409 - OCT 1
Welcome to Carcer Magnus, the most complex Dungeon I have ever designed and which has had two previous adventuring groups test it. I hope you enjoy it.
The session began at 2000 on 1 October.
The party made camp. That night, while Tarryn and Gaius were on watch, Vernon the Bard suddenly appeared sitting next to the camp fire. Disconcertingly the watch had not seen him and the Alarm Spell was not triggered.
Vernon was amiable and said he would like to tag along with the party with the aim of getting good material for a poem or lay. The party let him stay.
Next day (2 October) the party headed off It was an uneventful day and the party managed to travel 30 miles (only 12 miles to go). The party made camp. Vernon wandered off (he did this constantly during the day) and returned about an hour later bearing 7 fat freshly-caught perch.
That night while Dell and Tanis were on watch a mysterious skeletal bird (about 10" tall ) appeared perched on a bush about 15' away. Upon being spotted it took to the air, but did not flap its 'wings' but simply soared away (how odd!).
The next day (3 October) the party moved on and soon came to a Roman road which cut across their path and headed in a SW/NE direction. It was in pristine condition with no erosion or plant life growing between the stones. It was enchanted.
The party took the road and soon the imposing mass of Carcer Magnus was visible.
The road had an arch at the start of a causeway across the lake (which had an odd pinkish tinge) which had an inscription which listed the date of construction (254AD), the name of the emperor at that time (Valerian) and a statement that only people on official business can enter the prison.
The party crossed the 20' wide, 200' long causeway. A metallic odour emanated from the strange lake. Small silvery fish (about 4-6" long vaguely mullet-shaped) could be seen swimming about in large numbers. Scorpius, using a Mage Hand, caught one of the fish. It proved to be an odd specimen. It had an eel-like skin (no scales), no eyes and no gills. Gutting it showed that it had a digestive track and the tip of a Kobold's finger was found in its stomach. The fish had no blood. It also had a mouth full of tiny sharp teeth.
The party moved on and came to two 10'x10' steel doors. The lock mechanism appeared to consist of a 2" diameter hole in each door into which, presumably, some sort of tube was inserted. Gaius attempted to open a door and failed and determined that the locking mechanism was of a very high level of complexity.
While the party were debating next steps, Tanis knocked on the door. A hitherto un-noticed tiny door opened inside the door and a stone face peered out and demanded to know what the party wanted.
The party attempted to bluff their way in, but without success. Scorpius then presented the warrant given to the party by Ordo and that did the trick.
The party entered a T-junction with offices leading off in each direction. The passage was 10' wide and was built of stone. There were no torches or lantern, but a strange light emanated from the walls.
Insubstantial wraith-like figures could be seen flitting about the corridor.
Opposite the entrance was a front desk staffed by two strangely nebulous looking humans (Phillip worked out these were Haunts). They turned out to be administration officials called Septus and Licinius and were excessively bureaucratic. When the party asked to see the man in charge they were told he had not been seen since 312AD. The party, in a moment of inspiration, asked to be given permission to visit a Drow prisoner and were told that one could be found on the first level in cell 1B40.
Access was via a lift adjoining the front desk. It was activated by two buttons arranged vertically. On the basis of a floor plan depicted in a wall painting, the party pressed the bottom button. This opened the doors and revealed a control panel of switches marked "1-10". The party flicked the "1" switch.
The lift was slow (45 seconds) but eventually opened on another T-junction. Cells headed off left and right. The floor was arranged as a hollow square with 4 sections (A,B,C,D). The party were standing in section D. They looked into a random cell (1D02) by flicking up a vision disk. The cell was empty. It contained a bunk, chair, slop bucket and a stone basin. The cell was clean.
The party headed towards section B. En-route they encountered a Gelatinous Cube obviously employed to keep the passage way clean. The party despatched the creature with no problem (no xp!) and found two empty glass bottles inside.
After a 45 minute walk the party reached cell 1B40. Inside was a female Drow (youngish but mature) who called herself "Tixitt". She was in jail for poisoning 500 people in Ravenna. She was suspicious of the party. She revealed she got fed once a day at 1600 (the party met her at 1200). She was in a surly mood, but seemed in good enough health. The examined the cell door lock and it was a similar design to the front door and just as hard to open.
The party checked cell 1B41 which proved to be empty.
The adventurers decided to return to the front desk and try and get Tixitti released. They noticed that each sector had its own lift so they tried the B section lift. To their puzzlement they ended up back at the ground floor at the same point they had ascended from which did not make sense.
Seeking a release of Tixitt, the party were told by Septus they would need a signed copy of a form (IF04116 - Prisoner Release Authorisation) which would have to be obtained from the "Forms Issue" office at G-0012. The party went to the office. It had a piece of paper stuck on it which announced that the office was temporarily closed while the staff went on a 3 day training course. The party returned to the front desk to see how they could get round this and asked to see the manager of the Forms office only to be told he was on indefinite stress leave.
Resisting the impulse to scream, the party decided to check out the upper levels. They selected "1" (listed as "Mages' Accommodation and Research Area"). The doors opened on what looked like a moor covered in thick fog - there was no floor, just wild-looking grass).
The party decided to leave this storey to a later visit and next visited the second storey ("Garrison Accommodation"). The doors opened on another T-junction. Two heavily armoured guards (the party detemined there was no-one inside the armour) faced the lift clad in Clibanarii-style armour (complete with a metal face mask). The party asked to see the commander and they were escorted to a largish room with a dias at the end which a guard opened by removing a metal tube from a slot in his abdomen and then inserted said rod into the hole in the door. Seated on the dias behind a desk was an imposing looking Iron Golem.
The party attempted to secure Tixitt's release, but the Golem said this was an "admin" issue and would have to be taken up with the front desk.
After a fruitless conversation the party conceded defeat and were escorted back to the lift. En-route, Scorpius managed to surreptiously filch a steel rod from the abdomen of one of the guards.
The party returned to the ground floor next to the ever-helpful front desk staff.
At this point the session ended (1400, 3 October).
The session began at 2000 on 1 October.
The party made camp. That night, while Tarryn and Gaius were on watch, Vernon the Bard suddenly appeared sitting next to the camp fire. Disconcertingly the watch had not seen him and the Alarm Spell was not triggered.
Vernon was amiable and said he would like to tag along with the party with the aim of getting good material for a poem or lay. The party let him stay.
Next day (2 October) the party headed off It was an uneventful day and the party managed to travel 30 miles (only 12 miles to go). The party made camp. Vernon wandered off (he did this constantly during the day) and returned about an hour later bearing 7 fat freshly-caught perch.
That night while Dell and Tanis were on watch a mysterious skeletal bird (about 10" tall ) appeared perched on a bush about 15' away. Upon being spotted it took to the air, but did not flap its 'wings' but simply soared away (how odd!).
The next day (3 October) the party moved on and soon came to a Roman road which cut across their path and headed in a SW/NE direction. It was in pristine condition with no erosion or plant life growing between the stones. It was enchanted.
The party took the road and soon the imposing mass of Carcer Magnus was visible.
The road had an arch at the start of a causeway across the lake (which had an odd pinkish tinge) which had an inscription which listed the date of construction (254AD), the name of the emperor at that time (Valerian) and a statement that only people on official business can enter the prison.
The party crossed the 20' wide, 200' long causeway. A metallic odour emanated from the strange lake. Small silvery fish (about 4-6" long vaguely mullet-shaped) could be seen swimming about in large numbers. Scorpius, using a Mage Hand, caught one of the fish. It proved to be an odd specimen. It had an eel-like skin (no scales), no eyes and no gills. Gutting it showed that it had a digestive track and the tip of a Kobold's finger was found in its stomach. The fish had no blood. It also had a mouth full of tiny sharp teeth.
The party moved on and came to two 10'x10' steel doors. The lock mechanism appeared to consist of a 2" diameter hole in each door into which, presumably, some sort of tube was inserted. Gaius attempted to open a door and failed and determined that the locking mechanism was of a very high level of complexity.
While the party were debating next steps, Tanis knocked on the door. A hitherto un-noticed tiny door opened inside the door and a stone face peered out and demanded to know what the party wanted.
The party attempted to bluff their way in, but without success. Scorpius then presented the warrant given to the party by Ordo and that did the trick.
The party entered a T-junction with offices leading off in each direction. The passage was 10' wide and was built of stone. There were no torches or lantern, but a strange light emanated from the walls.
Insubstantial wraith-like figures could be seen flitting about the corridor.
Opposite the entrance was a front desk staffed by two strangely nebulous looking humans (Phillip worked out these were Haunts). They turned out to be administration officials called Septus and Licinius and were excessively bureaucratic. When the party asked to see the man in charge they were told he had not been seen since 312AD. The party, in a moment of inspiration, asked to be given permission to visit a Drow prisoner and were told that one could be found on the first level in cell 1B40.
Access was via a lift adjoining the front desk. It was activated by two buttons arranged vertically. On the basis of a floor plan depicted in a wall painting, the party pressed the bottom button. This opened the doors and revealed a control panel of switches marked "1-10". The party flicked the "1" switch.
The lift was slow (45 seconds) but eventually opened on another T-junction. Cells headed off left and right. The floor was arranged as a hollow square with 4 sections (A,B,C,D). The party were standing in section D. They looked into a random cell (1D02) by flicking up a vision disk. The cell was empty. It contained a bunk, chair, slop bucket and a stone basin. The cell was clean.
The party headed towards section B. En-route they encountered a Gelatinous Cube obviously employed to keep the passage way clean. The party despatched the creature with no problem (no xp!) and found two empty glass bottles inside.
After a 45 minute walk the party reached cell 1B40. Inside was a female Drow (youngish but mature) who called herself "Tixitt". She was in jail for poisoning 500 people in Ravenna. She was suspicious of the party. She revealed she got fed once a day at 1600 (the party met her at 1200). She was in a surly mood, but seemed in good enough health. The examined the cell door lock and it was a similar design to the front door and just as hard to open.
The party checked cell 1B41 which proved to be empty.
The adventurers decided to return to the front desk and try and get Tixitti released. They noticed that each sector had its own lift so they tried the B section lift. To their puzzlement they ended up back at the ground floor at the same point they had ascended from which did not make sense.
Seeking a release of Tixitt, the party were told by Septus they would need a signed copy of a form (IF04116 - Prisoner Release Authorisation) which would have to be obtained from the "Forms Issue" office at G-0012. The party went to the office. It had a piece of paper stuck on it which announced that the office was temporarily closed while the staff went on a 3 day training course. The party returned to the front desk to see how they could get round this and asked to see the manager of the Forms office only to be told he was on indefinite stress leave.
Resisting the impulse to scream, the party decided to check out the upper levels. They selected "1" (listed as "Mages' Accommodation and Research Area"). The doors opened on what looked like a moor covered in thick fog - there was no floor, just wild-looking grass).
The party decided to leave this storey to a later visit and next visited the second storey ("Garrison Accommodation"). The doors opened on another T-junction. Two heavily armoured guards (the party detemined there was no-one inside the armour) faced the lift clad in Clibanarii-style armour (complete with a metal face mask). The party asked to see the commander and they were escorted to a largish room with a dias at the end which a guard opened by removing a metal tube from a slot in his abdomen and then inserted said rod into the hole in the door. Seated on the dias behind a desk was an imposing looking Iron Golem.
The party attempted to secure Tixitt's release, but the Golem said this was an "admin" issue and would have to be taken up with the front desk.
After a fruitless conversation the party conceded defeat and were escorted back to the lift. En-route, Scorpius managed to surreptiously filch a steel rod from the abdomen of one of the guards.
The party returned to the ground floor next to the ever-helpful front desk staff.
At this point the session ended (1400, 3 October).