The Savage Tide, Part 2 (IC)

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom touches Shouting tree and tries to channel healing energy...

Spoiler

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At higher levels I'll be able to use my healing pool to simulate advanced Cleric spells that cure conditions, but right now all I can do is heal lost hit points.

[PSinger]

If that fails, the rabbi will cast CMW on him.

[lostsole31]

The spell works, positive energy channels into him, but nothing happens to his wounds.

[PSinger]

Eliezer doesn't even say anything about a curse. It should be obvious by the lack of healing.

The heavenly rabbi touches the withering flesh on Shouting Tree's back and prays to Moradin quietly. It isn't a spell, but more of a trance in Dwarven for the Soulforger to hammer out the curse. Immediately following that, he will actually cast CLW.

Spoiler

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CL check on Remove Curse SLA (1d20+7)[17]
CLW (1d8+5)[6]

[lostsole31]

Nothing visibly seems to happen.

[PSinger]

"I know we are surrounded by the dead here in the hallway," says the worried priest, "but I think here is where I may find the inspiration for how to defeat this. But, I need an hour if I were to pray. I need your advice. Should we try to take care of this here and now, when we already heard something may be following us? or, do we push on through, and worry about this once we make it out of the underpass?"

[Swami Monsoon]

"We don't know how much longer it will take us to reach the exit. But staying in this room full of stiffs seems like a bad idea. We don't know if any more of them will decide to wake up... If that area up ahead looks clear we could take a rest in there. And keep these doors here between us and the, uh, residents..."

[PSinger]

Nodding and thinking about the old woman's words, the priest speaks up. "Yes, you're right, Tom. We need to clear the tunnels if we can."

Lazer will go into the next area beyond and .... what do we see, that the NPCs have already seen?

[lostsole31]

As it is, there are probably already people spilling into the hallway of the ossuary simply because there was practically no room in the other. The PCs enter to get a good look at things while the colonists (and horse) are nervously herded back in the catacombs while the party checks out the room. Two gigantic iron doors stand closed to the east in this small chamber, decorated with symbols of water and sealife in tarnished copper. Opposite them are a pair of pedestals, each with a peculiar notch cut into the side. One of these pedestals is made from a dusky red granite, while the other is crafted of light blue marble. Opposite the group there is another set of double doors of the same type.

[PSinger]

"Shouting Tree, Ms. Venkalie ... door checks."

[lostsole31]

The doors are untrapped, unlocked, and nothing is heard on the other side.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom examines the room, being careful not to touch anything...

"This looks like another one of those special puzzles. The kind where if you touch the wrong thing or pull the wrong lever the doors lock and the whole room fills up with sand or boiling water or maybe snakes and scorpions... probably undead snakes in this place... because back in ancient times people apparently had nothing better to do with their time other than plan really interesting ways to kill their great great great great grandchildren..."

Spoiler

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Use Detect Magic on area

[PSinger]

Eliezer backs everyone out of the room, leaving Shouting Tree and Tom to carefully check the area. He drops his holy aura so it doesn't interfere with Tom's search. "If we don't find anything, we try the eastern door first, since that is our overall direction."

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: IMPORTANT EDIT!!!

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There seems to be no way to open these metal sets of doors. Nothing heard, no traps, but Amella recognizes that a sturdy, cylindrical object has to be inserted into each of the doors. Those might be some sort of keyhole, but nothing she has is big enough for that, and fiddling with the lock doesn't help with anything.

Tom doesn't detect anything magical in the room itself (beyond what Shouting Tree carries). The two of you search the red and the blue statue. Hidden in each is a rod of both red and blue color (respectively). What do you do?

[PSinger]

So, it really comes down to which is the "red" door and which is the "blue" door? If I have this right, we have two colored rods equating to the two statues from which they came, and these are likely keys. The doors were checked for traps. So, eeny-meeny on the eastern door. "Sun rises and sets east and west, so let's try the red with the east."

[lostsole31]

Whether it was his reasoning and insight, fate, or just 50-50-90, the red rod is inserted and turned. The doors open with a screech of protest, flooding the chamber with fresh salt air from the outside world. Beyond the doors is a broad set of seaweed-choked stairs that leads down to a small beach. The reflected aspect of indirect sunlight shows up against the water.

Order or actions?

[PSinger]

"Moradin be praised!" Eliezer cheers. "I never thought that a dwarf at heart - regardless of true birth - would be so happy to see the hint of sun coming out of tunnels. Shouting Tree, head down and scout it out."

[lostsole31]

Shouting Tree comes back. "It goes right into the bay. The water here is calm. There doesn't appear to be any violent surf. However, we'll have to make a swim to find a point where we can actually get on land. It's a little hard with the bit of cove to see where and which way to go to swim to bring the group."

[TickleMeTemplar]

"Why don't the Rabi or I fly out to determine the direction we should proceed? We don't know what lives in those waters and if it's anything like what we've seen since landing on this blasted island, I'm not sure I WANT to know."

[PSinger]

"Yes, true," says Eliezer. "Of course, since you have a heck of a better chance of doing this with a modicum of stealth if needed, then get to flappin'."

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom keeps a close eye on the civilians and the immediate surroundings as he awaits the results of the aerial survey...

[TickleMeTemplar]

Skald scouts the surrounding area from the air, being as stealthy as a dragonfly can be.

[lostsole31]

The water appears to be relatively clear and shallow. Around the LOS of where the small beach ends, some 85' away, is where the land rises away from the water, eventually forming a winding cliffside path roughly 80' above. Although the ramp is relatively steep, Thunderstrike and the party can easily traverse it.

[lostsole31]

Skald returns and reports his findings.

[PSinger]

Eliezer nods, "Thank you, Skald. We might be able to fly, but your agility, eyes and stealth are unmatched by me, especially when I am in this armor.

"Well, here is where we get to shore. Not entirely sure how shallow things are, so we will make lines. Avner, my crew will make a side accompaniment of you, Thunderstrike, and the columnists. Crew, I am taking off my armor and using my silver dagger; I will swim circuits below if the water is deep, and also to see. Amella, you should be good with your hand crossbow; otherwise, Pickwing should be fine. Avner, do you have anything better than a scimitar? It is a poor weapon if we are forced to fight the small bit to the beach. Tom ... Shouting Tree ... you have great weapons for underwater combat: spears. Skald, if something comes at us from the water, or you are in the water, your peerless skill with bow is useless. Ready your rapier."

Eliezer takes off his plate armor. (I assume that he usually is helped by this task by Tom for donning and removing armor, considering their background?)

Annnnnd .... I'm ready.

[Swami Monsoon]

"I can make it so that we can walk across the water... well, not the whole group, but several of us..."

Spoiler

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Referring to Water Walk spell

[PSinger]

"Use that for some of the colonists, and maybe yourself; colonists first. We're all good swimmers."

Spoiler: Tom Underhill

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I know that the NPCs and Skald are good swimmers, but I don't know about Tom. I assume he's a good swimmer?

[lostsole31]

Assuming Tom mentions his ability ...

Avner complains that he is trained to ride a horse over ground, and never actually learned to swim. Thunderstriker can swim well by himself, but the nobleman would rather walk on water (God complex?) and be well-armed and -armored.

Shouting Tree can tell you with confidence that Ix-Caban is the strongest swimmer in the group, even though she doesn't have a natural ability to swim or breathe underwater.

Tom, you do have only the most basic swimming skill ... you won't drown in calm waters. Still, the ability of the colonists is unknown, but being regular folk it's a good bet that they can't swim. I'd say two castings should be enough for you and the "x number of colonists."

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom will apply it to himself and then to any colonists who say that they are in need... and then to Avner if there's enough "juice" (time) left...

[PSinger]

Lazer will get into the water (armor packed, not warn) and will guide the colonists from underwater.