Stiehle

Hi Magiker! Glad you're still with us, my friend!

The pair nod in greeting as first Garrick and then Paaras introduce themselves. "As a matter of fact, my sister and I were discussing much the same thing. We came upon this place ourselves a few months back and have had some luck finding a few interesting magical items - but most of the population here seem too drug-addled to properly barter with us. We've managed to sell most of our finds, with one exception, and were just talking about moving on from this long-forgotten city and get back to proper civilization. I don't suppose you could point us out to the most direct route out of here?" Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision (300') Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

I appreciate that! :)

Actually not sure about that, myself. I know the board frowns on some forms of links (mainly those that violate copyright) and I've already had a warning for that!

Is that right? I'm gonna have to check that out! I'm betting the writers of the module had it in mind!!

Garrick starts to move closer to overhear their words, but the rogue fails to see a loose stone in the darkness and it skitters away from his boot as he kicks it accidentally. He winces as the masked heads of the two figures turn in his direction as one. The smaller figure reaches for a shortsword on their belt, but doesn't draw it. The taller figure crosses its arms against their chest and cocks their head to one side as it speaks in a voice that sounds distinctively masculine - and more amused than alarmed. "Well, well... what do we have here? A stranger, and a newcomer as well, if my guess is correct? You don't look Cynidicean, your skin has too much color. And an elf? From the surface world?" He glances at the other, who moves their hand away from the sword hilt they'd reached for. "I imagine you're not here by yourself? I'm Danielth, this is my sister, Danara." OOC Thank you for your patience everyone, I hope we've still got all our players. If not, I've only myself to blame. A tough tax season (I always forget how draining these months are between January and April) and I got sick on top of that - though had no choice but to work through it. But I'm feeling better now and tax season is done, so let's get this show on the road! Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision (300') Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

I'm here folks, just bogged down with work and lacking energy when I get home. My posting rate will be slow between now and April 15, but I promise to get a few in between now and then. Be patient with me, and we'll get the adventure rolling again soon. Thanks!!

Garrick looks over the door carefully, with Paaras right behind him. The half-orc doesn't note anything dangerous either, and with a nod the rogue opens the door quietly. This immense room is obviously a place of worship. On either side of a broad center aisle are rows of high-backed wooden benches that extend all the way to the far end of the room, where a wide hallway exits the temple - though only Selina can see that far through the darkness. The door through which the party has entered opens onto an illuminated dais that fills this entire end of the room, extending out about fifteen feet before descending into the main worship area. Narrow aisles along the walls run past ornate mosaics to a pair of small fountains set into the walls on either side of the dais, just in front of the first stone bench. On the dais itself, near a stone altar, lay three large toppled statues that look similar to the ones on the top of the pyramid outside - a strong bearded man holding a balance in one hand and a lighting bolt in the other; a slim woman cradling a sheaf of wheat in one arm and holding a longsword in the other hand; and a winged child with two snakes twined around its body, holding a wand in one hand and a handful of coins in the other. Two figures about forty feet away stand near the toppled statues, one of them leaning against the broken stonework in a nonchalant manner while the other's stance is more rigid, their arms crossed in front of their chest. Both are clad in colorful clothes and their hair is a dark shade of red, but masks conceal most of their faces - both of them crafted to appear as foxes. A lantern is set upon one of the larger stone chunks that made up the pedestal of the middle-most statue, shedding plentiful light upon most of the dais, as well as the statues and the front thirty feet or so of the worship area. Beyond that is darkness, though the ambient light gives those without darkvision at least some idea of the surroundings. The moment draws out, as Garrick decides whether to hail the strangers, attack, or perhaps sneak up on them to eavesdrop. In that instant though, he can't be sure if they've noticed him yet, as they are engrossed in their personal conversation... OOC Depending on how you want to go about this, you may speak to them to alert them to your presence or give me a Stealth check - Garrick at least and anyone else who wants to move in. In the latter case, it will be an opposed roll against their Passive Perception as they aren't actively looking around. If anyone is NOT moving into the room, let me know what you're doing. Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision (300') Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

One by one, the group tests their weight on the trap door and are relieved when it fails to give way beneath them. No telling what's down there, but it's probably not very fun. Selina, whose darkvision is vastly superior to anyone else's, including the illumination cast by Garrick's lantern, reports that the hallway to the north ends in a door - which is actually just barely visible to anyone that cross over the pit in that direction - while the corridor east extends some hundred feet or a bit more and ends in a T intersection. Everyone on the west side of the pit can also see the hallway heading that direction takes an elbow bend to the north about fifty feet away. OOC Which way, then? Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision (300') Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

I'll save you the sweating and let you know that you succeeded - if just barely! The Investigation check was a chance to lower the DC to... well, to 10! If you'd failed the first check, the DC would have been 18 - with failure meaning that you THINK it's safe, but it actually wasn't!

Thanks to a close examination of the pit trap, Garrick learns that spiking the lid closed would be fairly easy - he just needs use his tools to this pressure point... and... that one! Though he very nearly breaks the pin in doing so, the rogue manages to render the lid inoperable!

Paaras takes the mace and gives it a few practice swings as Rodnel takes the unidentified potion and the rest of the loot is gathered up by Garrick. The rogue scans the hallway carefully as they approach the cross passage and Selina advises on what she can see beyond the vision of the others. Then suddenly, Garrick raises up a hand for the party to stop. The rogue kneels down to get a better look at what he'd glimpsed, and allows himself a grim nod. A thin seam forms a square at the point where the two hallways intersect. A pit trap, from the looks of it. OOC Wisely done, sir! Your 18 roll just barely hit the DC, so it's pretty well concealed. If you want to try and disable it, please give me an Investigation check and a Thieves' Tools check (INT). You can also choose to circumvent the trap by very carefully hugging the corner and stepping around it, but there's some risk in that. I'd need and Acrobatics check (or a plain old DEX check if you don't have that skill) against a DC in the area of 10-15 - and wearing heavy armor will give you Disadvantage on that roll, by the way! Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

The party gathers at the door as Garrick opens it, revealing a long corridor that extends into the darkness beyond the illumination of his lantern and the darkvision of those gathered - save for Selina (see OOC). Everyone can see the cross passage about 50' ahead, and there is clearly a goodly amount of dust on the stone-worked floor just beyond the door. Nothing can be heard, nor is there any danger readily apparent. OOC Selina, you've got extraordinary darkvision, so I'll let you know that you can see the corridor beyond the cross passage extends another 50' or so, ending in a door. That hallway appears empty as well, though of course you can't see another other details. Paaras, please add that mace to your character sheet if you'd like to claim it! :) After the party takes a short rest, I'll allow you have 'attuned' to the magic item so you'll know what it is specifically. As for potions, I follow the school of thought that allows a Knowledge (Arcana) check at DC 12 to figure it out after a taste of the potion is taken. An Identify spell always works though, for potions and items both, without the attunement needed or sampling required without the spell. Adventure Details Party Health & Adventure Notes Selina (18/19 HP) Darkvision Paaras (16/23 HP) Darkvision Raaz (22/22 HP) Ongotho (27/27 HP) Garrick (17/21) Darkvision; carrying an Everburning lantern Rodnel (20/20 HP) Mage Armor is active for a bit less than 8 hours; Darkvision Player Mentions @Draidden @herastor @RedDingo @Magiker @Der_kulge @Ensou

Definitely! Thanks for offering, I keep thinking I need to do that, but a player-driven loot thread would make my day. :)

As far as picking locks goes, I figure that so long as you don't break the tools or jam the lock (i.e. a natural '1' and a 25/75 chance) you can keep trying.