[PF1e Megadungeon] An Otherworldly Mountain (IC)

[u-b]

Gashur takes a sip of his drink. "Good to have you here, with such a comprehensive list of services. I think magical stuff is currently out of my price range, but if there is mundane stuff that people often come back here to get, I'll certainly consider buying it straight away."

[Phantom Genius]

Inga sips her drink and smacks her lips quietly. "Interesting blend... Could you perhaps tell us what we'll find down there?"

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

Querk smiles at Elayne. "I've got Dwarven lightning, my dear. Drink too much of it and you'll go blind. That's the strongest thing I've got, and for the right price it can be yours. Just don't blame me if it kills you." Then he turns to Gashur. "I've got all the boring stuff as well. There's a small importation surcharge, but I doubt you'll find anything you need that I can't get my hands on. Some orders may take a bit of time, but I've got all the right connections." Next he turns to face Inga. "You'd be better off asking the archaeologists, who you'll meet on the ground floor of the prison, or those adventurers over there playing cards- they've all been down there, where I have not. But I do hear rumors. Traps, monsters, treasures, magic, all your standard dungeon fare. Just the right environment for budding heroes such as yourselves."

[Yas392]

"If it is on the house for my first drink, I will have that. If it satisfies me, I might come back for more. Other than gold, I can pay with other services."

Elayne winks at the tavern keeper.

[Eonn]

"If it's alright by you, sir, I think I'll save my drink until after we return. I think I'll need it more then, you know?" Besides that, Alexos sits back to listen to the banter of his allies and the other adventures in the tavern. He never was a super social person, but maybe someone else might strike up a conversation he might be interested in.

[Phantom Genius]

Inga walks over to the table, looking for the friendliest-appearing adventurer. "Pardon me. When you have a moment, could you tell us about your experiences in the dungeon?"

[Dimers]

Sivi is clearly enjoying her drink, but when Inga approaches the table of card players, she turns most of her attention that way. There's so much to learn about this place, and hearing some first-hand experience is better than collecting rumors and copied notes.

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

Querk smiles wide at Elayne's suggestion, then snags a glass and reaches behind the counter for a small keg sitting on a shelf. Turning a spigot, he pours a small amount of a crystal clear liquid into the glass before turning back around. "Careful, newcomer. This is the kind of drink that makes some girls want to take their clothes off. Not that I'd mind much." He ignores Alexos for now, seemingly fascinated with Elayne for the time being.

When Inga and Sivi approach the table of adventurers they have just dealt a new hand. When Inga speaks the dwarf and the halfling turn to face her, but the hooded figure just keeps looking down at their cards, while the half-orc sneers. The dwarf speaks first- "Competition, huh? Maybe we should tell you nothing, huh? Only one group can loot a treasure, huh?" The halfling, however, smiles and sets her cards down. Speaking in a high-pitch whine, she says "The first level is pretty well cleared out, so you'll be safe there. There might be some traps leftover, and from what we've found all the traps in the dungeon reset automatically. That being said, the first level has been picked over by every group of adventurers who got here before you, so you might not find much there. Personally I feel there's still something hidden on the first level, but I got outvoted and we went further down instead of looking." She pauses to take a drink from her cup, and at this point the hooded figure speaks up in a dull, deep, flat monotone that sounds as though it is coming from behind a helm. "Most groups didn't make it past the second level. That's where the kobolds start showing up. Vouno kobolds are larger and stronger than those on Mund, and they've carved out hidden tunnels all throughout the prison. They know the traps, and they'll do their best to lead you into them. There are a lot more locked doors on the second level, so you'll either need to find a key stone somewhere, buy one from the archaeologists, or have a particularly talented rogue in your party. The doors reset too, so you'll have no indication where others have been before you. I estimate that we've explored fourty three percent of level two based on the size of level one." The dwarf, seemingly annoyed that his party members are sharing so much with the newcomers, interrupts at this point. "But we can't tell you much about the third floor, huh? Just got there ourselves, huh? Haven't found anything but more kobolds, more traps, and more locked doors, huh? We came back to sell our haul to Querk and relax, huh? So if you go that deep you're on your own, huh!" The half-orc growls and slams a fist on the table. "Can we get back to our cards, now?" The halfling gives a melodic chuckle and blows a stray hair from her face. "You're just mad because you finally got dealt a good hand." The half-orc grits her teeth and growls louder in response.

[u-b]

Gashur continues to sip his drink, listening to the conversation. "Has anyone ever try to reason with the kobolds? I mean, to your knowledge."

[Yas392]

"I see you are one of those types that are appreciative of the female body."

Elayne nods with approval, smiling as she accepts the glass and takes a sip. One second after the intake, her head sways and lolls into a sharp incline. The samsaran raises it in an instant with wide eyes.

"Oh! I can see the reason it makes people go wild, no, feel it. It is very strong."

She takes a breath and calms from her ecstasy.

"It will take time for me to process whether it is a competitor for the Penj I drank a while back. Has anyone been addicted to this stuff before?”

[Phantom Genius]

"Competition? I...hadn't thought of it that way. Are we not all trying to survive and thrive? If you want to claim anything on the second or third level, I am sure we would be content to explore a different section. We would never want to step on your toes. We may even be able to help each other out. I can heal if any of you are injured and apparently that one has other skills to offer that I would rather not know about." <That was a little prudish, but she's not a young or sexy woman.>

"If I may ask further...are the stairs hidden or easily found? Are the traps usually on the doors, floors or walls?"

Spoiler: Diplomacy

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(1d20+6)[20]

If she gets a bad reaction, she will politely step away and leave them to their game.

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

This time it is the female half-orc who responds to Gashur's question. "Reason with them? Hard to do that when they come at you in waves, yipping and squawking and throwing spears. We caught one and it wouldn't shut up about us "invading" their holy territory. If you see them, you'd be better off smashing them then talking at them."

Querk pours himself a glass of water and slowly circles the rim with his finger, maintaining eye contact with Elayne's mesmerizing gaze. "I have an appreciation of beautiful things. Especially since my... accident... made me better suited for appreciating things of all shapes and sizes." He chuckles when she mentions addiction. "Plenty of people get addicted to alcohol. Only the desperate get addicted to Dwarven Lightning, though. It's cheap, strong enough to peel paint, and the side effects are a list long enough to intimidate even the most dedicated drunkards. So, yes, some weak minded fools have gotten addicted to it. Briefly."

The hooded figure responds to Inga with that same dull, metallic voice. "The treasures of the prison is finite, and, as many scholars have written, greed is not. There will always be some sense of competition with peers. That being said..." He throws a few gold pieces into the center of the table. "The teams going down are rare enough now that it may be more profitable to be amenable to one another rather than hostile." The others at the table slowly nod at that, some of them with distant looks of sadness on their faces. "We are comprised of the survivors of previous groups. We call ourselves the Iron Chimera." The halfling speaks next. "Traps are all over. Check every door, you never know when one of those will be trapped. And look out for murals on the wall. They often hide magic sensors, arrow slits, trap doors, and worse. Basically always be on guard."

[Dimers]

Sivi salutes the group with her glass. "Health to the Iron Chimera!" she says before taking another drink.

[Phantom Genius]

Sivi salutes the group with her glass. "Health to the Iron Chimera!" she says before taking another drink.

Inga holds up her drink. "To the Iron Chimera!" <Sip> <small smile>

"I need no competition. Seek me out if you are badly injured. I will do what I can to keep everyone here alive."

She sits back down with Sivi.

[u-b]

Gashur shakes his head. "Kobold Madness. Reminds me of... well, no big deal anyway. I'd guess we have to make a honest try before we can be treated seriously, so I propose we do just that. I will be with the archaeologists. Or something. Join me when you are ready." Gashur finishes his drink and, unless advised to the contrary, goes outside and slowly takes the stairs, examining what lies beyond, the two dwarven statues to the sides and generally not being in too much hurry.

Spoiler

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Perception 20 for a total of 26.

[Yas392]

Elayne continues to sips her Dwarven Lightning, her body tingles with every time she brings the glass to her lips with ever unchanging expression, ignorance of the raised glasses.

"Useful advice from a connoisseur. I will keep that in mind."

She steals a glance at her companions' activity before facing back the owner of the enterprise.

"And appreciation for beautiful things. From an accident...That is not unheard of though the facts leading to the result would be interesting to hear. Different account of experience for different individuals. I am all ears if you are willing to talk about it."

Elayne puts the now drained glass down.

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

Querk opens his mouth as though to speak to Elayne, but then he reaches up and rubs his own massive ear before closing it and standing straight instead of leaning on the bar. "We'll discuss my secrets another time. Perhaps over a bottle of wine, when I'm not working. Till then, you'll just have to settle with the knowledge that I was once a lot smaller. Besides, don't you have a prison to delve?" He chuckles and snags Elayne's glass, rinsing it with water and cleaning it with a rag.

The halfing tilts her head at Inga as though she is trying to get a read on her, then smiles. "Offer accepted. It's hard enough for me to keep these fools going, I'll gladly accept another set of healing hands to help with the burden." The hooded man nods, and the dwarf stops tugging at his beard to give a respectful incline of his head as well. The half-orc looks to the others, then slams her hands down on the table hard enough to knock over the dwarf's drink. "CARDS! NOW!" This elicits laughter from all but the hooded man as the Iron Chimera turn back to their game.

The robed dwarf silently stands and follows Gashur out of the Hard Place, taking his drink with him.

The Great Gate

Gashur slowly makes his way up the steps and the view is rather grand. The four dwarf statues, two to either side of a massive recessed area, are nearly forty feet tall. There are hints that all the statues were once much more detailed, with the remains of carved runes and jewelry barely discernable through the wear of time, wind, and dust. All four bear stern features, beards down below their waists, and curiously enough all seem to be holding the same maul in their hands- Gashur can tell it is identical by the runes that are carved up the haft and along the weapon's head. "The Four Wardens of Vouno." says a voice behind him. The robed dwarf picks up the pace and moves beside the half-orc, wiping some dust from his robes. Getting a better look at him, you see the robes at one point were a sign of wealth and station, now faded by layers of dust. The jeweled rings woven into his beard are still ostentatious, however. "We've deduced that one family of one clan held the title of Warden for the prison's entire existence. Still don't know their names, unfortunately." The dwarf continues up the steps, matching pace with the larger man. "I am Fworin, of clan Adamantbeard. Trust me, it sounds better in our language. I am my people's representative here on Vouno. Here to find the cultural significance of this place, recover relics, and deduce how and why our ancestors ended up here. If you find anything of Dwarven make in the ruins, I will pay you more than Querk to make sure they end up back where they should be. I can also advise you on the significance of anything you find." The steps are massively long and broad, but with only four vertical inches separating each step. Steps made for giants, it seemed. As Gashur approaches the top, he can see that the recessed area holds a strange gate- a series of tessellated triangles, from one small enough to admit a halfling to a massive one that could admit a sailing ship if it were to request entry. Upon reaching the top, the innermost triangles lift up into the structure, leaving an opening perfectly suited for Gashur to enter. Inside he can see dull yellow lights and the shadows of people milling about.

[Eonn]

They presence of kobolds caught Alexos's attention. He hoped he'd get a chance to talk to them, maybe even see first hand how they live. It was unfortunate kobolds were so territorial. If they could open lines of dialogue, perhaps they would be able to reveal the mystery of this place. Or help to, at the very least. For now, however, Alexos would have to make do without being killed by the little dragonlings. Shaking his head with dismay, he follows Gashur out of the tavern. He didn't come here to stick around in an inn all day, after all!

[Yas392]

Elayne catches the gnome's quirk and stays silent. When the gnome entrepreneur comes to the part about the prison, she chuckles.

"Fine by me. I am about to head out anyways and you have your business to run. I was dawdling to see how long fixated you are to my figure."

She winks at him and then shrugs.

"It is good to know that I have an alternate option to fall back on if I botch the prison run or got bored of it. If you are willing to hire me. Anyways, let's chat another time. By the way, the name's Elayne. I look forward to the time we are able to chat again to get to know each other better."

The samsaran waves to Querk. She walks to the table with the card players.

"Sorry for interrupting your game. Everything okay? My companions did not stir any trouble or get too close to you, did they?"

[u-b]

"Got it Fworin. You'll have the first pick." Gashur stands for some time before the open door. "I am Gashur, of Horned Worg tribe, though I now work for House Magla." While he observes this wonderful piece of enginiering, still functioning correctly after all those years, he thinks he should ask the dwarf of something else before he proceeds. "Is it known whose prison it is or how the kobolds came to claim it?" Whetever the answer, he will then step inside.

[Phantom Genius]

Inga waits at the entrance, holding the door for Elayne and Sivi, leaving no one behind...

[Dimers]

"And onward to fame and fortune," Sivi comments to no one in particular as she heads out the door. "Inga? You're a good egg, you know that? I wasn't expecting to have friends so quickly here."

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

Alexos follows close after Gashur, and he too is approached by Fworin, with much the same introduction. This time he adds "As someone who appreciates the power of the written word, I don't feel I need to impress on you the importance of any spell books, rune books, or diaries you find." He waits at the top steps of the entrance, obviously meaning to introduce himself to each member of your party as you enter the structure.

At the Iron Chimera's table the halfling tosses some coins into the pot before responding to Elayne. "Don't worry about your friends. We're just not used to newcomers. You're the first group through in a while, is all." She watches the others bid and tosses in her cards with a look of disgust. The dwarf pipes up. "No worries, huh? You all just don't get it yet, huh? You won't understand this place until you EXPERIENCE it, huh? Then you'll get while we're all a bit strange, huh? Once you lose a few friends..." Several seconds of beard stroking ensue, punctuated by a "Huh?" The half-orc growls at Elayne, gauntleted fingers scraping furrows in the wood of the table. "Either pony up or get lost. You're ruining our game."

Spoiler: OOC

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I want to give everyone a chance to catch up to Gashur before the next bit. I'll post again tomorrow or Sunday.

[Yas392]

Elayne nods with a smile. At the mention of a few friends, the samsaran's forehead furrows and her vitality of her smile disappears replaced by a neutral line.

"I am sorry for your losses. You have my condolences."

Then, the female half-orc butts in with sudden belligerence which causes her to turn to the dwarf and halfling.

"Is she always like that?"

[Eonn]

"Of course!" Alexis says, already imagining the lost lore that may lie deep in the dungeon. "Though, I may take the time to make a copy for myself of anything particularly interesting. Hope you don't mind."

[purepolarpanzer]

The Hard Place

The halfling sniggers and the dwarf releases a bark of laughter. "She can be, but we wouldn't have her any other way." The halfling manages. "But you should head out. Your companions are heading to the prison, and Mereen is getting pretty pissed." They turn themselves back towards their game as a new hand is dealt by the cloaked figure.

The Prison- Ground Floor

Gashur and all those who follow him enter into a large chamber of stone, about one hundred feet squared. The chamber is illuminated by glowing red braziers handing from the wall that show no evidence of fuel source or flame, though many torches have been set up to provide better illumination. There are twenty four people scattered throughout the chamber, the majority of them dwarven, with few of them carrying armor or arms. Most are carrying delicate tools, brushes, or books and quills. They are taking rubbings from the murals on the walls, taking notes on the ancient dwarven script written on the borders of the ceilings and walls, or chatting about recent findings with one another. In the center of the room is a large stone circle about twenty by twenty with two dwarven runes carved into it. Even from the door Gashur can smell the scent of blood, and the stone circle is splashed with it in copious amounts, though time has dried vivid reds to rusty crimson. One of the archaeologists is scrubbing at the blood with a stiff brush and a bucket of water, but try as he might the blood will not come out. All the workers, researchers, and their meager compliment of guards avoid the stone circle completely, moving around it carefully. On each side of the square room there are six stone statues representing armed and armored dwarves, all of them turned to face the circle as though guarding it. When Gashur clears the Gate he is silhouetted, his shadow falling long over the room by the bright light behind him, and all the archaeologists quiet and turn to face him for a few seconds before returning to their work just as quietly, with the exception of one. A timid looking tiefling wearing scholarly robes shuffles around the stone circle, nearly bumping into the scrubber, and makes his way up a small set of steps to meet Gashur. "Adventurer, I presume. I am Bartimeus Rosund, the expedition's liaison to your... profession." He has curved ram horns jutting off the corners of his hairline, teak black skin, and a slightly forked tongue set around vibrant yellow eyes that shine in the dimness through half spectacles. "I suppose you want a key stone, hmmm? Well we're all out of them. I'm afraid we can't spare another just to have it lost down there."

[Yas392]

"So that is her name."

Elayne's voice trails off in a whisper to empty air opposite of her audience. She face them back with a smile.

"On the contrary, I am just here to drop by to check rather than to have a long chat. I am already running short on time with my companions gone. If I return, maybe I will spend some time playing this card game with you and getting acquainted with each of you. If I do play with you, teach me, okay? I am a first timer. Well, well, look at the time. I got to go. Farewell until next time."

The female samsaran waves before she sweeps out of the door with grace. She arrives at the prison, a bit out of breath.

"I am sorry I am late. Did I miss anything? If I did, give me a quick summary."

[u-b]

"No problem." says Gashur "We'll just bash down every door we find. Besides, how many you've lost there and how much do they cost? Aaand... maybe you have a map? If you can't spare a copy, I would just have a look."

Spoiler

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Make your best guess whether he's bluffing.

[Dimers]

"We'll do no such thing," Sivi states, finally arriving and sounding a bit offended. "We'll open the doors carefully with an eye for their archaeological and tactical value. But yes, a map would be great!"

[Phantom Genius]

"And onward to fame and fortune," Sivi comments to no one in particular as she heads out the door. "Inga? You're a good egg, you know that? I wasn't expecting to have friends so quickly here."

"You find the traps, so I don't get blown up and I'll put you back together if you find them the wrong way."