After the collapsed bridge, you begin to climb. And climb. And climb. At a certain point, several of the members will realize that their feet hurt, most acutely ... the sort of hurt they are used to feeling at the end of a long day's march.
Someone asks, "What time is it, do you think?" And no one has an answer. You're pretty hungry. There's no where to stop and sit, except this ledge, which is about six to ten feet wide, and sometimes uncomfortably sloped towards the edge.
The big cavern changes shape as you walk along, but it is a whole lot bigger than a five hundred feet wide. It appears to continue on for miles; and because of the dark, and the damp, and the changing drift of the ledge, and the knowledge that a fifty to one hundred foot drop is just a few feet away, this is taking time.
Your action?
61 comments:
By my count we have 31.25 lbs of food, 7 1/2 hours of candles and something like 45 hours of lamp oil. Less what we have used so far. How many of Robs candles have we used in his lantern?
So, do we push forward in the hopes of finding somewhere suitable for camp.
As far as I can read, food wise we have:
- 6.75lbs mushrooms, 7.5lbs salted cod (Embla)
- 3 days ration (Engelhart)
- 5 wineskin (full?) (Mikael)
- 1 gallon of water (Rob)
There's 6 of us so we should be OK.
I'm a bit more worried about our fuel situation. Should I presume my 3 candles (7.5 hours of fuel) are burnt (Engelhart was leading the way with them). If so, whose fuel is lit and how much is spent?
Four of the five wineskins are full. The fifth is for filling with water when we can.
I think we should stop and eat a little. This trek is unpleasant snd keeping our morale up has value.
You're going to need to eat 4 lbs. of food each.
Did you not take along the torches and lamp oil that I offered you back at your camp?
Stopping and eating seems a good idea. We might also start looking for a place to rest - this ledge is clearly unsuitable, but there might be an acceptable location further on.
You can eat less, but it will cost you.
Alexis, I missed reading that post, but I have room for some of those supplies and would have taken them, if you'll allow the retcon.
[4lbs! We're very hungry.]
31.25 lbs of food - 24lbs. = 7.25lbs. of food remaining.
Looks like we may have to come back, and stock way more food and fuel on our next trip (maybe set up camp closer)
I think Rob missed the 45 hours of lamp fuel Lothar mentioned. Food will be an issue, though. We need 24 lbs. already, and only brought 31.25.
( I've taken 3 torches )
Maybe forge shead seeking a suitable camping spot, set up camp, and send somd people to go get way more food so we can continue from a more suitable location?
Mikael, I agree, provided we find a place suitable for camping
Fjall has 3 torches in his pack. It's too bad we wouldn't be able to get a donkey down here... Who all has the ability to see without light? In order to conserve our remaining oil I think it would make sense to send those folks to fetch and carry, and leave one with the group here.
I propose we push for another 3 torches (~1hour) to try and find a suitable camp.
Then, while some rest others will go and fetch supplies. Then, the runners will rest and we'll see.
I will allow the retcon. It was 80 oz. of oil and 50 torches.
I don't require light to see.
Check the food rules on the wiki, Rob.
You look out at the endless cavern, some of which is lit by glowworms and some of which enhances your illumination, and despair of finding any better camping sight. At the point I'm describing, further movement will be counted as a forced march.
Fjall, Rob and Engelhart need light; and in this environment, going without light is a risk.
Mikael, your infravision is NOT ultravision. You move away from the light source a bit and realize that the cold, damp stone under your feet has no heat in it. You cannot detect a difference between what you're walking on and the open space of the drop to your death. The ambient air in the cavern is actually a bit warmer; but it is inconsistently so, with draftsaand such. There are places you can "see," where fungus is growing on the wall, for instance ... but you're not that comfortable trusting your steps to this inconsistent seeing.
OK. I have all of the lamp oil and 15 torches.
I have infravision.
We need to rest - this is not a good place for forced march penalties.
Tomorrow, some of us can run back to resupply. I can carry the most and don't need light, so I should be part of the resupply run.
Sorry, infravision still requires light. My bad.
Agreed on the eating and resting part. With the clarification about the temperatures in the cavern, we're going to have to send one of our lanterns as well, so we might as well send our beefiest members to fetch food. Bonus though, it should be safe enough to go without armor, so more can be managed...
Infravision requires HEAT. It works best when some sort of civilization is there to create a heat source, or outdoors at night when the world has been heated by the sun during the day. It does not work well without intelligent involvement.
Fjall will hesitantly offer a suggestion.
"We eat less if we're not walking. So perhaps a forward party could explore ahead, while we rest and not tire ourselves, perhaps on half rations. Then we would not have to eat so much food right now, while the advance party can eat hearty and get some idea of how much food we might need."
Well, it all hinges on how long we plan to wander in search of a proper camping place, no?
To me 1 or 2 hours are amenable (so 2-4 hour if we count the return trip ), especially if we effect Fjall's idea, which also means that the scout can leave without some of their stuff (hence being less encumbered to scout ahead).
I've got some ability in cavernous environments, so it'd make sense for me to scout ahead. I like that plan. Anyone else have some skill to volunteer?
Alexis, what are the forced march rules? I can't find them on the wiki.
Should we decide to stay for a full rest, I can 'aid rest' for 2 person (which means additional HP recovery, which I don't think we need now anyway).
I don't have any particularly useful skills, but I am light and dextrous.
I never asked, what is the temperature down here?
I have not made forced march rules. I'm operating on the principle that your stats drop 5% per hour after continuing to act with effort. You risk death by accident or illness each hour after some stat drops below 3. Charisma would risk an irrational act of violence against others or yourself, dexterity would be a fall, intelligence or wisdom would be doing something stupid, constitution or strength would be your body just quitting on you.
The temperature is brisk.
Let's take Fjall's suggestion. We eat half rations. Lothar and whomever he think best eat full rations and scout ahead. If he finds a suitable camp site, we will plan from there.
Thanks, Alexis. I'm happy to go with Lothar.
We'll wait you out on our stopping point then. Go ahead and try to get a notion of where we're headed.
Embla is the logical choice.
You will have to sleep where you are. You're all pretty tired and this is the best you've got.
On half rations, I'll argue that you're down 5% in stats, cumulative per day. So after nine days, your stats would be down 45%.
It is possible to live months on less than half rations (Shackleton's party for instance), but you get to where you can't do anything at all except lay there and starve.
sounds like a plan! [OOC: and starting tomorrow I'm going to starting weighting my food, cause you got me curious.]
Stay safe, folks.
I leave most of the cod (6.25lbs) and 14 torches behind and take 8lbs food with me for Lothar and myself. I also leave 48oz lamp oil behind.
Lothar, ready when you are.
Sleep first, Embla. You're very tired and it could be a long trip.
Can you carry a couple of waterskins (18 lbs) and still have 5 AP? If I don't have to carry those I can move at 5 AP which might be handy. Also, do we need to sleep before we scout? Or are we leaving the group to sleep while we scout ahead and take some forced march penalties?
Well that answers my sleeping question
While they go scout (so, after sleeping). Should 1 or 2 person go fetch food? That would be a long trip (2 days?) and there's this river to jump. But that would get us some needed supplies.
Do you want to sleep first, or do you want to go and start losing stats?
I vote for sleep.
I propose I won't sleep and "keep guard". I'll sleep while they go scouting.
Sleep. I'll seize the chance to heal myself of my 10 hp gap, too.
Okay. I'd rather hear, "I sleep," but perhaps there's some resistance to a clear declaration.
You sleep. Then at some uncertain time, possibly on the 12th of May, though you don't know for sure, you get up and, rested, you head off.
The party that stays behind only needs 2 lb. of food per day to sustain themselves, and "rest," gaining any missing hit points. If you want to stay at half rations, you can all just eat 1 lb. of food and not rest.
I choose to not rest, eat 1 lb. of food azs(so -10% stats?)
Cleric on a (forced) ritual fasting regimen, here.
(1 lb. of food)
Sleeping sounds good.
I can carry 1 waterskin and remain at 5AP only if I leave my axe behind. I've already ditched my armor and everything non-essential.
Engelhart, remember you can heal 1 hit point per day per level, if you eat full rations, or 2 lb.
Mikael, technically, I should make people who decide not to eat while others do, a wisdom check. But I think the situation is fair; I'll give everyone one free day to willpower their way for now.
The Armor spell I had cast on Rob should be gone, and I study go regain it. Rob, get some sleep.
Sure thing, let me know if/when you want one.
Alexis: aye, this time I got it straight. But I casted Aid before turning in, regaining it now. I'm topped up.
Food is a concern, of course. Sending someone back to haul food may be prudent. The stream and time present challenges, however, and I can only carry roughly 60 lbs. Any suggestions, or should we wait until Lothar and Emble return?
Engelhart, if you rest I can aid that, (this means I do not rest but you regain 2 additional HPs).
I'm ready to go. I ate half rations last night (2lbs), so -5% stats.
Engelhart, what would you think about you and I trekking back to resupply? I lack carrying capacity, but I have some and can help with the stream.
Let's give them a day's worth of hours at the least. 4h to range and 4 more to return seems doable.
I do have a deck of cards and a set of dice on me, to try and ease the passing of time. Though I should warn you, God is on my side.
I've never played against God before, let's go.
Engelhart, myself and whomever else pass the time playing dice and cards while Lothar and Embla scout.
The next post is up.
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