Smeads finds himself blinded by the lights around him. He is lying on a pile of animal furs, on the ground of a room furnished with many chairs and round tables. He can make out the curved shape of the large counter behind and the coloured rays of morning light filtered by the stained glass windows above.
The Gold Ladder.
Just by the door of the main room, Smeads notices a monk entirely clad in black cloth looking at a group of people likely standing right besides the opening in the ground that leads to the underworld. The half-elf can hear some chatter coming from there without being able to make out the words these people are using. He cannot see the group: the counter is standing right in his line of sight. He throws another look above at the stained glass of the large alcove and the mess of ropes hanging from the ceiling which supports the weight of the platform down below.
Smeads turns his head back towards the monk by reflex. Gareth loudly inhales as blood spills upward out of his mouth. He seems to recognize the place as well and, for a brief moment, tries to hang on and stay conscious, but collapses just as Cadfan the dwarf rushes to his side. "There, there now, you’re going to be alright!"
DM: Gareth, click on this link. (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?p=447163#post447163)
Smeads stays there, conscious, dumbstruck for a moment, when he hears the echo of another voice coming out of the well, as if someone shouted something from the depths of the earth. He cannot make out what it says, but the answer of one of the fellows by the hole soon follows, loud and clear: "ARE THE REST OF YOU SAFE DOWN THERE? WHY ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING THE BELL'S CALL?"
DM: Smeads slowly gets over his dizziness. He is still very much injured from the earlier fight against the creature by the candles earlier on, but can otherwise, with some difficulty, stand up and move if he wishes.
_______
Ptolus/AD&D Threads on the RPG Site
Pre-game Chat (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18639)
Player Characters (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18708)
Experience Points (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=19491)
Out-of-character thread #1 (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18732)
People and Places of Ptolus (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18805)
In-character thread #1 - The Gold Ladder (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18731)
In-character thread #1a - Delbaeth (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18765)
In-character thread #2 - Underground (part 1) (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18798)
In-character thread #2b - Limbus Sanguineum (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=19278)
In-character thread #3 - Back to the Surface (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=19691)
"huh...am I back amongst the living....or did you all join Gareth and I in the dream world? although.......as I'm in The Gold Ladder I am thinking you healed me and woke me up..."
Quote from: Lilaxe;447999"huh...am I back amongst the living....or did you all join Gareth and I in the dream world? although.......as I'm in The Gold Ladder I am thinking you healed me and woke me up..."
Cadfan nods. "You are here with us, son. You just woke up. You were brought up here a little earlier. We administered what potions we could, and waited for the others to join you, but apparently they are not decided to come back up right this minute." He nods in the direction of the activity taking place around the hole behind the counter Smeads cannot see from his position.
The dwarf is kneeling at Gareth's side. The thief is lying on your right. On your left, you notice Rissthil Tanlithrin, lying there just as unconscious.
From the other side of the counter you hear the same voice shouting again: "NO MORE ROPE. LOWERING THE PLATFORM NOW. WAIT FOR ME. I'M COMING DOWN."
DM: Smeads is currently at 2 HP (from his original -4 HP).
Cadfan.....I dont know what to make of this....The last I remember was charging the amorphous blob creature, hoping that my attack would interrupt its control of the zombie creatures...the next think I knew I was waking up in a shadow of this world...an exact copy in which we could interact...but in which only the unconscious, or dead, were in. We even met a halfling monk...now...what was his name..It'll come to me...."
"But, the thing most disturbing is that in that dream world there is a painting, and from that painting a creature was missing....the blob creature I attacked! So that creature entered this world through that dream world...I have to warn everyone...all the creatures in that painting reacted to our interference with the painting...which means they all might be waking up and waiting to enter this world!"
Cadfan stays at Gareth's side, and brings a finger to his lips. He whispers: "That is quite a story, son, but I'm not sure the monk behind me by the door would like to hear about it. This one's from the Black Abbey, and he's looking over these Brothers of the Sword," as he nods towards the entrance to the underworld beyond the counter, "making sure they're doing their job as their supposed to, or some such. I don't think he needs to know all that going on down there, if you see what I mean."
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/tokens/NPCs/Br-Malekh-token.png)
"The Sword folks don't like the Black Abbey very much. They'd be content if they weren't chaperoned by old crows wandering about in the world while unable to figure out by which end to hold a blade if their lives depended on it."
He winks. There is a large fellow wearing a suit of mail over his black robes that comes walking towards you from behind the counter. The dwarf adds quickly: "This one's Udo. He's a bit of an oaf, but a good guy at heart. He's kind of a healer himself."
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/tokens/NPCs/Br-Udo-token.png)
Then much louder, to Udo: "Ah. Brother! I was about to call for you. Smeads here just walk up. Gareth doesn't seem to be too good, though. Could I borrow more of that ointment of yours?"
The large brother stops at Smeads' feet. He throws a look at the sinister elder monk from the Black Abbey standing by the door, stiff and attentive, as if rendered uncomfortable by his very presence in this room. Udo dismisses whatever thought came to his mind as he looked to then answer the dwarf: "That is not a problem. I will get more in a moment. Mundel is going down to check on the others."
The large brown eyes of the monk turn to look at Smeads. There is something stern, and yet very peaceful about his gaze. "How are you feeling, Smeads?"
DM: Interrogation mark on the map means Smeads doesn't have a line of sight to what's going on there at the moment, but this is where he heard the shouting voice come from.
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/maps/gold-ladder/GL-MR-800-03.jpg)
"Uhhh...Im feeling better now, thanks."
"Cadfan, do you have any idea how the others are? Did they kill the blob creature?"
Quote from: Lilaxe;449382"Uhhh...Im feeling better now, thanks."
"Cadfan, do you have any idea how the others are? Did they kill the blob creature?"
The Dwarf shrugs as he stands up: "I have no idea. Your companions just sent you - the wounded, I mean - back to the surface, and when we checked on them by ringing the bell, they wouldn't answer."
The brother cuts in: "Apparently they are alright, though they will not come back up at the moment, for some reason."
Udo checks on Smeads' chest. There is a surge of pain, but nowhere as intense as Smeads expected, remembering the loud cracking sound which instantly followed the creature's tentacle crushing his rib cage. "I'm sure they are fine." He smiles.
Smeads will wait for the Brother to move away, then will ask Cadfan:
"Should I tell the brother? Or is he also better off not knowing...."
Quote from: Lilaxe;451231"Should I tell the brother? Or is he also better off not knowing...."
"Nah, I think you can talk with Udo around. He's a good fellow, like Mundel who's down there at the moment. The only one that might become a problem is the Black Monk at the door. The folks from the Black Abbey, they ain't the tolerant sort. They'd love nothing more than 'fix' the Brothers of the Sword. Whatever Ptolus needs comes before the Abbot's wishes, as far as the Sword's concerned. The folks of the Abbey, that rubs them the wrong way..."
Cadfan, I've just had a thought. Iif we bring up the statue of the halfling I saw in the dreamworld, is there someone around that might be able to turn him back to flesh? That might answer a lot of questions and give us some good leads.
"Oooh you found someone turned to stone, did ya? That brings back memories from the old days, that's for sure! Well. What you'd need is someone like Delbaeth. I'm not sure the elf would be able to do anything for you at this point, but there might be other mages in town he'd know about. You could talk to him about that. What d'ya think?"
Yes that sounds perfect...is he around?
The dwarf nods. "He is still in his room, but he is doing a little bit better. He might be awake right now. We could go check if you feel strong enough to stand on your own feet. The potion I gave you earlier might have done its work by now. Here: I will give you a hand."
Smeads can stand up and walk if he wants to.
I'll get up and go to Delbereths (sp?) room.
"Good Sir, we have found a monk turned to stone - is it within your power to turn him back to flesh?"
"His insight to what happened would be invaluable to our current explorations"
Quote from: Lilaxe;452836I'll get up and go to Delbereths (sp?) room.
DM: *grins* Delbaeth.
When Smeads gets up and walks towards the door of the main room leading to the stairs that will lead lead him to Delbaeth, he can see what is going on behind the counter: there are two other Brothers of the Sword there. One of them is operating the system that will lower the second down in the hole. Angharad is standing a bit farther away, looking a little bit nervous. The larger of the two brothers, the one who is operating the pulley system, advises the second one: "You will do what they tell you to do. Don't look at me like that. The collapse was significant and they'll need your help to rescue Bertold."
The black monk standing by the door leading to the Gold Ladder's kitchen doesn't seem to like the comment very much.
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/maps/gold-ladder/GL-MR-800-04.jpg)
You then step into a small lobby with a set of stairs that lead you to the upper levels of the inn. There, you finally reach the room where the grievously burned elf is resting. You find him awake, but still quite feeble, resting uneasily on his bed to try and recover from his wounds.
Quote from: Lilaxe;452836"Good Sir, we have found a monk turned to stone - is it within your power to turn him back to flesh?"
"His insight to what happened would be invaluable to our current explorations"
The elf is quite agitated by the news. He tries first to get all the news he can out of you, asking whether you found Bertold, what is happening down there, who your companions are, what experience you have in these sorts of rescue missions... but is forced to give up on Cadfan's insistance.
He finally answers your question: "This sort of feat is well beyond my capabilities. I can only think of a handful of practitioners of the art who would be able to help you."
"One would be the Commissar's first mage, but he is quite a shoddy character, unworthy of anyone's trust, let alone the Emperor's." He sighs, coughs, and adds: "I guess the Commissar likes to keep his enemies closer to him than his own friends. That, or the man is a fool; he will end up killed, sooner or later, once he is of no use to his allies."
He waves that thought away as he swallows painfully. "In any case. There is an elf at Iridithil's home, one of my mentors, who would be able to assist you. Be wary, however: the elves will expect you to stand by your word. If you seek their help, they will want your help in return."
"There may be more masters in and around town. I heard rumors of practitioners of the art hiding from the Church's eyes in the slums along the city walls, but I cannot confirm them, one way or the other."
As it seems finding someone to turn the halfling monk back to flesh are out of reach at the moment, Smeads will go back to bed and rest. He will keep an eye out and watch what is going on as best he can.
As Cadfan leads Smeads back to his place to rest in the main room, he can't help but point out: "There are mages around the camps too, for sure, and there is a street here in town where practitioners of the art are rumored to congregate. Whether the Brothers of the Sword are aware of it or not, I'm not sure."
With that, both reach the main room. The Black Monk has left, and along with him, all the Brothers of the Sword but for Udo the healer, who is still looking after Gareth and Rissthil.
...Smeads continues to rest...
Smeads continues to rest. Angharad is nowhere to be seen. She seems to have left the room. Cadfan goes back behind the counter of the main room and attends to some business there, while Udo watches over Gareth and Rissthil.
Gareth spills blood all over his chin. The half-elf can see a large, bald fellow wearing a suit of mail on top of black robes keeping watch over him : "There there now, Gareth. Everything is going to be alright."
The monk turns his head away to call : "Gareth is coming back. He's awake!"
A little further away, Gareth recognizes the windows of stained glass, as well as the dwarf standing by the bar: Cadfan. The Gold Ladder's main room.
"Great gods!" He walks towards you. That's when you realize you are lying on the floor, on what looks like a straw mattress. Rissthil is resting beside you. No trace of the others. No orcs, no hobbit. Just you, the monk, and Cadfan.
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/maps/gold-ladder/GL-MR-800-05.jpg)
"Where... am... I? Where's... everyone? Who... are ...you?"
"There there, now. You will be alright. I administered what ointments I could before you came to your senses. You have been trashing and turning back and forth quite a bit. You will feel sore for the next few hours at least, but things should improve dramatically after that."
The monk looks at your wounds. "I am Udo. I am one of the Brothers of the Sword. Do you know what that is ?"
Quote from: Benoist;485607"There there, now. You will be alright. I administered what ointments I could before you came to your senses. You have been trashing and turning back and forth quite a bit. You will feel sore for the next few hours at least, but things should improve dramatically after that."
The monk looks at your wounds. "I am Udo. I am one of the Brothers of the Sword. Do you know what that is ?"
No, I don't, good brother. ALso, where are my friends and companions? The ones I descended into that pit with?
"The Brothers of the Sword keep the peace. We are here to help."
"Rissthil here is next to you. He didn't wake yet. Smeads is upstairs. He felt a little bit better, but he's resting at the moment. The others are still down there. Do you remember anything ?"
Quote from: Benoist;485708"The Brothers of the Sword keep the peace. We are here to help."
"Rissthil here is next to you. He didn't wake yet. Smeads is upstairs. He felt a little bit better, but he's resting at the moment. The others are still down there. Do you remember anything ?"
I tell the monk everything I can remember to the best of my ability. Also, I ask him if he can bring Smeads so he can fill me on what happened after I fell in battle.
"Smeads has been wounded as well. It will all become much clearer, but I can't just get him off his bed to answer your questions just now. It'll have to wait for a little while."
"I'm guessing we might hear from your friends pretty soon. Do you need anything while we wait?"
The dwarf besides the brother frowns. Gareth has no idea why.
Quote from: Benoist;485891"Smeads has been wounded as well. It will all become much clearer, but I can't just get him off his bed to answer your questions just now. It'll have to wait for a little while."
"I'm guessing we might hear from your friends pretty soon. Do you need anything while we wait?"
The dwarf besides the brother frowns. Gareth has no idea why.
"Good brother, could you get me some ale or something to drink? I'n really thirsty." When / if the monk turns to get the ale, I look at the dwarf, questioningly, and gesture him to come near.
"Oh yes, that's not a problem." Brother Udo goes to fetch some ale, and the dwarf approaches.
"How do you feel, lad?"
Quote from: Benoist;486102"Oh yes, that's not a problem." Brother Udo goes to fetch some ale, and the dwarf approaches.
"How do you feel, lad?"
"I feel better, and I've just had the most amazing... experience? Dream? I can't tell for sure just yet. "
"Can you tell me something about my friends? Where are they? How long have I been out?" Lowering my voice to a whisper now:"Is there something that bothers you? I saw you frown when the monk told me about my friends"
"You've been out for some time, lad. I'd say a few hours, at least. Dawn's breaking right now. Smeads woke up but he fell back asleep after he was taken upstairs to rest. Rissthil right here didn't wake yet. The others are still down there. Sounds of battle have been reaching us periodically, so there is definitely somebody still alive that's fighting down that shaft."
When Gareth whispers, he shrugs and just answers : "I'm not really bothered by anything except that monk's answers to you, like he hopes against all hope, he's sure we're going to see everybody safe and sound or something. That kind of religious optimism gets on my nerves. I'd rather get down there to help them hack and slash their way back to the surface, but I'm too old now. I hate getting old... people say it's all about experience and wisdom, you know, but it's just a bunch of horseshit. You forget and you shrink and you ache and you pee in your bed and all that. It's not glorious. Not one minute of it."
Gareth laughs and then grimaces in pain.
"Thanks for the humor, I needed it. Well, when I will be able to go down again? I need to tell them about our strange trip, and Rissthil needs to be rescued."
The dwarf smiles in a way that seems to indicate his remark was not meant to be humourous, but he seems to appreciate that Gareth still has the force to laugh.
The door to the kitchen opens then, and Gareth can see a kid, an orphan living on the streets just by the looks of him, enter the room followed by another man (Werekoala may describe his character himself).
Davin finds himself in the main room of the Gold Ladder. The space is very wide, but plain, with apparent beams, wooden tables and chairs readily available to customers here and there. There are however no customers present at this hour of the night.
Everything seems clean, too clean perhaps around here. The room is quiet, but for two men, elves maybe, lying on straw mattresses by the south wall, near the main room's entrance, and a very old dwarf standing nearby.
Davin scans on the other side of the room. The remnants of this stone tower he saw from the outside seem to have been integrated to the rest of the inn's interior. The glass windows, the beams supporting the arched roof up above give a strange quality to the room he would have expected to find in some temple somewhere, as if the long bar itself was some kind of altar, with the enormous barrels looking over it from behind as if they were icons of a peculiar faith indeed. And yet... yet it all seems to work together nonetheless.
Just between the bar and the enormous barrels, Davin can see a large, 20-foot-wide pit. The chains, pulleys, and the accompanying apparatus all seem to indicate that whoever owns this place worked out his own way to get down there, wherever that may be.
Next to the bar, there is a large, bald man wearing dark robes and a suit of chainmail over it. He also wears a sword at his side, which kind of surprises Davin who took him for some kind of monk at first glance.
The kid steps forward and asks, confused : "Where is Angharad ?"
The dwarf turns to look at the newcomers and announces : "She is not here at the moment. What is it that you want, child ?"
"Well. I heard rumours that she was searching for people to help her out in some sort of task or quest. I just brought this man along with me... or followed along, rather. Yes, that's it."
The kid coughs.
The dwarf frowns. He looks at Davin and asks : "And who might you be, stranger ?"
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/maps/gold-ladder/GL-MR-800-06.jpg)
Davin steps to the bar and nods, removing his pack and adjusting his cloak more loosely around his shoulders.
"I am Davin Dewalt. I come from the Northwest counties, guided by the hand of... fate... in search of whatever may come to me. This fellow Quip has taken me on as his Patron, apparently."
The geriatric dwarf raises an eyebrow to ask : "Apparently, heh ?"
Quip reacts immediately : "Hey hey ! That's not like I blackmailed him you know ! Besides, even kids gotta eat ! I can't be expected to get out of the way and stand of the sidelines when there are riches waiting for us down there, you know !"
Davin laughs and winks at the dwarf.
"Indeed, young Quip - I'm sure there is treasure beyond estimation below this city, if it hasn't all been carted away already over the years."
He glances at the elves on the straw mats, then adds;
"Though apparently it's not a simple matter of filling your pockets. Are you folks in need of assistence?"
Quote from: Werekoala;487549Davin laughs and winks at the dwarf.
"Indeed, young Quip - I'm sure there is treasure beyond estimation below this city, if it hasn't all been carted away already over the years."
He glances at the elves on the straw mats, then adds;
"Though apparently it's not a simple matter of filling your pockets. Are you folks in need of assistence?"
Indeed I am. I need to eat, I need to drink something and I need to find my friends. They are probably down there fighting untold horrors and I am not letting them down. Also, I have to tell them about a strange travel I have done while I was unconscious after being attacked by an unholy monster.
So the question is, wanna lend me a hand to get down there and find my friends?
Davin's gaze clouds for a moment, then snaps into focus.
"Unholy monster, you say... Indeed, I will help you retrieve your comrades."
He reaches beneath his cape and pulls his shield and mace free, clenching them in leather-gloved fists. He kneels, taps his mace on his shield, and whispers a quick prayer, then stands again.
"Quip, you stay here and tend to these men as best you can. Check my pack for coin, you may use it to buy any ointments or potions, foor or drink, that may help them."
The monk steps forward and asks point-blank : "You intend to take Gareth down there ? We don't even know if he can stand on his own two feet yet ! With my help, and now yours, he would be ready to fight tomorrow at the earliest, but putting him now in the basket... " He puts his hand half way up as if to calm things down without seeming threatening doing so. "... it would be suicide. You must understand..."
Davin glances at Gareth, then back at the monk.
"Yes, you are right, we should take a few moments to see to his wounds. I admit, I am eager to take on the challenges below, however it would seem a prudent hand might be of more value than a sword."
"I don't think my friends can afford that much time, brave man."
Gareth will try to stand up and see if he can walk and act.
Gareth can barely stand. He's received some daunting injuries, though the Brother's potions have helped heal some wounds already. He might be able to walk to the pit and be lowered down there standing if he so chooses, but he won't be able to fight or move faster than the man crippled by exhaustion he is at this very moment, that is for sure.
Quote from: Benoist;488794Gareth can barely stand. He's received some daunting injuries, though the Brother's potions have helped heal some wounds already. He might be able to walk to the pit and be lowered down there standing if he so chooses, but he won't be able to fight or move faster than the man crippled by exhaustion he is at this very moment, that is for sure.
((if it looks like my cure light wounds would help, I'll go ahead and use it))
Quote from: Werekoala;488808((if it looks like my cure light wounds would help, I'll go ahead and use it))
Gareth waits for the spell to take effect,
That healing spell, combined to the potions of the good Brother, restores Gareth's hit points entirely. Still, he would normally need a minimum of a week of rest before being able to resume any sort of strenuous activity (as per "Damage and Death" rules, see OSRIC p. 124 for more, or DMG p. 82, section "Zero Hit Points", for the original game).
Brother Udo, however, also cast some repose spells on Gareth while he was in a coma which will allow him to resume such activities in the next day, instead of the usual week of full rest. For now, he is at full hit points, may move around and act consciously but he will not be able to fight or engage in physical tasks other than walking for the next few hours.
Quote from: Benoist;488827That healing spell, combined to the potions of the good Brother, restores Gareth's hit points entirely. Still, he would normally need a minimum of a week of rest before being able to resume any sort of strenuous activity (as per damage and death rules, see OSRIC p. 124 for more).
Brother Udo, however, also cast some repose spells on Gareth while he was in a coma which will allow him to resume such activities in the next day, instead of the usual week of full rest. For now, he is at full hit points, may move around and act consciously but he will not be able to fight or engage in physical tasks other than walking for the next few hours.
Then Gareth, after thanking profusely his new mate for the help, will try to get nearer to the pit to see if someone can tell him what is happening down there.
Cadfan the dwarf follows Gareth to the pit. "I know this must be frustrating for you, lad. I remember staying in bed for weeks after defending the bridge of Kazûm Athreleb, while my brothers in arms still were fighting the shadows in the depths of the mines."
A haunting look comes over the venerable dwarf's face. "Not many did survive."
Gareth could swear there were some sounds of commotion coming out of the pit a little while earlier as he woke. Now the depths are silent as a tomb as just the occasional rattle of the chains stretching below reaches the half elf's ears...
Quote from: Benoist;488932Cadfan the dwarf follows Gareth to the pit. "I know this must be frustrating for you, lad. I remember staying in bed for weeks after defending the bridge of Kazûm Athreleb, while my brothers in arms still were fighting the shadows in the depths of the mines."
A haunting look comes over the venerable dwarf's face. "Not many did survive."
Gareth could swear there were some sounds of commotion coming out of the pit a little while earlier as he woke. Now the depths are silent as tomb as just the occasional rattle of the chains stretching below reach the half elf's ears...
"Damn it. Can't hear a thing. Cadfan, you seem to be a knowledgeable mate. What can you tell me about the underground area? As it seems I will have to pend a few hours here to recover my strength, I could use the time learning more. (pointing to Davin) It would be great if you could join us, information like this would be also useful to you.
Also, this will give time to Sneads to recover, with any luck"
Davin nods. "Yes, of course - anything you could tell me would be of great help."
The dwarf sighs as he closes his eyes and tries to remember. "This place. It was all Bertold's idea. He wanted a good living for Angharad and saw an opportunity here. Other people were spooked by the ruins, but not us. The Church was wary about our intentions to purchase the property rights to the area, but nothing a few bribes couldn't fix in due time."
"It's only later, when we started working on the Ladder, that we realized the scope of what was lying under our feet. It seemed like some type of old temple or sacred place. Giving refuge to some of the brothers of Saint Fharlang who had associated themselves with the wrong crowd, according to the Church's prelates, seemed like an occasion to do some good in this world while at the same time getting some hearts and minds to help us uncover what the hell that was that we had found at the bottom of this pit right here."
He sighs again. "If I had known then... if I had realized the danger we were all putting ourselves in, and how my own arms and legs would betray me when they were needed most!"
Anger flashes across his weary face. "I just hope we can still find some of them, Bertold, yes... Bertold most of all, still alive somewhere."
Quote from: Benoist;489401The dwarf sighs as he closes his eyes and tries to remember. "This place. It was all Bertold's idea. He wanted a good living for Angharad and saw an opportunity here. Other people were spooked by the ruins, but not us. The Church was wary about our intentions to purchase the property rights to the area, but nothing a few bribes couldn't fix in due time."
"It's only later, when we started working on the Ladder, that we realized the scope of what was lying under our feet. It seemed like some type of old temple or sacred place. Giving refuge to some of the brothers of Saint Fharlang who had associated themselves with the wrong crowd, according to the Church's prelates, seemed like an occasion to do some good in this world while at the same time getting some hearts and minds to help us uncover what the hell that was that we had found at the bottom of this pit right here."
He sighs again. "If I had known then... if I had realized the danger we were all putting ourselves in, and how my own arms and legs would betray me when they were needed most!"
Anger flashes across his weary face. "I just hope we can still find some of them, Bertold, yes... Bertold most of all, still alive somewhere."
"Tell us more. How did you lose Bertold? Describe him for me, please."
OOC: Could this Bertold guy be the guy we found in the other dimension, the Limbus Sanguineum? The Halfling?
"Bertold is still young in his heart. He was an adventurer once. He is heavier than you are, much heavier, and balding. He had a beard but shaved it just recently. The fool. His eyes are blue, his eyebrows thick. Some wondered if he had Dwarven ancestry of course, especially since he is a Cleric of Ollom, the God of the Keg, but all these rumors are nonsense, obviously."
Cadfan sighs again. "We lost him with the others. I couldn't work down there. Too old, too stiff without any potions to help me along the way. So the Brothers did most of the work, with Bertold and Delbaeth - the elf of the Ladder, he was supposed to tend to the potions and balms for the customers while I would look after the weapons and exploration supplies - Delbaeth checking on their progress every once in a while."
"Both Bertold and Delbaeth were down there when we heard a loud explosion three days ago. Flames came out of the pit. Only Delbaeth made it back out as all hell broke loose. He was levitating, his whole body aflame, crashed into the roof up there, and lost consciousness. We've been tending to his health ever since. I'm not sure even now if he's going to make it through the week."
"We didn't know what to do. I was too old. Angharad is too frail. So we used her connections to the orphans here, and searched for people who could assist us with rescue attempts without attracting the attention of Dalenguard. Our enterprise here isn't exactly legal. The Commissar and the Church wouldn't be too pleased if they found out what we were doing here. Delving is forbidden within the city walls, as you know. No amount of bribes can really change that, though they did make some officials look the other way while we built all this..."
Davin, taking all of this in, interrupts politely.
"Pardon me - this explosion you mentioned from the pit? Do you know if it happened around the time of the unfortunate explosion at the sage's residence? Quip, what was the man's name again?"
The kid answers eagerly : "Osmanthius! The office of the loremaster blew up a little more than a week ago."
Cadfan then points out : "The explosion here happened three days ago. I don't think there's a link, though I must admit, I had not thought about it."
Udo, the Brother of the Sword, cuts in : "We did an investigation on the grounds of the loremaster's office after the tragedy had occurred. The explosion was not natural. What exactly happened that night, nobody knows for sure. There are rumours that the loremaster got his authorization from the Commissar to open his office against the advice of the Church. Some say we - we, Brothers of the Sword, I mean - were sent there by the Abbot to shut down his business before it could open its doors."
He points out as a matter of fact : "This is complete nonsense, obviously."
Quote from: Benoist;489747The kid answers eagerly : "Osmanthius! The office of the loremaster blew up a little more than a week ago."
Cadfan then points out : "The explosion here happened three days ago. I don't think there's a link, though I must admit, I had not thought about it."
Udo, the Brother of the Sword, cuts in : "We did an investigation on the grounds of the loremaster's office after the tragedy had occurred. The explosion was not natural. What exactly happened that night, nobody knows for sure. There are rumours that the loremaster got his authorization from the Commissar to open his office against the advice of the Church. Some say we - we, Brothers of the Sword, I mean - were sent there by the Abbot to shut down his business before it could open its doors."
He points out as a matter of fact : "This is complete nonsense, obviously."
Gareth is playing lots of attention to this. I have the feeling this is important somehow.
Cadfan seems to doubt the monk's faith in his own brotherhood : "I have no doubt you did not take part in any such... punitive endeavor yourself, Udo, but... how can you be sure none of your brothers could have done it themselves ? They are all, as far as I understand, people who have committed crimes in the past and received a pardon in exchange for their services to the Church, so it's not within the realm of fantasy to imagine some of them could fall back into old habits, is it ?"
Udo seems genuinely insulted by the very idea : "None of the brothers would do this. Life in the Brotherhood isn't easy, Cadfan. We choose this life, all of us. I do not see why we turn our backs on the purpose the Brotherhood gave in our lives to serve as mercenaries of the Abbot, or anybody else for that matter."
An uneasy silence follows.
Quote from: Benoist;491361Cadfan seems to doubt the monk's faith in his own brotherhood : "I have no doubt you did not take part in any such... punitive endeavor yourself, Udo, but... how can you be sure none of your brothers could have done it themselves ? They are all, as far as I understand, people who have committed crimes in the past and received a pardon in exchange for their services to the Church, so it's not within the realm of fantasy to imagine some of them could fall back into old habits, is it ?"
Udo seems genuinely insulted by the very idea : "None of the brothers would do this. Life in the Brotherhood isn't easy, Cadfan. We choose this life, all of us. I do not see why we turn our backs on the purpose the Brotherhood gave in our lives to serve as mercenaries of the Abbot, or anybody else for that matter."
An uneasy silence follows.
Sorry, my friends, but I have got the feeling that there is something missing, that you are not telling us.
Gareth tries to avoid being confrontational, but he's firm.
Cadfan looks at Gareth quizzily while Brother Udo looks at his feet with contained exasperation, mildly offended, perhaps, but more frustrated than angry. The Brother then looks at the half elf to ask him : "What makes you say that ? I can swear on the One God that this is all I know. I just don't see how any of the brothers of the Sword would just forfeit their Oath to the Order to go back to the old lives that got them sentenced in the first place. So what it is that you mean, exactly?"
Quote from: Benoist;493808Cadfan looks at Gareth quizzily while Brother Udo looks at his feet with contained exasperation, mildly offended, perhaps, but more frustrated than angry. The Brother then looks at the half elf to ask him : "What makes you say that ? I can swear on the One God that this is all I know. I just don't see how any of the brothers of the Sword would just forfeit their Oath to the Order to go back to the old lives that got them sentenced in the first place. So what it is that you mean, exactly?"
"I mean no offence, please accept my apologies if that is the case. It's just that something does not add up to me, and I cannot put my finger on it. Maybe it has something to do with my experiences down there. Maybe if I offered you an accurate tale of what happened to me, you could be able to help me and Rissthil."
"It's alright, friend. I meant no offense either. It's just that... when you are in the Brotherhood, it becomes your family. Sure, most of us are repented criminals, but we do value the second chance that's been given to us. The thought that some of my brothers would reject that and thus put the entire order in danger in the eyes of the Church turns my stomach, I have to say."
Cadfan nods silently to then ask Gareth : "You are talking about your experiences down there, like they would shed a light on this whole situation. What do you mean by that ?"
[OOC: I'm typing this fast and from memory and cannot at the moment check for accuracy, so please forgive any mistake.]
Quote from: Benoist;494090"It's alright, friend. I meant no offense either. It's just that... when you are in the Brotherhood, it becomes your family. Sure, most of us are repented criminals, but we do value the second chance that's been given to us. The thought that some of my brothers would reject that and thus put the entire order in danger in the eyes of the Church turns my stomach, I have to say."
Cadfan nods silently to then ask Gareth : "You are talking about your experiences down there, like they would shed a light on this whole situation. What do you mean by that ?"
Gareth takes a deep breath and unravels the tale. Gareth tells them how he met the rest of the group and decided to go down into the well, Ylarum and him first, untill they got to the dais. He tells about the coloured lamps, the repulsive slime, and the weird creatures, like goblins with some cancer, that attacked them, the giant Gareth killed and how they prevailed on the first battle.
Gareth tells them that they continued exploring the subterranean complex (finding some belongings related to the Knightly Order of the Rattle and Spear), but were attacked again by a greater group of the sickly goblinoids. While the fight raged, Gareth and Smeads were struck by some unholy idol - monster behind a secret door, and Rissthil was knocked unconscious by a magical trap.
Finally, Gareth explains how they regained consciousness in another place, that looked like a dark twisted mirror image of the dungeon. Riss and Smead ended injured and unconscious again, Rissthil disappearing and Gareth confronting and negotiating some goblinoids who seemed to be trapped down there. There was a halfling cleric that looked unhinged, and Gareth will tell everyone as much as he can remember about him. The halfling did disappear too. Finally, as Gareth regained consciousness, he woke up here.
DM: Werekoala, this means Davin becomes aware of the events as they unfolded in The Underground thread (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18798) up to the point when Gareth was taken out by a trap. He found himself in this strange half world (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=19278) up until the point he actually awoke in this very room.
I let you have a look and decide how Davin will react from there.
Gareth can see that both the dwarf and the brother of the Sword are digesting all the information he is revealing to them. He can hear Cadfan whisper: "Great Gods. We had no idea..."
Quote from: Benoist;503737DM: Werekoala, this means Davin becomes aware of the events as they unfolded in The Underground thread (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=18798) up to the point when Gareth was taken out by a trap. He found himself in this strange half world (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=19278) up until the point he actually awoke in this very room.
I let you have a look and decide how Davin will react from there.
Gareth can see that both the dwarf and the brother of the Sword are digesting all the information he is revealing to them. He can hear Cadfan whisper: "Great Gods. We had no idea..."
"No idea of what?!
"We had no idea the place was so dangerous. We just thought it was an abandoned shrine, like... everything was dead down there. No movement. No corridors with candles that shoot blobs of flame or anything like that."
Gareth can actually detect a hint of excitement in the old dwarf's voice as he says that much. "If I had known that... I... I..."
Brother Udo intervenes: "You wouldn't have been able to do anything about the attack, Delbaeth, Bertold... what happened did happen for a reason, Cadfan. You shouldn't beat yourself over it."
The dwarf throws a defiant look at Udo.
Davin absently clutches at his chest, where his holy symbol lies beneath his armor, and stares at the well as he listens to the story. His confidence is shaken somewhat.
"So much pain and power, so close to the surface... what horrors lurk farther below? Still, as the Lady wishes, so it goes..."
Cadfan the dwarf looks at the well as well, and seems to realize the implications of what Davin is saying. "He's right. Who knows what kind of horrors lie even beyond this point? If this is just the beginning... can we even deal with a threat like this? Or the Commissar, for that matter. I wonder."
Brother Udo does not say anything. He simply frowns at those words while little Quip looks back and forth between all the adults assembled in the room, wondering what will unfold next.
Quote from: Benoist;504266Brother Udo intervenes: "You wouldn't have been able to do anything about the attack, Delbaeth, Bertold... what happened did happen for a reason, Cadfan. You shouldn't beat yourself over it."
The dwarf throws a defiant look at Udo.
And what exactly happened, Udo? That information may be useful.
"I should be the one asking you, Gareth. I have never been down there. But what I do know is that Lord Lothian provides. This is a trial for us all, and it has a purpose, I am convinced of it. I have faith we will meet the challenge and prevail. Don't you?"
Quote from: Benoist;506340"I should be the one asking you, Gareth. I have never been down there. But what I do know is that Lord Lothian provides. This is a trial for us all, and it has a purpose, I am convinced of it. I have faith we will meet the challenge and prevail. Don't you?"
"What I think is that I need to get my wounds healed and fast so I can go down there again and kill those monsters. Getting an explanation of the place I visited would be good, as well." I look at my wounds, with the hope that looking at them will make them heal faster.
Brother Udo shakes his head with patience. "I understand."
He walks to Gareth to inspect his wounds one more time. "If you have a good rest, you might be able to get down there in the next day or so. The potions and ointments should work their magic in the meantime."
He looks at his face. He seems a little worried. "When you were in this place... this sort of parallel world you talked about. Did you get injured there as well? How did that feel?"
You all hear an echo coming from the pit suddenly: "Lower tha baskit!"
Cadfan walks to the pit and looks down: "It must be them!"
He activates the mechanism linked to the ropes and pulleys around the pit. They are slowly taking something down the shaft, probably some sort of basket or platform that was waiting half-way down in case it was needed down there...
Davin positions himself near the well, readying his weapon and shield just in case...
A draft of stale, dusty air washes over Davin's face. Whatever is down there has been waiting for a long time. The pit opens on a large shaft that goes very deep underground. Cadfan the dwarf stands not far from him. He's visibly nervous, and excited, as he works his arms on the machinery to lower whatever is down there to those who remained trapped in the depths of the earth until now...
Gareth gets closer to the well, looking around for something he can use as a weapon (assuming his weapons are not nearly).
He mutters to the cleric: "I don't remember being injured in that place, brother."
Udo looks at Gareth, concerned, as he helps him walk towards the well. "Your memory might have been affected by your experiences in the underworld. The injuries might have been inflicted while you were unconscious. Any particular reason you would bring this up now? Are you feeling alright - given your condition, obviously...?"
Quote from: Benoist;507176Udo looks at Gareth, concerned, as he helps him walk towards the well. "Your memory might have been affected by your experiences in the underworld. The injuries might have been inflicted while you were unconscious. Any particular reason you would bring this up now? Are you feeling alright - given your condition, obviously...?"
Gareth keeps looking around for a usable weapon.
"Dunno brother. Right now I'm feeling mostly furious and vengeful."
Udo smiles: "This is a good thing."
His smile broadens even further as he looks into his eyes: "This means you have a strong will to live, my friend."
Quote from: Benoist;507393Udo smiles: "This is a good thing."
His smile broadens even further as he looks into his eyes: "This means you have a strong will to live, my friend."
Gareth acknowledges the brother's words with a nod, and focus on finding a weapon while keeping a eye on the pit. Is something coming out?
Not yet, but Gareth notices the ropes are moving. He also hears the sound of a faint, ongoing commotion down the well. Rattling, steps. Some activity is definitely taking place immediately around the platform below.
Quote from: Benoist;507809Not yet, but Gareth notices the ropes are moving. He also hears the sound of a faint, ongoing commotion down the well. Rattling, steps. Some activity is definitely taking place immediately around the platform below.
My priority is finding a suitable weapon. If I can't, I'll get back to where my gear is and try and get my sword and dagger.
Cadfan notices Gareth looking around. He holds the rope with one hand and throws a dagger handle first towards him with the other.
He then waits for a moment. The rope suddenly snaps a couple of times, tightening itself around the pulleys as it is briefly pulled from the depths of the earth. The dwarf starts to pull. The ropes slide sharply as the wheels of the pulleys start turning and wailing in the process.
Gareth and Davin notice that Cadfan is actually pretty strong for a dwarf of that age, but he quickly shows some signs of weakness as he works to pull the platform up the shaft. Udo joins him to help. Anyone else does?
Davin drops his shield and winds his left arm around the rope and helps pull, keeping his mace readied in his right hand.
Gareth saves his strength in case some stabbing is needed. He thanks the gift of the dagger with a quick nod.
Gareth waits for a few very long minutes while Cadfan, Udo and Davin work hard on the machinery that will bring the platform back to the surface.
Soon, all can see the tangled ropes in the center of the pit spreading apart from each other at a thirty degrees angle as the platform gets close to the ground. Each of the four ropes is linked to one of the corners of the makeshift apparatus, which seems to be made of a large, round table held upside down with ropes held tight around its legs that would make it look more or less like a basket.
On top of this platform, you can first see Tudd the half-orc (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=417939&postcount=7), looking fierce, grim, and concentrated as he holds his charge under him with his legs, his arms stretched on either side of the basket to keep its balance.
Under the half-orc, you can see his brother, Runch (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=417562&postcount=6), visibly unconscious as he mumbles away in a coma, who is lying down on top of two corpses whose arms and legs seem to have been dislocated by great trauma. You recognize the both of them as being J'son and Tarm, Ylarum the Doomed's spearmen.
They must have died after Gareth lost consciousness.
(http://enrill.net/images/play-by-posts/maps/gold-ladder/GL-MR-800-07.jpg)
I try and help them out of the basket as best as I can.
Davin holds the rope as long as necessary to have the wounded removed from the makeshift elevator, and then secures it to it's holding and moves to help the injured. (I think I used my healing for the day already, so I'll do the best I can as a "medic").
DM: Just waiting for Tudd to post at this point. I messaged him about it.
ooc: Sorry, was busy buying a new car this weekend. Took all damn day Sat.
Tudd lifts Runch up and carefully moves off the "basket", laying his brother down in the first spot available after disembarking, saying, "My brudder needs help, the bad stuff hurt 'im."
Udo helps move the basket away from the pit to unload its remaining contents, namely, the corpses lying there after Tudd took care of his brother Runch, still unconscious.
Davin approaches them to check on the half orc. He's received some pretty bad injuries in a violent fight. Some prayers or potions would be necessary to bring him back to the living, but he is stable for now.
The two corpses look like their limbs have been dislocated from their sockets, with multiple ribs broken, and open wounds too. They have both received a massive blunt trauma that caused most of these injuries, apparently.
Quote from: Benoist;510486Udo helps move the basket away from the pit to unload its remaining contents, namely, the corpses lying there after Tudd took care of his brother Runch, still unconscious.
Davin approaches them to check on the half orc. He's received some pretty bad injuries in a violent fight. Some prayers or potions would be necessary to bring him back to the living, but he is stable for now.
The two corpses look like their limbs have been dislocated from their sockets, with multiple ribs broken, and open wounds too. They have both received a massive blunt trauma that caused most of these injuries, apparently.
Are those corpses human? Can I identify them?
Yes, they are human.
You identify them immediately as J'son and Tarm, the two hired spearmen that went down with Ylarum the Doomed.
Davin does the best he can with limited resources, turning his attention to the half-orc first.
(can't recall, but I do suspect I've already popped my healing spell for the day, if so I'll try to make do with bandages and such until I can pray overnight - unless he appears to be getting worse, in which case we may need to take him to a temple if one is nearby)
Quote from: Benoist;510800Yes, they are human.
You identify them immediately as J'son and Tarm, the two hired spearmen that went down with Ylarum the Doomed.
Then, if no threat is inminent, I help Davin as best as I can.
Quote from: Werekoala;510804Davin does the best he can with limited resources, turning his attention to the half-orc first.
(can't recall, but I do suspect I've already popped my healing spell for the day, if so I'll try to make do with bandages and such until I can pray overnight - unless he appears to be getting worse, in which case we may need to take him to a temple if one is nearby)
DM: I just checked on that and yes, Davin used his CLW spell on poor Gareth earlier. (http://www.therpgsite.com/showpost.php?p=488808&postcount=42)
Quote from: Imperator;510826Then, if no threat is inminent, I help Davin as best as I can.
Davin tends to Runch's wounds. He is skilled in the matter, and proceeds with all the care needed in this dire situation, Gareth lending a hand as needed, following the Cleric's instructions as best he can.
Runch seems stable. Udo takes a look as well. "You are saving his life and tending to his wounds better than I would have. I could administer some of my potions to him if need be. I think it might be helpful."
He looks at Davin, half expecting him to rebuke his offer, given their differences in matters of Faith (as a Brother of the Sword, Udo is a follower of the Church of Lothian the Redeemer. The Church is not especially known for its tolerance of other gods and religions...).
Davin wipes his hands on a rag and smiles at Udo.
"Certainly, friend. Help is always appreciated in a time of need."
Gareth returns to the pit and stares down, trying to ascertain something of what's happening down there. He peels eyes and ears.(OOC: Fat chance, I know.)
Udo seems a tad surprised, but instantly focuses on Runch. He pulls two small containers from his robes. One is a glass jar containing some kind of clear blue liquid which he pours down Runch's throat after opening his mouth. "This should help revitalize him and heal his wounds."
The other contains some kind of pale ointment. The brother dips his fingers into it and starts applying the substance on Runch's wounds. "This will help him rest, and will quicken the recovery."
Davin's presence makes the whole process much quicker and almost painless for the half orc (Runch). Once done, Udo looks at their combined work and says : "He should be conscious in a few minutes."
He looks at Davin : "Thank you for your help, friend."
Meanwhile, Gareth stands over the edge of the pit while the dwarf and Quip, the child who came in with Davin earlier, are dragging the basket back to lower it once more.
DM: Roll 1d100, Gareth.
I roll a 9 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3361792/).
Tudd looms over the clerics, looking on anxiously and whispering, "Runch be ok Bug, he important guy. Charlathan likes him."
The priests tend to Runch's need. He isn't moving yet.
Gareth doesn't hear anything at first, but then... it seems to him that there are echoes coming down from the shaft. He listens to the sound of footsteps reverberating against the wall of the tunnel, and hears the other sounds, much closer, as if bits of stone and sand were falling down the shaft from somewhere between this room and the dais area down there...
Quote from: Benoist;512787The priests tend to Runch's need. He isn't moving yet.
Gareth doesn't hear anything at first, but then... it seems to him that there are echoes coming down from the shaft. He listens to the sound of footsteps reverberating against the wall of the tunnel, and hears the other sounds, much closer, as if bits of stone and sand were falling down the shaft from somewhere between this room and the dais area down there...
Gareth will stand guard in case something climbs outta the shaft.
Quote from: Imperator;512891Gareth will stand guard in case something climbs outta the shaft.
It's hard to tell. At the moment, it seems this very faint sound, which you were lucky to hear in the first place, is not moving towards the surface, nor is it moving away, as far as you can tell.
Davin nods, satisfied, and sets about cleaning up the mess that the healing effort has caused.
Quote from: Benoist;512956It's hard to tell. At the moment, it seems this very faint sound, which you were lucky to hear in the first place, is not moving towards the surface, nor is it moving away, as far as you can tell.
I keep watching nonetheless.
Tudd sits down next to Runch, muttering.
It seems to take time for Runch to gain back any measure of consciousness. It's hard to tell whether the potion and the ointment have had any effect so far.
Gareth needs to deport himself a little bit to let Quip and Cadfan finish their preparations of the basket. The dwarf seems to notice the way Gareth listens at the edge of the well. "Is there anything the matter, friend? Do you hear something?"
Quip looks down the shaft: "We're going to lower that thing again, right? I mean. There are still people down there."
Gareth can still hear the bits of stone or sand falling down the shaft, the muffled sounds of movement down there, though they are not nearly as loud as they were a moment ago.
"I'm hearing something, not sure what it is, though. Anyway, it doesn't seem to be getting any closer."
The dwarf looks down the shaft and tries to listen, as does the little Quip boy.
DM: rolls dice.
Cadfan doesn't seem to notice anything. He mutters under his breath: "Damn old ears of mine..."
But the boy does seem to hear something. "There's something down there. No question. What do we do?"
Quote from: Benoist;515126The dwarf looks down the shaft and tries to listen, as does the little Quip boy.
DM: rolls dice.
Cadfan doesn't seem to notice anything. He mutters under his breath: "Damn old ears of mine..."
But the boy does seem to hear something. "There's something down there. No question. What do we do?"
Gareth waits for Davin to say something, but he's clearly thinking about going down and taking a look.
Davin listens closely, then nods.
"If there are still survivors down there, we should go help them at once. I know it isn't the safest choice, but we can't leave them to a fate worse than that already suffered by your friends here."
Udo intervenes : "It is not wise for you to go down, Gareth: the potion and ointment are just starting to take effect. Another wound and you might die for good. Besides..."
He walks closer : "Look at yourself. You can barely stand on your own two feet!"
Davin, Gareth and the others all notice it to be true. Gareth can barely stand, and would have trouble even holding a weapon efficiently at this point.
The brother nods. "I'm sorry, Gareth."
"This is why I'm going down for you."
Quote from: Benoist;515669Udo intervenes : "It is not wise for you to go down, Gareth: the potion and ointment are just starting to take effect. Another wound and you might die for good. Besides..."
He walks closer : "Look at yourself. You can barely stand on your own two feet!"
Davin, Gareth and the others all notice it to be true. Gareth can barely stand, and would have trouble even holding a weapon efficiently at this point.
The brother nods. "I'm sorry, Gareth."
"This is why I'm going down for you."
"Fair enough, but be sure that I'm going down that shaft as soon as I can hold a sword. I may be some questionable things, but I'm no coward and I don't leave a companion behind."
Gareth sits and kets out a sigh.
Tudd mutters something, says more loudly, "Ok Bug.", then stands and asks the room in general, "Runch gonna be ok?" As he asks he grabs his morningstar and sets his shield on his arm and starts towards the basket.
Udo nods to Gareth and prepares his gear as quickly as he can. He starts to mutter a short prayer to Lothian.
Cadfan looks at the lot of you, Tudd, Davin and Udo, and nods silently: "That's alright. You three might make it together down on the platform, but it'll be crowded during the trip, especially if ya got some fighting to do in that tunnel below. Your movements might be impaired. One by one you might have more freedom to do as you please, however. What d'you say?"
Davin can feel Quip, the child, pulling on his garment. "Can I come too? I can help! I'm not dumb!"
Quote from: Benoist;516090Cadfan looks at the lot of you, Tudd, Davin and Udo, and nods silently: "That's alright. You three might make it together down on the platform, but it'll be crowded during the trip, especially if ya got some fighting to do in that tunnel below. Your movements might be impaired. One by one you might have more freedom to do as you please, however. What d'you say?"
Davin can feel Quip, the child, pulling on his garment. "Can I come too? I can help! I'm not dumb!"
"I think our friend Tudd should be on the vanguard, given that he seems to be the strongest of us. I will go inmediately after them, if everyone agrees."
Quote from: Imperator;516131"I think our friend Tudd should be on the vanguard, given that he seems to be the strongest of us. I will go inmediately after them, if everyone agrees."
'I dunno what that... ah... guard thingie is.... but I go first, you guys're hurt... k? I'm wantin' ta hit somethin' anyway." replies Tudd, looking down into the pit with a gleam in his eye. Tudd begins climbing into the basket.
DM: Cadfan is a bit misguided in his feelings. I think it'll help for me to clarify before you make any other decisions. It is possible for the three of you to go down at the same time but the platform would be indeed crowded. Considering the dimensions of the shaft, careful movement would be needed, and you would incur some penalties in case of fighting, but that is not impossible. Having two people instead of three on the platform might make things easier for you on the penalties side, whereas just one person on the platform would not incur any particular penalties.
Take your decision from there.
Quote from: Sigmund;516169'I dunno what that... ah... guard thingie is.... but I go first, you guys're hurt... k? I'm wantin' ta hit somethin' anyway." replies Tudd, looking down into the pit with a gleam in his eye. Tudd begins climbing into the basket.
"Yes, Tudd, I meant for you to go first. Obviously, you are a brave warrior." Udo pats Tudd in the shoulder in a friendly manner, and cklimbs into the basket along him.
"I think is best that we two go down, secure the place, and then make a sign for you to join us."
Tudd nods and goes back to staring downward, gripping his morningstar.