The party marches along, slogging, getting their feet wet, appreciating that I'm not ready to fold hypothermia rules into a CLO system, yet nevertheless having a hard, unpleasant day. From time to time, the cold is so harsh that you have to warm yourselves, slowing down your overall progress.
There are beasts swimming in the stream. Twice, Embla has seen an eel, apparently, upwards of six feet long ... but so far, the creatures seem content to leave you alone.
As well, Lothar finds a "squeeze" ... a hole in a cave where it would be necessary to strip down in order to crawl through. These can be dangerous; a caver can get their body through, then find they can bend themselves to get back, trapping them on the other side ... or even getting stuck in the squeeze. As a caver, this is very unlikely for Lothar to do, as he has come to know his body's limitations. But an amateur in a squeeze can get into trouble.
The squeeze looks natural; something that has resulted from the cavern, not put here by the froglings.
I'll find out Lothar's reaction before continuing.
85 comments:
Is this squeeze a long passage or a short one? Light seems like it might be an issue if it's too far.
It is impossible to tell. A squeeze can go on for any length. It can turn absurdly tight corners and squirm its way through rock. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgyLWBE6T-U
[you can take a lantern with a candle]
Do we want to take time for me to explore this passage?
I'm not against it. We have enough supplies to loose at least a few hours on it.
Go for it
Want to take a rope with, Lothar?
(Part of the point in oversupplying was so we could follow these kinds of paths)
Lothar can make up his mind. We'll take a rest for the day, pick this up tomorrow morning.
[I continue to hope the game is meeting with everyone's expectations. Be well]
[I'm still having a blast. The logistical issues are starting to be a bit of a pain, mainly because I'm having a hard time visualizing our options well. Some sort of a graphic might help me, but I'm not sure what it would look like. I'm very thankful to Rob for taking on the task of quartermastering.]
Since we are fine with taking a bit of time to explore, I'm game to give it a go.
I strip down to breeches and shirt (no boots so I can use my toes), and I put a candle and my flint and steel in a pouch, then tie the pouch to my leg with a bit of twine. I tie my dagger in its sheath to the other leg with another length of twine. I think the lantern has a distinct possibility of getting in the way, so I'll go through in the dark and make a light on the other side. If there is one.
Time to squeeze my 5 foot nothing, 98 pound elven self into the unknown dark. Whoo! This is the first time I've been at 5 AP while not asleep in a while...
[Here, I am having a good time as well. I have never gamed with people I don't know, so just trying to figure out how to fit in.]
[I'm here]
Here, here.
It doesn't hurt to have a little grease with you.
The squeeze seems to have been created by a shift in the rocks that happened some millions of years ago. It is tight. You are 98 lbs.; as you slowly make a sixty degree turn, then crawl upwards for three feet on your belly, you're wishing you were 97 lbs.
It's at that point that you realize that the slightly smaller Mikael probably wouldn't get through here; its a manner of how to bend your body at this point. You come to a press between two sides in the rock ... and set the candle out in front of you, for light. As you try the hole, you feel the rock scrape against your hip. It seems a bit too much. From this point forward, it would be a risk.
[Here. The game lives up to my hope and I am growing quite curious about the mystery begin this dungeon, the frogling rituals and what ghost or distressed spirits might have been left behind because of it.
I must admit I even enjoy the logistics of this expedition, even if it takes a long time to do because of information exchange delays ; I feel like I should start a common google sheet where you are all free to input your carrying capacities and consult the different "equipment stashes" freely (something akin to the party food tracker, but adapted to the fact that we have several stacks of food to consider (the one on us, the cache Willa will make, what's left at camp, our supplies on the surface ) ) ]
[Not a bad idea. I have a google sheet for myself right now for purchasing and weight, would be happy to incorporate it]
A risk. As I consider this, trying to keep my breathing calm and even, I wonder (and ask the DM): Would any of the froglings I've encountered so far be able to squeeze through here?
You're very sure they wouldn't.
You reach forward, to shift the candle, and stop as the blue flame slips out of the top of your hand and steps onto the bare rock surface.
I freeze and watch what it does.
It waves you forward.
Well, that's reason enough for me to think the risk is worth it. I continue forward.
The flame moves ahead of you as you move. It is a hard squeeze. There's a legitimate chance that you won't be able to get out again.
On the other side, however, you find a space about the size of a bathroom ... beyond it, the passage closes up to a hole far too small for you to move through.
Laying on the floor is a skeleton. An elvish skeleton. It has shackles around its legs and a metal collar around throat, and no clothes of any kind. There's no telling how long it was in this room before it passed.
The flame has settled next to the skeleton's right arm. It seems to be pushing at the arm, to try to move it.
[Heart in my throat - IRL I have mild issues with confined spaces...]
I move the arm as the flame spirit indicates.
You see a rune carved in the floor. You recognize it from your vision.
Previously (from my vision, for my reference): "You see a wall, of a particular shape; and a rune upon the wall; and a means to manipulate that rune, and step through the wall."
I attempt to manipulate this rune as I would the vision rune.
You rest your index finger on the rune, and the blue flame proceeds to hug it. You feel your finger being moved, and as it does ...
The walls of the cavern fade away. At that moment, you can see the party; and at the same time, everyone in the party experiences the same effect. They can see Lothar, also.
That is most strange. I try to pat around me with my club to check if the wall that just faded away is still physically there.
The walls are insubstantial. The druid would recognize it as a passwall spell, though the druid certainly doesn't know how to cast that spell.
I look around. Can I see anything besides the party? A large, glowing lake, perhaps?
No, not a lake.
But everyone in the party can see patches of shimmering all around.
What seems to be the size of the area affected?
For instance, can we see through the far wall of the room Lothar's in?
Do the "patches of shimmering" mark the end of the spell area? What seems to be their nature?
[Damn, that's cool]
You can see through the far wall, but it doesn't lead to any substantial image; it's hazy and indistinct.
The shimmering seems to be humanoid-size, but without features. As the entities coalesce, they number in the hundreds.
Do the humanoid-sized entities seem to be moving, to be trying to interact with us in any way?
I'm certainly glad you took the risk.
I certainly was not expecting this.
They are just appearing.
The single blue flame, however, is growing in size ... to the size of an elf, with somewhat natural features, enough to be recognized as someone of Lothar and Mikael's race.
The image will bow to Lothar.
I return the bow. "Are you able to speak?"
A woman's voice will say, "He cannot, but I can." At that moment, the party will all be surprised, as none of them were looking in the direction of the voice. All turn, to see a startlingly beautiful woman dressed in full, glistening silvery armor.
She seems utterly unreal; and being that several of you are Norwegian, you know who and what she is. "Your companion has passed from this life," she says to Lothar. "But he has been waiting here, for someone to find his tomb and free his spirit."
How do we do that? And for all these lost souls?
Is it a valkyrie?
What is keeping these souls trapped? What did the froglings do?
"These souls you see around you are not lost. These died peacefully, among their families and tribes ... but they choose to wait here for the loved ones who were taken away and killed in this place. They long to be reunited with their kin."
One glowing white shimmer appears next to the bluish elf that stands near Lothar; it has no features, shows no character; it is simply a spot of light against the background.
It is a valkyrie. She will speak to Mikael. "Their spirits were separated from their bodies, and trapped in the underworld here. The bodies were then removed, while the spirits remained. This spirit here ~" She will point to the bluish elf; "~ escaped into this hole, but could go no farther than this. His spirit remains with his bones ... but as his bones have languished here, so has he."
"Does that mean nothing can be done for all these others ones (the one waiting for their kin) unless we find the remains of the loved one they lost to this foul place?"
It seems possible one of them is trapped in the ring, also.
Thank you. Is there an entity stopping the souls from passing on?
"If you have come this far, you have seen their remains," She says to Rob. "You have not seen their spirits. Their spirits are further on ... and you will know them when you see them. They wait in torment, for those who will free them from their tormentors."
She answers Mikael, "Those tormentors are also there; and they will remain there until they are forced from this plane of existence. Will you be the ones to do that?"
And finally to Lothar, "Gather up these bones; carry them out and bury them, that will be enough."
I look around at the rest of the party. "We intend to try. Any information you can give us on these tormentors would be invaluable. What are we up against?"
"I shall for certain bury his bones. Can you tell me his name?"
We shall dutifully proceed as you ask, oh angel of the Lord.
May you point our path to these tormentors, that rightful vengeance may be had?
"We are here to bring peace to this place."
[By the way, I'm listening to BBC Radio Scotland, and they were playing an interview with Sting where he plays "When the Last Ship Sails" accompanied only by his acoustic guitar - very fitting backdrop, in my mind for these events]
[I'm listening to a recording of La Boheme, myself]
"You are on the path already, Father," She will say. "And you have met one tormentor already; beware, that there are others. Once, centuries ago, there was the great mother toad, but she is gone now. She has left children behind, but they are much diminished from what she was."
She hesitates, then continues. "When the spell was cast upon the lair above, time was made to stand still. But time has continued in these lower tunnels, so that much has changed. You will find your way, and have all you must know revealed in the proper time. Do not neglect yourselves; and do not refuse help if it is offered."
In answer to Lothar's question, She will say, "He was called Naril the Kind by his people. He was a druid of Old Colyan and has been dead these 1,300 years."
Thank you for your help. I bow and turn to leave.
[sorry, should have said. Colyan was an old Elvish kingdom that was created during the collapse of the human Bronze Age, that predated the present Principality of Ulthua that exists now]
Oh, my homeland. Perhaps Lothar's as well. I hope I don't share your fate.
What way are we pointed to, Alexis?
I wish to get about task forthwith.
[ Listening to Nytt Land : scandinavian inspired ambiant music... very fitting :-) ]
I offer thanks to the entity.
I want to wait until we depart from the valkyrie, but I have a concern that needs voicing.
As far as I recall, the teleporting and dead-raising monster could only be hurt by magical weapons. Who here actually has such weapons? And she said there was more than one.
Just now, the bones are still on the ground.
The way you are pointed, Engelhart, is up to you. But you may presume the Valkyrie means to continue in the path you were taking.
She mentioned "forcing it from thus plane of existence," I have a feeling we are dealing with an extraplanar creature of some kind, perhaps demons or devils, but I don't know if that is useful to know.
Mikael, my axe is the only such weapon, I believe.
Let's recover Naril's bones and press onward, then.
When you're ready.
[If we're reccing, can't go wrong with Wardruna's Runaljod trilogy for norse ambiance]
Shall we move on, my fellowship?
We can leave the body at rest in a convenient place that we may carry it on our way back.
Mikael: spells will also hurt the bugger. One hit from Rob's shillelag stunned it, which means it would not stand a prayer against Embla's axe and I can also contribute a little bit.
I offer a bow to the Valkyrie. "Naril the Kind shall be resting easy soon. I thank you for your encouragement and your aid."
Engelhart, before you stride off might you bring me a spare sack? I have very little in the way of containers right now. You should be able to come to me through the stone, and then we both may walk out if I am understanding the magic of the rune correctly.
Sounds good to me, just wanted to mention it. I'm ready when everyone else is.
Of course, Lothar. I'll lay it with a blessing over our long-deceased charge and help you carefully and gently carry Naril's remains out.
(though I have nonesuch container on me, perhaps Willa?)
(I too am ready to row out, once we have paid our respects)
Engelhart, you get a slight discomfort from connecting what you've just seen with the idea of temporarily storing Naril's bones just anywhere. I'm not burdening you with the bones as a DM, I promise you; they weigh very little, being utterly dried out, no more than about three pounds. But I suggest having someone carry them with the party, out of respect. Perhaps Willa could have them transferred to the surface, where Hamish can bury them (he would have a cleric available to him) if you wish to dispatch the problem elsewhere.
Have we seen any place down there where there is enough soil to make a grave?
If not we may have to either come up all the way or ask the Fjall and Valda to do the actual grave digging.
I'm for moving on toward the lake, with a renewed conviction that we are acting for the peace and balance of this place.
[About Mikael remark on "forcing it from thus plane of existence,", to such an entity, dying could simply be seen as a forced displacement from the material place to another ; although I admit explanar / demon / devil entity was the first thing I thought about]
No, I will bury them myself with my comrades about me. But, I'll admit, our recent troubles with AP and weight considerations left more than just twice-shy over carrying any excess weight. If all they amount to is that, then of course we'll carry the remains with us!
[Alexis, does my knowledge of beasts point the description hinted at to anything more concrete? Slaad? Ice Toad?]
Quite possibly an Ice Toad. Though you cannot be sure, of course. Slaad, incidentally, are not beasts.
[ Unless we eat, we cannot take anything more with us and hope to remain at 3AP ]
[ BTW, I did make this google sheet to track our stashes and carrying capacity, I just did not want to post it earlier and break the momentum of this nice scene.
Doing so was usefull as it helped me catch that I did not account for candles in what we took. This has now been corrected ]
Rob, if you make a sheet to track the party's food consumption, could you please make it partially time-based? I would like to be able to see the previous week's period of consumption, so that I can confirm that each day was accounted for. If numbers are just removed with no tracking, we'll get into trouble trying to remember if today's food was subtracted or not.
Incidentally, please remove 4 lbs. each, 24 altogether, for the rest of today's journey. The group heading to the surface do not need to be tracked at this time (they may all be dead, for all you know).
I praise your valiant quartermastering efforts, Rob. We can eat, to be sure.
[Alexis: very well, I noticed a while back there was no bestiary entry for Ice Toad as yet. Would my knowledge possibly imply being privvy to its contents or not quite?]
Willa has enough room to be able to carry the bones without a problem.
[ Alexis, I'll whip something up. Would you be so kind as to remind of the in-game date ]
[ I deduced todays food. Made it so that Mikael is back at 4AP. ]
I will carry the bones, I only required a container to place them in. I feel the burden of responsibility on this.
[Also, I have added the loads and current burdens for myself and my people to the sheet. Even linked it up so the current carry is live from my own character sheet!]
I haven't been keeping track of the date. And at this time, I feel it would be inappropriate to say. Anyone in the party can work it out as easily as I can.
The next post is up.
[My Publisher is running very slow. I'm going to reboot]
[Fantastic scene, btw. Heart wrenching, certainly in my book. Ain't no way we're leaving this cave now until it's cleaned out totally.
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