4. The First Expedition

Since the party is taking a moment to examine the fresco, Ella will exit the torchlight on the left-hand tunnel, wait for her elven eyes adapt to the darkness and see if she can see further down that passage. Assuming she sees nothing of note, she will return to the intersection, report, and repeat the operation on the right-hand tunnel.

The baboon fresco is worn, but the image is clearly recognisable. There doesn’t appear to be any form of script on the wall, so Zach’s search for Mithric is fruitless. However, between them, Grim (with his inherent dwarven understanding of stone construction) and Jacky (through his careful searching) notice that the baboon’s eyes both seem to be cleverly designed push-buttons of some sort.

Meanwhile, Ella advances 30’ down the left-hand (south-easterly) corridor to escape the light from Thrud’s lantern and allow her infravision to kick in. She can see that there is a side passage heading west 20’ ahead of her, and a further side passage heading east a further 10’ beyond that. The main passage continues southeast into darkness.

She repeats the process with the right-hand (south-westerly) corridor. At the end of the 50’ passage, there is an east-west T-intersection. At the far side of that junction (i.e. in the southern wall of the east-west corridor) there is a door. However, just as Ella turns to head back towards the party, she hears the sound of multiple approaching footsteps coming from the west. The steps have a rattling, almost mechanical quality to them.

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11:00 am, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Akoslan, Khumus Fighter 1: 9/8, ?’
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Oh, what are these? We know some of the eyes had jewels in them, but nobody said anything about buttons."

Moving as silently as she can given the circumstances, the elf returned to the party’s light, and immediately hissed a warning: "Something approaches from the south and west. Something rattling, inhumane precision. Automatons? Living dead? Our light will be noticeable if they have eyes to see."

"Thrudmarr not like dark. But..." He looks at his lantern uncertainly. "Bad things see light? You want Thrudmarr put out?"

Grim waddles up towards the sound of ruckus. Infravision gazing ahead, attempting to glean sight of approaching presences.

Ella nocks an arrow but does not yet draw.

"We can try to escape notice, but that needs covering the lantern. Or we stay and see what they are and if they want to fight. Or we fall back and maybe they follow us. Which is it?"

"There's a fork in the passage. Let's head down southeast and wait for them to come up, see what exactly they are before we actually engage," Jacky suggests. The halfling makes good on his own advice and starts walking that way.

I'm clear on what Grim is doing (advancing down the south-western fork towards the approaching "party") and what Jacky is doing (heading in the opposite direction down the south-eastern fork).

What about the rest of you?

Thrudmarr looks back and forth between his departing friends, concern clear on his face. "Friends go different ways! Not good!"

He hefts his lantern, clearly torn. He takes a hesitant step toward Grim and Akoslan, then stops. "Thrudmarr no want give Grim away with lantern. Will stay here, be ready if he needs me."

Softly emitting a "tsk" sound in obvious annoyance, the elf followed behind the dwarf trusting they would soon be in sufficient darkness for their vision to adapt.

Whispering to the dwarf, she stated "I’ll put a shaft in whatever rushes our way, Grimidek Granite, but I won’t be taking a stand here. We should all move as one."

Zach sticks with Thrudmarr, expecting that if things go sideways, it pays to keep the experts in dealing bladed mayhem together.

Just checking I understand everything correctly ... is this about right?