Skull Mountain: Deeper

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Listening at the door reveals nothing. No sounds emanate from the room.

A Detection of Evil by the Paladin reveals nothing as well. His eyes detect no telltale glow of those with evil intent.

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Maeglin feels confidant in his thieving abilities and opens the door. Sadly, he missed the tripwire that sends the arrow flying towards him from the far hall. The arrow flies and (d20, 17, HIT) embeds itself in the thief's back. Maeglin cries out in pain (dmg d6, 6) both from the wound and its aftereffect.

He croaks out, "Poison!" as his body fights the effects (d20, 6, FAIL) but he will soon be dead unless an antidote is found.

The door creaks open.



There are several stools in here. There are also slates with chalk lying on them with each stool. There is a large map on one wall, which you recognize showing the surrounding valley and nearby roads. There are several points along the road marked in red. There is an open crate in one corner.

Maeglin lies dying from poison.

Actions?

[Spanningtree]

We must make haste that our friend does not expire, everyone look for antidote! Dieter will take a look in the open crate for anything looking like an antidote. If there is nothing in the crate he will look under it also.

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The crate holds a number of unlit torches (16), pints of oil (8) and a few sacks of caltrops (4) of the kind recovered in the hallway before. A heave moves the crate but nothing is beneath it and there is no false bottom that you can detect.

Searching the rest of the room reveals no antidote either. You find that one of the slates has some smudged writing on it but otherwise there is little o interest. No secret or hidden areas that you can find either behind the map or under the stools.

Maeglin will need either magical healing or a potion to save his life.

[Spanningtree]

OCC: I am sure Dieter has one of the healing potions we were able to procure at the beginning of the game. Are these known to work on poison?

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OCC: I am sure Dieter has one of the healing potions we were able to procure at the beginning of the game. Are these known to work on poison?

Good question. My instinct is no, but I will ask the forum.

[Craigers07]

After Furuk is done searching he steps carefully over the trip wire and heads back out into the hall. He stands and looks around in all directions for any more approaching cultists.

[Professor P]

KALVAIN (paladin)

"Maeglin!" KALVAIN runs to Maeglin and prays to LAW! that Maeglin will be able to fight off the poison. "Dandy or Cygnus, can you neutralize this poison? If it were a disease, I could, but this poison I cannot."

KALVAIN then quickly takes down the map and examines the wall for hidden panels in hopes of finding an antidote.



If Maeglin perishes due to the poison, KALVAIN will take some chalk and will roll/fold up the map and place it in his backpack, "We should examine this later. Let us head back to town and lay Maeglin to rest."

((Question to DM: Could the characters make out any of the writing on the slates?))

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Only one of the slates has any writing on it, but you cannot make out the words: perhaps they are in a different language or some sort of code. It is partially erased.

Maeglin motions for you to bring it over so he can attempt to read it (secret roll, SUCCESS). He tells you, as his face gets paler and paler, that it is a form of Thieves' Cant but the writing is written phonetically in a strange alphabet. He translates it for you as the rest of the party searches for a potion or spell that will save him. He cannot make out the erased areas.

The "translated" slate looks like this:


Your search for a cure continues apace but to no end. You've ferreted out every nook and cranny as the poor, sickly mage/thief fights for his life.

Finally, Maeglin gasps as the poison overtakes him. He gasps for air and says, "This... this...," he takes a deep breath. "This is why I don't believe in gambl-" His words drop off and his eyes glass over as he dies.

Outside the room, Furuk sees what appears to be torchlight in the passage to the east that you just came from. It's gaining in strength -- possibly someone is coming.

[bighara]

Wheee! Body count!