Let's table Talien's quest for new knowledge for now & focus on the, probably, dangerous situation we're getting ready to walk into.
Not sure why we're complicating this with the ropes. The stairs are traversable as long as you don't try to cartwheel or something. If someone is worried, Talien can hold his rope and you can ties yourself off.
Grom, why don't you send your familair down and let us know if he sees anything. Clearly it can miss things just like anybody else. 'Looks clear' doesn't necessarily mean 'IS clear', so everyone keep your eyes open when we go down.
Grom’s eyes go cloudy once again as Ungrim takes to the air and gracefully glides down to the bottom of the ravine. Ungrim lands below and Grom can tell it is much darker at the bottom of the ravine, but through the darkness the visage of a fortress emerges. The subterranean citadel, though impressive, seems long forgotten, if the lightless windows, cracked crenellations, and leaning towers are any indication. All is quiet, though a cold breeze blows up from below, bringing with it the scent of dust and a faint trace of rot.
Scouting the area further Grom can see the narrow stairs empty into a small courtyard, apparently the top of what was once a crenellated battlement. The buried citadel has sunk so far into the earth that the battlement is now level with the surrounding floor. That floor stretches away to the north and south, composed of a layer of treacherous, crumbled masonry, which reaches to an unknown depth. To the west looms the surviving structure of what must be the Sunless Citadel.
DM Note: I used Ungrim’s passive perception [14] for this. There are no traps, or creatures within plain sight. To set the scene a little better.. you are currently standing on what was the tower of the citadel. Walking down the switchback stairs brings you to a courtyard which would have been on the “roof”. The crumbled and broken masonry is from parts of the tower you are standing on and others that were destroyed when the fortress sank into the earth. If it helps picture the Hall of Kings from Lord of the Rings (the castle with the tree in the courtyard).
Let's table Talien's quest for new knowledge for now & focus on the, probably, dangerous situation we're getting ready to walk into.
Not sure why we're complicating this with the ropes. The stairs are traverable as long as you don't try to cartwheel or something. If someone is worried, Talien can hold his rope and you can ties yourself off.
Grom, why don't you send your familair down and let us know if he sees anything. Clearly it can miss things just like anybody else. 'Looks clear' doesn't necessarily mean 'IS clear', so everyone keep your eyes open when we go down.
Talien puts his coins away at this, and gets up and then helps Rees stand up. He says So we will discuss business later then it seems, for now we still have a mission to complete.
It's there any noticeable spots where lanterns or torches were on the outside of the citadel? Or maybe just a few good spots along the stairs where I could have ungrim land and I would cast Light thru his touch to help illuminate the path down..
It's there any noticeable spots where lanterns or torches were on the outside of the citadel? Or maybe just a few good spots along the stairs where I could have ungrim land and I would cast Light thru his touch to help illuminate the path down..
There are a few damaged scones along the walls of the switchback stairs, but you can only cast light on one object at a time
It's there any noticeable spots where lanterns or torches were on the outside of the citadel? Or maybe just a few good spots along the stairs where I could have ungrim land and I would cast Light thru his touch to help illuminate the path down..
There are a few damaged scones along the walls of the switchback stairs, but you can only cast light on one object at a time
okay so then as we walk i will cast light on the closet scone and then as we pass i will drop it and light the next in the row just trying to keep the area we are going to well lit helping us see whats happening
Rees stands, dusting off her clothes and looks at the rope then the stairs. Strength isn't exactly her strong suit and that's a long way down. She shakes her head. "That rope looks unnecessarily complicated to me, I'd rather take the stairs than risk getting down to the bottom alone and finding trouble."
Grom. Light this up, ask the owl to carry it in his beak, and stay over whoever needs the light? Either Arxius and I could go first since we both can see in the dark, or the ones who need light can go first with the owl flying with them.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Have you ever heard of the KISS principle? It is something one of my battle masters taught me. Used to always be yelling at us. "Always remember to start with KISS you idiots!" Stands for Keep It Simple Shithead.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Ungrim flies back up and perches on Grom's shoulder. Arixus and Alten descend the staircase. The light of the sun guides you for the first set of stairs, but starts to fade as you continue down the second flight. By the time you reach the third and final landing and descend the last portion of the staircase the light is just a dusky glow.
As you step down from the final stair the smell of dust and decay assaults your nostrils. The hairs on the back of your neck stands up as a cold breeze blows across the courtyard. You look around and see an expanse of crumbled masonry surrounds the entire citadel.
The court yard is roughly 25 feet long by 30 feet wide. At the far side appears to be another tower, it this one is ruined having been collapsed when the citadel fell long ago. All is quite except for your heartbeats and the breeze.
Let's take a second and look for movement first - wide, soft focus on the whole area. If we don't see movement, then we'll check for a safe path to the other tower
{Assuming there is some kind of enterance visibile? if not we'll have to search for an enterance after determining it is safe. If allowed, I will try to Help Arxius look for trouble - be the 2nd set of eyes and ears}
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Grom will take the stairs and I will have ungrim hold onto a stick and I will cast light on the stick and have him fly around above those who do not have dark vision.
When needed I will have him slightly fly ahead to scout and then come back to them
The pair of you do not see any movement within the courtyard, nor around any of the debris. Convinced the area is bereft of creatures you carefully move forward to the middle of the courtyard in an attempt to find a way into the citadel. It takes you several minutes to look around the area, but eventually you see that there is a large wooden door set in the broken tower at the far side. The door is partially obscured by debris, but you come to the conclusion that this must be the entrance into the citadel.
Grom and the others descend the stairs with Ungrim lighting the way. They wait for you to give the signal to move forward.
Have you ever heard of the KISS principle? It is something one of my battle masters taught me. Used to always be yelling at us. "Always remember to start with KISS you idiots!" Stands for Keep It Simple Shithead.
I am unfamiliar with Kiss and Shithead. What does this mean? Talien replies
Alten gives the the "move up" arm motion if there is sufficient light for them to see him motioning. If not, they will go back to the base of the stairs to wait for them to complete the descent.
Then it is on to the entrance. Have the first rank go up and check it out the entry way area looking for trouble. Same basic procedures. If the light situation gets to the point where we're outside the range when the rest can see us, then we'll use an owl call signal as the "move up" signal.
Let's table Talien's quest for new knowledge for now & focus on the, probably, dangerous situation we're getting ready to walk into.
Not sure why we're complicating this with the ropes. The stairs are traversable as long as you don't try to cartwheel or something. If someone is worried, Talien can hold his rope and you can ties yourself off.
Grom, why don't you send your familair down and let us know if he sees anything. Clearly it can miss things just like anybody else. 'Looks clear' doesn't necessarily mean 'IS clear', so everyone keep your eyes open when we go down.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Grom’s eyes go cloudy once again as Ungrim takes to the air and gracefully glides down to the bottom of the ravine. Ungrim lands below and Grom can tell it is much darker at the bottom of the ravine, but through the darkness the visage of a fortress emerges. The subterranean citadel, though impressive, seems long forgotten, if the lightless windows, cracked crenellations, and leaning towers are any indication. All is quiet, though a cold breeze blows up from below, bringing with it the scent of dust and a faint trace of rot.
Scouting the area further Grom can see the narrow stairs empty into a small courtyard, apparently the top of what was once a crenellated battlement. The buried citadel has sunk so far into the earth that the battlement is now level with the surrounding floor. That floor stretches away to the north and south, composed of a layer of treacherous, crumbled masonry, which reaches to an unknown depth. To the west looms the surviving structure of what must be the Sunless Citadel.
DM Note: I used Ungrim’s passive perception [14] for this. There are no traps, or creatures within plain sight. To set the scene a little better.. you are currently standing on what was the tower of the citadel. Walking down the switchback stairs brings you to a courtyard which would have been on the “roof”. The crumbled and broken masonry is from parts of the tower you are standing on and others that were destroyed when the fortress sank into the earth. If it helps picture the Hall of Kings from Lord of the Rings (the castle with the tree in the courtyard).
edit
Grombrindal "The White Dwarf" (Dwarf - Wizard) - Fenris_Worldsbane's Tales from the Yawning Portal
Talien puts his coins away at this, and gets up and then helps Rees stand up. He says So we will discuss business later then it seems, for now we still have a mission to complete.
Warforged Fighter Talien
(OOC couldn't you cast light on him?)
Warforged Fighter Talien
There are a few damaged scones along the walls of the switchback stairs, but you can only cast light on one object at a time
okay so then as we walk i will cast light on the closet scone and then as we pass i will drop it and light the next in the row just trying to keep the area we are going to well lit helping us see whats happening
unless were going to try and be stealthy here?
Grombrindal "The White Dwarf" (Dwarf - Wizard) - Fenris_Worldsbane's Tales from the Yawning Portal
(ooc works for me, present it to the group)
Warforged Fighter Talien
Rees stands, dusting off her clothes and looks at the rope then the stairs. Strength isn't exactly her strong suit and that's a long way down. She shakes her head. "That rope looks unnecessarily complicated to me, I'd rather take the stairs than risk getting down to the bottom alone and finding trouble."
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
Reaching down and picking up a small pebble.
Grom. Light this up, ask the owl to carry it in his beak, and stay over whoever needs the light? Either Arxius and I could go first since we both can see in the dark, or the ones who need light can go first with the owl flying with them.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
“**** it, I’ll go first,” Arxius says as she gets to her feet. “Why not? It’s a party after all.”
She passes Alten with a smirk as she heads for the stairs. “And when all this is over there’s the chance of making money off Talien,” she teases.
Arxius, Elven Simic Hybrid Ranger in Tales from the Yawning Portal
To Talien
Have you ever heard of the KISS principle? It is something one of my battle masters taught me. Used to always be yelling at us. "Always remember to start with KISS you idiots!" Stands for Keep It Simple Shithead.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
To Arxius
Hell, I'll try anything once. Love and War are two sides of the same coin.
To the others
Give us a couple of minutes to check it out before starting down. If you hear either us of screaming, come running ready to help.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Ungrim flies back up and perches on Grom's shoulder. Arixus and Alten descend the staircase. The light of the sun guides you for the first set of stairs, but starts to fade as you continue down the second flight. By the time you reach the third and final landing and descend the last portion of the staircase the light is just a dusky glow.
As you step down from the final stair the smell of dust and decay assaults your nostrils. The hairs on the back of your neck stands up as a cold breeze blows across the courtyard. You look around and see an expanse of crumbled masonry surrounds the entire citadel.
The court yard is roughly 25 feet long by 30 feet wide. At the far side appears to be another tower, it this one is ruined having been collapsed when the citadel fell long ago. All is quite except for your heartbeats and the breeze.
Alten whispers to Arxius.
Let's take a second and look for movement first - wide, soft focus on the whole area. If we don't see movement, then we'll check for a safe path to the other tower
{Assuming there is some kind of enterance visibile? if not we'll have to search for an enterance after determining it is safe. If allowed, I will try to Help Arxius look for trouble - be the 2nd set of eyes and ears}
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Grom will take the stairs and I will have ungrim hold onto a stick and I will cast light on the stick and have him fly around above those who do not have dark vision.
When needed I will have him slightly fly ahead to scout and then come back to them
Grombrindal "The White Dwarf" (Dwarf - Wizard) - Fenris_Worldsbane's Tales from the Yawning Portal
Perception check with advantage for Arixus [since Alten is aiding her]: 19.
The pair of you do not see any movement within the courtyard, nor around any of the debris. Convinced the area is bereft of creatures you carefully move forward to the middle of the courtyard in an attempt to find a way into the citadel. It takes you several minutes to look around the area, but eventually you see that there is a large wooden door set in the broken tower at the far side. The door is partially obscured by debris, but you come to the conclusion that this must be the entrance into the citadel.
Grom and the others descend the stairs with Ungrim lighting the way. They wait for you to give the signal to move forward.
I am unfamiliar with Kiss and Shithead. What does this mean? Talien replies
Warforged Fighter Talien
Alten gives the the "move up" arm motion if there is sufficient light for them to see him motioning. If not, they will go back to the base of the stairs to wait for them to complete the descent.
Then it is on to the entrance. Have the first rank go up and check it out the entry way area looking for trouble. Same basic procedures. If the light situation gets to the point where we're outside the range when the rest can see us, then we'll use an owl call signal as the "move up" signal.
https://youtu.be/ezaBqCf0hv0 (go to Eastern screetch owl at :25 if it starts at the beginning)
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus