Trial of character: Whiteflash

[whiteflash]

Deon smiles at the rainbow effects, guessing they likely come from water, and keeps walking.

(Yeah, I meant the first one. But if none of them seemed to stop me from retreating, that's cool too.)

[Deadlykire]

(Walking which way? Down the hall, or to the next one? Sorry I'm not 100% clear and want to verify it is down this hall)

[whiteflash]

I'm walking down the hall I'm already in, hoping that this one is the water hall and that being a water genasi will save me from the worst of it.

[Deadlykire]

(Haha! I'll try and update twice today since I basically missed yesterdays)

You continue on down the hall for another 60', having already traveled 10', before it opens into a large room. As the light follows you, it reveals the room is larger than 60'. You know this, as it extends past the range of your vision with the dim light that continues to follow with you. As you draw closer, you see that you were indeed correct there is water in the room beyond. You walk around the edge of the room carefully, staying towards the wall. Your previous experiences have made you wary so you go slow, taking care. You travel 20' North along the Western wall before you see the end of the room. You go back and travel East along the Southern wall for another 20' before seeing the edge. The room must be 80' x 80', although you can't quite see the edge. In the center, about 20' wide is a pool. It sits just below the edge of the stone floor. As you wander closer to investigate, it appears that it is about 5' deep.

[whiteflash]

What do you mean when you say I can't quite see the edge? Does the pool eventually block my progress to the wall, or did I stop walking before I reached it?

And is the water in the pool moving, or is it still?

[Deadlykire]

(The pool is still, in the center of the room. You can't see the edges of the room. You have a 60' radius on your vision in dim light. The room is 80'x80'. You started in the SW corner. You traveled up the wall in a North direction, saw the wall (NW corner), traveled back to your start point, then traveled East, saw the wall (SE corner), and traveled back to your start point. Doing all this you never actually see the NE corner. So maybe it is a corner, maybe it isn't. You are welcome to travel around and find out. You can also just venture more towards the center of the room with the water to confirm that the NE corner is indeed a corner.

I had you stop walking before you actually reach the water in the center. You only need to travel about 6.5' in order to see the far edge. We'll call it 7-8' to see the depth of 5'. This is still well short of the distance to see the NE corner.

I had you going around just far enough to kind of figure out things, but I didn't want to assume too many of your actions. I'd already assumed the wall investigation to determine room size and the straight line approach to the water.)

As you look at the water carefully, you notice it is tranquil and unmoving. The light still plays off it, throwing flickering rainbow light out a few feet from the edge of the water. The lights seem to move, but you realize this is more of a result from the faintest flickering of the light that follows you, as if it came from a torch although still no source can be found.

[whiteflash]

That works.

Okay, so do I see any way out? Did any of the walls have a door visible on them, or does the pool look like it might get deeper the further from the center you go?

If not, I think the first thing I'll do is check the last corner. Then if (or probably when) that doesn't work I'll go back to the pool.

[Deadlykire]

As you wander around the room to confirm the dimensions of the room, you are also looking for a door. As you circle approach and then circle around the pool you can see the far corner. There is no door in this room, except the one you came through. You rotate around the pool, looking to see if it is deeper in any spot.

(Roll an investigation check)

[whiteflash]

Oh boy. (1d20-1)[1]

[Deadlykire]

(That was entertaining. I just wanted you to roll because you were looking for specific information.)

It appears to be the same depth throughout.

[whiteflash]

Deon shrugs. "Well, it's got to be the exit somehow."

He takes off a shoe and dips a toe in. How does the water feel, and does anything happen?

[Deadlykire]

The water feels cool and refreshing. Nothing seems to happen.

[whiteflash]

Deon sighs and puts his boot back on.

He lightly dips a fingertip in the water to taste it. Does it taste strange, and does he feel any different after drinking the little bit on his fingertip? (This might seem paranoid, but since I intend to have him breathe this water it probably does make sense.)

[Deadlykire]

It tastes like delicious, strangely pure, water.

[whiteflash]

Well, in that case Deon just kneels down by the pool and slowly eases his way in feetfirst.

[Deadlykire]

As you ease yourself in, you notice the water isn't overflowing. You look down briefly and the bottom still looks 5' away. You submerge yourself halfway, and yet the water doesn't overflow. Looking down, the bottom is still 5' away. You continue until all but your head is below the water.

[whiteflash]

One last test: I submerge my head to see if there's anything canceling my genasi ability to breathe underwater. (Is this why you said your setting isn't going to have this race under most circumstances?)

[Deadlykire]

(Nope! Honestly I had limited source books when I first made the post and didn't want to have to rely on people's word. I like being able to look things up, I have a d&d beyond subscription now though. My world also has the races segregated, so not every race is readily available. It allows for more RP and political opportunites)

As you submerge yourself, the light flickers and goes out. You are plunged into darkness. It feels as if the water is rushing downwards. You feet soon find precipice on solid ground. The light flickers back to life. A few drops of water hit the floor, but you are otherwise dry. You find yourself in a 10x10 room. There is a single door in the NE corner.

[whiteflash]

(There were other resources you could have used. Some people uploaded sections of the rules here and there, either as a public service or to set up for a discussion of what exactly a particular rule meant. Or is that what you meant by "didn't want to rely other people's word?"

So, are there enough genasi that they have their own district? Or what do they do?)

Deon heads through the door.

[Deadlykire]

Opening the door reveals a curved rough stone tunnel. It is only about 5' wide. It starts heading NE, but curves to face more East. Given the sharp curvature, that is as far as you can see. The floor does seem to slope upwards slightly as it approaches the corner.

[whiteflash]

Deon keeps walking.

How dry is it in this hallway? Do I notice any water running down the slope?

[Deadlykire]

The hallway is completely dry. As you round the bend you notice the hall begins to slope downward gradually. At the far end, about another 20' is an opening. It seems to open into another rough hewn area.

[whiteflash]

Deon enters the roughly hewn area and looks around.

[Deadlykire]

As you step through you are clearly in a long hallway. It extends 15' to your left (North) and an unknown distance to the South. It stands about 15' across. As you look about part of the wall and ceiling look darker than the rest. The spot is diagonal from you towards the North and slightly East, along the far wall.

[whiteflash]

I walk up to the slightly darker area in the ceiling and look around. Does it seem to be an opening in the ceiling? And either way, is there a way to climb up to it?

[Deadlykire]

There does seem to be an opening that starts 30' from the ground. The increased darkness is from the room beyond.

(Make an investigation check to look for a way to climb up. If you'd like, something I've done with PbP in the past is have the player roll a d20+modifier for most their actions. So if you know you are going to want to climb, just roll and place in text that it is a climb check. If you are looking for something specific, preroll investigation. It helps speed things up. You don't have to if you don't want, completely optional.)

[whiteflash]

(I didn't know whether or not the handholds would be hard enough to find to require a check. One of the members of the last in-person D&D group I was in said that it's generally a bad idea to volunteer to make a roll, since you might wind up failing a task the DM would have given you for free, or making a roll for a task that your character would be able to tell at a glance isn't possible. But I guess that approach does slow things down in play-by-posts, so I'll try to think forward a bit more.)

Investigation is (1d20-1)[13]

[Deadlykire]

A quick glance doesn't reveal anything as obvious as a ladder or stairs. Upon further investigation you can make out the vague outlines of a path that may be possible to climb, although with some work.

[whiteflash]

Well, let's try it. (1d20+2)[6]

I'm proficient in Athletics, which I assume is the relevant roll, but how does proficiency work without class levels? The lowest possible seems to be +2. Do I add that on to whatever the dice roll above says?

Edit: And does a nat 4 make the whole thing moot?

[Deadlykire]

(Without class levels I guess you wouldn't be proficient in it UNLESS your background gave you proficiency. Proficiency bonus is based on character level, although it is also listed on class charts as well, so you'd get +2 at level 1. So you'd have your Str modifier+proficiency if granted and selected by sailor background. But yes, as you'll reed moot point.)


You begin your ascent, easily finding handholds as you climb. As you go the path you spotted from the ground becomes less obvious. You travel about where you think you remember seeing the best path. You reach out and grab an outcropping. As you shift your weight a foot slips off it's perch. It is too much for you to hold in your precarious position and you fall to the ground with a loud THUD. As you look up from your backside, you can see a few pebbles tumble from where you fell. You missed your path by a few feet, having shifted too late. Luckily you weren't quite high enough yet to cause any real damage, although your shoulders are quite sore.