Day 4 0900 - The Juniors

It's time the new kids were given some responsibility of their own.  Level 1 of the dungeon is it.

The proposed roster is:

Lysander;
Kazandra;
Titan;
Elzix;
Bridget;
Guru Josh;
Dwervyn Hinch.

Of course, Titan is a bit "under the inflence" at the moment - the suggestion has been made to bundle him up and carry him around, but this could prove problematic in itself.  Sven and Lucy perhaps don't make the cut, and if they are staying behind at the field HQ, perhaps Titan can be housed there. Otis, although flagged for the B team, is happy to stay back at HQ.  He suggests keeping the goblin servants around, along with the black-clad bugbear prisoner.

Mugwort plus his 3 fire temple bugbears can go with this team, along with 6 "Swinging" Air Temple recruits.

I'll leave this proposal on the table for you to consider before moving it along...

Comments

[Lysander]

Rolled an 8. (on a d10 - that's right isn't it?)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1635347/

[TheDM]

Too late...
The door opens and you are met with five faces, vaguely recognisable as once having been human, but horribly disfigured, with a long tongue hanging out.
Their teeth appear sharp, and their nails have become claws.
There will be a surprise roll - first in on the weblog can roll it, otherwise, first to my place tomorrow for the face to face session can kick us off!

[Lysander]

"Yes, let's proceed to the room down the hall."

Room 115: perhaps Kaz would be so kind as to pop the door? Lysander will be in the second rank, Trident readied.

[Pan]

Alrighty, split into our teams and implement the pincer move. We can clear out that patch and possibly will find the key?

[TheDM]

There's a thought - how about scouting the nearby area to see what's going to come chasing you?

[Lysander]

"If they locked it, I'll wager there's something they don't want us to get behind it. But, it would appear that we don't have the means to overcome such a barrier at present. So do lead on. Perhaps we can ensure there are no further temple denizens to disturb when we break it down."

[Kaz]

I just do not want to alert the entire complex by smashing through a door. We have been successful so far by pushing through with the element of suprise.

[TheDM]

You really need to get Titan back on deck - this is his specialty.

[Lysander]

"I daresay the occupants are already aware of our prescence. Taking the door by force appears to be our only option - assuming we can successfully produce the required force..."

[Kaz]

Kazzandra whispers to the party "I can hear some whispering behind the door. There is no exit and it is chained from this side, so they could be prisoners."
"Should we just try and bash our way through the chain?"

[Kaz]

Kazzandra come in with the roll of 3.
Roll sent via Hamete.

[Lysander]

Rolled an 83 for Lysander, who I qualifies as an elf?

[TheDM]

Indeed...all characters have a chance to hear noise, chance is based on race.

d20 roll required:

Dwarf Elf Gnome
15% (3) 20% (4) 25% (5)
Half-elf Halfling Human
15% (3) 20% (4) 15% (3)

Copyright 1999 TSR Inc.

[Pan]

Can we listen at the door?
We do not have any thieves, but give it a go regardless.

[TheDM]

A gallant effort, in the face of adversity, by Lysander.
Not that I want to discourage creative problem solving, but trying to cast a spell that you don't know, let alone have memorised, is always going to be difficult.
Are there any other ideas for dealing with the door? Or is it something to come back to later perhaps?

[Pan]

Kaz will attempt to open the door.
We should formulate some kind of marching order.
Who is tuff?

[Lysander]

"As it happens, I have been working on a sea elf equivalent of the spell "knock"."

"Problematically though, it remains unfinished, and I am still in the process of researching it. However, if I were able to examine the workings of the lock, and given a little time to prepare, I may be able to unlock this door. Gods (and DMs) willing, of course."

Kneeling, Lysander pulls out some fine tools and goes to work inspecting the lock, and making copious notes with ink and paper. He begins drawing rather intricate patterns, and finally, after several minutes appears ready to cast. Drawing himself up again, he stands back and weaves an intricate spell.

When he is finished, he gathers up his tools and quietly says, "I did my best - someone give the door a try."

[Jason]

Bugger. Brute force kind of defeats the whole suprise thingy.
What about a silence spell?
Any low level mages have knock?

[TheDM]

Well there's always the "brute force" method - shame Titan is out of action or he would just use his Titan strength.

[Elzix]

"Does anyone know how to pick a lock? Don't tell me we are going to have to back to the others after the first locked door???"

[TheDM]

The door to room 114 is locked, and also has a heavy chain with a sturdy padlock securing it.

[Pan]

I propose that we head to 114, clear it and split into two groups and pincer via 118 and 115.
Group A Mugwot+3, kaz, lysander and Guru. Team B, the swingers, Elzix, Bridget and Dwerven.

[TheDM]

109. Frescoed Corridor
This passage is evidently one of importance, for it is plastered and painted with the evil scenes typical of the Temple.
--
Here's the real problem with TSR adventures...the writing is just plain BAD. On the one hand they use words like "odoriferous", and then deliver a massive build to an anti-climax. Are they JOKING?
Anyway, in another waste of an otherwise valuable page 46, the gradient is gentle enough so that dwarves and gnomes will probably notice, but anyone else has a bare *chance* of noticing, but only if the party is spread out over 40 or more feet. That chance is proportional to the amount of spread.
Anyway, the point of all this is that the east "down" leads to 201 over a gradual descent.
Just thought I'd explain the largely unnecessary complication. Gary Gygax achieved immortality for stunts like this!

[Pan]

Well, he has Pan's necklace on. we can just leave him in the fountain with team C.

[Sahrim]

Sahrim's got water breathing memorised just in case he does manage to get out of the hogtie. It won't fix anything but at least he won't drown while we restrain him again.

Lotto, did you memorise a remove curse this fine morning?