CH 2: Lost City of the Ancients

[Jenara]

"Well, it appears that these creatures have something else they can do.. ." Laurana says with a frown.

(Is it possible to just walk around the swamp? Is she Now off the map?)

[JadedDM]

Riverwind, Goldmoon, and the others cross over the wooden bridge without any worry about footing. However, when they get to the half-way point, Riverwind suddenly freezes. On the other end of the bridge are two more draconians, although these ones lack horns and have a more brassy sheen than the bronze-colored ones they saw before.



The draconians draw their swords and charge across the bridge at the party. Riverwind steps forward, ready to meet them. "Goldmoon, stay back!" he says. The plainsman takes a nasty cut across his shoulder from one blade, but nimbly ducks to avoid the second.

Snarling in rage, Riverwind cleanly slices off the head of one of his attackers. The head plops into the water with a splash, but the body instantly transforms into stone, leaving a headless statue behind. Riverwind is so caught off guard by this, that he loses the grip on his knife which clatters to the bridge at his feet.

==========================

Meanwhile, Laurana and Tas are left with a choice. Do they attempt to cross the swamp water and pick up the trail once they reach dry land again? Or do they go around and try to find a safer path?

==========================

Party's Initiative (1d10): 10
Enemy's Initiative (1d10): 3

(Enemy wins!)

Round 1!

Draconian 01 attacks Riverwind (1d20): 19, hit for (1d8): 4 damage.
Draconian 02 attacks Riverwind (1d20): 6, miss.

(Party's turn!)

Riverwind attacks Draconian 02 with his long sword (1d20+7): 27 (critical hit!) for (2d8+6): 11 damage. Draconian 02 dies.
Riverwind makes a DEX-3 check (1d20): 6, pass.
Riverwind attacks Draconian 01 with his hunting knife (1d20+6): 7 (critical fumble!) Riverwind drops his knife.

(OOC: A crit and a fumble in the same attack? Sometimes I wonder just how random Invisible Castle is.)

.w.w.w.w._._._._._._._._.w.
.w.w.w.w.w.w.1._.w.w.w.w.w.
.w.w.w.w.w.r.2.w.w.w.w.w.w.
.w.w.w.w.R.G.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.
.w.w.w.C.S.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.
.w.w._._.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.
._._._._._._.w.w.w.w.w.w.w.

r – Riverwind
G – Goldmoon
R – Raistlin
C – Caramon
S – Sturm
# - Draconians
w - water
Brown - Bridge

(OOC: Does the new Xak Tsaroth map help answer your question Jenara?)

[Jenara]

"Dassah." Laurana Curses in Elven, she could see the situation clearly, she should have followed the others, then parted ways afterwards.

"Tas, I can't swim that, looks like we need to go another way." She lowers her head, her blonde hair falling about her head, what did she think she was doing? She couldn't lead.

"Lets go quickly, ok?" She says, heading to the log bridge once more.
(Dex check. 1d20=13)

She will cross the first bridge, considering stopping to help the others, she crosses the second bridge, cursing herself as she sees Tas's face. "They'll be ok Tas." She says with a forced smile, crossing the second bridge she tries to hide as best as she can.

[Jerrard]

Sturm draws his blade, but unable to attack he serves to protect Goldmoon as best he can.

[Breila]

Goldmoon steps aside to let Sturm pass. His chance of success in helping her beloved were much better than hers!



(ooc: speaking of chances: the probability of a crit hit and a crit fumble (or vice versa) on two consecutive rolls of absolutely fair dice is (1/20)²=1/400, or 0,25 %, not so unlikely if you consider chances people are willing to take in a lottery)

[Jerrard]

Sturm moves past Goldmoon, and takes a hard swing to the from the left into the creature, Brightblade singing.

1d20=13 Hit AC-2
1d10+6=7 7 dmg

[JadedDM]

Laurana and Tas cross the tree bridge, then cross the northwestern vine bridge. Both are nimble enough to walk across without falling in this time.

Meanwhile, Goldmoon and Raistlin step aside, letting the warriors pass them. Sturm charges forward, shoving the headless statue over and into the water with his shoulder as he passes by it. It splashes loudly into the much below. He and Caramon slice at it. Brightblade singing, Sturm hacks off one of the creature's arms. Caramon then stabs it right in the heart. Luckily, the warrior pulls back his sword before it is encased in the corpse when it petrifies.

Riverwind grunts his thanks and picks up his knife. "It did not explode, but turned to stone. Strange. There must be two different kinds of these monsters," he speculates.

=========================

Laurana makes a DEX check: 13, pass.
Tasslehoff makes a DEX check (1d20): 13, pass.
Goldmoon and Sturm change places.
Sturm attacks Draconian 01 with Brightblade (13, hit) for 7 damage.
Raistlin and Caramon change places.
Caramon attacks Draconian 01 with his long sword (1d20+3): 16, hit for (1d8+5): 13 damage. Draconian 01 dies.
Caramon makes a DEX-3 check (1d20): 1, pass.

Combat ends.

[mltillis]

Caramon leans heavily against the bridges rotted railing.... "Brother.. If I don't bind my stomach soon, I fear that my innards may well seep out"...

[Jenara]

"Tas, lets move slowly, carefully, you go ahead, warn me if there is a problem." Laurana moves forward slowly, keeping to the undergrowth, urging Tas to do the same, she will head up along this new path as carefully as she can, bow out and ready.

[Jerrard]

"These did not attempt to cast spells either." Sturm responds looking at Caramon with a concerned glance. "Goldmoon, would your Godess be able to help us here?"

[JadedDM]

"Laurana, look!" Tas says, pointing. "The tracks!" The draconian tracks continue heading east, right into the swamp again. It seems they not only crossed the water once, but twice.

Meanwhile, Goldmoon gently touches the staff to Caramon's shoulder. "Goddess, if it be your will, please heal this man," she prays.

The staff glows brightly with a blue light, as the worst of Caramon's wounds begin mending before his eyes. When the light dims, most of his injuries have healed completely.

========================

Goldmoon casts Cure Serious Wounds on Caramon, restoring 17 HP and losing 8 charges on the Blue Crystal Staff.

[mltillis]

"Thanks.. Miss Goldmoon".... "That staff of yours is pretty amazing".... The big warrior stands a bit steadier on his feet.... "We should press on. The sooner we're done here, the sooner we can go after Tanis and Flint".

[Breila]

"Yes of course. We must go on. Riverwind, will you go first, then I and Raistlin follow, and Caramon brings up the rear?"

Goldmoon looks around for approval to let the party go on.

[Jenara]

"Thank you Tas, Frankly my woodslore is slightly rusty." (Or barely learn't) "Lets go on, and see whats up in front of us shall we?."

Laurana moves forwards slowly, her hand on her bow, as she walks through the swamp, she couldn't fly, but perhaps there was another bridge?

[JadedDM]

Goldmoon's group presses onward, remaining cautious. Riverwind holds up a hand to signal the party stop and be quiet. Up ahead, they can hear voices.

Dropping low, the ranger slowly moves forward, keeping in the brush. He gestures quietly for the others to follow him.

They find what appears to be a small camp. Massive ruins break the jungle undergrowth. Small broken towers rise through the cover of trees. Ferns and bushes sprout thruogh a flagstone plaza surrounded by small shacks and lean-tos; a huge bonfire blazes at the north side. Beyond the fire, set in the remaining half shell of a crumbling dome, a huge black dragon stands, its wings outfolded!

Among the small huts is a bamboo cage. Inside are Flint and Tanis, their gear missing. There are at least eight draconians in the camp. Seven are the petrifying kind, and at least one is the spell-casting kind. The caster draconian, along with at least one guard, is questioning the two companions, but the party is too far away to hear what they are saying.

Meanwhile, Laurana and Tas decide to keep going, hoping to find another way around. Sure enough, not far to the north is another vine bridge.

Laurana also notices that to the northeast stands a structure. It is a graceful tower, crumbling yet beautiful that rises from the waters of the swamp. Finely carved and polished stonework walls still glint beneath the jungle undergrowth.

========================

OOC: The vine bridge requires another DEX check to cross.