Difference between pages "An Unpleasant Discovery" and "The Great Hall"

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'''The DM:''' The morning of the 25th of June is a beautiful, clear, pleasant day, as nice as you might desire for this part of the world.  The sun is shining, the ground is dry and the wind is a mere 2 knots out of the northwest.  There are a few small puffy clouds, but no sign of rain at all.  The air is clear and the various denizens along the cart path to the wilderness are beginning to recognize you, nodding as you pass.  You climb up the familiar track off the road, the cart wheels banging over the rocks as you take the best route, with Treborg's bay falling out of sight.
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__TOC__
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[[File:Great Hall 1st Door.jpg|right|350px]]
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'''The DM:''' Seems the only time I have to work on this is now.  This will get more detailed as we move along.  The party is moving in from the bottom of the map: at this time I assume Vafrandir is at the front.
  
Yet, as you reach a point about four miles from the village, you find the carcass of a cow laying slaughtered on an open rock.  As Embla has skill as a butcher, you can see at once that it's a domestic cow, not wild.  That while the principle meat has been cut out, by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, much of the meat has been left.  Judging by the meat, this was done last afternoon or evening; and it looks as if someone cut away about a yard of the cow's hide, but left most of it behind.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' In.
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' Oh dear. We should get to the bottom of this - it's too close to home to ignore. Are there any tracks or traces left behind by whoever did this? Does the cow have a brand or something that would indicate an owner?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' So the door I just opened, that is this corridor I see?
  
'''The DM:''' You see no brands, but the cow must come from near Treborg.  There is no other settlement or group of farms in this part of Ryfolke.  A look around will reveal that the skin or chunks of meat were apparently dragged over the ground away from the carcass.  You can't track, obviously, but this trail is obvious; anyone can see it.  It strikes you as odd that anyone would ''drag'' meat ... as though it were too big to carry properly.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': In. Wishing I had infravision right about now.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Embla, shall we two follow the trail?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' You still have the torch, right?
  
'''Marcule:''' In
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Sure do. I just can't help but feel like a big "Intruders This Way" sign on us.
  
'''Marcule:'''"I agree this is to close to home we had better investigate before something nasty appears at our door."
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' Not sure there's anything to be done for it though.
  
'''The DM:''' Action?
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' Shall we proceed down that hall or take a look at the other doors first?
  
'''Marcule:''' I do my best to follow the trail and proceed forward
 
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' We go with him. I know we can't speak for Pandred but can we assume she stays with the cart?
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'''The DM:''' Just working on a better picture. Vafrandir, assume you're in 2331, where I should have put you.  The space in the room is unexpectedly well-lit, with a pale robin's egg blue colour.  This seems to be coming from two fist-sized stones on the floor, which are grey-blue in colour and are just slightly more luminescent than the rest of the room.  The light is twilight-level, but enough to make Vafrandir cast a shadow into the Great Hall.
  
'''The DM:''' In general, presume that players who are not here to be following along, but having a pee or some other such thing when the fight occurs.
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'''The DM:''' Please pay no attention to the lower white space on the map; it isn't accurate, I'm just establishing that Marcule and Pandred are there.
  
'''The DM:''' the trail continues on for about three quarters of a mile before the dragged parts have become dried by the landscape; you haven't the skill to follow the trail that would still be there, but now can't be seen.  You guess there must be more than one, as occasionally there are as many as three blood trails.  Moreover, they're not trying to hide their passage, either.  They are making a straight line for a group of ledges straight ahead from where the trail stops, where the earth-and-rock plateau rises about 75 feet over a series of easily climbable steps.  You couldn't take the cart there, however.
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[[File:Great Hall 1st Door (b).jpg|left|315px]]
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I don't wish to miss the action but I'm also loathe to leave the cart. You three go on ahead, carefully. Whistle if there's trouble.
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'''The DM:''' The hall Vafrandir is looking at continues about another twenty feet, turning to the left.
  
'''The DM:''' I'll have to wait for them to say they do.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. Establishing my intent, I'd like to check through each door before moving on. But of course we will take it door by door. Does the hall show anything of immediate interest? Also, let's not forget to collect these stones before we leave for the surface.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Of course!
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Already looking forward to it.
  
'''Marcule:''' I encourage Vafrandir to keep his whistle close and make my way up the steps.
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'''The DM:''' Which is the next door?
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' I follow, readying my whistle.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' I open the door just to the north of the already open one.'
  
== The Footprint ==
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'''The DM:''' As you reach for it, you start to hear sounds coming from the doorSounds of something moving inside, and the door is shuddering.
'''The DM:''' as you climb up into the ledges, you find that they're filled with small troughs and dips where water has gatheredIt hasn't rained in a couple of days, so most of these are empty, and only a few inches deep.  Yet you can also see that there's silt along the bottoms of these, where there are hoof prints.  Then, Marcule stops in surprise, when he sees the plain outline of a foot, not wearing a shoe or boot.  A foot about as large as Marcule's, and definitely not a gnome's foot.
 
  
'''The DM:''' Plainly I lost everyone.  Please, if you're not going to check every 20 minutes, simply mark yourself "out."  It's no big deal if you do, I won't judge.  But I will know there's less reason for me to check every ten minutes.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' That being the case I instead move to 2030 and inform everyone else of the noise.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm waiting by the cart. Can I still see the rest of the party?
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Vafrandir, shut your door. I don't want the sound of a fight to carry farther than it has to.
  
'''The DM:''' They would probably be clustered together, peering down at something between the rocks.  It's 2 pm for me, so I'm Out.  Better luck tomorrow.
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'''The DM:''' I'm putting Vafrandir in 2331 and Pandred in 2131.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' No problem. Just curious. Out.
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'''The DM:''' On close inspection, you see that there’s a small hook holding the door closed.
  
'''Marcule:''' "this foot scares me" What do the strides look like?.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Should we leave this door alone since it appears to be somewhat secured?"
  
'''[[Embla Strand]]''' 14:04, 26 January 2021 (MST) My apologies. Out.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': I'll nod. "Move on, we can come back to it."
  
'''The DM:''' In.
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[[File:Great Hall 1st Door (c).jpg|right|315px]]
 +
'''The DM:''' something is banging around in there. What next?
  
'''The DM:''' Out.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' I inspect each of the doors in turn working my way anti-clockwise around the room listening for sounds and looking for other locking mechanisms.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I shut the hall door. I say we take on whatever's in there.
  
'''The DM:''' In.  Just you and me, Vafrandir.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' By the way, Is anyone in need of healing at this point? I could cast cure wounds if desired.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Hm, I've worked myself into a bind, haven't I.
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'''The DM:''' Obviously, you’re not a thief, so you can only see or hear what’s obvious.  None of the doors are fixed shut in anyway that you can see and what sounds you hear may only be in your own imagination.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I've already committed to watching the cart, but I don't want to do nothing. Let me think.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' Of course, but only that second door is latched and has obvious banging behind it, correct?
  
'''The DM:''' While we're here, explain to me a few things; why do you feel you need the cart; why are you loathe to leave it; and why not bring Oddsdrakken along to watch it? Maybe we can work out a compromise.
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'''The DM:''' Vafrandir, I have you in 2231. Correct, Lexent.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Odds is helping with the clearing of the land, if I recall correctly. I don't believe you would screw us by having something happen, but at the same time if someone is stealing food or hides (poorly), then it's possible this is either a trap or that there's others about from the same band who wouldn't say no to a free cart of food.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': I have 14hp. Anyone with more? Get whatever you plan on using for zombie smashing ready.
  
'''The DM:''' bit of an overthink there; it looks more like a few somebody's grabbed a cow from civilized land, cut away all they thought they could carry (the dragging on the ground suggests they're overloaded) and are on their way with it.  No attempt to hide their trail was made at all and it was as straight as an arrow.  Doesn't look like a trap (and both assassins in the party would tell you so).
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'''The DM:''' Anybody want to change positions?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. In that case, I'll continue up towards the others, see the footprint, and observe that "It looks like a human or elf child's." We will proceed carefully up the steps.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Pandred, would you like me to heal you before opening that door?"
  
'''The DM:''' You might think so at first glance, but then you'll notice that there are claws on the end of the toes and a point in the silt that might be a back claw.  Ledges; these require some minor scrambling, but nothing requiring a [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Scrambling_(sage_ability) sage ability].
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'll move to '''2229'''.
  
== Beyond the Footprint ==
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'''[[Pandred]]''': I'll take '''2231''', moving the table and so on to the other side of the room. "No, not yet."
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Interesting. That raises the stakes a bit. We'll continue up the ledges. Are there any caves in the rock that we can see from here?
 
  
'''The DM:''' Not immediatelyBut this is a place you haven't ventured into yet; towards a mountain you've seen from a distance, but which is now beginning to dominate the eastern horizon. Ahead is a low ridge, about half a mile from you, reached over a gentle slope of about one hundred feet up.  It looks to be the nearer edge of a mountain caldera; in modern parlance, where a glacier has pushed up the ridge in the last ice age, only to vanish now.  You're characters wouldn't understand that, but I need to describe this in a way that you can see.  It's called a "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque cirque]."
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'''The DM:''' Pandred, the door is in 2330Do you reach for the latch? And while I’m on that, I understand Lexent has a godentag; Vafrandir has the short sword; what are you armed with, Pandred?
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: Oh, and may I ask: who has the shaman’s staff just now?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. Is the trail still obvious?
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' In that case I ensure that my shield is strapped on and that my Godentag is in hand and stay where I am. "Go ahead and open it Pandred."
  
'''The DM:''' No. You're continuing in the approximate direction the trail was following.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Torch and Handaxe. Marcule had the staff last to my knowledge. I will reach for the door.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very good. Continuing, at a careful or wary pace.
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'''The DM:''' your hand is poised just short of touching or opening the door.
  
'''The DM:''' Climbing to the top of the lip, you have either Marcule or Embla move ahead to look over the lip and see what's in the cirque.  The whole circle is a square mile in size, about 640 acres. There's a small lake, or tarn, about an acre in size, of clear water; this tarn is in the center of the caldera, about 700 yards away.  A herd of small cows, no taller than Marcule, are scattered over the area to the right of the tarn. These are called rothe; they dwell both above and below ground.  You can't see any camp, but there is a steady curl of smoke arising from beyond the rothe.  Two thirds of the cirque are contained in the arms of the mountain, a modest peak about 3,500 ft. high.  The other third makes the ridge you're presently crouched upon.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': Tee hee. I will open the door.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What kind of ground cover is there?
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== Skeletons! ==
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[[File:Great Hall 1st Door (d).jpg|left|350px]]
  
'''The DM:''' Much [https://www.123rf.com/photo_153818186_glacier-landscape-in-finse-norway.html like this].
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'''The DM:''' Opening the door reveals two skeletons, with swords; Pandred, roll initiative. The door is open, but is blocked slightly by the chair.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' With little mountaineering ability among us, how does the descent into the caldera look? Could be tricky.
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'''[[Pandred]]''': '''6'''.
  
'''The DM:''' the image gives the appearance of the ground, not your relative positionThe "caldera" is below you; you're on the forward lip, looking down into it.  The 3rd image down on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque cirque] link shows the "formation of cirque" ... you're standing on the "zone of abrasion" looking down into the depression (not technically a "caldera," since there's no volcano, but I'm struggling for terms); the mountain is across the resulting hole, which is not completely filled by the tarn.
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'''The DM:''' That’s good enoughYou’ll have to move into 2230 to fight them in the door.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. I had in my mind that we were on the headwall. So it should be no problem to descend safely.
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'''The DM:''' jeez, I missed that.  Let me fix the map.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' May we stop here today? I don't want to get into something sticky without the rest of the party. Must be one of those weeks, I suppose.
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'''The DM:''' Go ahead and attack as you are, Pandred.
  
'''The DM:''' Apparently. Have a look at the blog; I just posted something interesting.  Out.
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'''[[Pandred]]]''': 10+1 hits '''AC 6''' for 6+3 '''<span style="color:red">cau-9</span>'''. I'll step back into '''2131''', unless my being where I am prevents the skeletons from striking out of the same hex.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' It's always interesting. Out.
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' May the rest of us attack?
  
'''The DM:''' In.
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'''The DM:''' Vafrandir, yes ... but: according to the rule, only one combatant may attack from any single hex per round.  Pandred attacked from 2231 and pulverized the first skeleton before moving back.  The other skeleton is deeper in the room, but I’ll rule it comes boiling out, so you can attack it from 2230 this round.  You’re closer to 2230 than Lexent, so I’ll give you the option first.  If you don’t want the attack, Lexent can take it if he wants it.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In. Hoping to wait a bit to get the others caught up.
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'''Marcule:''' In, move to 2128. Holding my scimitar.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': In.
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'''The DM:''' Marcule, I’ll just have you start there.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': I'd like to pop out my pocket telescope and see what there is to see. What's up with the smoke?
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'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. That'll open up the frontage. I'll attack: '''7 raw, 8 to hit; 8 raw, 10 dmg.''' Don't think that hits so the floor is Lexent's.
  
'''The DM:''' Looking at it closely, it seems to be about the size of a campfire.  It is blocked, however, by several lumpy boulders and striations between you and it, so that all you can see is the smoke.
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' I believe that removes any attack options from me, so I hold my position.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': How close is the nearest boulder? Could we approach from a nearby slope for a slightly higher vantage, even one of the lower sides?
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'''The DM:''' Okay, Marcule can’t attack from 2231, because technically Pandred is still “in” that hexDoes Marcule want to take any action before I attack?
 
 
'''The DM:''' To some degree, you can. It would be an uncertain thing.  You are familiar with the [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Stealth_(sage_ability) stealth rules]?
 
 
 
'''[[Pandred]]''': So it looks like if we stay 25 hexes or so away while sneaking we should be okay, assuming whatever we're trying to observe has no stealth ability on it's own. You described the tarn as about 700 yards off, so unless I'm wrong any attempt at being sneaky is pretty much golden assuming something isn't already quite close. Could we climb the opposite end from the rothe and the smoke? Is that slope too steep, or would the sight-line still be obstructed by anything if we wanted to get, say, a fifty to a hundred feet more vertical?
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm fine with sneaking closer.
 
 
 
'''[[Pandred]]''' Out. Sorry, should be back soonish. I leave things in your capable hands Vafrandir.
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Very well. We will approach stealthily as we are able.
 
 
 
'''The DM:''' That would be my assessment as well, Pandred ... so long as nothing amid the rocks surprises you, and reveals your position.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to bail myselfSomething has come up and it's going to take up my time for the afternoon.  My apologies.  Out.
 
 
 
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' No worries. Out.
 
 
 
'''The DM:''' In.  Vafrandir, you feel fairly exposed out here on the rocky tundra.  The terrain, as pictured, was once a glacier, so there are stones and boulders everywhere; these give some shelter, but you cannot help noticing that as you move forward, the rothe are becoming more agitated ...
 
 
 
'''Marcule:''' In
 
'''Marcule:''' Am i with them?
 
 
 
'''The DM:''' Yes, if you wish.
 
 
 
'''Marcule:''' Last thing i want to do is unsettle a bunch of cattle. How am i doing for sneaking amongst the rocks given my size?
 

Revision as of 12:43, 16 February 2021

Contents

Great Hall 1st Door.jpg

The DM: Seems the only time I have to work on this is now. This will get more detailed as we move along. The party is moving in from the bottom of the map: at this time I assume Vafrandir is at the front.

Lexent: In.

Vafrandir: So the door I just opened, that is this corridor I see?

Pandred: In. Wishing I had infravision right about now.

Vafrandir: You still have the torch, right?

Pandred: Sure do. I just can't help but feel like a big "Intruders This Way" sign on us.

Lexent: Not sure there's anything to be done for it though.

Lexent: Shall we proceed down that hall or take a look at the other doors first?


The DM: Just working on a better picture. Vafrandir, assume you're in 2331, where I should have put you. The space in the room is unexpectedly well-lit, with a pale robin's egg blue colour. This seems to be coming from two fist-sized stones on the floor, which are grey-blue in colour and are just slightly more luminescent than the rest of the room. The light is twilight-level, but enough to make Vafrandir cast a shadow into the Great Hall.

The DM: Please pay no attention to the lower white space on the map; it isn't accurate, I'm just establishing that Marcule and Pandred are there.

Great Hall 1st Door (b).jpg

The DM: The hall Vafrandir is looking at continues about another twenty feet, turning to the left.

Vafrandir: Very good. Establishing my intent, I'd like to check through each door before moving on. But of course we will take it door by door. Does the hall show anything of immediate interest? Also, let's not forget to collect these stones before we leave for the surface.

Pandred: Already looking forward to it.

The DM: Which is the next door?

Lexent: I open the door just to the north of the already open one.'

The DM: As you reach for it, you start to hear sounds coming from the door. Sounds of something moving inside, and the door is shuddering.

Lexent: That being the case I instead move to 2030 and inform everyone else of the noise.

Pandred: Vafrandir, shut your door. I don't want the sound of a fight to carry farther than it has to.

The DM: I'm putting Vafrandir in 2331 and Pandred in 2131.

The DM: On close inspection, you see that there’s a small hook holding the door closed.

Lexent: "Should we leave this door alone since it appears to be somewhat secured?"

Pandred: I'll nod. "Move on, we can come back to it."

Great Hall 1st Door (c).jpg

The DM: something is banging around in there. What next?

Lexent: I inspect each of the doors in turn working my way anti-clockwise around the room listening for sounds and looking for other locking mechanisms.

Vafrandir: I shut the hall door. I say we take on whatever's in there.

Lexent: By the way, Is anyone in need of healing at this point? I could cast cure wounds if desired.

The DM: Obviously, you’re not a thief, so you can only see or hear what’s obvious. None of the doors are fixed shut in anyway that you can see and what sounds you hear may only be in your own imagination.

Lexent: Of course, but only that second door is latched and has obvious banging behind it, correct?

The DM: Vafrandir, I have you in 2231. Correct, Lexent.

Pandred: I have 14hp. Anyone with more? Get whatever you plan on using for zombie smashing ready.

The DM: Anybody want to change positions?

Lexent: "Pandred, would you like me to heal you before opening that door?"

Vafrandir: I'll move to 2229.

Pandred: I'll take 2231, moving the table and so on to the other side of the room. "No, not yet."

The DM: Pandred, the door is in 2330. Do you reach for the latch? And while I’m on that, I understand Lexent has a godentag; Vafrandir has the short sword; what are you armed with, Pandred?

Oh, and may I ask: who has the shaman’s staff just now?

Lexent: In that case I ensure that my shield is strapped on and that my Godentag is in hand and stay where I am. "Go ahead and open it Pandred."

Pandred: Torch and Handaxe. Marcule had the staff last to my knowledge. I will reach for the door.

The DM: your hand is poised just short of touching or opening the door.

Pandred: Tee hee. I will open the door.

Skeletons!

Great Hall 1st Door (d).jpg

The DM: Opening the door reveals two skeletons, with swords; Pandred, roll initiative. The door is open, but is blocked slightly by the chair.

Pandred: 6.

The DM: That’s good enough. You’ll have to move into 2230 to fight them in the door.

The DM: jeez, I missed that. Let me fix the map.

The DM: Go ahead and attack as you are, Pandred.

Pandred]: 10+1 hits AC 6 for 6+3 cau-9. I'll step back into 2131, unless my being where I am prevents the skeletons from striking out of the same hex.

Vafrandir: May the rest of us attack?

The DM: Vafrandir, yes ... but: according to the rule, only one combatant may attack from any single hex per round. Pandred attacked from 2231 and pulverized the first skeleton before moving back. The other skeleton is deeper in the room, but I’ll rule it comes boiling out, so you can attack it from 2230 this round. You’re closer to 2230 than Lexent, so I’ll give you the option first. If you don’t want the attack, Lexent can take it if he wants it.

Marcule: In, move to 2128. Holding my scimitar.

The DM: Marcule, I’ll just have you start there.

Vafrandir: Understood. That'll open up the frontage. I'll attack: 7 raw, 8 to hit; 8 raw, 10 dmg. Don't think that hits so the floor is Lexent's.

Lexent: I believe that removes any attack options from me, so I hold my position.

The DM: Okay, Marcule can’t attack from 2231, because technically Pandred is still “in” that hex. Does Marcule want to take any action before I attack?