Been a busy few days for me - helped both daughters move, dismantled, repainted, and reorganized my office (and the room my youngest was occupying before her move), helped a friend build a deck around his pool, and, to top it all off, took a tumble into the firepit last night and burnt my arm...

Anyhoo... all that aside, I'll try to get a post tacked up in the next day or so. See you all soon!

So, do we actually have any idea what we want to do next?

I suppose we have another weeks worth of posts to say "hi!" to Talca. And at the same time we can do something about the water - I think Ulthok had that figured out so actually doing that would be a really good idea since Tann specifically mentioned that we were knee deep in the stuff.

But once we deal with the water and intros, then what? I'm assuming we won't get a ton of new information from the newcomer - the back story seems intended to full us in on that, although Eol may well write up an exciting version of it. Keep going down this hallway? Does Talca have a map? Does he have any idea of where this magical power source is? Does anyone have any idea what this crazy beholder beast might be? I'm thinking neither poem refers to it. Do you agree? If not, are whatever those poems refer to still here?

Lothor's post is east - stand guard, try to survive, hope someone dries out his feet and follow the leader.

Uhm, you fell into the campfire? That is not usually recommended. I hope you know a good cleric. Mighty useful, clerics. And daughters all gone? Quite the time.

I had asked the group if anyone took time to study more spells during the wait to melt the ice. Is anyone going to remove he water from the room. Alyia, Ulthok and Sirene could all do the "Dry" cantrips on folks once we are in the hall to remove the water from the boot so they don't freeze to the floor.

Also we will need to have the Endure Cold Spells cast on the party member before we enter combat so we don't die from the cold if Sirene loses he spell that is creating the safe zone.
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As for the Beholder here is an interesting item from the Manual.
Beholders and beholder-kin are usually solitary creatures, but there are reports of large communities of them surviving deep beneath the earth and in the void between the stars, under the dominion of hive mothers.
I could guess that what was burrowing in the other hall may have opened a pocket that held the Beholder. This one being the most extreme of these creatures are called beholder abominations.

We need to think about how to handle these creatures.

Lookup what ever you can find.

Tann, was there enough time for the spell casters to have studied or prayed to restore or change spells?

I have been suggesting back posting but I didn't check with you if it was allowable.

I've been absent this week dealing with a death in the family.

I should have a post up this weekend, Sat or early Sun at the latest.

Sorry to hear about that, Grumpy! Condolences and sympathies on your loss.

I'm hoping to have a post of my own ready before too much longer.

Tann - how much does Talca know about what lies ahead? I know a lot is likely to have changed in the quarter of a century that the elf's been a popsicle, but is there any information he could provide the group with?

Nomad - yeah, I tumbled my way into the fire! Was carrying some stuff out to be burned, misstepped, and ended up going arm first into the already burning stuff. Wound up with a couple of first (bordering on second) degree burns and no hair left on my right arm but otherwise I'm good. I know a great cleric.

I'll post a bit before we move out and it is too late.


Sort of still waiting for Eol to do bit of in story post of telling the party what happened to him and about the Beholder. Then we can follow up with our story to him on why we are there. That then set the stage for us to leaving room. Outside of that it would need to be Tann doing the DM to fill that gap as he can do it in story.

As of now when we leave Ulthok will cast the dry cantrip on himself to dry his feet. Once in the hall He, Sirene and Alyia can cast it each as they leave the room so we all have dry feet.

I have to believe Ulthok still has his Endure Cold active. Tann let me know if and when he needs it refreshed, I'm not of the duration.

So, the party is going to test, learn, and recover this week? Ok, just trying to see where we're going from here. Is anyone doing something about this water? I didn't see anything specific about that matter.

Working on a post, should have it up before the evening.

...for a response from the DM about what Talca might know of the path ahead and/or if he'd managed to map any of it before I posted. Since I have yet to hear anything, though, I can probably "wing it" to some extent (expect for the ranger to be a bit foggy on what lies ahead just now).

I'll try to have something posted this afternoon.

Not much, just waiting for something to happen I guess. I'm sure it wont be long.

The Endue cold spell is a cleric spell. Cor has several and I believe cast on himself and Ulthok when we got to the chamber.

If I read correctly his last 22 hours (1 1/2 hour per level of caster) which we have used about 6. I'd say now is a good time to be sure everyone has it cast on them. Because of the bitter cold we will take 1hp of cold damage every hour if outside of Sirene's current spell. Seems to me we did an account of the spell before entering the stairway and there was enough to cover everyone including Peri, that was part of that rest and study period, need to figure there wasat least one extra for emergency that is available for Talca.

We will likely be seeing combat action soon so best to prepare now. I'll have Ulthok dry himself before entering the hall and then as folks step out of the water left in the room he, Sirene and Alyia can dry the party members. Best to avoid any chace to freezing our feet to the fool.

As Cor is the "Official" party leader he would be the one to inform the ranger of our purpose. I will post as if that has been done but won't refer to specifics until after Keeper's post with the details of how much he tells Talca.

I missed both of your questions this week as such as above my apologies. As I have had a long, busy, crazy, appointment filled week and I'm worn out and I failed to answer those questions, I will not be posting tonight. Next post will be next Sunday the 18th.

Here are your answers as flimsy as they may be

ODY
Tann, was there enough time for the spell casters to have studied or prayed to restore or change spells? No normal time to memorize spells is 8 hours combined time of study and sleep. The spell Nap reduces this time by half to 4 hours.

EOL
Tann - how much does Talca know about what lies ahead? I know a lot is likely to have changed in the quarter of a century that the elf's been a popsicle, but is there any information he could provide the group with? Not much really you remember a number of hallways, some rooms and so on but everything was normal not covered by this thick coating of ice. As the party moves deeper if your character should remember something I'll pm you the details.

... your answer is about what I expected. Thank you, sir.

Hoping to sit down and write something in the next few minutes.

...Sunday got away from me.

Post in the works.