Chult Hex Crawl - IC

[agignac]

Red hears nothing from the floor below, and the construct sees nothing, beyond the mess of the once-kitchen.

The prisoner indicates that there were six, but now three are gone. She then watches Nolwenn's offer for food and supplies with puzzlement. She simply shakes her head in negation.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns indicated down: "No sounds from that room, they must have retreated further."

With a decisive step, he followed the construct down into the kitchen to look around.

[The Hellbug]

"So three more and one of something else," Nolwenn confirms, "if you're fine, we'll be back once they're dealt with. Des, I think you should stay here for now and keep an eye open on our way out. There's probably something interesting among...all this."

She nods confidently towards the prisoner and follows Red down the hole into the kitchen-space. "So," she begins to conjecture to her allies, looking over the mess, "we've got monsters that may belong to the tower's master or maybe not, and something else that woman's afraid of. Do you think it's the tower's master or some sort of invader? They certainly don't look concerned about housekeeping. And, of course, a tower that probably shouldn't be out in the ocean. A magical mishap, maybe?"

Nolwenn glances over the room then settles her gaze on the way down to the next one, taking advantage of her spell to make sure they don't get surprised by any invisible enemies.

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 40/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Ondros slides down the pole with the others, We can talk about it later Nolwenn, after we've dealt with the remaining invisible slime spikers. He looks around the room, his ears twitching in each direction to listen for any sign of the attackers. Spoiler: Perception Show (1d20+2)[21]

[The Hellbug]

"Hmm, fine," the wizard answers, keeping her eyes on the hole down to the next level, "but I bet we'll have to think about it sooner than later."

[agignac]

It's grim work, searching the kitchen. There are plenty of cupboards and cubbies where the creatures could be hiding, and everything is covered with decayed food and foul-smelling mucous. It take several minutes for the men to determine there are no nasty surprises hidden here, waiting to ambush them.

Nolwenn keeps her eye on the pole, but the room below is dark. It takes her a moment to realize that it's not naturally dark, but dark-dark. Magically dark.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns stepped next to Nolwenn:
"Magical darkness, eh? Cantrips won't work against that.
Luckily, artifacts aren't as easily suppressed. Give me a minute, I'll provide us all with illumination."

Picking up some string, the Red Horns began to cut five times to create five wide loops that he knotted into complicated circles - or rather circlets. At his touch each began to glow in a warm, white light.

"Put them on your head - not much distance to their shine, but better than going in blind."

He put one of them on the construct and one on his head, handing out the rest to the others, except one that he knotted around his Yklwa.

"I'll send the construct ahead again."

[agignac]

The construct wraps its twiggy hands around the pole and begins its descent. Red, standing at the pole looking down, is able to see dimly 5 feet down into the darkness. The room is wide enough that he can't quite see the nearest wall, and there are no other clues as to what the room might contain.

As the construct slides down, for a moment, you can see almost fifteen feet down, which should be far enough to see the floor, but isn't. Then, the construct's controlled slide down the pole becomes quicker, and its light is swallowed up in the inky darkness.

No sounds comes up from below.

[The Hellbug]

"Are you sure that will..." the wizard begins, but her doubts are silenced as the Red's construct slides down the pole. And then disappears again. After staring at the darkness for a second, Nolwenn reaches into her bag for the magic spyglass, explaining, "better safe than sorry." She extends it, brings it to her eye, and, squinting at first, aims it down the into the inky blackness of of the next room.

[agignac]

Spoiler: Nolwenn only

Show

Nolwenn uses her new spyglass, and discovers that the floor below isn't there. It looks as if the entire floor has collapsed/been destroyed. The jagged edges of the floor can be seen in a few places, jutting from the stone walls of the tower. The pole, however, continues downwards.

Lowering her gaze, Nolwenn sees a nightmare. A giant worm-like monster, with rows of spike-like legs, and an wide, cone-like mouth filled with a dozen rows of teeth. Even worse, its vertically belly is split into another giant mouth, which is currently consuming Red's companion. The construct is struggling feebly, but as Nolwenn watches, it vanishes into the enormous belly-mouth.

The worm-demon has two long tentacles, looking to be at least forty feet long. One is curled up next to it, still. The tentacles is resting on what appears to be the bottom half of a humanoid corpse. The other tentacle twists around the room and reaches up to a broken window. The tentacle is jammed in, or even through, the window, preventing water from entering the room.

Three of the slime-creatures are down in the dark, two of them sitting in what appears to be a foul nest. The third is on the worm-demon's back, wriggling around in a depression that seems to be filled with slime.

Whatever else used to be in this room, or the room above it, has been thoroughly destroyed. Bits of wood and stone and rotten fabric lay in sharp-looking heaps around the edges of the room, and it's impossible to guess what they used to be.

Worm demon in the slide deck

Spoiler: Red only

Show

You catch something from the corner of your eye and glance up, to see the prisoner looking down the hole at you. As soon as you look up, she pulls her head back out of sight.

[The Hellbug]

It takes a couple of seconds for Nolwenn to focus the spyglass, but when she does she shudders with dread and almost fumbles the magical implement. "It's some kind of huge worm," the wizard says, her gasp turning into a dry-mouthed whisper, "well, almost like a worm. But it definitely isn't a worm. I bet it'd look the same as the smaller ones to my detection spell, which means I don't have any idea what it is. Two levels down; whatever was between us is totally gone. And it's got big long tentacles. I bet it could reach us if it wanted. I can't even...here, look for yourself."

She carefully hands the true-seeing tool to anyone else who wants to take a look. "And three more of the slimy things, just like the prisoner said. They've already got Red's construct, but they don't look like they were paying attention to us. There's more, too. The tower's damaged, it's only one of the thing's tentacles plugging a hole and keeping the water from flooding in." As she finishes, the wizard already looks like she's getting ready to cast her lightning spell with shaking hands.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns was about to take the magical device to look for himself, but halted, he turned his head and looked up.

"We have to get out of here. If the building floods, it will likely collapse. Also, it seems the prisoner is loose anyway. I just saw her peeking down on us. Be ready for a fight when we get back up."

The Red Horns presented the yklwa while he went for the side of the pole that made him move back up.

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 40/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Ondros takes the spyglass and looks down. His eyes go wide, Nolwenn is right, that... monster is keeping the sea from flooding in. But why? Maybe it would drown too? When Red mentions the creature, Ondros looks up, spyglass still to his eye, to see if he can spot the formerly caged creature, I agree with Red, we need to leave.

[The Hellbug]

The lightning she had planned to conjure is hardly more than rapidly-dissipating sparks when Red delivers his news. "She's what? How?"

And an answer is already in her mind, courtesy of a distractible familiar, not a moment later. "Probably not necessary," Nolwenn tells Red as she makes to follow him up the pole. She only hesitates for a moment, thinking of the horrible creature she cannot see but knows is there in the darkness down below, before sliding on up. "As you can see, she's back in the cage, walked right in," the wizard explains, "hostile or not, she clearly doesn't want to fight, unlike the neighbors on the lower level."

"That said, I do want to get to the bottom of this," Nolwenn says resolutely and, knowing there's at least one simple thing no one has tested yet, approaches the cage and tries to grab hold of one of its bars.

[agignac]

The prisoner steps forward, looking alarmed, as Nolwenn reaches for the bars.

Nolwenn grabs the cage bar, and a sudden lassitude sweeps over her. If not for her mage-trained mind, she might be tempted to just stand there, staring into space, but instead she shakes it off and lets go of the very-real metal bars.

[The Hellbug]

Nolwenn shakes her head and blinks against the remnants of the stupor that had threatened to cloud her mind. "It's...enchanted," she announces, sounding somewhat absentminded. She steadies herself against the nearby desk before she continues, this time more surely. "Not especially dangerously so, I don't believe, at least to anyone who's not alone. I believe it's a spell that compels its target to placidity, like in that story with the vain jeweler and the magic mirror. I possess one with a similar effect, but it relies on a visual trick instead of affecting the mind directly. Not as direct but more elegant in my opinion." She pauses.

"I assure you that mine isn't so lethal as the one in the tale, and I suspect this one isn't either. It would be convenient for the effect to end as soon as the victim is no longer touching the bars. That way, a prisoner would be unharmed or a thief could be easily removed and questioned or what have you. Speaking of which, you"--the wizard turns and points to the woman in the cage--"may be neither. For you, that cage isn't a prison, but a shield, isn't it?" She raises her eyebrow querily and brings back her pair of illusions, which create an image of the caged woman stepping in and out of her solid-looking prison unimpeded.

[Pyrophilios]

"That was incredibly dangerous.
One thing I noticed: So far the prisoner hasn't actually shown any interest in leaving the cell - or given us any indication how to open it.

If you don't mind I'll now use magic to identify the mechanism and hopefully be able to device a way to unlock it - instead of you frying your brain. So please watch my back while I do the ritual."

Spoiler

Show

Casting Identify as a ritual to learn what's actually going on with the cage

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 40/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Ondros nods at Red and stands by the pole, relying on his keen senses to detect when an invisible creature may try to ambush them. Spoiler Show Standing by the pole and letting Blindsight do the rest.

[The Hellbug]

"She walked through it without harm," Nolwenn explains, "it could have just been a powerful illusion. And who would build a cage that could potentially kill your prisoner? That's against the whole point." For all her arguments, though, she knows Red is right, and, even if her gamble was one she was confident in, it was selfish to do so without consulting the others.

"Okay, sorry, I thought we were more rushed than we were," the wizard apologizes. She taps her finger on her lip. "Why try to get it open at all, though? All we wanted was to get her out, and she can do that on her own. If she wants to stay, that's just a case of her knowing something we don't or not trusting us or just being wrong." She focuses her attention on trying to communicate with the caged woman once again.

[agignac]

Red worked on his ritual while Ondros kept "watch". Nolwenn used her images to try to communicate. The prisoner nodded her head, gesturing to the cage and to the hole where the enemies came from. She tried to mime the worm with its stomach-maw opening, and her going inside.

Red's spell shows that the cage is meant to be impenetrable, especially to spirts, ghosts, and other ethereal creatures. The cage bars are magically reinforced to be nigh-unbreakable, and there are a few spells meant to incapacitate any physical creature who touches it. He also discovers a summoning circle on the floor of the cage, unnoticed because of the dirt inside. Nothing should be able to get in or out of it.

And then Ondros's blindsense triggers. Something invisible is coming up the pole.

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 40/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Ondros shifts his footing and grip on his maul, ready to attack, Something's coming up the pole, he warns the others. Spoiler Show Back up 5ft from the pole, so it is still within Ondros' Blindsight. If possible, ready an action to attack once something is within 5ft.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns was commenting on what he found out when Ondros' warning came.

"...it seems impossible that she could move about. It's more likely that she has a twin around or can teleport".

As the loxodon got ready, TRH called out: "Quick, drop something on them."

[The Hellbug]

With Nolwenn's silent image having faded recently, she's putting together a strategy on how to continue her conversation with the caged woman--if she can only convince her that she and her companions can safely remove her from the tower, there's no need to worry about the worm, concerning which Nowlenn shares the prisoner's apprehension--when Ondros warns of more visitors from below. It's a little bit of unfortunate timing, since Red seems to be on to something that she can help with, but the wizard immediately jumps into action, preparing to warn her allies the moment any invisible creature emerges from the hole and readying a spell in case it's hostile.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Taking up a position between the hole and the cage and readying an action to cast Firebolt on anything that attacks Ondros.

Attack (1d20+8)[27]
damage: (2d10)[16]

[agignac]

Ondros's blindsight informed him that something was coming up the pole very quickly, something the same shape and size as the creatures they'd already fought. He struck with his maul just as the creature came through the hole. Everybody heard a satisfying "thunk", and Nolwenn saw a mucous creature get knocked off the pole. She released a bolt of fire at it, and the sickening smell of sizzling snot filled her nostrils.

Two more of the same snotty guys came up the pole in rapid succession - one jumping towards Nolwenn, and one staying holding the pole and lashing out at her as well. The two seemed to coordinate attacks, and Nolwenn suddenly found herself futilely fending off teeth and claws. Too many found purchase, and suddenly she was bleeding from her arms and thigh.

The one damaged by maul and spell leapt at Ondros, and took another bite out of the loxodon. At least now all three were visible. Ondros, distracted as he was, knew at least one more something was coming up the pole.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns threw his weapon at the ones holding Nolwenn, trying to free the mage.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+4)[17] damage (1d8+16)[22] if one dies, target ing the next.
(1d20+4)[11] damage (1d8+16)[18]

[The Hellbug]

"Ahh!"

The two slimy monsters are far too much for Nolwenn to adequately defend herself against. Everything's still working after their bites and slashes, but it hurts, it hurts a lot, and that's a lot of blood. The wizard mind strays momentarily towards the question of how much blood will be a problem, it was certainly something she learned when she fancied herself a chirurgeon for a a year or so, but, no, she needs to focus. Her first instinct is to flee, but there's the cage behind her, and touching that could quite easily be fatal. And so Nolwenn musters her focus into the spell she had prepared to cast at these creatures'...leader? sire? just minutes ago. With a cry, she hurls a bolt of lightning at her pair of attackers.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Casting lightning bolt for (8d6)[1][1][2][6][6][1][5][5](27) lightning damage. DC 16 Dex save for half. This round, Nolwenn will be using Shield as a reaction if anything's going to hit her.

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 40/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Ondros grunts as the creatures leaps onto him, and his eyes go wide as the two others materialize alongside it. He pushes it off him and clasps his maul in both hands, trying to brain it. Nolwenn, he cries out, get back, something else is coming up the hole! Spoiler: Turn 1 Show Action - Attack Injured Spiker Attack - (1d20+8)[18] Damage - (2d6+5)[9] Attack - (1d20+8)[19] Damage - (2d6+5)[8] Bonus Action - If Ondros kills the creature, GWM attack triggers, targeting the next injured creature or the one next to Nolwenn if neither are injured. Attack - (1d20+8)[20] Damage - (2d6+5)[11]

[agignac]

The yklwa strikes one of Nolwenn's opponents in the midriff, leaving a gory wound when it vanished. Unfortunately, Red's second throw goes wide.

Nolwenn follows up with a blast of lightning that leaves everybody's eyes watering for a moment. Her opponent dodged sideways at the last minute, and was only winged by the electricity. The blast knocked some stone chips out of the tower wall, but did little structural damage.

Ondros finishes the one that had attacked him, and as usual, it explodes into a mess of slime and spikes. Dex save DC 14 for Ondros or be blinded. It is now slippery underfoot, and you'll need another dex save at the start of your turn, DC 14, or fall prone.

Draelin looses two arrows at the lightning-damaged creature, one of which strikes true. The creature wobbles and explodes, sending a shower of mucous and spikes over the wizard. I rolled Nolwenn's save because I needed to know the outcome. She failed, and is blinded until she takes an action to clear her eyes.

Nolwenn, covered in goo and preparing to shield herself from another attack, suddenly feels a cool hand on her upper arm. On the exposed flesh of her upper arm. Before she can really register the implications of that, she is pulled suddenly backwards. Unprepared for the movement, and with slippery mucous underfoot, she is unable to resist as she is pulled several steps straight back. There is a momentary feeling of coldness through the center of her body, and then lands on her rear. She can feel the coolness of the metal floor on her naked rear.

The others see a naked Nolwenn inside the cage with the prisoner. Her clothes and belongings are on the floor just outside the cage bars. Desdemona yowls in fury and runs at the bars, only to cry again in pain as she rebounds off of them.

The remaining creature turns its attacks on Ondros. It bites him in the ear, tearing off a chunk, but the tail clunks against armour.

Another invisible creatures comes up the pole. Ondros barely has time to shout a warning, and then Draelin feels powerful hands with sharp claws grabbing and rending at his arms and side. His attacker suddenly appears before him, revealing a familiar sight. It's Red's construct! But changed - it's bigger, the twigs covered in thorns and spikes, and dripping with foul-smelling mucous. The construct-demon attacks the elf with fury, grappling, biting and tearing at him.

Everybody up.

[Pyrophilios]

The Red Horns had barely enough time to register what was going on.
In the split second he had, he decided Nolwenn was currently least likely to die.

He threw his yklwa again - this time to help Ondros.

Hoping against hope his transformed construct would still obey a direct command, he ordered it to shut down, using the original Abbysal command code: "TZ'Cthu NGrt cathu"

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+4)[24] damage (1d8+16)[21]
(1d20+4)[19] damage (1d8+16)[20]

Bonus action command construct to "end your existence".

[Dr.Samurai]

Ondros Loxodon Rune Knight Fighter AC: 18 HP: 26/64 PPer: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 20 Second Wind: 1/1 | Action Surge: 1/1 Frost Rune: 0/1 | Stone Rune: 1/1 Giant's Might: 3/3 Traits: Darkvision 120ft Conditions: Frost Rune (+2 to Str/Con checks/saves) Gah, Ondros complains as his eyes are covered in sticky goo when the creature explodes under his maul. Still, with his superior hearing and sense of smell, he can continue the fight against the remaining two enemies. Spoiler: Turn 2 Show Action - Attack Remaining Spiker Attack - (1d20+8)[23] Damage - (2d6+5)[10] Attack - (1d20+8)[12] Damage - (2d6+5)[16] Bonus Action - If Ondros kills the creature, GWM attack triggers, targeting Red's construct. Attack - (1d20+8)[18] Damage - (2d6+5)[10]