The splint job is ugly, but it is better than nothing. Despite the initial pain of being crudely set into place, it feels better, especially as healing magic floods over you.
Thanks to the dry conditions and goodberry, you guys will easily be clocked in for a successful short rest and you will avoid a level of exhaustion after the day's work.
(It is hard to describe and I can't figure out how to upload a picture of this particular part of the map, haha. There are 4 pits in the room, one in each corner of the room. The pits in the northwest and southwest corners would largely be out of the line of sight from someone who was operating the portcullis, but the pits in the northeast and southeast would be clearly in line of sight. The portcullis gate is in the west wall of the room, situated between the two pits. Imagine a dot d6 rolled on "4." Before the question I always imagined you in the southwest pit, so it turns out that yours happens to be out of sight! That's actual luck.)
OOC: Okay, cool - but also how about from the main entrance as well, from down past the altar room - just thinking that if we open the gate and everyone can just peer down the corridor to see us do it!!!
((Oooh gotcha. Good question. Yes, judging from the map it looks like it. There is a straight line of sight from the entrance of the corridor in the gate room straight into the back wall of the prisoner pit room. The altar in the sacrifice room and the portcullis itself would probably obscure sight looking from the front gate room, but not much further than that. It’s about 90 feet from the portcullis to the front gate room.))
"Well, I'm not sure what you all need to do, but I am going to take a moment to rest while I can. My vote though is that as soon as those guards up there leave, we do too."Daner finds a realatively dry and comfortable spot and leans back against the wall to rest. Years of labour had taught him that when you had the chance to rest you took it. He shut his eyes, not sleeping but relaxing and listening to everything happening around him.
"Not a problem Darion. We all are here to help each other. We either go tonight after a quick rest or press through this demeaning service for one more day to try and better our situation and get a better lay of the temple. I know I can break the shackles when needed and can get us out of the pit without sound using water and ice. After my rest I will be able to transform twice so I can serve as a shield." Tempest replies thinking of different plans.
"Whatever we choose we need to quickly and quietly eliminate the guards by the gate and corridor before we start to help the other slaves out. We have to go by the storeroom to reach the cave and river but we'd have to be very quick about searching for our things. Less than a minute preferably. If we go the river route I can create a path of ice for us to walk out. It will be slow but after a certain point we'd be untraceable and Ellis could rest his ankle as needed. " Tempest adds before waiting to listen to the others thoughts.
Ellis had heard as Darion questioned what they had done to him, looking like he was dipped in acid. So he had explained about the blob that attacked him in the fungi cavern. He felt much better after healing himself, making the splint a little less painful than when it was first set into place. He had heard Darion ask him for his take, how he has found a potential escape route, wondering how viable it is and how many can try. "I couldn't see past the pillar near the middle of the grotto, but it looks like the river goes on for some ways. There were two canoes that I saw, but considering how there were bones in the grotto and that man-eating blob, we could run into possible creatures that may attack us." Ellis had said back to him, thinking. He then listened to the others talk about deciding to either escape tonight or wait another day before doing so, Tempest talking about needing to eliminate the guards, quickly finding their things in the storeroom, and how if they use the river then he can create a path of ice for them to walk out. "I-I would rather escape as soon as possible. Even though Fenthaza is interested in my magic, I don't know how much longer I can survive here, especially with my ankle. If I hadn't gotten lucky with getting across the bridge, that blob would have definitely killed me. If we want to eliminate the guards quickly and quietly, I could go to the poison distillery and take the syringe of the concoction, using that to kill the Yuan-ti. We would have to hope that Xopal and the zombies aren't in there though. The path of ice sounds good and should help keep us out of the water if there is anything dangerous in the water." Ellis had said back to Tempest and everyone else, giving his thoughts and ideas. He really wanted to get out of here and he also felt like they should help get the other slaves out too, wanting everyone to be free as well.
Darion listens to the others as he rests, feeling more energised at the prospect of action. As he rests, he draws two crude symbols with his finger in the dirt - those of Tymora and Mystra. He spends a few moments in quiet contemplation and commune with his two deities, thanking them for the gifts they have given him, ones that may help get them out of this place.
When he has finished he looks up again, feeling more refreshed and having recovered some of the Arcane power he had previously spent "So it sounds like we generally agree we should try tonight (or whatever time of day it is!) to escape. We have some good ideas for overcoming the guards. But there does seem to be a paradox here - in order to get the stuff to get past the guards... we need to get past the guards!" Darion gives a little laugh at this "Mind you, not everyone needs to make the first foray, but as Ellis found there are dangers of splitting up!"
He looks around for the 'rope' they made earlier and collects it "As a start, do we need to scout and see if there are any guards just beyond the gate? Whatever we try, we will need to take them out first - as quickly as we can, and if possible out of sight of the main door guard - perhaps luring them in here. His view should be restricted by the altar, but even so sound might carry... I might have an idea about how we could lure them in. We might have to do this as we are now, before we have a chance to get anything. Then again, there might not be anyone, especially if our suspicions about Fenthaza are accurate!"
Darion looks at Tempest "Could you adopt a smaller form that could have a scout round these slave pits, check for guards in the next room? We then have to go back to our ideas about opening this grate above us for the rest of us - in a way that doesn't attract attention and isn't too noisy!"
OOC: DM, how noisy was the winch that lifted the bars over our pit?
(The winch was hella noisy. Not constructed for elegance or comfort. Also, in my mind, you are still resting up before doing whatever it is you want to do, so if Tempest changes shapes it can be counted as before the short rest, if you want to play it that way.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(DM question: Can I scout the area before we rest to get a layout? If not no worries. I feel like we would do that before so we can plan while we rest but your call. Awesome that you and I were thinking the same thing. You beat me to it though. :) )
Tempest would turn into a spider and crawl up the wall of the pit and out of the grate walking/ looking around the pit and down the corridor for any guards.
Perception: 5
After returning to the pit Tempest would transform back into his normal form and tell the group of what he saw then say, "I should be able to make a platform to get close to the grate without making two people hold another person up." Tempest says creating a tiered column of ice that is about 4 feet wide at the base and 2 feet tall using Shape Water, then a 3 ft X 2ft column of ice on top of that then a 2ft X 2ft column. "This will last up to an hour but should allow us to get out much easier and quieter. Now about our shackles..." Tempest uses Shape Water to cause globules of water to fit between the layers of metal and locks in the shackles and freezes it trying to break the iron/steel. If it takes a few tries he'll continue until the shackles are all off. "I might be able to quietly lift the grate with water and ice slowly lifting it up. When we're ready I'll start."
(When the group is ready and if they want me to try...) Tempest will climb up the tiered column and use Shape Water to:
If I see a hinge or any moving parts I'll surround it in water regardless of which method below I use.
I'd attempt to put water around the grate then freeze a small layer of ice all around it then surround that with water and lift the whole thing in a large globule of water to the side and lay it down gently then remove the water around it and put it back in the pit quietly.
If I can't lift it that way, I'll slowly build layer after layer of ice under the four corners of the grate in columns and slowly lift it enough where a person can slide under between the ice columns holding up the grate.
Darion is impressed with the spider! He gives a quiet laugh "Okay that will do it!"
He will wait until Tempest returns and reports what he has seen. If the shackles thing works, he gives Tempest a pat on the shoulder "You'd have been very useful in quite a few scrapes I got myself into in my younger days!" He says 'younger days' as if he is some venerable adult, though he is scarcely 20!
OOC: Sorry I was out today helping my parents move house then at work.
Daner watches impressed as Tempest first turns into a spider and scouts the area, and then builds a staircase out of ice. A very impressive feat. Remembering the hairpins he had stashed earlier, Daner pulls them out. "Are these going to be useful for anyone? Are they any good for these locks?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Darion will see the hairpins "Excellent, thank you Daner, they may just work!"
Taking the hairpins, he will co-ordinate with Tempest in trying to get the chains off - hopefully even if the ice idea doesn't fully work it might weaken the locks making the task easier.
Lock Picking check, assuming I can use my proficiency in thieves tools. I'll do a straight roll, as even if there is disadvantage from hairpins, is that cancelled by Tempest's ice? If not, I'll re-roll in another post! (I assume it is Dex + prof as I have never used tools before!!): 19
OOC: I have to say, I am really enjoying both this adventure specifically (thank you @JustBrad987 for DMing even with a little one), but also the pBp format - its really seems to encourage role-playing. However, it does make coordinating activities like this a little more complex!!!
((Thanks foofaspoon! It looks like I picked a good crew. I am enjoying the format too, even if I am limited on the ability to input quality stuff quickly [i hope to get at least one or two good posts in today]. It really does encourage role play and is a different kind of game. It’s slow, but if you amortize the progress over time between actually getting to sit down and play D&D maybe it isn’t so slow!))
Spider-Tempest scurries out of the closed grate and makes his way towards the portcullis. With his numerous eyes he gets good lay of the land. He sees no guards currently in the prisoner pit room itself. He creeps to the base of the closed portcullis to take a look at the sacrificial altar room. Here, Liss'ard and one other yuan-ti, a "pureblood" (less impressive, looks mostly like a humanoid) sit in the southeast corner of the room, next to lever which operates the portcullis. They sit at a small table and are playing some yuan-ti version of a dice game. Every roll is snake-eyes, but the players seem happy about it.
Down the corridor (Tempest must enter the room to see past the altar because of his diminutive form), Tempest sees the hallway at the other end of the sacrificial chamber that leads to Fenthaza's quarters and, further down, the front gate room. Tempest chances to see Fenthaza concluding a conversation or meeting with another yuan-ti. This yuan-ti is mostly humanoid, completely bald and hairless, and is covered in phosphorescent neon goo of some sort. The two give a silent nod to one another and the bald one walks west, down the hallway and away from the sacrificial altar room. After he turns left in the main gate room, a snake-armed yuan-ti resumes his position next to Fenthaza's door. This must be her guard, but he was dismissed earlier. On into the main gate room at the very end of the corridor, he can't get a clear view at all, but he does see the semi-intelligent scaled snake beast-men wandering around, sniffing every entrant to the temple intently and intensely.
(I'm going to permit a few of the tricks that you are doing with shape water, but maybe not all of them. Weakening the locks by freezing them with water is a great idea. I will allow you to either bust the locks and manacles completely, or allow a lockpick with the hairpin without disadvantage, if you'd like to keep them intact to better hide that you have disabled the lock. Creating a small pedestal on which to stand (to negate the need to stand on shoulders) seems permissible. I don't interpret the cantrip as allowing you to make water float, however, so I don't think physically removing the grate with water will fly. I think that's what watery sphere is for. Slowly lifting it up with ice could possibly work if you physically transported the water there yourself. I would also imagine that you could make a slick spot where the grate could more silently/gently side off if it were lifted and pushed.)
Should you choose to have Darion pick the locks your manacles, he does so successfully!
((Sorry that took so long folks. I will of course assume you will discuss what Spider-Tempest saw before enacting any of the above))
(Had to test the limits... worst that can happen is you say no. :) Thanks for clarification, that is more than fair. Could I use Shape Water transport the water through our wet clothing rope slowly directing the flow of water upwards 5 feet at a time, creating a pool of water right outside the pit and freezing as it reaches underneath the grate to slide off into a pool of slushy water. If not I'll take up cupped handfuls until I think there's enough. )
When Tempest returns he transforms out of his spider form and sits down to rest looking at his shackles and then hearing Darion talk about the hairpins attempt to break the lock enough for Darion to use the small improvised tools to unlock them. "See if this makes it easier to unlock the shackles." He then begins to tell the group everything he saw, "The pits are clear of guards right now. When we finally start to move I'll create a pedestal and one of us can peek out to make sure the coast is clear. In the altar room Liss'ard and another yuan-ti are sitting in the southeast corner by the portcullis lever. Down the hallway I saw Fenthaza talking to another yuan-ti, *description of yuan-ti* and once they were done a guard was stationed outside her door. Further down the hallway is at least one more guard. Four guards for sure and maybe more further down."
He'll pause for a moment and think to himself before continuing, "While I was crawling through the grate i had an idea. If I can lift the grate enough with some ice we should be able to slide it to the side in a puddle of water to dampen the sound rather than trying to fully lift it out. Does anyone else have any tricks for the grate? What do you think our best order of events should be, who's out first/ last, who will lead the escape and who will be in the back to make sure no-one's left behind." As the others discussed strategies Tempest would close his eyes and periodically slink below the water for a few minutes resting in his natural habitat daydreaming of returning to the waterfall and grove he had come to call home.
Ellis was listening to Darion talk about how they still need to get past the guards first before they can get anything, wondering if there are any guards just beyond the gate, thinking about luring them in here in order to take them out. He watched as suddenly Tempest turned into a spider, crawling up the wall and out of the pit, waiting for him to come back. When Tempest comes back, he tells them everything that he saw and glad that the pits are clear of guards right now. He listened as Tempest had an idea for sliding it to the side as opposed to fully lifting it out, asking what the best order of events should be, who goes out first/last, leading the escape and in the back. "Tempest should definitely be out first and lead the escape since this wouldn't be possible at all without him." Ellis had said back, still thinking of everything else though. He felt useless right now, even besides having the broken ankle since he's not physically strong or can't turn into animals or pick locks like the others.
"I'm not sure there is anything I can do specifically with the grate, your idea sounds good."
He stands up and starts pacing around, visibly more animated and less hesitant than before now there is the prospect of action out of this dank hole.
"There are a lot of obstacles, but if we can get rid of Liss'ard and his crony that takes us a first step. We should be careful about over-planning, as things will inevitably change! I have a couple of ideas about what we could try. I still think we should try and get them in here to tackle them as far away and out of view of the others as possible. We will have to do it as quickly as possible, and try to make it as quiet as possible to! Once we are out, we could set up an ambush - perhaps start making a noise, asking for food etc. Liss'ard, judging by how he's been so far, will probably relish coming to sneer at us." Darion's lip curls in contempt, he has taken a particular dislike to their captor.
"I do have a spell memorised that might help incapacitate them, it can send people asleep long enough for them to be bound. The trouble is, the stronger someone is, the greater the chance they can just shrug it off. We may have to weaken Liss'ard first, though from Tempest's description the other guard seems a lot less... impressive so might stand a greater chance of it working straight off."
"I also have a spell that lets me change my appearance for about an hour - I could make myself look like a Yuan-ti for example. If we take out Liss'ard, I could make myself look like him, and station myself in 'guard duty' outside until we are ready for our next move, to try and reduce suspicion. Alternatively, I could try playing around with the teleportation circle in disguise, trying to find where it goes. But I still think that is very risky!"
Darion finishes talking, waiting to hear the other's views. He hates inaction, and loathes being caged even more. He is itching to take action, get moving - he grew up surviving by always running, hiding and enjoyed getting one over on the various thugs and more sinister elements that could make his own home streets miserable. Going back into that pattern of plan is his comfort zone, and he would seem to the others at least a little too blase about the risks!
"I agree we shouldn't over plan but that thing you mentioned changing your appearance to Liss'ard gives me an idea. If we can capture or kill him and his other guard without arousing suspicion you may be able to change your appearance to his and simply walk us to the cave and underground river unprovoked." Tempest says before pausing a moment and continuing, "Although, that would probably remove the chance of us saving the other slaves. Unless we can come up with a story about why Liss'ard would be taking multiple prisoners back to the cave.... Maybe Silithotep wants to have a mass execution in the cave... no... that would draw a crowd of admirers and probably Silithotep himself." Tempest says thinking aloud. "Even if we were successful the first time with us you may have to take several trips and each additional one would probably put you in more danger."
"Regardless of what we end up doing, if things go bad though I can transform into a large spider , wolf or bear and have Ellis ride on my back so we can move quickly. Tempest adds before going quiet again. I want to help the other slaves but if Darion could change into Liss'ard, it may be the safest and easiest way to get out, he thought. We don't know how many slaves were in the other pits or even what condition they may be in. Some may be worse off than Ellis. Actually... they had to be. None of them could know the magic tablet was disabled, and none of them may have magic to sustain them like he did. Tempest felt sorry for the other slaves and a tear forms at his eye as he sits quietly contemplating. Anyone looking at Tempest would see a cloud on his brow and the expression of being in deep thought. His heart conflicted with the thought of freedom versus the slaves and their suffering. He knew he should help but looking over to Daner, Darion and finally Ellis he thought, first I have to try and save them.
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The splint job is ugly, but it is better than nothing. Despite the initial pain of being crudely set into place, it feels better, especially as healing magic floods over you.
Thanks to the dry conditions and goodberry, you guys will easily be clocked in for a successful short rest and you will avoid a level of exhaustion after the day's work.
(It is hard to describe and I can't figure out how to upload a picture of this particular part of the map, haha. There are 4 pits in the room, one in each corner of the room. The pits in the northwest and southwest corners would largely be out of the line of sight from someone who was operating the portcullis, but the pits in the northeast and southeast would be clearly in line of sight. The portcullis gate is in the west wall of the room, situated between the two pits. Imagine a dot d6 rolled on "4." Before the question I always imagined you in the southwest pit, so it turns out that yours happens to be out of sight! That's actual luck.)
OOC: Okay, cool - but also how about from the main entrance as well, from down past the altar room - just thinking that if we open the gate and everyone can just peer down the corridor to see us do it!!!
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
((Oooh gotcha. Good question. Yes, judging from the map it looks like it. There is a straight line of sight from the entrance of the corridor in the gate room straight into the back wall of the prisoner pit room. The altar in the sacrifice room and the portcullis itself would probably obscure sight looking from the front gate room, but not much further than that. It’s about 90 feet from the portcullis to the front gate room.))
"Well, I'm not sure what you all need to do, but I am going to take a moment to rest while I can. My vote though is that as soon as those guards up there leave, we do too." Daner finds a realatively dry and comfortable spot and leans back against the wall to rest. Years of labour had taught him that when you had the chance to rest you took it. He shut his eyes, not sleeping but relaxing and listening to everything happening around him.
"Not a problem Darion. We all are here to help each other. We either go tonight after a quick rest or press through this demeaning service for one more day to try and better our situation and get a better lay of the temple. I know I can break the shackles when needed and can get us out of the pit without sound using water and ice. After my rest I will be able to transform twice so I can serve as a shield." Tempest replies thinking of different plans.
"Whatever we choose we need to quickly and quietly eliminate the guards by the gate and corridor before we start to help the other slaves out. We have to go by the storeroom to reach the cave and river but we'd have to be very quick about searching for our things. Less than a minute preferably. If we go the river route I can create a path of ice for us to walk out. It will be slow but after a certain point we'd be untraceable and Ellis could rest his ankle as needed. " Tempest adds before waiting to listen to the others thoughts.
Ellis had heard as Darion questioned what they had done to him, looking like he was dipped in acid. So he had explained about the blob that attacked him in the fungi cavern. He felt much better after healing himself, making the splint a little less painful than when it was first set into place. He had heard Darion ask him for his take, how he has found a potential escape route, wondering how viable it is and how many can try. "I couldn't see past the pillar near the middle of the grotto, but it looks like the river goes on for some ways. There were two canoes that I saw, but considering how there were bones in the grotto and that man-eating blob, we could run into possible creatures that may attack us." Ellis had said back to him, thinking. He then listened to the others talk about deciding to either escape tonight or wait another day before doing so, Tempest talking about needing to eliminate the guards, quickly finding their things in the storeroom, and how if they use the river then he can create a path of ice for them to walk out. "I-I would rather escape as soon as possible. Even though Fenthaza is interested in my magic, I don't know how much longer I can survive here, especially with my ankle. If I hadn't gotten lucky with getting across the bridge, that blob would have definitely killed me. If we want to eliminate the guards quickly and quietly, I could go to the poison distillery and take the syringe of the concoction, using that to kill the Yuan-ti. We would have to hope that Xopal and the zombies aren't in there though. The path of ice sounds good and should help keep us out of the water if there is anything dangerous in the water." Ellis had said back to Tempest and everyone else, giving his thoughts and ideas. He really wanted to get out of here and he also felt like they should help get the other slaves out too, wanting everyone to be free as well.
Darion listens to the others as he rests, feeling more energised at the prospect of action. As he rests, he draws two crude symbols with his finger in the dirt - those of Tymora and Mystra. He spends a few moments in quiet contemplation and commune with his two deities, thanking them for the gifts they have given him, ones that may help get them out of this place.
When he has finished he looks up again, feeling more refreshed and having recovered some of the Arcane power he had previously spent "So it sounds like we generally agree we should try tonight (or whatever time of day it is!) to escape. We have some good ideas for overcoming the guards. But there does seem to be a paradox here - in order to get the stuff to get past the guards... we need to get past the guards!" Darion gives a little laugh at this "Mind you, not everyone needs to make the first foray, but as Ellis found there are dangers of splitting up!"
He looks around for the 'rope' they made earlier and collects it "As a start, do we need to scout and see if there are any guards just beyond the gate? Whatever we try, we will need to take them out first - as quickly as we can, and if possible out of sight of the main door guard - perhaps luring them in here. His view should be restricted by the altar, but even so sound might carry... I might have an idea about how we could lure them in. We might have to do this as we are now, before we have a chance to get anything. Then again, there might not be anyone, especially if our suspicions about Fenthaza are accurate!"
Darion looks at Tempest "Could you adopt a smaller form that could have a scout round these slave pits, check for guards in the next room? We then have to go back to our ideas about opening this grate above us for the rest of us - in a way that doesn't attract attention and isn't too noisy!"
OOC: DM, how noisy was the winch that lifted the bars over our pit?
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
(The winch was hella noisy. Not constructed for elegance or comfort. Also, in my mind, you are still resting up before doing whatever it is you want to do, so if Tempest changes shapes it can be counted as before the short rest, if you want to play it that way.)
(DM question:
Can I scout the area before we rest to get a layout? If not no worries. I feel like we would do that before so we can plan while we rest but your call.Awesome that you and I were thinking the same thing. You beat me to it though. :) )Tempest would turn into a spider and crawl up the wall of the pit and out of the grate walking/ looking around the pit and down the corridor for any guards.
Perception: 5
After returning to the pit Tempest would transform back into his normal form and tell the group of what he saw then say, "I should be able to make a platform to get close to the grate without making two people hold another person up." Tempest says creating a tiered column of ice that is about 4 feet wide at the base and 2 feet tall using Shape Water, then a 3 ft X 2ft column of ice on top of that then a 2ft X 2ft column. "This will last up to an hour but should allow us to get out much easier and quieter. Now about our shackles..." Tempest uses Shape Water to cause globules of water to fit between the layers of metal and locks in the shackles and freezes it trying to break the iron/steel. If it takes a few tries he'll continue until the shackles are all off. "I might be able to quietly lift the grate with water and ice slowly lifting it up. When we're ready I'll start."
(When the group is ready and if they want me to try...) Tempest will climb up the tiered column and use Shape Water to:
If I see a hinge or any moving parts I'll surround it in water regardless of which method below I use.
Darion is impressed with the spider! He gives a quiet laugh "Okay that will do it!"
He will wait until Tempest returns and reports what he has seen. If the shackles thing works, he gives Tempest a pat on the shoulder "You'd have been very useful in quite a few scrapes I got myself into in my younger days!" He says 'younger days' as if he is some venerable adult, though he is scarcely 20!
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
OOC: Sorry I was out today helping my parents move house then at work.
Daner watches impressed as Tempest first turns into a spider and scouts the area, and then builds a staircase out of ice. A very impressive feat. Remembering the hairpins he had stashed earlier, Daner pulls them out. "Are these going to be useful for anyone? Are they any good for these locks?"
Darion will see the hairpins "Excellent, thank you Daner, they may just work!"
Taking the hairpins, he will co-ordinate with Tempest in trying to get the chains off - hopefully even if the ice idea doesn't fully work it might weaken the locks making the task easier.
Lock Picking check, assuming I can use my proficiency in thieves tools. I'll do a straight roll, as even if there is disadvantage from hairpins, is that cancelled by Tempest's ice? If not, I'll re-roll in another post! (I assume it is Dex + prof as I have never used tools before!!): 19
OOC: I have to say, I am really enjoying both this adventure specifically (thank you @JustBrad987 for DMing even with a little one), but also the pBp format - its really seems to encourage role-playing. However, it does make coordinating activities like this a little more complex!!!
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
((Thanks foofaspoon! It looks like I picked a good crew. I am enjoying the format too, even if I am limited on the ability to input quality stuff quickly [i hope to get at least one or two good posts in today]. It really does encourage role play and is a different kind of game. It’s slow, but if you amortize the progress over time between actually getting to sit down and play D&D maybe it isn’t so slow!))
Spider-Tempest scurries out of the closed grate and makes his way towards the portcullis. With his numerous eyes he gets good lay of the land. He sees no guards currently in the prisoner pit room itself. He creeps to the base of the closed portcullis to take a look at the sacrificial altar room. Here, Liss'ard and one other yuan-ti, a "pureblood" (less impressive, looks mostly like a humanoid) sit in the southeast corner of the room, next to lever which operates the portcullis. They sit at a small table and are playing some yuan-ti version of a dice game. Every roll is snake-eyes, but the players seem happy about it.
Down the corridor (Tempest must enter the room to see past the altar because of his diminutive form), Tempest sees the hallway at the other end of the sacrificial chamber that leads to Fenthaza's quarters and, further down, the front gate room. Tempest chances to see Fenthaza concluding a conversation or meeting with another yuan-ti. This yuan-ti is mostly humanoid, completely bald and hairless, and is covered in phosphorescent neon goo of some sort. The two give a silent nod to one another and the bald one walks west, down the hallway and away from the sacrificial altar room. After he turns left in the main gate room, a snake-armed yuan-ti resumes his position next to Fenthaza's door. This must be her guard, but he was dismissed earlier. On into the main gate room at the very end of the corridor, he can't get a clear view at all, but he does see the semi-intelligent scaled snake beast-men wandering around, sniffing every entrant to the temple intently and intensely.
(Results of water-shaping in next post)
((Aaaaaand intercepted by babies.))
(I'm going to permit a few of the tricks that you are doing with shape water, but maybe not all of them. Weakening the locks by freezing them with water is a great idea. I will allow you to either bust the locks and manacles completely, or allow a lockpick with the hairpin without disadvantage, if you'd like to keep them intact to better hide that you have disabled the lock. Creating a small pedestal on which to stand (to negate the need to stand on shoulders) seems permissible. I don't interpret the cantrip as allowing you to make water float, however, so I don't think physically removing the grate with water will fly. I think that's what watery sphere is for. Slowly lifting it up with ice could possibly work if you physically transported the water there yourself. I would also imagine that you could make a slick spot where the grate could more silently/gently side off if it were lifted and pushed.)
Should you choose to have Darion pick the locks your manacles, he does so successfully!
((Sorry that took so long folks. I will of course assume you will discuss what Spider-Tempest saw before enacting any of the above))
(Had to test the limits... worst that can happen is you say no. :) Thanks for clarification, that is more than fair. Could I use Shape Water transport the water through our wet clothing rope slowly directing the flow of water upwards 5 feet at a time, creating a pool of water right outside the pit and freezing as it reaches underneath the grate to slide off into a pool of slushy water. If not I'll take up cupped handfuls until I think there's enough. )
When Tempest returns he transforms out of his spider form and sits down to rest looking at his shackles and then hearing Darion talk about the hairpins attempt to break the lock enough for Darion to use the small improvised tools to unlock them. "See if this makes it easier to unlock the shackles." He then begins to tell the group everything he saw, "The pits are clear of guards right now. When we finally start to move I'll create a pedestal and one of us can peek out to make sure the coast is clear. In the altar room Liss'ard and another yuan-ti are sitting in the southeast corner by the portcullis lever. Down the hallway I saw Fenthaza talking to another yuan-ti, *description of yuan-ti* and once they were done a guard was stationed outside her door. Further down the hallway is at least one more guard. Four guards for sure and maybe more further down."
He'll pause for a moment and think to himself before continuing, "While I was crawling through the grate i had an idea. If I can lift the grate enough with some ice we should be able to slide it to the side in a puddle of water to dampen the sound rather than trying to fully lift it out. Does anyone else have any tricks for the grate? What do you think our best order of events should be, who's out first/ last, who will lead the escape and who will be in the back to make sure no-one's left behind." As the others discussed strategies Tempest would close his eyes and periodically slink below the water for a few minutes resting in his natural habitat daydreaming of returning to the waterfall and grove he had come to call home.
Ellis was listening to Darion talk about how they still need to get past the guards first before they can get anything, wondering if there are any guards just beyond the gate, thinking about luring them in here in order to take them out. He watched as suddenly Tempest turned into a spider, crawling up the wall and out of the pit, waiting for him to come back. When Tempest comes back, he tells them everything that he saw and glad that the pits are clear of guards right now. He listened as Tempest had an idea for sliding it to the side as opposed to fully lifting it out, asking what the best order of events should be, who goes out first/last, leading the escape and in the back. "Tempest should definitely be out first and lead the escape since this wouldn't be possible at all without him." Ellis had said back, still thinking of everything else though. He felt useless right now, even besides having the broken ankle since he's not physically strong or can't turn into animals or pick locks like the others.
Darion looks pensive at Tempest's report
"I'm not sure there is anything I can do specifically with the grate, your idea sounds good."
He stands up and starts pacing around, visibly more animated and less hesitant than before now there is the prospect of action out of this dank hole.
"There are a lot of obstacles, but if we can get rid of Liss'ard and his crony that takes us a first step. We should be careful about over-planning, as things will inevitably change! I have a couple of ideas about what we could try. I still think we should try and get them in here to tackle them as far away and out of view of the others as possible. We will have to do it as quickly as possible, and try to make it as quiet as possible to! Once we are out, we could set up an ambush - perhaps start making a noise, asking for food etc. Liss'ard, judging by how he's been so far, will probably relish coming to sneer at us." Darion's lip curls in contempt, he has taken a particular dislike to their captor.
"I do have a spell memorised that might help incapacitate them, it can send people asleep long enough for them to be bound. The trouble is, the stronger someone is, the greater the chance they can just shrug it off. We may have to weaken Liss'ard first, though from Tempest's description the other guard seems a lot less... impressive so might stand a greater chance of it working straight off."
"I also have a spell that lets me change my appearance for about an hour - I could make myself look like a Yuan-ti for example. If we take out Liss'ard, I could make myself look like him, and station myself in 'guard duty' outside until we are ready for our next move, to try and reduce suspicion. Alternatively, I could try playing around with the teleportation circle in disguise, trying to find where it goes. But I still think that is very risky!"
Darion finishes talking, waiting to hear the other's views. He hates inaction, and loathes being caged even more. He is itching to take action, get moving - he grew up surviving by always running, hiding and enjoyed getting one over on the various thugs and more sinister elements that could make his own home streets miserable. Going back into that pattern of plan is his comfort zone, and he would seem to the others at least a little too blase about the risks!
Do you like my Boots of Flying?
"I agree we shouldn't over plan but that thing you mentioned changing your appearance to Liss'ard gives me an idea. If we can capture or kill him and his other guard without arousing suspicion you may be able to change your appearance to his and simply walk us to the cave and underground river unprovoked." Tempest says before pausing a moment and continuing, "Although, that would probably remove the chance of us saving the other slaves. Unless we can come up with a story about why Liss'ard would be taking multiple prisoners back to the cave.... Maybe Silithotep wants to have a mass execution in the cave... no... that would draw a crowd of admirers and probably Silithotep himself." Tempest says thinking aloud. "Even if we were successful the first time with us you may have to take several trips and each additional one would probably put you in more danger."
"Regardless of what we end up doing, if things go bad though I can transform into a large spider , wolf or bear and have Ellis ride on my back so we can move quickly. Tempest adds before going quiet again. I want to help the other slaves but if Darion could change into Liss'ard, it may be the safest and easiest way to get out, he thought. We don't know how many slaves were in the other pits or even what condition they may be in. Some may be worse off than Ellis. Actually... they had to be. None of them could know the magic tablet was disabled, and none of them may have magic to sustain them like he did. Tempest felt sorry for the other slaves and a tear forms at his eye as he sits quietly contemplating. Anyone looking at Tempest would see a cloud on his brow and the expression of being in deep thought. His heart conflicted with the thought of freedom versus the slaves and their suffering. He knew he should help but looking over to Daner, Darion and finally Ellis he thought, first I have to try and save them.