with a "?????" entry require either unlocking, combat, or something more complex. You are free to interact with anything I post below, and hopefully this will "speed up" the journey by letting you explore areas quick that don't involve interaction with NPCs or combat. Just let me know where you are, and what you want to do, and after we've explored the locations, i'll post another block of dungeon to explore. 

You all return into Undermountain by the arrow to level 3. 

AREA 1 - CATACOMBS: These catacombs are part of a temple complex formerly dedicated to the dwarven god Dumathoin, patron of mining and exploration and the protector of the dwarven dead. The smooth-carved walls bear engraved imagery of mountains marbled with veins of glittering minerals, and the marble floor is caked in dust. Shelf-like niches carved into the walls are stacked three high. Each of these open tombs contains the dust-covered bones of a long-dead dwarf. A DC20 INT (History) check reveals a bit more.

AREA 2 - THE DEAD EXPLORER: The partially rotted remains of a male human lie in a corner of this cavern. What’s left of his face is twisted into a silent scream. A successful DC 13 WIS (Medicine) check reveals a bit more. 

AREA 3 - ??????

AREA 4 - THE WEBBED TUNNELS: Spiderwebs drape across these tunnels, clinging to creatures as they pass until the webs are brushed or burned away. Ghostly faces glimpsed in the webs are actually random patterns among the threads. These caves are filled with webs. Several 3-foot-long bundles wrapped in spider silk are suspended in the webs. Somehow, the spiders have woven a giant, webbed face of Halaster that looks down from the 20-foot-high ceiling with hollow eyes. The uneven floor is stained a rusty red. DC 12 WIS (Perception) check reveals a bit more.

AREA 5 - ??????

AREA 6 - ADVANCE PAST AREA 5

AREA 7 - ADVANCE PAST AREA 5

AREA 8 - ADVANCE PAST AREA 5

As the party descends,  Evrik wanders into the catacombs. The power of the place overwhelms him and he kneels down for a moment to pay homage to the protector. Asking Dumathoin for guidance Evrik stands back up to look around the place, taking in its beauty and recalling its history. 14

(Sorry, Evrik, nothing additional is revealed to ya, buddy.)

Grianne is back further than even Alessandra. Distracted by the marvelously perfect creature. Stairs? this feels to easy. Be on your guard everyone.

Lythril follows her friend from the front and also pokes around looking for clues to this dwarf mystery.

History 3

"Yup, that shit is OLD."

You recall that these dwarves once belonged to a travelling circus that joined the great Elemental Evil threat Faerun faced not too long ago that was quelled by a brave band of adventurers much like yourselves.

Grainne makers her way up to the dead explorer and makes a medicine check of 8

Azrael does much the same as Grianne, looking at the dead explorer, trying to determine if he can discern what happened.

Medicine check: 12

He felt he was on the cusp of it, but fell JUST short.... Regardless, he would then suggest If no one else can tell what happened.. perhaps we should go in farther to investigate? Looking back for Evrik and Lythril, getting a chuckle out of Lythrils comment, he shouted back at her though his tone was a friendly-ribbing Atleast now we know why you aren't an archaeologist!

Mr. Biggs leaves Wedge to go stealth gliding his way to area 3 and investigate.

Stealth: 22(DC ???).
Perception: 7(DC ???).

The Bugbear, in the meantime, had done some sneaking ahead to Area 4 to have a look around. Nothing to deep. Just a quick looky-loo until the red stain on the ground caught his attention. Which compared to the giant face in the webbed ceiling felt far more manageable for his poor head. "I told her.. I freaking told her.. didn't listen." He sighed after mumbling to himself. "Now some other fine folk ran off with my due... and what do we even have to show for ourselves, Biggs? This whole seeking magic for ease of mind is not quite resulting in much." He continued to mutter to himself as he knelt to examine the area. 

Perception: 18(DC 12).

Ra'iik will also venture into area 3.

Stealth: 10

Perception 10

Unable to discern anything initially, Evrik leans into one of the open tombs to further inspect the remains. Nothing he sees is unusual. Walking slowly around the tombs, he wonders about he dwarves here. A brief flash. The battle. The priest. Nothing. He looks around. The place seems a little darker somehow. His friends death, and apparent rise weighs on him. He thinks back on his departure from his village. Answers he sought still not found. And the darkness of the underdark. Companions that fell. Companions abandoned. And this place. Why does it draw us ever deeper? he asks himself. His mood darkens and anger swells inside him a bit. He thinks about the bones here, how this army could defeat the evil that surrounds him. There is a wrinkle in the weave as his mood and thoughts and feelings surge. What? He thought he heard a rattling, bones, rattling. He glanced around quickly. I will not let you win. 

He hears sounds north of him and moves in that direction. (OOC toward area 2  where others are gathered.)

Evrik, before you leave you hear a female voice in the shadows of the tombs. One you recognize. Faint. Almost in the corners of your mind.

”Evrik. What did you hope to achieve by leaving us. By leaving your friends. Isn’t that what you considered us? It’s dark down here, but yet you found a way, didn’t you...”

Updating the rest soon!