((Body the rapidly check down the stairs sounds good. I was thinking Ash for that as Ben wouldn't want to put Bimz into too great a risk since Bimz is so squishy. You're both fast though.
Totally going to try and get a rope from the door to the mast there 😁! Probably won't hold them long but we'll hear it if it/its have to break out.))
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
((Sounds like a plan…))
Ash is ready to dump the body in the grate and take a peek down the stairs. But first, she whispers, ”Ben, I have a rope. Is this what you needed to bind the doors?… here…”.
She also helps heave the body to the grate. ((will Ben clean them after?!))
Then she pokes her head down the stairs to see what the room looks like down there, and if she can see any enemies, or any precious boxes…
((Thanks for the HP updates! I added 1HP to Ess for song of rest. Thank you for the reminder! 25/27))
Ash, given how close the home base ship is, you're confident that you can be back on the Wave Widow within the hour (give or take a few minutes) and so the party does end up doing that.
Upon returning to the ship, everything seems the same. The creature does look a little more pale purple as it's lost more blood.
Ash, you search the room that you had cleared out just an hour before.
Recap of initial description of room:
A rough stone altar dominates this cabin. Strange markings cover its surface, dried mud cakes the floor around it, and humanoid skulls ring the wall above, each mounted on a wooden spike. The corners of this room are piled with garbage and debris — crudely cut wooden logs, smashed furniture, torn sacks, shattered crates, and small piles of dried palm fronds. A staircase descends from the southeast corner, and an acrid odor fills the air.
Ash, within the debris in one of the corners of the room, your sharp eyes find papers and a small book which are written in common. As you look at them, you are able to determine that these items are the ships ledger and the captain's log.
The log details the ship’s last voyage, including an account of the terrible storm that threw the Wave Widow off course and separated it from its escort. (Aubreck was on the escort ship which ended up making it back home). Running low on food and drinkable water, the Widow was forced to drop anchor off an uncharted island. The last entry describes an attack by orcs that fought alongside goblins and monstrous vermin. Though the crew fended off this initial attack, they suffered heavy casualties. The final entry records the captain’s fear that this attack might have been the precursor to an even larger assault.
Ash, in the debris you also find a small sack containing ten small red gems.
Ben, all of the skulls seem to be human. They were definitely put there on purpose. They are mounted on wooden spikes. You get the feeling this cabin was used for some type of ritual, or rituals. You would not recognize the alter or who it was to, but you're certain this room is a shrine.
Ben, Bimz is fine with waiting outside, he prefers it actually. He would happily fly around the deck, getting some nice flights from the gusts of wind being so far out at sea while at the same time keeping an eye out to alert you should he see something. You get an immense feeling of having fun for a few moments as Bimz flies around in the wind.
Ben, the doors swing inwards and yes I'd say they have a handle or some solid opening mechanism of some sort on the outside. I will let you know if there's a different door somewhere.
Please explain which door(s) you're tying to rope up and how exactly you're doing that.
Ben, regarding the magical ping from the box, you would know that the box-sized pings seem to be coming from the cargo hold. Not the lower deck down the stairs. You are getting many pings though from the lower deck, a bit to the north of the room you just cleared. Not directly below the grate though. A bit south of that.
Ess also helps with bringing the creature over the grate. You all see a ton of spiders again as the blood drips down through the grate.
Nothing happens as of yet.
Ash, when you peek your head down the stairs, judging from the stove along one wall of this room this was once the galley. Now the area is cluttered with bones and debris. Badly damaged metal knives and other cookware hang from hooks in the ceiling, while the choking stench of rotting flesh fills the air. Tiny spiders crawl over everything.
There is a door to the north, and it is damaged and held shut by rusty iron spikes.
There is a trapdoor as well which you assume leads to the cargo hold. A bar has been inserted through a set of rusted brackets to keep it shut.
((I know it's not combat yet, but Korrik would be on high alert after having blundered into the spiders the first go around, and is letting Ash make the call as to when to enter.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
((OOC: okay then, sorry, back little bit…. … If a trip back to the original boat would not elongate their rest past 1hour, then Ash would grab one of her fishing rods. And on the row back she would see if she could either pull or break off most of the rod part, leaving just the handle and the spool of fishing wire. On top of that, she would ask Ess to lop off one of the skinned creatures hands with his sword…))
((Then back up to the current moment…))
Ash hands the papers and the book to Korrik to read and work out what they are. “You might be able to make heads and tails of this?…”, she says, flicking her tail left and right.
And she would hand Ben the bag of gems. “A little bonus on top of our pay?…”
Then, in the cleared room, Ash would tie the severed hand to her truncated fishing line. She also explains to everyone, before she peeks down, that she would throw the tethered hand out into the centre of the floor, to see if anything jumps out or attacks.
If no one objects, this is what she does now, (after peeking down super stealthily, 29, and seeing the room as described). She throws the tethered hand out into the centre of the floor, and also draws one dagger just in case, and watches the hand, and around the room for movement, from the very top of the stairs…
((edit… if nothing happens, after a brief moment she reels the hand back in and creeps down into the room quietly and carefully, signalling the others to follow if they want but at a distance…))
Ok no problem. So the northern door handle on the main deck is tied to the mast. Ben I've moved you on the map, let me know if that is where you meant.
Ash, you're able to break your rod as you've described and Ess does cut the hand (it's more like a big pincer) off the creature and you create your truncated fishing like with the pincer at the end!
Ash, nothing happens when you fish with the severed pincer. Therefore, you head down into the room which has been described already. Ess would've came with you, too. "I guess it's a good thing you didn't catch anything right?! hahaha! Ok you lead the way, Ashy."
Ben makes the gems disappear and will wait for Ash to signal the all clear before heading down.
((Where are the magic pings in relation to this new room? If I understand correctly, on the otherside of the barred door? The hatch leads to the cargo hold and the box sized glow?))
"Well. That explains what happened to the original crew, but that was years ago. Why is it floating here in the middle of the ocean with spider people? I haven't see anything that indicates there are orcs or goblins onboard. Granted, we've only checked one room and it did have skulls on pikes."
Ash, you don't find anything in the room other than what's been described, although you notice that this area seemed to be kept free of webs and was likely used for food storage. There's nothing but small scraps of who knows what remaining.
The trapdoor going to the cargo hold is barred but can easily be removed.
Ben, given the aura you get from the box compared to the trapdoor size, there will be no issues fitting it up and through.
((How far does it seem down? Like something we could lift up or would it require a pull up?))
"I think we should give that trap door a quick look first. I suspect our prize is down there. After we've found it and assessed how difficult it will be to pull up, perhaps we can check on those other magical items."
((Body the rapidly check down the stairs sounds good. I was thinking Ash for that as Ben wouldn't want to put Bimz into too great a risk since Bimz is so squishy. You're both fast though.
Totally going to try and get a rope from the door to the mast there 😁! Probably won't hold them long but we'll hear it if it/its have to break out.))
((Sounds like a plan…))
Ash is ready to dump the body in the grate and take a peek down the stairs. But first, she whispers, ”Ben, I have a rope. Is this what you needed to bind the doors?… here…”.
She also helps heave the body to the grate. ((will Ben clean them after?!))
Then she pokes her head down the stairs to see what the room looks like down there, and if she can see any enemies, or any precious boxes…
Stealth check: 17
Perception check: 20 (passive 17)
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
((Ben is going to clean everyone up after touching that thing. It's probably pretty sticky and nasty now.
I think Ben would know if the precious box was in the room below, right Klein?))
Ben pulls out all the extra rope Aubreck sent for them.
"Perhaps Kay is better at tying knots though? Having been a... Sailor."
"Not a sailor, just a smuggler."
11 + 1
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
13
Sigh
29/33
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
((Sure, sounds like a plan!))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
((Thanks for the HP updates! I added 1HP to Ess for song of rest. Thank you for the reminder! 25/27))
Ash, given how close the home base ship is, you're confident that you can be back on the Wave Widow within the hour (give or take a few minutes) and so the party does end up doing that.
Upon returning to the ship, everything seems the same. The creature does look a little more pale purple as it's lost more blood.
Ash, you search the room that you had cleared out just an hour before.
Recap of initial description of room:
A rough stone altar dominates this cabin. Strange markings cover its surface, dried mud cakes the floor around it, and humanoid skulls ring the wall above, each mounted on a wooden spike. The corners of this room are piled with garbage and debris — crudely cut wooden logs, smashed furniture, torn sacks, shattered crates, and small piles of dried palm fronds. A staircase descends from the southeast corner, and an acrid odor fills the air.
Ash, within the debris in one of the corners of the room, your sharp eyes find papers and a small book which are written in common. As you look at them, you are able to determine that these items are the ships ledger and the captain's log.
The log details the ship’s last voyage, including an account of the terrible storm that threw the Wave Widow off course and separated it from its escort. (Aubreck was on the escort ship which ended up making it back home). Running low on food and drinkable water, the Widow was forced to drop anchor off an uncharted island. The last entry describes an attack by orcs that fought alongside goblins and monstrous vermin. Though the crew fended off this initial attack, they suffered heavy casualties. The final entry records the captain’s fear that this attack might have been the precursor to an even larger assault.
Ash, in the debris you also find a small sack containing ten small red gems.
Ben, all of the skulls seem to be human. They were definitely put there on purpose. They are mounted on wooden spikes. You get the feeling this cabin was used for some type of ritual, or rituals. You would not recognize the alter or who it was to, but you're certain this room is a shrine.
Ben, Bimz is fine with waiting outside, he prefers it actually. He would happily fly around the deck, getting some nice flights from the gusts of wind being so far out at sea while at the same time keeping an eye out to alert you should he see something. You get an immense feeling of having fun for a few moments as Bimz flies around in the wind.
Ben, the doors swing inwards and yes I'd say they have a handle or some solid opening mechanism of some sort on the outside. I will let you know if there's a different door somewhere.
Please explain which door(s) you're tying to rope up and how exactly you're doing that.
Ben, regarding the magical ping from the box, you would know that the box-sized pings seem to be coming from the cargo hold. Not the lower deck down the stairs. You are getting many pings though from the lower deck, a bit to the north of the room you just cleared. Not directly below the grate though. A bit south of that.
Ess also helps with bringing the creature over the grate. You all see a ton of spiders again as the blood drips down through the grate.
Nothing happens as of yet.
Ash, when you peek your head down the stairs, judging from the stove along one wall of this room this was once the galley. Now the area is cluttered with bones and debris. Badly damaged metal knives and other cookware hang from hooks in the ceiling, while the choking stench of rotting flesh fills the air. Tiny spiders crawl over everything.
There is a door to the north, and it is damaged and held shut by rusty iron spikes.
There is a trapdoor as well which you assume leads to the cargo hold. A bar has been inserted through a set of rusted brackets to keep it shut.
Let me know if I missed anything.
Maps are updated.
Over to you!
((I know it's not combat yet, but Korrik would be on high alert after having blundered into the spiders the first go around, and is letting Ash make the call as to when to enter.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
((I'm thinking door handle tied to the broken mast so the door doesn't open?))
Ben will post up above the door nearest the grate, crossbow ready as he waits for Ash to come back.
((OOC: okay then, sorry, back little bit…. … If a trip back to the original boat would not elongate their rest past 1hour, then Ash would grab one of her fishing rods. And on the row back she would see if she could either pull or break off most of the rod part, leaving just the handle and the spool of fishing wire. On top of that, she would ask Ess to lop off one of the skinned creatures hands with his sword…))
((Then back up to the current moment…))
Ash hands the papers and the book to Korrik to read and work out what they are. “You might be able to make heads and tails of this?…”, she says, flicking her tail left and right.
And she would hand Ben the bag of gems. “A little bonus on top of our pay?…”
Then, in the cleared room, Ash would tie the severed hand to her truncated fishing line. She also explains to everyone, before she peeks down, that she would throw the tethered hand out into the centre of the floor, to see if anything jumps out or attacks.
If no one objects, this is what she does now, (after peeking down super stealthily, 29, and seeing the room as described). She throws the tethered hand out into the centre of the floor, and also draws one dagger just in case, and watches the hand, and around the room for movement, from the very top of the stairs…
((edit… if nothing happens, after a brief moment she reels the hand back in and creeps down into the room quietly and carefully, signalling the others to follow if they want but at a distance…))
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Korrik scans the logs, and recounts what he can of the ships last few days.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Ok no problem. So the northern door handle on the main deck is tied to the mast. Ben I've moved you on the map, let me know if that is where you meant.
Ash, you're able to break your rod as you've described and Ess does cut the hand (it's more like a big pincer) off the creature and you create your truncated fishing like with the pincer at the end!
Ash, nothing happens when you fish with the severed pincer. Therefore, you head down into the room which has been described already. Ess would've came with you, too. "I guess it's a good thing you didn't catch anything right?! hahaha! Ok you lead the way, Ashy."
What's next?
Maps are updated.
Ben makes the gems disappear and will wait for Ash to signal the all clear before heading down.
((Where are the magic pings in relation to this new room? If I understand correctly, on the otherside of the barred door? The hatch leads to the cargo hold and the box sized glow?))
Correct about the ones behind the door held with the rusty iron spikes. The room that Ash is in.
The hatch on the main deck leads to the lower deck.
The trapdoor in the new room that Ash is in leads to the cargo hold, which is where the box sized glow is.
Regarding the log,
"Well. That explains what happened to the original crew, but that was years ago. Why is it floating here in the middle of the ocean with spider people? I haven't see anything that indicates there are orcs or goblins onboard. Granted, we've only checked one room and it did have skulls on pikes."
Ash turns to the others, the rod/pincer arrangement swinging triumphantly beside her.
“Looks like it’s all clear. Do we want to keep searching this way? I can go first…”.
”…there is a hatch down, and a doorway to another room. Both barricaded shut… from this side I think!!…”.
”… I think we should expect trouble if we bust one of those open… For now, I’m heading down to search anyone want to help me?”.
Investigation check (advantage from help?): 15 (+3 extra for perception)
((passives: investigation 14, perception 17))
((Do you need/want another stealth check or would the 29 rolled previously see her through?))
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Ben would come down, casting a doubtful eye on the grate.
He would indicate where the magic items are in relation to them.
"The box is almost certainly in the hold, we can take a look into the hatch first?"
((How is the box size in relation to the hatch hole size?))
((Sorry Spider! I know you're busy today))
Ash, you don't find anything in the room other than what's been described, although you notice that this area seemed to be kept free of webs and was likely used for food storage. There's nothing but small scraps of who knows what remaining.
The trapdoor going to the cargo hold is barred but can easily be removed.
Ben, given the aura you get from the box compared to the trapdoor size, there will be no issues fitting it up and through.
((How far does it seem down? Like something we could lift up or would it require a pull up?))
"I think we should give that trap door a quick look first. I suspect our prize is down there. After we've found it and assessed how difficult it will be to pull up, perhaps we can check on those other magical items."