Chapter 2: First Foray

[LarsWester]

GOLON

Cursing his aim the red-haired youth throws his remaining dagger at the horrifying tentacled beast.  "Someone help Dejrik!  Kill the beast!"  Again his dagger misses his target by a great deal clattering useless against the stone wall of the fortress. 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by LarsWester (see edit history)

[Scarecrow71]

Ashera Grequinal

Ashera got a bit angry with herself over her complete whiff, her face turning to a frown and twisting in a bit of pain.  She re-steadied herself, and swung away at the giant worm-thing again!

[matt_s]

Thoridin

Thoridin's polearm was lethal, but it paid for that lethality in its slowness. Still, a nasty weapon that could keep a foe out of arms reach was never without merit. Blows flew back and forth and one of his fellow dwarve's went down under the onslaught. Shouting an wordless battlecry, he swung his weapon, at least joining his strength to the fray.

 

 

@EricI am incapable of reading my own character sheet, the d20 mod should be ONE not TWO

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by matt_s (see edit history)

[Cirlot]

Tala Silvergrave

With the tumult of conflict and the adrenaline pounding in her ears Tala could spare not the time nor the thought to whether Dejrik was merely immobilized by some poison or if the paralytic had muted the death throes incurred by fatal hurt.  And the thought would profit her not anyway, for as new to her Goddesses favor as she was there were no miracles within Tala to remedy either affliction . . .

 

And so, frustrated and fearful for her companion Tala lashed out with the strengths she did hold to hand.  Namely, violence and a mace that ought bludgeon what passed for this worms organs.

 

[Eric]

Thoridin and Tala attack as though one, and the striken creature slumps to the ground, its tentacles ceasing their frantic flailing. With the urgency of battle passed, a better examination reveals it to be about nine feet long and possessed of many small legs, like a centipede. Stories of "carrion crawlers" such as this are commonplace in taverns, with bards cursing the misfortune of adventurers who suffer its paralytic tasting and are dragged below to become tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast. Gejrik can be seen to be breathing shallowly, and with good luck should recover quickly.

 

VICTORY!

 

Tala, now up close and personal with the dead crawler, is keen-eyed and spots the glint of metal from deeper in the hole. There is no sign of additional movement or creatures below.

[Cirlot]

Tala Silvergrave

"Fear not Dejrik, thou art avenged. Just an indignity, thankfully - " Tala offered a lopsided smile as the worry lifts at the sound of the dwarf's breathting.  She lifts her mace from the cratered side of the crawler, icor dribbling ropey strings from it's innards before she makes a face and lets the mace fall again with a squelching sound.  " - tho messily."

 

At the glint of metal further in her eyes light up and then darken as her face turns into a frown.  Clambering into that pit to claim the rewards of this thing's nest seemed a ripe opportunity for fate to spring further mischief by way of traps or other creatures.  If the stories of her sires adventures were an accurate guide, now would be when one sent the party burglar in to assess the take, but -

 

The red haired lad had been helpful enough in the fight but he claimed to want no part of it, and he was armed and armored near nothing.  The elfess would be lithe and nimble enough in the face of danger but asking her to wade through the muck - Tala's nose wrinkled.  She'd not put on airs, nor given Tala any reason to think she'd not do her part but it seemed rude to muddy one of the fair folk right of the gate.  Ill starred even.  And they were already down a dwarf . . .

 

Tala sighed once, than whistled for the company's attention, nodding to the hole and the shiny item wedged beneath below.

 

"Perhaps a reward for our pains.  I'm fresh an armored enough I'll go down to check - if I could have a hand with a rope above on watch while I lower myself down?  Leaves enough for watch above and company for Dejrik besides."

 

ActionsSo Tala will lower herself into the hole and go after the loot if it's not too far down, otherwise she'll need rope from one of the party to climb down properly. She will, of course, be taking her mace with her . . .

If it matters for purposes of surprise/ambush, once she's down in the creatures den she'll stow the mace but keep her shield on her arm - leaves one hand free for poking and digging through things but gives her something to hold in front of her if things go poorly.

[hoverfrog]

Stoyan Barakovsen

Stoyan is relieved that his dwarven companion survived though he doesn't show it. When Dejrik's paralysis wears off he might spare a jibe about laying down on the job in order to properly challenge him to do better in future. That was the dwarven way after all.

 

Tala heading down into danger was either foolish or brave. Either way there was treasure involved so it must be done, "I'll keep hold of the rope but my crossbow will be ready in case another of those beasties comes out for you. Best tie the rope round you though in case it knocks you out like it has Dejrik."

Show Stats

STRENGTH 14 +1 to hit and damage

INTELLIGENCE 9

WISDOM 11

DEXTERITY 7 -1 AC, and range attacks

CONSTITUTION 13 +1 hit point

CHARISMA 12

 

Hit Points: 7/7

Armour Class: 3 (Plate Mail (3), Shield (Bonus of 1), DEX (Penalty of 1))

THAC0: 1d20+1 Battle Axe9; 518; 4 1d8+1, 1d20-1 Crossbow 1d6

Actions

Load crossbow and put it on the ground nearby next to my shield. Hold the rope and be ready to pull Ashera up in a hurry.

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by hoverfrog (see edit history)

[matt_s]

  

Thoridin

Not being down a dwarf was very welcome news. He had looked dead to Thoridin, but that was in the chaos of battle after all. Dejrik had stood tall and weathered the blows, and that was commendable. Thoridin turned his attention to keeping a sharp eye out as the rest of the party angled to retrieve the hint of treasure below. Who knew what else the vermin's motion had sent stirring?

 

 

[Eric]

Tala safely scales to the bottom of the hole, which is more of a burrow than a tunnel. At the end of the eight-foot dug-out pit, she finds a pile of coins spilling from a shredded sack. The sack was apparently the property of one of the crawler's victims, a short humanoid with a skull resembling a dog. There are probably a couple hundred coins intermixed in silver and copper, enough to fill a small sack, along with two ruddy gemstones and a small leather purse, nearly rotted away.

 

OOCI took the liberty of examining character sheets and found out that of the party, the paralyzed Dejrik has one small sack, and Golon has several sacks. How interesting...

[Cirlot]

Tala Silvergrave

"Well, e'en if Bargle is not to be found the expedition has already paid for itself - "  Tala shoveled the coins into her half full backpack and then reached overhead, dumping out the contents and returning to the pile of coins once more; bailing the treasure out as though the pit had sprung a leak.  Only after the coins are accounted for does she move to the gemstones and the half-ruinded purse, handing them gingerly up to her companions.

 

"Some delicate hands to the purse, perhaps?  If it's lasted this long I'm curious as to what's inside.  And speaking of hands, a hand up?"

 

OOC Actions

Will harvest and hand up all the treasure to be found, I don't think Tala's backpack is fit to carry it long term but as loot bucket it should serve to get the coins out , at least.  Once she's grabbed everything she'll hoist herself up out of the pit.

 

Do we have any arcane-types who might know if the bits of the worm itself are valuable, or if it could be harvested for it's poison?

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Cirlot (see edit history)

[hoverfrog]

Stoyan Barakovsen

"Hold on tight," Stoyan hauls Tala up, "Quite the haul, eh?"

 

"Shall we see what else this place has to offer? After Dejrik is back on his feet, of course. You all right, lad? Come on, rise and shine. This is no time for a nap."

Show Stats

STRENGTH 14 +1 to hit and damage

INTELLIGENCE 9

WISDOM 11

DEXTERITY 7 -1 AC, and range attacks

CONSTITUTION 13 +1 hit point

CHARISMA 12

 

Hit Points: 7/7

Armour Class: 3 (Plate Mail (3), Shield (Bonus of 1), DEX (Penalty of 1))

THAC0: 1d20+1 Battle Axe9; 518; 4 1d8+1, 1d20-1 Crossbow 1d6

Actions

Load crossbow and put it on the ground nearby next to my shield. Hold the rope and be ready to pull Ashera up in a hurry.

 

 

[LarsWester]

Golon

Offering a hand to Tala as she claims back out of the hole using the rope that Stoyan is still holding Golon offers a smile before adding  "A worthwhile detour indeed.  Thankfully Dejrik didn't came to this place alone or he'd share the fate of the previous owner of this coin.   My guess is the little thief got caught on the way out of this place after filling it's bag.   That could be a sign that there's more coin inside.   Could be a very profitable trip indeed.   Tala I do have a spare sack if you wish to dump the coin from your backpack into something more suitable."  Golon reaches into his backpack pulling out and unrolling a small sack.   He offers it to the cleric.  

 

[matt_s]

  

Thoridin

Thoridin offers a congratulatory nod to their intrepid delver. Nice work there, and I see our sleepy friend is starting to come around. I suspect there is indeed more wealth to be had here even beyond that bounty. Gold is not the ultimate goal in my life, but it is an enabling tool to allow us accomplish great things - but I digress. There is work to be done.

 

The dwarf will keep an eye out but otherwise stand fast while Dejrik recovers.

[Eric]

TURN 4

 

Dejrik's rigid muscles slowly relax, and after a half hour he is back to normal.

 

Thoridin kept a watchful eye on the castle, and sees a bit of movement just the coins are transferred. Suddenly, the previously unseen inner doors swing closed, banging home with a loud THUMP. Now, the only open path into the castle is the hole to the west.

 

The walls are about 50' high, and unstable from years of neglect and decay. There are a number of large fallen blocks around the perimeter that have come down as the mortar has decayed. Climbing is not likely to be a safe option.

 

Obvious Choices

1. Examine the fallen blocks
2. Peek through holes in the wall
3. Approach the closed door
4. Approach the large hole in the wall to the west

 

[trulyElse]

Dejrik Garraksen

As Dejrik regains function in his everything, he begins to sit up, eyeing the group.
Once it becomes clear he was the only one affected by the worm, he sighs deeply in relief, and clamours to his feet with all the grace of a newborn calf.

"I may not have seen anything," he says, conveying he's okay by omission, "but that noise meant there's something in there that knows we're out here, right?"

He doesn't move to investigate anything immediately, having learned his lesson from last time.