Thariv lets out an exhalation of relief when Luther drops the undead monstrosity. He shudder a bit at the roots and soily walls all around him, feeling quite a bit claustrophobic underground.
"Sorry I am not of much use here,"he says when he sees the note. "Despite my half-elven blood, my clan knows not much of the ways of the elves of the forest."
He wipes a little cold sweat off the back of his neck. "Perhaps we should rest a while?"he suggests.
Luther gives his friend a slap on the shoulder and says "You're handy in any environment, Thariv. I agree a rest might be a good idea before we head down there, it's getting late and we don't know what we'll face. I'll take first watch"
(If everyone is happy to, settle down for a long rest?)
Zephyra is happy to take the long rest before descending into the depths under the tree. She finishes the rest with prayers to Chauntea for strength to face her fears of enclosed spaces, guidance to help the group with her and the wisdom to find what is causing the trouble for the town and the elves.
You secure the area and prepare to sleep in a nook in the tunnels, taking turns to keep a watch going. On his watch, Ufeza fiddles with the green bag you found on the dead elf and notices that it's a bag of holding.
After a tense but uneventful long rest, you enter a city lost to time. Within the roots of a giant Gulthias tree stand buildings and structures carved lovingly and shaped from the wood itself. Tunnels and branches lead off into neighborhoods connected by common areas and pastoral parkways. Phosphorescent lichen and moss burble up out of fashioned sconces at every corner.
And yet, and yet, no one has tended the parkways for centuries. The lichen and moss overgrow the sconces and add a smell of rot to the stale air. By their glow, you can see water damage from seeping pools and fire damage from ancient untended cookfires. Once elegant and majestic structures now sit toppled in morose ruin.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the space below opens up, Zephyra releases a held breath at the magnificence and the decay. Who would have known such a beautiful city dwelled just below them? She looks around at the moss and lichen looking for evidence of the moss above. perception23
"What a sprawl. It'll take us a long time to find what we are after if we aimlessly search. Anyone have any ideas or a sharper memory than mine? Also, back in town we'll need to discuss this bag. It's magical, I believe." Ufeza says, taking in the scope of the Elven city before them.
Luther tries to collect his fired arrows before heading off, but of the three he loosed can only salvage one. The shadow arrow is either melted or burned, some kind of arcane charring rendering it useless.
As the party descend into the wondrous remains of the elven city, Luther's mouth drops open. "I've never seen the like...it's incredible"
Answering Ufeza, he says "A magic bag eh? Handy. I'm wondering if we should try graveyards and crypts first - all the encounters we've had so far have been centred on places of eternal rest"
The phosphorescent lichen dimly illuminating the area is not at all similar to the dark fungus you saw infecting the tree near the entrance.
All supporting structures in these tunnels are partly carved and partly shaped out of the tree's root system. You hear a near constant creaking of wood-on-wood in the distance, accompanied by the faint sound of dripping water. The dwellings near the entrance are the smallest and constructions get bigger and fancier the longer you walk into the empty city. A small shrine, certainly not big enough to accomadate the population that must have lived here, stands near the end of this first group of houses. A wide path into another chamber leads deeper underground next to it.
Retracing your steps you follow a few narrower paths leading into different houses, until you reach the edge of the contructions and face a wooden wall near the edge of the cave. The wood has been carved into multiple niches, Elvish inscriptions above them with names and occupations let you know that they are crypts, hosting the remains of long dead elves.
Walking closer to the wall, Ufeza studies the carvings and inscriptions, running his fingers along the words within reach. He searches for a pattern among the names or occupations:
The Elvish inscriptions above the niches, somewhat faded by the pass of time, let you know that the people here were mostly artisans and merchants. The ones near were you arrived are undisturbed, just overgrown with roots from the great tree and in a general state of abandonment.
As you keep walking along the sepulchers wall, you see that the ones near the end are open. By the markings on the ground it would seem that the bodies broke them from the inside. You keep moving quietly, but a root breaks with a loud snap under your feet. Suddenly a group of undead comes looking from behind a nearby wall. They look at your group and charge wailing. The noise attracts a group of skeletons which comes from behind you. Time to defend yourselves!
Ghouls initiative: 8 Skeletons initiative: 20
Initiative order: 24 Luther 21 Thariv 20 Five Skeletons, 25 feet behind you 12 Ufeza 8 Three Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you 5 Zephyra
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thariv faces the ghouls, gathering they may be a greater threat than the skeletons. "Mates, if you can keep these scurvy bastards off of me, I'll give 'em a taste of stormy weather!" he says.
With that, he draws on the power of his distant aquatic patron, stirring the air around him so that it instantly crackles with energy. A bolt of lightning flashes out at the nearest uninjured ghoul. Tariq furrows his brow, maintaining the crackling arc of electricity as best he can, still familiarizing himself with the weird and wicked powers somehow bestowed upon him.
Witch Bolt Attack: 26 Damage: 31 (lightning damage; maintain it on the ghoul if it hit, Conc up to 1 minute)
He waves his other hand and summons a dark tentacle from nothing. It lashes out at the same ghoul (unless it has fallen, then it attacks another one).
Bonus Action Tentacle of the Deep Attack: 17 Damage: 3 (cold damage, speed reduced by 10 on hit)
Battle map, there is a crypt wall on the north side, multiple buildings nearby. The ghouls are coming from the east and alerted the group of skeletons to the west, which were lurking among the houses.
Luther hits the closest ghoul, making it groan in pain. Thariv's bolt greatly weakens the one next to it and his summoned tentacle finishes it.
The skeletons close the distance to Ufeza and Zephyra, two of them on each adventurer while the fifth one waits behind them, looking for a place to attack. Attack: 8 Damage: 4 against Ufeza Attack: 6 Damage: 6 against Ufeza Attack: 16 Damage: 8 against Zephyra Attack: 8 Damage: 5 against Zephyra
Initiative order: 24 Luther 21 Thariv 20 Five Skeletons, just behind you 12 Ufeza (in melee with 2 skeletons) 8 Two Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you (12) 5 Zephyra (8, in melee with 2 skeletons)
Ufeza take stock at the fight around them. After Luther and Thariv down a ghoul he shouts “Great shot, boys!”
He then notices how clumped they skeletons are and smiles. He beats a quick rhythm on his hand drum that start low but rapidly builds. As he hits the final percussive note he utters a strings of words the weave together with the beat. A sphere of forest green energy forms above the drum, then he points to a point on the ground and it shoot in a straight line before erupting in a deep, powerful boom.
He the draws his rapier and says to Zephyra, “let’s take care of the bone rattlers while they handle the other guys.”
DM: Casting Shatter, target is a 10ft radius sphere at a point of my choosing. I want it to go behind the skeletons and hit as many as possible without catching Zephyra or Ufeza. Targets must make a DC 15 Con save or take 13 thunder damage on a failed save. On a successful save, take half damage.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Zephyra grips her quarterstaff firmly casting shillelagh on it making it magical then swings with all of her strength at the skeleton to the south of her.
Two skeletons crumble under Ufeza's spell and another one falls to a head blow from Zephyra. The two remaining skeletons look damaged after surviving the blast.
The ghouls charge at Luther and Thariv, clawing without thinking. Attack: 13 Damage: 6 against Luther. Attack: 12 Damage: 6 against Thariv.
Feeling the cold undead claws on him, Thariv must pass a DC Constitution save or be paralyzed for a minute.
Initiative order: 24 Luther 21 Thariv (7) 20 Five Skeletons, just behind you 12 Ufeza 8 Two Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you (12) 5 Zephyra (8)
Thariv lets out an exhalation of relief when Luther drops the undead monstrosity. He shudder a bit at the roots and soily walls all around him, feeling quite a bit claustrophobic underground.
"Sorry I am not of much use here," he says when he sees the note. "Despite my half-elven blood, my clan knows not much of the ways of the elves of the forest."
He wipes a little cold sweat off the back of his neck. "Perhaps we should rest a while?" he suggests.
Luther gives his friend a slap on the shoulder and says "You're handy in any environment, Thariv. I agree a rest might be a good idea before we head down there, it's getting late and we don't know what we'll face. I'll take first watch"
(If everyone is happy to, settle down for a long rest?)
Perception 21 (passive 12) for being on watch
Zephyra is happy to take the long rest before descending into the depths under the tree. She finishes the rest with prayers to Chauntea for strength to face her fears of enclosed spaces, guidance to help the group with her and the wisdom to find what is causing the trouble for the town and the elves.
Updated some spells.
You secure the area and prepare to sleep in a nook in the tunnels, taking turns to keep a watch going. On his watch, Ufeza fiddles with the green bag you found on the dead elf and notices that it's a bag of holding.
After a tense but uneventful long rest, you enter a city lost to time. Within the roots of a giant Gulthias tree stand buildings and structures carved lovingly and shaped from the wood itself. Tunnels and branches lead off into neighborhoods connected by common areas and pastoral parkways. Phosphorescent lichen and moss burble up out of fashioned sconces at every corner.
And yet, and yet, no one has tended the parkways for centuries. The lichen and moss overgrow the sconces and add a smell of rot to the stale air. By their glow, you can see water damage from seeping pools and fire damage from ancient untended cookfires. Once elegant and majestic structures now sit toppled in morose ruin.
As the space below opens up, Zephyra releases a held breath at the magnificence and the decay. Who would have known such a beautiful city dwelled just below them? She looks around at the moss and lichen looking for evidence of the moss above. perception 23
"What a sprawl. It'll take us a long time to find what we are after if we aimlessly search. Anyone have any ideas or a sharper memory than mine? Also, back in town we'll need to discuss this bag. It's magical, I believe." Ufeza says, taking in the scope of the Elven city before them.
Luther tries to collect his fired arrows before heading off, but of the three he loosed can only salvage one. The shadow arrow is either melted or burned, some kind of arcane charring rendering it useless.
As the party descend into the wondrous remains of the elven city, Luther's mouth drops open. "I've never seen the like...it's incredible"
Answering Ufeza, he says "A magic bag eh? Handy. I'm wondering if we should try graveyards and crypts first - all the encounters we've had so far have been centred on places of eternal rest"
Ufeza's eyebrows raise as Luther speaks, and a smile spreads on his lips. "A very good observation. That sounds like a good place to start," he says.
Luther feels warm at the support for his idea - he is used to being admonished for independent thought, drilled to follow orders.
"OK then, let's have a look for a place of rest or worship"
Investigation 17 (passive 12)
The phosphorescent lichen dimly illuminating the area is not at all similar to the dark fungus you saw infecting the tree near the entrance.
All supporting structures in these tunnels are partly carved and partly shaped out of the tree's root system. You hear a near constant creaking of wood-on-wood in the distance, accompanied by the faint sound of dripping water. The dwellings near the entrance are the smallest and constructions get bigger and fancier the longer you walk into the empty city. A small shrine, certainly not big enough to accomadate the population that must have lived here, stands near the end of this first group of houses. A wide path into another chamber leads deeper underground next to it.
Retracing your steps you follow a few narrower paths leading into different houses, until you reach the edge of the contructions and face a wooden wall near the edge of the cave. The wood has been carved into multiple niches, Elvish inscriptions above them with names and occupations let you know that they are crypts, hosting the remains of long dead elves.
OOC: the lichen's light is considered Low Light.
Walking closer to the wall, Ufeza studies the carvings and inscriptions, running his fingers along the words within reach. He searches for a pattern among the names or occupations:
18 Investigation (13 passive)
Thariv joins the others in the investigation, trying to get a sense of whether or not these remains have been disturbed or are still at rest.
Perception 20
Investigation 14
The Elvish inscriptions above the niches, somewhat faded by the pass of time, let you know that the people here were mostly artisans and merchants. The ones near were you arrived are undisturbed, just overgrown with roots from the great tree and in a general state of abandonment.
As you keep walking along the sepulchers wall, you see that the ones near the end are open. By the markings on the ground it would seem that the bodies broke them from the inside. You keep moving quietly, but a root breaks with a loud snap under your feet. Suddenly a group of undead comes looking from behind a nearby wall. They look at your group and charge wailing. The noise attracts a group of skeletons which comes from behind you. Time to defend yourselves!
Ghouls initiative: 8
Skeletons initiative: 20
Initiative order:
24 Luther
21 Thariv
20 Five Skeletons, 25 feet behind you
12 Ufeza
8 Three Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you
5 Zephyra
Luther goes first.
Luther fires his longbow at the nearest undead
Attack: 12 Damage: 11 piercing
Thariv faces the ghouls, gathering they may be a greater threat than the skeletons. "Mates, if you can keep these scurvy bastards off of me, I'll give 'em a taste of stormy weather!" he says.
With that, he draws on the power of his distant aquatic patron, stirring the air around him so that it instantly crackles with energy. A bolt of lightning flashes out at the nearest uninjured ghoul. Tariq furrows his brow, maintaining the crackling arc of electricity as best he can, still familiarizing himself with the weird and wicked powers somehow bestowed upon him.
Witch Bolt Attack: 26 Damage: 31 (lightning damage; maintain it on the ghoul if it hit, Conc up to 1 minute)
He waves his other hand and summons a dark tentacle from nothing. It lashes out at the same ghoul (unless it has fallen, then it attacks another one).
Bonus Action Tentacle of the Deep Attack: 17 Damage: 3 (cold damage, speed reduced by 10 on hit)
Battle map, there is a crypt wall on the north side, multiple buildings nearby. The ghouls are coming from the east and alerted the group of skeletons to the west, which were lurking among the houses.
Luther hits the closest ghoul, making it groan in pain. Thariv's bolt greatly weakens the one next to it and his summoned tentacle finishes it.
The skeletons close the distance to Ufeza and Zephyra, two of them on each adventurer while the fifth one waits behind them, looking for a place to attack.
Attack: 8 Damage: 4 against Ufeza
Attack: 6 Damage: 6 against Ufeza
Attack: 16 Damage: 8 against Zephyra
Attack: 8 Damage: 5 against Zephyra
Initiative order:
24 Luther
21 Thariv
20 Five Skeletons, just behind you
12 Ufeza (in melee with 2 skeletons)
8 Two Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you (12)
5 Zephyra (8, in melee with 2 skeletons)
Ufeza goes next, then the ghouls.
Ufeza take stock at the fight around them. After Luther and Thariv down a ghoul he shouts “Great shot, boys!”
He then notices how clumped they skeletons are and smiles. He beats a quick rhythm on his hand drum that start low but rapidly builds. As he hits the final percussive note he utters a strings of words the weave together with the beat. A sphere of forest green energy forms above the drum, then he points to a point on the ground and it shoot in a straight line before erupting in a deep, powerful boom.
He the draws his rapier and says to Zephyra, “let’s take care of the bone rattlers while they handle the other guys.”
DM: Casting Shatter, target is a 10ft radius sphere at a point of my choosing. I want it to go behind the skeletons and hit as many as possible without catching Zephyra or Ufeza. Targets must make a DC 15 Con save or take 13 thunder damage on a failed save. On a successful save, take half damage.
Zephyra grips her quarterstaff firmly casting shillelagh on it making it magical then swings with all of her strength at the skeleton to the south of her.
Quarterstaff Attack: 25 Damage: 16
Damage -> magical/bludgeoning
Con saves against shatter: 18, 15, 3, 4.
Two skeletons crumble under Ufeza's spell and another one falls to a head blow from Zephyra. The two remaining skeletons look damaged after surviving the blast.
The ghouls charge at Luther and Thariv, clawing without thinking.
Attack: 13 Damage: 6 against Luther.
Attack: 12 Damage: 6 against Thariv.
Feeling the cold undead claws on him, Thariv must pass a DC Constitution save or be paralyzed for a minute.
Initiative order:
24 Luther
21 Thariv (7)
20 Five Skeletons, just behind you
12 Ufeza
8 Two Ghouls, 15 feet in front of you (12)
5 Zephyra (8)
Luther goes next.
(will post Zephyra's move closer to turn depending on what happens with others)