Episode 2 Scene 1 The Journey North

Brindel silently prays Lord Gulthyn, in your honor we attempt to learn this building's secrets, so we can prepare for its dangers. then he attempts to slide the handle down the groove.

Egret winces in his head as he lands upon the table and then the floor. Neither is a particularly light collision, and even spiders can end up winded after such a flight. So he lies on his back for a few moments after, all eight legs in the air, trying to gather his wits back while watching Brindel pull open the hatch in the ceiling. He squints against the newly freed light, in instinctive spider-like displeasure about the illumination, and then pulls himself back upright.

Glancing at the cube again, Egret thinks about trying to climb on it in a second attempt - but his back still hurts, and so the druid decides to take a break and instead climb on the wall by the ladder. He does just that, aiming to follow alongside it, reach Brindel and peek into the opening which his companions uncovered.

Brindel looks up without moving farther up the ladder.

"I have some good news," he shouts below to the others. "This opening seems to lead to the outside of the building. I had my doubts."

Haelga says, "Den let me leef. Dis place skers me."

Shump steps up next to Haelga and softly places one of his large hands upon her shoulder saying, "No fear, I here." He then gives her a gentle squeeze that she feels even through her armor.

The spider clicks in disappointment upon Brindel's words, crawling on the wall to just below the hatch to also look up at the opening. It's too narrow for him to fit in, and there is no reason to try if it's just a way to the roof. An eagle-eye view of the marsh would be nice for standing guard, of course, but with so much effort needed to get there? It might be not worth the energy.

He brushes one leg against Brindel - gently, to not accidentally knock the dwarf off the ladder, - and turns away from the ladder, skittering back to the cube and insistently tapping on its surface. The odd windows, the table and the cube might just be the only magical things that survived the blobs, so he tries to attract his companion's attention to them.

Brindel climbs down the ladder to join the others. He smiles as he stands on a solid floor. "Much better," he mumbles to no one, then addresses the group. "This tower is not built for someone my size, but it does have a purpose. I do not think it is sinister, just unfamiliar. I prefer the comfort of strong walls surrounding me, but if everyone else would rather stay outside, so be it. Before we decide, please wait, I have a request for Shump."

Brindel talks directly to Shump. "Please climb ladder. Look outside top. See marsh, yes or no?"

Shump looks at Brindel and says, "Yes see marsh," and he points to one of the windows and then begins to climb the ladder.

Brindel mentally notes to which window Shump pointed. When Shump arrives at the top of the ladder, Brindel asks him, "See same marsh we walked on?"

When Shump gets near the top of the ladder it is obvious the opening is not going to be big enough for him to pass through. At Brindel's question he glances and then calls down, "See same mist. Hole need bigger" He then easily reaches out to his left and cranks on the handle until the opening is plenty wide enough for him to easily pass through. Once this has been completed, he finishes the accent climbing up and out of the interior, whereupon he then steps out of view. After a prolong period of time, his head pops back into view and he must be almost lying down and says, "See same mist."

Seeing as no one attempts to investigate the cube and the group is still focusing on the hatch and whatever is outside it, Egret decides to return - again - to the ladder and climb out after Shump. If the massive form of their guide can pass through the opening, he reasons that a spider can too. Plus, if there is truly fresh air outside, he might as well. Even though his earlier thoughts of the oppressiveness of the walls might have subsided after the battle, now that he thinks about them... Fresh air sounds nice, even if it is marsh air that smells of all the pleasant swampy aromas.

Lex is surprised when Egret takes his tumble, it seems that the fall didn't do any damage but it really shouldn't have happened to a spider. He examines the table and the cube with a keen eye, touching both surfaces if he is able to reach them.