Chapter 2: The Highway and Silver Spring

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos "That sounds fine, i think. Where do we rally to if needs be? Here?"

move silent 60 hide in shadows 53

[Storm11]

Qleceec

"It sounds like a good plan to me Hex. The forward party lacks healing, but we will just have to live with that."

Hex shakes his head. Not if the druidess accompanies you, the scouting party, disguised in some way the illusionist quantifies. You lack arcane magic, but since none of ours will affect mind flayers that shouldn’t be an issue.

The gnome nods at the half-orc. Yes, we need a signal of retreat and a place to gather. Here seems as good a place as any. Either Sousxie or I can cover our presence whilst the rope trick is enacted, and many of us can climb in and hide whilst others flee unseen back to silver spring perhaps.

[gurusql]

Boff

"Hex I will agree with your plan, but you need to help support my niece, Frannie since I will be in the front."

[shaidar]

Garrant

"A sound plan Hex. If there is still concern over healing then I have a potion of extra-healing you can take with you."

Once the forward group is ready to go, Garrant casts Infravision on Qleceec. (duration 9 hours)

[gurusql]

Just looking for confirmation from Siouxsie to move this forward.

[Spearmint]

Siouxsie

I am fine following along.

Perhaps Siousxie could take the form of some ceiling crawling reptile as well, and hopefully go unnoted as we move forward.

My animal form actually does nog allow me to carry my weapons and armour along and I think I will hold off on that until we know more about them in case I need to cast spells too.

[Storm11]

your equipment shifts into your animal form with your body. You take it all with you and it comes back when you return to your original form.

[gurusql]

your equipment shifts into your animal form with your body. You take it all with you and it comes back when you return to your original form.

Sorry per house rules -

When a druid changes form (into a bird, reptile, or mammal), he/she retains the ability to speak; however, he/she cannot cast spells while in animal form. All equipment is left behind unless an item has the ability to change.

[Storm11]

oh well. No WONDER she never uses her shapeshift. Who would ever risk that.

[gurusql]

The Highway
Moonday, 17th day of Planting, 597
12th day since leaving Loftwick

Qleceec (AC 1, HP 62/63)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 53/53)
Boff (AC 5, HP 61/61)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48)

Androgost (AC -6, HP 64/65, Armor 26/26) Glowing Sword
Garrant (AC 8, HP 49/50)
Hex (AC 0, HP 27/27, Armor 8/8) (Continual Light coin)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 26/26)

Garrant casts Infravision on Qleceec which allows the group to split into the lead group that will be using Infravision and the rear group that will be using light. The rear group will be attempting to space themselves about 90' behind, but the front group does not want to look back into the continual light (and lose their Infravision) and the back group can only see 60' feet so it is a bit of a guessing game.

The group is still working through the kinks and having travelled only about a mile further down the Highway when suddenly . . .

This is only for lead group (Qleceec, Nah Olos, Boff and Siouxsie)

Qleceec first sees it in the lead, but it becomes clear to Nah Olos, Boff and Siouxsie as well that across the corridor someone has dug a pit. The group is stopped about 10' from the pit. You can all tell that this is fresh enough that much of the lichen has been disturbed so the normally small amount of light is not present in this area. Using your Infravision the ground on the other side of the pit is ever so slightly warmer than the ground the group has been walking on. Unless someone stops them the main group will keep marching forward towards the infravision group. There is a voice perhaps 40' from Qleceec and from a side tunnel in the darkness (to the north) the voice says from down the hallway he is in "Aamoof." In then in your direction, "The Highway is temporarily closed, please find a detour."

This is only for the rear group (Androgost, Garrant, Hex, Raffi, Frannie)

At this point there is clearly some talking ahead but you cannot make what is being said.

Actions?

Corrected grammer.

[GreyWolfVT]

Boof furrowed brow "Detour? Huh? Who does that?" he thinks this smells of a bad trap.

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos looks toward the pit, trying to determine how wide it is and if it stretches from wall to wall. He will inch forward looking for the depth as well, unless something else happens - any sound, voice, or appearance - if anything happens he stops immediately.

[ravenn4544]

Androgost stands quiet and listens. He hears only talking and nothing alarming as of yet. His weapon ever ready, he will move at the first sign of trouble.

[Storm11]

Hex and Raffi halt as well, bearing some kind of whispering going on. The gnome has a fixed his continual light gem to his staff, and the halfling holds his glowing dagger and sword at the ready.

Is everything ok? the illusionist whispers into the darkness between the two groups.

[Spearmint]

Siouxsie

Can I discern if this voice is spoken by a person or from an animated source such as a Magic Mouth?

Siouxsie: discernment check vs 16 Wisdom? [3d6]=9

Does the voice speak with any dwarven accent? (which might make Siouxsie more positive in responding to it).

"Thank you." she speaks, "Unseen guide, which way would you recommend?"

[Rex]

Qleceec

Qleceec remains still and tries to locate any individuals in or around the pit.

[gurusql]

The Highway
Moonday, 17th day of Planting, 597
12th day since leaving Loftwick

Qleceec (AC 1, HP 62/63)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 53/53)
Boff (AC 5, HP 61/61)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48)

Androgost (AC -6, HP 64/65, Armor 26/26) Glowing Sword
Garrant (AC 8, HP 49/50)
Hex (AC 0, HP 27/27, Armor 8/8) (Continual Light coin)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 26/26)

Qleceec holds still and tries to spot anyone else in his infravision range (especially in or around the pit), but other than the voice does not see any other individuals. (more on that in a moment)
Nah Olos creeps slightly forward and does note that the pit fills the width of the 10' corridor and is about the same length (10'). He estimates the depth of the pit to be about 20'.
Boff says back to the voice "Detour? Huh? Who does that?"
Siouxsie says "Thank you. Unseen guide, which way would you recommend?" while she wonders if the voice is a magic mouth or perhaps a dwarf, but she does not think either when the a head of a heat source is momently visible to high to be a dwarf, "I think it was the winged serpents who did this. They are quite dangerous. There is a side tunnel that will get you around like 12 to 15,000 feet back perhaps you can find it."

In the end, if something does not change soon Hex's light will cause Siouxsie to need to readjust her eyes to keep using infravision.

The rear part of the party can tell that a conversation is happening, but is not making out much of it.

Actions?

I have include a map of this area. Please note that in reality it would be a little less straight and have more flow to it, but this is a good approximation. The orange X is the front groups estimate of the location of the voice and the yellow box shows how far Hex's Continual Light extends.

Map

Highway_01.png (568.08 KiB) Viewed 13553 times

[Rex]

Qleceec

Whispers to Nah Olos, "Can you get across the pit?"

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos looks to see how high the ceiling is here, then examines the walls for hand holds. He whispers back, "Who has that rope?"

climb walls 99

[GreyWolfVT]

Boff calls out to the voice "Oi and who be you? Thank you for yer warning just wondering who'd be warning folks, you a worker trying to fix this mess?"