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[Mike M]

((I'd say that magical grease is still flammable. I can't think of a good reason why it wouldn't be, grease is grease.))

As Ludwig takes up his position to lay in ambush of any who might come and threaten the group that has braved to enter the cave, Galen takes position in the boughs of the dead tree. Between the two of them, it seems inconceivable that anyone is going to get past them and threaten those down in the embrace of the earth.

Down in the cave, Keranos goes limp as he projects his consciousness down the passageway to the left. Mercifully, the stench does not seem to have as much of an effect on him in this state as he winds down the passage that leads further down. It curves and switches back upon itself before eventually ending in chamber where the floor does not extend to the far wall, leaving a chasm between.

Peering down over the ledge, Keranos discovers the source of the smell.

There is no telling how deep the chasm goes, because starting perhaps a yard down from the edge, it is filled with the remains of animal carcasses. The wet squelching noise of countless carrion creatures indulging their nature in the tangle of bones, antlers, hide, and whatever tissues or organs the gnolls deigned not to consume is barely audible in the still chamber. The olfactory bouquet would indicate that they used this chamber as a latrine, as well. And judging by the number of dead animals visible at even a cursory glance, they had been here for a some considerable time and probably availed themselves of it frequently.

 

[ThLunarian]

Returning to his body, Keranos shakes his head. "The left is a dead end. It's nothing but a waste pit. We should take the right path. I imagine the stench will improve as we continue and get further from the pit. I'll scout ahead."

((Doing the same trick with the right path))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((I'd say that magical grease is still flammable. I can't think of a good reason why it wouldn't be, grease is grease.))

((Good to know, that adds another to my bag of tricks. Grease+firebolt <3))

"Quite fortunate that we need not enter that vile place. I shall mark that passage off." Thosar takes a bit of chalk and scrawls a large X on the rock next to the entrance to the latrine.
He then takes a small roll of papyrus and begins to scrawl out a map of the cave as well.

 

[Song of Fire]

((Galen’s just sitting in a tree, admiring the recently used campsite with the nondescript campfire smell. This probably calls a Perception check. Not a tracking (Survival) check, though, even if I could justify it; that would essentially be trying to cover the same things unless he was just looking to see…

How long ago did they leave anyway? Survival (tracking) check:

Spoiler

[10]+5=15

While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Perception:

Spoiler

[19]+5=24

We could also prepare some arrows for easy lighting by campfire, though that would probably reduce Galen's range with them.))

 

[KittenMaster]

"Now I'm worried about what we can't smell," Fhiess remarks, "do you think they trapped this place too, I wonder?" He decides to check around the immediate surroundings while Keranos' projection sees into the far distance.

Perception: 1D20+5 => (8 + 5) = 13

 

[Mike M]

(("Super storm of the decade" was a big fat nothing burger up here. Woot.))

Fhiess indulges a paranoid streak and inspects the central chamber once more, just in case some trap had been missed in a previous appraisal. It genuinely appears to be nothing but solid stone, barring a few loose pebbles rattling around on the uneven floor.

#

Keranos's consciousness drifts down the other passageway. This one moves on an uphill grade, and eventually terminates in a long chamber perhaps 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. At the far end of the chamber is a small pile of ash, partially burnt wood, and blackened stone. There's a corresponding black spot on the ceiling, surrounding a crack in the material. There's an ephemeral breeze present; this is probably some manner of natural chimney that reaches to the surface.

The rest of the chamber features several piles of furs and leathers that looks to be pillaged from more civilized folk. They stink of gnoll, but they are professionally cut and tanned, and the waste pit would seem to indicate that they either don't possess the knowledge or have the inclination to treat animal hides for themselves.

Lying on the ground near the fire pit are three empty glass bottles, each with a label bearing the image of a cartoonish, smiling root vegetable.

#

Galen picks over the campsite and determines that there were three individuals who used it, though there's evidence of a fourth that may have arrived as the rest disembarked, or continued moving on after the three arrived. The camp was abandoned no sooner than 48 hours ago, and no later than 72. They were wearing some manner of foot covering, but probably not boots; the shape of the sole is all wrong for that, it probably had some form of open toes to it.

Whoever they were, they had some sort of canids with them, and they weren't gnolls or mundane hyenas. Dogs or wolves are the best guess, and they were big ones too; the paw prints are quite large.

Insight 20:

Spoiler

The paw prints leading away from the campsite are deeper than the others, meaning that they were carrying weight. There are no humanoid footprints leaving the area. They likely road out on their animals.

 

[Song of Fire]

((That&#8217;s good to hear; it sounds like some places got hit pretty hard. There were even a couple &#8211;decently bad, as I understand&#8211; tornadoes in Oregon.

Glad to hear you&#8217;re okay.

Are you saying the non-canid tracks were clearly not gnolls?

Insight:

Spoiler

[6]+5=11

Well, everybody, Galen has failed you all, and these large black lines of important information are quite disconcerting. Good luck with your spelunking.


Added thoughts, demanded by time:

Fhiess&#8217; discovery is certainly of the utmost importance: the pebbles hold the answer. They&#8217;re rattling, even. The glass bottles are nothing, just relics of an old children&#8217;s television show.

Furthermore, everyone who entered the cave has worked hard and should take a well-deserved rest. Those leathers and furs will work quite well as blankets. Or somebody can find a way to rid them of the stench and build a yurt.

Nothing I say in these extra thoughts should be taken seriously.))

 

[Mike M]

((Anyone taking an action?))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Not really anything for Ludwig to do as far as I know))

While laying in wait, Ludwig notices Galen looking at something in the nearby camp. He wonders what it could be. Maybe evidence that the gnolls are being controlled by the crown? That Dio's kidnapping was staged all along? That the real rulers of Telmur are a bunch of dragonborn from Baglahm who infiltrated the continent in an evil lizard people scheme? Left to wonder for now, he'll have to ask what the ranger found later.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((I was going to wait on Keranos to return and report, but I'll just assume he does at this point.))
With no creatures apparent to the right, Thosar motions everyone to move that way. "Traps aside, it sounds safe. He starts down the passage and prays quietly to Boccob for guidance.
((investigation roll finding traps. _: 1D20+1D4+5 = [4]+[4]+5 = 13
))

 

[Song of Fire]

((Galen’s going to have to inform Ludwig of the camp, if for nothing else than to keep him informed. It sounds as though none of the tracks are from gnolls, so I was just double-checking on that, as it will determine the severity of Galen’s report. Nyx is not a recipient of this information unless declared to be present.

In case it is needed, here's a Perception check:

Spoiler

[11]+5=16

Galen sees outwardly more so than inwardly.

Yes, Axel, it is definitely evil lizard people. Undead evil lizard people.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'm not sure what I can do ICly at this point, but I could easily write a Ray Stantz style monologue about the cartoon root smiley faces "I swear! I didn't mean to decide the end of the world would be brought upon us by a turnip juice mascot and a giant fire breathing kobold.">

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((I got nothing. I also may be a bit lost at this point...))

 

[Song of Fire]

((But a giant fire breathing undead evil lizard person? I'm sure that would be okay. It could even toast your marshmallows. Stay puffed!

DeadPhoenix, here's a bit of a recap:

• The party arrived at Kingsword, where Fhiess lied to a commanding officer.
• The commanding officer allowed the party, and their dubious ringleader, to stay the night anyway, and even asked for help with different important operations. This result may have been related to Keranos' offer of help.
• The rangers receive news of cats and dogs hobgoblins and gnolls working together; a request for an investigation is promptly sent to those stationed around the crater that was Telmur.
• The party has a party working on a few tasks. Keranos seeks fresh blood.
• Galen might have heard the theory that Keranos was "some manner of minor devil or demon."
• The party debates the merits of hunting demon gnolls versus continuing on to dwarf lands.
• Thosar cannot determine what is carried in containers with smiling root vegetable logos. The substance is magically inert though, at least after it has been used.
• Sagishi is a shonen manga hero.
• The party returns to the place they nearly died, finding four Kingsfort rangers lurking in the trees.
• Oh, yeah, and the demon gnolls definitatly leave a blight in their wake.
• Everyone, rangers included, follows the clearly marked trail into the trees, like the horror movie protagonists they are.
• A ranger almost gets impaled in a pit trap. Ludwig would have enjoyed it.
• Fhiess has a premonition about the dread cackling ledge spider-hyena of Lolth.
• There was a trap well beyond the means of gnolls as well.
• The extended party arrived at the Great Dead Tree. There is a cave under it.
• Ludwig can't fit in there, so he, Galen, and the rangers all stay outside. Everyone else ventures into the depths. Nobody ever makes their insight checks.
• Nyx can choose whichever group, and it won't hurt Galen's feelings either way.
• Galen is currently looking at an old campsite, Ludwig is playing hide and seek, the rangers are scouting, Keranos thinks he's a ghost, and everyone else is running headlong toward unimportant empty bottles with smiling root vegetable logos. They likely came in two different flavors, and there was a fight over who was stuck with "Lemonberry Purple."
• The party is about to get eaten by giant undead lizard people (don't believe me on that, please), but it's good to have you back!))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Sorry about that. I think I'll avoid doing my out of body experience thing for recon going forward because it seems like it bogs things down a bit))

Snapping back to reality, Keranos stands up and dusts himself off. "This way," he says. "So far there is no danger to speak of. We are on the right track to solving at least one mystery."

 

[Mike M]

Thosar conducts another investigation in case the gnolls have trapped the passage leading to the chamber that Keranos explored during his out of body experience, but doesn't find anything.

Outside the cave, Galen doesn't find anything that he hasn't already seen since his arrival.

 

[Song of Fire]

((Sorry it wasn’t entirely clear, but the Perception check was in case it was needed for whatever you were making sure all actions were taken care of before unleashing upon us. Though, I suppose in that case, you would have likely just asked for one.

In the interest of Galen’s actions, I shall assume none of the tracks he saw in the camp were from gnolls, as the information provided seems to be as such. Also, there has been no real mention of a blight left behind in this area. Should we take that to mean there is of no real significance to the presence or lack of it?))


Galen carefully moves close to Ludwig’s position.

“Interesting thing, gnolls,” he says. “There is an encampment of some sort on the other side of this tree, not entirely too long ago abandoned. Recently enough, I should say, that if the gnolls who attacked us took long enough in transit through the woods, it is feasible they stayed the night there before hunting us down, if they were looking specifically for us at all.”

Galen stops a moment before turning his comment around entirely, verbalizing why the gnoll camp is, in fact, “interesting.”

“It was not gnolls, Ludwig, not unless they bore some manner of shapeshifting trickery. It was something else, three of them, maybe at some time four. Not just them, either, but something large, something canine.

“There was something else here recently, before the gnolls or with them, I cannot say. And we do not know if they mean to return.”

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig is a little off-put by how quickly and easily Galen found his new position. Setting up for an ambush is hard when you're taller than all the things you could hide around.

"Not gnolls?" He says with some measure of surprise. "How many other canine things are there that could have left those tracks then? Hmm, could the demon gnolls have hell hounds? Maybe some kind of large werewolf thing..."

Ludwig trails of for a minute before perking up. "A great grey wolf! What if those are real and the gnolls have one?! This could be huge, I've always wanted to cross blades with a great grey! Ok then Galen! No more trying to distract for me, I need to be able to draw may blade in an instant. Like you said, there's no telling if they'll come back, and we're not letting any baddies in that cave while the rest of us are in there."

Ludwig springs over and pulls the Invisible Hand out of the ground, flicking it to a horizontal position before sheathing it. He resumes his vigil in front of the cave, keeping an eye out for any creatures approaching.

[url=http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=141476]Perception: 1D20 + 3 = [18]+3 = 21
[/url]

 

[Song of Fire]

Galen makes sure he is well-positioned in his lofty perch as he responds.

“It is only too bad we can’t leave them some sort of surprise beyond our presence. I am not too fond of facing such numbers on an open field of battle.”

He draws an arrow.


((Stealth:

Spoiler

[10]+5=15

Perception, as the terrible duo is keeping some form of watch:

Spoiler

[9]+5=14

I was rather enjoying the mental image of a giraffe jumping out and drawing a giant sword out of the ground, but I suppose we can manage without that. We’ve gotta be ready for giant, sword-wielding wolves, after all.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Pushing forward into the chamber with empty bottles and furs, any doubt of connection between the gnolls and hobgoblins is erased. Thosar examines the room for possesions or trophies left by the gnolls and attempts to appraise the furs, suspecting a hobgoblin origin.
((search for loot and clues: 1D20+1D4+5 = [10]+[3]+5 = 18

appraisals: 1D20+1D4+3 = [18]+[2]+3 = 23 ))

 

[Song of Fire]

((Thosar has no idea what evils he has just unleashed upon the world.

Those furs were sacred!))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((More like they were tainted by the funk of 40000 years. ))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess glances around first, taking in the general appearance of the room in all of its unfamiliarity before examining anything closer. Even though the monsters had tried to kill them before, one could forget that and feel like they are intruding on a home.

Picking up a bottle with the eye-catching cartoon on the front, he pivots it to face a bottom corner to see how much liquid may be left, or if it is just a dry crust at this point. Then he turns the bottle upward and wafts the scent, before setting the bottle down.

While the furs are being examined, Fhiess finds an unoccupied spot to help with searching.

Investigation: 1D20+3 => (10 + 3) = 13

I was rather enjoying the mental image of a giraffe jumping out and drawing a giant sword out of the ground, but I suppose we can manage without that. We’ve gotta be ready for giant, sword-wielding wolves, after all.))

<There's at least comfort knowing that Ludwig's sword was by his side all along.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

<There's at least comfort knowing that Ludwig's sword was by his side all along.>

((Maybe Ludwig doesn't need to avenge his true mentor after all))

 

[Mike M]

((Sorry it wasn’t entirely clear, but the Perception check was in case it was needed for whatever you were making sure all actions were taken care of before unleashing upon us. Though, I suppose in that case, you would have likely just asked for one.

In the interest of Galen’s actions, I shall assume none of the tracks he saw in the camp were from gnolls, as the information provided seems to be as such. Also, there has been no real mention of a blight left behind in this area. Should we take that to mean there is of no real significance to the presence or lack of it?))

((Well, there was an insight check no one passed... The earth immediately outside the cave does feature the same blighted tracks from the Fangs (but not the abandoned campsite on the backside of the tree), just to make that clear.))

 

[Mike M]

The ransacking of what passed for the gnolls' sleeping quarters doesn't turn up much; there's some unpleasantly stinky furs and the bottles, and that's about it. Nothing that would indicate the presence of hobgoblins in the cave, though the bottles seem plenty strong evidence enough.

Fhiess's examination of the bottle proves it to be nigh identical to the one they got off the crazed hobgoblin on the outset from Remdormo. There's a brownish residue clinging to the glass, and what aroma remains smells of a bushel of turnips rotting in the sun.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"Well then, doesn't seem much left here. Maybe the others had better luck." Thosar looks disgustedly around the room before sighing and making his way toward the exit.

 

[KittenMaster]

"Wait," he interrupts, "Ah, I don't think this juice bottle was just a normal beverage they took from somewhere. This is the same glass mold that we found with the hobgoblins, but mixed with a turnip drink." Instead of setting the bottle down, he decides to keep it until they can find somebody to study the contents of the residue.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((If Ludwig were in the cave with the others, he would be screaming to burn the pit of the cesspool and to examine the suspicious pit. Too bad he's busy preparing to battle the Great Grey Wolf blade by blade .))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Not sure Thosar wants to smell burning feces/corpses. Assuming you could even get that slimy mixture lit up. Probably need a looot of lamp oil.))

Thosar nods to Fheiss. "Yes, that makes sense. Perhaps they shared with the gnolls in some sort of ritual or exchange... Perhaps they left tracks outside, we should let the others know outside."

 

[Song of Fire]

((Or magical grease. Prestidigitated to give off the scent of a thousand fields of flowers when it burns.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Or magical grease. Prestidigitated to give off the scent of a thousand fields of flowers when it burns.))

((If only I had prestidigitation. So many cantrips, so few slots.))

 

[Song of Fire]

((Maybe the party's resident bard has it in his books?

What do you think, KittenMaster?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Fhiess' non combat spells were chosen to be kind of selfish, he picked illusion spells so he could conjure up images he could use as references to paint from. I do know about the prestidigitation spell but even if I had it I don't think it would be strong enough to mask the scent from my interpretation of the spell.

The best Fhiess could do is use mage hand from 30ft away to try to move some of the corpses from a safe distance.>

 

[Song of Fire]

((Well, nobody can really fault him for that. It seems very fitting for the character. Galen doesn’t have it either, which is probably unforgivable.

You all should grab the loot and just light everything on fire, running out of the cave screaming about a large form wreathed in flame and shadow. Doom, boom, doom

Spoiler

go the drums in the deep.

))

 

[Nezumi]

((Mike, what would be the check for Sagishi building a contraption that will blow up and set the cave on fire in a timed manner? Assuming his firework materials and tinker tools are sufficient for that.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Thosar emerges from the blackness no worse for wear and seeks out Galen and the Jraffa. Once he finds them at the camp site, he informs the two of the party's findings underground. "Not much left, seems you had more luck up here with your searches."

 

[Mike M]

((Mike, what would be the check for Sagishi building a contraption that will blow up and set the cave on fire in a timed manner? Assuming his firework materials and tinker tools are sufficient for that.))

((Hm, that'd be pretty difficult to do with just the stuff you would use to make fireworks. If someone wanted to lay down a couple castings of grease and lantern oil (if anyone has lanterns, I can't remember off the top of my head), you could conceivably leave a trail of gunpowder leading out of the cave that you could use as a fuse, but it'd require everything you've got until you can pick up supplies to make more))

 

[Song of Fire]

((I just wanted to stop in and say that I am planning on seeing what the rest of the entry team is up to before worrying about a response to Thosar. Just to let everyone know.

Also, don't burn everything down. If we cleanse the sacred tree of the taint of evil, the dryad who lives in it might reward us. A dryad totally lives in this evil tree, guys.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Huh, really?" Ludwig says with some surprise. "We didn't find much up here, just that some heavy wolf-like things came through at some point. Do you think there could have been a hidden passage in there that got overlooked, or have we hit a dead end or something?"

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"We didn't carefully look over the pile of corpses and excreta, otherwise we were quite thorough. The canid tracks sound promising, though. If we can follow those, I suspect we'll get some answers."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"You know, if I wanted to hide a secret passage, I'd put it in a place no one wanted to investigate. Then again, they'd have to go through there too to come and go and... Ok, I don't blame you for not combing that gross mess. Yeah, the tracks should make for a more reliable lead."

 

[Song of Fire]

((Well, never mind on waiting, than. Galen can't just sit out of this conversation.))


"Actually, it's not exactly just some sort of wolf-creature we're dealing with here," Galen adds. "There's been something else here with them, setting up camp, probably leaving at the same time.

"It's not a stretch to say that it's possible they might have left at the same time as the gnolls, even if they could have sooner. Just what sort of link they have, it's a bit early to say. Perhaps you would like a look?"


((And thus Galen excitedly shows the group the camp, asking what everyone thinks, Thosar and Nyx especially. Maybe they also have a tea party in the shade of the foreboding tree.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Thosar examines the tracks in the earth and any more humaonoid traces, pondering the possible indications of what went through here.

Investigation + Nature rolls: 1D20+1D4+5 = [11]+[4]+5 = 20
1D20+1D4+5 = [20]+[4]+5 = 29


(Finally good rolls again!))

 

[Mike M]

((I'll give everyone a chance to reroll this one at a lower DC since they now have information that would make the pieces easier to connect));

Insight DC 15:

Spoiler

The three sets of blighted tracks of the Fangs only come out of the cave.

Thosar's education would allow him to identify the paw prints as belonging to dire wolves. Big ones, too.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig stands around majestically while Galen and Thosar go over their findings. As Thosar looks over the paw prints, something seems amiss. He's not sure what, but something about the footprints and lack of things in the cave... wait. Big footprints. Footprints by the cave. Not big. Footprints. Gnolls. Dead end. Cave. Gnolls. Demon. Foot. Prince. Wolf.

[url=http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=141806]Insight: 1D20 + 3 = [16]+3 = 19
[/url]

"Eureka!" The J'raffa shouts loud enough to scare birds from the surrounding trees. "Guys! The demonic gnoll footprints by the cave are only coming out of the cave!"

 

[Song of Fire]

((That does sound like a rather dire situation.

If Galen makes this check, I think I'll wait and let someone else have a chance to tell the group just how doomed they all are; Galen's tried this already.

Whatever has become of the scouting rangers?

Galen makes a new attempt at being insightful:

Spoiler

[15]+5=20

Check for new posts edit:
And Ludwig gets it.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

_: 1D20+4 = [2]+4 = 6
((insight? More like out of sight.))

"Wait, what? I don't see it." Thosar looks quizzically at the corrupted ground and the wolf tracks. "Those large paw prints are dire wolves by the way. Unusually large ones at that...probably big enough to make for good mounts."

 

[KittenMaster]

<Insight: 1D20+5 => (3 + 5) = 8

There are no bad rolls, only happy little storytelling devices>

"Ah.. wait.. what is this about wolves? How big is one that 'makes for a good mount'?"

 

[Song of Fire]

Galen looks at the mess of tracks around the cave, silent, thinking.

"What could have happened in there, I wonder, if this is their origin?" he says after a time. "It's not as if creatures followed by a blight upon the earth could be born of a tree like this, though it may be very possible they killed it."

(("Maybe this tree is their god?" he ponders, more to see Ludwig smite it than anything. "I can hear it's whispers. It tells me to kill the free market and rise to my rightful place as the Dark Lord of Regulated Commerce."

If I may ask, is there some way to identify if anything... unexpected... entered the cave?))