Chapter 17: Deep Reflections

[Jeff]

If Adamant is accepting this, and everyone else, let me know. Everyone crossing should still make (a much easier) Acrobatics check.

[Dave W.]

"Okay," Adamant finds a place to lay the drow corpse so it won't slide around and then ties the rope around himself. "I will brace myself over here." He sets himself around the corner from the entrance.

---

If I move 2 sq North I should have that wall to brace against while they cross.

[Joe]

Nov 6, 2019 14:19:04 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Precisely," Kal says to Adamant's comments, putting out a hand to stop Melethos. "We will anchor a rope to Adamant, who will stay on this end while each of you cross, one at a time, with the aid of that rope. I will get us," Kal indicates Adamant and himself, then waggles his fingers in a 'mystical' manner, "safely over there after you are all across." Removing rope from his pack, Kal hands it to Adamant and says, "Tie this tight around yourself. Melethos first, then Belarin and Streko. Shorak last. I want your keen eyes watching for attack while everyone is going across."

Streko silently nods and ties the rope around his waste, awaiting his turn on the ice slide.
__________________________________________________

Streko's Dexterity Roll = 20

[Dave B.]

Shorak nods his agreement. He keeps watch around them as he waits for his turn to skate down the ice bridge to the keep. When his turn comes, he ties the rope around his waist and carefully makes his way down the bridge.

Acrobatics check: 1d20+12=13.

[Ken]

"Rope is good. I like rope," says Belarin, joining the line of his allies.

_____________

Belarin does the rope thing. Dexterity (Acrobatics) check: 1d20(17) + 4 = 21.

[Jeff]

It doesn't take too long for each to cross, until only Kal and Adamant remain on the cave side of the bridge. Shorak and Melethos find their sliding path leaving them treacherously close to the edge, so they're grateful for the presence of the rope. Streko and Belarin, meanwhile, aim perfectly and reach the other end with no trouble.

The xorn stands watching from the other side of the big block of teal-colored stone.

Meanwhile, the drow canoe draws right up to the hull of the Dragonfly. Kurra looks down, and the rope ladder awaits him.

"What's the plan, Karrn?" the dwarf asks from above. "Are we leaving it, or plundering it, or what?" She points to the boat and the bundles within, and the drow body there.

[Dave W.]

Adamant unties and hands Kal the rope. He then picks the drow corpse back up. "I assume you're going to teleport us across?" He stands ready for what Kal has planned.

[Elvis]

Thul looks up at the dwarfwoman. "It's yours if you want it." 

As he climbs the rope, he pauses and looks at the smokeimp. "Wait there."

On deck, he walks to the bow and checks on the bluefrogs and the Professor.

To the others he says; "We got separated in the cave and the others are still inside somewhere. Those bluefrogs are going to be a problem."

Thul shouts to the gnome, "Professor! Get back to the dragon and come up with a plan B."

[Darren]

Returning the rope to his pack, Kal draws Skyfang and places a hand on Adamant's shoulder as he concentrates on a point on the other side of the bridge. He takes a symbolic step forward, then he and Adamant disappear and reappear on the other side. "Let's go talk to the dragon and then get out of here. Hopefully we'll find Thul along the way."

Dammit, Sem...can you hear me?


_______________
Kal will use Dimension Door to get himself and Adamant safely to the other side of the bridge.

[Dave W.]

"I thought we might reappear from the cave to wherever Sem is. I'm concerned we're still in the wrong place." Adamant says to Kal as they are moving into the keep proper. "If the dragon is here he can sort it all out. We also need to get Histra back before leaving, but hopefully we are several steps closer to being out of here."

As they move into the keep, Adamant finds a quiet, out of the way spot to set the dead drow he is carrying.

[Jeff]

Even as he is standing upon the cave-side of the bridge, Sem's telepathic voice sputters into being within Kal's mind:

THERE you are. This better be Kal and not a doppelganger imitating you—unless the imposter Kalarian d'Deneith is actually kinder and more trusting to gnomes and is generally less brash and assertive. I'd be okay with that, assuming he was committed to the same voyage and won't betray us. But since Thul is yelling at me, he seems to have come out of the cave his normal self, so I would venture to guess you're the real Kal, after all.

When Kal reaches out to touch Adamant and cast his Dimension Door, he realizes the weight of the dead drow will burden the warforged too much to allow him to come with him.

---

i.e. Adamant has to be carrying 160 lbs. or less to be able to be Kal's +1 with the Dimension Door spell. And since Adamant already has about 72 pounds of gear/armor/plating, and the drow is more than 88 lbs., it won't work. 

[Brian]

Safely across the bridge, Melethos gestures to the others. "Shorak, you're with me. We're going into the keep. The others will follow. We'll pause near the fire fountain. If all is clear, we'll move to the door to the dragon's room. Thul has to be somewhere."

He draws his sword and proceeds into the keep with Shorak (if he agrees) at his side.

[Joe]

Nov 7, 2019 19:41:19 GMT -4 Brian said:

Safely across the bridge, Melethos gestures to the others. "Shorak, you're with me. We're going into the keep. The others will follow. We'll pause near the fire fountain. If all is clear, we'll move to the door to the dragon's room. Thul has to be somewhere."

He draws his sword and proceeds into the keep with Shorak (if he agrees) at his side.

"By the Host, Melethos, have we learned nothing? Let's wait until we are ALL here, together, before venturing yet again into an unknown situation and separating ourselves again in this realm of elemental chaos. We are all too weak to stand alone. There is but Kal and Adamant. I strongly urge patience, my friend. They will be here soon enough, unless they fall off, then they will need help. Please, listen to me this time!"

[Ken]

Belarin says, "It's your decision, Melethos. Believe me, I feel the urgency, too!"

[Brian]

At Streko’s words, Melethos grimaces but halts. He turns to face the hafling. “Fine. We’ll wait.” He slams his sword back into its scabbard. “Let me know when you’re ready to proceed.”

[Dave B.]

Shorak, willing to go with Melethos, stops when Streko suggest they wait and Melethos accepts that advice. "When you are ready to proceed, I will stay with you." Shorak says as he winces from the still throbbing aches and pains from the recent battlse. "I believe I will be safer with your sword leading the way." He adds with his usual smirky smile.

[Jeff]

As your group waits for Kal and Adamant to find a way across, a couple minutes go by. Each of you notices that the "fire fountain" isn't so fiery anymore. No longer does flame swirl around it like water might a normal fountain. Now air, moving so swiftly and so sharply that it can be seen (like an air elemental) flows through it. Even the "spout" at the top is a cascade of softly glowing air. Consequency, a cool gust of wind now seems to push at all of you close enough to see it.

Sem suddenly appears from around the corner. He points at the ring of telepathy he wears. "Is this thing even on?" he asks with a grin.

"Good to see you in once piece, folks. You're missing one human and...one warforged."

I'll come back to Thul soon.

[Dave W.]

"Well, I seem to be a problem again." Adamant tells Kal. "I can not leave the body here after having promised the drow female to take it."

"Go across, send the rope back on an arrow and I'll do my best with the rope tied around me. Unless you have a better thought."

[Jeff]

Nov 7, 2019 11:34:08 GMT -4 Elvis said:

Thul looks up at the dwarfwoman. "It's yours if you want it." 

As he climbs the rope, he pauses and looks at the smokeimp. "Wait there."

On deck, he walks to the bow and checks on the bluefrogs and the Professor.

To the others he says; "We got separated in the cave and the others are still inside somewhere. Those bluefrogs are going to be a problem."

Thul shouts to the gnome, "Professor! Get back to the dragon and come up with a plan B."

By the time Thul is on board the Dragonfly again and walks up to the bow, Sem has gone from view back into the keep.

Kurra looks at him. "So....the wall's been pulled away. The azers did what they said they would. Are we just waiting for everyone to return, then we get the hell out of this place and back into Eberron proper?"

The slaad remain lurking in the rocky crevasse where the ice-bridge had once emerged.

Brack looks on, seeming unwilling to leave the helm.

Starg walks up to Thul. "What happened? It has been some hours."

Kurra eyes him askance. "And you've look less pale."

Thul feels an uncomfortable sensation of hot and cold in the wound delivered by the blue slaad. His soldier's instincts tell him he's got to get it checked out.

[Elvis]

"The bluefrog and I had a disagreement on the price of my head." He glances at the wound on his leg. "I'll get Jorasco to look at it when he gets back."

Now that the adrenaline is leaving his body, the burning pain is intensifying. As he limps back to starboard side of the ship, he says:

"Hopefully they keep that wall open until everyone is accounted for."

He loads the mounted crossbow...

"The cave fekked with my head. Started showing me things and making me re-live moments. I imagine it did the same for the others. We got separated and I came out first. The bluefrog was waiting for us, and gave me this." he indicates to the leg wound...

Thul sights down the crossbow at the smokeimp...

"Hopefully they found what the dragon is looking for."

He fires at the smokeimp. The bolt tears through it's shoulder and wing. Shreds of smoke cling to the bolt as it sticks into the side of the drow boat.

"We should be ready to move when everyone's boots are back on board."

Thul casually draws another bolt and examines it. Satisfied with it's straightness, he begins loading the crossbow again...

---

Heavy Crossbow: d20+5= 21 ; Piercing damage d10+1= 7

[Jeff]

Thul is forced to aim the crossbow almost as far down as it can pivot to target the mephit. But it doesn't see it coming....only instinct has it leaping away as the large quarrel sinks into the wood, catching a sizeable chunk of smoky wing.

The mephit shrieks and madly curses in its language, flappying up and away in retreat—wounded but far from dead. It sounds like it's running off to tell someone. The other mephits perched on the stone porch of the keep scatter like startled pigeons.

Kurra jabs Thul in the arm with a finger. "If that actually bothers the dragon and he sets this ship ablaze, it's on you."

[Brian]

Melethos nods at Sem in greeting. “Kal and Adamant will be here shortly. They’re back at the mouth of the cave. We were hoping to find Captain Thul out here. He got separated from us.” He glances towards to dragon’s door. “Any word from our reptile friend?”

[Elvis]

Thul watches the smoke imp retreat back to the keep.

"They lack discipline." He says, "If it works on unruly Karrnathi brats, it'll work on these elemental punks."

---

🤣

[Darren]

Kal grimaces. "You're killing me, Adamant," he says, once again removing the rope from his pack. "Here, tie this on to her and we'll slide her body down the incline to the others. It may not be the most respectful way to transport her, but if she slides off the side, we can pull her back up. We need to get this done. Your sense of right and wrong is going to get us killed."

Yes, it's me. I'm glad to hear Thul is with you. We're on our way back to the dragon. Can you meet us there? Is the ship okay? Have there been any attacks?

[Jeff]

Kurra smirks at Thul. "Shoot at your kids with bolts back home, do you? You know, that explains you."

Over across the ice-bridge, Sem responds in Kal's mind. Thul's just now returned to the ship. No attacks, but the slaadi are mustering; we need to get going. So hurry back. I haven't bothered the dragon, no. Thought it best. You know you've been in there for hours, right? Like, six.

---

The drow body in Adamant's arms is male. Evidently was one of the Sulatar soldiers before venturing into the cave and appearing within quite different.

[Dave W.]

“Fair enought,” Adamant says digging a rope out of his pack. “but with two ropes and both of us pulling we would stand a better chance of keeping the body on the bridge I think.”

Once both ropes are secured on the body, he looks to Kal, “I’m ready.”

[Elvis]

"Most of the time we miss on purpose." Thul says.

[Jeff]

Awaiting actions. If Kal and Adamant are both involved, both give me Acrobatics checks.

[Dave B.]

"Six hours?" Shorak asks with a bit of amazement. "It certainly didn't seem that long to me." He looks at Sem with more than a little relief. "It is good to see another friend, Sem. Yes, as soon as Kal and Adammant get over here, hopefully we can be on our way." Shorak looks back to see if the two stragglers have finally made their way to the keep.

[Dave W.]

Assuming Kal does the teleportthing and theyre using two ropes to drag the body...
dlw32:1D20 → 3(3)

good grief. hopefully Darren gets the other end of the spectrum...