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:
As the one with HP, I take point.
I will be in the back. I think I am the only one that regularly uses ranged weaponry
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.
I will take to be behind Embla, Lothar and Engelhart.
[ 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 ?]
In that case, I stand behind Engelhart.
Then, I see Lothar, Engelhart, Embla, Rob and finally Mikael.
Action, please?
I ditch my pack and heft a javelin.
I would very much like to see about this water
I keep my pack but get my club and shield ready.
I advance with the others
I take the opportunity to cast Armor on Rob, for a total of 7 points
[Getting on the better side of my technical issues]
Your next move?
I advance slowly forward.
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]
I advance up the passage.
I await for Embla to give the 'all clear'.
Or not... ok, I follow Lothar, don't want to break formation.
I follow
As do I.
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.
Damn.
Do we see the source of the water sound?
You do not. Working on an image ... one moment please.
What is that statue thing over on the right side of the frame?
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.
Do we have any idea what it might be?
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?
Are there any visible tracks in the dirt that match or not the apparently sleeping creature?
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.
I should add, humanoid feet.
In shoes.
Ok, that does it: I cast Bless on the party.
Can I attempt to assassinate this creature?
Oh man oh man oh man... So many possibilities... I quietly suggest we back out and send in a scout, perhaps sans light?
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.
I would suggest they may not be ennemies, should we attempt some form of peaceful contact before we assassinate their giant dogs?
Alexis, how big were the humanoid shoe prints?
I roll a 17, Alexis.
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.
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.
I begin backing out of the room, as quietly as possible.
It stirs again.
If it is alone I could try to speak with it.
Try to learn what we can before the bloodbath.
[ok, that presumes this actually is an animal...]
Mikael hangs back.
[I know I am not adding much, but stealth nor animals are specialties of mine]
I sneak forward.
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.
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.
I... back out and away to a safer distance. Once out of earshot, I do still want to bless the party.
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.
I'd like to get about 10 feet away from it.
Oh, very well, I did not catch that part. Guess I'll keep motionless for the nonce.
Me too, ready to spring into action.
I ready myself in case this goes poorly
Well, I ready myself as well.
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.
I look back at my fellows and nod, hefting my javelin.
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.
Nothing immediately follows. The bear continues to sleep.
I throw my javelin at the creature. 11 on the die to-hit and 5 damage.
Alexis: have I any info on this bugger?
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.
When Embla throws her javelin, I charge forward to attack.
(Teeth clenched and guts roiling...)
[Oh, I meant to mention it earlier, but that map looks phenomenal!]
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.
The above question nonwithstanding, I launch my hammer at it, seeing Embla attack.
Attack roll: 4.
So much for that.
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