"We must escape this place," says Mars in a loud Common whisper, "I think we should move down. I hate to go deeper, but there's fewer risks that way. Right?"
Still crouching, the young woman turns to Tanser, "You are obviously an exceptional practitioner, but is that book worth dying over? Surely it can be replaced. Couldn't you use that one until you find something more suitable?" Mars motions to the spell book newly acquired from our Drow captive.
Mars - "Technically, there's more risks by escaping," Jimjar replies, joining the conversation. "The Underdark is a winding, shifting maze of terrible monsters, people, and even plants that eat the lost alive in seconds. But, a one percent chance at survival is better than a none percent chance in the hands of the drow. And with a group like ours," the deep gnome glances around at the prisoners. "I give us a healthy twelve percent chance of everyone reaching a safe settlement alive."
"Twelve percent! That's a lot, isn't it, Turvey?" Topsey tugs on his brother's sleeve, provoking an eyeroll and muttering from his twin.
The old gnome glares at Mars. He lifts the stolen spellbook and waves it at her. "This is a child's book!" he growls at her. "My tome is a collection of almost three centuries of study." He turns to look longingly at the largest stalagmite. "My life ... " He looks back at Mars, his eyes full of misery, but then he shakes his head and glares at her before turning away with a harrumph.
"What are you thinking, Jimjar?" Tanser asks gruffly.
Thun looks around at the group, unsure of the drow's words.
"It has been my experience, that moving downward underground is not usually how you escape."
With further incentive provided by the Gnome's spellbook, Thun says,
"12% or 0%, I'd rather go out knowing I was working towards something tangible over accidentally stumbling to my death in the dark having no idea if I'd ever made any headway."
"If it is such important work then you should have done something to keep more then one copy of it. For now though letnus focus on having a chance of making it anywhere in this place alive." Daerthe says as she then puts a hand to her mouth to tell them to be silent.
Tanser - “I understand this book is very important to you,” Jimjar sighs. “I’m afraid if we go after it now, it will mean the end for all of us. It’s awful to ask you to leave your most prized possession behind, but in the end lives are at stake. Better to live on, and have a chance at creating a bit more good in the world. We can make it back to Blingdenstone, and I bet you can make a spellbook, a time of knowledge just as grand as the original. In the end, it’s your decision.”
Thun - “Perhaps I have not explained this clearly enough,” Sarith sighs with an eye roll. “This outpost, Velkynvelve, is built into hanging stalagmites. We are currently attached to the ceiling of a great cavern. If you want to go up, back to your accursed surface world, we must first go down. Once we reach the cavern floor there are several passageways leading away from the complex, into the wilds of the Underdark.”
”Head towards Darklake, we should,” Shuushar interjects with a whisper, voice bubbling in the odd voice of a kuo-toa. “Connects many areas of Underdark, it does. Know how to navigate it, I do. Bring you to my village, I could.”
To Tanser, Mars replies in her stage whisper, "You can return for what's yours later, Master Gnome. For now, your life is worth more than any book - even if it took three centuries and twenty years to research! Your new friends," she motions to the crew of assorted surface and subterranean dwellers, "are relying on you. Our lives are in your hands."
Facing the kuo-toa, Mars says, "That would be very generous of you, to host all of us in your village. Is it very far from here?" Mars will attempt to study this Shuushar to decide if they seem like a trustworthy guide to the Underdark. (Insight: 3)
"Can we make haste? Please?" she asks the group, "The sooner we can escape from the priestess and these gods-forgotten caverns, the better."
Mars goes to the members who cannot see in the dark - Alivia and Tuma (?) - and casts light twice on a small, easily-coverable object each of them are holding (their choice which object), to produce a low red light for the two to go by.
Tuma's eyes will light up as Mars lights up her gold coin. "Ah! This is wonderful! " She will then give Mars a hug. "Mmmm, thank you, friend! You are my favorite human friend."
Mars - Shuushar the kuo-toa appears calm and collected, especially for a fish person.
“How far is Darklake from this prison?” Shuushar asks.
”Two or three days travel, depending on the natural wildlife one encounters,” Sarith replies, crossing his arms.
”Less than ten days travel, my village is.” Shuushar nods. “More than happy to host you, I would be. Go back to my village and enlighten my people, I must.”
((Of course, sorry about that. Your group is on the bridge beside the waterfall. Ilvara and the other drow are slightly beyond the largest stalagmite (the one directly in front of you, on the walkway. This is a distance of about 45 ft.))
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"We must escape this place," says Mars in a loud Common whisper, "I think we should move down. I hate to go deeper, but there's fewer risks that way. Right?"
Still crouching, the young woman turns to Tanser, "You are obviously an exceptional practitioner, but is that book worth dying over? Surely it can be replaced. Couldn't you use that one until you find something more suitable?" Mars motions to the spell book newly acquired from our Drow captive.
Mars - "Technically, there's more risks by escaping," Jimjar replies, joining the conversation. "The Underdark is a winding, shifting maze of terrible monsters, people, and even plants that eat the lost alive in seconds. But, a one percent chance at survival is better than a none percent chance in the hands of the drow. And with a group like ours," the deep gnome glances around at the prisoners. "I give us a healthy twelve percent chance of everyone reaching a safe settlement alive."
"Twelve percent! That's a lot, isn't it, Turvey?" Topsey tugs on his brother's sleeve, provoking an eyeroll and muttering from his twin.
The old gnome glares at Mars. He lifts the stolen spellbook and waves it at her. "This is a child's book!" he growls at her. "My tome is a collection of almost three centuries of study." He turns to look longingly at the largest stalagmite. "My life ... " He looks back at Mars, his eyes full of misery, but then he shakes his head and glares at her before turning away with a harrumph.
"What are you thinking, Jimjar?" Tanser asks gruffly.
Thun looks around at the group, unsure of the drow's words.
"It has been my experience, that moving downward underground is not usually how you escape."
With further incentive provided by the Gnome's spellbook, Thun says,
"12% or 0%, I'd rather go out knowing I was working towards something tangible over accidentally stumbling to my death in the dark having no idea if I'd ever made any headway."
"If it is such important work then you should have done something to keep more then one copy of it. For now though letnus focus on having a chance of making it anywhere in this place alive." Daerthe says as she then puts a hand to her mouth to tell them to be silent.
Tanser - “I understand this book is very important to you,” Jimjar sighs. “I’m afraid if we go after it now, it will mean the end for all of us. It’s awful to ask you to leave your most prized possession behind, but in the end lives are at stake. Better to live on, and have a chance at creating a bit more good in the world. We can make it back to Blingdenstone, and I bet you can make a spellbook, a time of knowledge just as grand as the original. In the end, it’s your decision.”
Thun - “Perhaps I have not explained this clearly enough,” Sarith sighs with an eye roll. “This outpost, Velkynvelve, is built into hanging stalagmites. We are currently attached to the ceiling of a great cavern. If you want to go up, back to your accursed surface world, we must first go down. Once we reach the cavern floor there are several passageways leading away from the complex, into the wilds of the Underdark.”
”Head towards Darklake, we should,” Shuushar interjects with a whisper, voice bubbling in the odd voice of a kuo-toa. “Connects many areas of Underdark, it does. Know how to navigate it, I do. Bring you to my village, I could.”
To Tanser, Mars replies in her stage whisper, "You can return for what's yours later, Master Gnome. For now, your life is worth more than any book - even if it took three centuries and twenty years to research! Your new friends," she motions to the crew of assorted surface and subterranean dwellers, "are relying on you. Our lives are in your hands."
Facing the kuo-toa, Mars says, "That would be very generous of you, to host all of us in your village. Is it very far from here?" Mars will attempt to study this Shuushar to decide if they seem like a trustworthy guide to the Underdark. (Insight: 3)
"Can we make haste? Please?" she asks the group, "The sooner we can escape from the priestess and these gods-forgotten caverns, the better."
Mars goes to the members who cannot see in the dark - Alivia and Tuma (?) - and casts light twice on a small, easily-coverable object each of them are holding (their choice which object), to produce a low red light for the two to go by.
Tuma's eyes will light up as Mars lights up her gold coin. "Ah! This is wonderful! " She will then give Mars a hug. "Mmmm, thank you, friend! You are my favorite human friend."
Mars - Shuushar the kuo-toa appears calm and collected, especially for a fish person.
“How far is Darklake from this prison?” Shuushar asks.
”Two or three days travel, depending on the natural wildlife one encounters,” Sarith replies, crossing his arms.
”Less than ten days travel, my village is.” Shuushar nods. “More than happy to host you, I would be. Go back to my village and enlighten my people, I must.”
Perception: 15
As another beast falls to the drow crossbolts and spells, Ilvara’s gaze locks onto the large group standing by the waterfall.
“Prisoners!” The priestess screeches. “They cannot be allowed to escape!”
Roll initiative.
you can also include what you plan to do during your first turn to keep things moving.
7
Inititiative: 23
Daerthe curses and moves her full movement away from their enemies, making sure to be ready as she will take Dodge action instead of trying to attack.
(I’ll be rolling NPC initiative in groups to keep things easier)
T&T, Jimjar - 15
Shuushar, Stool - 14
Buppido, Derendil, Ront - 14
Sarith, Eldeth - 13
Ilvara - 4
Shoor, Jorlan - 13
Drow guards (5) - 16
Mars initiative: 17
Following Daerthe's lead, Mars will run 30 ft. in the opposite direction from the dark priestess and her posse and take the Dodge action.
7
DM, can you indicate using the maps you posted earlier where we are compared to where Ilvara and the other drow are, please?
((Of course, sorry about that. Your group is on the bridge beside the waterfall. Ilvara and the other drow are slightly beyond the largest stalagmite (the one directly in front of you, on the walkway. This is a distance of about 45 ft.))