Let’s Play Under the Fourth Kingdom! Part 3: Middle Cistern
Let’s continue our dungeon crawling.
Last time, Felix and Reinhold arrived in the Middle Cistern, the third level of the Underdepths. After finding the Cordyceps Infestation Scourge on the earlier floor, the delvers tread lightly, wary of the fungal menace.
Room 7
d6 illumination: 3, light > iridescent bugs
UD8: 1, down to UD6
That was fast!
Exits: 2
Description: Dry + Catalyst
Felix and Reinhold entered a dry stretch of the Middle Cistern, with walls made of peeling clay. Iridescent bugs drift in the air, which feels charged.
“A catalyst reaction,” Reinhold said. “Not long ago.”
Contents: 5, encounter > Great Cave Bat
Vigour 2d6, Armour 0, Attack d6 Bite (Pierce 2, Bleed 1), Morale 10. Lore: Too big to fly, this Underdepths creature walks along the ceiling and ground.
2d6 Vigour: 5
Lack of armor is a good opportunity to exploit the Slash trait on my bandit knife (+1 damage). I’ll fight it!
d6+1 initiative: 5, mine
2d6+1 attack check: 13, critical hit!
Wooo, first time rolling double 6s! Dealing double damage, that’s awesome.
d6D+1 (slash): 3 = 3x2 = 6 damage, one-hit kill!
A gargantuan bat crawled on the ceiling, too big to fly. Felix reacted first.
His strike landed perfectly. The blade opened a deep wound. With a single blow, the creature collapsed, twitching.
Felix wiped his knife.
Reinhold whistled. “Impressive. Our training is paying off.”
We loot 30 silver from its body (turned 60 from the Dusk Thief Boon Meticulous, which doubles silver from spoils).
Nothing else found in the area.
Room 8
UD6: 6, no change
Exits: 2
Hidden + Sage
I’m gonna say that a Presence check with disadvantage (3 dice, remove the highest roll) reveals the corpse of a sage holding a catalyst to cast Theurgies.
3d6+1: 6, 1, 3 = 5, fail
Oh, well.
Contents: Point of Interest > Open space with five large siphoning spigots sticking from the walls. Intermittently pouring grey water down the drainage opening below. Light copper grating covers the drain.
Can we turn the spigots?
Oracle: No.
They’re rusted and stuck.
Can we go in the drain to progress through the level?
Oracle: Yes, and…
It’s considerable progress. A Strength test with disadvantage removes the grating and brings us to the next Depth Level. Reinhold goes for it:
3d6+2: 6, 2, 3 = fail
Damn it!
A scavenge of the room nets us a Healing Salve.
Room 9
UD6: 2, down to UD4!
This is worrying. I’m not really feeling much stronger, and I might be advancing too fast. I guess I can keep exploring if I want.
Illumination: glowing mushrooms
Exits: none
Description: Broken + Cosmos
Contents: NPC > Cistern Patrol x2 (again!)
Reaction roll: death
2d6 Vigour: 4 and 11
The area was lit by clusters of glowing mushrooms, flickering like distant stars. Felix felt a strange, cosmic shimmer that crawled across his skin.
They advanced distracted, and two Cistern Patrollers surprised them, rounding a pillar, weapons drawn. No words to exchange, just violence.
The Patrollers get the initiative. I’ll roll randomly to determine whom they attack. This turn, they’re both going for Felix.
The thief dodges the first attack, but the second hits! You know what, I’m gonna use my Convergence Point to reroll it, as I’m not looking forward to it.
2d6+1: 11, dodged!
Nice. Good thing I remembered to use it this time.
Felix misses his attack, but Reinhold does an enhanced hit! Unfortunately, he only deals 1 damage, but at least the enemy is poisoned (1). That means we get a +1 on defensive checks.
They attack Felix again, but both miss. Felix hits the wounded Patroller, dealing 2 damage plus Bleed 1, killing him. That triggers a morale check for the other. We roll 2d6, and if it’s higher than the enemy’s morale (8), they flee or surrender.
2d6: 11!
Does he run away?
Oracle: Yes.
Felix starts pursuing the retreating enemy. I think Reinhold is gonna stop him, seeing as he’s a proud knight and all.
Is Reinhold bothered by that (likely)?
Oracle: Yes, and…
Reinhold pulled Felix by the arm, shaking his head. “There’s no honor in stabbing a broken enemy in the back.”
No use complaining. The Patroller disappeared into the tunnelways.
d6 spoils: 6, item! > Firebomb or Whetstone.
Firebombs cause d6D damage in a Blast (affects all enemies) and +2 Burn. I’m going with it.
They search the area, but find nothing useful.
Room 10
UD4: 3, no change
Exits: 2
Description: Dangerous + Citadel
d6 contents: 1, Boon > Pick 2 supplies > I’m going with torch and ration
The path opened into the ruins of an old, deteriorated citadel Felix had never seen before. Glowing mushrooms flickered over the rubble.
Amid the debris, he spotted a satchel wedged between two fallen pillars. Picking it up, he found a torch and a ration, miraculously intact.
The Depths offered help instead of harm.
I’ll make use of the ‘Dangerous’ roll. If I take the time to scavenge the room, I risk attracting a Scourge enemy. And I’ll do it, cause I’m a greedy bastard.
2d6+1 scavenge: 7, rubbish
Do we attract any enemies?
Oracle: Yes, and…
They have the initiative.
d8 Scourge Pool 1: 6, corrupted druid
2d6 Vigour: 10
Not good. I forgot to say, but enemies from the Cordyceps Scourge may infect us with melee attacks. They’re all weak to fire, so let’s see if I’ll have to use my Firebomb.
The druid attacks Felix, but he dodges.
Felix counters for 2 damage and Bleed 1. Reinhold misses.
The druid entangles both of them with the Holding Vines magic. Damn it. We can make a STR test to break free, and I believe it’s a free action during our turn? I’ll assume so.
Felix manages to disentangle himself and attacks, but rolls 1+1! Snake eyes and a critical failure. He’s impaired for one turn, making all checks with disadvantage.
Reinhold also breaks free, but misses a slash.
The druid is slowly bleeding out. They use the spell Centipede Armor, getting +1 damage reduction.
The battle goes on for a couple more turns as we chip away at their Vigour. The druid entangles them again, but Felix breaks free and delivers the killing blow.
Fortunately, the druid never hit a melee attack, so no checks for the cordyceps infection.
Also, this is the second Scourge enemy we’ve defeated. We get 1 XP for every three of them.
I’m not sure if I should roll on the creature or humanoid table. I’m going with humanoid.
d6 spoils: 2, rubbish
Of course. At least we can loot that sweet Foul Cudgel. Reinhold is disgusted by the weapon, and there’s no way he’ll ever equip it. But that’s an upgrade for Felix, right? I mean, d6 damage without disadvantage, Bludgeon (stun on critical and enhanced hits), and Poison 2. We lose Slash and Bleed 1, but I think it’s a fine trade.
Oh, and that’s the 10th room! We have to rest now. I knew it was a good idea to number them like that.
I’m not sure what happens if we don’t rest. Maybe we are always forced to do it, which makes sense.
We consume one ration and choose to fully heal Vigour OR reduce the Ethereal Potency Level (for casters) by 2.
We also roll a d6. On a 6, the rest is interrupted by a wandering enemy and we don’t get the resting benefits.
Actually, I don’t need to consume a ration right now since my Vigour is full.
No Ration for 1 day will also not allow Healing or lowering Ethereal Potency Level.
No rations for 2 days will cause all tests to be rolled at disadvantage.
Reinhold will consume the one I gave him, though, and next time I’ll have to fork one over for him.
A little gamey not consuming one, but why waste it?
I’ll say that the interruption happens on a 5 and 6 because of the Dangerous + Citadel roll.
d6 rest interruption check: 3, no interruption
Room 11
UD4: 4, no change
Exits: 2
Description: Foreboding + Slug
This area has tons of corpses of that Putrid Grey Ooze we encountered before, like something even worse passed through here.
d6 Contents: 5, encounter > Scourge Pool 1 > Putrid Grey Ooze
lol this is perfect. Let’s say this is a queen ooze that killed the others and got stronger. It gets +2 HP and I get -1 to block.
2d6+2 Vigour: 8
I got the initiative. Felix starts strong with his new Foul Cudgel, dealing 4 damage and causing Poison 2. Good to offset the -1 from the queen. Reinhold follows up with another strong hit for 4 damage, killing the queen ooze before she can even act.
No spoils or findings in the room. However, this is the third Scourge enemy felled. +1 XP to our delvers, and that’s a level up! Felix gets another point in DEX (3 now), and Reinhold in STR (3 as well).
As Felix advances to an even level, he also gets a new skill! I’ll pick Thorough (roll for spoils with advantage). This will improve our chances of finding stuff.
Room 12
UD4: 3, no change
Exits: 1
Description: Cramped + Snail
d6 contents: 2, trap/hazard > based on strength > d6 crushing damage
Felix and Reinhold squeezed into a cramped corridor, the walls slick with old snail-trails and smelling like rotten eggs.
A groan of stone made them halt. A slab in the ceiling thundered down, ready to crush them. Both delvers hurled themselves aside just as it crashed into the floor, shaking the walls and raining dust.
They rose, coughing, smeared with the putrid snail slime.
Both succeeded on the Strength test! Nothing else found in the room.
Room 13
UD4: 2, stairs found!
Description: Lethal + Cistern
d6 Contents: 1, Boon > Pick 2 items > Ration and Healing Salve
Felix and Reinhold entered a broad cistern floor where the very air felt hostile.
At the far side, hidden under a tangle of old pipes, they spotted a corpse. He was slumped and overtaken by a pale fungal growth. A victim of the cordyceps infestation. Next to him, a vial with healing salve and an untouched ration. Felix examined the items for a long while before deciding they were safe to pick up.
Just beyond the corpse, carved steps spiraled downward into the next level.
We are supposed to check every once in a while if our companions will stick with us. Maybe now is a good time? I don’t know how often I should do it.
Does Reinhold still want to stick together?
Oracle: No.
Action: Avoid + Plan
Felix looked over his shoulder, but Reinhold didn’t follow him. He glanced at the cordyceps corpse with a concerned regard.
“Let’s move,” Felix said.
“That thing spreads by touch,” Reinhold pointed. “Traveling together doubles the risk of both of us getting it. One would hinder the other.”
“You mean I would hinder you.”
“Not at all. I actually think I’m slowing you down. You move through the shadows better than I. This isn’t personal, Felix. If we spread out, we might discover the source of this faster.”
Felix looked at his earnest face and sighed. “You might have a point.”
“This isn’t farewell. Here.” Reinhold offered the shortsword back. “It’s served me well.”
The thief raised his hands. “And I hope it continues to do so. I didn’t expect to find a friend in this place, but I did. Consider it a gift.”
Reinhold fixed it on his belt again, then nodded. “Thank you. Until we meet again.”
“Stay alive.”
Felix descended the stairs onto the fourth level, his footsteps slowly dying down.
After he was gone, Reinhold looked at the gap above his gauntlet, where the tunic had ripped and was stained red.
A cold sweat ran down his back as he contemplated the fungal growth spreading around the wound.
And that’s it for today! Another very fun session for Felix, and not so much for Reinhold. I hope they meet again.
I’m granting 1 XP. Two more needed for Felix to reach Level 3.
Session map:
Until next time!
Under the Fourth Kingdom is available on Itch.io.
Map created with Dungeon Scrawl.