2. The First Delve

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Mar 29, 2024 6:48 pm
Ricard climbs out, takes back his rope from Tiberious and sighs. Nothing had been gained from this expedition and the warrior was loathe to make the long journey back to town empty handed.

"I would rather find the trade outpost first, could be that they have safe spaces to recover without the long trip home and a potential fight with the tax men outside. That said, if you feel like you have to head back then I suppose there's nothing to be done."
Last edited March 29, 2024 6:48 pm
Mar 29, 2024 7:08 pm
Swan replies back, "We are in no shape to explore to find anything. Dealing with these Dwarves have now left us hurt."
Mar 29, 2024 7:20 pm
"Meh, I could go on, don't turn back on my account."

Ricard pats the bruise he got from the fall; it was tender, but nothing he couldn't walk off.
Mar 29, 2024 7:26 pm
"Well, I'd suggest we try heading east from the forest room like we were told-- if there's somewhere safe to rest there, you'll be in less danger than if we risk the bandits and others on the trip back to town." Fenwick says. "If our directions prove to be crap again and we don't find it immediately to the east, the we'll go ahead and leave the prison to get you help?"
Mar 29, 2024 7:42 pm
"I will get the body and head up. If you find that you know where to find me." Swan is heading to the grand foyer.
Mar 30, 2024 2:55 pm
Like he did before with the previous pit, Gabbro gouges a scrape in the floor to mark the corner of the trap, but addresses Fenwick as he does so. "So should we try to open the portcullis, or go down the "Open Sore" passage that the dwarves told us to take?"
Mar 30, 2024 4:19 pm
"Hmm? In my, granted, often-faulty memory the dwarves told us it was okay to head past the Open Sore sign to find the forest room, which we did. I thought the kobold 'inn' was east of the forest room. But like most of their directions, I don't know if that actually means out the eastern portcullis door. The fact it wasn't an open doorway and we'd have to get through an obstacle to get there is the sort of thing I would have mentioned as part of my directions. Another option is we need to head south and then turn east to get there.

Remember, to get to the forest room itself which the dwarves had described as being along the main corridor to the 'south', took first going east beyond the Open Sores, then south again, then west a bit...

So, the idea that that going 'east' to the kobolds meant first following our traitorous dwarven guide to the south and then turning east somewhere along the way made sense to me at the time, which is why I was inclined to follow him until you pointed out he seemed hella suspicious. But maybe there's really a simple answer this time and we just follow the path straight to the east through the portcullis.

Then again, it seems equally likely that to these dwarves 'east' is through the west portcullis, north or south a while, west some more, and eventually at the end a bit to the east. For a people so famed for their engineering and architecture, I'm beginning to wonder what a dwarven compass looks like."
[ +- ] Editted summary of the path we took 'south' from the dwarves' location to arrive at the forest room:
Last edited March 30, 2024 4:21 pm
Mar 30, 2024 4:47 pm
"Do we trust these dwarves? Wasn't it a dwarf that led us into these traps?" Jessica offers.
Mar 30, 2024 5:00 pm
"Not entirely, but up until this one just dropped some of us in a trap and started dancing, the things they've told us have generally been true just not always clear except in retrospect," Fenwick replies. "Plus there's a question of whether the evil dwarf and art dwarves are working together. They kind of dressed the same, but evil dwarf acted really weird and there's a chance he wasn't actually a dwarf-- we've seen some other illusions and stuff."
Mar 30, 2024 7:25 pm
Not all dwarves are cut from the same cloth. There was something strange about this one. He appeared to have some kind of magic about him. We can only hope that we meet up with him again and exact some revenge.

Tiberious takes a sip of water and considers the path ahead I recommend we continue on, but check the path ahead carefully. There appears to be many traps down these halls. Remind me to pick up some chalk next time we are in town.
Mar 30, 2024 8:02 pm
"I spoke...imprecisely. What I meant was, should we lift the portcullis to head east, assuming that the room with the murals is the "Forest Room," or should we continue further east along the "Open Sore" corridor?" Gabbro examines the portcullis to see if there's sign of it having been lifted recently.
Mar 30, 2024 8:37 pm
Tiberious steps in beside Gabbro to help, as best he can, with lifting the portcullis.
Mar 30, 2024 10:25 pm
"You probably want to check that for traps before we lift it," Fenwick suggests. "But yeah, I thought we go east from here. If we want to check on those voices we heard near the Open Sores, I think we want to make sure Swan and Ricard's wounds are tended first. "
Mar 31, 2024 8:54 am
The area around the portcullis does seem heavily trafficked. The portcullis itself, whilst weighty and lacking an obvious opening mechanism, looks like it can be raised with sheer brute force.

Beyond the portcullis, a corridor leads due east for at least 30'.

---
Day 2, 12:10 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...
Mar 31, 2024 8:44 pm
"Maybe the portcullis offers some sort of protection for the market, let's check."

Ricard lends his back to the lift...
OOC:
not sure of roll so adding an couple...

Rolls

Open doors 3 in 6 - (1d6)

(4) = 4

Strength check (13) - (1d20)

(17) = 17

Apr 1, 2024 7:59 am
The portcullis is very heavy, but between you, you manage to raise it sufficiently to allow you to pass. It clunks shut behind you when you release it.

Ahead of you, the passage continues due east for 30’ before arriving at a T-intersection.

Beyond the intersection to the east, the passage extends for at least another 30’ into darkness.

Heading south from the intersection, a side passage also continues for at least 30’, although you can see a door in its western wall 30’ ahead. You can also hear sounds of a fight to the south - chittering and squeaking noises - although you estimate that this is at least 100’ away.

---

With the departure of Swan and her lantern, you’ll need another light source. Tiberious - please remove Swan’s lantern from your inventory. How are you now going to illuminate your way?

Please also update your marching order in the "Marching Order" thread, allowing for the incoming Pickles the halfling.


---
Day 2, 12:10 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...
Apr 1, 2024 1:35 pm
Fenwick will advance slowly and cautiously to the middle of the T, checking for traps with her spear, and see if she can make out anything significant in either direction with her infravision.
Apr 1, 2024 1:52 pm
"Sorry I don't have torches or a lantern for the humans. Next time I'll have a better idea what to bring." Gabbro peers at the door down the southern passage. "That leads back the way we came, so probably not Kobold Kaverns (although I still think that might have been the voices we heard back in the corridor up north), but the passage and door do lead in the same direction as the room the dwarf" - everyone can hear the sarcasm in Gabbro's voice when he refers to the sadistic trickster as a "dwarf" - "fled to after I hit it with a rock. Do we want to go that way, or continue east?"
OOC:
Can we assume that Fenwick and Gabbro are already at the intersection, since you've provided the description of what we see already, or was that on the assumption that the party has produced light to show us what you've already described can be seen from the intersection?
Last edited April 1, 2024 1:54 pm
Apr 1, 2024 3:01 pm
"I don't either, I figured they'd bring enough for themselves. My instinct is to try heading east from here, at least far enough to see if that brings us to a safe point or not and then try that room you're interested in--but we may need to find lights for the humans first."
Apr 1, 2024 3:13 pm
"...and halfling, too..." Gabbro hisses, jerking his head back toward Pickles. Then, louder: "Yeah, that sounds good to me. What do the rest of you think?"
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