Dungeon Builder (IC Thread)

[tigerusthegreat]

Slowly, over time, things have begun to habitate the forest cave. It is only a matter of time before adventurers or bigger monsters show up. Turn 1 begins now, there are no events, and everyone is settling into their territory.

Current Map:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm285/tigerus2004/Capture_zpsktoe43e9.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/tigerus2004/media/Capture_zpsktoe43e9.jpg.html)

AvatarVecna: 8 standard Kobolds. (F)
Shortstuff: The Croaking Horror. (B)
WritteninBlood: Mushrooms. (D)
Croverus: The black dragon. (A)
Jacon: The shadow. (E)
Bludyee: Althozel, the Imp (C)

[Croverus]

Xanithoxis buries his meager hoard in the water of the lake he has claimed as his own, separating silver coins and items and burying them deeper under the mud. He explores the lake cavern, checking every nook and cranny and occasionally belching up acid to make small pools of acid along the walls of the cavern. The smell fills the cavern, acting as a warning to approaching creatures. Hunger settling in he considers going out to hunt.

[Jacon]

In the dark cavern amongst the rocks and crawling bugs is a collection of giant bones, bits of rotting meat still cling to it's ribs and a skull grins from its mounted place on a rock. Something else is here as well but it's harder to see. A shadow in the dark, it's form almost not tangible as it slowly shifts amongst the bones. Everyday it seems to able to drift further and further away from it's former owners body as it slowly starts to make it's way down the tunnel looking for vitality and life to feast upon.

Hide
[roll0]


Didn't know if others should see my post or not

[WrittenInBlood]

Main myconid plants one of the shriekers in place about 7-AB, second at 5-AA. (I assume they don't react to presence of other fungi creatures.)
Violet fungus lurks on the ceiling at 5-AB, hunting bats. Myconid sprouts are taking any fallen remains to the back of the cave, founding the place for soil growth at 2-X.

[Bluydee]

Althouzel groaned from his pocket of the cavern. All he wanted to do was to have this cave for himself. It was nice, spacious, and perfect dungeon material. Then all these other monsters funneled in, and now look what happened! Next thing he knew, he went from master of the cave to another inhabitant, and that's a title that just doesn't go well with a reputable Infernal like himself.

In times like these, he supposed he had to make do with what he had. In this case, he resolved to convince that high-and-mighty black dragon into an alliance. Oh, he had his own grievances with that overgrown newt. Just because he, a great devil, decided to stay in this cave, didn't mean that anyone can just go and make their own living space the biggest pocket at the end of the tunnel, as if they were some leader or something. But alas, kicking the oaf out would be too difficult, and though he felt that he could do it, he didn't fancy taking the chance. Morphing into a massive raven, he flew, taking care to shroud himself doing so. The last thing he wanted was to have that stupid toad eat him.


I turn into a raven, activate invisibility, and then move to Xanithoxis's part of the cave. If we are running this on movement, I go from S14 (the center of my cave) and fly to O9.

[tigerusthegreat]

Althouzel
You avoid anyone detecting you, mostly thanks to your invisibility. You reach the end of the cave, and find the wyrmling making acid pools around various areas of the cavern, fouling the waters, and burying treasures.

Xanithoxis
Your dragonic stomach begins growling. You could certainly subsist on some of your treasure, but there are perhaps other delicacies at hand. The forest outside certainly would have some game suitable for you, and you know of kobolds and a large toad in the caverns themselves, which could make a suitable meal or two.

Shadow in the dark
There are many living things in the caves now. A dragon, a giant toad, some kobolds, and other entities. At night, the forest also offers opportunities.

[Jacon]

Hungry but smart enough to know that sunlight is his vicious enemy the shadow waits near the entrance of the cave for nightfall when he can go out into the world and feast upon the living vitality of the forest creatures. Should any creatures come into the darkness of the entrance the shadow will watch them and decide if they are a worthy target.

Hide
[roll0]

[Bluydee]

As he made his way over to the cave that housed the dragon, the thought crossed Althouzel's mind that, perhaps, the lizard couldn't speak, and his vague recollection of a dragon wasn't actually a dragon. Still, in this time of chaos, it didn't hurt to make any ally you could, and even if hecouldn't convey his message, his natural charisma could persaude anything that roamed in the Nine Hells. The thought, of course, that he wasn't currently in the Nine Hells didn't cross his mind.

Making his way into the cave, he dropped his raven form and his invisibility, creating a burst of smoke before emerging.

"My, what a roomy little pocket of the cave you have! One really has to question whether such a space is really needed for such a-" He cut himself off before he made an enemy, "for a single entity alone. But then, I'm sure such a mighty and powerful creature such as yourself deserves simply the best! My apologies, of course. I don't believe we've met. My name, is Althouzel the Imp. Might I have the vaunted honor of learning yours?"

[Croverus]

The dragon turns to look at the arrival of a wretched creature who's foul smell was obvious from a short distance. The wyrmling was roughly the same size as this being, though proportioned differently due to moving on all fours and having a longer neck and tail. The dragon studied the being, not paying much attention to words, which were only understood fully if spoken in draconic. He did catch the creature using a name, presumably referencing itself. At that the dragon simply nodded and waiting for this wretch to finish blathering on before finally speaking himself, only speaking draconic. While true he had not spent enough time around baser creatures to learn common or any other language, he'd play it off as more of a state of mind that he chose to speak only his parent tongue as a sign of pride. "I am known as Xanithoxis. This cavern is mine, and soon the whole complex shall be part of my domain. You don't smell of food so I shall not bother to consider you as such but unless you can prove your worth as an ally you shall do well to stay out of my way. As to the size of this cavern... it shall do for now but I will only grow larger and more powerful in time. I am aware of some kobolds in this complex, who I intend to check in on and cow them. I may snack on whichever one does the poorest of prostrating themself to me. A worthy sacrifice as far as they are concerned." The dragon returns briefly to spewing more acid into pools on the edges of his cavern, waiting briefly for anything more this demon has to say before going to have business with the kobolds.

[AvatarVecna]

Ghul surveyed his domain, such as it was: a vast, spacious cavern in this rather crowded cave system, with both exits serving as natural choke points to funnel intruders into an expected area. Ogmus and Liko were busy setting up some rather basic tripwire traps which would send off some ringing bells. This would echo in the cavern, announcing the intruders to the miners working to expand the southern wall of the cavern. They had limited supplies available, and while Vusku assured them that the earth would provide, Ghul had his reservations; he preferred to place his faith in a more tangible god...or godling, as the case may be.

Inexorably, his thoughts turned to their purpose in this cave: the wyrmling rumors to lurk in the deepest parts of the cave. Such a master would be mighty indeed, and mightier still when it got older, but serving the wyrm in its developmental stages would be the task of later generations; Ghul's duty for his tribe was to lay out the groundwork: fortifying the caves natural defenses with well-made kobold traps, establishing a relationship with the wyrmling, expanding the cave to make enough room for the dragon as well as the army of kobolds that would serve it in the centuries to come, and serving as the first line of defense against greedy murderers looking to profit from the death of the baby dragon. His life would be a hard one, always working, never tiring, serving a master that may well eat him on an off day...but it was his duty to his tribe that he give it his all, that future generations would be numerous enough that their collective might was as valid a threat as their masters, that they would have peace and prosperity. He would toil and fight and suffer to ease their burden. It wasn't a choice, not to him.

"Ogmus: once the traps are set and ready, go aid the miners. Four hands picks are better than three, and they'll need your keen eye to make sure they're not digging themselves towards a cave-in. Liko, prepare some hunting traps. Once you've got a few made, we'll all gather everything up and go hunting. We're going to need food...and a sacrifice."

Simple wire traps like I've described shouldn't really take very long to make at all (just some string and bells, nothing complicated). Ghul and Liko are making hunting traps, while Ogmus, Grisk, Vusku, and Jurdo are expanding the southern wall of our cavern via mining. Once the traps are done, the six of us will be packing everything up and exiting the cave to go hunting in the forest(?) outside the cave.

[Bluydee]

Althouzel nodded intently, his focus entirely on the wyrmling. To tell the truth, he had entirely no idea what the dragon was saying. Truly, he miscalculated, and assumed such a creature would have at least a basic grasp of the common language, but even he wasn't sure whether the winged newt's insufferable screeching was an base animal's shriek or an ancient arcane cry. Whatever it was, however, it carried an infuriating arrogance that simply incensed him, and he understood enpugh that he wasn't looking for an ally. Speaking in infernal, he strung together words that sounded menacing enough, before blasting the arrogant newt's back with flame. Turning, he morphed back into a raven and faded into the dark.

Althouzel mused to himself that his options were running out. To his knowledge, still remaining in the cave was a gang of kobolds, likely to become lackeys of the dragon itself, a shadow, as animalistic as it is dangerous, and a group of mushrooms, an idea as improbable as it is preposterous. Of course, however, there was still another left in the cave. Perhaps, he could tame the giant toad. He needed someone to hold his palanquin, after all. Flying around was simply too crude for a mighty, future Lord of the Nine.


I shoot a firebolt at Xanithoxis before turning invisible and flying away towards my cave.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] fire

[tigerusthegreat]

Turn 1 (previous turn will be referred to as Turn 0):

AvatarVecna

Your kobolds manage to set up 2 alarm traps, and do some small amount of digging. The mining is slow work, as the rock is very tough, breaking one of your picks. After that failure, you go hunting in the forest, managing to successfully feed yourself for now.

As you hunt, you hear a group of men walking down one of the roads nearby. There are three armored men leading a man, a kobold, and an orc in chains. behind them rides another armored man on a barded warhorse.

Note: If my math is right, you have 70xp outstanding at the moment. (5 kobolds 25 xp + Wisdom (10 each = 50) + leader's NA (+20) + leader's HD (+20) all * 2 for 5 creatures = 430 xp

Shortstuff
If you don't post by the next turn, you will be removed from this game.

Usually you'd be feasting on bats, or whatever other small creatures flew by. Something has driven the bats away, as there are none, and you are very hungry.


WrittenInBlood

Your horticultural attempts are starting to take root, as some small fungus starts to grow in the back of your cavern. You are fed for the meantime, but the bats around you start to dwindle, reduced by your feeding efforts.

The wall on the northern part of your cavern has the sounds of running water. Dampness would make your offspring grow faster, and make your home more inviting. If you were to try to wear away the rock, or tunnel into it, you might cause some of that water to come to you.


Croverus
The demon leaves, shooting a firebolt at you, which fails to penetrate your hide. You continue making your lair more comfortable. The water begins to turn brackish, much like a dragon of your kind would like, and the beautiful smells of slowly corroding rock fill the air.

You head to the kobold's area, attempting to make an impression, only to find them gone. They left a few pitiful traps, but nothing that could harm you. You head out into the forest to find them, but have no luck. After a few hours (and some lunch, as you happen upon a wild boar that is delicious) you hear a pair of humans arguing. Sneaking up, you find a carriage, smashed against a rock, with a glittering of gold spilled on the ground. Two dead horses are speared with pieces of the carriage, and a couple dead humans are in the wreck as well. A very well dressed woman, and a man in armor are the ones arguing, the woman sitting on a nearby stone, and the man standing in front of her.

Jacon
You sneak through the dark forest with ease, sapping thee lifeforce from nearby creatures to feel your hunger. As you pass, you hear singing. Intrigued, you come across a holy man, wandering through the dark forest, singing hymns. He is completely alone and unaware.

Bludyee
Your firebolt has no effect on the dragonling, much to your chagrin.

You wander through the cavern, searching for a servant, but fail to find even the giant toad. You do manage to find a small, glittering gold amulet with a black gemstone set in the middle. Your outsider instincts tell you it is magical, but you aren't sure yet what kind of magic. It is, however, partially stuck under a rather large boulder.

Current Map (note: I'll be updating this as it changes starting next turn. I'm not able to do it atm, and figured it'd be better to get an update out rather than have a perfect map.):

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm285/tigerus2004/Capture_zpsktoe43e9.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/tigerus2004/media/Capture_zpsktoe43e9.jpg.html)

AvatarVecna: 8 standard Kobolds. (F)
Shortstuff: The Croaking Horror. (B)
WritteninBlood: Mushrooms. (D)
Croverus: The black dragon. (A)
Jacon: The shadow. (E)
Bludyee: Althozel, the Imp (C)

[Croverus]

The wyrmling simply observes the two argue for a time, doing his best to determine what these pitiful beings must be talking about. After they have had worn themselves out with the yelling he bursts forth, blasting the armor clad man with acid, then roaring as mightily as he could to terrify the woman. He'd take flight if the man was not killed outright by the acid and would fly out of reach, swooping down and biting at the man first until he went down, the attacking the woman if she didn't flee immediately. He'd then proceed to scout the wreck for coin, keeping an eye out for silver. He'll load up one of the bodies with treasure and take it back to his lair, setting the loot in his hoard and submerging the body so it will rot well. After that he will await the kobolds, intent on showing them the wreck to carry back more bodies and treasure.

[Bluydee]

Grumbling, Althouzel decided, in his old musty cave, that if anything he might as well see if there was anything important nearby. Megalomania didn't start in some rotten grotto, at least not any successful ones. Asmodeus himself didn't rise from a dirty pigpen, that's for sure. If anything, there had to be at least a single town ripe for the plucking. With that he departed, cloaked in darkness and feathers towards the forest and anything beyond.

[WrittenInBlood]

Adult myconid decides to face the solid stone wall - without proper tools, the piece of rock has to do the job. He carefully picks the place to start - right behind the garden. This way excess water leaving the cave should be tainted with rot and mycelium, thereofre posing no value to other creatures and not drawing them near.

One little shroom sneaks away from the cavern and turns north, curious what could be found there.

[roll0]

[Jacon]

In the dark the shadow was near invisible, or so it felt at least. In the night, underneath a bush, it eyed this new creature warily. Something about the man gave the Shadow pause, he seemed harmless enough with the whimsical sounds he made but something made it wary.. Yet this creature promised more life force than the puny rats and birds he had feasted upon. Silently as it could it makes it's way to the holy man and attempts to strike draining away the poor mans life, than fading back into the darkness as if it was never there.

Stealth
[roll0]

Attack rolls
[roll1]
[roll2]

Damage
[roll3]
[roll4]

Strength damage
[roll5]
[roll6]

Bonus action to hide again

[roll7]






um.....I think I crit attack.....Twice.....I've never seen that before

EDIT: Uhhh I crit three times actually with my stealth.....Did I do something wacky with the dice roller? I have four 26's which makes me suspicious I messed up the dice roller somehow

[tigerusthegreat]

Turn 1 Updates:

Croverus
You bathe the armored man in acid, which greatly weakens him. As the woman flees from you, he throws a handaxe, which embeds itself in your side, more painful than anything else (6 damage. The weapon is stuck in the wound). A followup bite dispatches the enemy. You quickly gather up 430 silver pieces, and drag the corpse back to your lair.

(eventually the kobolds will be coming back, but their stuff hasn't resolved yet).

Bludyee
Althouzel flies around, and sees the glint of light a few miles off. Flying closer, he sees it is a small village, going about the usual dusk activities. Several guardsmen patrol the city, and lights are visible on several outlying farms.

WrittenInBlood
Slowly the wall begins to give way, but it will take some time, or better tools, to make a big enough hole for the water to pour out.

Your small mushroom finds the source of the water leaking into the cave, and it flowing towards the back, and the cave splitting off as well.

Jacon
You drain the life from the holy man in a pair of ferocious attacks, leaving his lifeless body on the path. Your hunger is sated for now, and you feel a rush of energy from your meal.

[AvatarVecna]

Ghul got the attention of his hunting party, before motioning 3 fingers to each guard. The kobolds split into their usual teams: Ghul, Ogmus, and Vusku stayed level with the humans, while Liko, Grisk, and Jurdo went a bit further ahead. All the kobolds did their best to hide behind trees and bushes about 40ft off the path where they could see the road, but seeing them from the road would be difficult.

Each kobold is hiding behind a tree trunk large enough to grant at least 3/4 cover from the current position of the humans (which the kobolds can peek out from behind when they wish to attack). Each kobold makes a stealth check:

Ghul: [roll0]
Ogmus: [roll1]
Vusku: [roll2]
Liko: [roll3]
Grisk: [roll4]
Jurdo: [roll5]

By my estimation, the light in the woods is probably "Dim Light" (given the time of day and the cover of shadows afforded by the trees and such), which gives any creature without Darkvision disadvantage on Perception checks to spot things. Also, should the Stealth checks be a group check? I'm not sure, I've never used those rules...

Assuming at least some of my kobolds get surprise, we will press the attack.

[Jacon]

The shadow savors the taste of the mans life force, sweet and filling. It slowly falls back into the bushes where it hides watching the body until finally leaking from the bodies toes a small shadow begins to become tangible. Only when the lesser shadow is fully form does the Shadow in the Dark reveal itself. For a moment the two face each other, their is no true spoken communication between the two, only some sort of understanding that the larger knows a safe place for the creatures host body. The lesser slowly hovers over it's hosts body and drags in the direction of the cave while the larger more powerful shadow continues to hide and stealth following in the dark until they reach the cave in which the lesser dumps it's body next to the rotting bones of the Shadow in the Dark host body.
If the sun comes out before the reach the cave they stash the body and the lesser shadow hides nearby and the major retreats to it's cave
For now the two shadows stay silent in their patch of the cavern. The larger shadow is aware of the other creatures. The mushrooms creature offered easy pickings but the Shadow had a strange intelligence that it's lesser kin lacked. Most would simply fall upon the mushrooms and devour them but the Shadow saw them as "reserves." For emergency eating only.
The kobolds were also of interest, but they seemed more dangerous than the mushroom with their spears and traps and numbers. The shadow for the moment did not want to tempt a enemy that could severely weaken it....
The dragon life force was begging for eating but the Shadow had seen the acid it could spew and it feared it. Acid melts everything even bones.....For now it keeps it distance... Of course should any of these creatures wonder into the Shadow space it might not be able to help itself. It is still a creature of base cravings and undead to boot.
He was also aware of some strange creature, it's energies felt wrong for eating, not of this world almost....Because of this the Shadow lacks any interest in it.


hours till the shadow emerges from the dead body
[roll0]
Using the stealth roll from my bonus action unless you want me to reroll

[tigerusthegreat]

AvatarVecna

Vusku steps loudly on a branch, alerting the men that something is up. They halt immediately, one driving a spike into the ground, holding the prisoners in place. The mounted soldier hurls his torch towards the kobold's position, illuminating it, and the other apparently spots Vusku, and sends a crossbow bolt towards him ([roll0] damage: [roll1]), but the bolt flies wide.

The other three kobolds have not made it very far ahead, they are perhaps 100ft in front of the other group of kobolds.


Jacon
You wait quite some time, but no new shadow emerges. Perhaps the outward appearance of piety hid a sinister soul beneath, but the cleric's shadow does not come alive.

[Bluydee]

Althouzel's eyes flared, and quickly he made his way into the center of the city, perched undetectably, his attempts at eavesdropping on the name and the state of the city itself. If only he could take a form beyond common vermin and his pure infernal state.

[tigerusthegreat]

Bluydee
You overhear that this is the Indepemdent City of Gartala. Not much else of interest passes yoir ears, except that nobody seems to like the Doge who rules the city. Nobody refers to him by name.

[Jacon]

The shadow continues to explore the wilderness until it's close to dawn and than he will return to the cave.

[tigerusthegreat]

WrittenInBlood
You have made some progress towards getting water to flow from the rock. The wall to the north of your cave is damp, but water doesn't flow freely yet.

Croverus
The kobolds do not return from their expedition, leaving you without ready minions to retrieve your pillaged belongings.

You do notice, however, that the water pouring into your cave is starting to diminish. Eventually this means your pool will dry up unless you get to the bottom of it


Jacon
As you sit waiting in the darkness, you can't help but notice that the cavern feels emptier. The kobolds have no returned, and the giant toad has disappeared. As you wander around, looking, you notice a small pendant, partially pinned beneath a large stone, in the back of one of the caves. The chain is gold and a shiny ruby sticks out, glimmering in the darkness.

Bludyee
As you investigate the city further, you spot the clear signs of a warlock attempting to make a pact with a demonic entity. The window is open, and they are standing in a circle of salt in a very familiar pattern. The warlock is a tall, elven woman.

Current Map (fully up to date)

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm285/tigerus2004/Capture_zpswmsfscri.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/tigerus2004/media/Capture_zpswmsfscri.jpg.html)

AvatarVecna: 8 standard Kobolds. (F)
Shortstuff: The Croaking Horror. (B)
WritteninBlood: Mushrooms. (D)
Croverus: The black dragon. (A)
Jacon: The shadow. (E)
Bludyee: Althozel, the Imp (C)


All players can spend an additional 25xp this turn to improve their creatures. Do not worry about encounter xp any further, this is individual xp, so no need to multiply this by anything based on the amount of creatures in your encounter group.

[Jacon]

The shadow warily watches the gold ruby necklace, It's not quite sure what to make of it. It does remember seeing bright glittery things in the dragons cavern, and it remember that he seemed very protective of it growling at the shadow when it was stalking the lizard. It did not like the idea of something finding this red rock and becoming protective of it in its cavern where its bone lay. Best to move it, and since the dragon seemed to like such things it might as well dispose of it with him.

Warily the shadow moves under the necklace pushing it and slowly begins to head towards the dragons lair hiding against any creature it encounters except for the dragons lair where it will not bother hiding any approach to the dragon at get within 30 feet before dropping the necklace and heading back towards its cavern.

Stealth
[roll0]

[Croverus]

The dragon does not notice the shadow's coming or going, as he is preoccupied investigating why the stream that feeds his fetid pool is weakening. He also makes a brief stop at the kobolds' presumably abandoned site and raids it of any valuables, should any exist. Shame, they would have been a useful source of labor and food. Others will have to be found and take the kobolds' place. Xanithoxis continues to search for the cause of the decreased flow of water.

[Bluydee]

Althouzel glanced, before floating through into the warlock's study, cloaked in shadow. He waited and watched, his focus on the warlock's ritual, attempting to discern what and who she's trying to summon. Any infernal would be a blessing and a curse, depending on their mood. He wouldn't be an imp without the ability to grovel in front of his "superiors", however demeaning it may be. Any brutish demon, however, and he would have to intervene. It was his prime duty, after all, to fight the good fight and take any inch he could against those morons.