Machines of War

[madtinker]

Nope, no flickering.

That path is a dead end.

[INWranger]

Well may as well take the left. It isn't as if I have much else to do right now.

[madtinker]

Make a reflex save.

[INWranger]

Reflex
[roll]1d20+7[/roll]
Afterwards, draw a dagger, put my lamp in my off hand and be start searching for traps, unless that was a creature trying to sneak attack, or something like that. Then I kill it.
Search
(1d20+3)[22]

[INWranger]

The die roller is being uncooperative. here is the reflex save roll.
(1d20+7)[18]

[madtinker]

As the floor falls away, you leap backwards to safety. Revealed is a fifteen foot long, twenty foot deep pit from wall to wall.

[INWranger]

What are the sides of the pit like, and what is at the bottom of the pit?

[madtinker]

As far as you can tell, the sides are rough hewn stone, and there is nothing special about the bottom, just jagged rocks.

[INWranger]

So what kind of climb DC would I be looking at if I climbed in a corner, which decreases climb by 5?

[madtinker]

Climbing rules. DC 10 if you climb in the corner. You need to make three consecutive checks to get down, and three more to get back up.

[INWranger]

Screw the climbing down. I will jump feet first and have my ring of feather fall do the work. Here are the rolls for the climb out.
(1d20+5)[8]
(1d20+5)[25]
(1d20+5)[22]

[INWranger]

Well crap. Here I go again.
(1d20+5)[12]
(1d20+5)[7]
(1d20+5)[15]

[INWranger]

One more time.
[roll]1d20+5[/roll]
[roll]1d20+5[/roll]
[roll]1d20+5[/roll]

[madtinker]

You slowly ascend out of the pit, despite some slow progress. No hurry though. I'll be generous and say that you are somehow able to keep your makeshift torch. Again, the cave branches in two directions. The walls are decorated with elaborate petroglyphs in reds and browns. They seem to depict the life story and conquests of some ancient tribal chief.

[INWranger]

I will take the one on my right, and be more careful, using my spot to check for traps, unless that isn't how it works.
(1d20+4)[24]
(1d20+4)[5]
(1d20+4)[22]
Can I make out what race the tribe was? And what about those they conquered?

[madtinker]

You use your search skill to find traps. But I guess spotting something suspicious might help you know where to search. In any case, you find the dusty bones of what looks like the principle resident of the cave. He was evidently a barbarian king, human by the look of his bones. The cave paintings show that he was a great hunter of beasts, and fought and defeated many personal challengers. Pottery around the open sarcophagus was once full of food and drink for his journey into the afterlife, and he wears his battle armor and clutches a finely worked sword with a worm eaten hilt. Around his neck hangs a weird talisman suspended on a silver chain. His leather armor was once finely painted, but the dye has faded and the leather, like everything else organic, has been chewed by moths and worms.

[INWranger]

First I set my lamp on the floor a few feet back. Then I take my short sword out and try to take the talisman by first lifting it over his head and then prying the head up with my sword and using the dagger to hook the chain and get the talisman away from him. Then I use my sword to pry the sword out of his hands, hoping that using my weapons instead of my hands may not trigger any curse that may or may not be on him.

[madtinker]

The bones are so old there isn't much holding them together. You are able to get the talisman and the sword without too much trouble, and with minimal damage to the deceased. As you take a closer look, the talisman is a mix of silvery and dark, lustrous metal. It looks like a lump of molten wax dropped suddenly into cold water. The sword needs new wrappings on its handle, and has an inscription on the blade in a language you don't recognize.

[INWranger]

As long as I am here I will grab the dagger using the same method used before and then grab my spoil and lamp. Then I drop the longsword just before the pit trap and check out the other passage.
Also I am going to grab a drink from the spring, first tasting a drop and then getting a decent drink and make sure my waterskin is full.

[madtinker]

It leads around in a circle. The stream is clean and fresh, and very refreshing.

As for notifying the elves, you recall that there is rumored to be a secret room underneath the tree fort that was your base of operations. In that room were kept emergency scrolls and other supplies in case it became necessary to make the base appear abandoned while waiting for help.

[INWranger]

I pick up the longsword and put it in my pack and then extinguish my lamp in such a way that I can easily relight it. Then I get some shuteye for a few hours and hope it is the next day by the time I wake up. I sleep a few feet from the spring and head out for the fort the next day, is the plan.

[madtinker]

Undisturbed by beasts for perhaps a thousand years, the cave tonight is no different. You sleep soundly, though there is really no telling what time it is when you awake.

[INWranger]

Well I will hope is the next day, or at least that the orcs are gone for now. Relight my lamp and go out the same way I came in, including jumping into the trap and using the corner to climb out.
(1d20+5)[15]
(1d20+5)[19]
(1d20+5)[15]
Really use my senses when exiting the cave, especially at the stones.

[madtinker]

You successfully navigate the cave back to the entrance where you stacked the stones. It appears that they are undisturbed from how you left them.

[INWranger]

See whether it is day or night and go outside. Do a spot for enemies.
(1d20+4)[7]

[madtinker]

As you remove the stones you stacked previously, you awake a large, snarling, angry ball of fur. Roll initiative.

DM only

Spoiler

Show

initiative - (1d20+3)[21]
dire badger

[INWranger]

also, I draw my short sword and dagger.
(1d20+4)[5]

[madtinker]

To do that, you must drop your torch. It smolders on the ground, and you can only see about ten feet, even with your low light vision.

The thing lunges through the hole you reopened, and swipes at you with large, claw bedecked paws and snapping jaws.

attack - (1d20+4)[5]
damage - (1d4+2)[5]
attack - (1d20+4)[15]
damage - (1d4+2)[6]
attack - (1d20-1)[12]
damage - (1d6+1)[3]

[INWranger]

Hooray for my 18 AC.
I attack back
(1d20+7)[14]
(1d6+1)[2]
(1d20+6)[25]
(1d4)[4]

[madtinker]

Your sword slashes downward, but its bite is absorbed by the thick fur of whatever is so desperately trying to kill you. The dagger strikes true. Roll again for crit confirm.