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Session 3 - Spelunkering

Started by Griznuq, February 22, 2005, 12:50:37 PM

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Griznuq

Third Session:

Mel?s nicknames:

T?Riad: Teary-eyed
Elberrin: Elbow Room
D?Kall: Decal
Dhaige: Dave
Amaril: Amy
Amallia: Honey, babe, darlin?, sunshine, snowflake?
Ivellious: Ivan
TreTorn: ThreeHorn
Captain whats-his-name: Takamaddah
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Itallics mean that someone (Mel) is thinking this sentence

Afternoon at August 3rd, Year 591

T takes a monkey skull, an arm bone, and a thigh bone from among the various bones that litter the bottom of the pit. He also claims one of the copper pieces; they are all odd in that they have a tree on one side and an eye inside of an ellipse on the other side.

This day is relatively subdued. ? [color=brown:3618182032]Need to insert Dray?s descriptions of the tunnels,?including that Decal had gone up the scaffolding at the murder wall and found that the wall did no go to the ceiling, but stopped five feet shy.[/color]

Specific oddities:
1) The battering ram, which is 6-inch diameter and has two pair of crossbars for mobility, broke the murder wall as though the assailants were heading south
2) The bars in the 5? tall portcullis were cut so that someone could head north. Hmmm?

Grush is nowhere to be found upon egress of the tunnel.

Give report and resolve to come back the following day with tools to make crossing the pit easier as well as to scale to the far side of the second murder wall. Ivan signs our request form, which we must take to the secretary who controls the supply cabinet.

Grush is found after we give report; it appears that he wandered off and found a pearl high up in a mountain stream. [color=red:3618182032]HA![/color]

[color=green:3618182032]This particular item is entertaining based upon earlier (and undocumented) conversation in which Mel insists that pearls are mined by dwarves in the upper reaches of mountains, and they either roll down the mountain sides or are carried by streams and eventually find their way into the ocean. Once there, oysters mistake them for food and try to eat them. This is why pearls are found inside of oysters.

Note: This conversation originally occurred in a different game, and the theory is righfully attributed to Kulgar the Barbaian.[/color]

Dinner is had around one of the campfires (people are not as energetic as they were the previous night as they are tired tonight) we find and flirt with a few new people: Amallia has girlfriends! Mel?s checklist: Female (check); Alive (check); Interactive (check). They?re even fairly attractive (bonus!) T?Riad plays his pipes.

August 4, Year 591
After breakfast, the companions go to the supply closet and request:

(1) 25? X 1? plank
50? rope (got hemp rope)
Pitons and a Mallet
12 torches
grappling hook
grappling bolts (for large crossbow - Elberrin)

Today?s companions include Mel, T?Riad, Elberrin, Decal, Amy, and Grush (who we actually find after we visit the supply closet). Grush carries most of the equipment (and Mel) to the tunnel.

Despite Mel?s argument that the laws of physics and the cosine affect of the force required to keep the far end of the plank hozorontal would make it too difficult to simply lay the plank across to pit, Decal is able to place the plank in place with relative ease. Then, the flapping begins. We are beset by giant mosquitoes (stirges)!! Gahh!!

There are only two of the beasties, and one of them never even makes it near us as elbowroom wings it with a crossbow bolt. Mel missed. T?Riad is stuck by the stirge, which clings to him like a giant winged tick. T tries to carefully remove it from his shoulder. The stirge is too slippery however (T?Riad missed), so Mel tells the monk to be still and Mel will stab it off the monk?s shoulder. The stirge is also very nimble, we find out (Mel missed). Amy then attacks, cutting the stirge in half, spilling thick black blood down T's shoulder. The beast still clings until elbowroom throws a knife that impales the stupid, hapless creature, carrying it off into the pit.

Mel recovers the knife, leaving the stirge at the bottom of the pit.

[color=darkred:3618182032]More of Dray?s descriptions.[/color]

Decal makes an errant note that Dwarves would hate the way these tunnels are designed.

After the murder wall, the companions are moving through a large hall that constricts down to a 10? square passage. Mel, fortunately, spots a trap! It is a replicate of the damaged one that the party just spanned with the plank. Mel studies it and attempts to disarm it.

Damn, this is one tough trap. I can?t do this. [He fails the roll]. "Guys, I can see what we need, but we don't have what it takes to do the job. And I don?t think it?s really necessary, because if you look at the map that T?Riad has been making, it looks like the other end of this tunnel will bring us pretty much to the room into which the other pit trap tunnel opens.?

To confirm this T?Riad Jumps the pit, tumbling in marvelous style with feline dexterity and grace (then hacks up a fur-ball) to a halt on the far side of the pit and explores beyond it. He comes to a dead end. Thinking?searching?he finds a secret door that pivots open (right to left) the door opens up onto the 30' hall near the original trap. By gum, we were (I was) right!

T?Riad enters that room and looks for another secret door opposite wall (figuring that the east-bound passage mirrors this round-about) CHECK - it's there and it seems we're correct. Mel is a genius.

Back to the hall behind the first murder wall (over the second wall and back around the corridor) the companions check the eastward passage, believing that it?ll end up as a mirror of the first, and it does.

South, [color=darkred:3618182032]Dray?s description, [/color]upon close examination, Mel notes that the statue appears to move on a track of some sort. Mel tries to move it, but he is too scrawny. Everyone lends their back to the effort (except for Decal, who says that there is not enough room at the statue for him to get at it with the rest of us in the way ? we all know that he is simply lazy). Together, we are able to slide the statue northward about six feet. Under the statue is a stairway that descends into darkness.

Discussions. T?Riad wants to investigate the huge room to the south before descending a stair. Mel, on his way down the stair, notes that it would probably be most prudent to put the statue back where it was, investigate this southern hall, and then when we know that there are no enemies to be had up here we could investigate below. Elberron and Amy go down the stair with Mel.

T?Riad goes into the south room and throws a sling stone into the darkness and hears something move.

Mel, El, and Amy go down the stairs and find a coffin. [color=darkred:3618182032]Dray?s description [/color]Leave (let?s not mess with the dead guy).

Amy carries the torch into the south room, where it illuminates [color=darkred:3618182032]Dray?s description[/color] and 4 skeletons (Dwarf skeletons with war hammers). Amy turns them and they run away. They head as far south as they can, and then turn east.

Mel cautiously enters and heads towards the throne. As he nears it, he notes that one of the gems is glowing. Suddenly, the gem erupts in a collumnated ray of light & heat. Mel is under attack!!

[fail save vs. reflex] Mel is hit for 3 points (heat damage). He falls screaming! Writhing in pain (he hams it up quite a bit) and screaming he examines the throne and the room. The skeletons have fled towards what looks from this distance to be a steel door in the south wall at the southeast corner of the room. Another of the blue gems lights and [Mel, the highly dexterous hobbit, fails another Reflex save] it zaps him again ? he falls unconscious (5 points, he is now at 0).

Elberrin & T?Riad run in to get the brave unfortunate hobbit out. T?Riad, heroically trying to draw the fire of the astro-blasters is zapped at, but the phenomenal monk deftly evades the searing rays and the bolt misses misses. Elberrin hauls the limp hobbit onto his shoulder and they exit the room with Mel.

Amy heals Mel (to nearly max). he asks Mel if he needs more healing, but Mel starts telling him it?s ok. ?I?ll be alright. It only hurts when I breathe, but you should keep your spell in the event that we *really* need it. The spasms will stop soon enough, I expect?? Amy heals him again (now to max). ?Should this still be a little tender??

Amy rolls his eyes and says, ?Um?no.?

The fourth torch is lit.

Down the stairs: Mel, Decal, and Amy return down the stairs, but there is nothing to be seen. Decal and Amy think that it?s not wise to open the sarcophagus, nor should they take the warhammer. It is agreed that we should go and make our report.

At the exit to the tunnel, Grush is playing with two pearls, but at least he's there.

Report ? Ivan says that he will talk to ThreeHorn regarding the hall in the dungeon and how we might get safely past. He suggests that we spend the afternoon looking for source of Grush?s pearls:

I: ?You?re telling me that the half-orc is finding pearls in the mountain??
M: ?Yep, because they haven?t yet washed down into the sea.? (There?s a collective eye-roll from the rest of the group)
I: ?Why don?t you have lunch and then go looking for the source of the pearls.?
M: ?I?ve been just about killed once today, I thought I?d get some rest.?
I [Turning to the other companions]: ?Then could you guys have Grush take you to where he found them??
M: ?I?ll go.?

Elberrin talks rather cryptically with Ivan regarding a meeting that the two had set up to ocurr in the next day or two.

E: ?Gosh, Ivan, what a beautiful ?bow? you have.
I: ?I?m still looking forward to seeing you the day after tomorrow to discuss ?archery?, Elb.
E: ?I?m counting the hours.? *blush*

The companions eat lunch in a mess tent that currently houses but a few adventurers, then go looking for Grush ? he?s nowhere to be seen.
Talk to the quartermaster: ?Where?s Grush?s tent? We?ve been ordered to have him guide us somewhere but we can?t find him.
QM: ?He?s in tent 4.?
M: ?Where Amallia?s tent??
QM: ?Why?? [suspicious glare]
M: ?Because Grush would likely be with her.?
QM: [Can?t figure a way around that logic] ?Tent 12.?
M: [Grins widely]. (T?Riad asks for the name of the Head Priest)

Look, look, look, can?t find the half-orc, even after a protracted search of Amallia?s quarters (we took a 40). Suddenly Mel has an(other) phenomenal idea: there were adventurers at the mess tent, let?s go see if one of them was a ranger and ask that he or (preferably) she can help us track the giant half-orc.

Everyone is awed by the halfling?s genius, and they return to the mess tent, but find only Ivan there.

M: ?Oh, woe. No one is here! Just our luck, there were people here just a short time ago who might be able to help us in our hour of need.?
I: [Sensing the charismatic halfling?s vacuum] ?What are you looking for??
M: [Explains in pained tones how they were hoping that there might be a ranger in the tent to help] ??but here we find only you, you over-worked wonder, you.?

Fortunately, Ivan is a good man, and has a sense of humor. He says that he was just about to go walkabout and volunteers to help us track Grush. Mel and Elberrin look closely (although figuratively) over Ivan?s shoulder and ask many questions regarding tracking. Elberrin, even gets to talk once or twice. The group tracks Grush far, wide, and into his tent where he is sleeping. Mel pounces on Grush?s chest.

Grush carries Mel and leads the group out towards the water where he is finding the pearls. En route, Elberrin sees something slightly shiny poking out from under a loose rock. Upon investigation it is found that there is a rail, like those used in moving mining carts, indicating that once upon a time a mining operation used this exact route to move raw materials along the edge of the mountain. Suddenly the troupe espies in the distance behind them a small swarm of giant mosquitoes; they are attacked by 7 stirges! Twang, thwip, throw, twang, thwip, heave, heave, they are defeated before ever being a real threat. By the time that we get to the water it is dusk and we must return to base camp.

Report again, eat again, sleep again.

August 5th, 591: today?s group is once again complete with all cast members, including Dave.

Mel gets a loadstone and a broad-rimed black leather hat (for the rain that had pelted us yesterday) at the supply closet and head back to tunnel.

Dave utters a common Dwarf prayer in front of statue and the statue moves!!! *Doh!*

Mel and Dave go down the stairs and Dave asks for a "check for traps". Mel looks, but there are none.

Dave picks up the hammer and says a Dwarven word, after which and seemingly caused by which the hammer glows blue in a 20 foot diameter. Dave claims that the word popped into his head when he took hold of the hammer. As a matter of test, he hands the hammer to Mel, who also hears the word.

This good.

Back up stairs. Dave and Decal tie a rope around themselves in preparation for going into the room with hammer glowing. We are interested in whether the skeletons will respond to a couple of dwarves and if the lasers are only interested in infidels. If they are attacked, then we can haul them out via the rope. No response.

Elberrin steps in and the skeletons spring up. They stop when E steps out.

Satisfied that a couple of Dwarves with a glowing hammer can move about in the hall safely, Dave and Decal take the rope and go over to the iron door. The other companions can hear them talking to each other. "Neat." "We'll never get through the door." They both seem to have gotten a heavy case of the woodies. There?s a cool lock in this door. Let?s get the scout to see if he can open it.

Dave and Decal return to the others and escort Mel into the throne room. As soon as they enter the room, the skeletons spring to life. Dave, in an inspired thought, hands the hammer to Mel. The skeletons make like they were only kidding and no longer pursue the Halfling. They go and play rummy and knucklebones instead. Mel carries the hammer the rest of the way through the hall.

Mel examines the hall, and comes to the conclusion that if he had about a gazillion years he might be able to open it. ?We?ll it looks like this might take a moment or two?waitaminnit: why don?t we check inside the coffin for a key?? [holds his breath]

Everyone agrees that this is a good idea and Mel breathes easy once more. While Mel goes downstairs, Dave and Decal examine the throne and spurt inside their armor some more.

T?Riad-the-trusting escorts Mel down into the crypt. Mel mumbles Dave's prayer (in his best Dwarven), then looks for traps. None. Mel opens the coffin and the statue slides back into place. [Damn]

[color=darkred:3618182032]INSERT DESCRIPTION[/color]

Mel spots a trigger device and investigates. It's a trap and a release: he defeats the mechanism. He does good. A drawer opens at the bottom of the sarcophagus, and inside the drawer is a beautiful shield and leather pouch with a key in it. Yahoo!!

Close the sarcophagus (hoping that this will cause the statue to slide open, but it does not), Mel mounts the stairs. At the top of the stair Mel says Dave?s prayer again and the statue slides open once more.

Dave and Decal escort Mel into the hall.

Mel checks the door for traps before opening it (he?s beginning to suspect that the dwarves that built this place were a bit paranoid) - there appears to be none. Offer Dave the privilege of turning the key (Mel actually was offering this to Dave as a privilege, but he couldn?t help screwing with the pious dwarf:

"Dave, you should have this honor. There probably - I mean, definitely no traps.? He says while backing away from the door.

Dave manipulates the key in a very odd series of twists, turns, pushes and pulls, and the door unlocks easily and opens, flooding the hall with a breeze that combines fresh air with an acrid smoky scent.

The dwarves escort the others across the hall one-by-one while Mel waits just inside the now-opened tunnel.

[/b][color=#444444:3618182032][/color][color=#444444:3618182032][/color][color=#444444:3618182032][/color][color=#444444:3618182032][/color][color=#444444:3618182032][/color]
=]V[=