Chapter 6: The Iron Door mission

[barkman]

"I wonder when Fort Adamant became Adamas?" Randolpho muses out loud, while looking at the mosaics on the walls, tentatively feeling around the dwimmermount one.

[kalstone]

Solaine grins and says, "Magical catastrophe! That describes you Climent."

She looks around, then her grin fades and she looks at the floor and sighs.

[barkman]

"The real catastrophe is that he isn't here to see it, perhaps he'll come the next time we delve"

[Dogma]

"We should bring a map of the area with us next time and mark some of this down. The location of some of these older places that don't exist anymore might be worth something to a scholar. For now I think we should keep moving."

[Stirling]

Quinn

Quinn looks at the map and points to 'cajun central' hillbilly home near to Fort Gloris. It was mentioned before that a key was in a map in the other room, so Quinn will carefully examine the map and frame for anything key like or ring like in the mosaics.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr leans in, speaking quietly to Quinn.

"Not here, I think. The other room. Behind the door held by the kobolds. At least, that's what I remember the Oracle saying."

He prepares to keep moving.

[drpete]

The floor of this room is a giant map, so there's no "frame" here. The points of interest have been pulled out, so the locations are a bit vague (they were likely the jewels you've found).

Gloris is actually along the river about 20 miles east of Dwimmermount, at the edge if the swamp. Quinn knows the swamp is full of goblins, and there is some trade with them at Gloris. Gloris is an outpost of Adamas' military, lIke Muntberg is.

The Oracle said the key was hidden in a mural showing soldiers sacking a city, and it's in a cave of the other side of the level.

There might be more to discover on the map, but consider this an overview of the region. The blue dots are generally "something" but you can't identify everything.

In the meantime, it sounds like there's a desire to move on. Where would you like to go? The south door (that your map says leads toward the stairs), or the east hall, which leads toward the natural caverns? If you want to continue, it's a choice between... 38, 40 and 42 next.

On a related note, there's a house rule I saw on the hill cantons site a while back... the group picks a leader. That person makes the decisions like this for that delve. If the delve is a success, he gets a chance at improving his charisma. If it's a failure, there's a chance if a penalty. What do you think?

3. A character gains or loses CHA with the fortunes of on-the-ground leadership. At the end of an adventure or expedition (a convenient, exp-awarding stopping point that can span several sessions), the party's leader, caller, or spokesperson makes a roll for a CHA gain or loss. (The party's overall leader is determined by the players prior to play of that adventure.)

If the adventure is deemed a success by the GM the player adds one point of CHA if the player rolls a percentile dice under his existing CHA score. If it is a failure than the leader subtracts 1-3 CHA (as determined by the GM) unless he rolls under his existing CHA score PLUS his level. (The chutzpah of a character with a high Charisma allows him to spin success or failure better.) This roll can be modified by the GM to reflect in-game circumstances (leading larger than usual bodies, severity of challenge, etc.).

Example: Mogg the Mendicant, a 6th level Cleric with a 14 CHA, was nominated by his party to be the Year-King of their recent expedition to the dead city of Chaon Gacca in Tasuun. The expedition was a total flop, several party members went to meet the Makers and the loot was sparse. Mogg did however captain a pirated war-galley and a company of pole-armed Wombatmen over the course of the adventure, so the GM deems that he will get a +3 to his saving roll. To not lose CHA, he must roll under a 23 (14+6+3). He unhappily rolls a 90 and is saddled with a loss of two CHA by the GM.

[Stirling]

Quinn

yeah I know the other map is in the kobold section but perhaps stuff may have been hidden likewise.
Scanning the floor tiles and map, hey looks likely these missing pieces are the jewels we found earlier. Nothing more to see here. What's through there?

Quinn will go check out the eastern archway and room beyond.

[drpete]

Quinn goes down the hallway 20 feet, then comes to an intersection. There is an iron reinforced door to the east, and a hallway going off, into the dark, to the south.

[Stirling]

Quinn

Will wait at the corner, aware that previously it looked like some beetles were being fed from the U-table in the other room. Any sign or noise, glowing eyes in the darkness that the beetles are about?

[drpete]

You don't hear or see anything at the moment, but in your examination, you notice that the lower right corner of the door you are near seems to have been gnawed through... something about the size of one of those beetles might be able to go through the hole, but it would be tight.

[Stirling]

as we came by the U table, were there piles of rotted limbs left out or has everything gone now? Quinn would go back and fetch a leg and then toss it enticingly within reach of the nibbled door to see if hungry critters do lair on the other side.

[drpete]

There were still bit and pieces, yes. The pieces that are left are definitely "spoiled" and the room has the smell of rotting flesh. Quinn goes and gets a gnawed leg from the pile.

[drpete]

Quinn places the bloody leg near the hole and backs away. After a minute, the nose of a giant rat pokes out and sniffs at it. It then takes a nibble of the leg, gouging out a chunk.

[barkman]

"Making friends, Quinn? Hoping to tame some? Or maybe we can stuff the meat into the kobolds area?"

[Stirling]

Quinn

"Come Randolpho, bring your torch and we will see what's down the corridor."

Quinn will wait for some light before proceeding down the hallway keeping on the west side away from nipping rats.

(If no one comes he will just stand on watch by the corner).

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr heaves a sigh. "We've been on the march for long enough. We should take a quick rest and then see what's down that way, Quinn."

[drpete]

Torgyr's not wrong. You do feel like taking a 10 minute break would be welcome about now.

[kalstone]

"I agree."

[drpete]

Date: Euryale 12, 1:40 pm (Turn 27)
Season: Mid Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Light Sources: Randolpho (Lantern, 2 hrs, 50 minutes remaining), Galen (Lantern, 3 hrs, 30 minutes remaining)
Time since rest: 10 minutes (1 turns)
Location: Mosaic Passage (Room 42)

The group rests, then heads down the hallway, steering clear of the gnawed doorway and its resident giant rat. After turning to the south, the hallway widens to 20 feet wide. The walls have more mosaics of military victories. One of these has been defaced with graffiti, which reads, in Common: "Screw the rats! I'm going home! - Grumpy Dwarf".

There is a door to the south, and a hallway goes off to the east.