Chapter Two: Back into the Mountain

[drpete]

Date: Skullmont 9, 9:10 am
Season: Early Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Weather: Cold and clear
Location: Red Doors of Dwimmermount

After gathering the camp gear, hiring additional hands and outfitting them, the group heads out to the campsite they had scouted. Ernie and two muscular men from the village lead the cart over, and help to unload the gear before heading back to town. You set up the camp. Assembling the tent, and getting everything set up. The water seems cold and clean, and at least doesn't immediately kill anyone. A home away from home starts to come together.

The next day, you get up early and head up the stairs. The weather up on the mountain is cold, but not freezing. You stand again before the giant red doors, ready to try them again.

[Lamech]

"Alright, last time we encountered orcs and skeletons so be on your guard. I see two strategies for dealing with the orcs. First is the obvious, we continue to explore, but the second is we wait, pick a spot and prepare an ambush. If we're lucky we can take an orc alive and figure out what they are up to. Or whittle down there numbers."

[kalstone]

Solaine says, "Ordinarily, my friend, I would agree with you. These orcs have the advantage of knowing the terrain a lot better than we do, though." She grimaces. "We found that out the hard way last time. Unless we surprise them, we have to assume we will be fighting in an area that favors them."

[drpete]

Climent looks skeptically at the Red Doors. "Typhon's Fists were beaten badly by skeletons here. Be cautious."

Emm grips her spear tightly as she stares at the doorway. "So.... we ready to go?"

Audi sighs as she looks out into the distance, enjoying the view of the surrounding countryside. Perhaps she is drinking in a last look before going down into the earth. She looks wistful.

[bobloblah]

Climent looks skeptically at the Red Doors. "Typhon's Fists were beaten badly by skeletons here. Be cautious."

Brother Galen, ever cheery, grunts, and then, "Fate finds us all, in the end!" He smiles, humourlessly, "Still... with me here, at least Luck is on our side. Now, whether that's good luck, or bad..."

[barkman]

Rudolpho looks into the darkness.... "Truly the sooner begun, the sooner we are coming back out?"

[Zorroroaster]

"The Fist aren't alone on that score." Torgyr massages his old injury absentmindedly.

"I'll have a listen at the door and then we go in, yes? Big guys in front?"

[kalstone]

Solaine puts her hand on Audi's shoulder. "Fear not. The next time you see that view, we will be bathed in the blood of our enemies." She looks over to Brother Galen and whispers, "Possibly his too. Don't stand too close."

[Dogma]

Sorry for the absence. Wife is away on business and between single parenting the kids and work have been busy

"I'm ready to go," replies Ranulf, his armor creaking as he flexes his arms.

"You two ready?"he askes addressing the two new henchmen. "Remember, it's the pointy end you want to stick them with. And don't get all panicy and be poking me with them either. I won't take kindly to that."

[drpete]

Torgyr listens at the door, and hears nothing behind it. The large red door is even slightly ajar, and he can see the stairs leading down into the darkness.

As I understand it, the marching order is:

Torgyr
(some space)
Ranulf (with sword & shield)
Emm & Audi (with spears & shield)
Galen (with lantern) & Ajax
Rudolpho & Climent
Solaine (2 swords) & Steel (arbalest)
Automaton (large bag)

Does anyone else want to provide a light, or are we just going with Galen's lantern? Torches can be held in a shield hand, if its the type of shield that fastens to your arm.

[bobloblah]

We definitely need somebody else sporting a light source, preferably a lantern, which we can hood.

[drpete]

Sorry for the absence. Wife is away on business and between single parenting the kids and work have been busy

"I'm ready to go," replies Ranulf, his armor creaking as he flexes his arms.

"You two ready?"he askes addressing the two new henchmen. "Remember, it's the pointy end you want to stick them with. And don't get all panicy and be poking me with them either. I won't take kindly to that."

Emm grunts goodnaturedly, and shakes her spear in response. "Good to go, chief. Let's go hunt some boars!" Audi smiles uncertainly at Ranulf, and adjusts her helmet.

Solaine puts her hand on Audi's shoulder. "Fear not. The next time you see that view, we will be bathed in the blood of our enemies." She looks over to Brother Galen and whispers, "Possibly his too. Don't stand too close."

Audi brightens up a bit at first, then looks over at Galen with a concerned expression. "Don't worry, I'll protect him."

I know Dogma is a bit busy with being a dad (which I totally relate to) so I'll tentatively propose that Ranulf holds a torch along with his shield, as he did in the previous expedition, unless anyone objects. I'm gonna try to update you "into" the dungeon this afternoon, as I'm understanding Zorro to have said that Torgyr will listen at the door, then enter the dungeon.

[kalstone]

I agree with Bob that we should prefer a lantern. Can Ranulf hold a lantern along with his shield? If not, Solaine can hold a lantern and fight one handed.

[drpete]

Well, I can imagine a lantern in his shield hand, but I can't really imagine it during combat. Maybe the torch has the same issue, but somehow I feel like it's different. What does Torgyr have in his hands? Is he holding the 10 foot pole, or did that get left behind?

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr can carry a light source. The delver's role seems a little muddled - he's scouting out front but can't hide in shadows if he's holding a torch. Can't see to find traps if he isn't holding a torch due to no infravision. He's squishy, AC-wise, and holding a torch out front just makes him a target.

Is there a way for him to do his delving duties at the edge of the light thrown by others torches, giving him a bit better chance at hiding if necessary, but still able to scout?

I'm not whining...I'm just kind of ...whining.

[bobloblah]

I like the idea of Torgyr not having a light source precisely so he CAN Hide in Shadows. Our light will also mess up the Infravision of Monsters. And a lantern beats a torch.

[kalstone]

Can we get Climent to hold a lantern?

[drpete]

Sure, that sounds fine.

Date: Skullmont 9, 9:20 am
Season: Early Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Light Sources: Brother Galen (Lantern, 3 hrs, 50 minutes remaining), Climent (Lantern, 3 hrs, 50 minutes remaining)
Time since rest: 10 minutes
Location: Entrance Chamber

Torgyr opens the door and carefully leads the way down the stairs. The cold concrete walls of the dungeon seem eerily quiet and oppressive after the crisp mountain air.

As he reaches the bottom of the stairs, the light begins to illuminate the entrance chamber dimly. When last you saw it, this view was filled with the bodies of orcs with metal skeletons standing over them. Now, the room seems curiously bare. The bodies are all gone, as if the battle had never taken place.

Stepping forward into the room, Torgyr unwittingly steps under a patch of green slime, but it does not react to him.

Slime: surprise? [1d6] = 2 drop? (1-2)[1d6] = 6 Attack (hit AC) [1d20-9] = 11-9 = 2

Ranulf follows behind him into the room. Unlike Torgyr, he spots the green slime in the light from Galen's lantern, and is able to stop before walking under it! In reaction to the vibrations of your movement, the slime plops harmlessly down from the ceiling into the space between Torgyr and Ranulf!

Slime: surprise? [1d6] = 4 drop? (1-2)[1d6] = 2 Attack (hit AC) [1d20-9] = 18-9 = 9

greenslime.jpg (129.36 KiB) Viewed 1051 times

Green slime is sort of a horrible thing, but it exists here in the dungeon. As you move through the dungeon, it may be hiding there. Here's how I'm going to handle it. If you are moving at standard exploration rates, you will spot it if it does not "surprise" you. Going more quickly reduces or eliminates your chance to notice it. Once someone notices it, you can avoid it automatically. If you dont see it, and pass under it, it may or may not drop on you. If it drops on you, it needs to hit you with an attack roll (alternatively, this could be a blast save). If it's on the ground and you don't see it, you would just automatically step in it, but it would be easier to notice.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr steps back a little, shuddering at the sight of the viscous blob that separates him from Ranulf.

"Quick! Someone torch it!"

He looks up into the gloom of the ceiling to see if he can spot any other patches of slime.

[Lamech]

"Anyone have a torch handy? If no one else torches it Steel will get out one of the torches, light said torch and then as carefully as possible use the torch to burn away the slime. However if he is the one to do it he will grumble about it.

OOC: As far as I can tell the slime can't attack unless someone steps in it or it falls on them, and attacks against it always hit so it should just be a few rounds of burning the thing up. Also the remains (ash) might be valuable (or be useful to a wizard) so if anyone has a bottle and wants to play the obsessive type...