OoC: I nominate Dr A to be the navigator. Keyleth can do double shifts of watch as an elf, and could either walk up front to see potential threats early or protect the rear and watch out for anyone following.
Kirinar volunteers for the first or last watch, figuring that since he can't see in the dark like some others in the party, he would be better at dusk or dawn. When it comes time to start walking through the forest, he recommends that Ransyl and he be second to the front / second to the last in order to provide a fighter at each end of the group. Kirinar will march with his longbow in hand, so prefers to be in the back...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As they took off from Kir Sabal the others could all hear Dr A muttering to himself "ah but I am not sure that rocks were meant to fly but needs must!" Soon after this they could hear a distinct note of surprise in his voice "ah but it is a wonderful way to travel and it gives one a whole new perspective on things!"
I nominate Dr A to be the navigator.
Soon after they land Dr A gets his bearings - Survival roll [18], Survival roll [18], Survival roll [19], Survival roll [14], Survival roll [12]
Dr A leads the group deep into the thick jungle. Whether it is by natural skill, or just plain good luck, he finds a river in a deep ravine and following it comes to the edge of a cliff and down below you see a large city.
Seriously, you rolled no random encounters and striking westward even getting lost you stumbled upon the city!
The jungle parts to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide overhead.
Deep in the ravine a waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss.
You stand at the NE end of the city up at the top of the canyon next to the ravine where the waterfall cascades down the canyon wall. The water plunges 50 feet into a 30-foot-deep pool.
The cliffs surrounding Omu are 100–150 feet high and composed of crumbling rock. Thick jungle hugs the clifftops, with ferns, orchids, and moss spilling over the edges. Every 100 feet or so, a gargoyle perches on the brink of the precipice. Looking at one closely you see a vine-draped gargoyle perches on the clifftop, staring down at the ruined city. It has the face of a devil, with its mouth agape in a silent scream.
On the far side of the city, in the SE corner, you see a stairway leading down into the city.
"Gargoyles..." the fighter says to nobody in particular. "Are they just statues, or will they come to life and attack us like in Kir Sabal? And even though there is a staircase all the way on the opposite side of the valley, I'd rather find our own way down here and avoid hacking through the jungle.We can use our own ropes and perhaps a big tree growing back from the edge a bit. That statue with the vines may or may not hold, or come to life and fly away while we're dangling below it!" Unless there is another idea, Kirinar will search for a good tree, about 10' from the edge and at least 3' in diameter, and tie his rope around it. The fighter will use someone else's rope to tie to the end, to ensure that it is long enough.
What if anything does Dr A recall about Omu (History roll = 27 / Arcana roll = 18) in particular its defenses.
Omu was once a jewel in Chult’s crown. Built over rich mineral veins, the city garnered wealth in abundance. Omuan jewelry was coveted far and wide, and the city’s merchants grew fat on commerce. To enter Omu, it was said, was to enter the gates of paradise itself. Such wealth brought greed. Omu’s hunger for slaves made her rulers demand ever greater tribute from their neighbors. When their vassals couldn’t pay in flesh, they paid in blood. Omu’s feared legions marched across Chult.
The Omuans’ greed and hubris angered the god Ubtao, causing him to turn his back on Omu two hundred years ago — long before he abandoned the rest of Chult. Omu’s clerics lost their spells, and the city fell to sickness and disease. Slave uprisings wracked Omu, and its nobles fled in droves. Maps showing Omu’s location were destroyed, and its coins were melted down and reminted. Fallen from grace, Omu became known as the Forbidden City.
With Ubtao gone, primal spirits arose from the rainforest to bewitch the few remaining Omuans. They disguised themselves as jungle creatures and promised great power in return for devotion. Desperate for redemption, the Omuans tore down their temple to Ubtao and raised shrines to these nine trickster gods.
The new deities were divisive and often cruel. Too weak to grant miracles to every follower, they concocted elaborate trials to winnow the clergy. On holy days, the mettle of aspirant priests was tested in their nine shrines, with deadly consequences for failure. The trials provided entertainment for the degenerate Omuans and fed their weakling gods with much-needed sacrifices.
For nine decades, the city folk lived by the mantras of their nine trickster gods. They built statues in their names and schemed against each other to assert their chosen god’s dominance. Omu’s glorious past was lost, but its people endured. Such mercy did not last long.
Omu’s bloody trials drew the attention of Acererak, an archlich who wanders the cosmos in search of souls to harvest. Acererak, who is fond of deathtraps, marveled at the trials concocted by the Omuans. They inspired him to create his own dungeon below the city.
A little over a century ago, Acererak entered Omu and slew all nine trickster gods. He then enslaved the Omuans and forced them to carve out a tomb for their defeated gods. When the tomb was complete, Acererak murdered the Omuans and sealed them in the tomb with their false gods. The archlich resumed his odyssey across the planes, content that the dungeon would feed his phylactery with the souls of dead adventurers. The jungle reclaimed Omu, and it fell into ruin.
With the jungle growing right up to near the edge of the canyon walls you find a large tree that looks strong enough to hold you. Examining the rope you figure one at a time you should be able to rappel down the side of the canyon wall.
50 feet away in both directions is a gargoyle statue perched on the edge of the canyon wall. Vines drape over them and moss gathers on their bodies.
Roll an athletics or acrobatics check to see how you fair going down the rope.
It's a DC 10 athletics or acrobatics check to climb to the bottom. Depending on your speed it will take you 3-4 turns to make it to the bottom if you choose to dash and move double.
As Keyleth begins her descent down the rope two gargoyles 50 feet away from you, one on each side, suddenly come to life and start flying towards you
Initiative - Dr A 17, Keyleth 18, Kirinar 18, Ransyl 13, Timber 21, Artus 9, Gargoyles 20
Dr A calls the group to him “Ah bit you might want to listen to what I have to say before you go off all harum skarum. This city was once a jewel in Chult’s crown and because of its rich mineral veins” he looks at Ransyl “… which probably means mines for you to explore Friend Dwarf. It was said, that to enter the gates the city was to enter the gates of paradise themselves.” He looks around at the ruined city before continuing “… but sadly I think that is no longer the case! Soon the Lords of the City began to demand more and more tribute from their neighbours for they thought they were better than them and it was their right as the chosen of Ubtao for that is what they considered themselves to be. After all hadn’t Ubtao blessed them with their mineral wealth. When their vassals couldn’t pay in flesh, they paid in blood as Omu’s feared legions marched across Chult.
Their greed and hubris angered the god Ubtao and it is said that about two hundred years ago, he turned his back on them: clerics lost their spells, the city was riven with sickness and disease, slave uprisings were common and eventually its nobles fled in droves. Over time the maps showing Omu’s location were destroyed, its coins were melted down and reminted and it became known as the Forbidden City.”
He thinks for a minute before continuing “… ah but here is where the story becomes less clear. It is said that primal spirits arose from the rainforest to bewitch the few remaining Omuans. They disguised themselves as jungle creatures and promised great power in return for devotion. It is also said that these spirits whilst weak delighted in traps and tests which they used to test their followers. Tasmania Smith, the famed Gnomish archaeologist and anthropologist, wrote about these tests when he visited just before the Spell Plague and I had the opportunity to read his report in the Great Library at Candlekeep. He described the tests thusly ‘any man wishing to become a priest of the gods that these degenerate people worship must undergo a series of nine tests which are to say the least deadly. It would appear that the people of Omu get great delight from seeing them fail! In fact a great bell is rung in the city every time a would be priest dies in yet another trap. Truly these people have fallen a long way from when they worshipped Ubtao.’ Sickened by what he had seen, Tasmania Smith returned to Candlekeep not long after.
Not long after Tasmania’s visit all records of what happened in the city stop although a few survivors talked about how ‘a powerful inter-plannar traveler, possibly an undead of some sort, had visited and destroyed the city’s new Gods!’”
OoC: Does it require a separate check to stay on the rope if using one hand to draw a weapon and attack? And if so, can we make the check easier by making the attack as an off-hand attack (as when doing TWF) so the main hand is the one holding on?
Kirinar takes two shots at one of the gargoyles (#1) with his longbow, aiming for the wings..."Hold on, Keyleth!"
Attack 1: 18 Damage: 5
Attack 2: 13 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
(If one of the attacks hits, Kirinar will use a Combat Maneuver to add 6 damage and make a Trip Attack (DC15 STR save) to knock it prone - unless you don't allow me to knock it out of the air ;-D If not, it will be a Distracting Strike (next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
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I need 5 survival rolls from whomever.
I will also need a watch order for camping at night and a walking order for daytime movement.
OoC: I nominate Dr A to be the navigator. Keyleth can do double shifts of watch as an elf, and could either walk up front to see potential threats early or protect the rear and watch out for anyone following.
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Kirinar volunteers for the first or last watch, figuring that since he can't see in the dark like some others in the party, he would be better at dusk or dawn. When it comes time to start walking through the forest, he recommends that Ransyl and he be second to the front / second to the last in order to provide a fighter at each end of the group. Kirinar will march with his longbow in hand, so prefers to be in the back...
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
As they took off from Kir Sabal the others could all hear Dr A muttering to himself "ah but I am not sure that rocks were meant to fly but needs must!" Soon after this they could hear a distinct note of surprise in his voice "ah but it is a wonderful way to travel and it gives one a whole new perspective on things!"
Soon after they land Dr A gets his bearings - Survival roll [18], Survival roll [18], Survival roll [19], Survival roll [14], Survival roll [12]
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
As they are flying, Timber let's out whoops of excitement having an absolute blast as they fly.
When they do end the flight, Timber is saddened by the loss of wings. "Well that was fun whilst it lasted!"
Timber will happily do any of the watches and will prefer to be at the back of the party.
OoC: So, in the interest of decisiveness, watch would I guess be:
Hours 1-2: Kirinar and Artus
Hours 3-4: Keyleth
Hours 5-6: Timber and Keyleth
Hours 7-8: Dr. A and Ransyl
and marching order would be (2x2?):
Dr. A (navigating), Keyleth (watching for threats: Perception +9 with advantage due to eyes of the eagle)
Artus, Ransyl
Timber, Kirinar
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
(OOC - All sounds good to me!)
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
Dr A leads the group deep into the thick jungle. Whether it is by natural skill, or just plain good luck, he finds a river in a deep ravine and following it comes to the edge of a cliff and down below you see a large city.
Seriously, you rolled no random encounters and striking westward even getting lost you stumbled upon the city!
The jungle parts to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide overhead.
Deep in the ravine a waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss.
You stand at the NE end of the city up at the top of the canyon next to the ravine where the waterfall cascades down the canyon wall. The water plunges 50 feet into a 30-foot-deep pool.
The cliffs surrounding Omu are 100–150 feet high and composed of crumbling rock. Thick jungle hugs the clifftops, with ferns, orchids, and moss spilling over the edges. Every 100 feet or so, a gargoyle perches on the brink of the precipice. Looking at one closely you see a vine-draped gargoyle perches on the clifftop, staring down at the ruined city. It has the face of a devil, with its mouth agape in a silent scream.
On the far side of the city, in the SE corner, you see a stairway leading down into the city.
"Gargoyles..." the fighter says to nobody in particular. "Are they just statues, or will they come to life and attack us like in Kir Sabal? And even though there is a staircase all the way on the opposite side of the valley, I'd rather find our own way down here and avoid hacking through the jungle.We can use our own ropes and perhaps a big tree growing back from the edge a bit. That statue with the vines may or may not hold, or come to life and fly away while we're dangling below it!" Unless there is another idea, Kirinar will search for a good tree, about 10' from the edge and at least 3' in diameter, and tie his rope around it. The fighter will use someone else's rope to tie to the end, to ensure that it is long enough.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
What if anything does Dr A recall about Omu (History roll = 27 / Arcana roll = 18) in particular its defenses.
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
Keyleth nods at Kirinar's suggestion and begins helping him in the search for a good way down, also lending her rope.
Perception: 26
Sleight of hand(? for knot tying?): 28
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Omu was once a jewel in Chult’s crown. Built over rich mineral veins, the city garnered wealth in abundance. Omuan jewelry was coveted far and wide, and the city’s merchants grew fat on commerce. To enter Omu, it was said, was to enter the gates of paradise itself. Such wealth brought greed. Omu’s hunger for slaves made her rulers demand ever greater tribute from their neighbors. When their vassals couldn’t pay in flesh, they paid in blood. Omu’s feared legions marched across Chult.
The Omuans’ greed and hubris angered the god Ubtao, causing him to turn his back on Omu two hundred years ago — long before he abandoned the rest of Chult. Omu’s clerics lost their spells, and the city fell to sickness and disease. Slave uprisings wracked Omu, and its nobles fled in droves. Maps showing Omu’s location were destroyed, and its coins were melted down and reminted. Fallen from grace, Omu became known as the Forbidden City.
With Ubtao gone, primal spirits arose from the rainforest to bewitch the few remaining Omuans. They disguised themselves as jungle creatures and promised great power in return for devotion. Desperate for redemption, the Omuans tore down their temple to Ubtao and raised shrines to these nine trickster gods.
The new deities were divisive and often cruel. Too weak to grant miracles to every follower, they concocted elaborate trials to winnow the clergy. On holy days, the mettle of aspirant priests was tested in their nine shrines, with deadly consequences for failure. The trials provided entertainment for the degenerate Omuans and fed their weakling gods with much-needed sacrifices.
For nine decades, the city folk lived by the mantras of their nine trickster gods. They built statues in their names and schemed against each other to assert their chosen god’s dominance. Omu’s glorious past was lost, but its people endured. Such mercy did not last long.
Omu’s bloody trials drew the attention of Acererak, an archlich who wanders the cosmos in search of souls to harvest. Acererak, who is fond of deathtraps, marveled at the trials concocted by the Omuans. They inspired him to create his own dungeon below the city.
A little over a century ago, Acererak entered Omu and slew all nine trickster gods. He then enslaved the Omuans and forced them to carve out a tomb for their defeated gods. When the tomb was complete, Acererak murdered the Omuans and sealed them in the tomb with their false gods. The archlich resumed his odyssey across the planes, content that the dungeon would feed his phylactery with the souls of dead adventurers. The jungle reclaimed Omu, and it fell into ruin.
With the jungle growing right up to near the edge of the canyon walls you find a large tree that looks strong enough to hold you. Examining the rope you figure one at a time you should be able to rappel down the side of the canyon wall.
50 feet away in both directions is a gargoyle statue perched on the edge of the canyon wall. Vines drape over them and moss gathers on their bodies.
Roll an athletics or acrobatics check to see how you fair going down the rope.
Tell me the order you descend.
Keyleth will volunteer to go first, to keep an eye on what lies ahead.
Acrobatics: 14
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
It's a DC 10 athletics or acrobatics check to climb to the bottom. Depending on your speed it will take you 3-4 turns to make it to the bottom if you choose to dash and move double.
As Keyleth begins her descent down the rope two gargoyles 50 feet away from you, one on each side, suddenly come to life and start flying towards you
Initiative - Dr A 17, Keyleth 18, Kirinar 18, Ransyl 13, Timber 21, Artus 9, Gargoyles 20
Gargoyles 1(?) 2(?), Timber (18/18), Keyleth (27/27), Kirinar (36/36), Dr A (31/31), Ransyl (40/40), Artus (?)
The first gargoyle fly's the 50 feet and attacks
Dr A (1-2), Keyleth (3-4), Kirinar (5-6), Ransyl (7-8), Timber (9-10), Artus (11-12) 4
It bites and claws at Keyleth as she dangles from the rope as she begins her descent
Attack: 11 Damage: 5
Attack: 22 Damage: 3
The second Gargoyle attacks
Dr A (1-2), Keyleth (3-4), Kirinar (5-6), Ransyl (7-8), Timber (9-10), Artus (11-12) 3
It bites and claws at Ransyl
Attack: 10 Damage: 6
Attack: 17 Damage: 6
The first gargoyle misses as it misjudges the distance
The second bites Ransyl's arm injuring him as his claws rake across his armor but don't do any damage.
Gargoyles 1(?) 2(?), Timber (22/22), Keyleth (33/33), Kirinar (44/44), Dr A (38/38), Ransyl (44/49), Artus (?)
HP tracker is wrong on the above post but corrected here
Timber is up!
A bit late methinks!
Dr A calls the group to him “Ah bit you might want to listen to what I have to say before you go off all harum skarum. This city was once a jewel in Chult’s crown and because of its rich mineral veins” he looks at Ransyl “… which probably means mines for you to explore Friend Dwarf. It was said, that to enter the gates the city was to enter the gates of paradise themselves.” He looks around at the ruined city before continuing “… but sadly I think that is no longer the case! Soon the Lords of the City began to demand more and more tribute from their neighbours for they thought they were better than them and it was their right as the chosen of Ubtao for that is what they considered themselves to be. After all hadn’t Ubtao blessed them with their mineral wealth. When their vassals couldn’t pay in flesh, they paid in blood as Omu’s feared legions marched across Chult.
Their greed and hubris angered the god Ubtao and it is said that about two hundred years ago, he turned his back on them: clerics lost their spells, the city was riven with sickness and disease, slave uprisings were common and eventually its nobles fled in droves. Over time the maps showing Omu’s location were destroyed, its coins were melted down and reminted and it became known as the Forbidden City.”
He thinks for a minute before continuing “… ah but here is where the story becomes less clear. It is said that primal spirits arose from the rainforest to bewitch the few remaining Omuans. They disguised themselves as jungle creatures and promised great power in return for devotion. It is also said that these spirits whilst weak delighted in traps and tests which they used to test their followers. Tasmania Smith, the famed Gnomish archaeologist and anthropologist, wrote about these tests when he visited just before the Spell Plague and I had the opportunity to read his report in the Great Library at Candlekeep. He described the tests thusly ‘any man wishing to become a priest of the gods that these degenerate people worship must undergo a series of nine tests which are to say the least deadly. It would appear that the people of Omu get great delight from seeing them fail! In fact a great bell is rung in the city every time a would be priest dies in yet another trap. Truly these people have fallen a long way from when they worshipped Ubtao.’ Sickened by what he had seen, Tasmania Smith returned to Candlekeep not long after.
Not long after Tasmania’s visit all records of what happened in the city stop although a few survivors talked about how ‘a powerful inter-plannar traveler, possibly an undead of some sort, had visited and destroyed the city’s new Gods!’”
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
OoC: Does it require a separate check to stay on the rope if using one hand to draw a weapon and attack? And if so, can we make the check easier by making the attack as an off-hand attack (as when doing TWF) so the main hand is the one holding on?
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Kirinar takes two shots at one of the gargoyles (#1) with his longbow, aiming for the wings..."Hold on, Keyleth!"
Attack 1: 18 Damage: 5
Attack 2: 13 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
(If one of the attacks hits, Kirinar will use a Combat Maneuver to add 6 damage and make a Trip Attack (DC15 STR save) to knock it prone - unless you don't allow me to knock it out of the air ;-D If not, it will be a Distracting Strike (next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage.))
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?