Pulling at the Root of Evil

[Zhym]

Would Hollis, Vorsyin, Kjelti, or Antheris hold the lantern? Gaerys gets a bonus to surprise. It would be a shame to use it all up on drawing a weapon.

Suggested marching order:

Ethan Gaerys
Hollis Vorsyin
Kjelti Antheris
Blue

Single-file: Gaerys Ethan Antheris Blue Hollis Vorsyin Kjelti

I put myself at front to hopefully take advantage of the surprise bonus, but Ethan has better HP and AC.

Once the marching order has been settled and someone else has volunteered to carry the light, Gaerys will open the south door, sword in hand.

[sulldawga]

Hollis is fine with the marching order and opening the south door.

[drpete]

A bullseye lantern might be easy to close, but if we're ok with just not being stealthy, Ethan can light his sword and it will work as a torch. Might make things easier. In the front rank, we'd all be able to see, unless that creates problems for the rear guard watching our back. Shall we do that, and keep the lantern lit in the middle for an emergency? If Ethan goes down, we'd be plunged into darkness against something pretty horrible...

[Zhym]

Sounds okay to me.

What we really need is a continual adjustable light spell.

[Magnus]

The door swings open, and the party quickly determines that the chamber is filled with scattered tools for digging and stone masonry. There are shovels, pickaxes, hammers, drills, chisels, baskets, and so forth, many sized for giants, others for smaller creatures.

A hallway leads southeast out of this storage chamber. The party can see that it comes to a "T" intersection.

The sound of trickling water can be heard softly gurgling in the distance.

G1SecondLvl2.jpg (162.4 KiB) Viewed 646 times

[Zhym]

Baskets, hm? Gaerys will take a moment to look in the baskets for anything interesting.

Assuming not, he'll lead the way down the hall to the southeast.

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin remains alert and ready if the great evil they encountered before should appear.

[drpete]

Ethan moves to the diagonal hallway, guarding it and listening for trouble as the others look through the baskets.

[sulldawga]

Hollis will move to watch the hallway with Ethan.

[Magnus]

Gaerys searches the baskets while others take watch.

The ranger rifles through the baskets and quickly determines that they contain nothing exceptional. Most are empty, and those few that are filled contain rusty iron spikes, spare furs and leather garments, moldy potatoes, and a few human (??) thighbones.

The party will need to press further to find something more interesting...

Are you guys going with Gaerys's marching order? What about the light source?

[Zhym]

Do the spikes look usable for spiking doors open and such, or are they too rusty?

[sulldawga]

Since Hollis is in the middle (he's fine with the suggested marching order), he will hook his mace onto his belt and carry the lantern.

[Magnus]

Do the spikes look usable for spiking doors open and such, or are they too rusty?

They are usable.

[Zhym]

Gaerys will put four spikes in his backpack, hand his lantern to Hollis, and proceed down the hall.

[drpete]

The marching order looks fine to me. It occurs to me now that giantbane glows, and flameblade can light up. I'm not sure what Kjelti's sword is, but we could do this entirely with swords, if we want. Ethan will say "ignem"" and light up his sword, in addition to whatever other lights we have.

Ethan will start down the hall, ready for action.

[Zhym]

Magnus said a while back that Giantbane doesn't glow—although I suppose one continual light spell could fix that. .

[Magnus]

The heroes continue their infiltration of the dungeon. The party assumes Gaerys's proposed marching order. Hollis then takes up the lantern while Ethan fires up his sword.

The party leaves the storage closet and proceeds southeast down the hall. The party reaches a "T" intersection, in which a 20' wide hallway proceeds straight south and straight north.

Using their lantern, the party can see that the northern branch of the hallway terminates at a wide staircase, some ~80' away. A faint gurgling of water may be heard from that direction.

The southern branch of the hall proceeds ~30' straight south, and then takes a 45 degree turn to the southwest.

No map, as I am away from my laptop. It is very straightforward in any event.

Glowing swords seem out of place in this universe.

[Zhym]

Gaerys listens for any sound other than the burbling water from either direction. Assuming he hears nothing and that no one in the party shows a strong preference either way, he'll lead north.

[Magnus]

Gaerys listens for any sound other than the burbling water from either direction. Assuming he hears nothing and that no one in the party shows a strong preference either way, he'll lead north.

No sounds other than water.

[Zhym]

North it is, then.