Caer Mortling #4

 

Caer Mortling #4

Room #6 (Locked Storeroom)

Alias performs a check, but there are no traps, so as GM, there is no need for a roll when dealing with this matter. If I can perform a little aside, this is one of those minor things that showcase the difference between running with players and solo play. Right now, if Alias’ character had asked about the door, I could have picked up some dice to roll behind the screen just to roll and increase the tension. I could have asked her to roll and act like I was checking notes. In this case, I have no reason to have her roll or check anything as I have both the adventure in front of him and feel little need to make any exceptions or changes. Alias performs a search, she does note the door is locked and rolls out her thieves’ tools to try and pick the lock.

Lockpicking check: Natural 20 - She picks the lock and finds a storage room with three casks of oil used to pour down murder holes and sealed by jars that are stained with tar. She also finds a tabard hanging on a wall is a purple stained tabard with the crest of two blue butterflies. Below the tabard was a small silver ring that maintains its lustre despite the years of abandonment.

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Alias held the small silver ring up to the dim torchlight, frowning at how it caught the orange perfectly: clean, flawless, as if freshly polished in a jeweler’s shop over on Oleander Avenue back on Seaside.

“Odd,” she murmured as she rolled the finger between her fingers.

NIndur leaned closer, his brow knitting. “Not even a touch of dust to it. I sense something subtle about it.”

“We can test it later, or maybe you can conduct an examination back in camp,” Alias said. She held it up, seeing if anyone wanted to take responsibility. Given she possessed a myriad of pockets and pouches, Alias slipped the ring and the party continued on their way.

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While I am aware of the adventure, I want to add a little bit of randomness to determine a certain character’s action. Unlike Alias’ looking for traps, that costs nothing but a die roll. This oracle check represents an expenditure of a resource, in this case, Nindur’s Wand of Detect Secret doors. This will be accomplished with a random die roll, typically d6. I will say on standard rooms, it will generally be a 5+. In rooms where treasure has been discovered, or other doors, I will drop that to 3-or-4. I might also use varying dice, depending on the situation. Upon finding this treasure, let’s see if Nindur uses his Wand of Detect Secret Doors in the room. There is no secret door, but this may burn a charge.

Q: Does Nindur use a charge?
A: 6 > 4 - Yes, and he uses a second charge in the main room where the slimes are located. He burns two charges (⅓ Remaining). No luck for the wizard! But it was better safe than sorry.

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The party reaches the next door ahead of them (Room #7 - Breached Tower) - Alias performs a check and finds that the door is not trapped or locked. She listens at the door.

Random Encounter Chance (1-in-8): 3 - No Encounter

Alias hears nothing (no dice roll needed, there is no encounter planned for the room). She slips in and finds that the north east tower has been breached, with a portion of the tower’s base exposed, possibly caused by the sea waves driven by a storm pounding into the tower’s side. The room is otherwise safe. In the distance, the party can make out a distant flare of whites and blue lightning flashes followed by distant thunder. One of the sea conjured storms was rolling onto the coast.

Lucille looked out and then opened at the top of the tower, “Maybe we want to set a few pans out and collect some rainwater.” As the party tours the room, Lucille steps towards the break in the tower and notices an old piton sticking from the rock face. Someone had tried to climb into the tower from the rocks below.

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“It’s got some age to it,” Lucille noted as she knelt by the opening. Nindur created a temporary light at the costume gem at the end of his staff and held it out, just for this sort of occasion, giving Lucille enough light so that she can make out details. She spotted another one down the way, “Someone had been going in and out of this castle awhile ago.”

Cuthbert grumbled, he stood back a ways from the gathering. “Probably no reason to look that far out, Miss Lucille.”

Lucille stood up and stepped back into the gloom of the tower, “A touch nervous of heights, Cuthbert? I thought dwarves were as surefooted as rams.”

“All dwarves are, Miss, but it’s only mountain kin that truly enjoy the heights. I’m a hill dwarf. I prefer sticking to the ground as much as possible.”

Lucille nodded and smiled, “I’m touched by your concern, Ser Cuthbert. I can say with confidence that we are probably safe from some rogue sneaking up on us if we camp in here.”

---

The party turns south, moving about 40 feet before finding a door on the right. Alias performs a check of the door, finding no traps or the door being locked. She steps into the room and finds that the room is a stairwell leading to a lower level of the castle.

As the GM, I make a secret roll to see if she spots the Hidden Door that is set into a false wall across from where she enters into the stairwell. Perception check: 4 - No luck. She steps back and notes there are stairs going down, at the same time, there are still the other towers to explore.

Does Nindur use his Wand of Secrets in this room? Result: 1 < 5 - No, he takes a perfunctory look. Perception check: 9 and does not see the secret door. None of the others are willing to venture below, they take Alias’ word for it and they continue towards Room #8, which is set to be another corner tower.

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Alias moves on to Room #8, which is another tower room. She listens at the door.

Encounter Check (1-in-6 Chance): 1 - Encounter! - 6: Loose Mithridatium seed. Obviously, this would not make a sound. So, as far as Alias is concerned, the room appears to be clear. The door is unlocked and she moves into the room. The sudden sweep of the air causes the seed to drift up and towards the party. It possibly bursts near a party member (d6 with a 6 = equal to the seed bursting in a corner and not endangering a party member).

Seed Burst: 6 - The seed strikes a nearby low burning torch that has been left in its sconces. It briefly creates a puff of cinnamon colored smoke before being consumed by the flame. The party passes by without noticing it.

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The party turns west (going down) exiting the other side of Room #8 and finding two smaller doors before reaching the tower. Alias is in the lead again as the group moves down the hall before stopping at the first door they come across. Alias checks the door, finds it unlocked, safe to open, and only a faint buzzing. The first sign of trouble is when she opened the door and the sudden offal hit her nose. She breaks out her lantern and combines it with her darkvision to find crates over foodstuffs that have long turned foul.

“Is there anything worth searching in there?” Nindur asks.

“If there is then you be my guest,” Alias held up the lantern as she thought she saw something shift in the darkness.

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One of two swarms immediately sense the door open and a warm body standing near the entrance. The swarms have no true Stealth skill, but they do have a Dex of +1. For our purposes, we will give the swarm a ‘Passive Stealth’ for Alias to beat with her Perception, which is Stealth (Dex) Bonus + 10 for a total of 11.

Alias Perception: 21 - Her eyes adjust and she realizes a mass of fetid flies are swarming towards her. She alerts the party.

Initiative - Round #1 

Party: 14

GM: 9

Alias dodges to the side and yells at Nindur to do something!

Nindur steps in front and sticks his hand at the first swarm. He calls on a Burning Hand to cone the room. He actually torches both swarms. Both Swarms must make Dex Save vs. 13 for ½ damage. Nindur burns a 1st level slot (2/4 Remaining)

Swarm #1 - Save: Natural 1 - Failure and has caught on fire for 1 round (d6 damage)

Swarm #2 - Save: 4 - Failure

Nindur damage (3d6): 7.

Swarm #1 HP: 15/22

Swarm #2 HP: 15/22

Nindur backs up so that Fenthick can step up and use Word of Radiance that effects Swarm #1.

Fenthick Damage: 5 - Radiance

Swarm #1 Save: 15 - Success

Fenthick backs out and now the party waits for the swarm to pour into the hallway before the others go.

As the first swarm emerges, Cuthbert attacks Swarm #1 with Warhammer. Attack: 15 - Hit. Damage: 10 - Hit w/ Resistance = 5 damage. Swarm #1 HP: 10/22

Lucille fires an arrow at Swarm #2. Attack: 25 - Hit. Damage: 9/2 (Resistance) = 4. Swarm #2 HP: 11/22

Alias operated the door and used Cunning Action to dash out of the way to let the others go in. She takes a standard shot at Swarm #1. Attack: 10 - Miss

Swarm #1 takes 1d6 (6). Swarm #1 HP: 4/22 - The two swarms are currently separating Nindur and Alias on one side and Cuthbert, Fenthick, and Lucille in the narrow hallway outside of the fetid larder. Swarm #1 attacks Nindur. Attack: 21 - Hit. Damage: 7 to Nindur. Nindur HP: 23/30. Nindur Save vs. DC: 10 - 20 - Save. Magic Weapon continues to function.

Swarm #2 swarms out at Cuthbert. Attack: 16 - Miss, the swarm is kept back by Cuthbert’s shield.

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Round #2

Alias takes aim and shouts for Nindur to get back. She gains Sneak Attack and fires her crossbow. Attack: 10 - Miss

Nindur Disengages and moves behind Alias.

Cuthbert attacks Swarm #2 w/ Warhammer. Attack: 15 - Hit. Damage: 5/2 = 2. Swarm #2 HP: 9/22

Lucille fires her arrow at Swarm #2. Attack: 23 - Hit. Damage: 9/2 = 4. Swarm #2 HP: 5/22. She uses Hordebreaker on Swarm #1. Attack: 18 - Hit. Damage: 8/2 = 4. Swarm #1 HP: 0/22 - Destroyed

Fenthick casts Word of Radiance up close to Swarm #2. Damage potential: 6

Swarm #2 Save: 11 - Failure. Damage: 6. Swarm #2 HP: 0/22 - Slain!

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If there is anything in the larder, none of the party are eager to explore and investigate. Instead, the party retreat back to Room #7 where the incoming storm promises to bring fresh rain and a natural shower to help cleanse the party. The party pick their way through the ruins, moving through Room #7 (The Breached Tower) with rain already beginning to fall through the open ceiling and pooling in a small crevice in the middle of the floor before flowing out breach and onto the rocks below. The party actually move to Room #4 to gather their gear and head back to Room #7.

(Encounter Check 1-in-8 in Room #4): 5 - No Encounter.

The party leaves the Steel Spider remains (specifically the parts that could make a net trap) behind as they grab bedrolls and packs and move to the breached tower for its natural water source. After spiking the tower’s door that leads into the hall where the stairwell is located to act as an obstacle for anyone trying to enter the breach tower. From there, the party takes turns. Fenthick, Cuthbert, and Nindur stand outside the other door to the breach tower while Alias and Lucille use the falling rain as a natural shower. 

Cleansing themselves of insect guts and residual red slime. Once they are cleansed, they leave their armor to the side, and while armed with crossbow and shortbow, they take a turn to stand sentry so that the males could get their turns in getting clean. Fenthick praises small mercies, such as the ability to harness a storm in order to cut down the natural musk that adventuring parties develop when traveling through dungeons.