[IC] Expedition into Cynosure

[Kid Dynamo]

Except from a lecture to the Cynosure College of Mages by Sir Lambic Copegan. May 18th, 7539 AF:

"Despite the renewed interest in internal exploration so far we have only catalogued just over 200 miles of the tunnel systems within Cynosure. By most common estimates we are between one-tenth to even half way done. I'm sure we are all very excited to complete the internal mapping so that we can pat ourselves on the back and then turn our attention to more interesting pursuits. I am sorry to disappoint, but I estimate that we have only explored less than one one-hundredth of the tunnel systems. I point to the fact that most approximations of tunnel density have been consistently revised upward as more and more of the tunnels are explored, even when we inflate our estimates to account for our routine underestimation, we are still often wrong. A mere 30 years ago the most common estimates were only a few dozens of miles. This alone should tell us that there is some factor wrong in our calculations. In fact, my higher estimates are largely consistent with the tunnel density suggested by the explorations of the Barbarian King Kyfas in the 5th Millenia. Although his maps are largely inaccurate to the current state of the tunnel systems, I propose that this is not due to incompetence or forgery, as is largely thought, but due to the fact that the tunnel systems have themselves been altered. I know this is quite an extraordinary claim, but we have even seen evidence of alteration in recent expeditions; clearly marked and historically documented routes through the tunnels are now useless."

"This is why I am proposal another exploration of the eastern quarter. The Skulley maps are barely 10 years old at this point, and her accuracy is indisputable. I hope to bring back conclusive proof that something has been altering the tunnel systems, and perhaps even learn the fate of the last Skulley expedition."

Editor's note: Copegan disappeared during his fourth expedition into the Cynosure tunnel system in early 7540 AF, shortly after giving this speech.



The glow of the bright morning sun of Thresher has long since faded behind you as you ventured deeper into the Underwall portion of the Western side of Cynosure. Your eyes slowly adapt to the lower light level. The ambient sound here is different as well. While the streets outdoors bustle with the normal sounds of a city, in these closed quarters sounds echo and reverberate into an eerie chorus of background noise. Lining the streets are a series of lampposts, adorned with some sort of magical lighting. You quickly realize that many of the lampposts have been looted for their magical light source, and some have been replaced with torches or oil lamps, but many sit dark, making the already dim streets even darker. Above, nearly consumed by darkness, the roughly hewed ceiling of rock looms overhead. The roofless houses are barely walls, an assortment of crudely stacked blocks and disintegrating timber and plaster. This is clearly a slum, and the people you pass eye you wearily; an outside interloper. The monotony of the ramshackle structures is broken by the occasional stone column, enormous load bearing pillars left by the original excavators of this place. A reminder that the shadowy stone ceiling above you is more than just scenery, but the bottom tip of a mass of stone miles high, ready to crush every building and living being in this place, were it not for the colossal pillars that dot the slums.

Up ahead you see your destination, the Darklight Tavern. As a building, it is in much better shape than most of the surrounding structures. Windows glow with lamp light and a soft chorus of voices emanates from the inside. An ancient Gnome woman passes by, glances at you, and mutters a curse under her breath before continuing on.

Stepping through the threshold, you look around the establishment. A bar without chairs dominates one wall. Several persons are slumped over it, while the barkeep looks up from a deck of cards to look at you, then returns to mindless shuffling them. Tables and chairs are scattered around the interior in a disorganized mess. Patrons dot the tables, and a particularly intoxicated and rowdy group of halflings and an orc play dice near the center. In a far corner of the room, you spy a lanky middle-aged man seated at a large table. His greasy face lights up with a large smile, and he motions you over.

Slippery Bob.

[JNAProductions]

Heyyo! Shanoa calls over as she walks over to Bob. How are you, you big lug? she asks as she gives the much larger man a hug.

[Simba]

Bam

Walking towards the bar, K'Rash feels sorry for the people who have to live in the area, who have to live in poverty. "Well", he thinks, "One day that could be me, as well, if I don't change my life. So, let's do it!"

Well acoustomed to the low ceilings the small folk have, he lowers his head as he steps into the bar. Spotting Shanoa at once, he walks over to stand next to her as she finishes her very personal greetings. "Hi, the name is K'Rash, but most people just call me Bam."

[Toliudar]

Magiz

The orc dicing with the halfling abruptly shoves one of the other gamblers out of his seat and then rises unsteadily to his feet. He fixes another of the halfling with an accusing finger and growls.

"I'll find proof that you have loaded dice
And when I do, believe I won't think twice.
You claim that it's just halfling luck
But I know cheating when I see it, f - Bob!"

Immediately distracted when he notices Bob - and then sees that both Shenoa and K'Rash are there with him, Magiz smiles broadly. Stretching up to the rafters, he retrieves his axe from where he stashed it there, and strides over to the trio. He starts with a sharp but friendly clout on K'Rash's shoulder.

"Buddy! Welcome to the tenderloin!
You and me, we're gonna make serious coin."

Turning to Shenoa, he drops smoothly into a crouch so as to connect at eye level. His face is open and full of delight.

"Madam, it's once again a great honour
To get a chance to work alongside you..er."

After a slightly awkward moment, he straightens again and nods to Slippery Bob. His tone is more subdued.

"Boss."

[Yas392]

As soon as the orc display his meekness through the address of his superior, the sound of footsteps striking the wooden boards of the inn can be heard. It grows louder as the source draws near.

"A warrior stands tall and proud. Even lions do not cower like frightened dogs. Where is the fierce lion that stood with me against many waves of foes? Ngaleuthli would not accept such weakness!"

A guest walks closer revealing a tall, dark skinned woman, covered with the bare minimum of furred top, loincloth and furred boots. Her hair is in dreads and facial features are those predatory feline in the jungle; fierce and watching. Tattoos and tribal ornaments decorated her exposed skin. Quivers and backpack strapped behind her back and daggers on her side. She wields a bow in one of her hands that is almost mistaken for a cudgel. The woman halts as she nears, leaning forward with close eyes in a trance-like fashion.

"I sense a familiar spirit among many faces. I see you, Bob."

The shamaness open her eyes, fierce expression softens a bit.

"The spirits extend their greetings to you. Now, what is dire and exciting enough to make you call me and a potential pack here?"

[Toliudar]

Magiz

As the tall woman makes her entrance, Magiz drops ever so slightly into a loose-kneed combat stance. His eyes are focused, and while the long-handled axe stays vertical and out of play, Magiz watches the woman warily. When she finishes her introduction, Magiz growls a response.

"Tahazu! You glorious crazy beast.
Is that a bow or some new walking stick?
To business first, and then we'll have a feast,
Cause Ngaleuthli can suck my foot long -"

Interrupting himself, the orc enfolds Tahazu in a firm and laughing embrace.

[Kid Dynamo]

Bob returns Shanoa's hug with a wide smile.

"Just makin' my own way" he replies with a sly look.

"Bam! Good to see you again, kiddo" Bob says to K'Rash, then turns to Magiz with a laugh. "How's my favorite Orc doing? You know you gotta factor in cheating when you play dice this side a town, 'ight Magiz?"

"Tahazu, welcome" Bob says to the woman. "Glad you made it"

Bob allows introductions and greetings to happen amongst the group, then motions for everyone to sit down and starts to speak.

"I believe most of y'all know each other already, which is why y'all came to mind when I fell into this... information" he starts, then his voice gets low. "I know the tavernkeep, and he's no chap to tattle, but we best be keeping our voices low for this one."

"I don't know how much y'all know 'bout Cynosure, so I'll give you the down low. This place looks solid from the outside, but its got more tunnels in it than you can believe. So some of these tunnels people live in and go about their day to day, no problem. We in one right now, right? Not all of 'em are safe though, no sir-ee-bob. That's why the city's been blocking the unexplored ones up for years now, eh? Every time they find a new tunnel, magistrate comes out, blocks it up, posts a guard, puts the city seal on it. Now opening a tunnel that they closed, you in a heap of trouble, mate. Spend the rest of your days in a cell if you're lucky. Now they don't call me 'ol Slippery Bob because I ain't found a few legal loopholes in my day. It ain't against the law to go down in a tunnel that they haven't sealed. Guard'll hassle you sure, probably close up whatever you did find, but they can't do anything to you. The only problem is, how you find a tunnel they haven't sealed? They been at it for longer than you or I been alive."

"Well, 'ol Slippery Bob found a tunnel they don't know about. And I got this up out of it."

Bob reaches into his pocket and pulls out a large shining coin. It is slightly larger than a human palm (although not bigger than Magiz's or Bam's). A bald dwarf in profile is etched onto it, with Dwarven writing around the sides.

"This is a Duergar coin. They're Dwarfs, but as a regular 'ol Dwarf'll buy you an ale for beating him an in arm wrestlin' contest, a Duergar'll knife yer kidney instead. Not nice folk, but greedy bugbears even by Dwarf standards. I have it on good authority that they were digging down there, and you know ain't nobody done that around here for hundreds of years at least. So they musta' all left in a hurry I figure, given they leave a big 'ol hunk a gold like this laying behind."

"Now Slippery Bob is a peaceful man, you see? I get scared easy and I don't like the dark, so, no use in me going down there, I wouldn't be able to do a thorough job of it if I did. But y'all, y'all are big or scary enough to frighten off anybody who crosses you. You go down there, find whatever you can, and haul it all back up. And give nice ol' Bob who got you this information.... a reasonable percentage."

"What do y'all say?"

[JNAProductions]

You know you can trust me to play it fair with you, Shanoa replies. And hey-a break this big might let me do something real grand.

I'm in.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Magiz doesn't bother hiding his interest in the proposal.

"Don't mind going down into this lair.
What kind of split you thinking will be fair?"

[Simba]

Bam

"Count me in, Bobby-O" Bam says without the slightesthint of a smile. "Nice coin."

[Yas392]

"Do not insult the great Ngaleuthli!"

Her tone playful and a savage grin, Tahazu uses her cudgel like stick to manipulate one hand away so that the hug does not happen.

"You caught me in your bear trap the first time I was not looking! The huntress of the Spirit Wolf Tribe will not be caught today!"

Once introductions abound, Tahazu nods at the rogue.

"I will go to the tunnels! The Spirit Wolf Tribe never forget their gratitude and the face that helped them!"

[Kid Dynamo]

"Good to see all y'all are interested" Bob says. "If none of y'all have questions, then meet me outside the ol' Merchant's Guild at dusk, and I'll show ya to the place."

Bob turns to address Magiz directly, and says in a flat tone. "I want 20 percent of everything y'all take out."

[JNAProductions]

I would like to know if you have any other information-but you can tell us later, if you need time to gather your thoughts, Shanoa says.

[Kid Dynamo]

“Well I can say it will be a tight fit for some of you getting in, but once you get through the first leg of it, it’ll be nice and open.” Bob says.

“Also you probably won’t have too much time once you’re down there. Where we’re goin’ the city guard’ll probably be tipped off after a week or so and seal it up, so don’t expect to be able to take too many trips down ‘ere.”

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Magiz cheerfully accepts Tahazu's deflection.

"I meant no slight to your great Ngaleuthli.
Many have said they enjoyed the taste of me."

Magiz nods his agreement with Bob's terms. He didn't really understand what 'infrastructure' and 'overhead' were, but they seemed to be important to keeping an enterprise of intermittent legality moving.

"Right. I'm off the Roast and Sack,
For a last meal not trying to eat me back."

The playful orc pops his eyebrows, leaving the invitation to the others implied.

[Simba]

Bam

Bam nods at Bob: "Agreed."

When he sees Magiz's invitation to join in for dinner, he smiles.

With a straight face he lets his montain home accent come to the fore, saying:
"Let's lift a mug in cheerful toast, to the health of our host!"

[JNAProductions]

I'll, uh, pass, Shanoa says. I should probably write a letter to my family-just in case this goes south.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Magiz chuckles, considering that a letter to his family would likey be used as bog roll. He beams down at the gnome, quietly jealous that she might in fact have others who might actually mourn her passing. The best Magiz was likely to get as a response to his death was that friends would use it as an excuse to drink more one night.

"Alas, Shanoa! It will not be the same.
Now, Tahazu? Will you be so lame?"

[Yas392]

Tahazu looms over Magiz, staring at him in the eyes for an intense moment then laughs.

"Hah! You got guts, little lion. I will join your feast. But you called me lame so you will pay!"

[Kid Dynamo]

"Well, good to see y'all are gettin off to it" Bob says, standing. "I got some, eh, business to attend ta".

Bob moves to the exit, and then is gone from the tavern, leaving the party to themselves at the table.

[Simba]

Bam

After Bob is gone, Bam looks at the others and asks just loud enough for them to hear: "Is there anything we should get before we start? Food, water, tools, bags, anything like that? Any other ideas?"

[Toliudar]

Magiz

The big orc shrugs expansively.

"I think I may want a bag of fire
But otherwise, we got this, sire."

[Simba]

Bam

"Great! So, let's go eat! I am starving."

[Yas392]

Tahazu's eyes becomes unfocused and she holds a hand out, caressing the an empty space. She snaps back in a moment, looking at her two companions.

"The spirits told me prepare. I will follow my instinct. We go to the shop after we filled our hunger! Now, let us see what this Roast and Sack has to offer us!"

After the meal and purchases...

The shamaness sports a satisfied smile as she pats her stomach. Even petite among a giant and a cultured orc, she is in front, leading them with head high. Nearing the entrance of the Merchant Guild, she waits for Shanoa's arrival.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

The orc pats his stomach happily, and does some small limbering-up exercises as the group waits for Bob. He carefully strings his massive recurved bow, and pats down various places on his body, making sure that his gear is exactly where he thinks it is. Now that the sun has set, he takes off his dark glasses, wrapping them carefully in a cloth before tucking them into a side pouch of his pack.

Despite the likelihood of facing unforeseen dangers, or perhaps because of it, he seems very, very happy.

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa heads to where she's been staying, and pens a short letter to her home.

Hope everyone is well!

Bob-you know, the slippery one-has found an interesting, though potentially dangerous opportunity for me and some others. I'm gonna see where it leads.
Be doing my best to stay safe the whole while, but I think I could really make a difference here with the money on the table.

I love you all dearly!
-Shanoa


Shanoa meets the others at the spot Bob talked about-but she goes quietly, in the shadows, just to test and see how perceptive her comrades are. She doesn't draw arms or anything, but does (if unseen) observe for a bit, just to see what they're doing before she "arrives".

Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently: [roll1]

[Kid Dynamo]

The merchant guild is built into the south-eastern wall of Cynosure's canyon. The structures that make up the compound are striated up the hewed stone wall, like creeping vines. The party gathers outside the main entrance, relatively high structures dominated the local cityscape, most of them around 10 stories high. The streets are wide and the crowds are starting to die down as people return to their homes. Shanoa is noticeable missing from the group. The sun of Thresher approaches the horizon, casting long shadows across the city and bathing it in a warm orange-red glow.

[Simba]

Bam

"Ready to go?" Bam seems happy to see the others and get going, "Have you seen Shanoa?"

Bam takes an apple from his pocket and offers it to the others, taking out anouther one until there are no more takers, then takes a huge bite out of his own fruit.

[Yas392]

Tahazu accepts the fruit and takes a bite. Her senses soon alerts her of a presence in the shadows as she spots the gnome. Once she swallows the first chunk, the shamaness walks toward the gnome.

"Little one, have you sent your message to your family?"

[Toliudar]

Magiz simply grunts his displeasure at having Shenoa sneak up on them unseen. Perhaps this was a sense of humour not previously seen in the gnome. Regardless. He just sort of stares in the vague area that tahazu seems to be talking to.

"Right! So finally the four of us are met.
Now where is Bot that slippery little shet."

He takes one of Bam's apples and bites in, immediately mollified by the sweet fruit.

[JNAProductions]

Tahazu accepts the fruit and takes a bite. Her senses soon alerts her of a presence in the shadows as she spots the gnome. Once she swallows the first chunk, the shamaness walks toward the gnome.

"Little one, have you sent your message to your family?"

Nice eyes, Shanoa says as she reveals herself fully. Hopefully we won't be needing to be that keen in the tunnels, but I have a sneaking suspicion it won't be so easy.

[Kid Dynamo]

The sun slowly sets over the horizon and the city slowly washes in darkness. High in the sky above, Thresher's world arch shines reflected sunlight down onto the city streets brighter than any moon.

Coming off a side street into the square in front of the Merchant's Guild, a lanky man with a lazy gait approaches.

"All right, let's go" Bob says as he approaches the group.

Bob takes the group down an alley that leads toward one of the canyon walls. Hewed into the stone, a tunnel disappears into darkness. As you enter, even the relatively bright light of the world arch begins to fade away to darkness. The lighting is particularly bad in this area, with most of the lampposts here having been looted. Bob produces a small lamp that provides some illumination but not much. The unkempt structures around you seem almost deserted except for the occasional lighted window or murmur of voices. You pass few others on the quiet roads. The relatively large passages begin to close in, and soon the large, open caves turn to small, winding tunnels. The tunnels twist upward and double back on themselves. People are huddled into corners and alcoves, and some branches of the tunnels have been walled off as homes or other habitable buildings. The tunnels climb and twist until almost all sense of direction has been lost, and your legs begin to ache from the steady, upward slope.

The branches of the labyrinthian caves seem to become more complex. Left, left, right, left, right, right, left, left, left.

You finally come to a small home built into an alcove of the tunnel, little more than a door and some poorly laid masonry. Bob knocks, and without waiting for a response, he walks in.

The inside is small and cramped, the party has a hard time squeezing in. A frail old elfin woman stands near one corner with a small pot of soup steaming on an extinguished stove. The acrid smell of old food and grease hangs in the air. You quickly realize that there are no sources of light in this place. The woman was standing in complete darkness. She turns, and her eyes are illuminated by Bob's lamp.

Both eyes are almost completely white, with only faint circles that were once pupils. She stares almost toward you, but not quite, wide-eyed and unseeing.

"This is Ayla" Bob says. The woman is unmoving and silent. "She will be keeping an *eye* on you for me, let me know if you don't come back"

Bob moves toward the back of the room, and moves a small dresser from a wall. A small hole leads into the rock face that is the back wall of the room. The hole is a tight fit, and peering into it, it disappears around a corner after a few dozen feet.

"'Ere it is" Bob says.

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa gulps, getting a bit nervous. Well... Who's going in first? I could, um, try sneaking ahead, in the darkness.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Magiz unships his axe.
"I need room to make things bleed
So I'm okay to take the lead."

As they head into the tunnel, Magiz pauses to layer on a simple protection against fire. Each time the group makes a turn in the labyrinth, Magiz uses the tip of his axe to scrape a small "x" high on the wall on the direction that they turn to.

When the group meets up with Ayla, Magiz grunts his greeting, then looks reproachfully at Bob for a truly horrible pun.

[Simba]

Bam

Bam waits until all others have entered the tunnel, then squeezes in after them.

[Yas392]

Tahazu positions herself in the middle of the group for the marching order in the original formation. She is miffed by Shanoa's fear.

"The dark will not stop our mark!!!"

After saying this, she rushes into the tunnel without fear, joining Magiz in the front, weapon in hand, quiver of normal arrows strapped to her back.

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa goes after the first two. She keeps a close eye on whatever might be lurking in the darkness.

Making some Listen and Spot checks, respectively.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Kid Dynamo]

The tunnel is a tight fit for most of the group (although Shanoa is able to walk comfortably the entire time), as the group advances down the tight passage, Bob can be heard yelling down the tunnel.

"Oh, I almost forgot", Bob's voice echos. "Follow the breeze!"

After a few dozen feet of squeezing, the tunnel emerges a few feet off the floor of a roughly circular room. It is maybe 40 feet across, the walls are smooth, worked stone, but the ceiling, about 20 feet high is rough and uneven. The floor is covered in rubble. It appears that there was a cave-in here. A faint drip of water can be heard, but it is hard to determine the source. The air is musty and old. There is a layer of fetid water on the floor, although the rubble allows you to mostly avoid it.

Leading out of the room, two tunnels branch off the Eastern and Western sides of the room, both of them are angled slightly upward. They appear to be about 10 feet high, but rubble from this room spills into the tunnels for a few feet. Most of the party will have to duck to squeeze into them. The tunnels are straight and virtually identical as far as of of the party can see.

A faint wind can be felt heading coming from the Western tunnel and heading down the Eastern tunnel.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Working his way through a narrow patch, Magiz grins back at the others.

We orcs are born for caves. This is like home.
Although we are no builders like our friends the gnome
My clan, we liberated one gnome hall.
The ceilings were smooth, thank gods, if the middens small."

When they reached the circular room, Magiz takes a moment to stride in and stretch out for a moment. Dealing with constrained circumstances was one thing, but liking it quite another. He wet a finger for a moment, and followed it to the eastern passage. Roughly, Magiz hauls a couple of rocks away from the tunnel entrance and steps in. He glances back at the others to confirm that they were good to continue, and plows forward.

Just so we're clear, our lead character has a spot modifier of -6. Don't expect a lot of advance notice of, well, anything!

[Yas392]

Tahazu curses as darkness shroud her sight. She chants and her club glows, illuminating the cave.

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa stays quiet, her eyes and ears peeled for anything that might come their way. She debates about telling Magiz to shut it, but figures they're not being stealthy no matter what.

[Simba]

Bam waits for the others to enter the tunnel, then follows, checking behind them every few seconds.

[Kid Dynamo]

The party heads down the Eastern tunnel. The faint breeze can be felt, almost pushing you deeper into the tunnels of Cynosure. The walls of the tunnel are extremely smooth, it would take a superb group of craftspersons to dig out a tunnel with the precision that this tunnel was dug with. The tunnel starts to slant slightly downward and curve to the right. It continues on for quite a while, and maybe 15 minutes of walking pass until the passage straightens out again. It has probably looped back and under itself by now, but with the gradual descent and turning, it is hard to tell for sure.

Up ahead on the right (or southern) side of the tunnel, a scar in the side of the rock wall can be seen. A passage has been carved perpendicular to the tunnel you are in. The passage is about the same height and width as this tunnel, but while this main tunnel is smooth, the branching passageway is roughly hewn, and tool marks are evident. It continues off for a foot or so, until a wall of debris blocks it. Neatly stacked rocks, wood, plaster, cloth, and other materials fills the passage to the ceiling.

It looks like someone tried to close up this passageway.

Near the floor there is a hole carved in the wall of debris, big enough for a small humanoid to fit through, but not for anyone larger to pass easily. Peering down the small tunnel in the wall of garbage, it is obvious that there is a large chamber on the other side, at least 15 feet across, although not much more can be gleaned without entering.

The smooth tunnel you are traveling in continues straight on into darkness up ahead.


Nothing out of the ordinary can be seen with your spot checks (if you didn't roll, I am assuming you just took 10).
Nothing out of the ordinary can be heard with your listen checks (same thing about taking 10).

15 minutes have passed since you entered the tunnels. I believe that means that 35 minutes remain on both the light spell that Tahazu cast and the Resist Energy that Magiz cast.

[Toliudar]

At the gap in the walled up entrance, Magiz again licks a finger and tests to see if the breeze they have been following goes into the small opening, or pushes forward down the tunnel.

[Kid Dynamo]

Magic feels the breeze flowing into the hole in the barricade.

[Yas392]

Tahazu turns to Bam.

"Giant, help us make a bigger hole."

[Simba]

Bam

Bam looks back at Tahazu, then at his hammer: "Quickly or quietly?"
Without waiting for a reply, he sets down his weapon and sets to making the hole just large enough for himself, without making the whole wall come down.

[Toliudar]

Magiz chuckles softly at Bam's description of the options, but doesn't comment further. Instead, he lends a hand at pulling away a sufficiently large chunk of the barrier in order to crawl through.

[Yas392]

Tahazu let the males do the heavy lifting and hammering. When the hole is big enough, she gets an obscuring scroll out which occupies her free hand. The next thing she does is direct the the hand holding the glowing club forward and lends her senses to the group to detect anything beyond the tunnel, moving to the front if needed.

Taking 10 on both spot/listen so the results for both checks are 20.

[JNAProductions]

So far so boring, Shanoa says. Let's hope it stays that way...

[Toliudar]

The orc's voice in response is uncharacteristically quiet, but no less cheerful.

"A day with Magiz never could be boring!
Now, on our knees and let us go exploring."

He offers to give up going first in honour of Tahazu, but if she hesitates, then Magiz will squeeze through the hole first in order to give cover to the others when he reaches the other side.

[Simba]

Bam

When the hole is big enough, Bam waits until all others are through, guarding their back, before slipping through after them.

[Yas392]

Tahazu takes the lead once she sees Magiz stops for a moment.

[Kid Dynamo]

The wall is not hard to disassemble. A few minor collapses occur, but the group effort is able to make a hole big enough for even the party's largest members to crawl through. Tahazu leads the way, emerging in a large room.

It is quickly evident that the "wall" only 15 feet past the opening is but a short, maybe 3 foot wall, in side a larger room. The room is shaped roughly like an "L". To the south, the ruins of low walls made of cut stones creates a sort of mini-maze. Rubble and refuse covers much of the floor.

There are 3 doorways cut into the western wall, with stone doors covering them. The closest door is slightly ajar, but not open enough to see through. On the southern wall, there are 3 doors equally spaced along it, made of stone as well and all closed. To the east, a large alcove contains a single door. The breeze is hard to feel in here, but clearly heads toward the eastern alcove. On the western wall, there is a large bas relief carved into the stone. Above you, the ceiling slopes upward in a large vault, reaching maybe 30 feet near the center of the room.

The walls of this room are clearly carved from the stone, not smooth and nearly perfect like the walls of the tunnel you have been traveling through for the last 15 minutes.

Along the walls of the room, spaced every 10 feet, iron holders for some sort of torches or lanterns are placed into the stone, although no lanterns or torches still reside in them.

There is a map below. Your character is marked with the first letter of their first name and their color, let me know if it isn't clear. If you feel your character would have entered the room in a different way, let me know and I will adjust it.

Assume up = north, left = west, right = east, down = south.

The areas marked in red are filled with rubble and will impede movement.

The low walls are the lines in the middle of the room, they can provide cover.


https://i.ibb.co/PtV9jyR/cynosure-dungeon-round0.png

[Yas392]

As the group is investigating the room, Tahazu assumes a combat position. The shamaness directs Magiz and Bam with her club hand to where she can see the moving living being.

"I sense a human shape struggling within the rubble. Go dig them out so we can see whether they are friend or foe."

[Toliudar]

Magiz grunts and follows Tahazu's point.

"I dunno. This seems very suspect.
There were no sounds of cave-ins from in here.
And where a man would come from, I don't know.
I'll dig, but Bam should stand by with his maul."

If Bam is willing to stand watch, Magiz will start using the butt of his glaive to lever the rubble off of whatever's beneath.

[Simba]

Bam walks over to where Tahazu pointed and stands guard while Magiz digs, ready to attack if whatever is hidden beneath the rubble turns out to be hostile.

Bam is ready to use Mountain Hammer Strike

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa leans towards the figure, a short distance away, and asks Can you hear us? Are you alive?

[Kid Dynamo]

Magiz and Bam make their way to where Tahazu indicates. They must move over the rubble, and they are slowed.

Shanoa's voice echos in the room, but the figure does not reply.

When Magiz and Bam are about halfway to the thing in the rubble, a sound is heard. The door nearest to the entrance, the one that was ajar when the party entered, swings open. A humanoid figure stands in the doorway, clutching a long polearm with an ax head on one end. It is a grey-green color and nude. The skin is hanging off of the bones in places, and the party is immediately hit by a foul stench of rot and death. The creature is about 4 feet tall and somewhat stocky.

The figure lets out an ear-piercing screech. Suddenly, the figure that Magiz and Bam were approaching stands, and another, unseen figure, stands up, about 25 feet away. The two figures as equally as rotten looking as the one in the doorway. The figures are crouched in combat stances, and snarl menacingly.



Surprise round, the figure in the doorway acted, opening the door and screeching. The other two figures had readied actions to stand from prone when they heard the screech, and have now acted.

The positions of the figures are marked with blue circles. The one with the poleaxe is in the 3 by 3 square room. The poleaxe appears to be a reach weapon. Each square is 5 feet.

The surprise round is now over.

Please roll initiative and let me know your first round actions.


https://i.ibb.co/CW3w0k4/cynosure-dungeon-surprise-round.png

[Toliudar]

When the shrieking starts, Magiz tucks into a combat crouch, his axe swirling up into diagonal ready position.

Stepping carefully over the rubble to protect his flank with one of the low walls, Magiz charged up his glaive and hacked at the creature that had emerged from the rubble.

Knowledge Check to figure out what these things are: [roll0], +2 if Religion or The Planes is the relevant cheques, +4 if it's Dungeoneering, +6 if Arcana, Local or Religion. Also applies to creating Knowledge Devitoin so far.

Move action to step 5' east.
Standard action to channel Shocking Grasp through her glaive and into the SW opponent.
Attack: [roll1]
Slashing damage: [roll2]
Acid Damage: [roll3]
Electricity Damage: [roll4]

[Simba]

Bam

As Magiz attacks the enemy before them, Bam turns around and quickly makes his way to the now open door, where the screeching came from. When he comes close enough to attack, he does not hesitate and swings his mighty hammer in a powerful arc.


Bam wants to attack the enemy who was hiding behind the door and moves to engage him.
If he manages to get close enough, he attacks, otherwise he moves to attack next round.

Stance: Martial Spirit
Attack: [roll0]
damage: [roll1]

[Kid Dynamo]

Magiz moves through the rubble, repositioning himself to the east, then swings his glaive at the enemy. Electricity crackles and sizzles in the air as the glaive makes contact. The attack is devastating and the humanoid is almost split in two by the force of the blow. Its corpse falls to the ground and lays motionless.

Shanoa finishes her incantation, and the remaining two enemies become enveloped in black shadows. The creature in the eastern portion of the room is enveloped, and starts flailing in panic. The other lets out a roar, and the shadows seem to disperse from it.

The creature still enveloped in shadows begin advancing to the north, around the low walls, and then to the west toward Tahazu. It lunges forward, bitting at her with teeth like fangs, but misses.


Magiz attacks the creature south of him and kills it.

Shanoa's spell affects the creature to the east, but fails to work on the one standing in the doorway.

The creature to the east moves toward Tahazu, and tries to bite her, but misses.

It is now Tahazu's turn to act, we are still in round 1 of combat.


Initiative order:

Magiz
Shanoa
Pair of figures in the rubble
we are here-> Tahazu
Door screecher
Bam


Again, if you would like to post your action early so combat goes faster, I will attempt to reconcile it as much as possible with everything that happens.

The blue circle with the X is the creature Magiz killed. The blue circle near Tahazu is currently affected by Net of Shadows



https://i.ibb.co/xYz9wB7/cynosure-dungone-round-1-half.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz, round 2

I'm just posting this now so that you can move a little further once we've got Yas' action.

Peering uncertainly into the new gloom of the room, Magiz picks his way through the rubble back towards Shanoa and Tahazu. He is slightly hesitant as he simply slashes through the middle of the clump of darkness where the living dead thing is standing.

Move action - move 10' north.

Standard action, attack the critter that tried to bite Tahazu. Of course, if Tahazu takes out her opponent and Bam doesn't, Magiz will instead move straight north as a double move to guard Shanoa, and prepare to try to reach the screecher next round.
Attack: [roll0]
Slashing Damage: [roll1]
Acid Damage: [roll2]
Concealment (roll of 1-20 indicates a miss); [roll3]

[Yas392]

Tahazu clicks her tongue as Shanoa envelops two of the remaining undead in nets of shadow and one of the closes in on her to try to nick of her flesh with its fangs. She raises her scroll hand to her mouth. Using her teeth to hold the strings that binds the scroll, she withdraws from the battlefield (5 ft west, 10 ft north, 5 ft east, 10 ft north, 20 ft west).

[Kid Dynamo]

Tahazu slips away from the attacking enemy, and retreats back out into the hallway successfully, squeezing back through the hole that Bam and Magiz had made earlier.

The creature near the door springs foward, scrambling over the small amount of rubble between it and Shanoa. As it nears, it swings its long axe, barely missing the gnome by inches as she dodges out of the way. As the creature approaches, Shanoa senses the overpowering stench coming from the haggard enemy. It is almost enough to make her retch, but she manages to keep her bearings.

Bam races toward the enemy attacking Shanoa. It turns as he nears, swinging its axe as he moves inside its guard, but misses. Bam swings his hammer, and connects solidly with the creature's chest and the creature takes a step back, but is still up and fighting. It snarls menacingly at Bam.

Magiz moves north, swinging his glaive at the enemy that had previously attacked Tahazu. It connects, and the enemy falls to the ground in a lifeless heap.


Tahazu successfully withdraws.

The door screecher attacks Shanoa, but misses.

Shanoa saves against the creature's overpowering stench.

Bam moves to attack the door enemy, it makes an AoO, but misses. Bam saves against the creature's overpowering stench. Bam attacks the creature and hits, but it is still alive and fighting.

Magiz attacks the enemy that attacked Tahazu and kills it.


Initiative order (current turn has been bolded):

Magiz
Shanoa
Pair of figures in the rubble
Tahazu
Door screecher
Bam



https://i.ibb.co/Dpy6L0t/cynosure-dungone-round-2-partial.png

[Simba]

Bam

Again, Bam lifts his big hammer and takes another swing, determined to end the stinky creature's existance.

[roll0]

[Yas392]

Tahazu moves 25 ft east. Seeing the door screecher, she draws an arrow and shoots at it.

[Kid Dynamo]

Shanoa steps back from the monster, grabs a small piece of rubble from the ground, and chucks it at the creature. The creature turns and dodges the thrown object.

As this happens, Tahazu reappears in the doorway, arrow notched and ready. She looses the arrow, and it sails through the narrow opening, plunging into the creature's back, it writhes in pain, tries to remove the arrow, but cannot, and turns it attention back to the warrior in front of it. It speaks for the first time, screaming incoherent curses and swears in common and perhaps Dwarven as well.

The creature lashes out frantically at Bam, dropping its longaxe and leaping with claws and teeth at him. The claws miss, but the bite finds its mark, and clamps down hard on his shoulder. Although the armor protects him from the worst of it, it is very painful and he feels a strange numbness spreading from the wound. He shrugs off the feeling, and continues the fight.

Bam's counter attack is devastating. Pushing the creature off of him, his hammer swings true, smashing into the creatures skull.

It falls to the ground. Dead.

The room becomes quiet again. Only the party remains.


Shanoa takes a 5 foot step back, picks up an improvised ranged weapon, but misses.

Tahazu shoots an arrow through the doorway and hits the creature, damaging it.

The creature attacks Bam for 4 damage.

Bam attacks kills the creature.

Combat is now over, last positions are now marked on the battle map for reference.

Good job everybody.

Give yourself 800 XP each.


https://i.ibb.co/Kzp9HKv/cynosure-dungone-final-round.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz

When the final creature falls, Magiz pauses to throw back his head in a hoot of pleasure and relief.

"Are you hurt, my bonny brawny friend?
I think its brains are spread across three walls.
So glad we brought this to a hasty end.
I'll check in there and see what may befall."

Clapping Bam on the shoulder, Magiz continues on through the open door to see what's in the room beyond.

[Yas392]

Tahazu re-enters the room, doing her custom spiritual dance around the litter of mauled corpses. At the ending sequence, she holds one hand, palm face down, on the fallen.

"May your spirits find rest."

She hangs her head down before looking up the ceiling, slanted eyes and a snarl.

"Know this, neglecting ones! Matamata will submit you with the voice of this scene when she finds you! And I will be her mouthpiece!"

Once that is done, she searches the corpses for loot.

[Simba]

Bam

Looking down at the foe he had vanquished, Bam smiles a small smile "May your soul find peace in the end."

The bitemark on his neck is already half healed, so he just shrugs at Magiz`remark "Don't you worry, it's a mark of glory!", following the orc through the door.

Martial Spirit stance heals 2 of the 4 HP he lost.

[JNAProductions]

Shanoa, who after letting loose her spell, kinda went into freeze-panic mode, takes a deep breath. Sorry... Sorry. It's been a while since I've seen combat, and... I wasn't as ready as I thought.

[Kid Dynamo]

Magiz and Bam enter into the small room to find a crypt. Built into the walls, 8 stone coffins, 4 on each wall and stacked in 2 levels, on the north and south walls rest in small alcoves. The coffins are ornately decorated with intricate carvings. Each coffin has a small spire projecting from each end, vaguely reminiscent of the bow and stern of the longships that sometimes prowl icy northern waters. In each spire, a small ruby has been inlaid into the stone, except for the open coffin on the north wall, who is missing a jewel from one of its spires. There are a total of 15 rubies in all among the 8 coffins.

4 of the coffins have been disturbed, 3 on the south wall, 1 on the north. The one on the north wall is empty, it's lid ajar and resting against the wall. Of the 3 on the south wall, 2 are empty, their lids also moved out of the way. The 3rd coffin's lid has apparently been dropped on the floor, shattering into many pieces. The coffin with the broken lid contains a short and stocky skeleton wearing a rotting suit of leather armor.

On the floor of this room there are 2 small skeletons, not much bigger than Shanoa. They are humanoid.

Against the western wall of the small room there is an elaborate bas relief carving, showing a mountain with a king's crown atop it, perhaps some kind of coat of arms?

Magiz notices the walls are different in here. Whereas in the large room the walls were cut out of the stone, in here, the walls are made of precisely fitted stone blocks. It seems a lot of care went into the construction of this crypt.


In the main room, Tahazu searches the enemy dead. She finds a 2 simple rings made of iron, probably not worth much. The creature that came through the door has a small gold ear ring. Of course, there is also the long axe that the creature fought with. Its wooden handle and steel axe head appears remarkably well preserved and seems to shine even in the low light of the room.


Loot:
2 iron rings
1 gold earring
1 Long axe (will post stats in OOC)

15 rubies if anyone wants to try to pry them out of the coffins.
The rotting leather armor is probably not worth anything and seems likely to fall apart if removed.

[Yas392]

Tahazu looks around before looking at the group after the looting.

"We conquered this area. Are we ready to conquer the next?"

[Toliudar]

Magiz grunts and pulls a small hammer off of a hook where it dangled from his belt.

"I don't like messing with the ancient dead
But these here crypts already are defiled
And debts and tailors surely must be fed
I'll have to hope the crypt's curse will be mild."

He begins tapping and prying the rubies out of their frames.

"Hey Shanoa! Gems are more your thing.
How much you think we'd get for all this bling?"

[Kid Dynamo]

The rubies pry out of their sockets relatively easily, although one of the stone sockets cracks as Magiz removes the precious gem from it. Magiz is now holding 15 small rubies.

[Simba]

Bam

While the others are busy looting, Bam move to stand watch, about 20' from to the door in the east.

[Toliudar]

Magiz

The orc nods to Bam that, as far as he can tell, the room is thoroughly cleared out. He heads back and hands the gems over to Shanoa, if she'll take them, trusting her to have a better sense of their value.

Unless there are objectives, Magiz will proceed over to the next door south of the one that the screecher came out of, and try to shove it open with the butt of his axe.

[Yas392]

Tahazu finds a cover from the opening before the burly of the group kicks the door down. Her scroll is in hand as she eyes the door, keeping her ears sharp for any noise behind it.

[Kid Dynamo]

The group makes quick work of searching the rooms. Bam has a little trouble with the first door, but the second comes down easy. The 2 doors south of the one the door screecher came through are small crypts like the first. Each fitted with alcoves for coffins, although the last room only has 2 coffins in it. Each coffin present has those same small rubies (18 total between the last 2 rooms). There is nothing else of note in those rooms unless the party decides to start opening coffins.

The 3rd door reveals something different. This room looks more "unfinished" than the last. The ceiling is flat and rough cut, and the walls have clear tool marks and uneven edges. The western edge of the room is incomplete, and some pilers of stone yet to be carved remain, blocking a complete view of the room. There are a few rotting tools scattered in here, and some small pieces of debris. It looks like someone was carving this room from the stone, but never finished. At the end of the room, a small passageway (carved more completely than this room) curves out of view. The air in here is damp and smells musty.


Let me know if the party wants to pry the remaining 18 rubies from the coffins. We can "retcon" it so that it happened before opening the current room's door.

The red arrow indicates which way the passage continues on out of view.

Character placements are shown with last marching order with Magiz leading a few feet into the room (I am assuming the party had Shanoa try to open the door, then Bam force the the door with Tahazu providing cover and Magiz off to the side, then reverted to normal marching order upon discovering the room empty and deciding to enter).


https://i.ibb.co/Xz2zZ6h/Screen-Shot-2020-11-27-at-8-12-21-PM.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz steps into the room and looks around.

"The makers of a monarch's tomb would work
From coronation day until their death,
Then simply move on to the next great king.
Tombs are just abandoned, incomplete."

The orc moves cautiously into the room, covering the other tunnel while others check out the room.

Magiz would definitely have been harvesting the rubies. If you're going to die from a tomb-curse, you might as well be three times as rich when you die.

[Simba]

Bam

Bam stays close to the East wall, covering their way back and waiting for the others to finish their examination of the room.

[Yas392]

Tahazu enters the room, 10 ft south-west from Magiz. She scouts the new area with care and time.

Spot (Take 20) - 30
Listen (Take 20) - 30

[Kid Dynamo]

Searching through the unfinished room, the party finds a some scattered gold and silver coins, but nothing else of value.

Moving onto the next room, the party notices an immediate difference. First, the door opens easily, without the necessity of forcing it or attempting to pick the lock. As soon as the door is opened, the party notices a change in temperature. The rest of this complex has been relatively cool, but a blanket of warm air floods out of the room as the door is opened.

Exploring the room, it is longer than it is wide, about 20 feet long and 10 feet wide beyond the 5 foot square threshold. Along the west wall is an array of cooking equipment, rusting stoves and pots and pans. There are rotting barrels and crates in here as well. In the far south-western corner of the room is a medium sized metal box, about 3 feet in each dimension. Tubes run from the box and connect it to the old stoves. As Magiz moves into the room, it is clear that the heat is coming from that box. The front of the box is hinged and appears to be capable of opening. A thick metal latch holds it shut, but it is not locked, and appears simple to open.

The box is not red hot, but still giving off quite a lot of heat. It would probably require a thick glove or similar to open without burns.


I changed my map making software, but hopefully it still makes sense, it's the same map just done in a different way.

Loot from the unfinished room:
3GP
8SP

The small red square is the hot box.



https://i.ibb.co/87gN0Vv/Screen-Shot-2020-12-03-at-9-17-00-PM.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz briefly debates how much he trusts his own protection from heat. He looks back at the others and shrugs. He pulls off his pack, digs to the bottom and retrieves a small boning knife, perhaps four inches in length.

"The other two, slight air and purging fire,
Are both with thee, wherever I abide;
The first my thought, the other my desire,
And now, with a swift motion, slide -"

Using the knife, he tries to work the latch, then get the tip under the lid in order to open the box.

Let's see how good Resist Fire 10 is!

[Yas392]

Tahazu remains vigilant, backing up the orc. She waits with weapon in hand to see if Magiz tinkering causes something to happen. She keeps her eyes and ears sharp for any disturbances during the process..

Spot & Listen (Take 10) - 20

[Kid Dynamo]

Magiz easily manipulates the latch with his knife, the mechanism has been kept relatively rust free over however long it has been abandoned. The door's metal hinges creek slightly as it opens up, then it is thrust open at incredible speed, smashing into the nearby rock wall.

The inside of the box is an inferno, and the room is suddenly bathed in a dull orange light, strangely dark for a fire of such an intensity.

The fire pours out of the box, no, it steps out. Standing before Magiz is a figure maybe 8 feet tall, vaguely humanoid, but made entirely of a dark fire. It glows with a low orange hue. It has cruel looking horns atop its spherical head, and claws of fire seem to lick out of the shape. A mouth opens in its head, revealing teeth made of flames, and it roars with the sound of a blast furnace, lunging at Magiz with a deadly intent.

The heat of the creature is readily apparent, and everyone in the room feels the hot radiant heat of the fire creature.



I rolled initiative in the dice thread already. Order is:

Tahazu
Magiz
The fire creature
Bam
Shanoa

Again, post your actions in any order and I will try to resolve them.

You are being attacked. The creature is the red dot on the map.



https://i.ibb.co/Fq9kY99/Screen-Shot-2020-12-10-at-11-31-09-AM.png

[Toliudar]

Knowing that he might be the member of the group best able to withstand a fiery attack, Magiz does his best to keep the fire-creature's focus on him.

"Oh mighty Jinn! I say a welcome back,
But I don't expect I'm getting my three wishes.
Instead, though, I'll put down my favourite axe.
No setting fire to it, d'you hear, b -"

Allowing his glaive to clatter to the floor rather than to try to use it in these cramped quarters, Magiz pulls his hammer off of his belt and smacks the fire-creature with it.

Knowledge Devotion: [roll0], +4 if the appropriate knowledge is arcana, nature or local.

Free action: drop his glaive.
Move action: draw his hammer
Standard action: Using Channeling to cast Shocking Grasp through his weapon, and attack with hammer:
Attack: [roll1] +2 from knowledge devotion
Bludgeoning damage: [roll2] +2 from knowledge devotion
Electricity Damage: [roll3]

[Toliudar]

Magiz crit confirmation, in the unlikely event that this critter is subject to critical hits
Attack: [roll0]
Bonus damage: [roll1]

My one possible crit, and it's not with the weapon that gets x3. Ah well.

[Yas392]

Tahazu 5 ft step south west and will activate her snake swiftness wand within her weapon to give Magiz another opportunity to attack. If it is still not dead and realizing it is not an elemental, the shamaness will notch an arrow and shoots it.

[Toliudar]

Magiz looks over at Tahazu with a "hell yes!" look on his face, and makes use of the magical burst of energy to bash again at the flame guy.

Attack with hammer: [roll0]
Bludgeoning Damage: [roll1]

[Simba]

Bam

Unable to do much with all the people standing in his way, Bam moves into the room when Tahazu moves to the side, gently moving past Shanoa to end up standing next to Magiz.
He attacks the fire creature with his hammer.


Bam moves through Shanoa's square as per the movement rules, ending up next to Magiz and Tahazu.
Rolls are where rolls go ;-)

[Kid Dynamo]

Tahazu is preparing to use her magic to Magiz a preternatural swiftness, but seeing that he has no suitable weapon at the ready though, she delays slightly, waiting for him to become more ready to receive her gift.

Magiz recognizes this creature from his research. This is a fire elemental that was somehow changed and infused with demonic energy on the lower planes. It will burn anyone who touches it and likely has the power of flight.

Magiz drops his glaive and draws a hammer, swinging at the fire creature. He hits it squarely on, and the seemingly insubstantial body of fire is actually quite corporeal, and Magiz feels the blow connect. The creature reels in pain, sending out minarets of flame as it writhes.

Tahazu steps to the side and casts her spell, and Magiz immediately makes another attack. He swings his hammer and connects again, the creature stumbles less this time, seemingly less affected.

Tahazu fires her arrow and hits, but the creature seems to not react to it at all.

The creature launches its counter attack. Fiery claws lash out at Magiz, one connects, but he is able to dodge the other. It opens its inferno maw, but again, Magiz dodges as its jaws snap shut.

Bam moves into position, and swings his great hammer, connecting with the creature, and it reels again. The creature seems grievously injured, and it almost seems to curl back into the corner of the room, although still obviously ready to fight.

Shanoa hesitates for a second, then waits, it seems the rest of the group has things under control.




I'm having Tahazu take the "delay" action. The reason for this is that Magiz needs to spend a move action to draw a weapon, but he can't do that until his turn. If Tahazu cast Snakes Swiftness on him on her turn, he could only be able to make an unarmed strike against the fire creature. So Tahazu will drop below Magiz in initiative order for the rest of the combat. If there is an objection to this I can retcon things, but this seemed like the best option to me.

Magiz takes 4 points of damage from the creatures attacks.

It is now round 2.

Initiative Order is:
Magiz <-- we are here
Tahazu
The fire creature
Bam
Shanoa



https://i.ibb.co/nsp3VxR/Screen-Shot-2020-12-11-at-8-32-41-AM.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz is immensely grateful that the only magical protection he laid on at the start of this exploration has, miraculously, proved to be useful. He takes the full brunt of the flame-man's claws, but is unhurt by the flames themselves.

However, he's still pissed enough that he strives to whack the guy in the head for attacking him.

Standard attack attack: [roll0]
Bludgeoning Damage: [roll1]

[Yas392]

Tahazu waits to see if the orc hits. If he misses, she activates her the effects of her wand, this time targeting Bam with her snake swiftness, allowing the goliath a preemptive strike.

[Simba]

Bam

Energized by Tahazu's magic, Bam swings again, trying to end the threat before it becomes serious.

[Kid Dynamo]

Magiz swings his hammer, but the fire creature artfully dodges the blow.

Tahazu uses her magic to allow Bam an extra opportunity to attack, and Bam swings, connecting with the fire creature, and knocking it to the ground, it lets out a wail, and embers fly into the air, and its body seems to dissolve before your eyes. The head in the room slowly subsides, and the creature disappears into ash and smoke.

The excitement of the melee is now over, and the party is again victorious and alone.


Give yourself 333 XP.

I'm assuming that searching the remaining doors will now continue?

[Yas392]

Tahazu activates her spirit sense (detect spirits) to see if there is other spirits nearby that the party missed.

[Kid Dynamo]

Tahazu does not sense any spirits within the range of her ability.

[Toliudar]

Magiz does a quick pat-down to make sure that no part of him is currently burning.

"there once was a fire elemental
Whose flames were anything but gentle
He sprang out of a box
Was given two knocks
We didn't mean to get all judgemental."

Reassured, Magiz peers into the box to see if any more fire-guys might be in there.

[Yas392]

Tahazu waves her bow stick around befitting a shamaness conducting a spiritual exorcism.

"There are no vengeful spirits in the room with us."

[Simba]

Bam

"That's good. Shall we move on?"
Bam walks back out of the room to stand ready in case the next room offers some nasty surprises.

[Kid Dynamo]

A through search of the old kitchen reveals nothing of value. Desiccated foodstuffs, and rusted pots and pans are the only items of note, and all appear worthless.

The party moves to the next door, and after a few minutes of trying, the party is able to force it. It opens into a short hallway that curves out of sight. There are 3 doors along its western side.

The final door (which the breeze faintly blows toward) takes quite a bit more work to open. Once it is finally force, the party finds that the other side had been barricaded shut with an assortment of wood and stones. It opens into a short hallway, which leads into a gigantic room. As the party enters it, they notice the walls here are rough and ragged, like the rock had been cracked open. The room is enormously tall, stretching up into darkness beyond what anyone's eyes can see. It is roughly circular, with a small rock ledge lining the room, in the center, a hole cuts the floor and continues down into darkness. There are 2 other passages leading out of the room, one to the south and one to the west. The western passage curves out of sight to the south, and also a doorway on its south side just before the curve. The southern passage splits into a T that continues to the west, and the southern portion of it is blocked by another door. There is a faint sound of water in this room, and the southern wall of the large room has a small, steady stream of water trickling down from the darkness. the water flows into the hole in the center of the room, and also into the southern passage, flowing under the south door.

The breeze seems to be heading down the hole.



Red arrows indicate which way the hallways curve out of sight. Dark area in the center of the circle room is the pit. The bottom can't be seen.



https://i.ibb.co/Jy54SHy/Screen-Shot-2020-12-16-at-8-52-27-PM.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz grunts as he looks down at the pit. It seemed likely that they would have to descend, but it would be well to eliminate other options first.

Quickly, he steps around the pit towards the east passage and beckons for the others to join him. Perhaps mercifully, no verse seems to be forthcoming from him.

[Yas392]

Tahazu uses her senses to see if she detect any danger, sound or anything noteworthy in the new area. She takes her time.

Spot (Take 20) - 30

Listen (Take 20) - 30

[Kid Dynamo]

Moving down the closest passage the first door is notably made of wood, while all previous doors the team had encountered were made of finely cut stone. This door is much more crudely made, and in fact, the passageway around it is hewn from the rock in a much more clumsy manner than the previous rooms, almost as if this was a different builder or perhaps the job was rushed or unfinished.

The door opens easily, and no traps or sounds can be detected by the party. It opens into a small 10 by 10 foot room. It is bare, except for the skeletal remains of a small humanoid in one corner. Littering the ground are the dried remains of some sort of bug. It is almost like an oversized ant, about the size of a human's open palm, although much stockier than an ant. They have a wicked looking pair of fangs.

The small humanoid skeleton has the remnants of clothing, although it has decayed to small fragments over time, and appears to have been wearing a fine necklace of silver and gold with inlaid gems.

There is otherwise nothing of value in the first room.

Turning the corner, the party sees that the hallways continues for about 40 feet before turning back to the West and out of sight. There is a door about halfway down the hall. It is wide open, and as the party approaches they see another room like the one before. Peering in, all the sudden Magiz sees movement. The floor is trembling, no, it is covered in bugs, thousands of them. They are similar to the desiccated exoskeletons the party had seen earlier, but these ones are alive and moving, swarming over something in the corner of the room.

As Magiz spies them, the bugs seem to spring to a renewed vigor of activity, they are moving out of the room and toward the party.



I'm assuming the party is taking the small humanoid's necklace unless anyone says otherwise.

No spirits are detected by Tahazu.

Red arrow indicates which way the passage curves out of sight to the south.

The green circle represents the area the bugs take up on the floor.

Note that inside the room that is filled with bugs, the party also sees another, closed, door on the south wall.


Initiative order is:
Tahazu
Shanoa
Magiz
Bugs
Bam


Again, please post your actions in any order and I will try to resolve contradictions.


https://i.ibb.co/9bgkRTM/cynosure-dungone-spiders-round-0.png

[Yas392]

Tahazu shifts to the the corner to the orc.

"Proud Magiz, what did you see?"

Holding actions for now until she gets her answer. Talking is a free action, after all.

[Toliudar]

Magiz hauls the door closed with all of his might and confers quietly with his colleagues.

"There's a swarm of bugs inside.
You know, the ones with nasty looking jaws.
They make my skin crawl, like they do.
I suggest we run the f*** away."

As needed, strength to pull the door closed: [roll0]

[Yas392]

At the orc's warning, Tahazu turns to the others behind her.

"We go! Now!"

She retreats, withdrawing back to the pit room.

Withdraw to marked squares. If it is safe to stand on, she will withdraw to the tile marked with a green T. If not, she will move to the square marked with a blue T.

https://i.imgur.com/IQvANlR.png

[Simba]

Bam

"Go, I will guard our backs!"

Bam lets the others pass him and goes last, never turning his back to the door Magiz closed.

[Kid Dynamo]

The party rushes back into the pit room as Magiz slams the door shut. The door is stiff at first, but a mighty pull dislodges it and seals the room. This door is wood like the last one, although not in such good shape. It has rotted away over the years and has numerous holes in it, many big enough for the bugs to crawl through, and they do almost immediately.

The bugs do not pursue the party at once, but seem to be filing through the door one at a time, building up their numbers in the hallway. The party estimates they have less than 30 seconds until the entirety of the bugs have passed through the holes in the door and assembled in the hallway.


In 3 rounds all of the bugs will have passed through the holes in the door and reformed in the hallway.

I've updated the map with the indicated position given by Yas392.

Note that Magiz is behind the rest of the party because he could not take a double move due to spending a move action to close the door.

We are now in round 2. Everyone has used their action to retreat back into the pit room.

Initiative order:
Tahazu <-- we are here
Shanoa
Magiz
Bugs
Bam



https://i.ibb.co/qy8HygB/cynosure-dungone-spiders-round-1.png

[Toliudar]

Having retreated to the pit area, Magiz turns to the others.

"I have only one small flask of fire.
How about the rest of you? Be quick!"

[Yas392]

Tahazu looks back at the lagging Magiz.

"What do those insects look like?"

Holding action until confirmation.

[Toliudar]

"Lke the ones you saw come through
When I was running after you."

[Simba]

Bam

"They look like ants, oversized ones, like the dead ones we found in that room." Bam says, pointing his hammer in the rough direction of the small, empty room they already searched "Many of them and very much alive!"

[Yas392]

Tahazu picks up a stone (if there is any lying nearby) or draws an arrow (if there is not). She mutters an incantation for light, causing the stone/arrow to glow. She looks back at Bam and the almost invisible Magic from the edge of the shadowy illumination.

"Giant, Lion. Decide where we fight. Behind the second hole or near the first hole we came from. I will drop this stone and call upon the might earth and wind on those insects when they show their great shape."

Tahazu's position changes based on Bam and Magiz's decision on whether to stay behind the second door that open to the pit room or the first entrance. That also changes where she drops the object she use light on and the placements of her spells.

Her actions are in order: Light stone/move+drop or drop+move (round 2)>move to the position detailed on map/cast impeding stone (radius detailed on map) (round 3)>cast haboob when she sees the swarm, trying to catch them in the edge of her AoE spell if able. (round 4)

Possible placements (Tahazu's positions, spell radius, dropped object placement) are detailed on map.
https://i.imgur.com/Gq2tSbX.png

[Simba]

Bam

"I would say as close to them as we can so they can not pass the choke point in front of us and spread out. It is a nice, enclosed space. Let's make good use of it!"

Bam moves forward to stand at the point where the big room ends and the tunnel begins, so he can defend it if necessary.

[Yas392]

"Giant, back. My spells will fill much of this room. They will bury you along with those insects."

[Toliudar]

Magiz pulls back as Tahazu indicates. He hauls out a clay flask with an orange band on the neck and tests its weight, preparing to throw it at any bugs that get past whatever Tahazu has in mind.

[Simba]

Bam

As Tahazu says, Bam pulls back with Magiz, standing next to him, ready to attack whatever might come close to them.

[Yas392]

As the two males pull back, an irritated Tahazu drops the glowing stone to whoever is front/adjacent to her.

"Drop this on the ground before you! Both of you move far back behind me after!"

If someone is 10 ft in front of her, she will drop the stone in the tile in front of her then telling that someone to pick it up and drop it in the tile in front of them and telling them to back. Otherwise, she will drop it in the tile in front of her.

Once that is done, she mutters.

Impeding stone (Balance check or Reflex DC 14 to avoid falling prone; only can move half speed, -2 to attack in area), point originating from the of the end of hallway, 40 ft radius. Then, Haboob at the same origin point as impeding stones (Reflex DC 16 for half damage; Obscure vision as obscuring mist, no save next turn if remain in radius), 20 ft radius. Will drop the stone as free action same round when she cast her impeding stone then delayed her casting til after Magiz acts but before the bugs if needed.

[Kid Dynamo]

As the party begins to retreat, Shanoa slips, and lets out a small yelp. She tumbles over the side of the rock ledge, falling into the darkness below. No sound of an impact is heard.

The bugs still approaching, their slithering sounds can be clearly heard, the party works quickly. The stone is dropped and the spells are cast. The ground shifts and the air comes alive with choking dust. The party waits in their planned spot on the other side of the doorway. It is almost a minute before the bugs can be seen, Tahazu's spell has reduced their numbers considerably, and some are injured, missing limbs or pincers or having sections of their carapace torn away, but the swarm is still mindlessly pursuing the party.

Shanoa slips and falls into the pit before Tahazu casts her spells.

The swarm is almost out of the haboob, it will likely reach the space in front of Tahazu at its next turn. I can adjust player positions retroactively as well if a different formation is preferable, you had a lot of time pass while the swarm was passing through the haboob.

The shaded area is the haboob, and the red dot indicates the center of the spell.

https://i.ibb.co/xmQczw7/cynosure-dungone-spiders-round-7.png

[Toliudar]

Magiz

When Shenoa tumbles down, Magiz is stricken with concern.

"Hang in there, o thou valiant gnome!
We'll try to get out and home."

The orc tries and fails to understand Tahazu's plan, and so contents himself with dropping the rock when and where she tells him to, and then sprints back out of the way.

When the bugs start to crawl forward out of the reach of Tahazu's sandstorm, Magiz aims for the centre of the clump of bugs and tosses in his jug of Alchemist's Fire.

I sincerely have no idea what Tahazu wanted us to do, that we failed to do. So it goes.

After the bugs regroup on the other side of the haboob, Magiz tries to hit them.
Ranged Touch attack: [roll0]
Fire damage: [roll1], and 1 point to surrounding squares.

[Simba]

Bam

Bam sees the destruction, the damage the ant swarm takes, but he also sees that it is not enough to stop them, so he moves to stand in the doorway, his hammer ready to smash bugs once they come close enough.

[Yas392]

Tahazu backs 25 ft from the doorway, allowing Magiz a clear shot at the swarm and Bam to position himself in front of the entrance. She does nothing except watching for this round.

[Kid Dynamo]

The swarm slowly emerges from the duststorm, its members much worse for wear, but still numerous. Just as the bugs slither and crawl from the swirling dust, Magiz bottle of fire splashes onto the ground, spilling its contents out in an eruption of fire. Bugs sizzle and burn with the heat. Still, the bugs come, crawling around, and sometimes through, the fire, in their relentless pursuit of the party.


Good catch Yas392, I did miscalculate the swarm's movement, they took an extra 2 rounds of damage. still not enough to kill the swarm though.

I'm interpreting Bam's action as a move action (move 10 feet forward) and a "ready" action for an attack.

The bugs move forward, but many members are slowed by the storm and they seem to prefer moving as a group. Their position is reflected on the map.

It is now Tahazu's turn again.

Initiative order:
Tahazu <-- we are here
Shanoa
Magiz
Bugs
Bam



https://i.ibb.co/QKNS4Ws/cynosure-dungone-round-8.png

[Yas392]

"Magiz, move back to the first opening we came from!"

Tahazu points to the first entrance for the orc. Once he retreats, Tahazu moves 10 ft back and away from Magiz depending on Magiz's position.

"Bam, hold off the insects! If they died by the fire thrown by Magiz, howl! If they are alive, I will cast the storm on you to rid of them! Leave the storm when the insects are gone. I will heal you."

Delays her initiative to act after Magiz but before the bugs. Then, move 10 ft back/from Magiz depending on Magiz's position. Once Tahazu receive a signal from Bam whether alchemist's fire secondary damage kills the swarm, she will either cast another Haboob (Reflex DC 16 for half-damage (no save if swarm cannot/doesn't move out of the storm radius on their turn), 20 ft radius, 5 minutes, centered on Bam, block all vision, concealment within 5 ft/total concealment further) (if the alchemist's fire do not kill the ant swarm) or will not (if the alchemist's fire kills the ant swarm).

[Toliudar]

Magiz

Seeking to get out of the way of whatever Tahazu might unleash next, Magiz does indeed back up, enough to still be able to see the others but ready to move further if Bam and Tahazu start to come after him.

[Simba]

Bam

"They are still coming. Fewer, but still strong!"