Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Varinth will take a pack off Soodi with some rations and others bits and bobs that he thinks might be handy for the spelunking. He will search through the rations to see if any chillies or peppers were included and take a couple if he finds them, incorporating them into his component pouch. He will then loop his 50 foot of rope over his shoulder. He gives Soodi an affectionate headbutt.

You holler if you see anyone come in after us. Back soon.

Turning to the group, in a hoarse whisper So, you need me to light something up?

Also, I gather Inky and I will take up the rear.

Down into the Wave Echo Cave you go.

The tunnel is about ten feet high, and slopes gradually downwards.  The light from the sun soon fades away, and your darkvision turns everything a very familiar grey.  There are stalactites and stalagmites along the way; many small, some larger.

The tunnel opens up into a cavern perhaps sixty feet across and twenty feet high, supported by a single large column of rock near the middle.  You see a few large stalactites on the ground, enough to give cover if you need it.  In one corner, you can make out the remains of a camp, though it has been stripped and cleaned quite thoroughly.  

The northeast part of the cave seems to be filled with a large pit; you cannot yet see any other entrances or exits.

Scupper takes in the surroundings.

Dek...supposing you cast light on an arrow and i shoot it just past that pit...or down in it...the wee bit o' light should be enough te give us a better sight in this darkness. Anything else sees it, and it's far enough away from is now that we could prepare if we hear commotion or if something covers the light. Otherwise we'll see better on our way...

Repeat as necessary?

Strix wanders off to check that craggy bit in the to left, then button hooks back towards the crevasse using the stalagmites for cover.

Perception 14 

Stealth  24 

Parse you bastards!

Dekhan looks over to Scupper. Sounds good, Scup. shall we wait for Strix to get back?

Feck it lets give him some light haha. Scupper takes a light arrow into the crevasse

Feck it lets give him some light haha. Scupper takes a light arrow into the crevasse

Incantis ponders Scupper's question for a good, long, moment. "I...I did not dream at all last night, lest of all of Zhudun. 'You promised it would be mine'...I do vaguely recall her saying this. I had not considered other followers of Zhudun, though it is indeed a possibility. Zhudun is not a god, it is the Corpse Star, a dead remnant of elder forces somehow lingering in our plane. Our acolytes would cast themselves into a shadowy valley in the Dread Demiplane, where a vestige of Zhudun's power still remains, and wherein make their pact." Incantis shudders at the memory, his eyes fading to white, his mouth closing, and his voice continuing from somewhere above his shoulder. "It is said that the Corpse Star is just that, a corpse, but we learned to track its movements, knowing that it truly lies not dead but dormant. But it's promised us nothing, or nothing my elders saw fit to tell me. Why do you ask? You're not letting Vyerith's words get to you, you trust me?"

As the party descends into the Wave Echo Cave, Incantis speaks. "I suppose now would be a good time to introduce you all to someone." A raven appears on the half-elf's shoulder, shifting into a spider, then a centipede, then back. "This is Zhudala, my familiar. She can see through the dark and I can see through her." The raven flutters off to join Strix, and Incantis' eyes roll white once more as he sees through her eyes.

Mister Scupper, did you say Vye made mention of the Spider tricking out tha place? Should we look about for traps?

To Inky's Familiar Hello Miss Zhudala he bows. I'm Vaz, pleased to meet ya

Aye we should be on the look out. She said he'd know we were coming and that she failed.

(Hopefully the arrow with a light cantrip is enough ambient light to remove disadvantage on perception checks if not, scupper might additionally toss a torch ahead as far as he can - when ready to move forward, scupper is looking for traps)

She’s magnificent, Incantis! Pleasure to meet you, Zhudala.

"Magnificent," Zhudala crows, preening herself as she perches on the edge of the crevasse looking onward. 

The light from Scupper's arrow allows you to see a little better into the crevasse; Strix, you notice npthing in the area to the left, but on your return you see that there is a rope tied to one of the stalagmites that descends into the pit.  You can all see that from the bottom of the pit there are two paths forward, one leading north, the other east.  You move forward, nearer to the pit, Scupper checking for traps but finding nothing.

As you approach the sides of the pit, a there is a surging noise, quiet at first, but building quickly in a just a few seconds to a loud booming; it reverberates through the whole cavern and you feel the earth shake a little beneath your feet.  And then it passes.

Is that natural, lads? Anyone know a beast or abomination what can shake the place like that?

Scupper moves to the cover of shadows and draws his bow.

9 stealth

 "Guessing Wave echo? Or bomination live here, start rumour, dinner think 'just wave echo' then CHOMP!"

Scupper, you sneak forward and take cover behind the stalagmite.

Dekhan, make a Perception check.

Strix.! Why don't you dangle a foot over the edge and find out? I'll be back here ready to shoot it with a wee arrow if it grabs ye.