Quest to White Plume Mountain

[Bloodaxe]

After leaving your mounts and extra supplies behind with your henchman at the cave known as the dead Gnoll's Eyesocket, you travel on to the White Plume Mountain.

This huge volcanic mountain still jets clouds of hot steam from its peak, giving the mountain its nickname.

You enter a cave and find a large metal staircase leading down. The staircase is old and rusty but still looks solid. The air is warm and humid, a bit foul smelling- of damp and rot. The cave itself is wet and has many patches of mold, fungus.. The only sound, is a constant drip.

(see map #1 of the staircase)

[Inferno]

OOC: Let's light this match!

Abdul Jaad Asaan: Half-Drow Elf, Cleric/Magicuser:

The holy wizard's long nose wrinkled up, like it smelt something disgusting. It wasn't the odor. Asaan had expected the lowest sort of killers and mercenaries, but even he was taken aback by the cutthroats and mongrels this barbarian land had produced for this quest.

Ever the diplomat, the old vizier kept his grey tongue behind his broken yellow teeth. His health and welfare, and the success of this entire enterprise, depended on these ruffians now, as unseemly a prospect as that was. The price of the untold riches and hidden secrets of White Plume Mountain was that Asaan would need to swallow his pride. The desert priest believed he had the discipline to do it... just barely.

He held the lantern aloft and uncurled a brown, gnarled, bony finger from his staff to point with. The old man's finger looked like a raven's talon, or the twisted root of a dead tree. "There!" he hissed in a stage whisper. "The stairs lead downward... into the mountain!"

[ravenn4544]

Urgosh hefts his axe and heads down the stairs. He will only stop if the light source doesn't keep up with what he can see.

[GreyWolfVT]

Goroth Ironhide the dwarf takes out a torch and lights it "Best to bring the light with us." he says as he takes up his Shield in the opposing hand and follows the others down the stairs into the mountain.

[Bloodaxe]

The stair case winds down and down.....and down.......(about 100_ feet)

The stair case end in a passage heading east, then turning to the north, out of sight. The air is hot and humid. The cavern floor is covered in water. Dirty, scummy water. You judge its about a foot deep. The entire passage is filled with water.
A very faint bluish light shines from around the corner to the north.

[Scott308]

The halfling, Riagrin Thornspring, readies her bow and knocks an arrow...just to be safe. No point hanging around outside any longer, she says, following the dwarf down the stairs.

[Inferno]

Abdul Jaad Asaan:

Asaan slid his elegant, curved toe boots into the slimy water. The dark wizard held the lantern high to provide light for all. His suspicious eyes darted about, scanning the walls for carvings, marks, and secret doors.

1-2 out of 6 to detect secret doors as a half elf

[ravenn4544]

Urgosh tramples through the muck down the east passage and looks around the turn north.

[Bloodaxe]

The water is about a foot deep and underneath it is a layer of thick mud. It slows you down quite a bit.

Urgosh peeks around the corner and sees a huge creature sitting a raised stone slab. It has the body of a lion and the head of some bird. Behind the beast is a shimmering blue force field blocking the tunnel.
Its keen eyes look directly at you.

Squawk! Come along. Answer my riddle and you may pass.








==========================
OOC-
Goroth can walk on the water with his ring if he chooses.
Abdul has his carpet, if he chooses.

[SocraticLawyer]

Bucky follows the others. Upon seeing the bird-thing, Bucky thinks to himself,Ut oh. A riddle. He shakes his head and stretches out for a fight, just in case. He hopes one of the others is better at riddles than he....

[SocraticLawyer]

OOC: we're going two abreast in this tunnel, right? With Bucky and Assan in the back?

[Stirling]

Bro Issachar follows the others down the stairs, carrying a torch to illuminate our way and fingering a pearl rosary bead with his other hand. His pack carried. Seeing this beast he will try to determine what kind of creature it is. (Intell roll : 1d20 = 8), "It must be the guardian of this forlorn place.Speak with him wise man" Lifting high his torch Bro Isaachar scans the room for other creatures or hiding places. What can he see beyond the shimmering blue light?

Bro Isaachar will turn his back on the creature and whisper to the wizard, "keep him talking, don't just answer his riddle, pump him for information...guards, rooms, tunnels. "

[Bloodaxe]

You think it may be some kind of Sphinx. Beyond the shimmering wall of force, you can see the tunnel splits in three.
North, North-West, North-East.
You see no way to go forward except past the guardian.

[Inferno]

OOC: we're going two abreast in this tunnel, right? With Bucky and Assan in the back?

I believe so.

[Inferno]

Abdul Jaad Asaan:

The wizard nodded once at the snaggletoothed orc creature, stepped forward, cleared his throat and called, "Pass to where? What lies beyond you that is worth our playing this little game?"

(Reply if any?)

"And what if we should answer incorrectly?"

[Bloodaxe]

Abdul Jaad Asaan:

The wizard nodded once at the snaggletoothed orc creature, stepped forward, cleared his throat and called, "Pass to where? What lies beyond you that is worth our playing this little game?"

(Reply if any?)

"And what if we should answer incorrectly?"

The creature chuckles through a large wicked beak.
To pass where? BEYOND!! I know the three treasures you seek. You must solve my riddle to drop the magical wall of force.

The creature sharpens its lions claws upon the rock.
You have more questions? You must answer another riddle first, then I will answer one of your questions. One riddle, one question.

The creature stands up, nearly 7 feet tall , large & powerful.
Failure would be most unfortunate. Come forward. When you are all ready, I will give my riddle to pass. Answer correctly and you are free to pass, I will not hinder you.

It looks at Abdul.
Unless you want to answer another riddle first to ask me a question.......

[ravenn4544]

Urgosh looks at the huge bird-thing with a toothy smile. If you knew him better you would know that he is thinking about eating it.

[Inferno]

Abdul Jaad Asaan:
It looks at Abdul.
Unless you want to answer another riddle first to ask me a question.......

The wizard swallowed hard. "No," he rasped, as he came forward.

[GreyWolfVT]

Goroth "Whats the riddle?"

[Bloodaxe]

Goroth "Whats the riddle?"

The creature nods.
Very well. Answer this riddle and you may pass freely.

A city of stone,
where no one lives,
yet many visit each day,
some go to see old friends,
one day you will go to stay.

You have 24 hours to answer the riddle. One answer, one try. No cheating.