Hexplore24 — Day 28

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Hex L11, Owsage

Snow storm

Outside, the world turns white and windy, the air whistling strange tunes across the cavern mouth of Owsage. All are glad their little camp is sheltered from these elements.

Today is the day they will enter Owsage and descend its depths to go on a hunt for the ooze.

The team assembled includes Blain, Aima, Malla, and Belus, serving as a "conventional arms" guard.

Then the magic users are:

Satis, Mahbe, and Angor, along with the four witches Corlin, Seter, Tala, and Anna.

They are greeted by Rahlit, the farmer, who takes them into Owsage.

What’s Owsage like? “Artistic Empty”

It is clear that this place was once made with pride, by talented and gifted craftspeople. Those days are, however, long in the past. Now the space feels nearly abandoned.

Aima finds it odd they are not being escorted by guards, but clearly there is little of value here. Goz’s own hoard may require guards, but the rest of Owsage seems to be on its own.

Rahlit takes them deeper and deeper, the man-made parts becoming less prevalent. The pathway they are taking is a barely maintained trail carved in and clinging to rocky walls, snaking through massive twisting caves. The air grows warmer and more humid. Sometimes, drips of condensation fall into the torches, making a hissing sizzle.

So, now what kind of experience do I want? How much exploring vs. delving vs. just having the fight?¹

Let's ask! FC: Do they have to search for the ooze? No

FC: Does the ooze attack them right away? Yes.

Rahlit is explaining the sightings of the ooze when a blue shimmer begins to seep out of a wall.

“Look out!” Aima shouts.

Ooze gets initiative, but not surprise

The Ooze surges from the wall, pouring onto the floor and spreading towards the group.

Ooze attacks Rahlit? Yes

It is fast, sizzling ooze suddenly at Rahlit’s feet. He looks down and begins to scream as it rises and slaps at him, burning his skin.

Rahlit has 6 hp. (1 HD 2 DF)

Ooze has 5HD, rolls 18 hp.

15AV 5AF 2DF 12DV 10SV

Rahlit to dodge most roll 5 < d20 ≤ 12²

Roll is 16, Rahlit fails to dodge, so it is a hit and... 1 damage, lucky. Rahlit now has 5/6 hp

The ooze hits Rahlit, who screams in pain.

Aima yanks Blain back from the ooze.

Corlin casts her weather magic, and an icy magical wind billows out, hitting the ooze, causing frost to form across its shimmering surface as it tries to recoil.

Corlin 11 hp, spell costs 2hp, so 9/11 hp³

Damage is 4, ooze is down to 14/18

Tala casts her ranged curse, a flash of orange light swoops towards the ooze.

6 damage! 8/18 hp for ooze. Tala has 6/8 hp.

The ooze bubbles and pulls back from Tala’s spell.

Now Mahbe fires his magic missile,

5 damage! Ooze has 3/18 hp.

Mahbe has 7/9 hp

And Angor, holding a ruby, fires an orb of red fiery light.

3 damage - ooze is defeated

In a flash, the ooze is engulfed in magical flames, and it fizzles into a grey powder.

Belus and Satis rush to help Anna who is using her magic to heal Rahlit’s acid-burned legs.

The group pauses, their breaths heavy in the sudden silence. ‘Is everyone alright?’ Aima asks, scanning the faces of her companions. Relief washes over them, but the tension remains, is this all?⁴

FC: Are they all done? No.

FC: What else? “character betray”

FC: is there another monster? Extreme no

FC: Do they get trapped? Yes

So Gaz wants more of their nice stiff, like the Ivory.

The victory is sweet, but short-lived. They soon learn the route back has been blocked by stone doors.

“What’s happening here?” Aima’s voice carries a mix of confusion and concern as she scans their surroundings, her instincts on high alert for more than just physical barriers.

“These shouldn’t be closed,” Rahlit says, concerned.

“Are we hostages now?” Malla’s tone is edged with a hint of irony, masking the underlying seriousness of their predicament.

Corlin curses. “I had hoped Goz was past these petty tricks!”

“It must be the ivory he’s after,” Blain suggests.

“We have seven magic users, how can Goz think he can contain us?” Belus asks.

Seter clears her throat, “Attrition,” she begins, “He knows each time we cast magic it weakens us. That's how we witches were stuck here before — winter is no place for a weakened witch. We use magic to open these doors, that's less vitality we can rely on for whatever is next.”

“Is it possible he just wants something more from us?“ Mahbe asks. “We haven’t received any messages. Maybe this is a mistake?”

“I’ll take a look,” Satis says, stepping forward, and she casts a spell that dissolves her body and everything she is carrying into a thick vapor, and then she swirls in the air and slips through a crack in the giant doors.

What’s Satis see on the other side?

Is it a barricade and a few guards? Exceptional yes

“Threateningly Broken”

Satis' vapor form emerges and sees the doors have been shut and barricaded with logs, that appear to be part of a simple security design from an earlier era in Owsage.

A handful of guards are playing cards, sitting, or asleep.

Is anyone higher ranking there? No.

After studying the scene for a bit longer, Satis slips back through the door and rematerializes with the group, relaying her findings.

“So do we have to just sit here? with no food?” Malla asks.

“Rahlit,” Aima asks, “Are there any other ways back to Owsage? That bypass these doors?”

Are there? Yes

Uncharted? Yes

Dangerous? No

Maze-like? Yes

Rahlit explains that yes, there should be, but the caves can be like a maze and he isn’t sure how to navigate them, But if they don’t get lost, they can leave that way.

“Well that seems risky,” Malla sighs.

Anna and Satis both explain they have spells that would help them navigate these maze-like tunnels, but it would take two nights for them to attune.

“Should we blow the door down and take our chances fighting?” Angor asks, “Because it seems like we do that or we just sit here with no food or water...”

“Actually, we can eat the cave Algae, and it has high water content” Rahlit explains.

Angor makes a face, “still...”

“What do you think Blain?” Malla asks.

If I do a reaction roll, I get a 3. Blain, it seems, is pissed off.⁵

“We’re leaving, now. This place… it’s pathetic,” Blain announces, his face grimacing with frustration.

So the group gets to work planning a way to open the doors. It's decided Seter and Corlin will combine their weather magic and enhancement magic to use ice to pry the massive doors apart.

The group stands at the ready as the magic is cast.

Ice begins to form in the gap between the doors, filling it, then expanding, finding small cracks in the stone and growing in them, causing the cracks to expand, until, in a loud bang, a huge chunk of the rightmost door detaches, and falls, creating a large opening.

Let's roll a reaction for the guards: 11

That’s rather friendly.

The guards on the other side are all alert from the sound of the door falling apart. Scared, they hold weapons, and stare into the hole — and upon seeing people coming, the guards relax, they had thought it was a monster at the door, not people.

Blain, committing to his new tact, strides though the hole and in the voice of a noble bellows “What is the meaning of this? We kill your problem as goodwill and this is our thanks? a locked door?!”

The guards, lacking any leader, stare back confused. Blain keeps walking, gesturing for his group to follow. “Come, let's get back to our camp and leave!

Meet anyone important back to camp? Yes

Onvah? Yes

Motivation: “Hope Control”

The group marches through the mostly empty spaces of Owsage. They are close to the main entrance, and their camp, when Onvah the messenger comes to them.

Onvah have guards? No

Onvah reaction: 2, aggressive.

“What are you doing?” Onvah angrily asks, “Marching through our city like this?”

Blain walks up to Onvah, Aima nearby with a hand on her sword hilt, as the young noble stares into the messenger's eyes.

“Move aside, we are leaving.” Blain commands.

Onvah reaction: 9

Onvah, seeing he is clearly outnumbered, gives a fake smile, “Of course.”

Blain walks past him without hesitation.

Is Goz still at the camp? No

They reenter the Owsage entrance cavern and return to their camp, learning that, as Blain had suspected, Goz just left with the mammoth ivory tusks, a second ransom payout. Blain is livid.

Outside a snowstorm fills the air, the party cannot leave even if they want to.

“Listen to me,” Aima tells Blain and the other Beaconites, “we must sleep here tonight. We cannot leave. Owsage is weak, but we are at a terrible disadvantage if they gather even a few archers. They can and will force us out if you confront Goz. Wait until the storm passes. Then we can confront him knowing we can safely leave. Ok?”

Blain, though angry, agrees.

Goz leave them alone? Yes

And so they spend the night in the hospitality of a new enemy. Goz, and his goons, remaining hidden in Owsage.

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