Facets of the Past (IC)

[Svithrir]

(Out-of-Character Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?496186-Facets-of-the-Past-(OOC)))

Your story begins on a grey morning in the port town of Rathering.

A local merchant, an aging human by the name of Harold Skiffin (of Skiffin's Fine Goods & Furniture), has a hot tip for you. He has lived in Rathering all his life, and he's convinced that there's more to the ruined lighthouse on the far side of the bay than anyone lets on. Before it collapsed, he says, the lighthouse was home to a reclusive wizard who had close ties to City Hall. (He knows, Skiffin says, because he sold the wizard fine goods and furniture over the years.) He's convinced the wizard had secret chambers built into the cliff under the lighthouse, but he's too busy and now too old to investigate the ruins himself. Also, local bandits and pirates sometimes use the upper ruins as a temporary hideout. Also also, the ruins are most likely haunted.

If that isn't enough to pique your interest, Skiffin is offering you 50 gold apiece if you can find something to adequately sate his curiosity.

You arranged with a dwarven fisherman named Dorver Fischermann (it's a family name) to have him ferry you to the shore near the lighthouse ruins first thing in the morning, saving you a long walk around the bay. You're at the docks to meet him now.

Let's be honest, you didn't leave Willowsark at your best. Between the escalating debts and the jilted lovers, it seemed prudent to cut your losses and sneak aboard the next ship bound for Rathering. About two days by sail, it's just the right distance to give yourself some time to think about what's next.

Unfortunately, shortly after putting out to sea, you learned that what you took for a simple merchant vessel was actually a pirate ship! (In your defense, Rathering seems something of an odd stopover for pirates sailing from Willowsark.)

After a tense two days during which you somehow managed to stay hidden, the Crimson Wight (as you'd since learned the ship was called, commanded by one Captain Vendredi) finally put into port in Rathering. You waited for most of the crew to disembark, then made your move.

It's not your best move. You trip over the ship's cat, knock over an oil lantern, alert the watch, and, well…

Fernweh and Jaremi, you walk together along Rathering's docks. About 100 feet away, a gruff dwarf in a modest fishing boat catches your eye. He looks up, gives you a wide wave, then returns to the business of preparing his vessel.

Just then, you hear a commotion about 30 feet behind you. You turn just in time to see a half-elf sprint from the prow of a nearby ship and leap flailingly to shore. Upon landing, he makes a hard turn and barrels right toward you.

Behind him clamber down two rough-looking men waving cutlasses and shouting angrily. Further off, a third man drops the apples he was in the process of buying and hastily unslings a crossbow.

We are now in initiative order. You lot get to act first. Talking is a free action, so make introductions if you like, but let's not lose all sense of urgency here.

[DannyBoy]

"Earwax!" Jaban puffs. Outrunning pirates on land is one thing, but if an unexpected crossbowman doesn't warrant the foulest, most excretory curse word in the elvish vocabulary, then nothing does.

In an instant, he's scanned the crowd for friendly faces; luckily yours are staring right back at him.

"Friends, please!" he wails, "I've been kidnapped and held for ransom! Please, quickly, you must hide me!"

A manly resolve and tears of terror play equally on his features as he stares beseechingly at you.

Which is fancy in-game talk for deferring my action. (If you need to know what my action is, at this point it's going to be preparing to run away if these guys don't help me immediately. I probably also need to roll persuasion on this, but I'm Merle, so I forget how to do that. I'll go look it up and retcon it. Charisma 17 + 3 on a Persuasion (or Deception?) so I think that means 1d20+3, or: 1d20+3

[DannyBoy]

Ahem. Let's try that again:

[roll0]

[Pessoptimist]

This spectacle distracts Fernweh from her retelling of that time her Uncle Zerleg found a baby kobold stowed away on his ship who he named Schnake and kept as a pet. She breaks off mid-sentence to nudge Jaremi, "Heheh, hey, look at this doof, running from a bunch of clods like them. Whaddaya say, should we help him? Should be good for a story."

[Syekate]

"How very vulgar..." Jaremi mutters as the half-elf curses. An unpleasant surprise, but unexpected relief from his orcish companion's droning on lizardmen or some such nonsense. It was quality meditative contemplation time, at least.

Calculating the risks of this new threat, Jaremi says, "I'll trust most fellows more than pirates." He pulls out a small glass sphere and begins twirling in his fingers in a calculated manner, while saying, "This is quite the slippery situation you've gotten yourself into, friend. I suggest we all make haste for the Fischermann boat. Fernweh, rear guard, if you please." With another incantation and flick of the sphere, oil seems to well up from the planks behind the half-elf, creating a slick surface on the pier.

Nothing against Fernweh; I just want to try playing a character who is, at least from the start, a touch derisive. I think it would be great fun if she thought he loved her stories and kept them up.:smallbiggrin:

Also, casting Grease under the two pirates (or if they are 10'+ apart, under the closer. Assuming the dock is 10 feet or less across, they are either in the grease or need to cross it to reach us. Either scenario results in a Dex check DC 13, failure is prone.

[Svithrir]

Sideburns: [roll0]
Freckles: [roll1]

The one trailing behind the other skids a little bit as he hits the patch of grease, but both pirates keep to their feet.

[Syekate]

"Well, earwax," the wizard mutters as he uses his move action to dash towards the boat.

[Pessoptimist]

"Such vulgarity my friend! Hah! :smallwink: Alright then..."

Fernweh makes a similar bee line for the boat, lagging just enough to place herself between Jaremi/Jaban and the pirates. She situates her shield behind her so if the crossbowman tries to take a shot hopefully it's enough to block it, but has her ax in hand in case the pirates catch up.

"Ahoy! Dorver! Be ready to push off!"

[DannyBoy]

Flush with the confidence known only to cowards in the moment of their salvation, Jaban halts his forward careen to unleash an exultant stream of invective at his pursuers.

"Thought you could keep me chained up in your hold, did you, miserable sons of swine?! Boot licking scurvy bathers in offal-soaked excrement! That will teach you! No one can keep Jaban Froussard Von Poltroon down for long!"

If the roll is one-d-twenty, I got a: [roll0]

[Svithrir]

You don't need to make an attack roll, but the target needs to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (13). We'll say you're targeting the pirate nearest you, the one with the sideburns.
Wisdom save: [roll0] else take [roll1] psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
The pirate with the sideburns growls in fury as a wave of psychic pain washes over him. He dashes to catch up with you and bangs his cutlass against Fernweh's shield to get her attention. "Oi! That half-elf was a stowaway on our ship! Hand 'im over so's we can wring some justice out of 'im!"

The pirate with the crossbow hurriedly loads a bolt. "The blazes is even going on here?!" He rushes to the edge of the grease patch and takes aim at the most obvious target, the half-elf with the big mouth.

[roll2] against Jaban's AC (13), [roll3] piercing damage on hit
Jaban ducks, however, and the crossbow bolt sails easily over his head and into the bay with a *plip*.

"Don't worry, Stirk, I've got 'em!" The heavily-freckled pirate behind the one with sideburns dashes forward, skirting the edge of the dock.

Let's call it a DC of 12: [roll4]
The young pirate dances nimbly along the edge of the dock just out of your reach, then leaps out to cut you off from Dorver's boat. He menaces you with his cutlass. "Yeah, hand over the stowaway!"

Dorver hears and sees all this commotion and continues preparing his boat to launch double-time.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh steps around to get both pirates in full view and be near Jaban.

"What, this guy?" Points at Jaban.

"I don't know..." Makes a scene of looking him over.

Grins widely: "Naaaaah, I like the look of 'im. His eyes remind me of someone. I think I'll keep 'im." She drops her right arm around Jaban's shoulders firmly enough it should make him go 'oof!', the other hand still firmly gripping her ax, ready to go at an instant if need-be.

"What's the damage to ya? Can't be much, by the look of 'im.

Stowaway you say, eh? I'll name him Schnake!" :smallbiggrin:

All the while Fernweh is assuming a candor and posture meant to imply this is an offer they shouldn't refuse.

[roll0]

Still grinning ::blink::blink:: but getting the message that these guys aren't taking the hint. "Someday maybe folks will take me seriously."

[Syekate]

Jaremi sighs and half closes his eyes at his companion's failed attempt to sway the pirates. He addresses the younger man now in front of him, but speaks loudly enough for all to hear. "Listen," he says, while rolling the sphere across his hand. "What my particularly large friend is trying to say is that even my obviously superior intellect cannot deduce a reason for fighting right now. I have an important duty to see to, which you are currently hindering." As the wizard speaks, his voice steadily gets louder, and the glass sphere begins to glow red, getting brighter and brighter. "Now, while I have no desire to see blood shed on this pier, I do not particularly need to shed blood to deliver a world of pain that will make you feel as to an ant beneath a spyglass on a sunny day, so if you would please, MOVE." By now sparks are starting to fly from the sphere, and Jaremi tries to put on the most wroth face he can muster.

Casting prestidigitation to put some weight behind an intimidation attempt.
Intimidation: [roll0]
[roll1]

[Svithrir]

The freckled young pirate looks a little spooked at first and shoots a glance at his sideburned companion, who begins to chuckle. Freckles quickly regains his composure and forces a laugh, using his cutlass to swat at a couple of the sparks coming off your bauble. "Ha! Haha! It'll take more than that to scare us, you—"

"Stand down, you bilge-mops!" someone shouts. The men flanking you immediately go pale and back off. From a nearby alley strides a woman in a high-collared leather coat. Once nearer, she says to the pirates in a much lower tone, "Mr. Stirk, what did the captain say about keeping a low profile?"

Sideburns stammers a bit. "Ms. Jess, the half-elf here was a stowaway aboard our ship. We was going to bring him in, but these other two are protecting him—"

"And just who's watching the ship now, hm? Back to your posts, both of you." Sideburns and Freckles head back to the ship. (Dex save: [roll0]) Distracted, Freckles forgets about the grease patch and falls flat on his back. The one with the crossbow, you notice, has already high-tailed it.

The woman shoves her hands into her pockets and looks the three of you over. "I'm Jessifer Harding, second mate of the Wight," she says. "Care to explain yourselves?"

[Syekate]

Jaremi turns toward this newcomer and, without looking up at her yet, puts away his bauble and straightens his clothes as though this little encounter has completely derailed his entire being. He says while doing so, "Your mutton-headed goons come running waving cutlasses and firing crossbow bolts at us, unsuspecting patrons of the good fisherman at the end of this pier, and you presume to ask us questions?" As he finishes straightening himself out, he looks the woman in the eyes and finishes with, "Madame, I would just as soon ask what your activities include in this port ere I flag the authorities."

[Pessoptimist]

"Yeah, what he said!"

[Svithrir]

Jessifer scowls. "Our business is none of yours. But if you see fit to call the authorities, be my guest." She turns her gaze to Jaban. "I'm sure they'd love to know why you prevented my crew from taking a stowaway into custody."

[DannyBoy]

"Stowaway? Stowaway?! Of all the...how dare...Stowaway!!!" Jaban whips himself into a towering, frothing rage--a technique that has come in handy more than once. "You and your filthy, pickled, ill-bred.......STOWAWAY!" He turns to his companions, "I am an AMBASSADOR on an extremely important mission of envoy, and these...RUFFIANS...intercepted me with the intent of ransoming me and my information to the highest bidder! Bit by precious bit, I have no doubt!" With this last little gory detail, Jaban shudders--the idea of slow dismemberment having only in this moment occurred to him in full color.

I don't know if I need an ongoing bluff check for this, but here's a d20 just in case[roll0]

[DannyBoy]

Because I'm Merle forever

Deception check: [roll0]

[Svithrir]

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Jessifer dips her head and rolls her eyes over to Jaremi as if to say, "Really?" But both Fernweh and Jaremi sense a certain sincerity in Jaban's voice.

[Pessoptimist]

"Yeah, what he said!"

This line of conversation seems to be going more smoothly than the other, so she's happy to roll with it.

[Syekate]

"I am rather inclined to agree with his assessment, given the recent shenanigans. Now, if you please, I would love to stay here and debate the finer points of the law, but we have business to which we must attend. Mr. Fischermann, let's be on our way!" he calls, while turning his back to the woman and strolling down the dock.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban follows his haughty elf savior...though isn't quite so quick to turn his back on the piratess, stepping backwards for his first few paces

[Svithrir]

Jessifer looks prepared to continue arguing the point, but she's interrupted by the clanging of a bell. You all turn, and see smoke billowing from the Crimson Wight. "What did you do to my ship?!" Jessifer shrieks at Jaban, before sprinting away to aid in putting out the fire.

Dorver Fischermann has erected the sail on his fishing boat, though it's flapping limply in the still morning air. He's casting off the last lines and looks like he may be prepared to start rowing with or without you.

[Pessoptimist]

"Right, so she's off to her boat, let us be off to ours! Gentlemen..." Fernweh motions for the men to get on first, so she'll be ready in case any pirates choose to come back.

[Syekate]

Jaremi dons a pair of sunglasses and walks away from the fire without looking back at the explosion it creates.

Jaremi looks at the boat, then at Jaban, then back at the boat, and hurriedly makes way for Dorver, boarding the vessel. "Yes, what she said!" he says in his rush.

[DannyBoy]

"Ha ha! Jaban, old boy, you've done it again! Three cheers and your hide is safe once more!" he thinks to himself as he follows closely behind his new companions. He doesn't quite fancy yet another boat ride, but fire or no fire (what luck!) he likes his chances here on the quay even less.

Guessing that this isn't the most appropriate time to make further introductions, he concentrates his mental energy on calming his bowels and cleaving quietly to his new benefactors.

[Svithrir]

The moment everyone is aboard, Dorver heaves on the oars and puts the boat out from the dock. A short way out onto the water, enough of a breeze pick up for Dorver to stow the oars and take the till.

The dwarf peers back at the Crimson Wight, aboard which a bucket brigade appears to have been assembled. "Never seen that ship 'round here before," Dorver says. He wrinkles his face at Jaban. "Don't know you, neither. You's all keeping out of trouble, I hope? Ah well, none o' my business, so long as you's keep your trouble off my boat."

The boat cruises toward the cliff point on the far side of the bay. The lighthouse ruins are supposed to be at the top of the cliff, but you can't see any sign of them from here.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

As you cross the bay, you swear you catch a glimpse of a ship bob briefly out from behind the cliff before drifting back into the morning fog.

[Syekate]

Jaremi settles into the boat to get as comfortable as he can for the ride. He asks Dorver, "I don't suppose you've heard of the Crimson Wight before? And for that matter, what can you tell us?" The latter is directed at Jaban. "My name is Jaremi Qinn, and this is my travel companion, Fernweh, but we know little and less of you beyond your kidnapping situation, Mr. Ambassador."

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh reclines into a comfy position on the boat, basking in the warm morning sun and the gentle flapping of their little boat's sail in the salty sea breeze. Their new companion concerns her very little. She's got her reasons for being here, he's got his own, Jaremi has his; whatever. For now, whatever they're in for, they're in it together. Things just now could have gone badly, but they didn't.

Too distracted by the natural beauty of her immediate surroundings to pay much attention to the conversation around her, and noting that today feels, so far, like it will be a nice day, she pulls a bottle of beer from her bag and pops it open, offering some to whomever else may want some breakfast.

After a moment she notes the slightest glimpse of a boat on the foggy horizon.

"Hey," takes a sip of beer then gestures in the direction of the boat, "Boat over there. Anyone think we should care about it?"

[DannyBoy]

"Mr. Qinn, Miss Fernweh," he nods to each in turn, doing his best to reclaim an air of manly nonchalance and composure, "ever so dreadfully happy to have made your acquaintance just now. My name is Jaban Froussard Von Poltroon, Captain of His Majesty's Own House Guards, Bluegrey, retired; presently in the service of a shipping firm with business interests in these more southern seas. As I said, my vessel was seized some time ago by that band of brigands and I was taken captive. I am in your debt for facilitating my rescue. Unfortunately my traveling expenses have all been seized, but I am not expected in great haste from my errand, so I am happy to repay your kindness as I can with pluck and skill. May I ask to what purpose you found yourselves engaged when I crossed your path?" This last thought being interrupted by Fernweh's revelation, he breaks eye contact and looks in the direction of the ship.

[Syekate]

"We are en route to investigate the ruins of yonder lighthouse. If you've an eye for antiquities and can hold your own weight, we may be able to use an extra pair of hands. There's a chance for some monetary benefit to make up for your recent loss. Hopefully we aren't competing with whoever happens to be in the vessel beyond."

[DannyBoy]

Jaban performs a quick mental calculus, and, with immediate danger receding over the horizon in a cloud of oily smoke, the prospect of lucre temporarily overcomes his preoccupation with life and limb. "Capital! The Company won't mind a jot if I take a bit longer—not with the promise of a payout. You can count me in!"

[Svithrir]

"Come to think of it, I think the Crimson Wight has put in at Rathering once or twice before," Dorver says. "Dunno much about it. Never stays long. Mostly keeps north, I think."

Dorver squints at the mist beyond the cliff. "Another boat, you say? It's not out of the question, there's a little cove a ways back there. Mite treacherous with the rocks, though. If they's puttin' in out there instead of comin' into the bay, they could be trouble."

After a little over half an hour of sailing (during which you can continue talking if you want), you reach the south shore of the bay. "You's'll have to make your own way back, of course," Dorver says. He points to the west, where a path opens in the woodline along the beach. "That road leads right around the bay back to Rathering. Should be clear enough, just watch your backs."

With Dorver sailing away behind you, ahead of you and to the left a path starts winding its way up the cliff. To your left, the beach stretches about a mile to the point. What do you do?

[Syekate]

Jaremi thanks Dorver for his service and tips the dwarf a gold piece. As the latter sails away, Jaremi takes in the scene around them. "Well, I for one am inclined to try to get a glimpse of what kind of sailors are willing to weigh anchor along a rocky shoreline rather than a nearby dock, lest they might hinder our activities above. Let's keep quiet, and stay to the cliff wall. Try not to be seen. Shall we?" he asks, turning to the point without waiting for the opinions of others.

Trying to sneak a peek at the other boat and its crew activities.
Stealth: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Svithrir]

http://www.aarongolas.com/media/2016/09/image1.jpg

[DannyBoy]

Jaban looks quickly back and forth between the departing elf and the forest path, weighing the dangers of exposure and abandonment. "I say there, old chap; don't you suppose it might be more advisable to cut across the peninsula by the path? If they've landed on the other side, they'll beat us to the summit if we go round beachwise—where we might just be able to catch them unobserved, and from an altitude, if we press on through the wood." He turns, hopefully, to their lady companion to see if his reasoning registered.

[Pessoptimist]

"Eh, might side with Schnake here on this one, no? If they're already there, and it'll take us an hour to get there, and in that same time we could be to the ruins, whereas they could not be, we might as well just go ahead to the ruins. If they wanna give us trouble, fine - they can fight me (https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/canada/2016/05/26/canuck-the-crow-swoops-off-with-knife-from-a-vancouver-crime-scene/canuck-the-crow.jpg.size.custom.crop.650x650.jpg)."

[Syekate]

Jaremi turns to see no one is following him. Weird. "Fine, let's do it your way, then. After you; I'll not run head first into a band of pirates myself. Off you go, I'll be right behind," he says, gesturing the other two to begin the climb.

[DannyBoy]

Although not usually one to put a lady in harm's way unnecessarily (he'd boot all twelve of Pan's own virgins out of a lifeboat if he had to—or perhaps only eleven if he fancied his chances) Jaban takes a quick look of appraisal at his fierce, muscular companion and yields the foremost position to her with a nod. "Milady." He adds, "if we can move quietly and keep off the main paths, we ought to be able to see anyone before they see us—with the benefit of a covered retreat if necessary. And if not, all the sooner to the spoils! ...Just what is it we're after, anyway? I believe antiquities were mentioned?"

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh took about 3 seconds to flip through her memory index of every "milady" she'd encountered, and chuckled. Growing up in a port town, there were quite a few miladies flitting about the market, 'needing' things no one else needed (and they never needed ship sails). All of them like little carved figurines: small, finely gowned, with long soft hair and flawless skin in every shade of wood from birch to ebony, and helplessly reliant upon entourage. And there she stood, larger than both men in her company, dressed in metal and sail cloth, dry hair pulled back in a bun, tattooed skin the colour of stone, and pretty sure most people kept near her for their own sakes rather than hers. The irony genuinely delighted her, however genuine this fellow's use of the word may have been.

"Ha! 'Quiet' is not my strong suit, but I do my best to make up for it!

As to what we're after, old man Skiffen thinks the ruins are haunted, and a wizard who used to live there may have left a tchotchke or two. Skiffen's paying good money for anything interesting we can bring back.

I've always wanted to see a spirit, so that's why I'm here." She casts a glance at Jaremi to share what his particular motivations are.

[Syekate]

When Fernweh looks to him, Jaremi raises his eyebrows and waves with his hand in a manner to indicate that they best get a move on.

https://media.giphy.com/media/bqYORK2hUYlb2/giphy.gif

[Svithrir]

At least 2 of you need to beat DC 10:
Fernweh: [roll0]
Jaremi: [roll1]
Jaban: [roll2]

Edit: Nice crit! Bodes well for your ascent, posting currently

[Svithrir]

The path up the cliff is overgrown from disuse, but clear enough to make for an easy ascent. The irregular facets of the cliff threaten to take you on a somewhat roundabout course, but with almost preternatural skill Fernweh is able to guide you straight to the pinnacle of the cliff, deviating only to circumvent a huge viper basking on a rock in the midmorning sun.

At the top of the cliff you enter a clearing ringed by short trees, and it becomes clear why you weren't able to see the lighthouse ruins from the bay. The circular wall stands only about 9 feet high; all above that is obliterated. Enormous chunks of grey-white masonry are embedded in the clearing, obviously the remains of the demolished tower. The original door of the lighthouse must have been destroyed or rotted away; in its place has been erected an ill-fitting replacement. A small shed sits to the left.

The south face of the cliff, you can now see, drops precipitously into the rocky cove, where you indeed see a ship anchored. It's difficult to discern details, but you can identify two rowboats. One is directly below you, advancing upon the cliff face; their purpose is not obvious. The other has just landed upon a more welcoming shore at some small distance; to reach your position, they will have to traverse the path up the cliff much as you just did.

[DannyBoy]

As they climbed silently, neither of his companions seeming much inclined to idle chatter, Jaban reflected on the bemusement he had seen flicker across Fernweh's face when he called her 'milady'. Like as not she wasn't used to such pleasant address. A perpetual seeker of sensual diversion, he had found himself unable to resist ruminating on her firm, strong backside as it flexed nimbly before him along their ascent. Her coarseness didn't trouble him. Lords knew he'd bedded highborn and brute alike, and if their sighs and shrieks were to be believed left the vast majority well satisfied. But he'd never had anyone quite so...sheerly immense before. "Novel an experience though it might be, Jaban old sport," he thought to himself, "she'd like as not break you clean in half—and that's if she were game for it! Just think what she could do if she wasn't susceptible to the old Von Poltroon charms!" So with the sickening, brittle crunch of his own bones filling his imagination like so many autumn leaves, he put the possibility of that particular coupling out of his mind forever.

[DannyBoy]

Absent any pressing imperatives from his recent benefactors, Jaban takes a moment to look as keenly as he can at the boats below, eager to assess the danger they might pose.

Use this for whatever skill check is appropriate:[roll0]

[Pessoptimist]

As much as Fernweh wanted to pick up her latest Uncle Zerleg story where she left off (since Jaremi seemed quite put out that they were interrupted before*), he was apparently distracted by the current mission and wouldn't be paying attention anyway. Adventures of Uncle Zerleg and his Schnake would have to wait. Hell, she might as well wait till evening supper and start over for their new companion's sake, now that she has a Schnake of her very own!

"I think it would be great fun if she thought he loved her stories and kept them up." Ditto. :smallbiggrin:

While not used to respectful titles, she was used to the strangeness of strange men, and knew when she was being looked at. Again: raised in a port town. Thar be sailors.

On the one hand, quite sure Schnake was looking at her as they marched, on the other, fairly confident he was smart enough to know better. She let it go.

Worth pointing out: Fernweh is 15 years old. This is half-orc equivalent of a human 18 years, but still. :smallwink:

And to the extent that she has any romantic inclinations at all, no man smaller than herself would even make a blip on her radar.

Fernweh's heart raced as the ruins came into view. This was the coolest thing she'd seen in a long while. She couldn't wait to explore it. She turned back to her companions and waved, "Come on!"

After a quick high-level survey of the structure, she walked up to right of the shed (she'd come back to it later) and reached out her left hand to touch the wall of the ruins. Walking along the circumference of the ruins, she dragged her fingers on the wall, wondering how old it must be, and what could have happened to it. She paused momentarily at the stupid-looking door, then continued towards the back of the ruins and peered down the cliff face. Skiffen said the wizard had built secret chambers along there, so she presumed the one rowboat was making its way to find those. She walked back towards the shed to join her companions.

Both are +3, so whichever. [roll0] for noticing anything of interest about the door or the cliff face.

[Svithrir]

[roll0]

This is for the tower/door, we'll use your Perception roll for the rowboat/cliff face since it's at too great a distance for Investigate to apply

Fernweh, the stupid-looking door is just a door, as far as you can discern. It doesn't exactly swing open at your touch, but you don't know whether or not it's locked.

[roll1]

Friendly reminder, whenever you click "Preview Post" or try to add a roll as an edit to a post, all [roll] tags are converted to [*roll0*]

The cliff's south face juts out over the water, and the rowboat vanishes behind the overhanging rocks while still in the water. Jaban, you are able to discern about 5 humanoids in the boat before it disappears from view.

[Syekate]

Jaremi, though his blood pressure is a little high from the hike up, doesn't stop to marvel at the antiquities at hand. Seeing Fernweh go for the ruins, he heads to the cabin. "Remember what Skiffen said. Those pirates might be coming ashore to take refuge in these ruins, and I don't intend to be sitting in the open when they arrive. Anything above ground will have been sacked several times over by now, so keep an eye out for any hidden trap doors or nearby tunnels that might lead below." Leading by example, he attempts to open the cabin door to look inside.

Investigation check should the door open easily and nothing hinder the search:
[roll0]

[Svithrir]

It takes a little force since the door is swollen with moisture, but you are able to yank the shed door open. A bit of rotted wood breaks from the door frame and baps you on the forehead, distracting you momentarily.

In that moment, from out of the shed, you are suddenly tackled by a hairy spider the size of a donkey!

Spider bite surprise round: [roll0], [roll1] on hit

Initiative! Hope you don't mind that I'm making these rolls for you, the numbers are on your character sheets and it saves us having to wait for everyone to respond before the action gets going.
Fernweh: [roll2]
Jaremi: [roll3]
Jaban: [roll4]

Spider: [roll5]

[Svithrir]

The spider sinks its fangs into Jaremi's shoulder, injecting paralyzing venom into the wizard's bloodstream.

Constitution save against poison, DC 11: [roll0]. [roll1] on a failed save, half if successful. If this reduces you to 0 hit points (as seems likely), you're paralyzed for 1 hour even if healed above 0.

Your party acts before the spider. Fernweh and Jaban, the shed is ~30 feet away from your position at the cliff, so you can reach it with your move action.

Edit: Hah! You lucky so-and-so!

Jaremi, however, is able to shake off the worst effects of the poison, and although gravely injured, remains standing.

[Syekate]

"SPAWN OF A SUCCUBUS!" Jaremi curses as the spider jumps him. His shoulder spurts blood as the fangs sink in, but at least the elf is still mobile. He unsheathes his dagger with the arm not being bitten and attempts to drive it between the spider's many eyes.

Attack with dagger [roll0] for [roll1] damage.

[Svithrir]

It's a hit! The spider disengages from your arm and wipes at its face with its forelegs, but quickly reassumes a threatening stance.

[Pessoptimist]

Upon her venture back towards the shed, Fernweh sees the whole event unfold.

"Kordy, that's a big little thing!" she mutters under breath. She grasps her ax with both hands and postures somewhere between this (http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/2015/05/14/833/n/1922398/52988fc912e16362_tumblr_mkxturYfoz1qh01r8o1_500c5q ZqG.xxxlarge/i/Also-dont-forget-about-Brienne-Tarth-She-pretty-awesome-too.gif) and this (http://cdn1.the-orbit.net/teacosy/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2016/07/Holtzmann-gun.gif), then takes a full go at the spider from behind.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Svithrir]

Though the legs may twitch, the spider is no more.

[Pessoptimist]

"Aaaa ha ha ha ha! :smallbiggrin:" then yanks her ax out of the spider's backside. The carcass makes a satisfying schplurt as she does so.

"Jaremi, sir. Don't go openin' doors without me, yeah? Not to be patronizing or anything, but, you know..." lifts her ax to bring his attention to it, then she herself is suddenly distracted by the very sight of it.

"Well, lookit that!" shows the blood-covered blade to each companion in turn. "Ain't that a pretty colour? Who knew spiders were so pretty on the inside?"

[Syekate]

Having seen Fernweh lick her axe only to then drive it into the spider with a frightening force, Jaremi is both pleased and disturbed to be traveling with the half-orc. "Yes, well, more caution in the future, but we still need to make haste. This wound will be fine until we can get underground," he says gritting his teeth in a 'No don't worry about me' fashion as though everyone was fawning over his well being.

Sooooo about that searching around the cabin plan.
Investigation? [roll0]

[Svithrir]

The wolf spider appears to have been using the shed as a den for quite some time, coming and going to hunt via a rotted hole at the base of the rear wall. A few remnants of its prey are littered about: rabbit bones, a few crab shells, a ram skull, and most of the skeleton of one particularly unfortunate halfling. Searching the skeleton, you find a purse containing 10 gold pieces upon its person. Besides this, the shed is empty.

A thorough search reveals a trap door in the floorboards concealed by a thick layer of spiderweb. At first this appears to lead to a simple small root cellar, also empty. Upon further investigation, however, you discover exactly what you're looking for: an ingeniously hidden panel in the cellar wall. Swinging it open, you disclose a hole with an iron ladder leading straight down into darkness.

[Syekate]

With a flick of the bauble, Jaremi absentmindedly cleans his fresh white tunic of the large bloodstain and any spider juice. He kicks the remains about a bit with a high boot, to reveal a small jingly pouch, which he pockets for later. "Ah-ha! Worth a little spider bite," he says, upon revealing the trap door in the floor. It almost seems a waste until they uncover the entryway in the cellar. The elf ushers the others into the cabin.

"Compatriots, this is perfect. Judging by the spider's webs and various ossified remnants, no one has bothered to touch this shed in quite some time. We can go undetected by the ruffians on shore by completely avoiding those bandit-infested ruins. Everyone down into the root cellar, if you will."

Used Prestidigitation to compose myself.

[Pessoptimist]

Although unsure what she'd do with it, Fernweh makes a mental note to herself to collect the ram's skull if they come by this way again.

To Jaremi: "Expedition! Shall dangle a torch down?"

To Jaban: "Schnake, have any healing magics for our eager friend here? 'Cause I got nothing."

[Svithrir]

The ram's skull is pretty badly broken, probably not worth collecting.

You all have darkvision, so a torch may not be strictly necessary unless you want to see in color and/or further than 60 ft. Your call, though.

[DannyBoy]

The suddenness of the spider attack and its resolution stunned Jaban into a fit of mute stupefaction, and he followed them underground in a numb haze. Fernweh's question snapped him to. "Hm? Oh. Right, yes. Erm...jolly good. There there old sport, we'll have you patched up in a trice."

[roll0]

Ugh. Christ. Sorry sorry sorry. It's...been a weird couple of days. Also, I can't see roll results on my iOS browser.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban takes a closer look at the trapdoor from the other end with an eye toward barricading it from the inside. The ruins may be the chief lure of their possible pursuers, but the carcass of a thoroughly disembowelled spider is as much an advertisement of their presence as its living form was to the undisturbedness of their present route.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

No d20 roll necessary, Jaremi automatically heals: [roll0]

Jaban, you find a mechanism at the top of the ladder for opening and closing the secret panel. Testing it, you find the closed panel is nearly as concealed as it was before, with only some disturbed dust hinting at your presence. The evidence of your encounter with the spider can't be helped, but with luck, anyone investigating would assume you hit an empty dead end and doubled back.

[Syekate]

Jaremi feels relieved both by having managed to successfully be preparing for the underground delving and at Jaban's healing touch. "That actually feel much better. My thanks. Now, if you both don't mind waiting down here for a tick, I'll be right back." The mage goes up to the cabin's main room and looks to the mess left behind by the spider scuffle. "That won't do." With a few incantions and manipulations of his arcane focus, he settles dust over areas where it may have been displaced, particularly the doorknob and steps, attempting to make it seem as though nobody had touched the cabin. Making sure the spider carcass is tucked inside, he gently closes the door and heads back down to the root cellar. "After you, Fernweh," he says after gently closing the cabin floor trap door behind them.

If you are on an iphone, you can "Request Desktop Site" in the upper menu bar, which will allow you to see and make rolls.

DM: Using prestidigitation to dirty the outside of the cabin, make it look like no one came inside.

[DannyBoy]

"Oh capital, old bean, just capital! Good thinking. Don't want to be followed, wot? Sensible chap." Jaban, feeling more and more secure, turns his mind to thoughts of treasure, and follows with a spring in his step.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh works her way down the ladder and takes a few steps to the side to make room for the others as they join her. She looks around to see what's the what.

[roll0]

[DannyBoy]

Ever alert to possible danger, Jaban also keeps his eyes and ears open.

OOC: Post roll count doesn't match database because I ducked up the mother-quacking syntax for a spoiler.

[DannyBoy]

[roll0]

Let's try that again

[Svithrir]

After climbing down ~40 feet, the ladder ends in a small alcove too small for all three of you to stand in at once. Since you now have an idea of what to look for, you have a relatively easy time finding a control mechanism like the one at the top of the ladder. Activating it opens a secret panel in the wall leading out of the vertical passage.

The room you enter into is roughly 15 feet by 30 feet. The secret panel you've come through is in one of the long walls; the short walls to your left and right each have a sturdy-looking door in the center. There's a trench about five inches wide cut into the floor: a circle in the center of the room, with a channel branching off and passing under each door. The channel appears to be full of water. In the center of the circle is a simple empty stone pedestal.

Across from you, part of the wall and ceiling has collapsed, strewing the floor with rubble and blocking parts of the channel. As a result, water has puddled in various places throughout the room. The air is heavy and damp. A tapestry hangs to your right on the wall you've just emerged from.

There's a shelf and workbench against the far wall, with a desk in the far right corner. Some alchemical equipment and glass jars are scattered about that area, several knocked over or broken. A shelf above the desk holds half a broken terrarium, its contents apparently spilled; half the desk is overtaken by growth of some sort or another, predominated by one giant fibrous fungus.

Note that, though your darkvision allows you to easily discern shapes and textures within the room, you'll need a source of light if you want to observe colors or other surface details.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh lights a torch, saying under her breath, "Hopefully no one down here is troubled by light..." As light fills the room, she glances around.

Assuming they continue to be alone in the room, she turns to face and inspect the tapestry.

If they're not alone in the room, well, her action depends on who it is.

Enjoy (https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/dungeonRPGSoundscapeGenerator.php). I like the Torch Walk preset for this.

[Svithrir]

Additional details visible in the torchlight:

The channels in the floor do indeed appear to be filled with water (not, like, blood or anything).

The large fungal fruiting body in the corner is bright purple.

The surface of the tapestry is unfortunately almost completely black with mold.

[DannyBoy]

"What ho, there...alchemical remnants, eh? Perhaps the old long-beards succeeded in spinning muck into gold after all and then bolted to drink and whore away their spoils as fast as their feet could carry them. Would certainly account for the mess, wot?" Jaban scoffed jocularly, though the telling of that particular fantasy put the glint of gold in his eye. "Still, dashed unsporting of them not to leave behind an ingot or two." Disliking the silence, now that it was broken, he continued, addressing Fernweh: "Don't imagine that tapestry would fetch much topside. Wonder what it could have been..."

[Pessoptimist]

Regarding the tapestry, "Ay, not a clue, and don't want to get close enough to it to find out. My Uncle Zerleg told me once of a shipmate he knew who got too near some mold that made him cough blood for a week! Now, he may have exaggerated, all the same, I don't recommend it."

Fernweh steps away from the tapestry to walk towards the desk. She pulls a handkerchief from her pocket to drape her hand as she picks up one of the unbroken vials to see if she can tell what - if anything - is still inside it. (She'll do this to each unbroken bottle in turn, supposing none of them explode or fairies pop out or something.) All the while keeping a suspicious eye on the bright purple thing to see if it moves. Definitely not touching the purple thing.

When she's done checking out the bottles - again assuming no explosions or manifestations of sentient beings - she takes a look about the corner of the room to see if she can tell the source of the fungal growth.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

I'm afraid a 7 isn't enough to alert you to danger…
Fernweh, as you investigate the contents of the desk, you fail to notice [roll0] fibrous tendrils emerging from the fungus's fruiting body inching toward your direction…

[Svithrir]

Suddenly, the fungus lashes at you!

The fungus makes one Rotting Touch attack against Fernweh: [roll0], [roll1] necrotic damage on hit

Initiative:
Fernweh: [roll2]
Jaremi: [roll3]
Jaban: [roll4]
Fungus: [roll5]

Edit: Your party gets to act before the fungus does

[Syekate]

"Right then, let's be thorough. We already know that whoever worked down here had a penchant for secret passages. Fernweh, see if there's anything behind that disgusting curtain. Mr. Pontoon, you may search that desk for anything intact. Try to avoid touching any liquids; there's no saying what they were working on, and I would rather not explain to authorities how their ambassador was turned into a newt." Jaremi is about to inspect the pedestal when the fungus makes a sudden move against his muscles. "Of course. Don't you think sneaking up on a person is rather spore conduct?" The wizard backs away from the fungus and takes out the little glass sphere, with which he produces a skeletal floating hand that reaches out to the fungus's main body.

Chill Touch: Attack [roll0] dealing [roll1] and preventing target from healing self until next turn on a hit.

[Syekate]

Knowledge nature on the fungus [roll0]

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh feels sharp snap upon her person like the nastiest, slimiest towel-whip one could imagine. She is offended.

"Eeeeeeeeeewww! Whyyyyyyyy?!"

She relocates her shield in front of her as a barrier between her and whatever this fresh hell is, and swings her ax at it single handed.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Svithrir]

Jaremi's spell and Fernweh's axe strike true. The fungus quivers violently, but still thrashes its tendrils.

Jaremi, somehow the nature of this organism eludes your superior intellect.

[DannyBoy]

"WAX!" Jaban shouts in terror and surprise, and his rapier is out in a flash.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

Though his shaken lunge would hardly be steady enough to land a blow on a typical foe, Jaban's rapier manages to pierce the relatively sessile fungus.

[roll0]

Edit: You've struck it to its core. Its tendrils shrivel and go still. The fungus slumps over, dead.

[Syekate]

"Well, that was strange. Be on your guards; no knowing what horrors the former occupant cooked up down here. Back to business, then." Jaremi goes to inspect the pedestal.

Some appropriate knowledge; perhaps arcana or history? [roll0]
Throw in an investigation while we're at it. [roll1]

[DannyBoy]

"Ha ha! Thought you could get the jump on me, did you!" Jaban crowed exultantly, well-pleased with himself. He liked the cut-and-thrust of that wizard fellow. A good one to have around for keeping the old hide intact, and his punning shows a bit of panache--enough to make him overlook what he surmised may have been a deliberate mangling of his patronym just then.

With ample, painstaking caution, he turns to inspect the desk more thoroughly, heeding Jaremi's instructions.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

Jaremi: The column is polished comparably smooth on top, but overall is badly pitted with age. It's of a more lightly-colored stone than anything else in the room. The top has a very small divot at the center, but is otherwise flat.

Jaban: There's a faint whiff of chloroform about the desk, perhaps from a broken bottle. Atop the desk you find:
- A badly rusted scale, with assorted lead weights
- A magnifying glass in decent condition
- A sheaf of badly rotted parchment. On the topmost page you can just make out the phrases "ost no decay," "nlongated bo," and "transmut"
- Half underneath the violet fungus, a book lying open. Most of it is consumed by rot, but digging deeper you find that the front cover and first couple pages have largely been spared. The book is written in runes that appear related to Dwarvish, but is otherwise alien to you

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh takes the handkerchief she had previously been using to protect her hands as she inspected the glass vials to wipe clean where the fungus touched her and summarily drops it on the floor. She'll have none of that now.

She winces at the sight of Jaban mucking around the nasty dead thing, but the book catches her attention.

"Ooh, what's that there, Schnake? Dwarvish runes? I can take a look at that later to see if anything stands out. It's probably nonsense to me but I could at least maybe sound a few things out."

As she says this, she picks the torch back up and walks to the tapestry, extending her ax towards the edge to hook the corner of the blade slightly behind the fabric to pull out far enough to see behind it. Very leery of the mold.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

As you tug at the tapestry, the hook it's on gives way and its hanging bar clatters to the floor, kicking up a cloud of spores.

DC 10 or take [roll0] poison damage
Fernweh: [roll1]
Jaremi: [roll2]
Jaban: [roll3]

[Pessoptimist]

"Kord!

Zöndöö!

I warned you about spores, bro!!!!

I told you dog!

I told you man!

I TOLD (http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/68500-i-told-you-about-stairs) you about spores!"

Fernweh curses continuously as she brushes off the spores off her body and fans the air in front of her.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban, who seems to have caught the worst of it, joins in with his own wildly over dramatic cursing and sputtering.

[Syekate]

Jaban runs his thumb over the indentation in the pillar thoughtfully just before the tapestry goes down. He doubles over with a racking cough as his chest feels like lead has been poured into the airways. When he manages to be able to breathe properly again, he says in a wheezing, raspy voice, "By all the- *hack* Has anyone even found anything of use yet?!"

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh bellows a big ol'

"NOPE.

Not unless you wanna look closer at this wall where the tapestry was!

Let's pick a door then. How about the left door? Left from where we came in, I mean."

[DannyBoy]

"Yes! *hack* Any *hack* bleeding place as long as it's not *wheeze* here. Feel like I've inhaled a feather *hack* boa."

[Syekate]

"We can come back. Grab anything intact, let's *cough hack* move!" Jaremi says, motioning towards the left door and following once the others move forward.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh hands the torch to one of the gentlemen (whoever wants to take it) and puts her ear to the door to see if she hears anything on the other side, while fiddling the door's opening mechanism ever so slightly, just enough to see whether it's locked or not.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

The door does not appear to be locked. You hear nothing but a faint trickle of water on the other side.

[Pessoptimist]

"Ok guys, it seems okay, but let's be cautious anyway."

Fernweh opens the door just ajar, then situates her shield in front of her and grasps her ax in her other hand, then nudges the door open with her foot and steps forward into the next room.

[Svithrir]

The door opens into a corridor that curves to the right, such that you cannot see the far end. There's a series of wide stairs leading gradually downward. The groove cut into the floor of the room continues down the center of the stairwell, carrying a gentle flow of water with it.

[DannyBoy]

If Fernweh weren't so massive, Jaban would have sputtered past her and her shield and into the corridor immediately, forgetting the danger ahead in his haste to avoid the spores. As it is, he simply crowds in behind her, hacking theatrically. Unsurprisingly, he was too self absorbed to take her torch, a task he left to the wizard.

[Syekate]

Jaremi takes the torch in hand, and before they leave the room, holds it up to at least get a look at the wall behind that wretched tapestry; holding his sleeve over his face all the while. "This pedestal, with the water channels, I've a feeling it had some magical purpose. While we're down here, keep your eyes out for records, old books, anything that might describe this mystery."

[Svithrir]

The wall behind the tapestry is drier for having been covered, but as far as you can tell, there's nothing else to distinguish it.

[Pessoptimist]

And they walked on down the hall...

[Svithrir]

As you round the hallway, a door like the one you just came through comes into view at the other end.

[Pessoptimist]

Upon approaching the door Fernweh turns back to her comrades,

"Did either of you see anything interesting on the walls in this hallway? I was too focused on what's ahead of me to think to look."

While waiting for an answer, she gives this door the same treatment as the first: ear to the wood to hear the other side, and gently checking to see if the door is locked.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

The door is locked. You hear a rustling on the other side.

[DannyBoy]

"Not I," Jaban wheezes through his handkerchief, the last of the coughing seeming to have subsided. "Qinn?"

[Syekate]

"This endeavor has proven frustratingly unrewarding thus far. Continue, that we might reverse that luck." The wizard pulls out his arcane focus in preparation of what may be behind the door.

[Pessoptimist]

"Right. I feel confident there aren't any spores, at least.

Door's locked, so...? \shrug\"

Stepping back and readying shield and ax, she inhales deeply and kicks out on the exhale.

{STR} = [roll0]

[Svithrir]

The door shakes loudly with the force of your kick, but does not give way.

[Pessoptimist]

"Cool. So they know we're here now. Try again, or...?"

[Pessoptimist]

She only gives them a couple seconds to consider whether it's a good idea or not before making another go.

{STR} = [roll0]

[Svithrir]

The door rattles again, slightly more loudly, but still does not open.

[Pessoptimist]

Expletive.

[Pessoptimist]

Text here so I can post
[roll0]

[Svithrir]

This time the locking mechanism snaps off in the doorframe, and the door swings open. What's more, your kick has an excellent follow-through, despite your frustration over your first two attempts.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Svithrir]

The door opens upon a room that is structurally very like the one you just left. It's also 15 feet wide by 30 feet long, and the same water channels are cut into the floor. A door on the far end of the room hangs open. There is a closed door in the center of the wall to your right.

The air in here is sharp, but overall fresher than the musty mold-infested room you just left. Refuse is strewn about: some bones, and broken furniture indistinguishable from driftwood. In the far left corner is a pile of tattered rags in the shape of a giant nest.

From the far door, you hear a beautiful voice singing. Fernweh is almost swayed, but snaps out of it; you all independently realize you've resisted some sort of enchantment in the music.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban has known his share of sirens, literal and figurative, and he knows how lucky they all are. He reaches into his knapsack and withdraws a glob of sealing wax from his...document kit. He warms it between his hands until it's pliable, then stuffs some in his ears as a precaution. He offers the remainder to his colleagues.

[Svithrir]

It's a clever precaution, but I should note that, having once resisted the enchantment, you feel it will be quite some time before you'll be susceptible to it again. Unless, of course, someone *else* starts singing…

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh shakes off the odd sensation that she could hear a lullaby her father used to hum to her to get her to sleep as a child. It was close, but not quite. She turns to see Jaban handing her some wax. Took her a second to realize what was up.

"Ah. Thank you, Schnake, but no. At least one of us should have their ears open, no matter the risk. If I start lookin' woozy, though, just bop me on the head real hard. Then duck."

She starts heading toward the open door where the voice came from.

[Syekate]

Jaremi winces with the echoing noise of each kick. He declines the ear wax, stating, "I am not so easily swayed. Fernweh, do me a favor and check that nesting structure over there for anything of use. before kicking down the next door." Jaremi makes a point to hold the torch high and look up at the ceiling as they enter the room, checking corners for spiders and such.

[Syekate]

Knowledge Arcana check to learn more about the enchantment? [roll0]

[Syekate]

Sorry for multiple posts; had to redo the roll from above.

Knowledge Arcana: [roll0]

[Pessoptimist]

After taking two steps towards the open door, she hears Jaremi's suggestion and makes a leisurely casual about-face,

"Ah yes, stuff. Sure, why not."

and makes for the cloth nest.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

Jaremi can't deduce anything about the song, and Fernweh doesn't find anything in the nest.

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

Also, Jaremi, the ceiling and corners of the room look clear.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban pockets the remainder of his wax with a mental shrug. "Suit yourselves," he thinks, "more good common sense for the rest of us."

[Syekate]

After seeing Fernweh's rather lame attempt at sifting through the remains (and that new critters jumped out at her in the process), Jaremi says, "Nevermind, I'll do it myself. Such remains have the potential to house inedible trinkets."

Investigate? [roll0]

[Svithrir]

The nest is composed mainly of wood and bones, lined with moss, hair, tattered clothing, and scraps of sailcloth. One shirt has a patch bearing what looks like some sort of insignia. You discern that the nest has been heavily disturbed very recently. All you find of interest left behind are three copper pieces, a silver piece, and half a broken compass (the circle-drawing kind).

[Syekate]

"Well, naught but a few coppers, but more importantly this nest has been disturbed relatively recently. Let us continue, but warily." The elf pockets the coin, to be redistributed later, and washes his hands in the water column running through the room.

[DannyBoy]

"I say, toss me that sigil, old chap. Might have seen it somewhere before..."

[roll0]

[Svithrir]

(We'll call it a generic Intelligence check)

Based on the style, the patch looks like it might be a pirate insignia, but you don't otherwise recognize it. It stands to reason, given the location, that the cloth here would have been collected from sailors of various stripes.

[DannyBoy]

"Hm. Nope." Jaban tosses the scrap over his shoulder.

[DannyBoy]

"Right-o chaps," Jaban half-shouts, owing to the wax in his ears (the scatological irony temporarily lost on him), "what's the plan of attack? I don't fancy meeting our singing friends unprepared. Not to be un-gallant, but shall we say the lady first with each of us to either side behind?" He unsheathed his rapier most manfully, its metallic SHING drowning out the sound of his churning innards.

[Svithrir]

The singing, by the way, has since gone silent since it became clear you were not enthralled.

[Syekate]

Jaremi looks at Jaban as if he's dense. "Yes, well, ready when you are, Fernweh."

[Pessoptimist]

After half-trying to look through the dirty pile of whatsit, Fernweh turns back to her path towards the door from which the singing came. She steps quietly, toe-to-heel, eyes open, now absent-mindedly humming the actual lullaby the earlier melody had initially reminded her of. They're nothing alike, in retrospect. This pleases her her.

[Svithrir]

The stairs leading through this doorway are a bit steeper than the ones you just came through, the stone hewed a bit more roughly, the walls less even. The hallway gets even rougher as you proceed; eventually the water channel carved in the center of the path gives out to a natural flow, and some time later the water disappears down deep narrow cracks in the floor. There's a faint light visible ahead of you.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Svithrir]

Fernweh and Jaremi, you just barely hear a faint shuffling ahead of you.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh hears the shuffling ahead of her and continues forward.

[Svithrir]

The passage grows rougher as you continue until it's just a natural fissure in the stone. There are occasional alcoves to either side, but you continue toward the light.

You reach the end of the fissure, which opens into a wide cavern, just in time to see a harpy flying away burdened with a couple of sacks. You surmise that she must have heard you as you were breaking down the door to the last chamber, gathered her valuables from her nest, and made a break for it.

The mouth of the cave opens to the cove you saw from above. The ship is visible in the distance. To the right, you see the pirates' rowboat that you saw disappear into the cliff earlier, pulled up onto a sandy beach within the cavern. The pirates had been talking to one another, but their attention is momentarily drawn by the absconding harpy.

Is there anything you would like to do?

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh notes the pirates do not appear to have noticed their approach yet, falls back a bit and tries to melt into the wall just outside the mouth of the cave, eyeing her companions in a way to suggest they might do same. Might as well try to hear what the pirates are up to before ambushing them.

[DannyBoy]

Not one to miss an opportunity to hide himself from danger, Jaban takes Fernweh's implication gladly and retreats in quiet haste back to the shadows from which they came.

[Syekate]

Jaremi has his glass bauble out and looks as though he is about to fire a spell at the fleeing harpy in attempt to catch its prize goods, until he notices the pirates and falls back. His lips move in ways that might form some choice curse words if there were any breath behind them. If nothing can be heard from what the pirates might be discussing, he indicates for his companions to quietly return to the initial fungus chamber.

Listen (Perception?): [roll0]
Stealth: [roll1]
Knowledge (Harpy): [roll2]

EDIT: In an attempt to be quiet and sneaky, Jaremi manages to lose his footing on a slick surface, falling flat on his face with a loud thud that echoes down the cavern.

[DannyBoy]

On realizing their cover is blown, Jaban's practiced liar's mind has a plan in a flash—provided, that is, that the odds aren't dreadful, and that the pirates don't look or sound familiar...

1d20-1

[Svithrir]

Jaremi made his roll already.
Here's Jaban's actual: [roll0]
And Fernweh for good measure: [roll1]

The opening to your crevasse is about 10 feet off the ground. At the current tide, there's shallow water immediately below you, but the beach with the pirates isn't far away.

There are five pirates in the cavern--the same five, you surmise, as you saw disappear into the cliff face from atop the cliff. Apparently, they disappeared into this cavern.

Two thin men are huddled over a pile of fuel, trying to light a small fire. A third, with long black hair pulled into a ponytail, is unloading a crate of supplies from their rowboat. To the side, a wicked-looking orc is conversing with a stocky man in a long brown coat and beaten tricorn hat.

They're all momentarily distracted by the sudden sight of the harpy flying out of the cavern. One of the thin men actually wades a short way into the water after it in astonishment. But at the sound of Jaremi's face-plant, their attention turns toward your direction.

[Svithrir]

That wax in his ears is going to give him disadvantage: [roll0]

Fernweh just barely can't quite hear what the pirates are saying, and their voices are muffled through the wax Jaban has stuffed in his ears. Jaremi, however, can just make out:

The man in the overcoat says to orc, "...said he had some business with one of the higher-ups in town. Look, I know you think Vendredi's an odd duck. That's 'cause he is. But he and I go way back, so I figure I owes him a listen."

[Pessoptimist]

At Jaremi's misstep, she sees his fall happening in a sort of slow motion. Knowing that, at this, their cover will be blown, she darts out into the opening of the cave hopefully in time to look like they were just standing there and not overtly coming out from hiding. Shel flashes a friendly grin to the man speaking with the orc:

"Sir! Sorry to bother. I just must ask: your hat. Where did you get your hat? I have always wanted a hat like that" she asks, genuinely.

[DannyBoy]

Once more into the breach, old chap. Sometimes the only way out is through. Following right on Fernweh's tail...

"I say! You there! Hulloo! Yes, you chaps! That's right!" Jaban flashes a big grin and saunters down out from the shadows and over toward the pirates. "I say, jolly good luck running into another soul here. You haven't happened to have seen an owlbear burst through this way have you? We've been tailing one all day—jolly good sport they are, too!—and we thought we'd cornered her in the ruins here but, dash it all, it looks like it's got the better of us. Who knew there'd be such a whopping big cave down here. Blimey!"

Bluff check: [roll0]and a Cast Minor Illusion of a small Owlbear off in the medium distance, emerging from somewhere plausible, and off towards somewhere less piratey. I'm pretty sure it's a cantrip, but in case I'm wrong [roll1]

[Syekate]

Jaremi stores what he hears, as with most tidbits of knowledge he comes across, and uses the others' stalling to right himself, getting back to his feet as quickly as he can and making sure his arcane focus is in hand should the talking lead to a fight.

[Svithrir]

Jaban's illusion of a small owlbear (images from Minor Illusion are constrained to a 5-foot cube) emerges from behind a rock jutting out from the middle of the little cove inside the cavern. It appears to walk on water and opens its mouth in a silent roar. The men before you drew cutlasses as soon as you emerged from the crevasse, but now they're hesitating in slack-jawed confusion.

The orc starts moving as if to attack you, but the man in the tricorn puts out a hand to stop him. "Who. Are. You. And where did you come from?" the latter asks.

"A trap?" the orc mutters.

The man in the tricorn replies in a low tone, "I've seen Vendredi set a trap, and it's never looked anything like… that."

[Syekate]

Jaremi steps forward so as to be visible. "Wait, you are friends of Vendredi? Strange fellow, isn't he? Do you think he may have sent us here on similar pretenses?"

[Svithrir]

Jaremi definitely needs a Deception check on that one: [roll0]
Contesting their Insight: [roll1]

Edit: Ouch, you guys are not very convincing here...

[Svithrir]

The man in the tricorn flicks the tip of his cutlass at you. "Don't give me none o' that. Now I'll ask you just once more: who are you, and how'd you come to get here?"

[Syekate]

Jaremi takes stock of the situation. Five of them, three of us. Ten feet above a pool of water, so them getting to us will be particularly difficult. No need to shed blood unnecessarily, but this is a particularly good vantage point. That said, they may just try to pick us off with crossbows... "Right, then. Love to chat, but we have to RUN. Ta!" Fleeing back the way they came at a sprint.

[DannyBoy]

With the prig turning tail and the pirates seeming wholly unconvinced, Jaban sees which way the wind is blowing and enthusiastically joins in the headlong retreat.

[Pessoptimist]

:smallsigh: Fernweh rolls her eyes. She hates running away, but hates splitting the party even more, so she follows.

Once they arrive at wherever they decide to hide and all have had a chance to catch their breath, she addresses her companions: "So, we spend the rest of the cave hiding from these guys, or what? We've only just scratched the surface of this place. Thoughts on how we proceed?"

[Syekate]

Jaremi says between puffs of breath, "Back to the tapestry chamber. We use the desk to barricade the door. Worst case scenario, we can use the doorway as a choke point to prevent them from surrounding you."

*Assuming we are max 60 feet from the crevasse edge and our turn has gone, so it's the pirates' action before we can run farther if they choose to pursue.*

[Svithrir]

You hear shouting and a piercing whistle behind you as you retreat back into the ruins. There are some fissures and alcoves along the crevasse, but the only real path is back the way you came.

You seem to have a pretty good lead on the pirates, to be expected since they'd have to climb up to the crevasse before pursuing. But as you're climbing the stairs to the nest room, you do start to hear footfalls echoing behind you.

[Syekate]

"Last corridor until we can barricade the door. If they catch us, Fernweh has the higher ground with the stairs and we make a stand at the doorway, and the curve in the hall will prevent long-range attacks. Good strategic point for a stand. Let's go!" the wizard says as they near the room with the pedestal.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban unplugs his ears and draws his rapier, dropping behind the others and readying to strike or flee as necessary.

[Svithrir]

Your sprint takes you up the stairs back into the tapestry room, Jaremi in the lead with Jaban hot on his heels. You hear the footsteps in pursuit growing louder as Fernweh reaches the room and slams the door shut behind her.

What do you do now?

[Pessoptimist]

"I'll hold the door while one of you gets that desk over here."

[roll0]

[Syekate]

Jaremi scurries across to the other side of the desk and begins to push toward Fernweh, when he notices the half-rotted book that Jaban had flipped through before. "Hey nonny, what's this now?" he says as he picks up the tomb and opens the front cover.

[Svithrir]

The knob rattles, and Fernweh feels a sudden jolt against the other side of the door.

[roll0]

The push is pitifully weak, however, and you have no difficulty holding the door closed for the time being.

[DannyBoy]

"Larethian's left lobe, man, this is no time for a little light reading! Set that down and help me push, dash it all!" Jaban tosses his rapier down onto the desk and throws his whole weight behind it.

[Syekate]

Jaban interrupts before Jaremi can even get a word read. He replies angrily, "What? Enough with the desk already. This is a defensible position. I think it might be time to take a stand." The wizard gets his arcane focus out and starts rolling it in his hand as he prepares a spell. "Fernweh, I'm going to have you open the door, but don't step through it. Just prevent them from entering. Be ready for attack, everyone."

Preparing Grease to be cast as soon as the door is opened, targeting for a center five feet behind the door, such that the ten feet in front of Fernweh will be greased.

[Svithrir]

As Jaban shoves the desk unaided:

[roll0]

…he just barely manages to slide it out of the corner to about halfway across the room. But thanks to the ceiling collapse, the rest of the way to the door is difficult terrain and will require more effort if you choose to continue.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban takes his sword back manfully and acts as though nothing had happened.

[Pessoptimist]

Being entertained by the near constant disagreement between her companions, and given how weak the pirates' effort against the door was, she sees no harm allowing them to abruptly open it.

The idea here is that if they're actively pushing against Fernweh's pushing against the door, and she suddenly steps back, the door will swing open and they'll tumble forth on the ground.

[Svithrir]

Fernweh: [roll0]
Jaremi: [roll1]
Jaban: [roll2]

Pirates: [roll3]

[Svithrir]

The door swings open, and the ponytailed pirate behind it falters but does not fall. Immediately behind him is one of the thin men. Both are wielding cutlasses. About 15 feet back, in the bend of the hallway, the orc stands shouldering a heavy crossbow.

Your party has the initiative. Have at it!

[Pessoptimist]

"Welcome! :smallbiggrin:" Takes a two-handed swing at the pirate in front of her.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

To her companions: "Any of you fancy gentlemen able to take care of crossbow fella back there?"

"Oof..." Sad Fernweh beholds her bloodless ax with disappointment and readies herself for her next opportunity.

[Svithrir]

Fernweh's axe sails clear over the head of the pirate and thunks into the door frame.

[Syekate]

As planned, Jaremi casts a spell, though it is not offensive. But instead of the two men immediately in front of Fernweh, he perceives the orc as a bigger threat. A slick patch of grease bubbles up from the ground in the bend below the pirate with the heavy crossbow."Bibbity bobbity goo," the wizard mutters as the slick fluid springs forth.

[Svithrir]

DC 13 or fall prone: [roll0]

The grease conjured by Jaremi causes the orc to lose his footing on the slick flagstones and fall flat!

[DannyBoy]

Heedless of the risk of an opportunity attack in his knee jerk reflex to kick an enemy while he's down, Jaban rushes past the two standing pirates occupied with Fernweh to try to capitalize on the Orc's indisposition. An injured enemy is still a liability, so he reflexively aims to kill.


I'm on a bus so I don't have my CS for mods:
Save against AoO: [roll0]
Attack: [roll1]
Dexterity: [roll2]

[Svithrir]

The two pirates take the opportunity to swipe at Jaban as he forces his way past them.

You don't make a saving throw, they just make attack rolls against your AC of 13.
Ponytail: [roll0] for [roll1] damage
Thin man: [roll2] for [roll3] damage

The pirate in front sees Jaban coming and slices into his arm. The thin one behind him, however, is too baffled by the situation to manage an effective strike.

[Svithrir]

Having survived his insanely reckless charge, Jaban reaches the orc and sinks his rapier into his prone foe.

Since the orc is prone, you have advantage on your attack. Your first roll hit, but let's roll again just to see if you crit: [roll0]
Damage from your rapier: [roll1] (If crit, add another [roll2])

[Svithrir]

The orc howls more in fury than pain as Jaban's rapier pierces his shoulder. "What the— how'd you— I'll have your head!" He stands, unsheathes a massive cutlass, and takes a two-handed swipe at Jaban.

The thin pirate, hoping to save face after his earlier miss, joins in flanking Jaban.

The dark-haired pirate, meanwhile, engages with Fernweh in the doorway.

Orc: [roll0], [roll1] damage
Thin: [roll2], [roll3] damage
Ponytail: [roll4], [roll5] damage

[Svithrir]

Fernweh is able to parry the attack on her, and the thin pirate once again misses Jaban. The orc, however, strikes a critical blow across Jaban's chest, and the bard falls dying to the floor.

The orc spits at Jaban and says, "Take this back to the captain, see what he wants done with it. I'll show Rolay how to deal with the others." The thin pirate, looking somewhat sheepish, kneels next to Jaban's unconscious body and prepares to lift.

The pirates' turn is over. It appears the thin one is about to carry off Jaban's body.

At the start of your turn, the orc once again needs to save against the grease: [roll0]

Jaban, meanwhile, is at 0 hit points and gets to learn about death saves. On your turn, you roll a d20. 10 or better is a success. After three successes you stabilize (but remain unconscious), after three failures you die. A natural 1 counts as two failures, a natural 20 revives you at 1 hp. So here's your first death saving throw: [roll1]

[Syekate]

Jaremi blanches a little when he sees one of his companions rush head first into a slaughter. "The whole point of our muscle holding the door was to not have to go through- oh, nevermind. We need to finish this. I'm getting sick of the situation." He thrusts an arm toward the orc and a sickening green ray comes shooting out.

Attack with Ray of Sickness [roll0] for [roll1] damage, Constitution save or poisoned for a turn.

[Svithrir]

The orc takes the full force of Jaremi's magic. He staggers as blood starts flowing more freely from the wound Jaban made.

Con save for the orc: [roll0]

On top of that, he starts dry heaving. "New plan," he gasps to the thin pirate, "I'll take the body back, and you help Rolay."

[DannyBoy]

Jaban dies quietly, but in a long, drawn-out way.

[Pessoptimist]

"Oh, for, f..."

Fernweh regains her bearings after that initial lame swing and gets ready to take another.

She growls at the orc: "That is my Schnake!"

The looks back at the fella in front of her: "Let's try this again..."

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Svithrir]

Rolay (as you've just inferred is the beponytailed pirate's name) goes white as most of his blood pours out of a sudden chasm in his sternum. He slumps dead to the ground.

[Pessoptimist]

"All right, who's next?" Fernweh steps over the body of her fallen foe and charges up to engage the two remaining pirates.

[Svithrir]

Jaban is forgotten in the face of this new threat. Now engaged by Fernweh, the orc scowls and raises his cutlass. "You'd best back off, brat!" he says, his wavering voice betraying his ill condition. The thin man follows the orc's lead and engages Fernweh as well.

Orc, with disadvantage: [roll0] or [roll1], [roll2] damage
Thin man: [roll3], [roll4] damage

Dex save from the orc, who's still stuck in the grease patch: [roll5]

Death saving throw for Jaban: [roll6]

Neither pirate is able to land a blow on Fernweh. The orc manages to stay on his feet. Jaban is fading fast.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh's steps up to look the skinny guy right in the face: "You."

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Svithrir]

The thin man yelps as Fernweh's axe catches him in the chest.

Fernweh rolled d20s for damage instead of d12s. :smallyuk: Rather than reroll, we'll multiply by 3/5. The damage against Rolay becomes 9 (instead of 15) + 3 = 12, still lethal. Against the thin man, 7 (instead of 12) + 3 = 10.

As Fernweh pulls away her axe, the thin man looks almost as pale as Rolay. "L-let's report back the cap'n," he stammers.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh releases a terrifying animal-like roar (http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v213/n11/covers/largecover.gif) at them in the hopes it sends them skittering along, then picks up Jaban and carries him back into the room and sets him down at Jaremi's feet. "Got any magic for this?"

[Syekate]

Jaremi nearly vomits himself when he sees all the blood spilled, but he can't let them get away, just to have to deal with them again later. "Not feeling well? Perhaps you need a hand." With wisps of smoke, a bony clawed hand forms from the bauble and creeps toward the orc, resting on his shoulder with a tight grip.

Attack: [roll0] for [roll1] necrotic damage.

But the hand is easily shrugged off and dissipates.

[Svithrir]

The pirates have had quite enough of this. They disengage from their figt with Fernweh and attempt to take off down the hall.

That ol' grease slick again.
Orc: [roll0]
Thin: [roll1]

They skid a little in the grease, but quickly disappear around the bend in the hall.

Technically it's your turn in initiative order, with Jaban needing to make a death saving throw. But I'm willing to fudge it this time if you two want to immediately set to tending his wounds as Fernweh described above.

[Syekate]

"No magic, and I have only the basest of medical knowledge. See if you can patch him up, and I'll check this poor wretch to see if he has anything that might help." Jaban approaches the pirate that Fernweh cleaved so gracefully and, with a grimace of disgust, searches for objects of interest.

Investigation: [roll0]

Edit: Fernweh, I recommend your medicine check be better than my last couple rolls.

[Pessoptimist]

Her parents had taught her some very minor first-aid (her mother, being a sailor, had picked up a few medical life-hacks to keep the crew healthy while at sea). Probably not good enough for this, but certainly worth trying.

[roll0]

She shakes her head as she looks down at her shoddy patchwork. "Nope, don't this is gonna work."

[Syekate]

Seeing Fernweh fumbling clumsily and entirely botching the job, Jaremi steps over, saying angrily, "Nevermind, I'll do it myself. I never asked to be a medic, you know. I cannot stand the sight of blood." He pales at the sight of the wounds, but attempts to place bandages to the best of his ability.

Medicine: [roll0]
Of course, I imagine Jaban will have had to make another death save roll by now.

[Pessoptimist]

"You're that averse blood, but you choose to be an adventurer. You are an odd fellow..." She pays close attention to what Jaremi is doing, hoping to learn a thing or two.

[Syekate]

"Adventuring is a means to an end. I prefer to avoid such grotesque manifestations of the arcane as cause unsightly hemorrhagic conditions."

[Svithrir]

Jaban doesn't look much better, but nor does he look much worse. You just might be able to nurse him to stable condition after all.

As long as you're tending to him, we'll use your Medicine checks (the higher if you're both participating) in place of a death save. So that's 2 failures and 1 success so far.

[Pessoptimist]

"Haha, good luck with that!"

[Pessoptimist]

to meet character count limitation
[roll0]

"Ah, how about this though. Not bad, eh?"

[Syekate]

"Pour some water into these wounds. The ambassador won't be able to thank us if he dies of sepsis," Jaremi says, concentrating hard on the task at hand.

Medicine again! [roll0]

[Syekate]

The half-orc appears to be somewhat adept at this after all. "Better."

Hopefully last save to be made? [roll0]

[Svithrir]

Hm, it's not a *natural* 20, but there are benefits to using skills, so… enjoy that 1 HP, Jaban, you lucky stiff!

You've stemmed the bleeding, and his breathing is shallow but regular.

Suddenly, Jaban takes a deep breath through his nose and opens his eyes wide.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh's face is hovering right above Jaban's, and when he opens his eyes he sees her staring right into him. She says in a flat, calm voice:

"Don't ever do that again."

Then stands up and walks over to the dead body to pay her respects. Blood doesn't make her sick or anything (obviously), but she really doesn't like killing people, and she appreciates that this person did try very hard to kill her.

[Syekate]

"Good, you're awake. We need to move before those pirates come back with reinforcements, but first I must see to this tome that somebody failed to mention previously. Please do not interrupt my meditations." Jaban then gets out the half-rotted book and opens to the legible section, hoping this wasn't written in some strange dialect.

As far as dwarven alphabets go, Jaremi is fluent in Goblin and Dwarvish.

[Pessoptimist]

While Fernweh is at the body she checks it for anything of use.

[roll0]Haha! Oh my god that is so bad!

[DannyBoy]

"Right-o" Jaban manages to croak through blood-crusted lips. "No repeat performance. Jolly good show, though."

In no hurry to move, Jaban remains prone, taking the opportunity to rest until ambulation becomes imperative.

[Svithrir]

Fernweh doesn't find anything of interest on Rolay's person.

To see if you can identify anything about the tome: [roll0]

The book appears to be very, very old. In fact, you can't read the writing, but it appears to be an archaic form of Giant dating back 1000 years or more.

[Syekate]

Jaremi grinds his teeth in frustration as he fails to be able to decipher the text. With stiff form and furrowed brow, he quietly tucks the book away in his pack and rests his hands on the desk. "Mother-elfin' giant!" he shouts as he angrily grabs a lead weight from the desk and throws it at the wall where the tapestry used to hang. "Time to move."

[Pessoptimist]

There was too much blood to comfortably search the body thoroughly. 'Kord, but I did make a mess of this guy... Never mind.' she thought to herself, then got up and walked over to Jaremi to see what he found, eyeballing Jaban on her way over to make sure he was still resting.

"No luck with that either then?" motioning to the book. "I could read the letters, but couldn't make out any words at all. It was like 'ra jojokhet’i aris es...:smalltongue:'" she jargoned.

Then she made a face as she watched the elf petulantly throw a chunk of something against the tapestry wall. The thing made a deep clang against and wall and landed on the fallen tapestry. "Ew, do you mind? There are spores there."

[Svithrir]

Doot doot doo... [roll0]

[Svithrir]

Fernweh, as the lead weight lands in the folds of the fallen tapestry, you notice that although the front may have been covered in black mold, the back appears relatively clean. You may be able to make out some of the pattern woven into it!

[Pessoptimist]

"Oh wait though, the back of that tapestry's not so... gross..." She flips her ax around and holds it just above the head, handle outward, and uses it to start pulling the fabric away from the wall.

"Care to help with this? I think we can see something here. That might put you in a better mood, eh?" [she says this genuinely, not sarcastically, assuming sarcasm would just push him deeper into a sour mood and she didn't have patience for more of that]

[Syekate]

"What are you- oh. OH!" The elf eagerly grabs a corner of the cleaner back-tapestry and starts pulling it back for a better look. Not hastily enough to upset the spores, mind you.

[Svithrir]

You manage to straighten out the tapestry without kicking up any more spore clouds, and you see something like this:

http://www.aarongolas.com/media/2016/11/tapestry.png

It's clear that many details of the original don't show through to the back stitching, but you're able to discern the scene. In the foreground are hills; behind them, a sea; further back, mountains. In the upper right corner (what would be the upper left were the tapestry viewed from the front) is a raging storm. Opposite, a falling demon or dragon. Five men stand center in crowns and robes. Four have their eyes closed. The fifth, standing center forward, has wide black eyes. Two more crowns hover over his head. One arm is raised holding something. That arm is wrapped in a long silk scarf that trails off the side of the tapestry, held by a kneeling woman. The other arm is outstretched, and a dagger is stabbed through the back of his hand.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh stands there silent for a moment, resting her eye on every element of the scene, slowly taking it in.

"This.
_Is.
_So.
_COOL!"

[Rather indecorous, but she's still just a teenage girl, alright?]

"Ok, left door is a no-go for now. Shall we take the right door, see if we find any clues what this tapestry means?" Eager as a cat asking for a treat.

[Syekate]

While Fernweh fawns over the drawing, Jaremi retrieves a piece of parchment and his quill and makes a quick sketch of the picture, trying to capture the more prominent details in a hurry. He's no artist; it won't look like much to others, but will be at least a decent memory-jogger for himself. "Yes, we need to get moving before they come back here en force. Lead the way," he says as he packs his things away neatly and shoulders his pack.

[Pessoptimist]

"Yusss..." she whispers, then walks over to Jaremi to look at his drawing real quick. "Aw, that's nice!"

Fernweh also gathers her things then gently nudges the (presumably) still-supine Jaban with her foot on her way to the right-side door. "Hey, we're checking out this other door. I'd suggest you stay in the middle, eh?"

[Svithrir]

The door to the right is unlocked. Opening it, you find the inverse of the hall to the left: wide shallow stairs again with a channel of water down the center, this time leading up and bending to the left. At the end of the hall, you find another closed door.

[Syekate]

Jaremi whispers, "Quietly this time, so as not to scare away treasure-hoarders."

[DannyBoy]

Jaban finds this last imperative difficult to follow, but tries his best to stifle the groans that leak out of his badly mangled body.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh listens at the door while quietly toying with the door mechanism to see if it feels locked.
[roll0]

[Svithrir]

Listening at the door, you only hear the sound of running water, louder here than in any previous room. The door is unlocked.

Opening the door, you see yet another 15-foot by 30-foot room with the same circular water channel cut in the floor. To your immediate left is a small fireplace. There's a door in the center of the left wall; next to it, a key ring hangs from a peg in the wall. In the far wall directly across from you is a fountain. The fountain fills a basin which spills out a spout in the front into the channel in the floor. To your right is a drafting table. Tucked underneath the table is a small iron lockbox.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh's checks out the room, sees the key ring, sees the lockbox. Walks over to grab the key ring. If the fireplace is lit, she basks in it's warmth momentarily. She (otherwise or) then walks over to the lockbox to see if anything on the key ring fits it.

[Svithrir]

The fireplace is cold, and likely has been for some time.

Upon closer inspection, you notice that the lid of the lockbox is stamped with the seal of Rathering City Hall.

The keyring has two keys on it, one large and one small. Neither fits the keyhole on the front of the lockbox.

[Syekate]

Jaremi goes to look for papers or anything of interest on the drafting table. (If there's nothing there worth investigating, he inspects the fountain.)

[Svithrir]

You find some papers—calculations? schematics?—on the drafting table. (See the spoiler below for images.) The notes are unfortunately written in code.

http://www.aarongolas.com/media/2016/11/image1-e1480290275874.jpghttp://www.aarongolas.com/media/2016/11/image2-e1480290236731.jpg

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh has no hope of deciphering the papers, so while the guys are figuring that out she scrounges around the room to see if she might find materials to light a fire in the fireplace.

[Syekate]

"Hmm... Curious. I'll have to examine more thoroughly later, though. We can't dally too long; those ruffians will be coming back for us before long." Noticing his companion attempting to open the lockbox, he says, "Fernweh, if it won't open, grab the lockbox and those keys. See if any of them locks the door we just came through. With any luck , that could make the pirates give up our trail." He then gives the fountain a thorough look over while she does as much.

[Svithrir]

Fernweh, you find that the large key fits the door you just came through! If you wish you, you can lock the way behind you.

Jaremi, the back and bowl of the fountain is light grey stone, a contrast to the darker stone of the wall it's set in. It reminds you of the pedestal in the previous room, except the details of the fountain are even more badly weathered. It looks like the place where the water flows from might have been carved as some kind of face at some point, but you can't discern much more than that.

[roll0]

The water in the basin, meanwhile, sparkles with what you can detect is an aura of evocation magic.

[Pessoptimist]

Fernweh locks the door behind her.

[DannyBoy]

Jaban, an aficionado of chests of all kinds, crouches down beside the strongbox to examine its lock and hinges. Regretting bitterly that he never did learn to pick a lock (despite all the times he's found himself in irons), he assesses them for their ability to withstand blunt trauma.

[Svithrir]

Investigation check for Jaban: [roll0]

Jaban, you recognize this style of lockbox as one designed to safeguard particularly sensitive documents. Assuming it's properly armed, the box is equipped with a vial of acid rigged to shatter and destroy the contents should the box be forced open without unlocking it.

[DannyBoy]

"Wax and dash-it-all," Jaban mutters to himself. "I say, chaps, does anyone know their way around a lockpick? There's something important in here, I wot. See here? It's rigged to ruin whatever's inside if you don't open it just so. Know the trick well—diplomats use them all the time to keep scoundrels out." It needn't concern the party that his experience in this regard was from the perspective of the scoundrel, not the diplomat, having made countless failed attempts to steal sensitive documents away from sleeping fathers once their daughters had been thoroughly sated.

Lying is so easy if you know how, Jaban mused.

[Syekate]

"Does anybody even have a lockpick? If not, probably best we don't disturb it. If it's a type of box frequented by diplomats, there may be something exceedingly important inside." Jaremi turns his attemtion to the fountain, scooping some of the fluid into an empty vial and giving it a quizzical eye. "Hmm... Evocation for sure. There's a good chance this fluid could heal those wounds, Jaban! Or burn you with fire from the inside out..."

[DannyBoy]

Jaban swallows uncomfortably. Broken and mangled he may be, but being dissolved from the inside out? "Er, hem, oh me? Nonsense old boy," he blusters, adjusting his posture to be more heroic and stifling his wince, "feeling tiptop now. No lockpicks, though, I'm afraid. Fernweh?"

[Pessoptimist]

"Ok, door's locked.

Lock-pick? No, don't have one. I'll try that water though. I've drunk things that taste like fire before! :smallwink:"

[Svithrir]

Fernweh, you knock back the contents of the vial, and it doesn't burn. Quite the contrary, a soothing sensation flushes through your body.

Unless I'm mistaken, the only damage you've taken so far is 1 from the violet fungus. Well, that's healed now!

[Pessoptimist]

"Ah, that's nice. Go ahead Schnake, it's fine."

[Syekate]

Jaremi, being satisfied with an experiment sample size equals one, fills a couple more vials with the fountain's contents. "Fernweh, grab the lockbox. We need to get on the move again. When you're ready, Mr. Ambassador," he says, impatiently.

[DannyBoy]

Satisfied that the fluid is safe, Jaban harrumphs quietly, then walks over to the fountain, cups his hands, and drinks as quickly as he can while preserving his dignity before bringing up the rear of the party.

[Svithrir]

Jaban, you drink, and at first a rush of coolness floods your body. You heal [roll0] hp.

In the next moment, the coolness becomes cold, almost uncomfortably so…

[roll1]

[Svithrir]

Jaban, it's unclear why—perhaps because you've just brushed so nearly with death, or perhaps because you're drinking directly from the fountain?—but the water is having a stronger effect on you than it did Fernweh. You involuntarily grip the sides of the basin as a spasm of cold rushes through you. You feel a pressure upon your head, and a sound like roaring wind fills your ears. Your vision dims; the water in the basin looks blue-black and bottomless.

And just as suddenly, the feeling passes, and you feel right as rain.

[Svithrir]

The door ahead of you is locked, but takes the same key Fernweh used to lock the door behind you. Opening the door, you find a straight nondescript hallway. At first it appears to have a dead end, but as you draw nearer you recognize the back of another secret door and the mechanism necessary to open it.

[Syekate]

Jaremi nudges Fernweh to get her to go forward with opening the door. His bauble is in hand.

[Svithrir]

With your party standing at the ready and Fernweh at the front, you activate the mechanism to the secret door. It slides open quietly, revealing a small chamber… a closet?

A broom that had been propped against the secret door topples toward you! Fernweh can try to catch it if she wants, but it'll take a successful Reflex save to do so.

[Pessoptimist]

As Fernweh carefully unlatches the door and slides it open, she sees a thing comin' at her face. Between survival instinct and considerable strength, she does try to catch it, but postures her hand in a way that's something between "open-to-receive-an-incoming-item" and "I'ma-break-this-thing-comin'-at-ma-face-with-ma-hand". In other words, if there's such a thing as a "Reflex+Finesse" save, that might be appropriate.

[Svithrir]

Fernweh grasps at the broomstick with as much dexterity as she can muster.

[roll0]

But it slips through her clutches and falls to the floor with a CLACK.

"What was that?!" says a voice.

"Sounds like it came from the closet," says another.

"I already searched the closet!"

"Well, better check it again!"

With the trap door fully open, you see what indeed looks like the inside of a closet. There's a badly rusted pail, a crossbar with two wire coathangers, and straight ahead a door— which swings open!

[Svithrir]

Fernweh: [roll0]
Jaremi: [roll1]
Jaban: [roll2]

Person: [roll3]
Person: [roll4]

Edit: Pirates go first!

[Svithrir]

"What in the—?! WAAAHHH!! Ambush!!" The woman who opened the door lashes reflexively at Fernweh with her brandished cutlass before taking a step backward.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Another pirate, some 15 feet behind the first, drops his cutlass in shock and whips out a crossbow, firing a shot at Fernweh.

This one with disadvantage
Attack: [roll2] or [roll3]
Damage: [roll4]

You see before you a wide, round room strewn with rubble, presumably the primary basement of the lighthouse. Half the ceiling has collapsed. On the far side is a wooden staircase leading upward, and that's where the second pirate starts running after loosing his crossbow bolt.

[Syekate]

"Oh, for- Maybe let's stop announcing our presence every time we enter a room?" a frustrated Jeremy says as he primes his bauble. "Let's grab any potential escapees," he says, while a skeletal hand kitten's paw reaches out for the pirate with the crossbow.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] necrotic damage and can't heal until next turn

[Svithrir]

The pirate shudders as your chill touch caresses him. "Ghouls!" he shrieks. "Monsters in the closet! Qorp, get down here, now!!"