Hah,Brask laughs with a snort. Gnoll-worshippers! Might as well call themselves the Cult of Losers. Hey Burik, know anything about Yeenoghu? Do his worshippers think he's marking his territory when it rains? He laughs again and follows Sam into the sewers.
The sewers are dark. And they stink. The faint smell of feces mixes with decay and rot to form something that is, initially, almost unbearable. It eases a bit and everyone begins to choke down some breaths. Some light comes in from the open grate above, but you can't see very far down the tunnels. Burik takes a few steps forward, surveying what he can with his dark vision. Sam reaches back into his pack, pulling out a torch and a flint. As he lights up the torch, a narrow path is revealed heading in either direction. "Well, let's see what we can find."
Everyone, roll investigation. Feel free to do anything else as well - if you have a torch or something else you want to prepare.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
4
"First time I've heard the name, although I'm not much for studying or the like. I find deeds do so much more."
Burik casts Light on his shield, lighting the way forward as he takes a deep breath before descending into the sewer. Once down, he'll draw his hammer, keeping an eye out for things lurking in the shadows. Once more into the dark. Once more towards evil...
"Stay close, it can be all too easy to get lost in places like this, especially if you lose the light. Anyone got some chalk or anything? It's probably worth marking our way out."
Burik will keep an eye on the stonework as they move forward, noting any differences in age between sections. (21 History : Stonecunning racial trait) He'll also try to stay at the front of the group as they move.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
No chalk, Brask says. He draws his maul and holds it ready. All kind of trash lives in the sewers of a city, or so they say. Bandits and worse. Things that feed on filth. Things that have only known the darkness. Back in the arena, they would sometimes drag things up out of the pit; the crowd loved to see all the weird creatures. They also loved seeing them hacked and bashed to pieces. Of course, he sniffs and scowls, they didn't have to get close enough to smell the sodding things. Come on, let's find some 'deeds' to keep Burik happy.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Me neither." Xyr adds, equally happy to have a reliable source of light down here. He ruffles his feathers, trapping some air between them to help keep warm in the damp surroundings. His eyes are already on the lookout for traces of the two figures that might have passed through here.
Everyone starts to look around the bottom of the ladder for any clues that might tip them off as to the direction the suspects headed.
Xyr:
Brask and Sam seem a bit lost at first, until you spot a strange smudge on the concrete. It could be a footprint, but it's hard to tell. It leads off to the left.
Burik:
You get an intense feeling of evil pulling you to the left. It's almost as if something is clutching your very heart, yanking you in that direction. The cultists went that way - you're sure of it.
Brask:
You try to sniff for tracks, but the stench down here is really messing with your senses.
OOC: Do you guys like the spoiler tags? Or do people just end up reading them all anyway? :)
Yes and Yes ;) Unless I know there's hidden information in them I do read other characters' spoilers, but it most definitely helps keep character knowledge and player knowledge separate. That said, I'm also in a game where the party has split multiple times, and the games then progressed in private threads. Both to keep the main thread from being cluttered, and it's pretty cool to have this intriguing mystery about what the other characters are doing.
In other news: Playing an Aarakocra is weird. I can't write 'Xyr smiles' because his mouth is a solid beak. How does he even form words? My mind cannot compute.
Xyr kirrs softly, happy to know that he wasn't the only one to pick up on the direction. Clutching his weapon, he heads after Burik and Brask.
Burik leads the way, holding his shield out and casting light on the damp walls of the sewer. He continues to stride confidently in the same direction, even after you pass two or three side tunnels. It still smells terrible, but your senses begin to get used to it and you almost forget the rancid odor as you struggle to see past the shield's light.
After about ten minutes of slogging along, Burik pauses. Everyone stops behind him, looking and listening. There's a constant dripping sound, as water and sewage fall from above and splash onto the wet floor. But then, something very faint can be heard. It's a vague scratching noise. Distant at first, but then quickly growing louder and louder. As it approaches, it's joined by a squeaking noise...and it seems to be coming from two different directions.
Two drainage pipes, on both sides of the sewer walls, begin emptying rats into the sewer in front of you. They form two huge piles of squirming fur and hairless tails as they are herded by each other out of the pipes. Then, from behind them, you see six glowing red eyes. Three pairs move independently, and after a moment the silhouettes come into view. Stepping over the smaller rat piles are three enormous, deformed rats with slobber dripping from their oversized jaws.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In a flash of colour Xyr dashes forward, his blades whirling like a dervish, sparks flying where it grazes the stone walls of the sewer.
Mechanics:
Move: (If necessary) move to a spot within melee, preferably a target with an ally within 5 ft. for sneak attack damage. If both a rat swarm and a giant rat have someone within 5ft, I'd go for the giant rat. Action: Attack: 15 Damage: 4 Bonus: Offhand Attack: 21 Damage: 4 If applicable to any attack: Sneak Attack for 4 damage
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The giant rats start to approach the group as the piles of smaller rats get their footing. Xyr steps out from behind Brask, darting forward and slicing into the middle rat. He cuts it deeply, but the rat screeches and gnarls, still alive.
Brask steps up to the giant rat on the right, and bringing his maul down, crushes its head. Blood and bits of rat brain splatter up against the wall and on Brask's arms.
The giant rats are taken aback, seemingly knowing what has happened to their fallen comrade. The smaller rats pay no mind, though, and start to swarm Xyr and Brask. The first group quickly spread all over Xyr's legs, biting and gnawing at him. Attack: 11 Damage: 5
The group on the other side goes after Brask, leaping up onto his arms, screeching and ripping at his arms. Attack: 10 Damage: 7
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Burik takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second. When he opens then again, his eyes are dark and says the single word "Die." while pointing at the 2 swarms. His voice sounds deeper and darker than normal, with the faint sound of a bell echoing in the sewer.
Toll the Dead on the 2 swarms (Reaper: When you cast a necromancy cantrip that normally targets only one creature, it can instead target two creatures within 5 ft. of each other.). Wis save 13 or 4 on the swarm on Xyr and 4 on the swarm on Brask.
Burik will then step up to fill in the line on the left, next to Xyr, drawing his hammer as he does so.
Hah, Brask laughs with a snort. Gnoll-worshippers! Might as well call themselves the Cult of Losers. Hey Burik, know anything about Yeenoghu? Do his worshippers think he's marking his territory when it rains? He laughs again and follows Sam into the sewers.
The sewers are dark. And they stink. The faint smell of feces mixes with decay and rot to form something that is, initially, almost unbearable. It eases a bit and everyone begins to choke down some breaths. Some light comes in from the open grate above, but you can't see very far down the tunnels. Burik takes a few steps forward, surveying what he can with his dark vision. Sam reaches back into his pack, pulling out a torch and a flint. As he lights up the torch, a narrow path is revealed heading in either direction. "Well, let's see what we can find."
Everyone, roll investigation. Feel free to do anything else as well - if you have a torch or something else you want to prepare.
Sam (Investigation): 11
DM - Above & Below
4
"First time I've heard the name, although I'm not much for studying or the like. I find deeds do so much more."
Burik casts Light on his shield, lighting the way forward as he takes a deep breath before descending into the sewer. Once down, he'll draw his hammer, keeping an eye out for things lurking in the shadows. Once more into the dark. Once more towards evil...
"Stay close, it can be all too easy to get lost in places like this, especially if you lose the light. Anyone got some chalk or anything? It's probably worth marking our way out."
Burik will keep an eye on the stonework as they move forward, noting any differences in age between sections. (21 History : Stonecunning racial trait) He'll also try to stay at the front of the group as they move.
No chalk, Brask says. He draws his maul and holds it ready. All kind of trash lives in the sewers of a city, or so they say. Bandits and worse. Things that feed on filth. Things that have only known the darkness. Back in the arena, they would sometimes drag things up out of the pit; the crowd loved to see all the weird creatures. They also loved seeing them hacked and bashed to pieces. Of course, he sniffs and scowls, they didn't have to get close enough to smell the sodding things. Come on, let's find some 'deeds' to keep Burik happy.
He looks around, glad of the light: Investigation 13
"Me neither." Xyr adds, equally happy to have a reliable source of light down here. He ruffles his feathers, trapping some air between them to help keep warm in the damp surroundings. His eyes are already on the lookout for traces of the two figures that might have passed through here.
Mechanics:
Investigation: 15
Lynn-Marie Verine-Wintercleaver, Human Bloodhunter - Adventures in Esyldien
Finan Caible, Human Bard - Joys of Balance
Yroc Grumbak, Orc Fighlock - Pizazz's ToA
Arell Peroan, Half-Elf Warlonk - Scattered Gods
ESC! | 10|33|5~
Everyone starts to look around the bottom of the ladder for any clues that might tip them off as to the direction the suspects headed.
Xyr:
Brask and Sam seem a bit lost at first, until you spot a strange smudge on the concrete. It could be a footprint, but it's hard to tell. It leads off to the left.
Burik:
You get an intense feeling of evil pulling you to the left. It's almost as if something is clutching your very heart, yanking you in that direction. The cultists went that way - you're sure of it.
Brask:
You try to sniff for tracks, but the stench down here is really messing with your senses.
OOC: Do you guys like the spoiler tags? Or do people just end up reading them all anyway? :)
DM - Above & Below
"They went this way." And with that Burik heads off into the gloom, his shield lighting the way ahead.
Brask follow Burik, glad that someone knows where to go.
(OOC: Usually I manage to stop myself reading others' spoilers. Sometimes I can't resist though. )
OOC:
Yes and Yes ;) Unless I know there's hidden information in them I do read other characters' spoilers, but it most definitely helps keep character knowledge and player knowledge separate.
That said, I'm also in a game where the party has split multiple times, and the games then progressed in private threads. Both to keep the main thread from being cluttered, and it's pretty cool to have this intriguing mystery about what the other characters are doing.
In other news: Playing an Aarakocra is weird. I can't write 'Xyr smiles' because his mouth is a solid beak. How does he even form words? My mind cannot compute.
Xyr kirrs softly, happy to know that he wasn't the only one to pick up on the direction. Clutching his weapon, he heads after Burik and Brask.
Lynn-Marie Verine-Wintercleaver, Human Bloodhunter - Adventures in Esyldien
Finan Caible, Human Bard - Joys of Balance
Yroc Grumbak, Orc Fighlock - Pizazz's ToA
Arell Peroan, Half-Elf Warlonk - Scattered Gods
ESC! | 10|33|5~
Burik leads the way, holding his shield out and casting light on the damp walls of the sewer. He continues to stride confidently in the same direction, even after you pass two or three side tunnels. It still smells terrible, but your senses begin to get used to it and you almost forget the rancid odor as you struggle to see past the shield's light.
After about ten minutes of slogging along, Burik pauses. Everyone stops behind him, looking and listening. There's a constant dripping sound, as water and sewage fall from above and splash onto the wet floor. But then, something very faint can be heard. It's a vague scratching noise. Distant at first, but then quickly growing louder and louder. As it approaches, it's joined by a squeaking noise...and it seems to be coming from two different directions.
Two drainage pipes, on both sides of the sewer walls, begin emptying rats into the sewer in front of you. They form two huge piles of squirming fur and hairless tails as they are herded by each other out of the pipes. Then, from behind them, you see six glowing red eyes. Three pairs move independently, and after a moment the silhouettes come into view. Stepping over the smaller rat piles are three enormous, deformed rats with slobber dripping from their oversized jaws.
Everyone, roll initiative.
Giant rats: 3
Rat swarms: 13
Sam: 10
DM - Above & Below
Xyr squawks, flapping his wings in the cramped sewer, testing his available space to swing his weapon.
Mechanics:
Initiative: 13
Lynn-Marie Verine-Wintercleaver, Human Bloodhunter - Adventures in Esyldien
Finan Caible, Human Bard - Joys of Balance
Yroc Grumbak, Orc Fighlock - Pizazz's ToA
Arell Peroan, Half-Elf Warlonk - Scattered Gods
ESC! | 10|33|5~
16
"Great. Rats..."
Brask's initiative: 16
Disgusting. He draws his maul, ready for smashing.
Round 1: Xyr > Brask > Rat Swarms > Burik > Sam > Giant Rats
Xyr, you're up!
DM - Above & Below
In a flash of colour Xyr dashes forward, his blades whirling like a dervish, sparks flying where it grazes the stone walls of the sewer.
Mechanics:
Move: (If necessary) move to a spot within melee, preferably a target with an ally within 5 ft. for sneak attack damage. If both a rat swarm and a giant rat have someone within 5ft, I'd go for the giant rat.
Action: Attack: 15 Damage: 4
Bonus: Offhand Attack: 21 Damage: 4
If applicable to any attack: Sneak Attack for 4 damage
Lynn-Marie Verine-Wintercleaver, Human Bloodhunter - Adventures in Esyldien
Finan Caible, Human Bard - Joys of Balance
Yroc Grumbak, Orc Fighlock - Pizazz's ToA
Arell Peroan, Half-Elf Warlonk - Scattered Gods
ESC! | 10|33|5~
Brask will attack whatever is nearest with his maul:
Attack: 17 Damage: 14
The giant rats start to approach the group as the piles of smaller rats get their footing. Xyr steps out from behind Brask, darting forward and slicing into the middle rat. He cuts it deeply, but the rat screeches and gnarls, still alive.
Brask steps up to the giant rat on the right, and bringing his maul down, crushes its head. Blood and bits of rat brain splatter up against the wall and on Brask's arms.
The giant rats are taken aback, seemingly knowing what has happened to their fallen comrade. The smaller rats pay no mind, though, and start to swarm Xyr and Brask. The first group quickly spread all over Xyr's legs, biting and gnawing at him. Attack: 11 Damage: 5
The group on the other side goes after Brask, leaping up onto his arms, screeching and ripping at his arms. Attack: 10 Damage: 7
Burik, you're up.
DM - Above & Below
Burik takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second. When he opens then again, his eyes are dark and says the single word "Die." while pointing at the 2 swarms. His voice sounds deeper and darker than normal, with the faint sound of a bell echoing in the sewer.
Toll the Dead on the 2 swarms (Reaper: When you cast a necromancy cantrip that normally targets only one creature, it can instead target two creatures within 5 ft. of each other.). Wis save 13 or 4 on the swarm on Xyr and 4 on the swarm on Brask.
Burik will then step up to fill in the line on the left, next to Xyr, drawing his hammer as he does so.
Xyr swarm: 14
Brask swarm: 16
As the three of you line up in front of the onslaught of rats, an arrow whizzes between Xyr and Burik. Attack: 10 Damage: 10
DM - Above & Below
"Shit," Sam says. The arrow just misses the injured giant rat, clanking off the wall of the sewer.
The swarms started to disperse for a second, but have come back just as strong, seemingly unaffected by Burik's spell.
The injured giant rat, gathering itself, leaps toward Xyr. Attack: 20 Damage: 3
The other giant rat, looking as healthy as it ever has, springs into the air and lands on Burik. Attack: 24 Damage: 5
DM - Above & Below