Session 56 - The One Where TC And Carro Fall Out
18th Feb 2024
In-game timeline: DR1489 Uktar 3 - Uktar 3
Our "Heroes" are chasing some wererats down a staircase. Carro feels naked without his longbow and silver arrows and decides to go back for them. TC pours scorn on this decision and sulks for a while. Carro is already halfway down the corridor, so the effect of this derision is lost on the elf.
TC and Mahtis spend a round or two healing themselves up a little, but to continue the chase, Mahtis first conjures up four giant goats to head after the fleeing rat-human hybrids. Unfortunately the lack of the ability to choose the creature does mean that these large creatures clutter up the staircase somewhat, and the chase is not as quick as perhaps would have been hoped for. Especially as it takes a short while for Mahtis to decide what instructions to give the goats.
After the goats have headed down, Mahtis and TC follow, ignoring the impressive carvings that adorn this staircase too. At the bottom they just catch sight of the wererats heading out of the light at the other end of a corridor. A strange creature stands outside a closed door half way along the corridor - this seems to be a creation made up of a variety of sewn body parts - human and something scaley. It doesn't seem to be doing anything other than standing there.
Mahtis sends a couple of goats after the rats. TC uses his figurine of wondrous power to create a mastiff that also heads after the rats. Meanwhile the other two goats are told to engage with the golem standing outside the door. This seems to annoy the otherwise peaceful-looking golem, and it growls at them with a guttural snarl. Mahtis decides to piss it off even more by casting Frostbite at it. This causes the creature to dash towards Mahtis, just about reaching the dragonborn, but not able to attack…yet.
Meanwhile the goats are trying to butt the wererats to death. Unfortunately, with their attacks (and those of the pursuing mastiff) not being magical, they seem to do no damage to the rats, though they are able to attempt (and do manage once) to knock the rats to the ground, which does slow them down a little.
Whilst this slowing down of the rats is quite useful, the fact that TC and Mahtis are a little preoccupied by the golem, and the additional fact that, unbeknownst to the "Heroes", there is another spiral staircase at the end of this corridor, which once more slows down pursuit as the giant goats block up the stairs. TC continues the pursuit but is held up by a queue of goats and a mastiff making their way down a stone spiral stair. With frustration, TC turns to help out Mahtis with the golem.
Mahtis meanwhile is struggling. Despite good hits by the goats, and by Mahtis on the golem using the mighty TRAXIIL (which has to be said in a gruff voice and east-European accent, for some reason), the druid takes significant damage when the golem slams her with his fists, and then manages to grab Mahtis and hold on to her, preventing her from getting away.
With Mahtis in the clutches of the dangerous creature, TC fires off his Eldritch Blast at the golem, damaging it further, and Carro arrives, firing off a couple of arrows at it too. It seems to be quite resilient, but is slowly being worn down. The goats too help out and eventually the golem falls, though not before it has done more damage to Mahtis, causing her to lose concentration and her conjured goats disappear!
With the party now back together, and Carro fully tooled-up, they run to the other staircase to follow where the rats went, ignoring the closed door in the corridor.
At the bottom of these stairs TC, who is first, sees a door at the end of the corridor very slightly ajar, but no sign of rats, or goats or mastiff. The others join him, and Mahtis finds the mastiff, now returned to its figurine form for some reason. TC runs to listen at the slightly ajar door, and can hear another door closing beyond. Our "Heroes" regroup.
Stepping back and using mage hand, TC opens the door to reveal a well-lit room beyond, with two other, closed, doors leading from it, and an iron grate in the floor. The room is set out as a pleasant and comfortable dining room, with food on a table that is set for four people. A drinks cabinet is in the corner and, strangely, a large statue of a seated ant is against a wall. The rats are nowhere to be seen. The statue seems to trigger a memory in Mahtis, who thinks that it is possibly a statue of a Scriben - the reputed creators of these ruins (though, presumably, they weren't ruins when first created!).
Catching their breath, the group check out the room. One door seems to have a sign on it, saying "Lights!". Listening at the other door doesn't reveal anything. Mahtis, however, hears the screaming from a female voice from beneath the grating, which seems to lead to steps going into darkness below.
They decide the grate is the best option. TC and Mahtis together try to lift the grate, but it is very heavy and their attempt only raises it a short distance before they lose their grip and it drops back down with a loud CLANG! They try again, but with the same results. Pausing to listen, they hear something coming towards the grate from below, possibly (probably!) alerted by their noisy attempts to lift the heavy grate.
Having chased the rats into the depths, and alerted the world to their presence, our "Heroes" brace themselves for what is coming…