Tuesday, June 26, 2018

The Constructed Passage

Presumably, the party begins to make their way forward into the constructed passage.  As I had said, the corners of the passage are squared and carefully designed; and the passage itself is nearly straight as an arrow, for the first seventy feet.  The taller members of the party have to stoop, but apart from that the passage is much smoother than the foot track you've been moving along, which has been full of cracks, dips or other impediments.  This passage is smoothed and particularly easy for those who are shorter than 5 foot 4 inches.

There's a turn of 45 degrees, then the passage straightens again. You're at the bottom of a rising slope, much like a low hill, about 20 degrees.  As you climb it, you can see there are signs of the passage being maintained now, as if someone had swept.  There are places where the stone has been further smoothed than before.

As you see the top of this slope at the edge of your illumination, Embla will stop the party, making a sign for everyone to be very quiet.  You've seen her make this sign before.  Very soft, she will say, "Do you hear that?"

You don't, at first.  But once Embla explains in a few words that it sounds like a steady flow of water, you think you can hear it.

Can I ask, before going further: what is your order of travel going forward from here?

UPDATE: once the party has moved forward, the illumination they possess will show this much of the cavern they enter (see comments).


65 comments:

Lothar Svensson said...

As the one with HP, I take point.

Unknown said...

I will be in the back. I think I am the only one that regularly uses ranged weaponry

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I go in right after Lothar, maul and lamp in hand. I think I'll take the chance to ease out of the backpack so that I'll be back at four AP.

Rob Munro said...

I will take to be behind Embla, Lothar and Engelhart.

Rob Munro said...

[ about the logistic, should I presume we have stocked on food, or would you have taken some particular supplies AND/OR taken less than what you are able to carry while still having 3AP ?]

Embla Strand said...

In that case, I stand behind Engelhart.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Then, I see Lothar, Engelhart, Embla, Rob and finally Mikael.

Action, please?

Embla Strand said...

I ditch my pack and heft a javelin.

Unknown said...

I would very much like to see about this water

Rob Munro said...

I keep my pack but get my club and shield ready.
I advance with the others

Unknown said...

I take the opportunity to cast Armor on Rob, for a total of 7 points

Alexis Smolensk said...

[Getting on the better side of my technical issues]

Your next move?

Embla Strand said...

I advance slowly forward.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I kind of want to cast Bless, but it only lasts an hour, so I can't really be sure yet.

[Rob: I'm carrying a standard twelve pounds of rations, enough for three days]

Lothar Svensson said...

I advance up the passage.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I await for Embla to give the 'all clear'.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Or not... ok, I follow Lothar, don't want to break formation.

Rob Munro said...

I follow

Unknown said...

As do I.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Lothar, the passage widens and the ceiling above you lifts as you advance upwards. It appears to be another giant cavern; as you reach the top of the slope, the floor turns to dirt, and spreads outwards into the chamber, the ceiling of which is non-reflective and just twenty feet high. Your illumination does not show the whole chamber; nor does it show the source of the very gentle sound.

The walls on your left and right, now twenty feet apart, become masoned stone ... and as you advance a few more feet, you realize they don't reach to the ceiling. You realize that they have "roofs." You realize they are houses.

Embla Strand said...

Damn.

Do we see the source of the water sound?

Alexis Smolensk said...

You do not. Working on an image ... one moment please.

Embla Strand said...

What is that statue thing over on the right side of the frame?

Alexis Smolensk said...

Okay, the image is in place, showing as much as you can see of the cavern. Please note, the outside edge of the circle is dim compared to the part nearest to the left of the map, where you are entering. You can see houses, made of stone, with wooden ceilings, on the left and right. You can see what appears to be a polished-iron statue to your left, which is eight feet high. As well as other details.

Embla will hiss at Lothar, pushing past Engelhart to say quietly, the large grey mound in the center of your vision is something that is alive ~ and, from appearances, probably sleeping.

Embla Strand said...

Do we have any idea what it might be?

Rob Munro said...

Is this blood on the front of the bottom house? What is the (wooden?) contraption cloe to the blood?

Can we see any window on the houses? Particularly ones where someone could be watching us?

Lothar Svensson said...

Are there any visible tracks in the dirt that match or not the apparently sleeping creature?

Alexis Smolensk said...

It is big, and covered with fur. Could be a giant dog. Could be a very, very large bear. Could be something you've never seen.

There are no tracks that Lothar can identify from here. Looking around, the ranger can tell that there has been many feet trodding the dirt on which you stand.

Alexis Smolensk said...

I should add, humanoid feet.

Alexis Smolensk said...

In shoes.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Ok, that does it: I cast Bless on the party.

Embla Strand said...

Can I attempt to assassinate this creature?

Lothar Svensson said...

Oh man oh man oh man... So many possibilities... I quietly suggest we back out and send in a scout, perhaps sans light?

Alexis Smolensk said...

Make a wisdom check, Engelhart.

Not a humanoid, Embla. You wouldn't know where to put the knife. Your heightened senses also suggests that it is sleeping somewhat less than soundly.

Rob Munro said...

I would suggest they may not be ennemies, should we attempt some form of peaceful contact before we assassinate their giant dogs?

Embla Strand said...

Alexis, how big were the humanoid shoe prints?

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I roll a 17, Alexis.

Alexis Smolensk said...

That is your wisdom, Engelhart, so it succeeds.

It occurs to you that casting the spell at this time could wake the sleeping thing up. I'm not saying don't cast the spell, but you deserve to know the risks.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Embla, you have no idea. You can't track things, yes? But, assuming you ask Lothar, he will say there are too many footprints mixed together, and no isolated footprint that would helpfully identify size.

As Embla asks, the large beasty thing stirs a little.

Lothar Svensson said...

I begin backing out of the room, as quietly as possible.

Alexis Smolensk said...

It stirs again.

Rob Munro said...

If it is alone I could try to speak with it.
Try to learn what we can before the bloodbath.

Rob Munro said...

[ok, that presumes this actually is an animal...]

Unknown said...

Mikael hangs back.

[I know I am not adding much, but stealth nor animals are specialties of mine]

Embla Strand said...

I sneak forward.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Speak with animals, Rob? If it woke up from your casting the spell, and it was an animal, at least you'd have words before anything bad would happen.

Rob Munro said...

That's what I'm aiming for. However, I may presume that my casting would wake it up (much as Engelhart's), so the others should agree before I do this.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I... back out and away to a safer distance. Once out of earshot, I do still want to bless the party.

Alexis Smolensk said...

I've rolled dice, Embla. How close do you want to get.

Engelhart, following up on your wisdom and the message I just tried to send Lothar, backing out could wake it up, too. It is very on the edge of being awake.

Embla Strand said...

I'd like to get about 10 feet away from it.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Oh, very well, I did not catch that part. Guess I'll keep motionless for the nonce.

Lothar Svensson said...

Me too, ready to spring into action.

Unknown said...

I ready myself in case this goes poorly

Rob Munro said...

Well, I ready myself as well.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Surprisingly, Embla, you manage that.

You can see a large, bear's head; with horns on the back of its skull and neck. There are tusks next to the bear's mouth. You'd guess it is about one and a half grizzlies in size.

Embla Strand said...

I look back at my fellows and nod, hefting my javelin.

Rob Munro said...

I am not convinced aggression is the proper path here, but there is no time (and we cannot speak) so I'll keep my weapon ready and brace myself for what's to follow.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Nothing immediately follows. The bear continues to sleep.


Embla Strand said...

I throw my javelin at the creature. 11 on the die to-hit and 5 damage.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Alexis: have I any info on this bugger?

Alexis Smolensk said...

You haven't seen it yet, Engelhart. To you, it is still a big mound.

+1 for range, hits AC 7 Embla. The spear will hit the hide and fail to penetrate. That will wake it up.

Working on a new post.

Lothar Svensson said...

When Embla throws her javelin, I charge forward to attack.


(Teeth clenched and guts roiling...)

Lothar Svensson said...

[Oh, I meant to mention it earlier, but that map looks phenomenal!]

Alexis Smolensk said...

Not my image; wish it didn't cut off as much at the edges, but ... if you're going to steal something ...

The next post is up.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

The above question nonwithstanding, I launch my hammer at it, seeing Embla attack.

Attack roll: 4.

So much for that.