Mysterious Tides #8

The heroes battle some stone snake guardians and are stumped by a door with no handle. On-going GURPS adventures set in the beautiful and evocative Bay of Spirits setting by Randy M. at Roan Studios.

GURPS: Mysterious Tides
Session 008

Snakes

231015

As Nilas touches the door, the two flanking stone snake statues come to life and break away from the wall, swaying menacingly. Nilas steps back ready to defend.

Jens Marko goes "Gaah!" and strikes out at the snake thingy! 

The snake tries to dodge but fails.

One snake lashes out at Jens with its stony fangs.

The other slithers up and strikes at Nilas

Nilas attempts to block the attack

and also hits

Jens Marko hops back to avoid the fangs! 

Nilas parries and retreats

The ground is very cluttered and uneven in this chamber, giving -2 to attacks and -1 to defenses.

Bro' Bob steps up by Nilas and executes a long thrust at the nearest stone snake.

The snake dodges.

Nilas attempts to thrust at the snake in front of him.

The sinuous stone snake statue slips the strike.

Jens Marko steps up again and takes another swing at the snake "Brother! What strange beasts are these?"

The snake dodges

Bro' Bob replies, "I don't know - some enchantment. "

One snake slithers up and strikes at Jens and hits!

Jens Marko hops back to avoid the fangs! 

The other snake moves up between Nilas and Bro Bob and tries to bite Nilas, and hits!

The snake attacking Jens pulls itself from its rocky base and follows him across the room.

Nilas attempts to dodge and retreat

The snake's attack doesn't even penetrate Nilas' armor.

Bro' Bob slashes at the snake in front of him

The snake tries to avoid the strike, but Bob's blade rings true!

Nilas attempts to strike again

The snake narrowly managed to avoid Nilas' strike!

Jens Marko slides around the snake, hoping to flank it, or giving Nilas a flank to attack. He takes a swing of his hatchet at it 

The slippery serpent senses the strike and sidesteps.

The snakes seem to grasp rudimentary tactics and position themselves to not get flanked.

One attacks Jens and hits, the other strikes at Bob and hits.

Bro' Bob blocks the attack with his buckler then sidesteps and swings again

Jens Marko sidesteps back to avoid the fangs! 

The snake fails to defend again!

Nilas steps to the side and strikes at the stone snake in front of Bob

Jens drops into a defensive position with his back to the wall and the 6-foot stone snake approaching!

Nilas misses his mark, stumbling on the rocky ground

The serpent strikes and hits, but Jens defends.

The other snake bites at Bob, hitting!

Bro' Bob blocks once more, then strikes back

The snake fails to defend Bobs attack

Nilas steps to his left and tries to flank the snake and strikes once again.

Bro' Bob calls over, "How're you holding out Jens?"

Jens grunts but appears to be holding his own against the guardian snake.

The snake manages to defend.

The snake once again strikes out at Bob and hits.

Jens and his snake opponent are locked in an evenly matched stalemate.

Bro' Bob continues to block and counter attack

Once again Bob's strike is true, chipping away more rocky flesh from the animated stone statue!

Nilas steps up again into flanking position and strikes again with a two-handed thrust from his three-pronged spear

The snake slithers back from Bob and strikes at Nilas who is holding his spear in the wrong positioning to defend an up close attack and hits!

Nilas retreats in an attempt to dodge the attack

The stony jaws of the snake clamp down on Nilas' shoulder, he feels the pain!

Nilas winces and gets angry

Bro' Bob follows the snake and presses his attack

The snake takes another hit, and now seems to be slowed a bit from its injuries

Nilas spins around and strikes at the snake fighting Jens, hoping to catch it in the flank

The snake just barely manages to dodge the attack.

The snake turns and attacks Nilas and hits

Nilas attempts to dodge again

The snake strikes in the side, damaging Nilas' ribs

The other snake strikes and hits Bob!

Bro' Bob blocks once more

Bro' Bob slashes at the snake again

The snake retreats and manages to dodge.

Nilas calls for a lightning bolt

Bob's last strike crumbles the snake guardian.

Bro' Bob calls out, "One down!"

Nilas says, "Well done Brother Robert!"

Jens Marko slides around the snake again, pushing it towards Nilas. He takes a swing of his hatchet at The snake cannot avoid the side strike from Jens!

This snake also crumbles to the ground, defeated!

Nilas Looks around with lightning coursing around his hand

Jens Marko pants in relief. "Are you sure we should be disturbing this place? They seemed put here to discourage it."

Bro' Bob nods his head, "Well done Jens!. Callast, how bad are you hurt?"

Nilas says, "Well, let's get this door open and if anything is behind it, I will blast it"

Nilas looks at the doors and mosaics for any writings upon them

Nilas cannot read the markings but some of them seem to refer to the sea, if not directly to Calla. He has trouble focusing on the markings, though, due to holding a handful of lightning and being careful not to drop it!

Jens Marko gives the powerful spellcaster plenty of room!

Bro Bob sheaths his sword and steps forward to examine the door, buckler still at ready

Nilas says, "We should see if we can get through this door"

The door is an oval shaped portal made of dark brass or some other type of metal, highly corroded but still looks solid.

This rectangular room has a metal portal/door in the far wall flanked by two carved stone snakes. A colorful, but dusty, mosaic lines the wall behind the each snake. There is no visible handle on the oval metal door. Several piles of bones, some human, some not, lie on the floor amid several shallow pools of water.

Nilas says, "The snakes animated when I touched the door....see if either of you can push it open"

"or maybe there is something in the wall from where teh snakes came from?"

Bro' Bob places his free hand carefully on the door and pauses to see if anything further is triggered

Nilas hint, Jens takes a rag and starts wiping off the mosaic next to the door

The door is cold to the touch, though not excessively so. It feels solid and no further guardians appear as Bob touches it.

The mosaic pattern around where the snakes detached from the wall are dirty and grime covered, but clean off easily. It takes Jens a few moments to clear a good sized patch revealing numerous symbols in the patter, but nothing that seems to stand out as a way to open the door.

Bro' Bob pushes on the door cautiously

The door does not budge.

Jens Marko scratches his head.

Nilas says, "both of you, back up a moment please"

Bro' Bob steps back and to the side

Nilas says, "Calla, I Callast Nilas, your proud servant, call upon you to open this portal"

Nilas throws his lightning at the door

Jens Marko ducks

The bolt hits the door loudly, sparks fly, the air in the room tastes bitter for several moments and a strange scent lingers in the room, but the door stays standing.

Nilas suggests, “Maybe we have to push in on it? all three of us together?”

Jens Marko nods agreement

Bro' Bob picks up a handful of the debris from the stone snake and tosses it on the door

The rocks and debris bounce off the door with a dull metallic clang.

Nilas says, "Let's all try to push on it, see if we can force it open"

Bro' Bob tries simply knocking. . .

Bro' Bob says, "Hello? Can we come in?"

Nilas looks at Bob incredulously

Bro' Bob shrugs, "What?"

There is no answer. When all three push, the door does not even budge. It seems to be closed to typical means of opening.

Nilas laughs. "Stone snakes nearly bit my arm off and you ask 'can we come in." ha ha ha

Jens Marko starts looking around the room for a switch of lever or something.

Nilas looks around the mosaics again and behind where the snakes were to see if there was anything hidden, a key, a latch, or anything

Bro' Bob carefully examines the door carefully

A thorough search of the room reveals nothing that seems to open the door. It is possible that this door leads to some old tomb, in which case, there may not BE a switch or handle or button meant to open the door.

Nilas says, "maybe we have to start chipping away at the stone to pry it open?

Bro' Bob scratches his head in puzzlement,

Nilas says, "hmmmm, what if this is a tomb......I could see if there are any spirits around"

Jens Marko scratches his head again. "Seems like that'd take quite a time. Have we seen anything else in here? Missed a key or something?"

Nilas answers, “yes....we have, Liam, he may have something.”

Bro' Bob sits down, staring at the door and ponders aloud, "Why snakes?"

Nilas walks up to the door, and puts his hands upon it.

Nilas says, "Mighty Calla, show me any spirits that may be near me"

Bro' Bob murmers, "Jens, did those snakes look at all like any sea serpents you know of?"

Jens Marko shakes his head. "Not that I recall. But I don't see many sea serpents, truth be told."

Nilas says, "It is possible that young LIam has a clue for us, perhaps we should go get him?"

Bro' Bob continues to stare at the door, rolling his tin cup back and forth between his hands, deep in thought

Nilas senses no spirits in the vicinity.

Nilas says, "I'm not reading anything nasty waiting for us behind the door"

Nilas says, "Clearly I struggle with climbing. But it may be worth it to get to Liam and see if he has a clue or a key, or we figure out some other way to get this door open"

Bro' Bob takes a sip from his cup and asks, "Anyone know any songs about snakes or serpents?"

Jens Marko says "I will go talk to Liam. Climbing is not a problem." And off he goes.

Thinking back on Liam, Jens thought he looked pretty weak and is probably in no condition to make a climb up here.

Nilas says, "I can sing, and I do know of a few songs, some related to calla"

Jens Marko pauses. "Um, does anyone have another torch?"

Nilas says, "Just my magic floaty light,"

Bro' Bob nods, "Can you recall any that might offer a clue about this place?"

Nilas replies, “I can send it down there.”

Nilas tries to think

Nilas looks over the door again, for a hole or anything that would receive a key or a bar or anything

Nilas says, "I can lower my light and you can call out to Liam, without having to face the hag"

Nilas touches the door and sings a song about the sea, and maybe serpents

Nilas sings a rousing rendition of "Shores of the Ebon Siren" but nothing happens

Bro' Bob doesn't appear to be really noticing what the others are doing; he's lost in thought, idly fidgeting with his cup

Nilas starts looking for a sturdy bone or rock or something to start chipping away and prying the door open

Bro' Bob furrows his brow, "What on the Vine do the snakes have to do with anything? That's too much trouble to go to not to have some significance. . ."

None of the bones are sturdy enough to try to pry the door open, and chipping away at the rock surrounding the door would no doubt take years to do if only using other rocks to do so.

Nilas says, "Liam had a map, maybe there is a clue on it? we should maybe try to retrieve him, I can cast a heal spell on him and maybe go from there?"

Bro' Bob begins to rock/sway gently side to side, hissing softly as he stares at the door and mosaics

Nilas says, "and if the hag is there, we take her out"

"Jens, do you have a rope we can secure up here to make it easier to climb back up again later?"

Jens Marko says "You mean like this one?"

Nilas says, "I am really at a loss here, not sure what to do. My only thought is maybe to ask Liam"

As Nilas mentions Liam, there is a soft, echo-y voice calling out in the distance, "Hey, where are you guys? I could really use some help up here. Did the Hag get you? Oh, please don't let the hag get them!"

Nilas says, "We can't move past the door and we can't leave that kid there alone. even if we do nothing else, I feel like we should go save that kid"

Jens Marko nods. "You are right, Nilas. We must prepare for this door, but only after we get that poor boy our of here."

Nilas prepares to descend

Jens Marko says "I am up and down rigging all day. Let me hold the rope for you two"

Nilas says, "Jens, you are going to have to help me, and I can cast slow fall if I slip and be prepared to do the same for you guys"

Nilas climbs down and Jens realizes that Bro Bob is still crouched in front of the door, trying to puzzle it out.

Nilas says, "Bob! Brother Robert, let's go get the sailor guy first"

Nilas' voice echoes throughout the chamber and the passage back down.

Nilas says, "Great....now Bob is a snake"

Bro' Bob shakes his head a bit and mutters, "Huh?"

Jens Marko says "We're leaving. Gotta help Liam get outta here."

Bro' Bob "Huh? Oh, uh yeah. Damn!"

Nilas says, "arrgh... Bob....stop being a snake and helps us help Liam please!

Bro' Bob stands up, still looking at the door as he turns

Bro' Bob swears under his breath, downs his drink and throws the cup at the door. "Okay, yeah"

The voice in the distance calls out quietly, "Is that you guys? Are you ok? Please, I really could use some help up here, food, I am starving! Water! I haven't had anything to drink for days!"

Nilas says, "Yeah, we're coming Liam, any sign of that hag yet?"

"The hag is back? Do you see her?" Liam calls out, the panic is clear in his voice.

Bro' Bob heads over and begins climbing down

Nilas says, "I'll swim over to Liam, then Jens. Bob, cover us with your bow"

The group manages to climb down easily enough, walk across the shallow pool, then start the swim across the Hag's pool.

Nilas brings the light with them

The Hag does not show herself this time as the group crosses her pool.

Nilas says, "Liam, we are coming to get you and bring you to shore with us"

Once again the group stands on the rocky shores of the large underground pool. Liam's head and hands can be seen peeking out over the edge of the little ledge he is stuck on.

"To shore, you mean back up above? I don't think I can make the swim. I am weak. I haven't eaten in days. I'll try though," he says. "I don't want to stay here any longer."

Nilas calls out, “no for now just get over here with us so we can help you regain your strength.”

A weak chuckle comes from Liam. "You don't seem to understand the situation I'm in here, I don't think I can climb down, but I'll try, I guess."

Nilas says, "Jens, do you think that you can help me get up to the ledge he is on?"

Jens Marko shakes his head. "I will carry you. Just need to lash you to me and we will get you down."

Everyone does notice that the beach is a lot less present and Liam's cliff is not nearly as high as it was earlier. Tide is rising.

The rocks and stalagmites in the water are much less visible now. Jens estimates the water is at lease 3 feet higher than it was earlier in the day.

Bro' Bob calls out, "I don't have anything to eat, but I've got some water at least"

Nilas says, '"If Bob can cover us we can swim over and get Liam"

Nilas says, "So we get over there and climb up to him and then I can heal him and we can try to get him to the tomb room"

Bro' Bob looks at the others, "We'll either need to go back to the Kittiwake or hole up where we just were until the tide goes back out"

Jens Marko says I can help you climb up."

Nilas says, '"Liam, we found a room with a brass door and stone snakes. do you know anything about this?"

Jens Marko swims over and climbs up to Liam

"A room? Down here? Brass door? No, I haven't been beyond this grotto," Liam says weakly.

Nilas says, "what about your map? how did you find this place?"

"No no map, just found it. Im an oyster diver, always looking for new places to find my catch. The island up above has been a pretty good spot for me. One day I got bored and a wild hair up my ass, like my da says, and went diving into the blowhole. Did a couple of dives into this pool and found some good oysters, but then, over there," he points to the far corner, "down in that grotto, I spotted what looked like some treasure. Some sunken pirate loot maybe, on some ledges. It's a pretty deep hole, haven't been all the way down, but I think its worth a look." he explains

Nilas assures him, “well after we take care of this hag and heal you up, we will find that treasure.”

Liam groans, "Yea, that's fair enough. But I don't know nothing bout no brass door."

Nilas says, "If we can get oysters or something, we can feed him, we have water, so that's not an issue"

Nilas says, "Jens helps him lower into the water and Jens & Nilas can help him swim, Bob covers us from danger

Bro' Bob stands watch with bow ready, arrow notched

Jens and Nilas carefully help Liam down from his ledge while Bob watches with his bow ready. Bob wonders if getting the bow and string wet is going to damage them. Unfortunately, Liam is quite a bit of dead weight in the water and he and Jens both manage to take in some water. Both are dragged out onto the rocky beach, coughing and spurting. The exertion has caused Liam to fall unconscious again.

Session Notes

Battled the stone statue snakes but then they could not get through the metal doorway beyond. Decided they needed to go back and help the stranded oyster diver before he died of starvation. Missing a player again tonight. It's so much better with everyone present, but real life comes first!

Cast of Characters:

Brother Robert (Bro Bob) D'Nagien, a young Enibrian monk and archer - played by Amergin K

Jens Marko, a young Captain sailing his dory all over the bay - played by Arne J
Callast Nilas Orkan, a young priest of Calla the Storm Goddess - played by Mike B

Ragnar Rocht, avenging ranger - played by Stephen K

and GMJasonGURPS as the DM