The Ever Expanding Dungeon: Session 26

[It's been several months in game time since the party last entered the Ever Expanding Dungeon, although their most recent adventure was, in game time, a week or so ago]

As a light snow fell over the village and forests, Sister Linkat (C:4), Sylana (C:2) and Manchiever (Mu:1) planned their next assault on the dungeon over cups of hot mulled wine.

As they reviewed the difficulties one more time, given their inability to find anyone else to join them, the door to the Zealous Dagger opened and a stout bearded fellow traipsed in from the cold, the double-bitted blade of a battle axe, peeked from behind his shoulders.

It took all of a few moments before the party invited the newcomer, Gutzom (D: 2), a dwarf of the Unconquered Cliffs, to join the merry, if greatly reduced, band of dungeon delvers.

Even less surprising, he accepted their offer.

Perhaps, thought Sister Linkat, they'd be able to press on a bit further this time around.

However, given the staunch resistance they encountered on their last effort, she posed a different plan: continue exploring the section of the dungeon the party had entered when Perceval was killed. This would necessitate going into the entrance the original (and entirely deceased) party used when the dungeon was first re-discovered by the villagers.

****

No torch was needed as the party already knew the first level to be lit by glowing orbs created by a magic user that at one time at least, lived on the third level of the dungeon. And so, weapons at the ready, they descended into the dungeon.

[ Is there anything in here? By anything, I mean an encounter. (CHAOS 5, Because this room historically has had something in it, I set the chance to Likely, 05, exceptional yes) I take this to mean that someone has prepared this room against invasion now and rolled on the AEC traps table and got " pit, locks shut.:

I rolled 1d6 for each party member as they crossed the pit - on a 1, that PC would fall in. ]

As the party descended into the room, Manchiever triggered a pit trap at the bottom of the stairs and fell [Depth 10’ 80%, 20% is 20’, 66, 10’, he takes 4 HP damage and is killed]

The party stood there, slack-jawed.

Gutzom quickly checked the stone work to see if he could find any means to undo the pit's cover. Sister Linkat and Sylana took up posts covering the 4 doors to the room. Unfortunately, Gutzom was unable to find any such means, and Manchiever was sealed in his tomb.

Sister Linkat had a moment of doubt, but realized that she signed on for this until the bitter end, no matter the cost.

And then things continued to get unpleasant - listening at the door to the room to the West (which provides access to a flight of stairs up to the next level)- they heard a faint hissing sound. As they debated the possible source, eight skeletons, armed with swords, entered from the North door.

[I rolled to see if the party was surprised and rolled a 4. Phew! At least something positive.

I declared the party actions prior to initiative:

Sylana and Linkat will both attempt to turn

Gutzom will close and attack the lead skeleton

Rolled Initiative Round 1

Party: 3 Skeletons: 5]

The skeletons approached and fanned out, 2 skeletons attacked each member of the party, while two more stayed back in reserve.

[ S1: 20, Hits Sylana wpn (lng sword 80% short 20%, long)  3 hp damage

S2: 4

S3: 15, hits Linkat, lng sword, 3 hp

S4: 9

S5: 15, hits Gutzom, short sword, 1 hp

S6: 4 ]

Although the skeletons had delivered a few knicks and cuts, the party was armed both with steel and the grace of the Hedonistic Lumberjack.

Gutzom promptly destroyed one of the skeletons before the divine presence of the Lumberjack forced the remaining skeletons to cower and retreat the way the came.

[Gutzom attacks 19, hits, and destroys one

Linkat will try to turn firstt: 5 hd are turned

Sylana turns: 4 hd are turned ]

Before returning their attention to the door to the West, Gutzom spiked all of the other doors shut, and then they battered their way West.

[ this is Room 3 on my map. 

Is there anything in here that was making the hissing? Chaos 5, 50/50, 95, exceptional no

I treat this as meaning the room is devoid of anything - even furnishings.]

To Sister Linkat's eyes, something odd had gone on in this particular room; it appeared to have been sanitized . Even the warning [skull and spinal column] on door to stairs up had been stripped away. It was eerily clean.

Still, not wishing to waste any time they forced open the door up and made their way into the stair well.

[Is there anything in the stair well? Chaos: 5, Unlikely , 11, Yes, Random event Activity Magic.

I decided this would be Magic Missile trap - 1d6 1=1 missile, 2-4 = 3 missiles 6 = 5 and rolled a 4.]

A sudden burst of light from the top of the steps caught the party off guard, and three magic-missiles blasted towards them, each one struck in turn.

[Sylana, now having taken the Sylana cast a Cure Light Wounds on herself while the others took up a post.

The party would enter room 34 on my map next, a room which in the past contained evidence of being the lair of a carrion crawler.

So, I rolled on my Is the Monster Here table and got No, but Warning and got Literal Sign.]

As they burst into the next room, the saw a large graffiti scrawled upon the opposite wall. Gutzom quickly noted it to be in goblin and offered the translation "Don't Chill Here, The Scrubber Will Eat You." Well familiar with goblin colloquialisms, Gutzom explained that chill meant to relax.

Using the secret door a previous incarnation of the party had mapped, they traversed into the adjacent room, and circumvented an otherwise longish route.

Finally, they would be able to continue where the valiant Perceval, favorite son of the villagers, had last led the party.