Tests and Trials

[Rodgeir]

Jaq

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It smells vaguely like reptiles in the cavern, but not exactly.

The golems that brought Jaq remain at the door and the ones in the cavern ignore him except to go around him on occasion. After a few moments of just standing and waiting for a response one of the golems breaks off from its task, whatever that was, and taps Jaq on the wrist and points him forward. The normal, singular voice of the golem says,

"Proceed forward, she will answer your questions."

Presuming Jaq does as told he is allowed to proceed on his own past piles and piles of books. They do look to be piles after some sort of ordering, though exactly what that may be is beyond Jaq. He notices a section that must be dedicated to topography as he goes and other next to it on geography and another on geology. A myriad of topics pass before he finds himself in a gap in the stacks after he turns a slight corner and comes face to face with a very large snake. With a face...a nice looking kind of face.

The face snake gives Jaq an appraising look and says, in the now familiar voice of the golems though far more natural and melodic,

"There are more than golems here, yes. So fareth as the drow and druegar go, well, I attempted to keep them out but ultimately was unable to. There were simply too many of them and too few of... me."

Gliding effortlessly forward the face snake approaches Jaq and asks, not unkindly,

"Now, please, tell me everything as to whyst thou hast cometh here. I have no seat to offer, so the floor with needs suffice if thou are weary."

((Okay, she is talking with an old dialect of common but I can see that will probably disappear soon!))

Kroshav and Lurn

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((Feel free to read each others spoilers to me going forward, including the last.))

Lurn blasts the talker drow engaging Kroshav. The drow is disoriented and glowing from the blast but still up and now shouting curses.

The caster in the corner straightens on seeing the blast from Lurn and a wicked grin spreads on his lips.

Cougher asks in Dwarven,

"What? What did they say? What did ye say?"

Initiative
Kroshav (poisoned)(27 HP remaining) <----
Drow talker
Drow caster
Lurn (32 HP remaining) (2 turns until the spiritual weapon arrives)

((Kroshav can roll flat against the drow talker after the guiding bolt hit rather than disadvantage.))

[Dlover]

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Lurn replies in dwarvish, "The mage was joking about how upset 'she' would be to see how much the guard has struggled with us." Noting said mage's grin, Lurn responds with his own broad smile and says in elvish, "Smile while you can, elf."

[NotStickFigures]

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He follows the golem and is surprised when he sees the snake woman, though he only thinks he shows it by his eyes for a short moment before he composes himself and smiles and takes a seat on the floor when offered. "I must thank you again for your hospitality. The Drow don't like other elves, and were certainly going to continue to torture and kill me. How did I get here? Well, it is a fairly straightforward store. Me and a few friends were travelling through the wilderness on a sort of adventure I guess. We were trying to help a man find a pool that might have some magic properties. Along the way of our travels we came across some goblins. They were fairly polite as far as goblins go and wanted to trade goods. Which we did. One of the items they gave to us what a statuette of one of your archive golems. Once we were finished up with the magic pool issue, and had a bit of free time, we activated the golem and followed it here. It intrigued us, as we had never heard of a great library in the area, and we though it must be either really well hidden or something that was very old and lost to time. So we thought it would be good and fun to investigate. If all else we thought we might find an abandoned ancient library and we might find some old books or tomes that we could re-introduce to the world at large. Or maybe even find other ancient secrets. Anyhow, Once we were led here by the golem, we found the entrance up top was blocked by a huge stone. We managed to get in but found it was empty. Of books and everything. Or so we thought. Once we went down a few stairs we ran into a whole lot of spiders. And me and my 3 friends were overcome by them. We later awoke as prisoners to the drow. Who we had not seen until we were captured by them. They are very upset by us killing their 'pet' spiders it seems. One who tried to interrogate me kept insisting i was either working for the dwarves or the snake. I assume he meant you. I tried to tell them we were just exploring and would leave, but they were having none of that. I got lucky, got out of my bonds, ran, and escaped. My three friends are still be held by them." Taking a very deep breath he adds, "I really hope I can figure out a way to help my friends escape."

[spiderwrangler]

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Shortsword: 1D20+8+4 = [19]+8+4 = 31
1D6+7+1D4 = [5]+7+[1] = 12 piercing, 1 radiant

Shortsword: 2D20.LOW(1)+8+4 = [12, 10]+8+4 = 22
1D6+7+1D4 = [3]+7+[2] = 10 piercing, 2 radiant


Kroshav carves into the talker, trying to drop him to move on to the caster.

If he can reasonably tell that he's close, but needs the extra from smite, he will.

[Rodgeir]

Kroshav and Lurn

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Kroshav slices into the dazed drow and inflicts even more damage, but not enough to drop him. He does look pretty rough though...

((A smite might do it.))

Cougher responds in dwarven,

"Never saw no lady drow. Guess I wasn't important enough."

He then coughs, no longer bothering to try and muffle it. Lurn is pretty sure he sees flecks of blood fly over his shoulder from the coughing.

Jaq

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The woman face snake listens, nodding from time to time. Occasionally she turns her head on direction or the other and her gaze goes distant before returning to the story.

"An interesting story, and you did ultimately find the books you sought. I presume I the crow's 'snake'."

Her gaze flits over the walls of books before resting back on Jaq.

"The spiders are something more than pets to them, but their exact relationship is unclear to me. In any case, what plans have you for the rescue of your companions? I dare not break the truce, i already strain it's edges by allowing you here. If the duergar had remained in force perhaps you could have enlisted their help. They have little love for the drow and were, comparatively, better neighbors."

She looks expectantly at Jaq, pausing only to look into distance a moment.

[NotStickFigures]

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"I don't really know how I can get them free of the drow, but I'll have to try or they will kill them I am certain. By the way, my name is Jaq. And again, I can't express enough how happy I am to find someone here who isn't trying to torture me." He takes a few deep breath and states, "I guess I have few questions myself, that might help me figure out what to do.

(he would not throw out these questions to her in a big group, but back and forth talk)

Do you know about how many drow are in the library?
Do you have a map or blueprint or something of the archives? I layout of the place would be of extreme help, and then you could assist my marking territories or known problems in the areas.
You mention the deep dwarves. And that they aren't the same force as they used to be. What happened to them, they might be my best hope for allies to get my friends back?
Another thought that might work...Could a few of your archive golems possibly be able to make a distraction of some type when needed that might assist me in being able to deal with the drow?
Once my friends are back, is there something that we can assist you with that you cannot do on your own?

[spiderwrangler]

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_: 2D8 = [1, 4] = 5

[Rodgeir]

Kroshav

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The drow looks like he is just barely standing at this point, shortsword held loosely.

((He is teetering but that wasn't enough to drop him, using another smite with your second hit?))

Jaq

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Do you know about how many drow are in the library?
I do not, no less than three and likely more than a dozen including a dryder.
Do you have a map or blueprint or something of the archives? I layout of the place would be of extreme help, and then you could assist my marking territories or known problems in the areas.
Yes. I can have one made for you of all levels except this one.
You mention the deep dwarves. And that they aren't the same force as they used to be. What happened to them, they might be my best hope for allies to get my friends back?
They arrived in large numbers before the drow. It would have been nearly...hmm...a century or maybe two ago now. Perhaps three. There were easily more than a hundred of them at their greatest and they used the upper floors of the archives as an outpost of sorts. I had little use of those floors and they were respectful enough. They kept to their work and stayed out of mine. Overtime they lost interest in this place and the force dwindled to a few dozen. The drow arrived in force perhaps three decades ago and contested with the dwarves until the dwarves withdrew. I have had occasional contact with patrols though they no longer appear to seek to contest the drow here.
Another thought that might work...Could a few of your archive golems possibly be able to make a distraction of some type when needed that might assist me in being able to deal with the drow?
As said, my relationship with the drow is tenuous. They have not yet gathered sufficient interest to overwhelm my defenses and take what I guard but I do not doubt they could if they set their full will to it. I find it is better to slowly fade from their thoughts and they will leave, eventually.
((You can roll a persuasion here, but it is going to be a tough DC.))
Once my friends are back, is there something that we can assist you with that you cannot do on your own?
I seek to protect this. She gestures to the books, "If there is a way that this could be protected and, if possible, shared as it once was I would appreciate it."

She will ask in turn,

"What is the state of the world above the stone? Who rules the lands above?"

[NotStickFigures]

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Jaq relaxes a bit more as the snake woman answers his questions. She seems truly willing to assist him, or at least no cause him harm.
When she asks him a question about the world above, he tries to answer fully. Telling her about how the Elven Golden Empire invaded the continent about 700 years ago. That a war ensued for a century and a half and then after a lot of losses the Elves decided on a treaty. Then some dragonborn later got involved. Now the lands are split between human, elf, and dragonborn lands. Overall, the treaty works and everyone gets along rather well.

Persuasion: 1D20+1 = [6]+1 = 7

When she doesn't seem to keen to assist personally with the drow, he doesn't push it.

He is excited about the map assistance.
"I will need to rest and heal up here a bit before I do anything to try to help my friends. Any chance of water or some supplies down here? The drow have taken all my gear and possessions."

"Where you always the librarian here? How old is this archive library?"

[Rodgeir]

Jaq

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She appears quite interested in learning about the events of the past several hundred years.

"The elves of the fledgling empire chose to attack? I would have never guessed that, but the dragons from the Isle find the will to strike out every few hundred years it seems."

She appears largely indifferent to who runs what overall and merely comments,

"Mortal squabbles, never cherishing what you have."

Her tail brushes the books nearest absently.

After getting the current year and after doing some conversions to the calendar not used by Elves replies,

"I have always been the head librarian, though that title is meaningless now as I am the only librarian. These are the treasure of my life."

Her eyes scan the books and she continues more softly,

"The building in which these were most recently held was built 2,242 years ago and destroyed some time after that. I was not able to save all of the books but the most valuable were preserved. I am unsure as to the cause of the destruction of the city, but all the librarians that survived its destruction had lost the memory of the city. It was an odd thing, many had grown up here only to find themselves with gaping holes in their memories."

She shakes her head and turns back to Jaq,

"I can get you water, and so far as food goes..."

She looks to a spot in the middle of the room and a steaming stack of food appears, unfortunately it is a large plate and appears to be an amalgam of many types of food in a literal pile.

"This is what you eat, yes? It has been...a long while since I have had a guest."

((I think at this point Jaq could probably do a nature, arcana or history check on what the librarian is.))

[spiderwrangler]

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Uh, sure. Can you roll it for me if you need a roll?

[NotStickFigures]

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Hmm, what exactly is she?: 1D20+4 = [17]+4 = 21

"Well, if I get out of here alive after the escape attempt for my friends, I will take whatever books or information that you would like us to and distribute it out to where you want. Get it back out into the world to be used and learnt."

He nods happily to the water offer and goes to take a closer look at the food plate. If he finds something he know, he'll take a nibble and see how it tastes.
(If she never said her name, then Jaq asks) "May I ask you name? I am Jaq."

Later he says, "I think the first steps in a plan will be a good map. And a healing rest. The drow did quite a thrashing on me."

[Rodgeir]

Kroshav and Lurn

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In a burst of light on the second hit Kroshav drops the drow that had been doing the talking and moves into the caster's face. The caster looks un-amused and pops out of existance and reappears behind Lurn and Cougher and raises his hand spraying a thick film of black sludge at the firbolg (and Cougher).

He also turns and yells down the hall in Elven,

"Escaping prisoners!"

Before he moves in the direction Lurn and Cougher just came 30ft.

((Give me a con save please Dlover and an attack of opportunity. Also, I would say that the spiritual weapon would be in range to hit the caster if you would like to move it to do so.))

Kroshav hears in his head the voice of sword,

<I see you! Over here!>

Kroshav gets a pull from the wall. Either there is a secret door or sword is on the other side of the wall in another room?

Initiative
Kroshav (poisoned)(27 HP remaining)
Drow talker
Drow caster
Lurn (32 HP remaining) (1 turn until the spiritual weapon arrives at the room)<----

Spray of poison: 1D12 = [12] = 12

Kroshav smiting: 2D8 = [5, 6] = 11

Jaq

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This big woman faced snake is a naga. Guessing by how she is behaving and treating the books she seems like one that has been tasked, or has tasked herself, with guarding the books. Which makes the uncomfortable look she gives Jaq on his suggestion that he can 'take' something from here a bit more understandable.

"You may take information back that I am willing to transcribe the knowledge here."

Jaq sees many things he recognizes in the pile. Picking an apple piece that is rammed into what looks to be mashed potatoes inside what is probably a fish Jaq tastes it. It is overwhelming...bland. It has a vague apple taste, like the memory of what an apple tastes like. A very bland apple. Everything is the same in the pile. Okay, just not very flavorful. A golem arrives with water that tastes very minerally.

On asking the naga what her name is she gets a distant look and pauses a long moment before saying,

"Head Librarian... but before that I was called Marit. Or Marid? No it was Marit."

[NotStickFigures]

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Jaq smiles when he sees her discomfort as him saying take books. "No worries, I won't take anything you don't want, but would like to distribute knowledge for you if that is what you would like."

He eats the food and water.
I am going to need to be stronger to try to deal with the Drow. Is there somewhere I could rest without bothering you for several hours ? After that I can try to figure out with the map how to help them."

[spiderwrangler]

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((Is there a door heading in that direction? Or on an adjacent wall? I don't think 'secret door' would be his first instinct.))

<I don't see you, how do I get there?>

[Dlover]

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For the AoO, I'm going to initially assume the nail qualifies as an Improvised Weapon (Dagger). Which, Daggers being simple weapons, would apply Lurn's proficiency. If that isn't the case, or if I'm mistaken about how Improvised Weapons work, subtract 3 from the attack roll to account for the proficiency, and damage would... Still be 1d4+3, since improvised weapons that don't align with weapon types just do 1d4 damage, which is the same as a dagger.

Con save: 1D20+4 = [13]+4 = 17

AoO: 1D20+6 = [15]+6 = 21
1D4+3 = [4]+3 = 7

Spiritual Weapon: 1D20+8 = [18]+8 = 26
1D8+5 = [7]+5 = 12

Lurn will step out of the door and give chase, using the Spiritual Weapon's faint glow to identify the caster's exact position (Should put us back in melee, since we both have 30' movement). From up close and personal, the firbolg launches another Guiding Bolt into the drow's back.

Guiding Bolt: 1D20+8 = [17]+8 = 25
4D6 = [5, 3, 2, 1] = 11

[Rodgeir]

Jaq

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Her snake 'neck' bobs in response to Jaq saying he doesn't want to take anything.

"You may rest here. Anywhere else would put in you the way. I will remain still as to not wake you."

She proceeds to coil up near a crystal and goes perfectly still.

Lurn and Kroshav

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((@Spider, there is only one door into the room that he can see but...))

<There is a door in this room. I can't see all of the room you are in. I'm against a wall. I think if you go out of your room and then turn left and then maybe another left you'll find the door? Eventually?>

Lurn leaps to the side and the goop hits the wall harmlessly before stabbing the fleeing drow with foot long spike. The drow makes it far enough that the spiritual weapon hacks down on him before Lurn catches up and blasts him with guiding bolt. The drow looks dazed by the flash and no longer very cocky or healthy.

Initiative
Kroshav (poisoned)(27 HP remaining) <----
Drow caster (-30 hp)(first attack against has advantage)
Lurn (32 HP remaining)

[Dlover]

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"I warned the both of you. You're no more than a fly to the Lord of the Dead."

[NotStickFigures]

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Jaq drinks a bit more of the water. "I can go into an elf trance to rest. You will not have to be totally quiet for me to sleep, I don't want to disrupt your routines totally. Unless you have any questions for me, resting would be good, and I can do more planning after that."

[spiderwrangler]

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The fleeing drow ran out the door that Sword is directing Kroshav towards? How far away does the guy look to be?

[Rodgeir]

Jaq

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Without moving more than here lips she responds,

"This is my routine. Rest well."

((Going to pause you here to resolve Lurn and Kroshav's side adventure))

Lurn and Kroshav

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The caster drow just looks confused,

"What? Lord of Death?"

Kroshav pokes his head out the door Sword directed him towards. To the right he can see some dark shapes in the distance, still visible but only dimly. One is Lurn with the dwarf on his back still and the other must be the robed elf who is glowing a bit. They are 30 feet away and he'd have to hustle to get there but could reach them. There is also a glowing sword hovering behind the elf in Lurn's purplish color.

((Crossing the room didn't take all his movement but he will still have to dash to catch up.))

To the left he sees that the hallway goes on past what his light is showing him but he thinks he can see a turn or another door near the edge of what he can see. Either that or a shadow that looks like a door?

[spiderwrangler]

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<Gotta help Lurn first, but I'll be back!>

He dashes adjacent to the caster.

[Dlover]

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"The god of the end of all. If your own god is not pleased with you, you shall meet Him soon."

[Rodgeir]

Kroshav and Lurn

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Kroshav gets a flash of anger from Sword that quickly fades to unhappiness at his choice but Sword says nothing back as Kroshav books it up to the drow caster, lighting up his now very concerned face.

He and Lurn have a squirrel talk chat which only seems to make the drow more concerned.

The drow doesn't say anything back after Lurn talks and instead poofs out of existence again and appears on the edge of the light cast by Kroshav's sword. He begins yelling something that Lurn hears to be,

"Escaping prisoners! Over here!"

As he dashes out of sight of both Lurn and Kroshav, into the darkness. He is still glowing, but would be tricky to hit even with that.

The dwarf coughs, spraying bloody droplets over Lurn's shoulder and says to Lurn,

"Guessing ye can't see him? He is about 90' away now. Aye don't see anyone else coming yet though."

More coughing, this time leaving him shaking.

"Too much excitement."

He spits a mouthful of bloody mucus to the floor.

Kroshav doesn't understand a word of it but can tell this dwarf is super sick.

Initiative
Kroshav (poisoned)(27 HP remaining)
Drow caster (-30 hp)(first attack against has advantage)
Lurn (32 HP remaining)<----

((Can I get a perception check from the two of you, please. 30' behind you is the door you came out from. Beyond that Cougher would explain there is an intersection. He isn't familiar with the layout of the floor to help.

You came from the direction the drow is running and there is another intersection up that way along with your old cell and a few other rooms which Lurn would have been told are either spidery or empty. Beyond the cell room the hallway continues and there are doors but Cougher doesn't know what they contain, if anything.

If you aren't planning on chasing/attacking the drow you are out of combat.

[spiderwrangler]

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Kroshav would purge the dwarf of disease and himself of poison, giving the dwarf 5 HP, and if we can walk back towards Sword while doing so?