Part 4: Under the Gold Goblin: Session 14

[15:38] <@Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[15:38] <@Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 1: Shadow in the Sky~~~
[15:38] <@Kilarra> \Part 4: Under the Gold Goblin/
[15:38] <@Kilarra> -Session 14-
[15:40] <@Kilarra> The morning following the defeat of Saul and the Party's 'aquiring' of the Gold Goblin, morning comes and sees them well rested and recovered from the ordeal (save for Daroskt, who is dead, but they're working on that).
[15:41] <@Kilarra> Kwava comes out of his trancing and stretches, standing up and stepping out into the hall, waiting for someone more familiar with the place to show him where they might breakfast before heading down into the pit.
[15:42] * Kilarra wakes up with a stretch and begins her morning meditation. Being a Devotee of a Lust Goddess, this naturally includes a bit of happy finger playtime. She spends an hour in preparation for the day ahead, not really caring if she is overheard.
[15:44] * Katarina waves to Kwava as she exits her own room, waiting for Chip to follow. "M-morning K-kwava." She blinks, hearing some... less-than-modest noises coming from Kilarra's room.
[15:45] <@Kilarra> Chip wakes up with a yawn and follows Katarina out, moinking. Ganmeed flies down and perches on the boar, seeming starting a conversation
[15:45] * Valnar_Quartzheart gets up from his sleep, and goes to the main hall looking for something to eat.
[15:48] * Katarina sighs and follows Valnar towards the main hall, leaving to the kitchen and preparing a quick meal for herself and Chip, in addition to Kwava and Kilarra, being that neither of the two were familiar with the setup. She sets out the food for Chip along with all of the other plates, starting to eat to prepare for the day.
[15:49] * Valnar_Quartzheart sets up his own mean and gets some ale to enjoy before their venture down.
[15:52] <@Kilarra> Chip moinks appreciatively and digs in Ganmeed is given some seed by Kwava, who then takes a modest portion and looks to the other two, "I am sorry I did not come to your aid sooner. Hopefully my presence in this excursion will prevent any further losses amongst your friends."
[15:53] * Kilarra join the others after an hour of prayer playtime, straightening her hair as she comes out. She is, perhaps mercifully from Katarina's perspective, already dressed when she arrive. "Morning."
[15:53] * Katarina nods. "I-It's a-alright," she replies, a hopeful smile on her face. "L-lady Pamodae c-can help, s-she c-can revive h-him."
[15:54] <Katarina> "M-morning..."
[15:55] <@Kilarra> Kwava nods, "If he wants to return that is. Still, if he was a good friend, I imagine he will not scorn your efforts in calling him back."
[15:55] * Kilarra lets out a big yawn that shows off her pointy teeth, then looks around, "This one mine?"
[15:57] <@Kilarra> Kwava seems slightly unnerved by Kilarra's prominent demonic features, but is wise enough at least not to draw attention to them, having seen other tieflings in the city before.
[15:57] * Katarina nods, finishing up her own small portion of food.
[15:58] * Kilarra eats the food given to her rather ravenously and quickly. "Not bad." She lets out a distinctly unrefined belch.
[15:58] * Valnar_Quartzheart sits down and enjoys his food, whether other people wish to acknowledge him or not.
[15:58] <@Kilarra> Kwava looks to Valnar so as to have a distraction from Kilarra, "Good morrow master Valnar. How fare you this morning?"
[15:59] * Valnar_Quartzheart grumbles a bit at the elf, "eh, As good as I'm going to get without me people here."
[15:59] * Katarina stretches as she picks up her bowl, taking it back into the kitchen. Afterwards, she goes to her room to meditate and have another hour of rest.
[16:00] <@Kilarra> Kwava nods, "I understand. The company of my kinsmen would make this endeavour more favourable, but sometimes we must work with what we are dealt."
[16:01] * Valnar_Quartzheart looks to Kwava, now angry, "Dealt? Bah, damned elf, This ain't about what I'm giving or not, My people were taken away from me and there is no going back on that."
[16:02] <@Kilarra> Kwava blinks, "Oh. I am sorry, I did not know." He bows his head in apology
[16:04] * Valnar_Quartzheart still looking at Kwava and still angry, "Of course you didn't know you damned elf, you never bothered asking." Also isn't taking that apology seriously.
[16:06] <@Kilarra> Kwava shrugs, having been told dwarves could be beligerent and held grudges second to none. "I would point out that you did not ask about my family either, but casting blame back and forth will not help what we are about to undertake."
[16:07] * Valnar_Quartzheart "Never said I cared about your family now did I? But you tried apologizing for something that you never even cared to know."
[16:08] <@Kilarra> Kwava ponders that a moment, "I apologize for my insenstivity, not my lack of knowledge."
[16:08] * Katarina steps outside for a breath of fresh air before readying herself to venture underneath the Goblin. She takes a small pinch of dirt, praying to Desna for good fortune.
[16:10] * Valnar_Quartzheart stands up and begins to head back into the kitchen but first makes a point to Kwava, "Insensitivity? You think a dwarf cares about that? Damned elf knows nothing."
[16:10] <@Kilarra> Kwava just looks a bit bewildered, truly not understanding the dwarf at all.
[16:10] * Valnar_Quartzheart "Weather it was intentional or not, you still said it without regard for myself."
[16:10] * Kilarra snickers a bit, "I still think you're handsome, so  at least you've got that."
[16:11] <@Kilarra> Kwava ignores that comment
[16:11] * Kilarra again mutters about prudence
[16:11] * Kilarra stands up, tapping a hoof, "So, are we ready to get this over and done with?"
[16:11] * Valnar_Quartzheart walks into the kitchen very angry for someone saying such things about his family.
[16:12] * Katarina returns to the others with bow in hand, ready to go. "I-I a-am."
[16:13] * Kilarra nods, "Alright then, let's go. Dwarf... what was your name again? I know Katarina from when she came to the temple, but I forgot to ask yours."
[16:13] * Valnar_Quartzheart ignores the Tiefling for he feels hurt for her not helping him.
[16:14] * Valnar_Quartzheart walks behind Katarina and says to her only, "Let's get this done."
[16:15] * Katarina nods, making her way back to the pit.
[16:15] * Kilarra has no idea what the dwarf is on about. She follows the group down to the pit, occasionally sneaking a glance at Kwava's backside.
[16:16] <@Kilarra> Kwava, Ganmeed and Chip all fall in in turn, heading back down to the pit. The door is right where they left it unearthed.
[16:18] * Valnar_Quartzheart understands that no one wishes him harm in anyway, but is also mad that someone would bring up his family, since he is the only person in his family who can save what is left of them and he has made no progress towards that.
[16:18] * Katarina is waiting for Valnar to hurry up and proceed through the door, as he asked to lead last time.
[16:19] * Valnar_Quartzheart comes up beside Kat, "Ready?"
[16:20] * Valnar_Quartzheart doesn't really wait for a response, and pulls out his axe and shield and heads into the door.
[16:21] * Katarina nods and follows through behind, still holding her bow at the ready.
[16:22] * Kilarra has far more serious family issues, but isn't going to bring them up unless provoked. She loosens the curl of her whip around her shoulder for easy retrieval. She smirks, "Geronimo."
[16:23] <@Kilarra> The trap door opens to reveal a wooden ladder descending 15 feet into the cave below
[16:24] * Valnar_Quartzheart begins to climb down the ladder.
[16:24] <@Kilarra> A gaping pit drops away along the eastern wall of this cavern, descending twenty feet to a sloshing pool of water below. The pit’s sides are steeply sloped and slick with moss, but are also covered with many rough ledges and protrusions. A series of wooden ladders and ropes descends along these walls to a ledge below, just around the edge of the pool.
[16:25] * Kilarra heads down after Valnar, her hooves clicking against the stone. "It stinks down here."
[16:25] * Katarina follows down, caring little for the smell.
[16:28] * Valnar_Quartzheart "Where to go?"
[16:29] <@Kilarra> There is only one way to go, down to the sloshing pool below. Scaling the slick walls would be difficult, but the ladders placed there seem to be with the purpose of avoiding this.
[16:29] * Valnar_Quartzheart climbs down a ladder to the sloshing pool.
[16:31] * Katarina doesn't continue, unable to see far. "I-It's k-kind of d-dark..."
[16:32] <Katarina> "K-Kwava, d-do you have a t-torch?"
[16:32] * Kilarra is following Valnar down the ladder and blinks, "Huh... oh yeah, you guys can't see in the dark."
[16:32] <@Kilarra> Kwava nods and dips into his pack, pulling out a pair of torches. He offers one to Katarina, lighting his own with a tindertwig.
[16:33] * Kilarra blinks a bit at the light, but adjusts to it.
[16:33] * Katarina smiles, taking and lighting the torch, continuing down after. "Th-thanks."
[16:36] <@Kilarra> Valnar and Kilarra make it to the bottom of the ladder unharmed, but Kwava's hand slips on the mossy wall before he can get a grip on the ladder
[16:37] * Katarina attempts to grab him as he falls!
[16:37] * Katarina tries to pull him close to herself as she climbs down.
[16:38] <@Kilarra> Katarina succeeds, her strength making it easy enough to swing the light elf back towards the ladder. Kwava looks a little shaken, but nods thankfully, "Much appreciate miss Katarina."
[16:38] * Katarina smiles and nods, continuing to the bottom of the ladder before releasing Kwava.
[16:39] <@Kilarra> A sandy ledge sits on the verge of a tidal pool that foams with the surf of the sea. Water marks on the cavern’s irregular walls and the collection of flotsam, small shells, and mussels embedded in the sand attest to the flooding that this cave periodically receives. A tunnel exits on the pool’s opposite side.
[16:40] <@Kilarra> Kwava looks at the pool, "We are lucky the tide is low, else we would be underwater right now. As it is though, we do not have much beach here to keep footing on. Can any of you swim?"
[16:40] * Valnar_Quartzheart "I can but not very well."
[16:40] * Katarina shrugs. "I-I'm a-alright at s-swimming..."
[16:41] * Kilarra shrugs, "Not in this thing," she indicates her breastplate. "I don't take much convincing to take it off though."
[16:43] * Katarina blushes and shakes her head.
[16:44] <@Kilarra> Kwava looks into the pool... "There is a vent at the bottom that is likely where the tide comes in, which means it would lead out to the sea." He looks around the room, then points out, in the light of the torch, "We might be able to squeeze around the sands, but it might be quicker for those of us who can to swim. If Valnar were to carry our armours along the beach, the rest of us could go through the water unencumbered."
[16:45] * Valnar_Quartzheart grumbles but accepts the proposition.
[16:46] * Katarina nods, though doesn't strip out of her armor, as it isn't really encumbering her...
[16:47] <@Kilarra> On the far side of the pool however, something nasty stands in the way. A vicious looking, serpentine fish scuttles in front of the passageway, apparently not too concerned about being out of the water
[16:51] <@Kilarra> Kwava makes the first move, quickly drawing his bow and firing two shots in rapid succession at the killer fish.
[16:52] <@Kilarra> Kwava strikes true, dropping the nasty fish before it can get any closer
[16:52] * Kilarra blinks, "Uh, yeah, not going swimming with nasty fish like that in the water."
[16:53] * Katarina nods in agreement, smiling at Kwava. "Th-thanks, n-nice a-aim."
[16:55] <@Kilarra> Kwava nods, "Thank you. I agree with Kilarra, predators like that would not be so easily dispatched inside their own environment."
[16:56] * Kilarra nods, "Aright then, Val, lead on. Nice and slow so we don't slip in."
[16:57] * Katarina waits for Valnar to move, following after.
[16:59] * Kilarra makes sure she's right behind the meat shield... dwarf at all times. She always did her best work from just behind someone thick.
[16:59] <@Kilarra> Kwava keeps to the rear with his bow drawn
[16:59] * Valnar_Quartzheart moves forward.
[17:00] <@Kilarra> Whilst the party moves along the sandy shoal, they are caught by surprised when a second massive swamp Barraccuda leaps out of the pool and attempts to make a meal out of Katarina
[17:03] <@Kilarra> The barracuda bites down hard on Katarina's shoulder, thrashing and attempting to tear meat off, even if the armour is making that difficult
[17:03] * Katarina cries out in pain, struggling with shaking the barracuda off.
[17:04] * Kilarra smirks, time to show off a little. She presses a hand against the giant fish and smirks, "Calistria, show this foul fishy what real pain is." Negative energy courses around her hand.
[17:05] <@Kilarra> The Barracuda shireks as massive wounds break out all over its body, slumping to the sandy floor, looking slightly charred.
[17:05] * Kilarra smirks, "Lightweight."
[17:06] * Katarina blinks and looks down at the fish, her hand moving to clutch her wound and bite marks. "Th-thanks..."
[17:06] * Kilarra smirks, "Maybe if we come back this way we can fry them up for dinner."
[17:08] <@Kilarra> Kwava looks at the bite, "Can you continue with that, or do you need to fix it before we continue?
[17:08] <@Kilarra> "
[17:09] * Katarina pulls out her two potions, drinking both one of curing and one of barkskin.
[17:09] * Katarina smiles and sighs contentedly as the wounds heal, nodding. "I-I c-can continue."
[17:10] <@Kilarra> Kwava nods, "I still have a few healing potions as well, if anyone comes to need them."
[17:10] * Kilarra shrugs, "I can heal just as well as I can harm, but the latter is more fun."
[17:10] * Valnar_Quartzheart nods and motions for the party to continue forward with him.
[17:11] * Valnar_Quartzheart continues forward, hoping that no one will get too hurt down here.
[17:11] <@Kilarra> As Valnar leads the party around the sands and down the tunnel leading to the south, they come to a fork, the passages branching out due east and west respectively.
[17:11] * Katarina follows, her torch guiding her steps.
[17:12] * Kilarra sticks behind Valnar, "Left or right big guy?" She says this with some irony, given that even at her shorter stature, she had nine inches on the dwarf.
[17:12] * Katarina frowns. "Wh-which w-way?... We c-could f-flip a coin, D-desna m-may l-lead us..."
[17:13] * Valnar_Quartzheart "Bah, lets just go right."
[17:16] * Katarina follows whichever path Valnar takes.
[17:16] * Valnar_Quartzheart moves down the right path.
[17:18] <@Kilarra> This twisting tunnel is thick with hanging stalactites that glitter strangely. They seem to have crystalline veins running through them as well as larger nodes of translucent crystal. A musty, foul stench wafts from the darkened passage beyond.
[17:19] * Kilarra scrunches up her face, "The smell's getting worse. As much as that sucks, it probably means we went the right way."
[17:20] <@Kilarra> Several of the crystal stalactites begin to flash.
[17:21] * Valnar_Quartzheart continues onward, hoping to get this done with soon, as he fears for the safety of the people around him.
[17:21] * Katarina pinches her nose, avoiding the smell while she continues.
[17:21] * Valnar_Quartzheart looks at the crystals
[17:22] * Katarina examines the nodes as she continues, seeing if she could recognize anything.
[17:24] <@Kilarra> The dazzling flashes of the crystal daze Kilarra and Kwava, and then being to crackle with electricity.
[17:24] * Kilarra groans, "Something tells me those aren't natural formations." She rubs her eyes.
[17:25] * Valnar_Quartzheart attempts to figure out what these things are.
[17:30] * Valnar_Quartzheart "Careful of the Electricity."
[17:33] * Valnar_Quartzheart knows there is nothing that he can do in order to get to the ceiling and attack them, so he decides to just stand in a defensive position.
[17:34] * Katarina draws her bow, dropping her torch to the ground, and fires an arrow at each of the creatures.
[17:37] <@Kilarra> The Sentinels let out horrible wails as they are pierced, but live on. Each one crackles with electricty, shooting an arc towards each Valnar and Katarina
[17:39] <@Kilarra> Valnar is only glancingly shocked, but Katarina's hair stands on end
[17:39] * Katarina yelps as she is shocked.
[17:41] <@Kilarra> Kwava attempts to blink the spots out of his eyes and aims a single shot at one of the Sentinels
[17:41] <@Kilarra> He misses
[17:42] * Kilarra pulls out her whip, "Stupid things need to be closer. Let's fix that." She casts her whip up at one of the creatures, attempting not to harm it but rather to wrap her whip around it and pull it down to the ground where Valnar would mess it up
[17:46] <@Kilarra> Kilarra's whip expertly wraps around one of the protruding crystals on the creature, and, with a tug, it is separated from the wall and dropped to the floor in from of Valnar
[17:47] * Kilarra smirks, "All yours Val."
[17:48] * Valnar_Quartzheart smirks at the one on the ground, ready to kill it for hurting him and his friend.
[17:49] <@Kilarra> Valnar's hefty axe blow stops the squirming of the uprooted sentinel
[17:51] * Katarina fires another duo of arrows, this time aimed at the single remaining creature.
[17:52] <@Kilarra> Katarina's first shot embeds itself in the ceiling several feet from the creature, but the second manages to skewer it. It stays stuck to the cieling like a macabre pinata.
[17:53] * Katarina breaths a sigh of relief and slings her bow back over her shoulder, picking up her torch from the ground.
[17:56] <@Kilarra> Katarina's relief is short live as, about twelve seconds later, the foul stench reaches it's peak as a quartet of reptilian sub-humanoids. They let out shrill barking noises, and are armed with javelins and clubs topped with skulls.
[17:57] <@Kilarra> The stench coming off these reptiles is horrendous
[17:58] * Katarina sighs, she should have just kept her bow ready!
[18:00] * Kilarra smirks, "Finally, something with legs!"
[18:00] <@Kilarra> The stench makes the party feel a bit queasy, but none of them actually get sick
[18:01] <@Kilarra> Two of the Trogs stay back and toss Javelins, while another pair of them rush up to Valnar with their clubs.
[18:03] <@Kilarra> Katarina manages to duck the thrown spear easily, but Kilarra takes one to the shoulder.
[18:03] * Kilarra scowls at the Trogs as she plucks the projectile out, "I am -so- goign to enjoy this."
[18:05] <@Kilarra> Neither one of the trogs manages to make a dent in Valnar's armour with their clubs.
[18:05] <@Kilarra> Kwava, the spots finally faded from his eyes, aims to put two arrows in on of the javelin tossers
[18:07] <@Kilarra> One of the shots just barely misses the trog, but the other catches one of the spear tossers in the leg.
[18:07] <@Kilarra> The Troglodyte shrieks in anger
[18:08] * Kilarra wants to save further wound infliction for serious threats, so she steps back and snaps her whip at the feet of the Trog to Valnar's right, wanting to give him an easy target.
[18:09] <@Kilarra> As Kilarra pulls her whip back, the troglodyte is pulled off it's feet, landing flat on its back.
[18:13] * Valnar_Quartzheart looks to the one that Kilarra just pulled off of it's feet and readys his attack.
[18:13] <@Kilarra> Valnar takes its head clean off
[18:15] * Katarina drops her torch once again, readying her bow and firing a shot at each of the spear-wielding Trogs.
[18:16] <@Kilarra> Katarina's first shot catches the uninjured javelin tossed hard in the shoulder, while her second finishes off the one Kwava hit already.
[18:17] <@Kilarra> The hurt spear thrower tosses another javelin at Kilarra, trying to keep her from tripping the other clubber
[18:18] <@Kilarra> Kilarra's armour takes that one without a penetration.
[18:18] * Kilarra smirks, "You should handle your shafts better."
[18:18] <@Kilarra> The Trog with a club continues attempting, likely in vain, to smack Valnar around
[18:19] <@Kilarra> He doesn't accomplish much
[18:20] <@Kilarra> Kwava attempts to finish off the last tosser with one wel aimed shot
[18:20] <@Kilarra> The Trog gets an arrow through the eye and goes down hard.
[18:21] * Kilarra runs a hand down Valnar's back, granting him a bit of luck on his next attack
[18:22] * Valnar_Quartzheart looks to the trog in front of him and thanks Kilarra for the spell, and starts swinging.
[18:25] <@Kilarra> Valnar pretty much cuts the last Troglodyte clean in half
[18:25] * Kilarra curls up her whip a bit but keeps it out, "There were making a hell of a lot of noise. WOuldn't be surprised if there's more on the way."
[18:26] * Kilarra looks to Valnar, "Your call, we wait for them here, or rush up to meet them?"
[18:27] <@Kilarra> Kwava chuckles, "They were not too difficult, but perhaps we should hold our ground so as to determine their numbers first."
[18:27] * Katarina shrugs. "Th-they d-don't seem t-to threatening..."
[18:28] <@Kilarra> Kwava notes, "That which is harmless in small numbers can still kill you with scratches if you are not careful."
[18:29] * Valnar_Quartzheart smiles "WE CHARGE!" his hand extended outward ready to charge into battle.
[18:29] * Kilarra casts a quick light healing on herself before getting ready to follow
[18:29] <@Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:31] <@Kilarra> Rewards: 2 CR 2, 2 CR 2, 4 CR 1; 1335 each