Poole puts away her tools she'd been looking through to try to figure out a way to get up to the ceiling and disarm the blades, and says, "that's a nifty trick, wow."
Stepping into the new room, she says, "do we think dinosaurs tried to get that jug and failed? Or maybe there are dinosaurs here as guards." Is the dust thick and undisturbed?
"Should I try to look for traps on that pillar and the stairs around it? That picture shows a person carrying a crocodile, like the story. Maybe if we carry dinosaur bones, the temple will be happy with us. Or I could carry you, Aurok,"she says, with a grin. She searches for traps as best she can from where she is.
Anzir eyes the jug like it contains the only water he has seen in days. He nods absently as his name is put forth. "Watch for spiders," he says as he steps forward, checking the stairs for traps.
Pooleand Anzirwork together to examine the steps and between the two of them figure out that some of these have some kind of a magical enchantment on them. Easy enough to avoid them though now that you know what to look for as none appear to be next to each other.
Continuing their cooperation Poolekneels down and Anzirclimbs to her shoulders. It's an awkward scene with slight rogue trying to climb up the stairs carrying a massive dragonborn paladin in heavy armor.
Poole, make three Athletics checks to reach the top (DC increasingly 12, 15, 18).
Anzir, make three Acrobatics check to maintain balance (DC 10).
-----
Meanwhile at the feet of the statue the others have completely lost sight of the three that headed in. Similarly all the goblins and undead have disappeared and it's rather quiet.
You may wait for the three to return or follow them or wander around outside if you wish to.
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Poolemanages to stand up, but the 1 foot high first step proves to be challenge too great. Anzircalmly removes himself from the top of the crumpled rogue.
If you are trying the other way then do the rolls the other way :)
AnzirAtheltics checks (DC 8, 10, 12 - Pooleis much lighter)
With almost practiced ease the duo of a dragonborn and half-elf climb up the stairs.
Watching their trek up Melanthios notices a system of latticework high in the ceiling with bricks placed upon them seemingly for no reason. Following this contraption with his gaze he can see that it leads downwards and has something connected to the central pillar.
As he is about to shout out a warning then he can see Anzir and Poole start to descend, Poole holding on to an alchemy jug.
Nothing bad seems to happen as they climb all the way back down and exit the statue. There is no sign of any undead or goblins. The river is lazily flowing a hundred feet away and you hope nothing bad has happened to Qawasha and the vegepygmy while you've been away.
What would you like to do? Give chase to the goblins, look for undead, look through the rest of this camp, go back to Qawasha or something else entirely?
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Everyone heads back to the boats and find Qawasha being very quiet and very relieved of your return. "Next time we are not splitting up. We had a skeleton walk right past us and straight into the river here. About half an hour ago now, so it's gone, but it was scary."
The party paddles the first mile very quietly, observing the surrounding river and its banks for any undead or goblin activity, but find none.
Rest of the day goes similarly quietly and it seems that the river has turned fully southward, just as the tabaxi had mentioned a few days earlier.
----
Day 10
Weather: temperature 7 (4), wind 8, precipitation 5
Navigation: 19
Direction if lost: 6
Random encounters: 16 (40), 2 (30), 8 (6)
The days are starting to blend into each other. Especially after a full day of paddling up a river heading directly south. There was some light wind, but it mostly just lessened the amount of flying bugs around instead of cooling the skin.
By the evening Undril and Qawasha talk about the location, their pace and both conclude that Camp Vengeance should be really close. The fact that you have not reached it yet is unsettling, although Qawasha is very sure of proper navigation. With daylight fading rapidly Poole spots a canoe a few hundred feet upriver crossing from east to west, holding two figures.
"That must be it, I was sure we were close," says Undril and jumps back into her own canoe, urging other to do the same.
A few minutes later the sun has completely set and the rest of the way is guided by faint moonlight. Right about where Poole thought she saw the canoe previously a narrow beach comes into view, along with some nasty stench of the dead. A high log wall looms a few dozen feet behind the beach, with some kind of a building right in the middle of it, possibly a gatehouse.
No lights are visible anywhere, nor is any movement seen or heard. It looks intact, but completely abandoned in the faint moonlight.
Poole barely notices the group's decisionmaking and departure, instead experimenting with the jug, and eventually produces a steady stream of clear, clean, fresh water, which she uses to refill everyone's waterskins and cookpots throughout the day.
As the party approaches the deserted beach, she says a bit dreamily, "Unless they're all sleeping quietly, something bad happened here. Should we investigate first, or should we see who those two who darted across in the canoe are?"
(OOC: did the canoe originate on the Camp Vengeance side, or arrive at the Camp Vengeance side?)
It arrived on the Camp Vengeance side. You were looking south along the river and it crossed the river left to right (east to west). The beach you have arrived on is on the west side of the river.
Undril starts walking up to the gatehouse when Qawasha stops her, "What's your plan? We don't really want to make too much noise in the jungle night. Or too much light. But some might be OK."
Those with darkvision can see a moat on both sides of the path to the gatehouse with sharp stakes sticking out of it. The stench of death comes from many corpses of beasts around the area as well as some destroyed undead.
Poole puts away her tools she'd been looking through to try to figure out a way to get up to the ceiling and disarm the blades, and says, "that's a nifty trick, wow."
Stepping into the new room, she says, "do we think dinosaurs tried to get that jug and failed? Or maybe there are dinosaurs here as guards." Is the dust thick and undisturbed?
"Should I try to look for traps on that pillar and the stairs around it? That picture shows a person carrying a crocodile, like the story. Maybe if we carry dinosaur bones, the temple will be happy with us. Or I could carry you, Aurok," she says, with a grin. She searches for traps as best she can from where she is.
Investigation: 13
Perception: 23
“I’m not a crocodile in the slightest, but Azir might work.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Anzir eyes the jug like it contains the only water he has seen in days. He nods absently as his name is put forth. "Watch for spiders," he says as he steps forward, checking the stairs for traps.
Perception: 19
Poole and Anzir work together to examine the steps and between the two of them figure out that some of these have some kind of a magical enchantment on them. Easy enough to avoid them though now that you know what to look for as none appear to be next to each other.
Continuing their cooperation Poole kneels down and Anzir climbs to her shoulders. It's an awkward scene with slight rogue trying to climb up the stairs carrying a massive dragonborn paladin in heavy armor.
Poole, make three Athletics checks to reach the top (DC increasingly 12, 15, 18).
Anzir, make three Acrobatics check to maintain balance (DC 10).
-----
Meanwhile at the feet of the statue the others have completely lost sight of the three that headed in. Similarly all the goblins and undead have disappeared and it's rather quiet.
You may wait for the three to return or follow them or wander around outside if you wish to.
Acrobatics(10): 18, 20, 3
ruh roh...
This would maybe have gone better the opposite way...
Athletics: 20 4 13
Melanthios hangs back and watches in bewilderment.
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Class Guides: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Bard General Guides: PvP
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Poole manages to stand up, but the 1 foot high first step proves to be challenge too great. Anzir calmly removes himself from the top of the crumpled rogue.
If you are trying the other way then do the rolls the other way :)
Anzir Atheltics checks (DC 8, 10, 12 - Poole is much lighter)
and Poole Acrobatics checks (DC 10)
"Let's try this differently."
Athletics(8): 15 +2
Athletics(10): 21 +2
Athletics(12): 20 +2
(Oops. That was a straight STR check. They all passed anyways, it seems.)
Poole nods and says, "I need to learn how to make my jokes more obvious." She climbs up and hopes for better:
Acrobatics: 18
Acrobatics: 23
Acrobatics: 25
With almost practiced ease the duo of a dragonborn and half-elf climb up the stairs.
Watching their trek up Melanthios notices a system of latticework high in the ceiling with bricks placed upon them seemingly for no reason. Following this contraption with his gaze he can see that it leads downwards and has something connected to the central pillar.
As he is about to shout out a warning then he can see Anzir and Poole start to descend, Poole holding on to an alchemy jug.
Nothing bad seems to happen as they climb all the way back down and exit the statue. There is no sign of any undead or goblins. The river is lazily flowing a hundred feet away and you hope nothing bad has happened to Qawasha and the vegepygmy while you've been away.
What would you like to do? Give chase to the goblins, look for undead, look through the rest of this camp, go back to Qawasha or something else entirely?
“Unless our friend wanted to search the camp for anything in particular, I think we should continue on our journey, yes?”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Undril says, "Not really, no. My goal lies with Camp Vengeance."
Melanthios shrugs.
"I’m fine with not wandering through more creepy ruins today."
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Class Guides: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Bard General Guides: PvP
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
"I got what I came for. Let's find Qawasha and get out of here," Anzir says, making for the exit.
Everyone heads back to the boats and find Qawasha being very quiet and very relieved of your return. "Next time we are not splitting up. We had a skeleton walk right past us and straight into the river here. About half an hour ago now, so it's gone, but it was scary."
The party paddles the first mile very quietly, observing the surrounding river and its banks for any undead or goblin activity, but find none.
Rest of the day goes similarly quietly and it seems that the river has turned fully southward, just as the tabaxi had mentioned a few days earlier.
----
Day 10
Weather: temperature 7 (4), wind 8, precipitation 5
Navigation: 19
Direction if lost: 6
Random encounters: 16 (40), 2 (30), 8 (6)
The days are starting to blend into each other. Especially after a full day of paddling up a river heading directly south. There was some light wind, but it mostly just lessened the amount of flying bugs around instead of cooling the skin.
By the evening Undril and Qawasha talk about the location, their pace and both conclude that Camp Vengeance should be really close. The fact that you have not reached it yet is unsettling, although Qawasha is very sure of proper navigation. With daylight fading rapidly Poole spots a canoe a few hundred feet upriver crossing from east to west, holding two figures.
"That must be it, I was sure we were close," says Undril and jumps back into her own canoe, urging other to do the same.
A few minutes later the sun has completely set and the rest of the way is guided by faint moonlight. Right about where Poole thought she saw the canoe previously a narrow beach comes into view, along with some nasty stench of the dead. A high log wall looms a few dozen feet behind the beach, with some kind of a building right in the middle of it, possibly a gatehouse.
No lights are visible anywhere, nor is any movement seen or heard. It looks intact, but completely abandoned in the faint moonlight.
Poole barely notices the group's decisionmaking and departure, instead experimenting with the jug, and eventually produces a steady stream of clear, clean, fresh water, which she uses to refill everyone's waterskins and cookpots throughout the day.
As the party approaches the deserted beach, she says a bit dreamily, "Unless they're all sleeping quietly, something bad happened here. Should we investigate first, or should we see who those two who darted across in the canoe are?"
(OOC: did the canoe originate on the Camp Vengeance side, or arrive at the Camp Vengeance side?)
It arrived on the Camp Vengeance side. You were looking south along the river and it crossed the river left to right (east to west). The beach you have arrived on is on the west side of the river.
Undril starts walking up to the gatehouse when Qawasha stops her, "What's your plan? We don't really want to make too much noise in the jungle night. Or too much light. But some might be OK."
Those with darkvision can see a moat on both sides of the path to the gatehouse with sharp stakes sticking out of it. The stench of death comes from many corpses of beasts around the area as well as some destroyed undead.
“The only thing to do is go look.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Poole looks around for any tracks or sign of the canoers’ arrival and destination, and offers to scout ahead quietly.