2. The First Delve

load previous
Jan 30, 2024 4:04 pm
Various rolls behind the DM's screen ...

Rolls

Check spear trap triggering (Swan, Ricard, Tiberious, Fenwick, Bea, Gabbro) - (1d6, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6, 1d6)

Check how many spears might be triggered - (1d3)

Jan 30, 2024 4:15 pm
The party heads south away from the departing giant toads and deeper into level 2.

20’ beyond the crossroads, Bea feels the flagstone beneath her feet move as she steps onto it. This movement is accompanied by an audible "click" as if something is being triggered, followed by a loud "twang" to her left.

A short spear shoots out from a concealed hole in the easterly wall of the corridor towards her.

Bea - please make a saving throw against "Wands" to see if you can avoid the incoming spear.

(I’ll add, Bea has been rather unlucky - Swan, Ricard, Tiberious and Fenwick ahead of her all failed to trigger the trap!)


---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Bea, Thief 1: 3/3
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Jan 31, 2024 9:14 am
OOC:
any chance you'd allow roll under DEX to avoid the spear? It seems a more appropriate roll and I'm guessing a bit easier to hit.

Ability Checks
The referee may use a character’s ability scores to determine the character’s chance of succeeding at various challenging tasks.

Rolling an Ability Check
The player rolls 1d20 and, if the result is less than or equal to the ability, the check succeeds. If the roll is greater than the ability, the check fails.

KCC

Jan 31, 2024 10:01 am
OOC:
Dex 14.
Wands 14.

Rolls

Rolling! - (1d20)

(8) = 8

Feb 1, 2024 4:20 pm
McButterpants says:
[ooc] any chance you'd allow roll under DEX to avoid the spear? It seems a more appropriate roll and I'm guessing a bit easier to hit.
Sadly the module is clear in this regard - it specifies a save vs. wands to avoid the spear trap. If we are going to maintain our hardcore old school approach, I don’t see a justification for artificially making things easier by switching the saving throw for a dexterity ability check. Sorry!

The spear is fired from such a short range that even the dextrous Bea is unavailable to avoid it. It plunges into her side, fatally wounding the thief.

That's tough, very unlucky. If anyone else in the party had been struck, they would have survived that. Even Bea would have survived if it wasn't for her low constitution.

---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Bea, Thief 1: 0/3
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to McButterpants' mega-maps ...

Rolls

Bea’s damage from the spear trap - (1d6)

(3) = 3

Feb 1, 2024 9:51 pm
"Oh crap, Bea?" Fenwick panics, doing her best to pull the thief's body forward without re-triggering the trap. "What is with you people and setting off traps! Does anyone have any healing magic?"
Feb 1, 2024 11:46 pm
Swan comes to a stop when she realizes the mess that just happened. It looks like he took that spear badly, but Swan asks, "Is he dead?" and adds on "We are going to need a new way out of here as Bea was our way up. Dead or alive he is in no shape." Swan ignored the thoughts on magical healing as she knows it is way too expensive.
Last edited February 1, 2024 11:48 pm
Feb 2, 2024 12:36 am
Tiberious feels the displacement of the air as the bolt shoots out behind him. He jumps to avoid whatever shot from the wall and turns when he heard Bea call out in pain.

Fenwick does her best to help Bea, but it is clear the thief is no longer with them. That just narrowly missed me!

Tiberious inspects the ground where the thief was standing before the bolt shot out. That is the second trap this group has encountered. We really should find something to search the ground ahead of us. We can only hope that will save some lives ... Especially mine He keeps that last comment to himself.
Feb 2, 2024 5:38 pm
"Bea! NOoo...!" Gabbro helps Fenwick ease Bea's lifeless body to the ground. After a few moments, what Swan said penetrates the grief. "Don't worry about getting out again - Tiberious and I left the ropes there, so we can climb out whenever we're ready."
OOC:
The only way we could've retrieved the ropes is if Bea went back and untied them, then climbed down herself holding the ropes. That didn't happen, so they're still there.
The elf nods at Tiberious. "It's a good idea. Listen, you guys have me in the back, which means I can't use Ricard's spear any more. Ricard, Swan, why don't one of you take the spear and you can probe the ground ahead of you as we go? That should set off these pressure-type traps, and maybe trip wires, too." Gabbro hands the spear to one of the characters in front (Ricard preferably, as it is his spear, but he'll give it to Swan if she takes it first).
Feb 2, 2024 6:11 pm
Swan says as she knows Bea is gone now, "I have no idea how this trap is activated and the only person that would know is now dead. So, probing ahead of us doesn't sound like a grand plan. It is better to rely on your wits and skills to avoid getting hurt."

Adding on a thought, "We need to head back up now and take care Bea."
Feb 2, 2024 6:38 pm
Ricard reacts with surprise when Bea is struck by the spear trap. When it becomes clear that the thief would not survive, Ricard pulls her off the barb and lays her body down with two copper coins over the eyes.

"May you find the home of whichever gods you served."

Acknowledging Gabbro's idea, Ricard takes back his spear and uses it to check the floor as he proceeds.
Feb 2, 2024 11:03 pm
Swan as we proceed with Ricard spear testing ahead of us. "I think the way back should be safe. I can't see going further with a dead body. Going to take a bit to get it up the well too."
Feb 2, 2024 11:52 pm
"We could go on a bit and get the body on our way back out, we didn't really know this rogue for more than a day..."

Ricard shrugs, indicating that he has no real stakes in the matter.
Feb 3, 2024 12:15 am
Swan replies back, I don't want the have to deal with body and longer we are down here the more likely those ropes get stolen." The later is most likely the reasoning on her mind. That and being Bea was our ticket up.
Feb 5, 2024 8:08 am
OK, let’s get things moving again …

You’re currently 30’ south of the crossroads on level 2 of Stonehell. Behind you, Bea lies dead, skewered by the spear trap. Ahead of you, after continuing south for 20’, the corridor turns to the southwest.

As luck would have it, another shady character (Lanhkmer) approaches from the crossroads. Having come across your ropes leading down the well, they descended to investigate.

@everyone - what’s the plan?

---
Day 2, 9:10 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lankmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to McButterpants' mega-maps ...
Feb 5, 2024 4:35 pm
"Perhaps we move on at least far enough to see what's around that corner and then decide if we want to press on? I'd personally rather bury Bea down here if we could find a spot then carry her all the way outside. I don't think she would have wanted to leave us that vulnerable carrying her through the tunnels." She sees the newcomer approach. "Who's this now? You there, keep away from those stones or you'll regret it."
Feb 5, 2024 7:25 pm
I heard the screams that's why I came to see what happened... Lanhkmer raises both his empty hands showing he's no harm to the collective.
name's Lanhkmer... I'm sorry for your loss
Feb 5, 2024 9:18 pm
"Greetings Lanhkmer, I'm Ricard, glad for the assistance. We were just discussing what to do now that one of ours has passed. Some want to move on but Swan here thinks we should pull back to the upper levels. She might be right, we may be in over our heads exploring these lower levels before we have cleared out the first floor..."
Feb 5, 2024 11:02 pm
Swan adds on to Ricard, "That and a proper burial for Bea. Was a good sole."

To Lanhkmer, "So. Lanhkmer it is. Well your interest seem be the same as ours. Then follow us up. I'm Swan."
Last edited February 5, 2024 11:04 pm
Feb 5, 2024 11:25 pm
]"Greetings fellow wanderers, I'd be more than happy to join you then. I've had a partner with whom I got here but bravery wasn't his top virtue and a day ago I woke up alone.
He just fled."


"don't get me wrong please, but... Are you sure you want to head up again?"
load next

You do not have permission to post in this thread.