D&D Beginner's Game: Act 1, Scene 3: The Hunted

Kolido

Stu "Well save to say my senses are working, I think we had a lucky escape. I'm going through, who's with me?"

Nebelwerfer

Webby cheers on Stu.

"Get in there son...".

The Dungeon Master

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Lalwende puts the staff away and grips her orc sword tightly. Motioning the others to follow, she cautiously steps through the door.

Lalwende opens the door, followed by Stu, Webby, Echtrae and Fector

OOC : Order defined by the level of interest you expressed in going through the door. Why am I telling you this? No reason....

As Lalwende pushes through the doorway - unmolested by any electrical shenanigans - she is struck by how the cacophony of echoing squeals is suddenly quiesced, creating a strangely deafening stillness.

The room the group have entered stretches out 90, maybe 100 feet before them. There are two doors visible, one about halfway along the west wall and another towards the western edge of the south wall. In the south eastern corner a wooden platform hangs over what appears to be a pit. There's some kind of graffiti scrawled on the eastern wall.



But what holds your attention is the large group of giant rats in the middle of the room, the rats whom you just startled in the middle of picking the last scraps off some other hapless adventurer. I'm not saying it's Aesc, I mean for one thing you remember Aesc having skin and a face, that's nothing like this guy. Some of the larger rats rear up to their full height - a good 3 or 4 feet - and begin chattering their teeth, then there's a long hissing squeak and they charge.

It's hard to tell how many there are, given how fast they're moving and how they seem to swarm over eachother. Definitely 6, maybe 10? They're about 40 feet away from you. 39. No wait, 38....


https://rolz.org/dr?room=The%20Meatgrinder%20Boards.ieD%26D
No rush given how long I've kept you all waiting, but once I have 3 init rolls for quorum, we can proceed.

The Dungeon Master

conor222 wrote: »

We push through the skeletons to see whats behind them in the corridor

As you pass the skeletons, a bony hand falls on your shoulder.

Literally.

Then rolls off onto the floor. Brutha mutters an apology, he must have joggled the feet of one of these osteal ornaments. Any remaining connective tissue holding them together is desiccated to the point of practically being dust, they've been here a long time.



Beyond the skeletons, more corridor - a corner turning east and a short distance beyond that another door.

conor222

We make our way up to the turn in the corridor. 9lives chekcs to see if he can see anything at all of interest, slope of the floor, sounds, potential traps. Barring any surprises he lines up the door and sees if its locked and if he can hear anything beyond.

The Dungeon Master

As far as 9 Lives can tell, the door is safe to approach - he can't see any signs of mechanisms or pain-delivery systems in the floor, walls, frame or door itself. Straining his ears, he can't hear anything beyond the door, and Brutha shakes his head to indicate that neither can he.

conor222

Lets assume the position Brutha!
Brutha ready to swing if something comes through the door and 9lives sees if the door will open

The Dungeon Master

The door swings open. On the other side is a well-lit room with a brightly coloured cyan wall opposite you and sandy yellow hexagonal tiles on the floor. In the middle of the room, which is a little north of where you're coming in, there's a chest. Across the northern wall - which is white - someone has scrawled "Don't sleep". On the southern wall - which is also white - you can see 2 doors, one at either end. There's a mirror on the west wall, opposite the chest.

conor222

9lives enters the room, looking at the tiles on the floor carefully to see if they are safe to step on. As he approaches the middle of the room he looks at himself the mirror

conor222

9lives approaches the chest in the middle of the room, keeping an eye on the mirror in front of him

Nebelwerfer

OOC: *cough*

Professor Moriarty

Ooc: I think the Slurp got the Dungeon Master.

Nebelwerfer

OOC: What? Its Wednesday, 10.30...AM!






OOC: I suppose... that could be entirely possible.

Professor Moriarty

Ooc: The Slurp was a creature that fell from the ceiling and attacked me early on in the thread. Of course, it's entirely possible that the DM is currently passed out clutching a bottle of vodka behind a few wheelie bins.

Nebelwerfer

OOC: I got the reference, though assumed the latter more likely.

The Dungeon Master

Nebelwerfer wrote: »

OOC: *cough*

OOC :

Maybe I need to be more assertive.
I've been waiting on a damage roll from you for 2 weeks dude...


https://rolz.org/dr?room=The%20Meatgrinder%20Boards.ieD%26D

#d6

Also, roll a d8 while you're there.

Prof, I need a d20 from you.

SLURRRRRP WAS A SOUND EFFECT!

Professor Moriarty

A shiver runs down Lalwende's spine as she recalls the horrible sound that the nameless ceiling creature made when it attacked her from above.

Nebelwerfer

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

OOC :

Maybe I need to be more assertive.
I've been waiting on a damage roll from you for 2 weeks dude...

OOC: Sorry I must have missed that

OOC: Apologies to all for delaying the game! Oversight on my part! My bad!

The Dungeon Master

The rats charge, 16 beady eyes fixed on Lalwende as she crosses the threshold. Hearing the squeals - mostly rodent, but not all - Webby pokes his bow through the forest of legs he calls his travelling companions and takes a pot-shot at the leader. His arrow flies true, and the rat tumbles under the feet of his pack. They falter slightly, but maintain their momentum, and then they are upon the party.

Webby tries a sneaky shot into the throng but his arrow glances harmlessly off the ground. Stu waves his dagger around, having no experience or knowledge of knife fighting. Lalwende on the other hand is all too familiar with the harsh realities of the gutter, clubbing at the mass of fur and incisors with her ruined quarterstaff. One rat falls but the rest swarm on her, their combined weight pushing her over, teeth and claw seeking every piece of exposed flesh, rending and tearing. She convulses on the ground for a mercifully short time.

Fector swings his hammer at the writhing muroidean mass, Echtrae thrusts his torch at them; brains splatter and fur smoulders, and they forget their meal. A rat leaps at Webby's throat, he parries its maw with his sword, breaking off a fang. Stu makes a harmless half-stab forwards; his flocculent foe first nips at his hand in an exploratory manner and, when there's no counter-attack, leaps at his throat and ripping it open.

Seeing his comrade fall, Echtrae lashes out awkwardly with his torch, stumbling over another rodent who had been trying to circle Fector and falling flat on his face. Fector takes this moment of confusion to introduce his warhammer to the top of the rat's head. It makes a hell of a first impression.

2 rats remain. As Webby engages with one, the other leaps at his arm, sinking it's teeth in deep. He screams, dropping his sword. He chops at its snout with his free hand until it releases, using it's disorientation to clamber on its back and bridle it with his short Rope of Lawfulness™. He pulls back hard on the reins, exposing it's throat. Lying on the floor, Echtrae grabs Webby's sword and sweeps it across the rats throat, bathing himself in gore. While struggling with conflicting biological imperatives - the need to flee, the need to feed, the drive to protect the pack - the final rat does not notice Fector taking aim, nor the final croquet swing that sends its head sailing across the room and into the pit beyond.

OCC :
Lalwende and Stu Pendous are dead. Let me know if you want to be magically revived, re-roll another character, or call it quits there.
Webby is on 1 HP and no longer has his noble rat-steed
Fector took a bit of damage and sits on 3HP
Echtrae is unharmed
And lets not forget the rats, who were only protecting themselves. Bow your heads!

The Dungeon Master

conor222 wrote: »

9lives approaches the chest in the middle of the room, keeping an eye on the mirror in front of him

He arrives at the chest, finding nothing of note on his journey or at his destination. Across the room, a passably dashing young rogue keeps an eye on him too. (that's the mirror)

Nebelwerfer

Webby's eyes are running red, filled with rage of the battle.

He walks over to Echtrae and takes back his sword and walks over to what was clearly the leader of the pack.

"I will wear your skin and kill....KILLL... KILL YOUR KIN!"

He slashes open the belly of the beast and dives in with his arms, pulling out the rats innards. With each slash and each grab, into the rat's body, Webby feels more and more anger come over him. This nearly cost him his life and his party paid a high price for his survival.

The rats are almost similar in size to him, making the skin a snug fit. Given the weight of the rat, it should not wear him down.

The Dungeon Master

OOC : Roll a d100 and let me know the result, Rat King.

Guffy

Echtrae is stunned, he had only just gotten over being covered in rat muck when he sees Webby take his anger out on a dead rat. Barely able to lift his own sword he watches in disgust as he peels the pelt from the rat.

He takes in the scene and sees two of his comrades torn to shreds on the floor, barely recognisable. This jolts him out of his stuper, more from fear than any form of bravery.

He reaches into his pack taking out of whats left of his health potion he carefully tosses it to Webby, "here, you need this more than I".

Echtrae goes to the bodies of his fallen comrades and loots their belongings "At least ye have peace now". He then goes to investigate whatever the rats where surrounding before they were interrupted. All the while taking in his surroundings.

conor222

9lives inspects the chest so see if its rigged in any way. If it appears not he opens it

The Dungeon Master

Webby's blade slices the beast's gizzards wide open, it's innards slopping onto the floor with an unusually heavy thunk. He hacks and slashes fervently, finally rising from the steaming gore and stinking guts, cloaked in rat hide.

OOC : Base AC while wearing the rathide is 8, and you'll gain a bonus when trying to intimidate but you'll take a penalty on any attempts to be charming.

The vial that Echtrae threw him is empty, having been previously consumed.

OOC : Potions are generally 1-shot. In some cases you can drink half a potion for a half-effect but Healing Potions are all-or-nothing. Note, Lalwende had been quaffing that poisonous silver stuff like there was no tomorrow, bear in mind she had filled a whole waterskin with the stuff, and also refilled it at least once.

Rummaging through the tattered flesh and cloth that used to be his comrades, Echtrae finds :
Lalwende - Spellbook, a very sharp quill, 3 days worth of rations, a mirror, a nail file, a short sword, a damaged quarterstaff, a suit of scale mail.
Stu - A Dagger, a wineskin, a quill, a spellbook.

OOC : If you decide to take everything, we'll have to have a chat about encumbrance. Note that you cannot learn a spell from another's spellbook directly. You need to take time to study it and transcribe it into your own shorthand. Technically you also need to know the spell "read magic" and be free to cast it but we can talk about that if and when it's necessary.


The rats it seems were picking over the bones of a similarly unfortunate dungeoneer. In their pack Echtrae finds a silver dagger, 6 copper pieces and an empty waterskin.

The Dungeon Master

conor222 wrote: »

9lives inspects the chest so see if its rigged in any way. If it appears not he opens it

9 Lives and Brutha inspect the chest thoroughly. Neither can see any kind of mechanism on the chest lid or latch, nor sense any kind of warding or magick at play. Brutha lifts the hasp and is about to lift the lid when 9 Lives notices something about the floor under the chest - it sits ever so slightly proud of the chest itself, as if the chest is embedded in the floor, or sitting on something else.

The Dungeon Master

Meanwhile, outside Sandor's Tomb
As Stufur ponders his next move, he is startled from his reverie by thunderous footsteps beating a slow, ominous tattoo as they descend the steps to the east. He stares wideeyed as the corridor lights up, flames licking around the corner ahead of vast talons that grip the corner, they in turn attached to lava-veined arms that heave an immense demonic frame into view. The creature hunches its bulk, squeezing it's leathery wings into the tight confines of the corridor. With a sulphurous bellow of breath, it pulls it's horned head level with his. It's rumbling voice, when it speaks, is felt as much as heard.


"Little dead elf. Would you like a cup of tea?"

Guffy

Echtrae gathers all of the spoils into a pile. He throws the coins in his pack, along with the rations.

He cuts a piece of rat skin up and using his silk rope, fashions a sheath for his lovely new silver dagger, which he fixes to around his waist.

He picks up the wineskin and draws a long swig. Pours a drop onto the floor for the fallen before tossing it to Webby, "Here take a drink and pass it on. Take what you need from the pile, before we go let me have a pause while ye recupriate and allow me to study"

Echtrae picks up the two spell books, reads through them and uses his ink and quill to hurriedly transcribe any unknown spells that he can make out.

Tossing the books back looks around the room for anything of note, sits and begins to study his protection v evil spell.

While sitting he holds an air of smugness of someone who had no business of being in a scrap coming out on top.

Ooc: my spell is no longer active, correct? Do i have time to learn a new one?

Nebelwerfer

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

...slopping onto the floor with an unusually heavy thunk...

The vision is clearing before Webby's eyes, with the blood fueled rage now slowly subsiding. He calms further as he hears his companion, Echtrae, speak and throw objects towards him.

He feels sharp pains overcome him, losing balance and crouching to the ground. Webby had been hurt, barely hanging on.

As his vision clears he sees a potion that Echtrae had thrown at him.

"Healing!" he thinks to himself as he gleefully opens the bottle and puts it to his mouth, only to realise it was empty. Dry. Not a drop. Seems cruel to throw bottles at comrades that are already suffering, just to draw attention.

Echtrae offers Webby some wine, which he happily accepts, still catching his breath for the battle past. He takes a big gulp, before closing it up and putting it in his bag.

He feels a sudden hunger befall on him and looks around, finding some rations on the floor. He dives in, without thought, and fills his mouth, with as much as can fit and rises to his feet.

He is already feeling better now his stomach will no longer be empty.

He looks around and out for his party.



Blood. Gore. Guts. Comrades...

Webby is struck with sadness. Tears roll down his cheeks as he looks onto all those that were lost.

Webby turns around and steps onto the rat, he earlier tore apart. Though disgusted with himself, he does now have this kick ass Rat King Skin.

He remembers he heard an unusually heavy thunk when its innards dropped on the floor. He holds up his blade and prods around to see if upon 'further' inspection he could find more.

The Dungeon Master

Guffy wrote: »

Ooc: my spell is no longer active, correct? Do i have time to learn a new one?

Ooc : if you're taking a proper 8hr rest, I will allow you to spend an hour studying one of the spell books to translate and transcribe the spell. Then you can spend an hour learning 1 spell from the selection in your book.

Before you ask, I'm not telling you what's in either book. Part of the reason this takes time is you can't just read another spell caster's book, you have to decipher it.

Resting heals 2hp. Ok, that's not strictly true, it takes 1 full day of rest and nothing but rest to recover 1d3 hp but we're on a schedule here!

I would not advise you to sleep in a room you have neither secured nor fully explored. I know it's my job to kill you, but don't make it too easy for me.

Oh, and since you're also handling untreated rat skin as well, roll a D100. Nebelwerfer passed his rolls.

The Dungeon Master

Nebelwerfer wrote: »

He remembers he heard an unusually heavy thunk when its innards dropped on the floor. He holds up his blade and prods around to see if upon 'further' inspection he could find more.

His sword slices easily through the rats stomach, the caul splitting and spilling out half-digested chunks of muscle and organ, bits of leather and cloth padding, and a number of metallic items. Once cleaned up with a small chamois he fashions from the ever versatile rat skin, he can see that they are an ornate goblet, an eagle-shaped belt buckle and a dagger with an intricately carved handle. None appears to have been damaged by their stay in the alpha rats belly, and all look valuable to his untrained eye. A trained thief might be able to better appraise them but where would you find one of those?

conor222

9lives motions for Brutha to hold off,
there ssomething not quite right about this
9 lives investigates the base of this chest, can this be lifted up off the floor or what could it be?
He thinks back to the mechanisms he has seen before to see if anything clicks

The Dungeon Master

Ooc : roll a d20. Depending on the results I'll apply the necessary modifiers

Nebelwerfer

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

His sword slices easily through the rats stomach, the caul splitting and spilling out half-digested chunks of muscle and organ, bits of leather and cloth padding, and a number of metallic items. Once cleaned up with a small chamois he fashions from the ever versatile rat skin, he can see that they are an ornate goblet, an eagle-shaped belt buckle and a dagger with an intricately carved handle. None appears to have been damaged by their stay in the alpha rats belly, and all look valuable to his untrained eye. A trained thief might be able to better appraise them but where would you find one of those?

Webby grabs the items and and puts them into his bag. The dagger however, he puts within reach.

"Never know when you need something pointy..." He thinks to himself as he remembers being disarmed by one of the rats earlier.

"The rest of those items I'll get checked out by Mr. Nine Lives...".

He sees amongst other items, a waterskin, which he grabs and wraps around his waist.

He looks onto Echtrae, who seems to be studying spells.

"You... uh... wouldnt per chance... know how to cure disease... Do you? He says to Ech, though he would rather not disturb him.

Webby looks around the room to see what is beyond the slaughter directly in front of him, cautious, as always.

Nine Lives Peter

Guffy

Echtrae is to confused by the other spell books and puts them back in the pile. "Unfortunately not, Webby. lets secure the room and hold up until you are fit to go on".

Echtrae looks around the room for anything of note.

Ooc: if there is nothing untoward or interesting in sight, I'll start learning my defence v evil spell.

conor222

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

Ooc : roll a d20. Depending on the results I'll apply the necessary modifiers

OOC: Was this for me? I can hop into rolz and do one now if that works

Professor Moriarty

Ooc: I'd like to continue playing please. You can resurrect Lalwende or I can develop a new character - which ever is best for the game. Thanks. Meanwhile, in real life, I'm on my way to buy a shed load of rat poison.

The Dungeon Master

conor222 wrote: »

OOC: Was this for me? I can hop into rolz and do one now if that works

OOC : Yes indeed it was.

Nebelwerfer

Guffy wrote: »

Echtrae is to confused by the other spell books and puts them back in the pile. "Unfortunately not, Webby. lets secure the room and hold up until you are fit to go on".

Echtrae looks around the room for anything of note.

Ooc: if there is nothing untoward or interesting in sight, I'll start learning my defence v evil spell.

Webby, still chewing away, gives Echtrae a thumbs up.

The Dungeon Master

Nebelwerfer wrote: »

Webby looks around the room to see what is beyond the slaughter directly in front of him, cautious, as always.

Apart from the blood, gore, bile, half-digested flesh, skinless rat corpses and bits of Stu and Lalwende, there's a pit in the south-east corner with a platform hanging over it, a diagram on the east wall, a closed door leading west, a closed door leading south and an open door to the north that you came in through.

@Echtrae, you have to sleep before you study I'm afraid.

Nebelwerfer

Webby gulps down the last remnants of rations rearing the back of his throat.

"Ready when you are..." he says to Echtrae.

While waiting for his comrade, he continues cautiously exploring the room, to make sure there are not pygmy rats, coupled with the big'uns.

Nebelwerfer

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

Apart from the blood, gore, bile, half-digested flesh, skinless rat corpses and bits of Stu and Lalwende, there's a pit in the south-east corner with a platform hanging over it, a diagram on the east wall, a closed door leading west, a closed door leading south and an open door to the north that you came in through.

@Echtrae, you have to sleep before you study I'm afraid.

Webby walks over to the diagram on the east wall, to take a gander and see if this makes any sense to him.

As he walks toward the diagram, he notices the platform hanging, in the south-east corner.

"Probably a trigger mechanic... Knowing our luck..." He mumbles to himself as he tries to inspect this closer as well.

Guffy

"Can't make head nor tails of this study lark" mutters Ech to himself. "Hold up Webby" Ech hops over to Webby stopping at the diagram to see what he can see.

The Dungeon Master

OOC : Please bear in mind, rations do not heal you. They stop you starving to death. Which you now won't do for a while!
@Nebelwerfer - for the diagram, you can do an int roll if you really want to but it's not necessary


While Webby scratches his head and turns it this way and that trying to make head nor tail of diagram, Echtrae walks up behind him, wondering what the point is of having a gas-based trap on the western door if you're just going to draw a great big honking picture of the activation method and mechanics on the wall with a series of runes announcing what and where it is. Can hardly even call it a trap then, just an inconvenience.

conor222

Mediocrity ahoy!

Guffy

The Dungeon Master wrote: »

OOC : Please bear in mind, rations do not heal you. They stop you starving to death. Which you now won't do for a while!
@Nebelwerfer - for the diagram, you can do an int roll if you really want to but it's not necessary


While Webby scratches his head and turns it this way and that trying to make head nor tail of diagram, Echtrae walks up behind him, wondering what the point is of having a gas-based trap on the western door if you're just going to draw a great big honking picture of the activation method and mechanics on the wall with a series of runes announcing what and where it is. Can hardly even call it a trap then, just an inconvenience.

Echtrae relays the info to Webby, smirking at gis confusion, and gets set to follow his lead.


Ooc: away for a few hours. Follow webby's lead

The Dungeon Master

conor222 wrote: »

Mediocrity ahoy!

9Lives wracks his brains but cannot quite put his finger on where he's seen anything like this before.

conor222

Be careful Brutha, it seems a bit off but I cant put my finger on it. Open it very slowly
(He continues to open the chest)

Professor Moriarty

Neifion! Neifion! Help! I'm up here! It's me, Poppy Goodchild!

Nebelwerfer

Guffy wrote: »

Echtrae relays the info to Webby, smirking at gis confusion, and gets set to follow his lead.


Ooc: away for a few hours. Follow webby's lead

Webby thanks Echtrae for the explanation and preps himself for the road ahead.

As he steps forward he realises he barely has any strength left, finding it particularly difficult to continue standing upright, let alone taking the lead and moving forward.

"I need to rest..." he confesses to Echtrae.

"Perhaps its better we stay put, at least for a little while, while we regain our strength....".

He then proceeds to apologize profusely to Echtrae, as he hates being a burden , always has and always will. Webby has always had a tendency to overcompensate as a result.

Webby puts his bag down and equipment on his person, besides the bag. On second thought, he picks up the sword again and decides to clear the room.

Webby initially walks up to the door, through which they arrived, checks the hallway and proceeds to close the door.

He does the rounds, looking out carefully for any traps left behind in the room, yet to be triggered.

He realises they need to remain safe, even when resting, and looks onto the doors for locks or ways to barricade while they remain in the room.