Craben, not trusting doors here, takes out a book and flips to a random page and begins praying
"Great Deneir, Lord of Books and Scribes, I seek your great wisdom. Help me find the information I seek. Is there magic about here. Let your knowledge inform me. Show me in this book where magic be because books always hold the answer for those who simply take the time to read."
While Craben is reciting this pray the book he grabbed begins to glow a little and the words on the page begin to rearrange themselves to give Craben the answers he seeks.
Your magical sight allows for you to notice that there is some magic in the area (assuming that you use your action) as you begin to focus your energy, the door is outlined in some strange energy. It seems that this door has conjuration magic cast upon it.
You all decide to head South-East. Continuing through the passageway you find that it opens up once again into a side-chamber while at the end a passageway continues heading East. As you look around the Dancing Lights are caught and refracted hundreds of times by the large pink crystals coming out of the walls and ceiling.
The mage hand touches the handle, once again a surge of necromantic energy pulses, but the hand seems unaffected. It then opens the door, which moves aside to reveal a hallway beyond. As you walk up the steps you see several iron doors that line your path. Coming from one near the end of the hall, you hear terrible banging. The hall heads North at first but you see it quickly turns a corner, heading West. However, at the corner, you notice two iron cell doors, one that is empty to the North and another that you cannot really see into that leads to the East. This seems to be where the banging is coming from.
The banging stops (it's not a question of light, it's just perspective. If there's an opening at the end of a hallway you can't see into the opening). As the lights drift over then you hear a very high pitched but coarse voice: "Hello! I-Is there someone there? Please, quickly, free me!"
As Gwen runs into the hallway and gets to the corner she sees that the hall seems to extend another 30 ft. or so with three more cells. In the cell to the north all she and Craben (he's not totally around the corner yet) see the empty Northern cell has nothing except manacles... and there still is some kind of dried liquid on them...
As you then turn to the other Eastern cell you see a very strange sight. An incredibly small dragon sits perched on a stand of some kind in a bare room with the exception of a small dirty pile of hay. As the dragon sees you the voice continues: "Why thank Bahamut that somebody arrived here. You have no idea how long I have been waiting. Please let me out, I can't bear the stench of this room any longer!"
The tiny little reddish-purple scaled dragon speaks again: "My..." she pauses, incredibly reluctant to say who exactly this is, but eventually lets it spill out: "Master. She can't even give me the kindness of death, instead, she just locked me up here... She'll pay, and I shall finally be able to return. Just let me go, I beg of you. She warded the inside from being able to be opened, so I can't even try to break out."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In Draconic Craben say "The last couple doors we touched were trapped. Are there any such things on this cell door? Specifically, anything on this side that we need to worry about before we attempt to get you out?"
(I'll roll a Insight check to determine if the tiny dragon is lying because Craben is wary of everything in this place right now)
The tiny dragon chuckles and answers back also in Draconic: "You speak the true tongue! Good, my master, before she... turned evil, that is. Actually blessed me with the gift of speech. Most of my kind can only communicate telepathically you see." It is quite obvious that this tiny dragon has not had anyone to talk to in a very long time, and is thus trying to make up for that. She then continues on: "Other than the wards on this side of the door, no there isn't. I know this place like the back of my claws, so I'm sure that there's nothing there. You should be in the clear to bust open or pick the lock. I would only open this one though, the others have more... unsavory occupants." She says, clicking her tongue as she does so.
You cannot tell. It might just be because she has the physiology of a dragon, but it's hard to discern any tells or ticks that would give away lies.
Craben will respond in Draconic "Your master she is the Lich known as the Duchess of Rot. We are here attempting to grab her phylactery. Surely you know where it is. If we release you can you guide us to it?"
The pseudodragon smiles a terrible smile as she is asked that question: "Of course I do, and I will destroy that thing to purge my master of evil she has become. Here, I can help you." As she is then released the eagerly extends her wings and glides over to perch herself on top of Yosben's shoulder, as she continues speaking: "Thank you small gnome. Now, quickly continue down the chamber. The other cells are unimportant."
Do you guys continue down the chamber (feel free to affirm in Discord)?
You make your way through the cell filled-passageway. A rotting corpse of a tiefling in one cell, dead hands and feet in another, and humanoid bones and purple crystals (that look eerily similar to ones that you saw in the other room fill the final cell. As you all continue you make it to a bend in the passageway and see another stone door beyond. The dragon (who introduces herself as Elonast) whispers in Yosben's ear: "Quickly! I don't know how you managed to get in here without getting noticed thus far, but my master shall surely not let you live much longer!" Do you continue?
Simply affirm as done before if you want to do anything else or if you're ok with continuing.
Craben, not trusting doors here, takes out a book and flips to a random page and begins praying
"Great Deneir, Lord of Books and Scribes, I seek your great wisdom. Help me find the information I seek. Is there magic about here. Let your knowledge inform me. Show me in this book where magic be because books always hold the answer for those who simply take the time to read."
While Craben is reciting this pray the book he grabbed begins to glow a little and the words on the page begin to rearrange themselves to give Craben the answers he seeks.
Day 19, 1816 hours
Your magical sight allows for you to notice that there is some magic in the area (assuming that you use your action) as you begin to focus your energy, the door is outlined in some strange energy. It seems that this door has conjuration magic cast upon it.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
You all decide to head South-East. Continuing through the passageway you find that it opens up once again into a side-chamber while at the end a passageway continues heading East. As you look around the Dancing Lights are caught and refracted hundreds of times by the large pink crystals coming out of the walls and ceiling.
OOC: Does anyone have prof. with jeweler's tools?
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Day 19, 1929 hours
The mage hand touches the handle, once again a surge of necromantic energy pulses, but the hand seems unaffected. It then opens the door, which moves aside to reveal a hallway beyond. As you walk up the steps you see several iron doors that line your path. Coming from one near the end of the hall, you hear terrible banging. The hall heads North at first but you see it quickly turns a corner, heading West. However, at the corner, you notice two iron cell doors, one that is empty to the North and another that you cannot really see into that leads to the East. This seems to be where the banging is coming from.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Yosben do you think you can light up that cell in the East to see what that banging is?
Yosben casts dancing lights to light up the cell for the others.
The banging stops (it's not a question of light, it's just perspective. If there's an opening at the end of a hallway you can't see into the opening). As the lights drift over then you hear a very high pitched but coarse voice: "Hello! I-Is there someone there? Please, quickly, free me!"
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Gwen runs up to where the banging is coming from, "Who are you?!"
"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
~ Guild Wars 2
Craben will cautiously move forward to see who is there, shield at the ready and prepared to dodge out of the way in case it is a trap.
As Gwen runs into the hallway and gets to the corner she sees that the hall seems to extend another 30 ft. or so with three more cells. In the cell to the north all she and Craben (he's not totally around the corner yet) see the empty Northern cell has nothing except manacles... and there still is some kind of dried liquid on them...
As you then turn to the other Eastern cell you see a very strange sight. An incredibly small dragon sits perched on a stand of some kind in a bare room with the exception of a small dirty pile of hay. As the dragon sees you the voice continues: "Why thank Bahamut that somebody arrived here. You have no idea how long I have been waiting. Please let me out, I can't bear the stench of this room any longer!"
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
"Who put you here?" Gwen asks the dragon curiously.
"The hero sought to save the world.
"If I keep trying, I'll be able to win," the hero thought.
But the harder the hero fought, the further the world seemed to tumble away.
Drowning in doubt, the hero could not even save themselves.
Hero, if you still believe in a brighter future, hold in your heart a thorn that can pierce all doubt."
~ Guild Wars 2
Hearing and recognizing the name Bahamut Craben will rush to the aid of whoever is in the cell. "Don't worry we can help."
The tiny little reddish-purple scaled dragon speaks again: "My..." she pauses, incredibly reluctant to say who exactly this is, but eventually lets it spill out: "Master. She can't even give me the kindness of death, instead, she just locked me up here... She'll pay, and I shall finally be able to return. Just let me go, I beg of you. She warded the inside from being able to be opened, so I can't even try to break out."
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
In Draconic Craben say "The last couple doors we touched were trapped. Are there any such things on this cell door? Specifically, anything on this side that we need to worry about before we attempt to get you out?"
(I'll roll a Insight check to determine if the tiny dragon is lying because Craben is wary of everything in this place right now)
Insight: 1d20+5 = 18
The tiny dragon chuckles and answers back also in Draconic: "You speak the true tongue! Good, my master, before she... turned evil, that is. Actually blessed me with the gift of speech. Most of my kind can only communicate telepathically you see." It is quite obvious that this tiny dragon has not had anyone to talk to in a very long time, and is thus trying to make up for that. She then continues on: "Other than the wards on this side of the door, no there isn't. I know this place like the back of my claws, so I'm sure that there's nothing there. You should be in the clear to bust open or pick the lock. I would only open this one though, the others have more... unsavory occupants." She says, clicking her tongue as she does so.
You cannot tell. It might just be because she has the physiology of a dragon, but it's hard to discern any tells or ticks that would give away lies.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Craben will respond in Draconic "Your master she is the Lich known as the Duchess of Rot. We are here attempting to grab her phylactery. Surely you know where it is. If we release you can you guide us to it?"
Yosben steps forward, picking the lock, and manages to open it. "You're free."
The pseudodragon smiles a terrible smile as she is asked that question: "Of course I do, and I will destroy that thing to purge my master of evil she has become. Here, I can help you." As she is then released the eagerly extends her wings and glides over to perch herself on top of Yosben's shoulder, as she continues speaking: "Thank you small gnome. Now, quickly continue down the chamber. The other cells are unimportant."
Do you guys continue down the chamber (feel free to affirm in Discord)?
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
Day 19, 1931 hours
You make your way through the cell filled-passageway. A rotting corpse of a tiefling in one cell, dead hands and feet in another, and humanoid bones and purple crystals (that look eerily similar to ones that you saw in the other room fill the final cell. As you all continue you make it to a bend in the passageway and see another stone door beyond. The dragon (who introduces herself as Elonast) whispers in Yosben's ear: "Quickly! I don't know how you managed to get in here without getting noticed thus far, but my master shall surely not let you live much longer!" Do you continue?
Simply affirm as done before if you want to do anything else or if you're ok with continuing.
DM of Tomb of Annihilation (and more) Group 2 and Group 3
"Oh, I think your master knows we are here already, but has just decided not to do anything." Yosben continues down the passage.