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Isvand picks himself up out of the corner. Seeing the snakes and the creature bitting at Dale, he decides that he likes it being over there and himself over here, and sends the boomerang flying again at the former man.



Boomerang attack [1d20+2]=10+2=12 Damage [1d4+1]=1+1=2
Bommerang recovery target 16 [3d6]=12

Gerdal, seing how things are quickly going south starts waving her hands in a weird motion, screaming into the room, possibly addressing the snakes.

"Padre huyu si rafiki yako, sisi ni rafiki yako. Kuhani anataka kukuoa kwa wanadamu!"
casts speak with animals, asking them to slither away and not aid the priest

From what I'm reading in the PHB this is going to make the snakes at least not attack for a few rounds.

Retain lv 1 spell vs 15 [4d6+1]=11+1=12

Orphidian Caves.

Isvand bounces his boomerang off the side wall of the chamber, throwing it with one hand, catching it with the other. Despite the enclosed space though he cannot wing the antlered priest.

A flurry of arrows fill the chamber, all but one is parried aside or dodged. -3hp.

With a sweep of his staff he clouts Dale again, cracking his ribs with a bone crunching attack, -5hp and with a tremendous swish of his tail he knocks aside those archers that bar the doorway. Quickly he slithers out intent on calling for more help as his summoned snakes are halted in their biting of the party. Several coil ominously, rearing up and baring fangs, swaying almost hypnotically. Gerdal hisses in her own serpentine tongue. A large critter, perhaps the dominant Coral hisses back. It doesn't understand your concept of marrying humans or being changed into a hybrid creature. It does though admit there are used for ceremonial purposes which often means being offered up for sacrifice or burned alive upon the altar. They take a neutral stance, for now.

The Orphidian priest escapes through the jaws if the bear clamp and is about to call out when he is met by more archery from the trio sheltering by the boulders. -3hp

Impaled by numerous shafts, the creature collapses, slithering in death throes as its life ebbs away, wild eyed and bleeding profusely.

Though the danger is not passed for Traeliorn causes his arrows to ignite as he looses them and the flaming arrows, though just flashing in the blink of an eye, catch the attention of the slit eyed chefs. One calls out, perhaps a name? Enquiring of the priest who ministers in the chamber behind the rocks. For a moment no one dares answer and everyone remains still.

After another shout then some mumbling, the two Orphidians turn back to skinning and quartering their hunt prize.

You take a turn to catch a breather and attend to Dale. He has been wounded but of more concern is the venomous bite. Raust looks him over, "Favoured indeed. The bite is shallow and misses the veins." she says, confident the lycanthropic disease has not affected the young warrior.

Gerdal, you can talk to the snakes a bit more but they know very little of the cave system. They mention Mistress as being like them but also like you, perhaps identifying another Orphidian or another type of hybrid serpent-human form. One is hungry and asks to eat Harkazz. You figure sticking around more might actually tempt one to bite your familiar who glows day-glo yellow with fear from being so near to his nemesis.

You can search the room and drag the priest back inside, resetting the bear clamp if you wish. Among the trinkets and trophies you find a scaly parchment tied with a ribbon of fur. It can be opened and inside, scrawled in green blood (probably trollish or orc), is a note concerning ceremonial duties and two clerical incantations. randomly rolled, Slow Poison & Resist Fire. They may both be very useful, certainly better than create water or purify food at this moment in time.

Behind on trophy head you also find a veneered walnut vanity box that contains six Sardonyx and Agate rocks. Each is smooth and beautiful patterned with streaky colours. They look artisan material for crafting and sculpting into a favoured design.

next actions and plan to sneak by or take on the two Orphidian chefs. and just list who may take or use any or the trove.
Health status:
Raust: 8/8
Gerdal: 5/5
Isvand: 13/13
Dale: 3/11
Traeliorn: 10/10
Venwynn: 12/17
Ricardo: 8/8
Pasquel: 2/6
Marcel: deceased

Gerdal pats Harkazz on the back.

"There boy, there there."

She collects the scaly parchment and walnut box.

"I'll carry these for now, and we'll share it once...if...we get out of here." Looking quickly at the parchment she exclaims "I actually recognize some of these signs, they might be useful to me or Raust."

She turns to the others, still talking quietly.

"Maybe we should deal with those two in the room near first? What do you think?"

I'll keep the common treasure in the bottom of my posts every five posts or so.

Loot so far:

• veneered walnut vanity box that contains six Sardonyx and Agate rocks
• scaly parchment tied with a ribbon of fur (Slow Poison & Resist Fire)

Isvand quietly agrees We don't want to leave any at our backs, to surprise us at the least opportune time. After a moment he says We should try another ambush. It's worked fairly well for us so far...I'll try to move quietly to the other side of them and use by boomerang to start the ambush. If they notice me, feel free to start shooting before I do! He laughs.

If the others agree, he will make sure the archers are ready and then move away from the main party.
The tactical intent is for Isvand to get a round of surprise for the party, worst case, maybe the other archers get a free round.

MS target 25 [1d100]=43
HS target 25 [1d100]=44
And with that, hopefully the archers get a round of surprise as Isvand is clumsy

Raust is visibly relieved as she ascertains that Dale will be unaffected by the poison and disease. She turns to Gerdal, "Can you heal him? Relief from his wounds?"

Raust next circles the room, collecting her arrows, inspecting them quickly for flaws that may have contributed to their treachery in her time of need.

Clarification: When the chefs call to "the priest who ministers in the chamber behind the rocks" is that where we are, or on their other side? If the latter, that's our next objective.

The druid narrows her eyes as she contemplates the cleaver-wielding Orphidians. "This abomination is dead. That is good. But he is not the Priestess. Our purpose remains unchanged."

Thanks for handling group inventory.

Does the mud we collected in the last chamber provide immediate relief or only a rest? (i.e. do we have anything to heal Dale besides Gerdal's spell?)

Arrows: 20.

Edit:
When we progress past those questions to sneak attack:
Shortbow: [1d20]=17 [1d6]=5 [1d20]=4 [1d6]=4

Gerdal inspects Dale's wound as well.

"He's very lucky not to have been infected. If he would have been, we'd have no other option than to..." she stops mid sentence. "Anyway, we're all glad you survived Dale. Here, let me see to your wound."

Cure light wounds [1d8]=4

I seem to remember we sort of "expended" the mud in the cave for this day and that it will "refill" daily, or something like that?

As the group sets up its next ambush, Gerdal joins in, now getting more and more used to her throwing daggers.

Thrown dagger, to hit: [1d20]=13 dmg: [1d4]=3

The Orphidian Caves.

The snakes hiss and slither away, content to be left alone. There is little else of value that you notice from the casual search of the chamber and the Orphidian priest.

Dale receives a minor healing. there is no more Hurtloam available. I think it renews on a regular basis but not daily so presently cannot be harvested more.

Isvand tries to sneak ahead to gain some backstab advantage but the wooden bridge placed across the chasm between path and the hollow where the Orphidian chefs work is decidedly unstable and creaks loudly as he soft toes across. He freezes in place but it is too late, alerted by the sudden noise, the Orphidians turn. One, big meat cleaver in hand charges towards the halfling while the other reaches for a hunting horn. He puts it to his pursed lips to blow a warning but he gets immediately target by the archers who silence him. -22hp.
next actions please

Isvand breathes a sigh of relief and moves over to search the chieftains' bodies and then see if he can hide them out of easy sight.

Spearmint wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 10:32 pm Isvand might be better off attacking the Orphidian chef that is about to take his head off with a butchers blade ...

Sorry perhaps I didn't make it clear. The archers killed one, the second remains alive.

Ah, yeah, in that case....

Isvand actually rushes forward, swinging his short sword at the Chief who is still up and moving about, attempting to get behind him, and out of his friend's lines of sight.
Short Sword THAC020 [1d20]=20 Damage [1d6]=1

Raust shoots that guy too...
Shortbow: [1d20]=17 [1d6]=2 [1d20]=4 [1d6]=1

The Orphidian Caves

I can move this on as the creature is slain from the multiple attacks.

With -22hp worth of injuries, the Orphidian chef is stabbed and pierced by many arrows before he can cleave the halfling or inflict a venomous bite. The Snake-man falls from the wooden bridge to drop into the chasm below, splattering upon the rocks.

The two hunters are dead though you know more passed by and the passages go deeper into the cavern interior. Traeliorn takes rear guard, returning to check on the guarded portal.

"If any creatures come near, I will fire a flaming arrow to warn you." he says. Venwynn, traverses along the eastward passage, past a cave of skulls. Her voice drowned out as she nears a turning further along, the noise coming from surging waters that stream underground and erupt as a bubbling waterfall in a cavern below. The two scouts providing a little covering that enables the group to search the area before carrying on.

Area described here:
You quickly search the three areas:
the chefs quarters across the chasm (Isvand),
the nearby crates and jars (Raust),
the niche of bones (Gerdal).
next actions please could each character also give me a randomised search roll and a random check. So a [1d8] and a [1d20].

I will update on any significant finds in each area explored, a casual search taking a turn of time. You could choose to undertake a more detailed and longer search but that risks more chance of being detected and so far you have remained unnoticed.

Map so far ...

Isvand quickly searches the area and will rejoin the group, offering to lead in the next phase of exploration. If I'm tracking the map correctly, he'll suggest the SW from the chef's area.



Search [1d8]=1
Random [1d20]=17

the SW is the Chefs quarters main area, their camping spot and stuff. The tracks to follow go east by the water in the NE, which I will detail next update.

Isvand, you find some extra weapons that you can take or pass out to whoever needs. Six long hunting spears and a dozen shorter throwing javelins. There are also two large bearskin cloaks, (extra large on a hobbit), a bit mangy and probably still host to the odd flea but warm especially to you who chills from a lower Constitution. Carved figures of bone are set upon a ledge, like pawn pieces of a game. The heads have splinters of crystal shards stuck into them, minor gemstones worth but a few gold each to a jeweller.

Gerdal grabs a bear cloak to warm herself, already coughing again in the damp cold caves.

"Lets continue looking this way. If we discover a lone reptile man, don't attack at once, let me try to charm him. It could prove very helpful as to finding where this queen resides."

Search roll: [1d8]=5, [1d20]=2

Loot so far:

• veneered walnut vanity box that contains six Sardonyx and Agate rocks
• scaly parchment tied with a ribbon of fur (Slow Poison & Resist Fire)
• splinters of crystal shards worth a few gold each

I am utterly lost on the map...

Raust joins the others in searching. Having declared her immediacy of continuing to seek the Priestess, Raust moves on as soon as Isvand does and keeps her bow nocked and ready as she trails next behind Isvand, her sharp eyes peering through the darkness to make sure her new small friend is covered.

Search [1d8]=2 Random [1d20]=20

Those last two arrows sounded like they went in the chasm so can't be retrieved... new total: 18.

Gerdal search results.

Given a bear cloak as the group reunite. Before then you and Dale take a turn to search the niche of bones in the next cave along, reached by descending a drop via a wooden ladder. The bones fill a wide number of ledges. Looking about them you discover they are human bones, of all ages. But a lot are oddly shaped, the broad flat foreheads and wide jaws giving an impression of a more Neanderthal aspect. The bones thicker and stouter to accommodate a larger squat frame. Some are just skulls, others arranged with assorted crossbones, some are full skeletons. It looks like they have been deliberately placed here rather than just cast aside in a pile but they are exposed to the elements in the cavern not reburied or interred. Among the bones are stone age axes and flint bladed knives. One is an eye-catching blade made of Obsidian fitted into a hilt of softer green malachite stone, carved into a squat priestly figure. The short and wide knapped blade is still sharp, cutting your finger as you pick it up. -1hp

Further along Dale located a large skull, not quite flat headed but the cranium has been sliced off the skull so that it can be fitted back as a lid. Inside the skull cavity is an ochre gel, pungent and stinky. Curiosity gets the better of Dale who pokes it with a finger. He passes it to you insisting you also dab your now bleeding finger into the gel. Unlike more insidious gels, jellies and ochre oozes, this random find acts as a jar of ointment. While not as strong as Hurtloam, the gel soothes cuts and burns and your cut seals up with a gluey resin. +1hp In the skull is enough fungal gel to act as a single healing potion might. While ingesting it might be a tad too experimental, certainly it seems to be effective in exterior injuries.

add Skull: ochre healing gel

The map. Traeliorn by the cavern entrance, Venwynn at the end of the passage near a waterfall around the corner, Isvand checking out the Orphidian chefs lair, Gerdal by the niche of bones, Raust checking the storage area.

Isvand grabs one of the bearskin cloaks, after trimming it down a bit so he won't be stepping on the hem.... He thinks it might even help him blend in. He grabs several of the javelins back to the party, in case any of the others can use them. He leaves the rest of the javelins and the spears, but collects the tiny figures with the gemstones - he figures he can pry the gems out during a watch or other downtime. If anyone is interested in the javelins or the larger spears, he'll show them where they're at, otherwise he's ready to move up towards where Venwynn is and continue exploring.