Lost Lab of Kwalish

Quote from Shonisaurus >>

OOC: I'm guessing "Thacko" is a nod to THAC0.

 I assume that is the author's intent.   This thing is rife with old school Easter eggs. Your guide is one,  "Eludicia," the succubus paladin, but it's just an Easter egg, not the real character, who was caught in a gelatinius cube, so I changed it.   

Huarache deals heavy damage to the creepy crawler, allowing Echo to grab hold and take the creature down, finishing the fight.

Ooc: I kind of forgot my own thing here subs we haven't shine it yet.   My intent was to say up front that the initiative is determined by a roll, but it's not too late, we do know half the outcome, since Echo takes out Thacko.  We don't know if Thacko hits Leann (he misses Omiy).  So, let's find out!

Initiative:

Thacko: 5

Huarache & Echo: 5

 Leann avoids damage.  Normally I would have waited for the other players to post, but the only enemy had so few hit points, it would just be beating a dead horse.

Corridors lead off to the east, south, and west, with the west ending at a heavy oak door with bronze fittings. 

The room is quiet, except the wind heard by listening at the oak door. 

You lot go in I’ll watch Sam says 

Sam looks around the room, this time as his gaze falls on the skull on the floor, he lingers for an instant and sees something glinting through the ocular cavity.  Lifting the skull, he finds 19sp and a small ruby worth 20gp.

You guys want to try the East or South halls or the wooden door to the West?

Huarache casts Detect Magic and looks at the Wicked Witch Wooden Door of the West.

Huarache detects nothing magical nearby,  other then the various magical items in the party's possession.

Leann is still unnerved by the time movement as they call on the power of their guide. With a shiver she looks to the western passage and the wooden door. "Want to check the door prior to going further afield?" She asks the group, moving in that direction herself.

"Just did. Nothing magical about it."

One of you opens the door. As you do so, a gust of wind fills the corridor. (Stength checks moot, ignore them) candle check: 1 or 2 lights out, 3 or 4 burning bright: 1

 Any open flames in the room providing light are blown out.  A single narrow beam of light from the top of the stairs fails to illuminate the space.

Beyond the door you find a natural cavern, which provides fresh water for the temple from the cold and fast-flowing stream along its western edge. The stream enters from the north along a tunnel, and exits to the south in the same manner. A cold wind blows from the south tunnel, generated above the subterranean lake the stream flows into (hence the gust of wind- no magic).

Numerous barrels, casks, and buckets are stored here, all used to collect fresh water.

Pool:

The stream forms a small pool 7 feet deep at its center, which is home to numerous small, white blindfish and crayfish. An unusual mineral formation occupies the bottom of the pool. Looking closely at it, Samogri identifies the formation as a limed-over skeleton (he can hold his breath and has super darkvision - if anyone's checking it out I'm guessing it's him).

Tunnels:

The tunnel to the north has no air space within it, and leads back to the stream’s source. The tunnel to the south is higher, leaving an ample air space along which the brisk wind is channeled.

Sam spots a key in the skeletons hand.  Taking it disturbs the skeleton and causes a cylindrical object to dislodge from it. This object is carried off by the stream unless any character in or out of the water succeeds on a DC 18 Dexterity check to snag it.

Ooc: I'm sure you're going to get it if you all try, so let's say you get it.

The watertight ivory tube dislodged by the skeleton contains a vellum map of the temple complex. However, slow seepage has blurred all but a small portion, so that the map now shows only the entrance hall to your east where Thacko's remains now lie, the water room you're in now, a passage leading south of the entrance hall to a large chamber more than 50ft to the south, and the hall leading south of that room for another 20ft., beyond which the map is faded beyond recognition.  The large chamber is only a smudge.

You can follow the stream north (underwater) or south (with air) or go back to the other room and follow the map.south or go straight on to the east (or, I suppose, back up the stairs to the north, but there's not much there.) 

Huarache sees the flame go out, and he says, "Ah, hold on." Those without darkvision hear a strange clicking, then see the light flare up again as he holds up a magical welding torch striker (casting Prestidigitation). "We should probably head south; I certainly can't breathe underwater."

(For the record, everyone but Omiy has darkvision. Sam's range is extra from a class feature on top of racial darkvision)

Ooc: given you just found a map leading a different route and a key along this route, are you sure you want to take the river route?

Sam looking at his companions and the passage ahead says    “We should check the east side and see what’s there” 

"Fine by me."

Leann shrugs her indifference and follows along after the others.

Passing back through the entry chamber,  you find a hallway extending 15ft East, turning sharply to the left.  

There's something odd about the south wall in the corner if the hallway.  It might be a secret door.

If you try it, it will open

5ft north, the hall continues to the east

25ft north, the hall ends with a door on the left and another on the right. (Because of time travel, you would suspect that the left door leads towards some lizardmen as thiswould representthe other side kf the arrow slit in the stairs by which you were once seen.)

So, try the secret south passage or continue East or check a door to the north? Or head back to room 1 and try south (the area on the map you found)

1 - North

2 - East

3 - South

4 - West

1 

Rolling for you guys since you seem pretty indifferent.