Chapter 17 - Delve Deux into the Orcless Orc Stronghold

[enn.in.me]

"Those nasty little buggers. We should be ready in case they come back with friends." Yenny looks around, shining her light towards the various party members in turn. "You all look kind of beat up. I can help one or two of you if you like. Kablamicus--you're going to pull your wounds open stretching like that. I bet somebody nimble could climb up the mushroom boxes."

[onlyme]

Dandelion takes a handkerchief, dabs a bit of water on it and gently washes away the blood. she asks the others what that one creature was trying to signal while pointing to the top shelf.

[Zhym]

"I reckon they've got some coin stashed up there, and the dead feller was offering it to us if we'd let 'em live," ventures Angus.

[onlyme]

Dandelion will look for a way to climb to the top shelves, looking for traps along the way. (not that she is any good at finding them.)

[AleBelly]

Yenny offers up additional healing to the wounded in the party.

Dandelion looks for a way to climb up to the top planter. It's not difficult, actually, as she drops her trident and shield and easily ascends to the top shelf where Sophomore continues to mess with something heavy.

onlyme see your private forum

[onlyme]

Dandelion grabs and gently tosses a couple of sacks of coins, hoping they dont spill out too bad.

[enn.in.me]

Yenny looks towards the sack as it clanks to the ground, "Sounds like mushroom farming pays pretty well. I might consider that for my retirement."

[Zhym]

"Mushroom stew, anyone?" asks Angus. "Fry 'em up with some onions and garlic, throw in some spices, maybe add a little barley in—mighty tasty! Long as they ain't poisonous, that is. Don't reckon these are poisonous. Might have 'em some of them special mushrooms, though." He takes a closer look at the mushrooms to see if he can recognize them.

I don't know if rangers have any ability to identify plants, but I figure it's worth a try.

[AleBelly]

The statuesque half-orc drops two sacks of coins from nine feet. The land on the stone floor with a loud "ching" as several dozen spring from the mouths of the two sacks. Music to the ears of the wealth-inclined.

Enthusiasm is tempered somewhat by the sight of silver in the sack and not a more precious metal. Still, there are 20 pounds of coin per sack (a total of about 2000 sp).

Actions?

[Zhym]

Any luck by Angus in identifying mushrooms?

[AleBelly]

Angus takes a look at the mushrooms. They certainly look like the edible garden-variety white mushroom found on tables across Alleborg. Except for the bright, multicolored ones that pop up every five feet or so. These look like juvenile screaming mushrooms, the apertures in their caps just starting to form.

Kablamicus and Hyde, having inspected them just before the surprise attack, concur. Plus, it seems reasonable that whatever dwells down here would need to eat.

[Zhym]

I was rather hoping that Angus's woodsman/nature boy training would give him better insight into mushrooms than someone would get by looking at them on tables at Alleborg. But the result seems to be about the same.

Angus harvests some mushrooms. He wasn't kidding about wanting a nice mushroom stew. He also culls the screaming mushrooms mercilessly.

[tkrexx]

Hyde dutifully guards the hatchway the greylings ran thru. I still say we needs some wild pig to go with them 'shrooms, yeahh.

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Happily accepts Yenny's help. "Thank you. I have to admit, on a scale of 1 to 18, i feel about an 11..." must be a mage thing. He cheers as the coins bounce on the floor. "Well done, Sophomore! Well done! You too, Dandelion. Quite eh... graceful!"

[AleBelly]

I'll wait for Yenny to administer healing. What's the next step for the group?

[Zhym]

Onward down the hall?

[tkrexx]

Onward!

[enn.in.me]

Yenny moves to Kablamicus, keeping a nervous eye up towards the bird. "May the light of Veles shine upon you."

Cure light wounds [1d8] = 7

Ready to travel on!

[onlyme]

Dandelion will tie one of the bags to her belt.

[AleBelly]

Yenny heals Kablamicus, eliminating signs of two of his three wounds. The mage seems to be in much better health. Dandelion and Hyde (I guess) pick up the two sacks of silver. The party moves onward, with Hyde and Angus leading the way.

DM rolls dice

It's easy enough for Angus to follow the tracks of the two surviving greyskins. There's really only one way to go. The passage exiting the mushroom room turns north, then turns back on itself east. A door stands ajar into another large room - this one about 50' x 50'. The room has odds and ends scattered about - an old musty undershirt, a broken ceramic mug, a cracked leather boot, and quite a few bones. It takes a moment, but Angus and Hyde see several signs of movement in the middle of the room. With horror, they realize that the movements all belong to a single creature - a huge snake, black and green, that looks to be roughly 15' long! It is uncoiling from the body of one of the lifeless greyskins that just fled the earlier battle.

The snake's forked tonged flits in the air as it turns towards the party and begins advancing! It will be possible for Angus and Hyde to shut the door if they like, but please give an accompanying initiative roll.

Passageways head east and west out of the room. The one heading east likely leads to the room with the four evil creatures that claimed Chet's life.

At this moment Dandelion, bringing up the rear, hears many voices coming from the south end of the hall. She recognizes them immediately as orcish. She sees two, armed with bows, lining up shots at her.

"Here they are!" one yells triumphantly behind it to unknown recipients. Snarls and war cries are sounded - there must be at least ten of them.

Actions?

021918.png (710.95 KiB) Viewed 575 times

Date: 29 Culling, Year 44
Time: 6:40
Conditions: 44F, damp
Known Spells in Effect: Kablamicus Shield through 6:45
Light bearers: Yenny's bracelet, Angus' bullseye lantern through 10:15, Hyde's torch through 7:15
Injuries: Yenny, Angus, Dandelion barely wounded; Hyde, Kablamicus lightly wounded; Galan, Figgis moderately wounded