Bruma opened the trap door revealing a ladder and a set of stairs. He could smell incense and burning braziers. He dropped down onto the landing and surveyed the stairs. His keen senses could tell that a ten foot section of steps were rigged as a trigger of some kind. He took out his set of thieving tools and wedged a small piece of metal into one of the steps to disable the trigger.
He called back to the others, "Trap disarmed."
Baylore, shaking off his brain jellies and catching up, replied, "Great. You first."
Bruma rolled his eyes and cautiously descended the stairs.
The stairs retracted and created a slide. The slide was magically greased and he slid sixty feet to the bottom. The landing at the bottom split open to reveal a twenty foot deep pit filled with spikes. Bruma fell awkwardly onto the spikes.
Baylore tied himself off to the others behind him and slid down to the edge of the pit. He dropped a rope down. Bruma caught it and Baylore helped him climb out. They opened the bronze double-doors on the far end of the landing to find a vestibule with two burning braziers. On the far wall of the vestibule was another set of bronze double-doors carved with bas-relief signs of the funeral and burial of Sakatha the Lizard King.
Using ropes the party carefully descended the greased stairs and crossed the open pit. They gathered in the vestibule to catch their breath. Patriarch Ul-Lon provided healing prayers to Bruma.
Bruma and Baylore thought they heard something in the next room. They shushed the others and listened carefully. They could hear rhythmic chanting and hissing and a loud voice reciting a ritual in Draconic. The voice called for the blessing of Tiamat - the Mother of All Dragons - in the conversion of this sacrifice into a holy warrior of her cause.
Alot had just sat down to rest when Bruma turned and urgently whispered, "No time to rest! We've got to act! Now!"
The party prepared themselves for action and readied themselves at the door. Bruma and Bordar threw open the door.
They saw before them a T-shaped room like a miniature cathedral lit by dozens of candles on pillars. In the nave in front of them were a dozen lizard-men adorned in the face-paint of Sakatha. At the end of the room was an altar. In front of the altar were two bound human prisoners. Behind the altar was a male human in a purple robe with green tabard - apparently a high priest. He had a beared and held a chalice in his raised hands. On his left was a bulky male human wearing a silk robe over his scale-mail armor. On his right was a slight human mail in silk robes. All three bore the symbol of the five-headed dragon. To two flanking transepts were occupied by a dozen human cultists wearing dark red silk robes.
The high priest shouted, "Intruders! You dare interrupt this holy ceremony? KILL THE INFIDELS! FEAST UPON THEIR FOUL FLESH!"
CHAPTER 40
"THE ETERNAL LIZARD KING"
The B-Team:- Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, Deck Sorceress of the Sea Ghost.
- Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Bosun of the Sea Ghost.
- Captain Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk), Captain of the Sea Ghost.
- Brenna "The Sea Witch" Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler, First Mate of the Sea Ghost.
- Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
- Bruma - Neutral Good Human Swamp Guide (Ranger) for the smuggling cartel known as "the Organization", given a mission to find and kill Sakatha the Lizard King.
The Hard Fight
Baylore threw a quick magical bolt of fire at the high priest but missed. Bruma darted into the room and quickly dispatched several lizard-men.
Bordar stepped into the room and hurled his magical Javelin of Lightning at the high priest. The javelin missed its intended target and stuck into the wall behind the high priest. Bordar spoke the activation command and a bolt of lightning shot out of his fingers towards the javelin. The bolt leaped from lizard-man to lizard-man in a line towards the javelin.
Brenna shouted in desperation, "Bordar! What about the prisoner?"
Bordar spun around, wild-eyed, "The WHAT??"
Brenna pointed angrily at the bound prisoner forced to kneel before the altar. The prisoner had been in the path of the lightning bolt. The prisoner lay on his side- electrocuted and dead.
Bordar cursed his inattention, "Fuuuu- I didn't see him there!"
Brenna chastised him, "BE MORE CAREFUL!"
Brenna then cast a magical fireball spell into the midst of the lizard-men. The spell burst into a fiery explosion that briefly illuminated the entire room.
Aella channeled her innate elemental power and caused a magical wave of water to appear out of the stone floor and crash down onto the priests and several of the cultists in the wing to the left.
Alot drew his shortsword and charged into the center of the room, engaging the lizard-men who survived the fireball.
The lizard-men swarmed Alot and Bruma, clubbing them with obsidian-tipped weapons and spiked shields made of giant tortoise shell.
The lesser priest to the high priest's right moved to the left wing and said an evil prayer of sanctuary for his master. The priest on his left said a prayer and a maelstrom of small infernal dragons swarmed around him and the the lizard-men protecting the high priest. The dragons ripped into the remaining prisoner, killing her instantly.
 |
The high priest waved his hand towards the vestibule and said a curse in the Draconic language. A pillar of flame burst from ceiling to floor and engulfed Aella, Bordar, Baylore, and Patriarch Ul-Lon.
Bordar brandished his twin magical axes - Smite and Fury - and charged up the left flank of the room. He engaged a group of cultists led by an assassin - one of the same assassins who had attacked them in Burle! Only now the assassins sported small dragon wings from their shoulder blades which they used to fly from point to point within the room. Bordar said, "Hey, that's new!" before he was surrounded by his foes and set upon with scimitars!
Brenna began channeling her innate magical healing abilities towards keeping her companions alive.
Aella, meanwhile, created another tidal wave against the right flank.
The water and wind from the two crashing tidal waves had extinguished all the candles in the far end of the room by the altar. The entire back end of the room was cast into darkness. As every member of the B-Team possessed the ability to see in the dark - through either natural or magical means - this darkness proved little impediment. The priests and cultists, however, were now at a disadvantage.
The high priest was badly injured. He reached under the altar and a section of the wall behind him shifted. The high priest disappeared into the opening and the wall closed behind him.
Baylore immediately stepped into a nearby shadow. He mysteriously reappeared next to the armored priest and punched him several times. The priest lost his concentration and the vortex of dragons disappeared.
To counter the disadvantage imposed by the darkness the unarmored dragon-priest prayed for light. A glowing orb miraculously appeared in the center of the room. The back of the room was once again fully illuminated.
Bruma faced difficulty fighting to many fanatics. The assassin took a deep breath and exhaled a caustic spray of acid. This proved too much for Bruma and he fell before their combined onslaught.
Baylore punched the armored dragon-priest into unconsciousness and put down a few more lizard-men before rushing to Bruma's aid. Likewise did Brenna use her healing magic to save the fallen ranger.
Alot had become bogged down fighting the remaining lizard-men near the entrance.
Bordar continued pushing forward on the left flank. The unarmored dragon-priest on the left flank surrounded himself with a vortex of infernal dragons - a tactic that gave Bordar some pause.
Aella sent a chaos bolt at the dragon-priest which caused him to lose his concentration. The vortex disappeared.
The dragon-priest turned and fled towards the rear of the left wing. Baylore shadow-stepped and intercepted him. A few quick nerve strikes and the dragon-priest was unconscious.
The assassins were soon eliminated followed by the cultists. All that remained were a few lizard-man holdouts and they too were ultimately defeated.
The Trapped Escape Door
The enemies had been defeated. The high priest had escaped. While everyone else was using healing magic, saying prayers, or drinking potions, Baylore and Bruma studied the door and the altar. Bruma identified a small aperture that would release an arrow at anyone standing in front of the altar. Baylore saw three levers in the altar.
"Which lever is it?" pondered Baylore.
Bordar walked up and pulled the center lever, "This one!"
Baylore stared in disbelief at the dwarf's recklessness.
The wall opened behind them.
Bordar looked defiant. Baylore sighed.
Bruma carefully explored the corridor. There was a four-way intersection. The corridor beyond eventually turned right. He moved to the intersection and saw a closed door to the right. The corridor to the left ended in another older door. He signaled the others.
Baylore advanced down the corridor to the right turn. He could hear the sounds of wretched moaning and wailing and smell dank human sweat in the corner. No doubt the corner concealed a hidden door. The passage to the right ended at a door.
Bordar and Alot, meanwhile, had decided to wait in the main room until the way was clear. Confident there were no traps, they slowly moved up towards Baylore.
Bruma became impatient. He opened the door in front of him and found himself in an alchemical study. Glass containers of some dark liquid were being converted into another liquid through dark processes. There was another door on the left. He opened the door.
Sakatha - the Lizard King!
Bruma saw a room clad in red and black marble. On the far wall was a large altar. Atop the altar was some kind of primitive nest made of reeds and twigs. The next was large enough for an adult man to lie in. In front of the altar-nest was a stone throne adorned with carvings of gruesome gargoyle faces. Sitting in the throne was a tall lizard-man with pale ash-grey scales. The lizard-man wore a golden crown adorned with jewels and carried a golden scepter - both very human symbols of rulership. He wore a red cape and a red wrap around his waist. A large bird skull was hung around his neck on a golden chain. The lizard-king's mouth was pulled back revealing hideously large protruding fangs - like those of a tiger. His chin and torso were covered with dried blood.
DM Note-
The phrase I used was "He looks like a toddler who had just eaten spaghetti with marinara."
Standing next to the loathsome creature was the high priest. The high priest turned around to face Bruma.
He turned his head an hissed with a voice that sounded like broken glass, "Welcome, Bruma. Close the door. Come hither. Take your place next to me." He gestured with a clawed hand for Bruma to join him.
Bruma was overcome. His will faltered. He calmly and obediently closed and barred the door and joined the lizard king.
The lizard king smiled and sang his fangs into Bruma's willing neck.
Baylore burst into the throne room through the other door and saw Sakatha the Lizard-King feasting upon Bruma the ranger. He immediately rushed in and punched Sakatha in the face. The lizard-king retaliated with his trident.
Aella came around the corner and cast a witch-bolt spell at Sakatha. The spell created a sustained arc of lightning-like electricity between the sorceress and the lizard-king. Sakatha ignored them all and continued to feed upon the helpless Bruma.
Brenna threw open the door Bruma had closed. She ran inside and touched the high priest Modrin with electrified hands. The high priest fell to the ground dead.
Alot followed Brenna into the room and attacked Sakatha.
Sakatha released Bruma and cast a lightning bolt spell towards Bruma, Aella, and Bordar. Bruma fell to the floor, dying.
What followed was an arduous battle whereby the Lizard-King moved and counter-attacked nearly every blow set upon him. Bordar continued attacking the vampiric lizard-king with his magical axes. Baylore unleashed multiple punches and strikes. Aella cast chaos bolt spells. Alot attacked with his magical short sword. Brenna would point her magical fingers at the lizard-king and create deafening magical tolling bells.
Sakatha maneuvered around the room, unhinged his reptilian jaws, and opened his mouth wide. A black cloud poured forth and spread into the room and out into the hall. The cloud covered Bruma's unconscious body, Baylore, Alot, Bordar, Aella, and Patriarch Ul-Lon who stood nervously out of view in the hall. Everyone within the cloud began coughing and retching as they felt their life draining. Bordar and Ul-Lon both fell to the floor, dying.
Baylore reacted quickly, striking Sakatha multiple times as hard as he could. Sakatha winced but the final blow was enough to distract the lizard-king. He turned his attention to Baylore and the magical cloud quickly dissipated.
The remaining combatants surrounded Sakatha and were eventually able to defeat him. Aella cast a fire bolt spell at the vampire and he burst into flames. He screamed and immediately dissipated into a noxious cloud.
A Mad Chase
Baylore pointed at the hazy fog and shouted, "Follow it! He's going to try to find his resting place! Don't let it get away!"
The cloud moved as if pushed by a breeze. It blew into the laboratory room and down the corridor to the far door. Aella and Baylore gave chase.
Alot paused to see to Bordar's unconscious body. Bordar was gravely injured but not yet dead. The automaton sentinel was able to stabilize the dying dwarf. Alot took out a healing potion and tried to pour it into Bordar's mouth, but the unconscious dwarf simply coughed it up and the rest dribbled into his beard and onto the floor.
DM Note-
Alot's player wanted to administer a healing potion to the unconscious Bordar. I told him he could not do that. A character has to be conscious to drink and swallow the potion. An unconscious person can't drink. Alot's player expressed annoyance and challenged me on this rule. His challenge was based on decades of play through multiple editions. Yes- in previous editions and in previous years we had always allowed characters to administer healing potions to unconscious characters. We debated it a little but a) it was already very late, b) I was by this time becoming very impatient for reasons I'll explain in a minute. I abruptly shut it down with a "This is how I've always run it in Fifth edition and this is my ruling."
At the time I thought I remembered reading one of the designers backing me up on this issue. However, looking it up now, Jeremy Crawford said on Twitter that another character COULD administer a healing potion to an unconscious character.
Yes, page 138 of the DMG says that drinking a potion or administering a potion to another character requires an action.
So, in spite of the suggestion above, I'm sticking with my ruling of you must be conscious to drink and swallow a healing potion. I want players to be aware of their healing potions in combat. Drink them BEFORE you go down, or after the fight. So even if its my house rule, that's my reasoning.
Aella and Baylore followed the fleeing mist through the door. Within was a round room with five old wooden coffins- four arranged equidistant and one in the center. The mist was hovering over the center coffin.
Aella used her magical gifts to create a bon-fire atop the center coffin. The cloud immediately fled back the way it came, passing through Baylore and Aella.
The Bride of Sakatha
To everyone's surprise, the burning lid of the center casket burst out from within. A withered lizard-folk corpse screamed at the indignity of being set ablaze while it lied in deathly slumber.
DM Note-
I described the sound was the combination of a pig having been grabbed by its rear legs and the air being released from a pressure cooker.
The dessicated reptilian vampire was obviously some kind of hideous undead consort to Sakatha. It bared its fangs and threw itself towards the ceiling of the hall. It clung there, defying all gravity and logic, and began to skitter on all fours along the ceiling like a hideous crab or spider.
Aella staggered in revulsion as the undead bride of Sakatha launched itself at the sorceress. It grabbed Aella and bit into her neck whereupon it began drinking her blood. Aella fell limp in the creature's grasp.
Brenna rushed to Aella's aid, throwing multiple Chill Touch spells at the creature. The bride released Aella and attacked Brenna.
Meanwhile, Baylore continued to chase the mist up and down each hallway, into and out of every room. Baylore eventually lost track of it as it passed through the laboratory and into the throne room. Unable to locate the mist Baylore decided to rejoin Brenna in fighting the bride.
By this time Alot had determined that Bruma could not be saved and joined Baylore.
Baylore and Brenna quickly dispatched the vampire queen while Alot rushed to save the dying Aella.
An Awkward Ending
Alot dragged the unconscious Aella into the throne room and arranged her with the still unconscious Bordar. He separated the partially exsanguinated and electricity-burned corpse of Bruma from the others. He laid Bruma next to the dead corpse of Patriarch Ul-Lon. Alot lingered a bit to stare at the fine plate armore Ul-Lon wore.
Brenna explored the concealed door that Baylore discovered earlier. It led to a cell protected by a massive iron door locked from the outside. Beyond the door she heard the wretched wails of human captives. She could smell their sweat and feces and vomit.
Brenna called Alot to assist her. Alot opened the door. The pair surveyed the room beyond using their magical darkvision.
They saw a long stone room with dozens of bound captives chained to the walls and to each other. They were starving and left to wallow in their own filth. The captives shrank away from the doorway, unable to see in the darkness and fearful that their captors had returned.
Brenna and Alot backed away.
Baylore, meanwhile, had explored the passage beyond the crypt of the brides of Sakatha. It was a dead-end. He found a lever and pulled it. A section of wall slid open to reveal the large T-shaped room where they had fought before. The unconscious body of the unarmored dragon-priest lay on the floor in front of him.
Baylore returned to the others to the throne room.
Baylore said, "Where did the mist go? He came in here and just disappered."
Alot said, "Maybe he went into that crypt over there."
Baylore and Brenna looked confused. They replied in unison, "What crypt? Wait- What??"
Alot was likewise confused, "The one behind the wall in the corner. And over there is the treasure room. Do you not see that?"
Baylore and Brenna replied, "NO???"
To Be Continued...
Rage-Quit!
By this time it was nearly 1:30am. We usually play until 11:30 at the latest. The Sakatha fight didn't even start until 10:30. I even considered pausing and picking up next week but I wanted them to defeat Sakatha!
They defeated Sakatha by like 12:30 and I was hoping they'd stop and let the mist go. I really just wanted them to search Sakatha's throne room and find the secret doors. I didn't expect them to start a Tom and Jerry style madcap chase through the halls of the crypt following the mist. I figured we'd do this until the mist got a chance to hide and we'd stop the night. Then Aella woke up the bride.
I should have stopped it THEN, but I made the mistake of keeping it going. By this point I was COMMITTED to having them search the throne either find Sakatha's crypt or his treasure. I really wanted to end on that high note. So I played out the fight.
After defeating the bride, they kept DICKING AROUND! I was trying to hint that they should search the throne room without making it sound like I was hinting. So I kept it going. But it was very late. They were tired too. They weren't thinking straight either.
Then Alot's player suggested searching the crypt and treasure room. The other players were confused. *I* was confused. Alot's player explained that he could see all the hidden stuff. It's like the visibility-blocking walls in Roll-20 weren't working for him.
I became very angry. I was planning on a big finish with a big reveal of either the burial crypt or the treasure. I had become INVESTED! That was now ruined!
I cursed. I cursed quite a bit. I was tired and angry and frustrated. Alot's player apologized profusely. I said, "No! Fuck it! I'm done! Bye!"
I rage-quit Roll20. I shut down Discord. I threw my headphones onto my desk. I stormed off to bed cursing and mumbling. I had angry dreams that night and I was still angry when I got up in the morning. I felt shitty and annoyed all weekend.
Monday I felt better and I sent an apology email to my players:
First, I apologize for rage-quitting Friday night. I was hoping to to end with either the discovery of the treasure or the discovery of the crypt. When [Alot's Player] said he could see both on his screen, I got very angry with Roll20 for ruining the reveal.Plus it was way too late. I should have ended as soon as you defeated Sakatha. I didn't expect it to turn immediately into a Tom and Jerry chase scene with the mist. That kept it going, then you woke up the Bride of Sakatha, and once again I should have ended it. But my sleep-deprived brain had become fixated on ending with the discovery of the treasure or the crypt at that point.Anyway, I've figured out a way to integrate the bug that allowed [Alot's Player] to see the secrets into the story. We're all good and I hope you'll all come back next Friday for BOOK-KEEPING: THE RPG!Also, ya'll level up.
Next week- Mopping Up!
No comments:
Post a Comment