77 - Sneaking in the back door

======== Strange aura of magic around the ancient Sulan Ruins ========

Eddie has a bit of a negative reaction to the magical forces swirling around in the Sulan ruins. Just a few too many variables send his divination senses wild showing all sorts of strange/improbable events. Freya gets him out of it by giving him a good stiff slap but he can't help feeling something is off magically speaking.

======== 'Sneaking' towards the back door ========

Freya and Kylorin are in their usual form "sneaking" but when one of them accidentally whips a briar back into Celadon's face is what does the group's attempt at stealth in. A loud argument ensues and The guards are notified and try to sneak into an ambush position but do such a crappy job of it that no one is surprised except Lindal who misses the one competent Yuan-Ti that has been stalking him from the rooftops. That one attempts to jump him the moment he is away from the group. Lindal manages to fights his way back towards the group but the fight is on with the serpent-people and their pet serpents.

Freya and Kylorin are tied up with a pile of snakes while Eddie and Celadon both experience firsthand the perils of dealing with old tainted magics. Eddie winds up shooting butterflies instead of fireballs and is disappointed with himself but not quite as much as Celadon whom attempts to charm the snakes only to find Yuan-Ti in snake form are not technically snakes and when he tries to trigger his cape flap he somehow polymorphs himself into a giant spider.

Eddie having seen impossible things happening in his visions for the last half hour just tunes out Spider-Celadon as another vision up until the moment when he walks face first into its utterly real furry butt which sends Eddie gibbering onto the ground until Celadon climbs out of sight over the building between him and Lindal. Celadon attempts to shoot webs but instead just gets white sticky stuff everywhere in true Celadon fashion.

Gradually the serpent men fall one by one and the last one bolts for the hidden entrance which is covered by a thicket of thorny bushes into which she slithers in snake form. Kylorin tries to hack his way in after her but only succeeds in opening a hole big enough for Lindal to squeeze through. Meanwhile Eddie, already knowing the layout of the tunnel, grabs Freya and magically transports the two of them into the tunnel sandwiching the fleeing snake between Freya and Lindal whom make quick work eviscerating it. The group collect a small amount of coinage and then head downstairs.

========= Between a Dock and Hard Place =========

Having learned their lessons about stealth and surprise Eddie and Lindal sneak ahead to scout. Lindal casts a magic silence right before the guard room and Eddie hangs up a baffle using his family's priceless rod to hang a curtain so Kylorin can stomp up with her light on without giving the group away. Plans are made and the group manages to finally get surprise but the guard's hair trigger reflexes mean the party only gets a moment before the guards react. Eddie - no longer hampered by the magic effects of the city above - celebrates by tossing a fireball catching all 4 guards squarely in the effect.

Celadon runs in and uses booming blade on the closest guard but Freya kills him in passing and badly mauls another. Kylorin comes in finishing that one. And the remaining two guards flee to raise the alarm. One runs to bang on a nearby door while another runs down a side passage that the group had not explored magically. The group focuses on the fellow banging on the door and take him down but not before he alerts someone beyond the door who curses the Interruption in a mix of Draconic and Infernal. Eddie tries to bullshit the person but when the person asks him to come right in Eddie chickens out and tells the group they need to bolt towards Ras-Nsi before the alarm can be raised.

========= Sans Seraph =========

At this point Sully flies in from the other passage saying his debt has been paid. He slowed the fleeing guard so they can deal with him. Seraph charges in first - hissing and puffing flames to intimidate the guard into staying in the hallway so he can not effectively raise the alarm.

Meanwhile the rest of the group decides to stick to the original plan - go up the river to reach Ras-Nsi's throne room and avoid getting bogged down in fighting down here. But while calling Seraph to come back and join them Seraph gives an anguished cry that she can not. When asked "why?" she simply responds "Enslaved children in here". And that was the point where the stinker of a GM ended the session.

Inspiration

    • Kylorin - being loud and bright

    • Celedon - "Let me in, need to go potty" (which I ignored during run - but absolutely loved. i just needed the blustery to be in draconic and/or abyssal)

Experience (challenge based) 1000 Individual => 38231 cumulative

  • Outer Guards - 600

  • Inner guards - 400

Allies

    • Seraph - opened a can of worms with the whole kids in chains thing...

    • Sully - Faerie dragon having just paid off its debt to group

Treasure

  • Smattering of silver (16) and gold (10) as well as some poisoned arrows (2d6 additional damage)