[Let's Play] D&D Solo Module XS2: Thunderdelve Mountain

[Darth Rabbitt]

Swap out to that sweet, sweet +3 sword. As far as I can tell there aren't weapon speeds in this adventure, so unless something's allergic to mithril (or Sting has other properties) that's going to be murdering fools. Dunk it in the red liquid that I am assuming really is poison for swords.

Might as well keep on the wolf head ring, and put on the filthy bearclaw necklace. With a price tag like 2500 GP, that one's for selling.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to look for the secret entrance, not wear any of the necklaces or ring, and not to do anything for the phial of red liquid. I also vote to switch to the +3 sword.

[Beroli]

Two votes to use the +3 sword; one uncontested vote to go in by the secret door; need a tiebreaker for what to do with the bearclaw necklace, wolf's-head ring, and phial of red liquid. Note that worn magic items which are in your pack will not do anything; before Darth Rabbitt posted saying "use the ring," which I interpreted as putting the ring on then, I was about to post Nanli fighting the wolves (which would probably have killed him).

You skirt the mountain and find the small waterfall. Following his directions, you creep underneath the overhanging ledge, so that you are between the waterfall and the mountainside. The ring on your finger tingles and you see witchfire outline a secret door in the rock. You open it and creep inside.

You are at the top of a short flight of rough hewn steps. It is dark, but you can tell that the cuts in the stone are fresh. Water is dripping, and some of the steps look slippery.

If you're here there's no logic to not going down the steps.

You proceed carefully on the dark, slippery stairs, your infravision used to full capacity. Make a Dexterity check; a 4 miraculously succeeds.

You nearly slip on the slimy steps, but catch yourself.

You are in a small dusty room. There is no sign of life. Your ring outlines a secret door on the west. A set of rough stairs leads up. Some of the steps look wet and slippery.

You go through the secret door.

You find yourself in a bedroom. On the northern wall is a canopied bed draped in silk and satin, layered with pillows. On the south wall is a cot covered with fur throws.

You go through the west door.

As you enter this room, you notice that the northern half of the room is immaculate, decorated with fine silk and tasteful art. The southern half of the room is a shamble of ruined furniture and dirty rugs.

You go through the south door.

This corridor is well-used and fairly clean. You hear a shout of joy from behind the western door. There are also several voices behind the middle door on the east. The northernmost door on the east seems to be polished.

(There is nothing relevant west or northeast. You can go south, the way that eventually led you to Redface, or southeast, the one way here you have not been.)

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d4+3
Hit Points: 39/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, wolf's head ring, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife
Coinage: 604 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 10

[Thaluikhain]

I vote for going south, not using the red liquid or bear claw necklace, but keeping wolf ring on.

[JourneymanN00b]

Too bad we cannot rest in the canopied bed in the bedroom to gain HP.

I vote to go southeast.

[Beroli]

Need a tiebreaker.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, it is too bad we cant rest in the bed.

Oh, and go southeast.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Southeast is fine by me.

[Beroli]

(Bandit encounter doesn't happen.)

You are in an empty dingy barracks. You rummage through moth-eaten blankets and sagging bunks. If this is your first time here, roll four times for treasure, and return to the hall.

(Rolls: 15, 68, 68, 56. You find [1d10] 1 gold, [1d10+10] 20 copper, and two healing potions.)

This short, very dusty passage vibrates with the sound of thunder. You automatically avoid the pit trap which Nanli discovered, somehow.

The roaring sound is quite loud here and is caused by twin waterfalls cascading down the eastern wall, falling into a clear pool that runs the length of the room. Spanning the center of the pool and leading to a set of great doors standing between the two falls, is a bridge of crystal. The bridge hums as it vibrates from the pounding of the two falls. Even the floor, made of red quartz, vibrates with a low rumbling sound. This great hall looks as though at one time it might have been quite festive. The water in the pools looks wholesome and, judging from the scattered buckets, must serve as the bandits' principle water source. The doors to the north, south, and west can be barred shut, so this hall can serve as an interior line of defense in case of attack. The southern door is barred shut and has remained so for some time.

Go back through the north corridor?
Go through the western doors?
Try to open the closed eastern doors?
Try to unbar the southern door?

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d4+3
Hit Points: 39/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, wolf's head ring (worn),Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife, 2 healing potions
Coinage: 605 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver, 20 copper
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 10

[Thaluikhain]

How much does a healing potion heal? Cause we've lost about a third of our health.

[Beroli]

1d6+1. Or it will cure paralysis, but if you're paralyzed you can't drink it.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to head back to the pool and recover our health and unbar the southern door when we are done.

[Beroli]

If you mean using the dipper again, that is (as I said at the time) not an option you have.

[JourneymanN00b]

Ok, then I vote to unbar the southern door and quaff a healing potion then.

[Beroli]

You drink a healing potion and are healed for [1d6+1] 6. Then you unbar the door to the south.

Map Segment 255.PNG (3.33 KiB) Viewed 821 times

This short hall has been divided by a great crevasse. From the depths of the pit, you hear a dull rumbling. A large part of this region has been swallowed into the pit which extends to the south and west. You cannot see the bottom, but can detect the foul-smelling vapors that swirl from it.

Across the pit is part of the hall leading to a blackened door. The pit here is only ten feet wide. You might be able to jump it, but the southern ledge is crumbling. It would certainly break off and plunge you to your death. As you peer over the pit's edge, you feel a tingling presence run up your spine. You turn and see a dim form coalescing from the vapors. It is a vapor ghoul. You are trapped between it and the pit.

You do have a magical weapon.

Vapor ghoul: AC 2; HD 3*; hp 15; MV 160'(40'); #AT 1 touch; D 1-4 + special; ML 9; AL C

Something special will happen if it hits you or if you roll a 20. Retreating would mean either running through it, or trying to jump the pit, hoping the crumbling ledge to the south will hold long enough for you to scramble through the far door. Vote on whether to do which of these under what circumstances and whether to let the vapor ghoul disengage if it attempts to.

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d4+3
Hit Points: 45/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, wolf's head ring (worn),Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife, healing potion
Coinage: 605 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver, 20 copper
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 10

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to fight the Vapor ghoul to the death.

[Thaluikhain]

I vote that if something special happens due to us being hit or rolling a 20 we see what it is before deciding to fight to the death or not.

[Beroli]

Delfi wins initiative and hits with a 17 for 13 damage. The vapor ghoul rolls an 11 for morale and would disengage, but you won't let it. The vapor ghoul misses with a 9.
The vapor ghoul wins initiative and misses with an 11. Delfi hits with a 12 for 9 damage, destroying the vapor ghoul.

You lean back against the wall and try to clear the fuzziness from your head. The vapor ghoul condenses into a pool of liquid on the floor. You dimly recall a legend that good may come of drinking this ghoul's essence, or that by saving it, potions of undead control may be distilled.

Drink the foul-smelling liquid?
Go back to the north and make another choice?

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d8+5
Hit Points: 45/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, wolf's head ring (worn),Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife, healing potion
Coinage: 605 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver, 20 copper
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 11

[Darth Rabbitt]

Drink the foul-smelling liquid.

[Thaluikhain]

Drink

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to drink the foul-smelling liquid.

[Beroli]

You feel immediately strengthened. Regain [1d6+1] 4 hit points and [1d6+1] 2 Intelligence (if you lost any). Now you must return to the north.

Go back through the north corridor?
Go through the western doors?
Try to open the closed eastern doors?

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d8+5
Hit Points: 49/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, wolf's head ring (worn),Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife, healing potion
Coinage: 605 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver, 20 copper
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 11

[Darth Rabbitt]

Try opening the closed eastern doors.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to try to open the closed eastern doors as well.

[Beroli]

You cross the crystal bridge, the water thundering loudly beneath your feet, the bridge's vibrations rising through your boots, and you grasp the door's great handles. You push, but nothing happens. The doors are firmly locked, or barred from the other side. You could never break through so much ironwood, and besides, only Barin knows what wicked thing the noise might arouse.

Nimron did tell you something to do here.

"Barin's Forge!" you shout, proclaiming the words old Nimron taught you. Nothing happens. But then, growing from a single bright point, witchfire burns through the ironwood, running like water through channels that once held golden filigree. Silently, the magic light dies away, and the doors swing open.

This enormous, once-festive hall is now in ruins. Charred tables, benches, and skeletons lay tumbled together where they fell during the sudden and fiery onslaught of the fyrsnaca. The room is filled with the sound of dull thunder constantly booming in the distance. An enormous gem glows high up on a central pillar. You have heard of this fabled uncut stone, the Heir's Stone. It was left exactly where it was found when the dwarves were excavating this hall. Standing at the base of the pillar is a statue of a happy dwarf, his arms thrown wide in greeting.

You take account of the exits now. The great doors leading to the west are coated with mithril. The smaller doors on the north and south have both been blasted off their hinges or burned away. Above the northern and southern doors are more runes.

Inscription 6.PNG (5.95 KiB) Viewed 787 times

A great arch in the eastern wall opens onto a descending flight of stairs.

As you enter the hall, you sense movement. You look around and notice the statue of the dwarf is moving toward you, its face carved into a smile, its fists clenched. You know these dwarven statues are controlled by a key word but you do not know it.

Retreat back the way you came?
Try to dodge around the statue and go to the north door, south door, or eastern flight of stairs (specify which one)?
Attack the statue?

Character Sheet:
Delfi Ironboot
Level 8 Dwarf
Gender: Female
Strength 16 (+2 to hit)
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Dexterity 5 (+2 Armor Class penalty)
Constitution 17 (+2 to each hit die)
Charisma 9
Armor Class: 5 (chain and magic shield, Dexterity penalty)
Main weapon: +3 sword. Will hit a -14 AC on a 20, will hit an 8 AC on a 2
Damage: 1d8+5
Hit Points: 49/61
Alignment: Neutral
+1 mithril dagger "Sting," Warhammer, Sword +3, Dagger +1, Shield +1, Backpack, wolf's head ring (worn),Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, opal-studded dagger sheath worth 110 gold, dagger, dice, bell, Backpack, Tinderbox, Iron Spikes, Large Sack, phial of red liquid labeled "Poison for sword," three ~50-gold-piece figurines, three bags of assorted gems worth 2,000 gp total, 2500-gold-piece emerald necklace, 500-gp pearl, filthy bearclaw necklace, cleaver, kitchen knife, healing potion
Coinage: 605 gold, 85 electrum, 569 silver, 20 copper
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Kobold
Infravision
Detection of Traps and Stone Construction
Saving Throws:
Poison or Death Ray 4 (must roll a 4 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Magic Wands 5 (must roll a 5 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Paralysis or Petrification 6 (must roll a 6 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Dragon Breath 7 (must roll a 7 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Rod, Staff, or Spell 8 (must roll an 8 or better on 1d20 to succeed)
Victory Boxes: 11