2. The First Delve

A few further details on the pit trap …

1. It is hinged and sprung on one side. This means that once it has deposited its victims into the pit, it returns to its "closed" position. This makes recovering Swan a little more awkward, but there’s enough of you such that it’s not an insurmountable problem and we’ll assume you manage it.

2. The pit doesn’t extend across the full width of the corridor. There are narrow ledges on either side. So, now that you’re aware of it and its extent, it’s easy enough to circumnavigate. No jumping is required!

3. From a mapping perspective, the pit is in the middle of the short east-west corridor between the passage running south from the Grand Foyer and the upcoming T-intersection.

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Swan scouts the floor of the pit trap with Ricard’s torch (good thinking!), but she doesn’t find anything.

Once Swan clambers out of the pit, you pause to take your hourly rest and catch your breath. Fortunately, there’s no sign of the Fire Beetle(s).

Are you going to recover Druin’s body? It’s doable, but it will take a further turn.

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Day 1, 3:00 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Orelia, Cleric 1: 3/3
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tess, Thief 1: 3/3 (lantern)

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Swan will help get Druin body out of the pit. "Looks like we are going to have to head topside to bury Druin." And the rest will let Swan get her one HP back.

In B/X, you need at least a full day of complete, uninterrupted rest to heal any hit points. Each such rest recovers 1d3 hit points.

"I think we should get Druin's remains..." Gabbro suggests, "But from the other side of the pit. We've been lucky that the beetle didn't come this way during the past hour, but we shouldn't push our luck further..." Gabbro walks carefully around the edge of the pit to join the other elf, Fenwick. "Hopefully if the beetle does come this way, it will drop into the pit, too."

Ricard helps with the recovery of Druin's body and then assists in carrying the heavy body topside so that he can be properly laid to rest. He suggests burying the dwarf in front of the small temple he found on arrival.

"It is later in the afternoon now any way. Okay time to take a break and hit this tomorrow."

"Put Druin in the ground before he starts to stink up the place."

Looking over to the newcomer, "And we can get to know you over a campfire."

Hide away any of Druin's gear we don't want now and save it for sale later. Swan will carry out the body. We will have to find a spot just outside this valley to set up camp. Ricard has his torch back. Good time to put more oil in the lantern for tomorrow's run. Eats some rations to lighten the load. That is my thoughts. No idea how to bury Druin. Not like anyone has a shovel. Looks to be a fire pile burning. Evening is nice as Swan can get out of her heavy armor for a bit. (Not that I have clothing listed otherwise.)

So. Overnight isn't good enough to get any points back. We have kill a day to do that.

Lot of laughs earlier about the rope. Swan has some on her. Gesh. She does have a tinderbox for starting fires.

Might need a kitty sheet for that hidden away. Less if someone wants any of that. Swan passes as she has enough of her own.
Dwarf size plate mail, shield, sword, dagger, backpack, waterskin, 7 rations, 50' rope.

Ricard continues with his plan to bury Druin in the temple, gathering the plentiful stone from the nearby ruined buildings and piling it on top of the dwarf until he is completely covered and at rest before the sainted statue. He offers a short prayer over the dwarf's grave and then finds a spot in the temple for himself to spend the night.

Swan goes well with the temple thought. She isn't big on ceremony. No shovel burial or fire burning. Cool.

She aids Ricard as much as possible in the deposing of Druin's body. She is obviously not happy about the matter, but it has to be done. Swan will miss her fellow front liner.

Eventually she will find time to clean up her armor and such.

"That's nice," says Fenwick. "I didn't know him, but I'm sure as a Dwarf he'll appreciate being laid to rest under all that stone."

Having removed her helmet to show deference to the temple, she twirls a strand of dark hair around her finger. "Of course, he would have been under just as much stone if we'd left him where he was, but then he might have had other people falling on him and dying occasionally, and that probably wouldn't be right."

Leaving him their rotting wouldn't do him any justice and just makes it a mess. Swan says being practical to Elf Fenwick. Obviously during the bury of him in stone and such, Swan doesn't hold really any religious values. Swan is a bit cold that way too. She doesn't ever show much emotion. Just a lot of will.

She does thank Ricard for his help and for doing prayers. Prayers being something that Swan just couldn't do. She did agree with Elf Gabbro we need to keep a lookout for those nasty beetles. Tess doesn't seem to do anything besides walk around with a lantern.

"Druin was my friend, as true and valiant as any elf. A doughty companion, and my brother in darkness." Gabbro tries to think of a good blessing for his fallen comrade. What would do sufficient honor to a dwarf?

"May he be welcomed into the halls of glory and toasted with his ancestors!"

Kneeling, Gabbro holds Druin's sword reverently in both hands. "Though we come from different worlds, though I do not know as much as I would have liked about his family, I pledge to bear his weapon - Druin's Blade - in remembrance of him, and to honor his memory and his family in battle." Gabbro leaves his handaxe under some rocks in the cairn as tribute and straps the sword to his belt instead.

Swan says to Elf Gabbro, "Rather nice sending off. I have no history as of Druin." at the funeral. It doesn't bother Swan one bit that Gabbro wish to deal with Druin's blade. She doesn't even give it a second thought.

Swan isn't one that has ever chatted much. She is just there and present. She has never been good at blending in ever. Five feet, six inches of husky person in plate mail.

"I will sit in vigil with his body tonight, it's what we did for fallen soldiers when I was with the King's army."

Ricard sets up his pack in a corner and spends the night in reverence for his fallen ally.

Fallen Shrine of St. Ras

You recover Druin’s body from the pit and carry it back to the surface. He is laid to rest inside the Shrine of St. Ras, his body covered with stones to create a cairn - a fitting tribute for a dwarf.

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A few questions/points of clarification …

- Where exactly do you plan to store Druin’s unused gear?

- Druin’s burial is complete by 5:00 pm. Sunset is around 7:30 pm. So you still have a couple of hours of daylight left. Do you plan to do anything during that time, or are you calling a halt to adventuring for the day?

- It seems that the plan is to spend the night in the shrine, and return to the dungeon in the morning, right? If so, please can you let me have the details of your camp, e.g. …
- Are you going to set a watch and, if so, what is the rota?
- Are you going to light a fire?
- Are you going to keep any of the torches or lanterns lit?
- Are either of the elves going to change their memorised spells, or stick with the ones they have?

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Day 1, 5:00 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Orelia, Cleric 1: 3/3
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tess, Thief 1: 3/3 (lantern)

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Fenwick will keep watch as the ceremony takes place, circling the perimeter of the shrine and trying to stay beyond the notice of the others, so that she doesn't interrupt their grieving.

This allows her to mainly keep her infravision focused out toward anything transpiring in the dark of the night.

Being young for an elf she's not encountered many funerals (her peers are too young to die and most of her elders have been and will continue to live for what seems like forever). She also feels somewhat awkward being present despite not being familiar with the deceased; but she finds herself unexpectedly touched by their devotion to their comrade.

She's happy to extend this into first watch as the ceremony concludes.

Swan calls it a night. Tomorrow is better time to explore more. Temple is good as any place to camp. Getting a fire sure. Light resting. Swan will take the first watch. After that she will find a spot to lay down next to her armor with a sword close in handy. She ate her rations. Be happy.

Ricard helps with the watch, taking the second shift. He had doused his torch up on exiting the dungeon but it was likely spent anyway.

Gabbro will keep the spell he has memorized, and will join Swan in the first watch. But he will spend it outside the shrine, so the fire doesn't blind his infravision, visually checking in with Swan every several minutes.

Fallen Shrine of St. Ras

Following Druin’s funeral, you make camp in the shrine, eat some rations (@everyone - please remove 1 day of rations from your inventory) and prepare to bed down for the night. As the sun sets on the canyon, all is quiet save for a small herd of goats that saunters by on the way to the pool.

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Day 1, 7:00 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Orelia, Cleric 1: 3/3
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tess, Thief 1: 3/3

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Fallen Shrine of St. Ras

The sun has barely set, and the others are still trying to get comfortable on the floor of the shrine, when the two watchkeepers, Swan and Gabbro, see lights in the distance to the south-west. Most probably torchlight, the bearers are descending into the canyon from its rim down a steep switchback path. It’s difficult to know whether they have spotted you, although the light from your campfire will almost certainly be visible from their vantage point.

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Day 1, 8:00 pm (night-time)
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5 (resting)
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7 (on watch)
Orelia, Cleric 1: 3/3 (resting)
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7 (resting)
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6 (on watch)
Tess, Thief 1: 3/3 (resting)

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...