9: Chests are checked, and girls with healthy lungs save the day

[Ebiris]

[15:31] <@Ebiris> Going east from the first corridor, the party finds itself in another storeroom, perhaps a half the size of the partially collapsed and flooded chamber to the West, with two pillars holding up the sagging earthen ceiling. Several large and broken crates line the Northern edge of the wall, at the corner of which is a closed wooden door leading East. Opposite the door you came in from is an ajar double-door leading to a sloped corridor that angles slightly South.
[15:31] <@Ebiris> For now the pit seems quiet, your footsteps and breathing the only sounds heard, although the torch and lantern both provide ample light to see by in your immediate surroundings, they don't prevent sinister shadows skirting the edges of your perceptions down the corridors and around the pillars.
[15:31] * Joins: Miranda_Altair (~Dis@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
[15:33] <@Rudy> Rudy heads towards the southernmost double-door, presuming it is most likely to lead to an exit, and peers down it.
[15:35] <@Ebiris> The roughly hewn passage slopes down over uneven flagstones, a slight kink perhaps forthy feet away that keeps you from seeing all the way down its length, while a closed double-door leads South just before said kink in the corridor.
[15:35] <@Rudy> "Let's go this way," suggests Ruby, waiting for people carrying sources of light to get behind him before heading inside.
[15:36] * @Henrietta proceeds in the direction Rudy picked for them, mindful of hostile flora and fauna.
[15:37] <@Ebiris> Advancing down the passage towards where it bends somewhat, you can see now to the end - it seems to open out into a blocky chamber about twenty feet away, the sloping path descending into a mire of stagnant black water that pools at the bottoms of ancient looking beds and around several waterlogged and rotting wooden chests.
[15:38] <@Henrietta> "I'm certain the water is lethal in some way," Henrietta warns fatalistically.
[15:38] <@Rudy> "You are very likely right. Glenn, can you inspect the chests?" asks Rudy. "I'll cover you."
[15:41] * @Glenn nods as he moves closer to the chests to do that.
[15:42] <@Ebiris> OOC: Actually going to open one up or just moving to the edge of the water to look at them?
[15:44] <@Glenn> ooc: I was just going to move to the edge to look at them first.
[15:44] * @Glenn plops Miranda near Rudy and Henrietta before going to the chests.
[15:47] <@Ebiris> Going to the edge of the water, Glenn can see mostly into what must have been a barracks of some sort, the water completely still just before his feet. There are six beds here, each with its own chest at the foot. The furthest left is open, but nothing can be seen within from this angle. The one next to it has been shattered, barely a frame hanging together with thoroughly rotted wooden deritrus floating placidly around it, the bed it lies before having broken one of its legs and tipped half into the water to soak its mouldy mattress. The other four chests look closed, simple catches on them rather than actual locks.
[15:49] * @Glenn attempts to open the chests that do not involve jumping into the water, ignoring those chests for now. Maybe one of the others will fancy a swim.
[15:50] <@Ebiris> Unless Glenn has suddenly manifested telekinetic powers, he's rather out of luck in chest-opening skills without getting wet. Given how high the water rises against the chests and beds, it's also barely over a foot deep, so swimming would be a trick, too.
[15:53] <@Glenn> "I'm going for a swim. Hpefully the water isn't as lethal as you suspect..." Glenn grumbles as he slowly wades into the probably cold water and moves closer to the nearest chests.
[15:56] <@Ebiris> Glen walks into the water! This really doesn't constitute a swim by any stretch of the imagination, but it's certainly ice-cold where it sloshes against his knees and floods his shoes after the first few steps. The nearest two chests are unsurprisingly the middle two, both currently closed. His movements cause the water to ripple and dislodge the junk floating around the broken chest, and he's now close enough to see into the open chest, but between the lack of direct light and the brackish water, he can't well see what lies within.
[15:58] <@Glenn> "Can one of you move closer with the torch?" Glenn calls out to the others. He'd dig his hand in, but there could be filthy rats, or dislodged zombie heads on a stick, or something creepy that would bite him! ...He's probably overimagining it, but it wouldn't hurt to have a little more light.
[15:58] * @Henrietta moves to the edge of the water with her torch.
[16:00] <@Ebiris> With Henrietta at the water's edge a few feet into the corridor, the light is good enough to brightly light everything except the farthest left and right chests. Still, it's enough that Glenn thinks he can see some tattered cloth floating both around the debris of the shattered chest and within the open one.
[16:01] * @Glenn hopes nothing bites him, as he digs around the contents, tossing them towards dry land if it doesn't look like they'd break from getting tossed.
[16:03] <@Ebiris> Sloshing his hand into the waterlogged open chest, Glenn mostly finds waterlogged and ruined garments, a few jagged pieces of clay and glass, a bobbing cork, and a book cover and spine, the pages having long since rotted away to nothingness.
[16:04] <@Rudy> "Worthless," mutters Rudy, sighing. "Let's try another room, I suppose everything here would be like this."
[16:05] <@Glenn> "I don't suppose one of you has a warming spell or some such?" Glenn asks, shivering as he gets back to dry land, dripping all over the ground.
[16:05] * @Henrietta snaps her fingers, making all that excess water evaporate.
[16:06] <@Ebiris> Glenn's shoes slosh with ice cold water, slowly squelching out with every step.
[16:07] * @Rudy returns up the passage and back through the double-doors, and then opts to head through the unexplored eastern door, presuming it obliges them and opens up.
[16:08] * @Henrietta catches up to Rudy, leaving Miranda to Glenn once more.
[16:08] <@Glenn> "...well that's convinient. Thanks," Glenn comments, but grimacing as he pulls off his shoes, smacking them to get the last bits of water out, since the spell didn't seem to get everything?
[16:09] <@Ebiris> Indeed, Henrietta's spell can dry wetness but it can't displace significant volumes of water such as what flooded his shoes. In any case, the East corner door back in the storeroom leads to a short winding passage back to the smaller storeroom where the mostly devoured smuggler was discovered earlier.
[16:13] <@Henrietta> With fewer and fewer options left for them, Henrietta returns to the corridor leading to the barracks, and opens the door just before the bend.
[16:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: roll perception?
[16:14] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[16:14] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
[16:18] <@Ebiris> Opening this door leads into a triangular shaped room, with the door at the top 'point'. Three pillars rise up to support the ceiling here, while the walls have niches carved into them, two on each side and bearing craggy and poorly made statues of fearsome bearded men, sea serpents, and even a rather comically overendowed mermaid in one. A stone table or platform of some sort lies along the far wall, mostly obscured by the pillars from here.
[16:18] -> *Henrietta* You can see the shadow of a hunched humanoid figure stretching out from behind the left pillar.
[16:20] <@Henrietta> "Surrender at once!" Henrietta declares, gesturing towards the leftmost pillar with her torch. "Anything else, and you'll be treated like another of the zombies!" And, indeed, should it try to do anything that is not in some way surrendering, she will sear the figure she sees with acid.
[16:23] <@Ebiris> "Hsss! Good eyes!" a gravelly and choking voice sounds from behind the pillar as a figure emerges into view, looking like the zombies from before but rather more well preserved in some respects - his skin is fully intact with no bones showing, but it's blackened and almost scaly in parts, wearing a rusted and pitted chainmail shirt. A tarnished steel sextant hangs from his chest like a symbol of some sort, and though he bears no weapons, he flexes hands that end in wicked talons, an inhumanly long tongue snaking out to run over razor sharp teeth and dribble black spittle down his chin. "I shall devour them first!"
[16:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: no surprise round for sneaky mc sneaksalot, so roll initiative
[16:24] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2
[16:24] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 and gets 16." [1d20=14]
[16:24] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+4
[16:24] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21." [1d20=17]
[16:24] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[16:24] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
[16:25] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[16:25] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 13." [d20=7]
[16:25] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Henrietta > Ghoul > Glenn'
[16:26] <@Ebiris> OOC: Go Rudy, I'll assume you're with Henrietta at the door with Glenn carrying Miranda behind you two. Zombie is 15 feet away
[16:26] <@Rudy> Rudy wastes little time in summoning a dog to send heedlessly into the fray, in order to buy the rest of them some time!
[16:26] <@Henrietta> "I knew it! I knew everything here hated us and wanted us dead!" Henrietta exclaims, vindicated.
[16:26] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+4 charging dog attack
[16:26] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 charging dog attack and gets 13." [1d20=9]
[16:26] <@Rudy> He moves in front of Henrietta while he's at it, gripping his crossbow tightly!
[16:27] <@Ebiris> The dog charges forward and lunges up, but its jaws fail to get through even the gaping chain links of this undead monster's armour!
[16:27] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[16:27] * @Henrietta tries to snag the ghoul and drop him to the ground with a violet whip!
[16:27] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+8 trip
[16:27] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+8 trip and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[16:29] <@Ebiris> Armour provides no protection for having a verdant whip curl around your ankle and yank your leg out from under you, however, as this fiesty undead discovers! Hissing, it falls in a tumble at the feet of Rudy's dog, but growls and pushes back to its feet...
[16:29] <@Ebiris> OOC: AoO for dog
[16:29] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+2
[16:29] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+2 and gets 6." [1d20=4]
[16:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
[16:29] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 11." [1d20=8]
[16:30] <@Ebiris> The dog tries to bite at the same time as the rising monster lashes out with a clawed hand, but the two only bounce off each other, failing to make a proper deadly contact as they'd like!
[16:30] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[16:30] * Quits: @Henrietta (~corwin@p11811120.orange.net.il) (Quit: )
[16:33] <@Glenn> "I wish you -weren't- right about everything wanting to kill us. Alas!" Glenn exclaims as he sets Miranda down again and moves closer towards the ghoul, watching it cautiously. Better that he get attacked than Henrietta.
[16:34] <@Ebiris> The ravenous undead finds itself accosted by both Glenn and a hound of the netherworld, pressed hard but as yet unbloodied!
[16:34] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[16:34] * Retrieving #dunes modes...
[16:34] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy=Dog > Henrietta > Ghoul > Glenn'
[16:36] * Aaeru is now known as Henrietta
[16:36] <@Rudy> Rudy fires a bolt into the beast, even as the dog continues to chew away! OOC: dog moves to flank and such
[16:36] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5
[16:37] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 and gets 11." [1d20=6]
[16:37] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+4 dog
[16:37] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 dog and gets 19." [1d20=15]
[16:37] <@Ebiris> OOC: dog hits
[16:37] <@Rudy> roll 1d4+1 dogmage
[16:37] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d4+1 dogmage and gets 3." [1d4=2]
[16:38] <@Ebiris> The dog manages to wrap its muzzle around the creature's leg this time, clamping down and shaking its head from side to side before whimpering and letting go! For its part, the ghoul seems entirely unbothered by the attack, failing to so much as tear a scrap of skin away! The crossbow bolt has even less luck, sailing past and embedding into a wooden pillar!
[16:38] <@Ebiris> OCO: Henrietta
[16:39] <@Henrietta> The ghoul collapsed rather comically when she tried it just then, and a fresh whip of violet appears in Henrietta's off hand, blooming rapidly and snaking off towards her enemy!
[16:39] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+8 trip
[16:39] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+8 trip and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[16:40] <@Ebiris> Once more the whip takes a leg out from under the monster, sending it plummeting to the hard stones at Glenn's feet! Snarling, it tries to pick itself up once more...
[16:40] <@Ebiris> OCO: AoO for Glenn and dog
[16:40] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+4 bitage
[16:40] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+4 bitage and gets 16." [1d20=12]
[16:40] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[16:40] <@Rudy> roll 1d4+1
[16:40] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d4+1 and gets 2." [1d4=1]
[16:42] <@Glenn> roll d20+8
[16:42] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+8 and gets 25." [d20=17]
[16:42] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[16:42] <@Glenn> roll d6+1
[16:42] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d6+1 and gets 5." [d6=4]
[16:45] <@Glenn> roll d4+1 (dagger damage instead of claw)
[16:45] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d4+1 (dagger damage instead of claw) and gets 5." [d4=4]
[16:46] <@Ebiris> The dog growls and bravely bites once more, a painful crunch being heard... but it's the dog that suddenly whimpers and lets go, a tooth falling out of its mouth! Glenn likewise strikes true, but his blow is like trying to stab solid steel, the dagger glancing off fruitlessly! As it climbs to its feet, the ghoul slavers and lunges down to bite back at the quailing hound!
[16:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
[16:46] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 7." [1d20=4]
[16:46] <@Ebiris> But the shirking canine manages to bound back out of reach!
[16:46] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[16:49] <@Glenn> "Ah, hell," Glenn mutters as he sees the effect, or rather lack of it, that his dagger had. "I don't care if you guys say it's dangerous, I'm going to try and blow it up..." he tells the others as he takes a step back and flicks some of his remaining chemicals at the ghoul, not mindful of Rudy's minion.
[16:49] <@Glenn> roll d20+4
[16:49] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+4 and gets 22." [d20=18]
[16:49] <@Glenn> roll d6+5
[16:49] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d6+5  and gets 9." [d6=4]
[16:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[16:50] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 57." [1d100=57]
[16:50] <@Ebiris> OOC: how much damage to the dog?
[16:50] <@Glenn> ooc: 6 damage, reflex DC 15 halves it.
[16:51] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+3 ref
[16:51] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+3 ref and gets 20." [1d20=17]
[16:52] <@Ebiris> Both ghoul and dog catch alight, the flames thankfully not catching on the nearby wooden pillars! Pained howling mingles with angry hissing as they both suffer from Glenn's tormenting flames, causing the animated corpse to fix the alchemist with a baleful black eye!
[16:52] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[16:53] <@Rudy> Rudy'll give him something to think about, with another bolt that whistles casually past Glenn's ear!
[16:53] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5 not actually shooting Glenn's ear
[16:53] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 not actually shooting Glenn's ear and gets 25." [1d20=20]
[16:53] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5 !11
[16:53] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 !11 and gets 18." [1d20=13]
[16:53] <@Ebiris> OOC: crit
[16:53] <@Rudy> roll 2d8+2
[16:53] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 2d8+2 and gets 11." [2d8=1, 8]
[16:54] <@Ebiris> One of those eyes, however, is pierced with a crossbow bolt that explodes it with a wet squelch, causing the ghoul's head to rock backwards in pain!
[16:54] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henrietta
[16:55] * @Henrietta continues harrassing the ghoul with what has worked so far.
[16:55] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+8 trip, if it works I'll continue
[16:55] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+8 trip, if it works I'll continue and gets 28." [1d20=20]
[16:56] * @Henrietta lets her torch drop to the ground as the ghoul tumbles down for the third time, and heads in to take Glenn's place, drawing her flail.
[16:58] <@Ebiris> Once more the ghoul loses its hard-won footing, tumbling to the ground and snapping the bolt embedded in its head when he lands! Hissing from its position on the ground, it begins to speak! "Hsss... Demon of the Deep, ye Black Hearted Salt... show yer victim some mercy, and smite these whore'son landlubbers!" it snarls as the light of both lantern and torch abruptly dims, an otherworldly presence of pitiless darkness and pain descending upon the group!
[16:58] <@Ebiris> roll 1d6 will saves everyone, includes Miranda
[16:58] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 will saves everyone, includes Miranda and gets 3." [1d6=3]
[16:58] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[16:58] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 14." [1d20=10]
[16:58] <@Glenn> roll d20+2
[16:58] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+2 and gets 12." [d20=10]
[17:00] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+2
[17:00] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14." [1d20=12]
[17:00] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+1 dog
[17:00] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+1 dog and gets 9." [1d20=8]
[17:02] <Miranda_Altair> roll 1d20+4 will savery
[17:02] * +Hatbot --> "Miranda_Altair rolls 1d20+4 will savery and gets 11." [1d20=7]
[17:02] <@Ebiris> OOC: 3 damage to Miranda and dog, 1 to everyone else
[17:02] <@Rudy> OOC: the dog dies :(
[17:03] <@Ebiris> The darkness lingers only a second, like the ephemereal glimpse of something far greater and yet uncaring... in its wake the light reasserts itself, the party feeling weakened but whole. Mostly, for the dog whimpers and collapses, vanishing into black sludge, while Miranda's wounds re-open, blood starting to ooze once more.
[17:03] * Ebiris changes topic to 'Rudy > Henrietta > Ghoul > Glenn'
[17:03] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn
[17:04] <@Rudy> "Oh, god! It's where Myra came from! The horror!"
[17:05] <@Henrietta> Her breathing quickening, Henrietta grips the flail with both hands, staring fixedly down at the unnatural horror. "You won't take me!" she declares, shivering.
[17:07] <@Glenn> "Dammit, you're making it hard for me to blow it up, Henrietta!" Glenn exclaims as he throws the bomb next to the creature, so his companion doesn't take damage from it, before moving back into melee range so he can help keep it distracted with Henrietta if nothing else.
[17:07] <@Glenn> roll d20+4 vs AC 5
[17:07] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+4 vs AC 5 and gets 23." [d20=19]
[17:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2 DC for the reflex save?
[17:07] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 DC for the reflex save? and gets 7." [1d20=5]
[17:07] <@Glenn> ooc: 6 damage
[17:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:07] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 43." [1d100=43]
[17:09] <Miranda_Altair> roll 1d20+2
[17:09] * +Hatbot --> "Miranda_Altair rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[17:09] <@Ebiris> The bomb explodes loudly in the subterranean hellhole, washing over the prone ghoul and baking its back, while overhead the ceiling groans and creaks ominously! Miraculously, however, the ancient timbers of the nearby pillars don't take on the flames themselves!
[17:09] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[17:11] <@Rudy> Rudy fires yet another bolt into the ghoul's head, and prudently steps back into the doorway, just in case the timbers decide they've had it.
[17:11] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5
[17:11] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 and gets 20." [1d20=15]
[17:11] * @Glenn grimaces at the sounds. "Then again, maybe it's a good idea not to throw more bombs after all...even if I have only one left now."
[17:11] <@Rudy> roll 1d8+1
[17:11] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d8+1 and gets 9." [1d8=8]
[17:13] <@Ebiris> The bolt slams into the ghoul's head with a thud, making it knock off the ground beneath with the force of the impact! That seems to do the trick, however, for it immediately stops moving, its limp form now doing no more than laying like any good corpse should.
[17:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: Miranda, make a constitution check? -4 mod
[17:14] <@Rudy> "Hah! I've already seen hell!" gloats Rudy, pointing the crossbow at the still zombie. "You got nothing- oh god, Miranda's bleeding!"
[17:14] <Miranda_Altair> roll 1d20-3
[17:14] * +Hatbot --> "Miranda_Altair rolls 1d20-3 and gets 8." [1d20=11]
[17:15] <@Ebiris> OOC: -1hp for Miranda
[17:16] * @Glenn immediately drops his dagger, as the creature falls, and moves to apply some first aid on Miranda.
[17:16] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[17:16] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 26." [d20=20]
[17:17] <@Ebiris> A few chest compressions and mouth to mouth later, and Miranda's looking far healthier! Still out cold, but Glenn's confident she'll pull through.
[17:18] * @Henrietta closes her eyes, taking deep breath after deep breath to calm her nerves. "So this is it?" she asks at last. "The final door we had yet to check?"
[17:18] <@Rudy> "Oh, good work! She's not bleeding quite so much now," notes Rudy, before turning his eyes on Henrietta. "Are you alright- no, no you're not. You know, I do think this is the last room on this side of that underground river," he notes, walking towards the stone platform.
[17:19] <@Henrietta> "And if we cross, what awaits us there? More of the undead?"
[17:19] <@Rudy> "In other words, that might be the last creature seeking to eat us hereabouts. We might be able to afford taking a rest, because, honestly, I don't see us getting across there together unless Miranda wakes up, and frankly, this is tiring work." Rudy shrugs. "Certain death, perhaps!"
[17:19] <@Ebiris> The platform looks a bit like an altar, perhaps. A big rectangular block of grey stone, quite smooth too. There's a little silver sextant and compass on it.
[17:20] <@Glenn> "I'm glad we did give her that potion now. She'd probably be dead after what that creature did if we hadn't..." Glenn says with a shake of his head as he picks her up again. "I really hope there aren't more of those. I don't know that Miranda will survive if there are."
[17:20] <@Rudy> "Nautical trinkets. OF course," mutters Rudy, quickly canvassing the rest of the room.
[17:20] <@Rudy> OOC: take 10 on a search check for 12, whee
[17:20] <@Henrietta> "I'm afraid we can't do that," Henrietta tells Rudy. "Glenn and I are infected, and whatever happens to us, I would rather take my own life than see it come to pass. We have to find a way out now, or it's over."
[17:21] <@Rudy> "Oh. Oh. Yes. Well." He scratches his head. "Then there's nothing for it. We'll just have to cross the river and take our chances."
[17:22] <@Ebiris> Rudy looks around in the alcoves behind the various crude statues, but doesn't find much but dust behind them.
[17:22] * Joins: Merc (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net)
[17:22] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Merc
[17:23] * Quits: @Glenn (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) (Ping timeout)
[17:23] * @Rudy swipes the compass and the sextant, and soon returns back to the door. "I've no idea how we'll get Miranda across," he confesses, starting to lead the way back to the river.
[17:23] <@Henrietta> "Well, then." Henrietta hefts her flail. "Care to put out my torch and bring it along with the lamp? If Glenn can take care of Miranda, I'll take the lead, since I'm on my last legs as it is. I am the most expendable at this point. Is this a good enough plan?"
[17:23] * Merc is now known as Glenn
[17:24] <@Rudy> "Oh, don't be stupid. I'll go first," replies Rudy, rolling his eyes. "Ladies first is for balls and visitations, and this isn't either."
[17:24] <@Henrietta> "Let's just go together," she compromises, intending to follow Rudy's steps very closely.
[17:25] <@Ebiris> The party journeys back to the sea caves, their way unimpeded. As before the unworked path snakes around the corner out of sight, a dry shelf just above the sloshing waters below that churn on some unseen subterranean currents... the water actually looks a bit higher than before, almost reaching up to the shelf now, but not quite there yet.
[17:26] <@Rudy> "Oh, hell. The tide must be coming in," notes Rudy, gingerly heading to the dry shelf and starting to pick his way across.
[17:26] <@Rudy> OOC: I'll take 10, for 14, presuming dex?
[17:26] * @Henrietta follows as carefully as her frayed nerves allow.
[17:27] <@Henrietta> OOC: Taking 10, for 12 if it's dex
[17:28] <@Ebiris> Keeping his pace slow and steady, Rudy begins to make his way around, with Henrietta creeping along behind him. Hugging close to the wall and carefully picking each step, it's not too hard for them to round the twisting passage above the urchin-infested waters, nearing the stairway up that Rudy found earlier.
[17:28] * @Glenn waits a bit for the other two to reach the other side before attempting to do the same, mindful of Miranda.
[17:28] <@Glenn> OOC: Also taking 10 if possible, for 14 if dex, minus whatever for carrying miss fatty.
[17:28] <@Ebiris> OOC: what's your strength?
[17:28] * @Henrietta tries to clear the way as she goes, the only way of assisting Glenn she can think of.
[17:29] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2 aid?
[17:29] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 aid? and gets 18." [1d20=16]
[17:29] <@Glenn> ooc: 12 str
[17:30] <@Ebiris> OOC: That puts you at a heavy load, so -6 on dex based checks. Henrietta can aid by giving you a hand, there's really nothing to clear
[17:31] <@Henrietta> OOC: So result of 10? Let's risk it.
[17:32] * Quits: @Glenn (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) (Ping timeout)
[17:32] <@Ebiris> Henrietta then goes back to help Glenn carry Miranda across the treacherously narrow path. It's slow going with Glenn weighed down so much and having to carefully pick his way, but the trio eventually catch up with Rudy - and just in time, because they can see the rising water is now starting to slip into the lower jagged edges of the shelf, slowly but surely submerging it!
[17:33] * Joins: Merc (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net)
[17:33] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Merc
[17:34] <@Henrietta> "Where to next?" she asks Rudy, who had been there before.
[17:34] <@Rudy> "There's only one way," he replies, starting to lead them along it.
[17:35] <@Merc> "Thanks," Glenn says to Henrietta as he follows them.
[17:35] <@Ebiris> Up the stairs they come into the room with the dead Penkus, remaining where Rudy left him in leather armour that seems too tight for his sickly bulging skin, distorting the elaborate dragon tattoo on his left arm. On the opposite wall from where you came in stands a sturdy wooden door, seeming treated against the moisture here - although the iron lock is corroded with rust all over.
[17:36] * @Henrietta tips her hat at Glenn, though she remains alert through the rest of their trip. "Did you happen to check that it's not Vanthus?" she asks Rudy, looking uneasily at the distorted corpse.
[17:38] <@Merc> "You know, I'm honestly not that concerned with Vanthus, at this point. I just want to get out of here," Glenn mutters with a shake of his head.
[17:38] <@Rudy> "It's not Vanthus. But he wrote a letter," replies Rudy, producing it and handing it to Henrietta. "This door's the only way out," he adds, pointing at it. "Can you smash the lock?"
[17:38] * @Henrietta scans the letter briefly, before pausing and rereading it far more carefully. "Is this a joke?" she asks at last, gesturing at it. "The way it's written, well...."
[17:40] <@Merc> "Well, you've gotten me curious...what's it say?" Glenn asks, since he can't really read a letter while carrying Miranda.
[17:40] * @Henrietta hands the letter for Glenn to read, while her flail comes up. It takes but a few steps to cross the room, and then she brings her weapon down on the rusty lock!
[17:40] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+4
[17:40] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+4 and gets 10." [1d20=6]
[17:40] <@Ebiris> OOC: hit
[17:40] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+4
[17:40] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+4 and gets 6." [1d10=2]
[17:41] <@Rudy> "If it's a joke, I'm not laughing. If it's not a joke, I'm still not laughing. I don't want to infiltrate some crazy cult!"
[17:41] <@Ebiris> The heavy flail clangs off the lock, denting the iron and splintering the wood behind it! It holds for the moment, though...
[17:41] <@Henrietta> "The authorities exist for that sort of thing. We will approach them properly if we make it out alive," Henrietta says evenly, punctuating each word with a violent slam of her flail.
[17:42] <@Henrietta> roll 10#1d20+4
[17:42] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 10#1d20+4 and gets 149." [10#1d20+4 = 8, 18, 7, 17, 24, 17, 19, 18, 16, 5]
[17:42] <@Henrietta> roll 10#1d10+4
[17:42] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 10#1d10+4 and gets 85." [10#1d10+4 = 5, 12, 5, 10, 11, 11, 10, 5, 11, 5]
[17:44] <@Ebiris> The third hit does it, crunching through the lock and bashing half-through the door, whick swivels inwards on creaky hinges! Stale air escapes from the small room beyond, seeming dry in comparison to the air throughout the rest of this complex, with cobwebs littering the corners and dust swirling up in little clouds from the sudden activity after who knows how many years? Against the wall running away from the door stand three large sea chests, bolted with padlocks that seem better maintained than the one you just bashed through.
[17:45] * @Henrietta blanches. "There is no way out after all? Is that it?" she asks helplessly.
[17:47] <@Rudy> "I'd really like to say there must be a way out," mutters Rudy. "But if the trapdoor is the only way in still existing, and it's jammed... then there's only one real choice left to us! First, let's force these open. Then, let's blow up the pillars holding the place up."
[17:47] <@Merc> "Would have been nice if we could have found a map of this place. Damn them for not making things easy for us..." Glenn says, not particularly serious, and mostly just apathetic, his shoulders drooping slightly with Henrietta's words.
[17:48] <@Henrietta> "There... had to be another way," Henrietta says quietly. "It... doesn't make any sense...."
[17:48] <@Merc> 'Oh sure, now that I'm down to just one bomb, -now- he wants me to blow things up...' Glenn thinks, keeping the thought to himself.
[17:48] <@Rudy> "In any case, for now, we're stuck here," notes Rudy, walking up to one of these chests, and briefly lifting the edge up to then drop it.
[17:49] <@Ebiris> The edge barely lifts half an inch before the padlock chain keeps it in place. Hard to see what's inside through that little gap.
[17:50] <@Ebiris> OOC: strike. Which chest are you lifting?
[17:50] <@Rudy> OOC: The.. first one?
[17:50] * @Henrietta gathers the remnants of her inner strength once more. "You want to look what these men all died for? Very well. Please stand aside." Once the space is made for her, Henrietta intends to force the chests to open.
[17:50] <@Ebiris> Lifting up the first chest and dropping it, Rudy hears the tell tale jangle of coins! Lots of them!
[17:50] <@Henrietta> OOC: I'll take 10 for 14 on strength, then 20 for 24 if the first effort doesn't cut it
[17:50] <@Rudy> "I think I have some idea," he replies, backing away.
[17:51] <@Henrietta> OOC: Ah, again, 13 and 23, it's +3 not +4
[17:51] <@Rudy> While Henrietta goes about forcibly opening the containers, Rudy begins searching the entire area rather meticulously...
[17:51] <@Rudy> OOC: I'll take 20 on searching these rooms
[17:52] <@Ebiris> Henrietta then strains to open the chest in question, taking a few minutes before the ancient bolt eventually gives way to her brute strength and snaps off the lid, allowing it to pop free! Inside she can see it's filled to the brim with coins - mostly copper ones, actually, but quite a lot of silver ones, too. Certainly too many to count in a hurry, at least thousands. Meanwhile Rudy finds the rooms are rather bare besides Penkus, some shattered furniture, and a few ancient cobwems - he can't even find any spiders.
[17:54] <@Ebiris> The second chest similarly gives way to Henrietta's strength in much the same manner, filled with a dozen cloth bags - peering within, they seem to be filled mostly with gold coins, although two are filled up with gemstones - agates, sapphires, even a couple of small rubies and emeralds.
[17:54] * @Henrietta checks in all three of the chests just the same, in case there is something of value beneath all the coins.
[17:56] <@Ebiris> Then comes the final chest, opening more quickly as Henrietta gets into a routine of what to do. This one has a half dozen potions in glass bottles nestled up in cotton wadding to keep them secure, a slender ivory wand with a quartz gem on the end, and a jade coffer decorated with engraved predatory felines of some sort. Opening up the coffer reveals a slate grey gemstone, dull yet exquisitely cut, nestled very securely amidst a silk covered socket within.
[17:57] <@Ebiris> The potions have labels on them!
[17:58] * @Henrietta reads the potion labels!
[17:59] <@Ebiris> The potions are listed in order, with three 'healing' on bottles with inviting blue liquid, the next is a deeper shade of blue that says 'restoration', then a dark green one that says 'invisibility', and lastly a sea-green one that says 'swimming'.
[17:59] <@Merc> Glenn just waits off to a side, putting down Miranda and taking a break on his back while the others do the searching.
[17:59] * Merc is now known as Glenn
[18:00] * @Henrietta takes the suspected healing potions and goes to feed them to Miranda, one by one.
[18:00] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+1
[18:00] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+1 and gets 2." [1d8=1]
[18:00] <@Ebiris> Miranda perks up after the first but remains comatose...
[18:00] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+1
[18:00] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+1 and gets 8." [1d8=7]
[18:00] <@Ebiris> The next one, however, rouses her to consciousness!
[18:00] * Miranda_Altair gurgles blankly.
[18:00] <@Ebiris> OOC: welcome back, Miranda
[18:00] * @Henrietta takes the last for herself.
[18:00] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+1
[18:00] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+1 and gets 5." [1d8=4]
[18:01] <@Ebiris> Henrietta feels far better after that!
[18:01] <@Glenn> While Henrietta helps out Miranda, Glenn digs into one of his flasks and chugs it down.
[18:01] <@Glenn> roll d8+1 CLW extract
[18:01] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d8+1 CLW extract and gets 2." [d8=1]
[18:02] <Miranda_Altair> Blinking awake, Miranda says, "Oh wow that hurts. What happened?"
[18:02] * @Glenn chugs down the next one too.
[18:02] <@Glenn> roll d8+1 CLW extract 2
[18:02] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d8+1 CLW extract 2 and gets 6." [d8=5]
[18:02] <@Henrietta> "Right. Right! Healing potions work, and Restoration should help us after the disease truly sets in," Henrietta says, starting to pace. "I remember Mother lecturing me about this. Swimming, then is the way to our salvation. I shall go. I shall go and open the latch, once and for all."
[18:03] <@Rudy> "Good luck!"
[18:03] <@Henrietta> Her spirit recovering, Henrietta calls upon her analytic magic and looks about their newfound wealth, intending to focus exclusively on anything that shines magically.
[18:04] <@Glenn> "You rushed into a crab and were pinched to death almost. What were you -thinking- when you did that?" Glenn asks as he feels his own wounds vanish, wondering why he didn't think of doing this earlier. Bloody stupid of him, so he really shouldn't be admonishing Miranda. He could have died too!
[18:04] <@Rudy> "
[18:04] <@Ebiris> OOC: spellcraft, H-chan?
[18:04] <@Henrietta> OOC: 10 for 16 on all, please
[18:04] <@Rudy> "You threw bombs! In the room with lousy pillars! Could've killed us all!"
[18:04] <@Rudy> "So less admonishment, more encouragement, dammit!"
[18:05] * Joins: Merc (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net)
[18:05] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Merc
[18:05] <@Ebiris> The wand shines with faint conjuration magic. The gem glows far brighter, much stronger than the wand, but Henrietta can't tell exactly what school of magic it belongs to.
[18:05] <@Merc> "I aimed mostly carefully!" Glenn exclaims, but shuts up about Miranda.
[18:05] <Miranda_Altair> "Well...I wasn't, really. Thinking." Miranda blushes.
[18:05] * Quits: @Glenn (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) (Killed (NickServ (GHOST command used by Merc)))
[18:05] * Merc is now known as Glenn
[18:06] * @Henrietta takes the swimming potion. "These two," she says, gesturing, "are magical. And the Restorative potion is what Glenn should take if he cannot fight off the disease and I am unable to return in time. Well then. See you in a few?"
[18:07] <@Rudy> "Try not to drown!"
[18:08] * @Henrietta gives Rudy a smile and takes off her hat, offering it to him for safekeeping.
[18:09] <@Rudy> "It's dangerous to go alone," adds Rudy, walking to the edge of the water's surface, and taking in a deep breath before vomiting out a dolphin. "Take this with you!- oh, god, my mouth, it's all salty, augh...
[18:10] <@Henrietta> Dubious as she looks, Henrietta doesn't argue, drinking her potion and then setting off!
[18:12] <@Ebiris> Carefully descending into the water - it's now well above the path you used to get here - Henrietta manages to avoid the urchins as she begins to swim around and look for the source of the current. The dolphin has far better luck with its sonar, however, and chitters excitedly while guiding Henrietta to a submerged tunnel leading South at the first corner of the cavern. It looks just wide enough for a human to navigate, she thinks.
[18:13] * @Henrietta doesn't think, she swims ahead! Only death and undeath wait behind!
[18:15] <@Ebiris> The dolphin swims along with Henrietta, excitedly leading the way as she plunges through the twisting passage, skirting above urchins and anenome in the pitch black, having to rely mostly on using her hands and feeling the strokes of the dolphin's tail to get along. A minute passes, and there's a sudden rush of displaced water as the dolphin vanishes, leaving Henrietta alone! She can't see anything the way ahead, no clue as to whether she's close to the surface or some horrible dead end... but the currents felt down here have to come from somewhere?
[18:17] <@Henrietta> There is only enough place for a human to pass, after all, so all she has to do is keep on following that very same underwater trail, be it to victory and salvation or a miserable death.
[18:19] <@Ebiris> Henrietta continues groping her way through in the darkness, now bereft of her aquatic guide and having to manage for herself - the path is apparent, but many obstacles lurk all around her if she's not careful.
[18:19] <@Ebiris> OOC: make a dex check? You can get a +4 bonus if you choose to go half speed
[18:19] <@Henrietta> OOC: Can I take 10? 16 total, if so.
[18:19] <@Henrietta> OOC: At half speed
[18:19] <@Ebiris> OOC: no taking ten, this is a high pressure situation
[18:20] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+6
[18:20] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+6 and gets 21." [1d20=15]
[18:20] <@Henrietta> OOC: Still half speed
[18:22] <@Ebiris> Henrietta slows down, carefully probing her way to avoid wrapping her hand around a spiny urchin or butting her head against a sea anenome. The path continues to twist and wind, but her slow and careful pace manages to keep her from injury... yet her lungs burn with need, desperate for air that doesn't exist down in these unseen caves below the Bass Rock. The current picks up as she goes, the cavern widening and abruptly emerging into the open sea! She's far below the surface, however, and her breath can't last much longer despite the surface lying so tantalisingly close!
[18:22] <@Ebiris> OOC: constitution check
[18:23] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+3
[18:23] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+3 and gets 21." [1d20=18]
[18:24] <@Henrietta> Magically-boosted skill and carefully-trained strength are on Henrietta's side, as she pushes herself to claw the way towards the surface!
[18:24] <@Ebiris> Somehow finding the endurance to make that last ditch effort, Henrietta keeps her focus and surges up to break the surface amidst choppy waves that foam and splash against the imposing surface of the rock behind her, air at last! Nigh has fallen by now, starlight twinkling down and the lights of Salerno seen in the distance... she's done it!
[18:25] <@Henrietta> There is no time to rest and pat herself on the back! First, she must get back to the island. Then, she must make her way to the hatch, drying her clothes up along the way. Then she can finally rescue the others!
[18:25] <@Ebiris> OOC: how are you getting back? Going to climb up the cliffs here or swim around to where you landed the boat?
[18:26] <@Henrietta> OOC: How much of a swim is it?
[18:26] <@Ebiris> OOC: you can't tell for sure in the dark and not knowing the lay of the land that well, but you'd figure it'd take a couple of minutes to swim around the East side of the island to find where you landed
[18:27] * @Henrietta tries to swim across, not trusting herself to be able to scale any cliffs without the proper equipment and lacking in any handholds, not to mention cold and cut up as she is.
[18:28] <@Ebiris> The waves would certainly prove a hazard normally, but with the potion coursing through her and a ready supply of air, Henrietta powers through them with aplomb, circling around to where their boat was left, still up on the shingle-covered shore - although the tide is now lapping around its stern as it rises.
[18:30] * @Henrietta gets back upon land, resisting the urge to kiss it -- Father always said such displays were unseemly. Before she continues, Henrietta makes sure that the boat is tied securely for the time being, and wouldn't get smashed into bits in the time she will be gone, fetching the others.
[18:30] <@Ebiris> Tied with what?
[18:31] * @Henrietta just tries to push the boat further onto the beach while she still can.
[18:32] <@Ebiris> Henrietta's a big strong girl, so a little rowboat isn't much trouble to haul above the tide. With that done, she can advance up the interior of the small island, finding the trapdoor from before which now has several of the nearby large rocks rolled on top of it.
[18:33] * @Henrietta pushes the rocks out of the way, attempting to open the trapdoor afterwards.
[18:34] <@Ebiris> The rocks aren't so hard to move from this side, and likewise the trapdoor opens easily enough, leading down into a seemingly endless chasm of darkness. Even if she knows Shefton lies thirty feet down there, she certainly can't see him at this time of night.
[18:34] <@Ebiris> She can see her grappling hook and her rope dangling from the hook just below the trapdoor, though.
[18:35] * @Henrietta hits the trapdoor a few times with her flail, letting the sound resonate within the underground complex. Waiting a few moments after that signal, she yells into the shaft, "I've swam across!"
[18:35] <@Ebiris> OOC: everyone else roll perception
[18:36] <@Rudy> roll 1d20
[18:36] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20 and gets 13." [1d20=13]
[18:36] * @Henrietta will give it quarter an hour. In case she receives no response by then, she'll risk getting trapped here all over again and descends to get the others.
[18:36] <Miranda_Altair> roll 1d20+2
[18:36] * +Hatbot --> "Miranda_Altair rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
[18:37] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[18:37] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 8." [d20=2]
[18:37] <@Ebiris> A quarter of an hour passes with no response, so Henrietta descends! The way is safe enough, at least, until she reaches the sea caves where the tide has risen at least a foot above the shelf they traversed earlier. Her swimming potion feels to have worn off by now.
[18:38] <@Henrietta> "Can you hear me?" Henrietta yells from this point.
[18:38] <@Ebiris> Henrietta's voice carries far more easily within the complex, letting her companions heear her echoing clearly.
[18:38] <@Rudy> "Oh! Yes!"
[18:39] <@Henrietta> "The way out is clear, if only we can defeat this last, final obstacle!"
[18:39] <Miranda_Altair> "Hello, Henrietta!" Miranda calls.
[18:39] <@Rudy> "We just need to wait for the tide! Can you keep an eye out on the surface, make sure the way stays open?"
[18:40] <@Henrietta> "Hi! And yes, indeed I shall! I ensured our boat is still here and will wait for us once the tide passes, and I will guard the trapdoor in person. See you soon!"
[18:40] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn and Henrietta, make fort saves?
[18:40] * @Henrietta can only return to the trapdoor, climb carefully back to the surface and wait, now.
[18:41] <@Glenn> roll d20+5
[18:41] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+5 and gets 7." [d20=2]
[18:41] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+3
[18:41] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+3 and gets 10." [1d20=7]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d3 Glenn dex/con
[18:41] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d3 Glenn dex/con and gets 4." [2#1d3 = 1, 3]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d3 Henrietta dex/con
[18:41] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d3 Henrietta dex/con and gets 2." [2#1d3 = 1, 1]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> OOC: -1 dex, -3 con for Glenn. -1 dex, -1 con for Henrietta
[18:44] <@Glenn> "Ugh..." Glenn mutters as his cheeks puff, as he feels the urge to vomit rising, the disease's effect spreading. Since Henrietta told him to take the potion...he goes and drinks it, no complaints!