Night Below (IC)

[Lentrax]

Had what it took? For what?

[Xihirli]

“I first met Carlanis two months ago. He said he’d heard of me and my days of adventure.”
Garyld patted his left leg, shorter than the other.
“Those are done now. He asked me all about the area, what threats I’d faced and such. The disappearances were only rumors at that point. Carlanis said he was a knight errant, in search of adventure and good deeds.”
Garyld’s mouth twisted in a half-smile.
“He wanted to pick up where I’d left off. When he came back a few weeks later he had a half-drow following him, said he was going down to the mines to find two of our miners. He came back empty-handed, and hasn’t come by to see me since.
“He had a dangerous line of work. It got him killed, I take it. Do you know how he died?”

[Lentrax]

His body? My sword. But I believe he was already dead when I did it. After he was killed, his skull split open and a creature that looked like a brain with legs came out. It attacked us and I cut it to pieces. If you have any authority around here, as we were led to believe you do, I would advise everyone to stay indoors at night, to not go anywhere alone, and to begin some kind of night watch. I do not know what this creature was, or if there are more, but I believe they are the source of these disappearances. My companions and I are going to go to the mines and see if we can find where these things are coming from and to save whoever we can.

[ProudGrognard]

Avaris

Before going in, Avaris says

"We should also check at the inn Carlanis was staying. Perhaps his belongings are still there"

As the discussion with Garyld takes off, Avaris nods his agreement.

"As my companion says, there are strange tidings afoot. We are to press on shortly, but we need to know more of what has happened in the mines. And warn someone of what is happening.

Did the half-drow have a name? An explanation of what he was doing here?"

[Xihirli]

His body? My sword. But I believe he was already dead when I did it. After he was killed, his skull split open and a creature that looked like a brain with legs came out. It attacked us and I cut it to pieces. If you have any authority around here, as we were led to believe you do, I would advise everyone to stay indoors at night, to not go anywhere alone, and to begin some kind of night watch. I do not know what this creature was, or if there are more, but I believe they are the source of these disappearances. My companions and I are going to go to the mines and see if we can find where these things are coming from and to save whoever we can.

Garyld balks a moment when it sounds as though Mirafa is confessing to murder, but after that he calmly listens. He nods at her advice and simply responds; "far be it for me to tell others not to throw their lives away."

"Did the half-drow have a name? An explanation of what he was doing here?"

"I'm not sure what his name is, and I don't tend to ask people that sort of thing."

[BobMacBobson]

"We heard he was an aspiring adventurer. A knight errant, or something along those lines?"

[Xihirli]

“Heh. That’s right. Idealism at its most pure, there wasn’t a drop of cynicism in that boy. Now,” Garyld pushes himself to his feet with his cane.
“I need to mobilize a night watch. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be closing presently.”

[Lentrax]

Before you go, some directions to the mines would be helpful.

[Xihirli]

“In Haranshire? Pick a direction and have some patience. In this particular case, you’ll want to go Northwest for a little under an hour. The miners should be on their way back now, you’ll probably pass by them on your way.”

[Lentrax]

Thank you, sir. Good luck.

Mirafa makes to leave.

[Ricky S]

"If we meet some miners on the way we can ask for directions, that would expediate our process"

[Xihirli]

You indeed run by miners on your way north in a large group that crowds you off of the road for a time, but they do show that you're on the right path. When you ask about the people who went missing, their faces fall.
"No one will work in that mine anymore," you're told.
"Old Grizzler said he found rubies, rare in mines here. Got two of the newer miners to follow him, came back alone, only told the new priest about what happened."
When asked to clarify that the disappearances hadn't happened at the mine they were coming from, they reaffirm this.
"No, though people who've never dug under the dirt would only hear 'the mines.' You'll want to go about two miles further north to the Garlstone mines, then a little east."
As you're on your way, one of them calls out after you.
"Keep an eye out for any lizards. If they didn't move in after we left, that means something worse did."

The entrance to the Garlstone Mine is easily found, set back a bit from the edge of the hills. Around the mine entrance the vegetation is discolored from mine waste. Looking into the immediate entrance, marked by a faded sign reading "Garlstone Mine", all that is apparent is darkness.
But you are at the mouth of the main entrance to Garlstone Mine.

[Ricky S]

Liara wary of danger approaches slowly. She picks up some rocks, casting light on each of them in turn and hands them to each member of the party.
"These should light our way well enough and if we need to move in darkness you can simply put them in your pocket"

She turns to Emrig, "I can cast invisibility on you if you like so you can scout ahead? Let me know"

Liara prepares herself and prepares her spells.

Spoiler

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Liara will cast invisibility if Emrig wishes. Im not sure how long her mage armour will last assuming she cast it around midday it will last until 8pm. She will cast it again if it is about to expire.

[BobMacBobson]

Emrig nods. "Aye, that'd be helpful, thank ye. If everyone's agreed, I'll head inside first; wait some ten or fifteen seconds, then follow me. I'll keep an eye out for traps, or trouble."

Spoiler: Heading inside

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Emrig has dark vision out to 90 feet; he'll head inside if everyone's alright with that, waiting for Liara to cast invisibility first. He'll use a light stone only if the darkness is such that he'd have disadvantage on perception or investigation checks. 10 - 15 seconds is about two turns of movement; so he'd be staying some 60 feet ahead. Checking for traps, noises, movement, anything, the whole way; and moving as silently as possible.

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: Emrig

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Alright, a perception check.

[Xihirli]

Emrig slips into the darkness, walking over smooth, widened stone. For a moment, nothing happens. After a moment, nothing continues to happen, but... quieter, as though a hush fell over the caverns the moment Emrig stepped into the cave. Invisible, he continued on until he came to a crossroads: behind him and to the right, the tunnel continued narrowly on a downward slope. Ahead of him, the cavern was wide and spacious, the walls possessing broad ruddy striations that make the wall look something like a cured side of bacon. In either direction, the darkness extends past Emrig's range of vision.

[ProudGrognard]

Avaris

Avaris helps Liara, making another luminous pebble. As Emrig is about to head in, Avaris approaches him and with his symbol traces the Rune of Competence on his forehead.

"Go with the Light, and the Light take with you"

He then stands back, ready to head in if he hears anything strange.

Spoiler: OOC actions

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Only one Light can be active per caster. Avaris also casts Guidance on Emrig, he may roll a d4 and add it in a check in the next minute.

[Lentrax]

The two of you should hold onto your lit stones. I can see in the darkness as well. Plus, I will need both hands free.

And with that, she draws her sword and grips her shield as she begins to move into the mines after Emrig.

Let’s go.

Spoiler: OOC

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Xihrli, on the way to the mine, I would use lay on hands on myself to heal 5 hp.

Does anyone else need any healing?

[BobMacBobson]

Emrig takes a moment to carve a clear marking into the ground to show which way he's headed, and then proceeds along the left hand side, into the cavern.

Spoiler: Marking

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He'll use his axe to carve an arrow or something along those lines in a clearly visible spot; if the ground and walls are solid rock he'll lay out some stones or twigs in the same fashion. If there is absolutely no way of marking which way he went, he'll head back to the group instead.

[Xihirli]

As Emrig carves into the stone the scratch echoes decently throughout the cavern as it looks as though a line is being etched into the stone by nothing whatsoever. Emrig looks up and sees that he is not as alone as he may have immediately assumed. Moving as silently as they can, a lizardfolk is approaching the partly-made arrow from the narrow tunnel behind Emrig and to the right, staring distrustfully. As they grow nearer, it becomes apparent that this is not a standard lizardfolk - their horns are... well, not. Rather, two octopus-like tentacles are sprouting from the back of its head as it lowers its nose down to the stone and sniffs twice.

Spoiler: Emrig

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It hasn't located you yet, but it's about to.

[Ricky S]

Liara follows behind Avaris and Mirafa. She has one light stone in her left hand partially covered so it does not radiate light everywhere but only forward. Her right hand is free to cast.

She walks as quietly as possible and does not say a word knowing it could affect Emrig further down the passage.

[BobMacBobson]

Biting back a curse, Emrig tries to back away in the direction of the party. He slowly pulls out his axes, ready to strike if the creature charges. He moves as silently as possible; he knows he probably can't outrun the lizardfolk, but he might be able to sneak away and re-join the group.

[Xihirli]

As Emrig moves back toward the group, the altered lizardfolk sharply bends its head toward the footsteps and lunges out with a bite that goes wide. As Emrig moves back to the rest of the group, the creature didn't follow, but stared right up the passageway he's heading down. His last glance before uniting with the rest of the party behind a turn in the tunnel sees the snout of a second lizardfolk-like creature approaching from that same tunnel.

[BobMacBobson]

Still invisible, Emrig catches up with the group."We've got trouble ahead, lads. A couple o' lizardfolk; and it seems one of them suffered a similar fate as Carlanis." He glances back to gauge the distance, and the time they have to prepare, as he stows his axes and notches an arrow. "Liara, keep up the invisibility just a bit longer, if possible."

[Ricky S]

"Will do" Liara whispers to Emrig. "Everyone ready?"

She concentrates on holding the invisibilty spell until Emrig attacks. She prepares herself mentally to cast magic missile the moment she drops the spell.

She places her right foot back and braces herself for the possibility of attack.

[Xihirli]

As Emrig reapproaches the spot he'd left the altered lizardfolk, he sees that they are gone. However, as he steps slightly closer he sees that they have simply moved back about fifteen feet into an area where they could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one another even though there were now four of them, each with a set of tentacles growing out of its horns.

[BobMacBobson]

Not wanting to waste any time, Emrig immediately lets loose an arrow. As it flies through the air, he whispers a few words, and the arrow shatters in a hail of piercing wood. As the hail runs through the lizardfolk, he immediately lets loose another one.

Spoiler: Turn

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Bonus action --> cast Hail of Thorns; the first ranged attack that hits during the next minute forces the creature it hits and every creature within 5ft to succeed on a DC 12 Dex saving throw or take 1d10 piercing damage (half on a success).
5 piercing damage; rolled in the OOC thread

Action --> attack with longbow; + dread ambusher attack
(1d20+4)[18] to hit;
(1d8+2)[3] piercing damage, + (1d8)[4] on a crit

+

21 to hit;
8 piercing damage

[Xihirli]

Two arrows fly true into the gut of one of the altered lizardfolk, and when one shatters the pellets spread out to the two on either side of it as well. However, the worst of it deflects off of their scales. Now that Emrig is visible, the lizardfolk (or something very similar) look up to him. Two of their tentacle-horns twist to aim at Emrig, and nothing seems to happen.
Then Emrig's head starts screaming in pain as his mind feels like it's being shredded from the inside out.

Spoiler: OOC

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Emrig takes 27 psychic damage, Avaris and Mirafa are up, a little more than 60 feet away.

[Lentrax]

Mirafa doesn’t hesitate. Her sword and shield are already drawn.

She braces herself before charging straight in.

For Helm!

Spoiler: OOC

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I will use the dash action, and charge straight at the nearest lizardfolk. Which will use all my movement, so that’s my turn.

[ProudGrognard]

Avaris
AC:16 HP:18

Avaris sees Emrig stumble, and understands that there may be no time to do much. Delving deep into Mithras' Light inside him, he starts to recite

" Mithras said:
The Light nourishes, the Light punishes
Do not retreat into the Dark
I will find you there
And my wrath will blaze"

With that, three rays of fire burst from his outstretched hand and sizzle the lizardmen. A fourth materializes next to the one that is most hurt, and takes the shape of a crossbow bolt speeding in its direction.

Spoiler: OOC actions

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Casting Scorching ray hitting the most hurt lizardman until he dies and then moving to another one
Atk1 (1d20+5)[14] dmg (2d6)[7]
Atk2 (1d20+5)[13] dmg (2d6)[5]
Atk3 (1d20+5)[24] dmg (2d6)[11]

As a bonus action, casting Spiritual Weapon, targeting whichever lizardman is most damaged
Atk (1d20+5)[11] dmg [roll]1d8[+3/roll] force damage