The Bathhouse

[hedgeknight]

As stealthy as he can possibly be, Tommy D' Cat takes one step at a time, descending underneath the bathhouse. Steps go down...and down...and down until they finally end at a dark chamber. The chamber at the bottom of the staircase is empty, unlit, and flooded with foul-smelling water to a depth of about two feet. Squinting through the darkness, Tommy can see there are two exits in the southern wall...

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[Spearmint]

Ambergris

Is heard moving the wardrobe and descending. He has retrieved what kit has left in the lockers, striking a lantern to illuminate his way.

[Belkregos]

As stealthy as he can possibly be, Tommy D' Cat takes one step at a time, descending underneath the bathhouse. Steps go down...and down...and down until they finally end at a dark chamber. The chamber at the bottom of the staircase is empty, unlit, and flooded with foul-smelling water to a depth of about two feet. Squinting through the darkness, Tommy can see there are two exits in the southern wall...

seeing the flooded floor Tommy thinks the water will make hiding his movements more difficult and decides to have a decoy hide his movements
casts unseen servant and uses the bathrobe to drape it over the phantasmal force in an attempt to make the figure look humanoid
seeing the 2 exits in the southern wall he weighs his options, after a moment decides that if he needs to retreat it will be better to take the exit closest to the stairs and issues a mental command for the floating robe to move ahead towards the exit directly in front of him ( eastern), takes advantage of the water ripples the robe makes as it moves across the water to hide his own movement behind   
moving to the threshold of the hallway he peers and waits as he sends the servant down the hall ahead

if he hears the movement and sees the light coming down the stairs behind him, he moves to the southeast corner of the room and crouches using the dark waters to hide his figure and waits, he suspects it could be his companions but is unsure and being alone can't take any chances



Unseen Servant

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V S M (A piece of string and a bit of wood)
Duration: 1 hour
Classes: Bard, Warlock, Wizard
This spell creates an invisible, mindless, shapeless force that performs simple tasks at your command until the spell ends. The servant springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within range. It has AC 10, 1 hit point, and a Strength of 2, and it can’t attack. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends.
Once on each of your turns as a bonus action, you can mentally command the servant to move up to 15 feet and interact with an object. The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine. Once you give the command, the servant performs the task to the best of its ability until it completes the task, then waits for your next command.
If you command the servant to perform a task that would move it more than 60 feet away from you, the spell ends.

[Tell]

Lesh follows Ambergris down the steps down to a dark chamber. He is surprised to see a bathrobe silently drifting over the water but holds his tongue. Moving silently and keeping a sharp eye out he goes left but doesn't yet touch the water.

[hedgeknight]

Down, down, down...

Ambergris, with Lesh following, descends into the bowels of the bathhouse...coming to a large water-filled chamber. There is a foul stench coming off the water, which looks to be about two-feet in depth. About twenty feet away, the aged captain's lantern reveals a figure in a pink bathrobe. Ambergris can only see the figure from behind...could it be Tommy? Could it be another servant of the bathhouse?

Actions?

[Belkregos]

Down, down, down...

Ambergris, with Lesh following, descends into the bowels of the bathhouse...coming to a large water-filled chamber. There is a foul stench coming off the water, which looks to be about two-feet in depth. About twenty feet away, the aged captain's lantern reveals a figure in a pink bathrobe. Ambergris can only see the figure from behind...could it be Tommy? Could it be another servant of the bathhouse?

Actions?

recognizing his companions Tommy reaches out with his mind to communicate directly with their minds precluding any sound (uses awakened mind ability)
Awaken Mind-
hey, good to see you made it down here, its me Tommy
he raises from his crouched position

i guess there wasn't much that could be done about the explosion...i haven't seen anyone down here, was about to start moving down this hallway, haven't explored the other one are we doing this? you said you wanted to recover before engaging but this might be a good opportunity, i think, maybe they are also distracted by whatever that explosion was, i don't know

I could explore ahead, i have another trick to communicate further distances with one of you, guessing the old captain might be the best bet....

OOC: Awakened Mind PHB, pg. 110You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 ft. of you if it understands at least one language.

if they agree to move ahead,
Tommy establishes a communication link with Ambergris using telepathic speech to stay in contact longer distances and continues with the set strategy (move the decoy down the line while he stealthily moves behind, the rest further behind in order to minimize their noise, maybe 20 ft apart each; decoy-20ft-tommy-20ft-party) does this make sense?   

Telepathic SpeechTCoE, pg. 67As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 ft. of you. You and the chosen creature can speak telepathically with each other while you are within 4 miles of each other). The telepathic connection lasts for 1 minutes.

[Spearmint]

Ambergris

I made a previous action to lift Mina and the drunk from the pool. Were they alive, dead from drowning or dead from something else?

"Well, do we know what we are looking for down here? I was hoping it would be some dry cellars not wading in raw sewers. Strange place to keep a cult temple unless you are worshipping a rat god." he observes.

"Sure Tommy, you sneak ahead. Any trouble, just meow."

[Tell]

Lesh will be light on spells but we should push ahead. They hear an amused clicking "ka-ka-ka" sound in their minds......

[hedgeknight]

Ambergris
I made a previous action to lift Mina and the drunk from the pool. Were they alive, dead from drowning or dead from something else?

Down in the dungeon below the bathhouse, Tommy has a plan and Ambergris and Lesh are on board, as the Tabaxi sends his "decoy" forward and down a hall. He follows about 20 feet behind it and his companions about 20 feet behind him. The dungeon is dark and without light, the companions stumble along in the foul-smelling waters.
The corridor beyond the first chamber is about 5-feet wide and dark...but eventually there appears to be dry ground...

Actions?
You're going to need some source of light...

[Belkregos]

Tommy continues advancing carefully all the while using the mental link to inform the group of the conditions
"seems there's a couple of up slope steps coming out of the water and the hall continues, all is quiet, will continue....."


OOC: did we lose Scalm (the tiefling)?

[hedgeknight]

OOC: did we lose Scalm (the tiefling)?

Yes, she did not follow Lesh and Ambergris down into the dungeon. She is concerned about her business property which is in the general vicinity of the explosion.

[Tell]

Lesh speaks to Ambergris, mentality if possible or in a whisper if needed, "Hook Hand lantern we need?"

I am picturing Tommy several feet ahead with Lesh and Ambergris behind and to either side. So if we need the lantern Lesh will hold it at arm's length between himself and Ambergris.

[Spearmint]

Ambergris

Is heard moving the wardrobe and descending. He has retrieved what kit has left in the lockers, striking a lantern to illuminate his way.

though if it came to it, the warlock has a cantrip that gives him 'devil's sight', ability to see in normal and magical darkness to 120'ft as if it were day.

He rolls his trousers legs up as far as he can at hitches his trenchcoat into his belt. No point getting everything wet. He follows the ripples caused by the tabaxi footsteps.

[Belkregos]

as he approaches the steps he takes a moment to see the dry stone and see if there are any signs of recent movement (wet or muddy tracks or if dry try to ascertain the length of time) 

then as he steps out of the water he casts Prestidigitation to clean and dry himself off to prevent leaving obvious tracks himself 


OOC
Prestidigitation
cantrip transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Up to 1 hour
Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
This spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range:
You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

[Tell]

Can I roll an perception or survival check to look for tracks of any kind?

Five Bonus: [1d20+5]=10+5=15

[Spearmint]

Ambergris

Gives his lantern to Lesh. He signals for him to follow behind Tommy to the exit passage opposite. He himself, advances to the side of the westernmost passage to peer into the darkness behind. He gesticulates various hook hand motions and whispers deep speech prayers to ward himself from evil as he wades the flooded cellar.

What can he see down the second passage. Anything written or etched on the walls or stones that might be a giveaway direction? (this way to the cult meeting, Dead3 temple ahead, priests only beyond this point?)

[hedgeknight]

Deeper In...

as he approaches the steps he takes a moment to see the dry stone and see if there are any signs of recent movement (wet or muddy tracks or if dry try to ascertain the length of time) 

Tommy doesn't notice any signs of recent passage. While he casts a minor spell to free himself of water and filth, Lesh comes up behind him, carrying a lantern. The Lizard Man pauses a moment, running his clawed hand along the side wall, while also looking closely at the steps. He cocks his head back and forth. "Ka-ka-ka," he mutters, noticing marks on the wall and the steps; the marks along the wall look like scratches made by fingernails, while the gouges on the steps were made by something metal.
The steps turn and reveal a tunnel running for about 25 feet before ending in a closed door.

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Hiking up his breeches and long coat, Ambergris wades over to the dark chamber while gesticulating and whispering deep speech prayers in an effort to ward himself from evil. He passes large wooden beams holding up the 9-foot ceiling. The beams are crusted with all sorts of nastiness and mold. The chamber he peers into is dark and filled with foul-smelling water like the larger chamber; he can't see, nor can he sense, anything living (or dead) in the chamber.

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[Spearmint]

Ambergris

Satisfied there is no immediate threat, he wades to the exit taken by the other duo. Anything that lurks here probably stays here he thinks.

[Belkregos]

Tommy continues to move silently sending the unseen servant ahead of him, seeing the door he stops to a crouch about 5-10ft from the door (just enough so he can peer into the room when its open) and mentally instructs the decoy to open the door, if no immediate thread becomes apparent, he instructs the servant to continue straight ahead while me moves to the edge of the door to get a better look
all the while communicating the information to his companions behind

[Tell]

Just before Tommy's unseen servant opens the door Lesh will stop and look behind them for followers, if there are no threats, he will move up behind his companions.