Episode 239 - Into the Crypt Yet Again

The Crypt of Sinu the Red is one of the top 10 places you just don’t go in this world. It may be empty, but various nasties have called that area home over the years so you never really knows what could be in there. Plus, we already know that Denton’s boss went in and hasn’t come out yet, which is probably bad. But, we will go in anyways. We must save this town!

## **Story**

The trail to Teddy has gone cold, reaching the edge of town. Denton is convinced that the boy is surely dead. He suggests they stay in the town and deal with the undead horde that will attack tonight. Toby has the idea to go back into town and ask someone at a local temple/church if maybe they haven't been religious enough, like sacrifices or whatever. Denton, being attuned to religion, knows that the temple in town is that of Ioun, so they head back into town to it.

The temple is small, and a young spindly cleric, named Doctor Habe, emerges. He looks new. Jaela comes right out and asks him about the lich, which he is surprised to hear of, but also remarks that it explains things like the giant graveyard outside the city. They get some more information, a lot of it they already knew, and determine that they could head off the fight the lich and go find Teddy at the same time, as it is likely that they two situations are related. They then go SHOPPING! First stop is the butcher Norman Dozar, the father of the missing Teddy, as well as Katrina, and Betsy. He is hungover, and seems to have lost hope on finding Teddy. The Ätlän-tã Fælcons tell him their theories (after laying into him on not caring enough for his son), and they promise to find him. Steve then promises Norman that, upon their return with Teddy, he will show the man how to make his kangroo Xena-holder sack. He does give them some meats, his best and his worst. Then Toby goes to the stables and collects 2 gallons of horse dung. 2 halflings who work there tell him he's free to take as much as he can carry, and seem happy he is taking them. He then uses Prestidigitation to clean himself and they all head off on their griffons to The Crypt of Sinu the Red.

They fly through the massive graveyard and get to the giant tomb of Dwarven make, finding the door to be slightly open, which is unsettling. They land the griffons, decide not to tie them up, as they can handle themselves, and head into the crypt. There is a seemingly endless staircase in front of them, leading them down deep into the crypt. As they explore, they find remnants involved with Episode 47 - A Flying House and Episode 48 - Soul Stealer, eventually coming to a large door with a red fist on it. Denton confirms that "This is the place." On entering, they see a trapdoor that is being held shut by a bone. Toby regrest not bringing Aludra with them, as she is the only surviving Ätlän-tã Fælcon who has been here before. The Tidtowne Terrors have also been here, but they don't think about them. They get to a large room with cleaned out sarcophagi (cleaned out as in, striped of all valuables, not as in Spring Cleaning or something like that). On the sarcophagi, they see artwork of a man in a red robe doing heroic things. One features a giant centipede that has been "Crisped to a blackened shell". There is also a closed stone door to the north, an open door to the west, and a closed wooden door to the east. They go through the open door to the west. Inside is a 20x20 ft room, and a bunch of old kobold heads on spikes, and another wooden door to the north. Toby, while investigating the heads, happen to notice a hidden door, and inside is a skeleton holding a +1 shortsword. Then they go through the wooden door to the north. They find 2 dead kobolds, and a little bone sculpture, left there, presumably, by the Tidtown Terrors. The sculpture shows them: a big one with clumps of fur on it, a teeny tiny little guy, a bigger one holding some sort of mace, and one with some kind of snake tail. They take this and move on to the north again, finding more kobold bodies. The passageway curves to the right and they find a much larger common room. It smells terrible, seems to be abandoned. On the north wall, an archway with stairs leading down. Slowly, the walls transition from created tunnel to natural stone. They get to a room with bookshelves, and a robed figure hunched over a table. Toby recognizes wizardy shit in here. Rowan sneaks in and reveals that the hooded figure is the dead body of a woman wearing a cloak of black feathers. Denton barrells in and confirms that this is, in fact, his ex-mentor and love, Sofina Gadreel. As he lets out a cry, the corpse opens her eyes!

## **Trivia**

* Steve is 18% human, 28% Bullywug, 100% gross.
* The Tarry Hollow Stables have only one horse left, named *"Old Clip-Clop"*.
* Toby 2 doesn't blink, unless Toby 1 asks him to.
* The skeleton in the closet with the sword was a secret the players didn't find when they were here the first time.

## **In This Episode...**

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - Toby Treacletart
* Jennifer Cheek - Rowan Grey
* Mike Bachmann - Steve Meloncamp
* Nika Howard - Jaela

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Denton Glenchester
* Doctor Habe
* Norman Dozar

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - Curse of the Raven Queen / Destroy Sinu the Red
* [Complete] - Find Sofina Gadreel, Denton's old teacher
* [Active] - Find Teddy

## **Rolls**

* **Recap**
	+ Tim - 8
	+ Jennifer - Nat1 - Reverse Bapped
	+ Bachmann - 15
	+ Nika - 4

* **Toby** rolls *History* to see if he has read anything about the Temple of Ioun, which is, of course, ridiculous - 16
	+ Failure - He knows nothing of this temple.

* **Jaela** rolls *Religion*, duh, to see what she knows about the Temple of Ioun - Nat20
	+ Success - She does know that Ioun is a neutral goddess of knowledge.

* **Rowan** rolls *Persuasion* to calm down the situation with Teddy's father in the butcher's shop - 23
	+ Success - he chills out.

* **Toby** rolls a *History* check to know something about the crypt - 18
	+ Kind of Success - He knows that, previous to his involvement, the Ätlän-tã Fælcons were here. This is where Aludra Wyrmsbane died the first time.

* They all roll *History* to see what they know about a red fist sigil
	+ **Toby** - 21
	+ **Jaela** - 3
	+ **Steve** - 17
		- They know that this is definitely the Crypt of Sinu the Red.

* On entering Sinu's Crypt, they are all made to roll *Perception*
	+ **Rowan** - 24
	+ **Toby** - 15
	+ **Jaela** - 20
	+ **Steve** - Natural 1
		- Everyone but Steve notice that there is a fibia carved like a spike holding shut a trapdoor.

* **Toby** makes an *Investigation* check to check out the heads - ~~16~~ 23
	+ Success - The heads were probably just put here to be scary, but also notices a faint outline of a door on the west wall.

* **Rowan** rolls *Stealth* to sneak into the wizard room - 21
	+ Success - She sneaks in.