Tests and Trials

[The Lost]

(Are joe’s hands healed?)

[Dlover]

(They'll only be healed once we finish a long rest, since the condition was "reach full hp." We definitely need a long rest before the excursion, though.)

[Rodgeir]

((No long rest yet. But looks like you all are wanting one?))

After eating and planning you all call it a night. The Librarian doesn't wake anyone and everyone rises refreshed.

The Librarian produces another pile of food amalgamate for breakfast.

((Hands are healed, spell slots and hp restored!

Scouting now? If so where?))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq, after the rest and feeling more confident, is ready to scout.
To the others he states, "I'd like to check how carefully the drow are watching for us.
What I propose is that I sneak ahead and check the back stairway that we didn't use to originally get here. If you would all willingly stay a bit back, I'd check the first flight, then come back and get you a bit closer, and then I'll scout a bit further up....just so you are nearby if I get caught and start yelling for help. Does that make sense?"

[Dlover]

((Yeah, definitely wanted the long rest. We were all practically out of Hit Dice, HP, and spell slots, so taking on the remaining drow would have been suicidal, and then Joe probably wouldn't have even had enough spells left to Shatter the tunnel and collapse it.))

[Rodgeir]

((Oh, you were all hammered - Joe especially.

I was holding off on the long rest until after the planning as a lot can happen during 8 hours and wanted to see if anyone wanted to try something before that!))

[NotStickFigures]

Before leaving for scouting he will explain his thought process. "I'd like you near enough if I walk into an ambush so you can assist. We'll quietly go to somewhat near the stairs so you can all see the bottom of the stairwell and then I will sneak up. If I don't see anything at all watching for us, I will come back and motion you all to move to right near the bottom of the stairs. Then I will go back and continue to scout a bit, but I will yell loud if I need your help if I get seen.

He will take one of the swords offered from the Librarian and the crossbow he got from the drow (Remember how many bolts he has left? I don't think he actually shot at the drow, he just grabbed it ran if I'm correct)

As long as at least two of the party are willing to go along as backup and stay somewhat near and behind him, Jaq will head to the 'back' stairwell (The one we didn't use). He instructs the others to be quiet and bring them to within 30 feet of the bottom of the stairs, where they can see the bottom of the stairs. He will then sneak up, going slowly and checking for traps and anything he can hear in the distance.

If he sees no one, he will go up the stairwell to the next floor and see what he can see before heading back down and moving the others forward.

Stealth: 1D20+11 = [10]+11 = 21

Stealth 2: 1D20+11 = [16]+11 = 27

Perception/listening: 1D20+3 = [2]+3 = 5

[NotStickFigures]

(Oh, from the map she showed us, can we see what would be the area around the stairs we are checking out)

[Rodgeir]

The Librarian would explain that both paths into her floor have the same entry room as to the one you encountered, a mud layer with numerous golems below it to hide them.

The from this level come out on either ends of a long, wider passage straight ahead that bisects the floor and connects the staircases down and there are smaller passages to the left and right. According to the map there are entrances to rooms along the main, central path and along the smaller paths. The rooms off the smaller paths (left and right) are smaller than the rooms down the main path. The doors for the smaller rooms are nearer the stairways.

The stairways up are located on an alternate main passage that bisects the floor in the opposite direction.

((I have a map for this, I just am on my phone so I will try and get it up tomorrow when I get a chance.))

The Librarian would let Jaq know there are no drow visible in the lower half of the stairways visible from her muddy entry rooms.

Jaq sneaks smoothly up to the turn of the far stairway (one that wasn't used to get down) and listens. He hears only the trickle of water and after a few moments peeks around the corner. There is no one waiting in the stairwell or at the top that he can see so he progresses the rest of the way up and looks around. He can see some doors to the south and north and just barely one ahead of him. He doesn't see or hear anything that would indicate any sort of watch and returns back down to get whoever went with him.

((Jaq just grabs the hand crossbow so I would say he has exactly 1 bolt, the one that was loaded!))

[Dlover]

Lurn's willing to be backup, but he can see nothing in the darkness, so he's no real use.

[Rodgeir]

Map of the fourth and fifth floor layouts:

► Show Spoiler

The east/west stairs lead to the Librarian's floor and the north/west stairs lead up.

Jaq is pretty sure that his and Jaq's cell were in the NW quadrant, second room down on the east side. He ran out to the south and then went east. He is currently poking his head out of the west set of stairs (which didn't get into the picture but are directly across from the east set).

Mikram indicates that Lurn, Kroshav and his cell was also in the NW quadrant and that weapons storage and boss drow's room was in the SE quadrant.

[NotStickFigures]

"That's ok, Lurn, you will at least be close if I get into trouble and then some light by either you or Joe will allow a cavalry charge. I'd rather not fight them without scouting and hopefully taking them on in small numbers, but who knows what might happen."

[spiderwrangler]

((Kroshav has the same light issues, but can make his own light if needed for an unmounted cavalry charge.))

[Rodgeir]

((Okay, so Lurn and Kroshav are fumbling up the stairs behind Jaq without lights for now or...?))

[The Lost]

If needed, Joe will male a bullseye lanturn for light

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq would ask them to go up the first bit of steps, but then wait on the landing before turning and going up the last few stairs. That way they are hopefully close enough to help if needed and he starts yelling for help.

[spiderwrangler]

((Yeah, staying still until called on.))

[Rodgeir]

As Kroshav and Lurn wait around the bend in the stairs Jaq creeps back up to the top. A quick glance reveals no one waiting there.

((Okay, so which way is Jaq going? Left, right or straight ahead? As far as you understand it, you are on the wrong side from where the 'standard' weapons were being stored.))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq will move carefully to the left and first listen, and then peek into, the first room he comes to.

[The Lost]

Joe also waits around the bend, waiting for Jaq to call out or come back.

[Dlover]

Lurn, similarly, is waiting.

[Rodgeir]

Jaq moves silently up to the first door on the left and looks inside. The room has some cobwebs and a pile of what looks to be some piles of old bedding scattered around. It doesn't appear that this room is in active use.

Everyone else shuffles around in the coal blackness (and because Mikram would like to be there) except Mikram who has been carried by a golem to the base of the stairs. He can see but can't actually see what Jaq is doing.

((Where to now Jaq?))

[NotStickFigures]

Continue on to the next room down the hall and peek in.

[Rodgeir]

Jaq moves on to the north and peeks in the next room, though the smell hits him before he sees anything. This one is occupied, in a sense.

There are two clearly dead dwarves chained to two of the rooms walls and then an almost certainly dead dwarf on the third wall.

The reason for the ease in identifying the dead-ness of the two dwarves stems from their faces being uncovered and open, unmoving eyes as well as their extremely desiccated appearance. The third dwarf still has a hood on, not unlike the one Jaq had, but if the dwarf is breathing it is shallow enough to not be preceptable from the doorway.

The room is covered in what you would expect a poorly maintained prison cell to be covered with.

((The hooded dwarf is on the south side of the room in the middle of the wall. Jaq going to check them or move on?))

[NotStickFigures]

Since this isn't going to help them at all, Jaq will skip this room and move on.