Adventures in Fallcrest - IC - Part III [4E]

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan nods. "I have a song that may distract the guards for a while. If we can figure out a way to use it, it could give us a slight edge."

[Hzurr]

DM Posts

Yojend shakes his head. "Sven had the remainder of the poison, but he was one of the ones who was captured." The gnome pauses, and strokes his chin for a second. "Although I suppose if y'think it's worth the trouble, we could try and make some more. We'd have to go into the Grotto to get the necessary ingredients, though. It's only a few days out of the way."

The Living Grotto
Dungeoneerlng DC 10:

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This part of the Feydark is choked by fungi of every imaginable variety. including many that have supposedly gained sentience.

Dungeoneering DC 20:

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Many valuable kinds of fungus grow in the Living Grotto. One type, leccinum. is prized by eladrin, gnomes, and fomorians alike. Other varieties are very dangerous, including the spore fields that entrap explorers, or that release deadly poisons

.
Dungeoneering DC 25:

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Myconids, a sentient group of fungi, believe that the Living Grotto holds the slumbering essence of Psilofyr, their creator, and believe the Living Grotto to be sacred land[/

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan thinks . . . it hurts. He doesn't know much, but he's fond of stories, and he's heard of the Living Grotto. "Doesn't that place have a lot of different types of mushrooms? It might be a good place to find the other thing we're looking for."

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Dungeoneering - (1d20+11)[19]

[Toric]

"Actually we might not have to do that. It depends on whether we'll need the Fomorian fully unconscious or simply unable to act." Zyrr offers. "I have a poison that can render him almost completely unable to move, if his guard's down enough for the delivery. He'll be able to shout to alert anyone that can hear him, but he won't be joining battle and I'll make sure he doesn't have anything he can throw at the prisoners. I'll just need... half an hour's head start before everyone else starts rushing in and waking the whole farm."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan looks at Zyrr. "Could we go in openly? You know, pretending to be drow traders there to buy poison, or something? I don't know about the others, but I could pretend to be a drow. That might give me a chance to play for the others."

[Toric]

Zyrr looks Lucan up and down, pressing a thumb to his pronounced tan chin. "...That could work. Drow and Fomorians aren't exactly on friendly terms with my people, but they're open to trade with each other. This is a farm, so unless they're working for a specific group - or even if that, they're Fomorians after all - they'll welcome a drow merchant group. We could walk right in and request an audience with the boss-man. ....Just wait until I give him what's left of my toasting wine for Jamil plus an ingredient before you sing your little song - if we're lucky we can bring down the whole camp at once."


((That'll learn me to read the OOC thread before posting in the IC thread. Also, whose Bluff check would we use if Zyrr disguised Lucan as a drow?))

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan smiles. "Yes, let's do that." He glances at Pavick. "I don't think we can disguise you as a drow, but we might be able to sneak you in as our slave. But I don't think we can take any more than that."

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((That'll learn me to read the OOC thread before posting in the IC thread. Also, whose Bluff check would we use if Zyrr disguised Lucan as a drow?))

I assume that it would be Lucan's--disguise is as much about being able to act the role as having the right make-up--but I figure Zyrr could do aid another, for +2, plus another +2 just for having the disguise kit. That brings Lucan's disguise bluff up to +17, which I feel pretty comfortable with.

[Nai_Calus]

"This is a terrible idea, and I'm not letting the two of you go alone," Eltain says, frowning. "I'm going with you."

[dariathalon]

Pavick

Pavick nods. "That might work. I could pretend to be a slave if that made helping the real slaves that much easier. If need be you could even pretend to sell me, that way I could make contact with the other prisoners. This is going to require a lot of coordination though, and with the group split up into two or possibly even three groups that will be tough. We need to make sure everyone is clear on exactly what the plan in before anyone goes anywhere, and even more important we'll need a way to communicate the changes in plans to the rest of the group. No matter how well the plan is set up, there will need to be changes on the fly, and if we aren't all kept up to date on them, we could easily get in trouble." He paces back and forth before Yojend's fire as he speaks, hands flying as he gestures.

[Haberdashery]

The Shepherd frowned, looking down at his toes poking out of the tips of his mottled sandals. Ashamedly, Shep raised an almost feeble hand, for behind such a hand resided an equally feeble idea.

"Perhaps...perhaps I could be disguised as a fomorian?"

The look in the Shepherd's eye resembled that of a child, a child asking if perhaps if he jumped off the roof really really fast, he could maybe fly.

And then have cookies.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Yojend grins as Pavick brainstorms."That doesn't sound like a bad plan. 'Course, they've seen me before so I'd need to stay out of it." He glances down at his wounded leg "But that might not be a bad idea either way."

He stops and thinks for a bit. "Nearest Drow outpost is out..." he points to a tunnel off to the right that way. We could swing around and come at it from that side so if they saw you before you get close, it'd look a bit more realistic."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan feels sorry for Shep. "I don't know. Zyrr's pretty good with disguises, so maybe he could disguise you as a Fomorian. Can you speak their language? They speak elven."

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OOC: Forgot the imposter's armor added +2 to disguise checks. So that's +19 to Lucan's disguise check. Should work for Eltain too, as long as all the bonuses stack. Imposter's isn't an item bonus.

Needless to say, disguising Shep as a Fomorian would be a terrible, terrible idea. So Lucan's all for it.

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain looks at Shep, looks at Lucan, and sighs.

"I appreciate your bravery, Shep, but that's not a good idea. It wouldn't work."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan, meanwhile, has been thinking of other things. "If we need to communicate with each other, maybe we can do so through the music. That's the idea, right? I play my song and the cyclopses doze off. If you can hear my song, you'll know that I'm doing it. Do you think you could hear my drums from the slave pen, Pavick? And could we hear your flute from where we are?"

He looks down at his drum. "I know the song, but it's hard to make the magic work really well. I don't suppose anyone has a doohickey to improve my magical ability?"

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OOC: So, does anyone have an arcana boosting magic item they can loan Lucan?

[Haberdashery]

The Shepherd can't help but look the slightest bit disappointed. Everyone else gets to play in costumes...

[dariathalon]

Pavick - Gnome Wizard

Pavick sees the look of disappointment on Shep's face. "If you really want to disguise yourself, how about pretending to be Aramil's shadow. We can paint your face black and you can follow him in. Sound good?"

He turns back to Lucan. "Seems more like a question for Yojend than me. He's more familiar with the layout of the place, distances involved, and all that. If he thinks it can be heard, I can probably hear it."

He begins pacing again, seemingly unable to stand still. "So let me see if I've got this all straight. Zyrr, Lucan, and Eltain enter in drow face dragging me along as a slave. They try to haggle for something... what exactly? Selling me in the process. I get into the slave pen and let them know what's going on and see if I can recruit anyone to help us."

"While that's going on, Lucan plays his lullabye for... who, the cyclopses? Their leaders? The group meets up at this point, I try to get out of the slave pens and Aramil and Shep try to sneak in."

"What then? We go up and try to take out there leaders? Then come back and try to free the rest of the prisoners? Do I have it all right?"

[Toric]

"I know accoustics can carry far in certain caves, but I'm no judge of good echo-makers. But you can leave the bartering to me." Zyrr says, mixing dyes into two sets: one jar of ebon paste and one bottle of a thin ivory fluid. "Drow need poisons for their kin even moreso than for outsiders, and if you've got other hands to touch the plants you grow why not keep a toxic crop or two? I'll look out for plants that can be refined into something painful and we can trade you for a bushel."


He sets the containers aside, removes his curly wig, and begins wiping off his human skin with a cloth and a bottle of clear liquid. "I assume we'll meet with the leaders for trade, so unless Lucan can find an excuse to wander off and be Lucan we'll have to sing for the Fomorian and hopefully deal with the head cyclops before he realizes anything is wrong. If he can get away, he plays for the head cyclops while I drug the Fomorian. With those two neutralized we wing it. Either we kill the lesser cyclopes before the head awakes or we release the slaves and run for it."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Yojend gives a grin "Alright, if y'think it'll work, I'd say it's as good a plan as any." He pulls out some parchment, and begins sketching out a map for you.

OOC:
Alright, to Navigate your way through the feydark, I'll need the following checks from someone:
Dungeoneering
Nature
Arcana
(No one person needs to make all 3, but they all need to be covered at some point)

And everyone will need to make these checks:
Endurance
Perception
Stealth (only if you want to try and make your way there quietly)

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard


Lucan may not be clever, but he has sharp eyes and knows a lot about nature. Unfortunately, moving quietly and trying to manage the hardships of the journey distract him from putting them to good use.

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Nature - (1d20+12)[15]

Perception - (1d20+14)[17]
Endurance - (1d20+9)[23]
Stealth - (1d20+8)[26]

EDIT: Heh, did better with my weaker skills.

[Haberdashery]

After days traveling through forests, and then more forests, and then even more forests, the Shepherd was finally in his element. He was one with the rocks as he disappeared into the jagged darkness of the Feydark.

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Nature: (1d20+8)[18]

Endurance: (1d20+5)[19]
Perception: (1d20+11)[24]
Stealth: (1d20+14)[29]

[Toric]

Though he may know his way out of the Underdark, Zyrr always does so simply by following the crowd. He does the same here, sneaking into side paths for surprises while letting others keep everyone on the path.

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Zyrr has the navigational skills of a bat at a heavy metal concert so here's the group rolls.

Endurance - (1d20+5)[22]
Perception - (1d20+3)[6]
Stealth - (1d20+17)[31]

[dariathalon]

Pavick - Gnome Wizard

Pavick adjusts his pack and gets ready to move on.

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I'll go ahead and roll them all. Pavick's not particularly good at some of them, but this way he's at least got a chance.

Dungeoneering (1d20+6)[9]
Nature (1d20+11)[31]
Arcana (1d20+18)[35]
Endurance (1d20+5)[11]
Perception (1d20+6)[7]
Stealth (1d20+12)[19]

[Hzurr]

DM Post

The journey through the Feydark proves to be difficult, much moreso than you originally planned. Plants and fungi constantly impede your progress, insects bite, and noises from creatures of all kinds make sleep difficult. For Lucan and Shep, the twisting paths and strange terrain completely disorient the pair who had navigated the forests above with such ease. Fortunately, whether from Yojend or his parents, Pavick seems to have a natural instinct when navigating these otherworldly tunnels, and is able to keep everyone to the map sketched out by Yojend. Unfortunately, the gnome becomes so engrossed in the map, that he fails to notice a weak point in the cavern floor, and only a quick shout from Eltain keeps everyone from getting caught in a rock slide that could have lead to disaster.

Similar to the Feywild above, magic seems to pulse as you walk through glowing caverns and overgrown tunnels. Some of the plants and creatures seem to be capable of creating illusions and false images to try and lure you into ambushes, pits, and in one case into what appears to be a mouth in the ground. The magical figments are incredibly deceptive, even to a trained eye like Aramil, but Eltain and Pavick are able to identify the illusions in time, and prevent anyone from a horrible fate.

Near the end of the second day, while moving through a disturbingly quiet and empty cavern, a pair of stalactites on the ceiling suddenly dropped tentacles, and attacked. The pair of ropers made numerous attempts to pull you up into their maws, but after a few futile efforts at holding onto Aramil (and mutterings of what you assume is roper for "Damn teleporters!"), and an exceptionally bizarre moment where Shep tied a tentacle to a rock on the floor, before climbing it like a rope and punching the roper to death, the battle was soon finished.

In the end, the trip has taken it's toll, and you find yourself in a side cavern only a few hundred yards from the entrance to the Formorian farm, feeling less than your best

OOC:
Everyone roll a save. If it fails, you lose one daily power (of your choosing). Alternately, you can give up a daily utility power rather than rolling.

You've lost the following healing surges:
Lucan - (1d2+1)[3]1d2 = 2 (see OOC thread)
Shep - (1d2)[2]
Zyrr - (1d2+1)[2]
Pavick - (1d3+1)[3]
Aramil - (1d3+1)[4] 1d2+1 = 3 (see OOC thread)
Eltain - (1d2+1)[2]

You won't be able to take an extended rest while out in the open in the Feydark. You'll need to find some sort of protected shelter to get a real rest.

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

"I hate the Feydark!" Lucan says for at least the hundredth time, trying in vain to wipe roper slime from his sleeve. "Gods help us if we have to stay down here much longer."

[Hzurr]

OOC: As previously stated, you're in a cavern a few hundred yards from the Formorian farm. Do you want to try sending someone ahead to scout, do you want to go ahead and start working on disguises, or do you want to try something else?

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain shrugs. He's suffered through worse. Frankly, Lucan's foul mood spilling into his own is more of an annoyance than the journey.

"Yes, I get that. I don't think any of us are that fond of it at the moment. Complaining won't make it better. We should get ready. I suppose we could try to scout things out, but from what Yojend's said I don't know that it would help that much..."

[Toric]

City-coddled though he may be, Zyrr's seen enough of his own home labyrinth to have some idea of the dangers here, and thus emerges relatively unscathed.

"Somebody else can scout if they'd like, but I need the two half-humans." he says as he begins pulling out various containers and setting them on a flat rock. "When we're this close, the sooner you and Lucan are drow the better. They might have patrols."

He smears some of the dark purple ointment onto a small round piece of spongy fungus and hands the container to Lucan. "You can start your hands, I'll work on Eltain's face. You. Paladin. Don't flinch." And with no further warning he begins dabbing Eltain's face.

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Two Aid Another checks coming right up!
Eltain: Bluff - (1d20+12)[20]
Lucan: Bluff - (1d20+12)[18]

[dariathalon]

Pavick - Gnome Wizard

Pavick stands bent over with his hands on his knees breathing heavily. His face is streaked with mud and sweat and his hair is a mess. He definitely looks like the trip has taken something out of him. Still, when he looks up at the others, he wears his usual cheery smile.

"I've got a couple of spells up my sleeve that might help," he says, his voice still sounding a bit winded. "I can whip up a magic disguise for myself that will make me look a little more like a slave." He looks down at himself. "Though after that trip, I'm not sure how much more I could. Then I've got another quick ritual that might help too in case I need to talk to them. Just let me know when I should start. Neither one lasts for too long."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan begins rubbing on the makeup, making an even coat. "So, what should I wear?" he asks, and he begins to shift his armor through different outfits. He seems to think that being a drow means a lot of black leather. Once he settles on an outfit that Zyrr deems suitable, he works on the rest of his disguise. Once it's done, he looks more like a drow than Zyrr does. It's uncanny.

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Disguise check including +2 (Zyrr's aid another) + 2 (disguise kit) + 2 impostor's armor
Bluff - (1d20+19)[33]

[Nai_Calus]

Zyrr's work is flawless, the black silk clothing Eltain wears is the latest in drow fashion, his amulet has lent its magic to him, but whether it's something in Eltain's bearing or simply that Corellon disapproves of one of his Paladins attempting to pass as a drow, Eltain still doesn't really look like one.

"Perhaps I should have just stayed in Fallcrest, for all the use I've been here. Nobody is going to be fooled by this, not even an idiot." He looks dejected, and the air around him turns cold. "Maybe we can claim I'm half-drow or something. Never heard of one, but then again nobody who hasn't met me has ever heard of a half-eladrin."

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Bluff: (1d20+17)[22] (+9 mod, +2 from Aid Another, +2 from Disguise Kit usage, +2 from Amulet of False Blood, +2 from Impostor's Armor)

OOC: Really? Really? I'm so tired of failing everything horribly.