This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hox sees the tentacles writhe out as he takes his daggers out in response. The mute doesn't seem to be doing this so Hox looks to Bartle. He heads for Bartle, wanting to stab at him. Hox found his treasure already, Hox don't want tentacles or creepy magic.
OOC: Each character has received 50 XP for this social encounter. Using the first rolls from Hox's attack (and damage minus sneak attack) since Pack Tactics doesn't apply here (the only ally within 5 feet is incapacitated on the altar).
For Zane:
Bartle does not seem surprised in the least.
For Therien:
You hear no response from the mage, and soon he is fully drawn into the stone.
Hox plunges his dagger into Bartle's side, then again, before realizing that the short, bloated man is much more than he seems. His skin is tough, and no blood emerges from the wounds. Hox looks up to see the man's wart-covered face slowly become that of a short, bloated toad. The rest of the man follows suit, his skin turning to a grayish brown color with sickly green spots. His skull is crested with small horns that point backwards. At his waist he suddenly carries a mace and a rod that ends in three rubbery tentacles.
"Come now, Hox, don't freak out,"he says in a deeper timbre. "Don't get all righteous on me, Gruun, you'll only bury yourselves and your new tabaxi friend. Speaking of which, someone get him back in here, the exit's not that way. It's that way," he says, pointing to the west wall.
The meaning of this, my angry fellow, is that I am Lord Wartle. Some might call me a god, but the reality is I'm simply a slaad lord, like Ygorl. You've never heard of us because using mortals for everything keeps us off the radar of other gods - and off of each others'. It's about to get real interesting on this plane, and I'm getting out while the getting is good," he explains.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Therien finds himself in a dilemma. Heed Bartles' request and pursue the tabaxi? Stay and fight? Or..flee?
Taking note of the fact that Hox's blades did absolutely nothing to Bartle, Therien figures it will be a waste of his time and energy if he were to attack the slaad. The elf tries to read Bartles' words and actions. Is he lying about the exit?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM Screen:
20 18
For Therien:
You are unable to get a read on how truthful his words about the exit are. Not much about his actions are clear, but it's obvious that he could have easily hurt Hox and Gruun if he had wanted to.
Bartle leaps out of Gruun's grasp onto the stone altar. Now that the mage has been fully drawn into the stone, a portal swirls open. "Tsk tsk, and here I was about to leave this rod for you and tell you all about Ygorl's plan, Gruun. Well, enjoy the beautiful chaos!" he says, disappearing into the portal. He sticks his head out just long enough to say, "After all, what's more chaotic than true love?"
The portal and Bartle disappear with a wink. All that is left of his visit is the tentacle rod lying on the stone altar.
Hox shakes his head, "Hox say we take hoard and leave far far away. Hox just stab a frog man with slimey things, Hox don't want to meet him again. He does the big magics, creepy and scary too." Hox peers out back the way they came from.
Therien examines the wall and notices a slight indentation in the stone, roughly the size of a door. Peering closely, he can see that the stone itself looks built to slide open here.
The rod rolls over when Gruun nudges it, tentacles flopping lifelessly.
Therien responds to Zane, "It seems so. And here's the door to exit...according to Bartle, or Wartle, or whoever that was,"says the elf, pointing to the indentation in the stone wall.
The cavern grows eerily silent as Zane spends ten minutes preparing his ritual spell.
Magic registers on the tabaxi's sense, and when he triggers the visible aura of the magical objects, only one object in sight lights up - the tentacle rod lying on the altar. Another ten minutes of ritual casting reveals the tentacle rod's properties.
"I don't see any reason to go back, there is no way out there. I do not like leaving this altar with whatever that toad has done. If we can prevent that we have to try." He gestures over the the mural of the Tentacle beast and the creatures groveling before it.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The concealed door slides easily into a gap in the wall, revealing a corridor that banks to the left...and a trap, as a ball of flame jets out from the wall opposite Therien.
Therien DEX Save: 22
The flame lands at the base of the door, erupting for 30 fire damage. Therien recognizes the trap just in time to avoid being incinerated, diving away and taking 15 fire damage, but the force of the explosion ragdolls him across the ground unconscious.
Hox sees the tentacles writhe out as he takes his daggers out in response. The mute doesn't seem to be doing this so Hox looks to Bartle. He heads for Bartle, wanting to stab at him. Hox found his treasure already, Hox don't want tentacles or creepy magic.
Sneak Attack: 21 Damage: 10
Offhand Dagger Attack: 20 Damage: 1
Gruun plants his feet by the door, readying his Greataxe in his hands.
"Bartle! What is the meaning of this madness? Explain yourself and this place or I will bury this door and seal in your insanity!"
OOC: Each character has received 50 XP for this social encounter. Using the first rolls from Hox's attack (and damage minus sneak attack) since Pack Tactics doesn't apply here (the only ally within 5 feet is incapacitated on the altar).
For Zane:
Bartle does not seem surprised in the least.
For Therien:
You hear no response from the mage, and soon he is fully drawn into the stone.
Hox plunges his dagger into Bartle's side, then again, before realizing that the short, bloated man is much more than he seems. His skin is tough, and no blood emerges from the wounds. Hox looks up to see the man's wart-covered face slowly become that of a short, bloated toad. The rest of the man follows suit, his skin turning to a grayish brown color with sickly green spots. His skull is crested with small horns that point backwards. At his waist he suddenly carries a mace and a rod that ends in three rubbery tentacles.
"Come now, Hox, don't freak out," he says in a deeper timbre. "Don't get all righteous on me, Gruun, you'll only bury yourselves and your new tabaxi friend. Speaking of which, someone get him back in here, the exit's not that way. It's that way," he says, pointing to the west wall.
The meaning of this, my angry fellow, is that I am Lord Wartle. Some might call me a god, but the reality is I'm simply a slaad lord, like Ygorl. You've never heard of us because using mortals for everything keeps us off the radar of other gods - and off of each others'. It's about to get real interesting on this plane, and I'm getting out while the getting is good," he explains.
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Intiative? 11
Gruun roars his rage and charges Wartle. He feints with his Greataxe and instead attempts to wrestle the tentacle rod from him.
12 Flat roll
An Unarmed attack and Athletics will be +6, Athletics with Adv 14
Therien finds himself in a dilemma. Heed Bartles' request and pursue the tabaxi? Stay and fight? Or..flee?
Taking note of the fact that Hox's blades did absolutely nothing to Bartle, Therien figures it will be a waste of his time and energy if he were to attack the slaad. The elf tries to read Bartles' words and actions. Is he lying about the exit?
The elf then turns to see if Zane is within sight...
DM Screen:
20
18
For Therien:
You are unable to get a read on how truthful his words about the exit are. Not much about his actions are clear, but it's obvious that he could have easily hurt Hox and Gruun if he had wanted to.
Bartle leaps out of Gruun's grasp onto the stone altar. Now that the mage has been fully drawn into the stone, a portal swirls open. "Tsk tsk, and here I was about to leave this rod for you and tell you all about Ygorl's plan, Gruun. Well, enjoy the beautiful chaos!" he says, disappearing into the portal. He sticks his head out just long enough to say, "After all, what's more chaotic than true love?"
The portal and Bartle disappear with a wink. All that is left of his visit is the tentacle rod lying on the stone altar.
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Zane inches back closer to the door and quietly calls out, "What's going on there? You OK?"
Therien hears the tabaxi's voice and calls back, "It seems so. Bartle has whisked himself away, leaving us to sort out what to do next."
The elf then enters the room and, ignoring the rod for now, looks at the west wall, wondering if it truly is the exit they seek.
Gruun roars in rage, an enemy he can fight and win, but magics are beyond his fists.
"I've put little stock in the plans and moves of gods but now it seems we're stuck in the middle. Does anyone know what to make of this?"
Gruun moves over to the abandoned rod and nudges it with the handle of his Greataxe.
Hox shakes his head, "Hox say we take hoard and leave far far away. Hox just stab a frog man with slimey things, Hox don't want to meet him again. He does the big magics, creepy and scary too." Hox peers out back the way they came from.
Therien examines the wall and notices a slight indentation in the stone, roughly the size of a door. Peering closely, he can see that the stone itself looks built to slide open here.
The rod rolls over when Gruun nudges it, tentacles flopping lifelessly.
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Zane sneaks back towards the room as he hears others talk among themselves, so it seems safe-ish.
"Are they gone?"
"I can identify things and look for magical stuff around here if we have time. Does it seem like we have time?"
Therien responds to Zane, "It seems so. And here's the door to exit...according to Bartle, or Wartle, or whoever that was," says the elf, pointing to the indentation in the stone wall.
Zane will take another look around to see if it's safe and then go about ritual casting Detect Magic followed by Identify on everything magical.
The cavern grows eerily silent as Zane spends ten minutes preparing his ritual spell.
Magic registers on the tabaxi's sense, and when he triggers the visible aura of the magical objects, only one object in sight lights up - the tentacle rod lying on the altar. Another ten minutes of ritual casting reveals the tentacle rod's properties.
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"Well then, shall we see what's on the other side of this door?" asks Therien after Zane's spellcasting has come to a close.
"I don't see any reason to go back, there is no way out there. I do not like leaving this altar with whatever that toad has done. If we can prevent that we have to try." He gestures over the the mural of the Tentacle beast and the creatures groveling before it.
Therien tries to slide open the stone door in the west wall...
The concealed door slides easily into a gap in the wall, revealing a corridor that banks to the left...and a trap, as a ball of flame jets out from the wall opposite Therien.
Therien DEX Save: 22
The flame lands at the base of the door, erupting for 30 fire damage. Therien recognizes the trap just in time to avoid being incinerated, diving away and taking 15 fire damage, but the force of the explosion ragdolls him across the ground unconscious.
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Zane says, "Oh now, I hope you're all right!" (and casts 1st level Healing Word on Therien for 5 health)