* After a serious fight in which Steelbrow took a heavy blow, the zombie Ogre is defeated, and all of you dismantle the remaining Turned and cringing skeletal wolf in short order. The last ringing blow of that effort briefly echos through the narrow corridor, and then silence falls again.
SteelBrow, exhausted and worn from the battle, stumbles back against the wall and slumps down, breathing heavily.
Akia looks about quickly to assess the damage.
Norry pushes past Akia and looks Steelbrow over. "Well, let's see it. How badly did he get you?"
Akia steps over to Steelbrow and attempts some healing.
* Akia rolls 1d1: 1.
Akia grimaces, "I really need to work on my healing skills."
SteelBrow nods thanks to Akia for whatever she can manage.
Sebrinia lowers her bow, and slowly moves down the stairs, wary for any other surprises.
Norry applies a cloth to the wound, and mutters a quick incantation.
Akia looks ready to try again, but watches to see Norry's result first.
* Norry rolls 1d8+2: 5,2 = 7.
SteelBrow continues to breath heavily, feeling better but still somewhat battered.
Norry grimaces, and again mutters a chant of some sort.
* Norry rolls 1d8+2: 1,2 = 3.
Norry says, "Try not to aggravate the wound. I'll want to check in on it later."
SteelBrow takes a couple more deep breaths, then leans on his axe as a stave as he stands.
SteelBrow takes a couple experimental steps, then heads to the next door and listens, his ear to the door.
Sebrinia looks around a little as the others tend to SteelBrow, then comments aloud, "There are other tracks here. Going through that door."
SteelBrow stands aside, "care to do the honors?"
Sebrinia steps up and puts her ear to the door instead. After a few moments, she murmurs, "Sounds a bit like... distant water."
Akia looks at the architecture curiously.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 3,1 = 4.
Akia shrugs, "Such a strange arrangement of stairs and rooms."
SteelBrow also looks around at the architecture.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 12,1 = 13.
Norry says, "Just a downward spiral with landings, I expect."
Akia says, "I suppose. I can't say I know much of underground dwellings."
Akia listens at the door.
Sebrinia steps back to allow Akia to do so.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 9,4 = 13.
Akia huhs, "Well it sounds clear."
SteelBrow motions to the door, "then shall we?"
Akia examines the door just out of curiousity
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: 30,1 = 31.
Akia nods, seemingly satisfied, and attempts to open the door.
* The door is closed, but not locked, and easily opens, revealing....
* A narrow stone landing connects to a bridge built of rope and wood, apparently placed to cross a natural crevice here. The crevice is tight where it connects to this passage, and it isn't much wider below you, though you can tell it contains some water. Gray with age, the bridge still seems sturdy. At the far end, perhaps 30 feet away, the bridge connects to another landing and a wider chamber.
Sebrinia peers through the open doorway, looking uncertainly at the bridge.
Akia peeks into the next room, "Yeah... rope bridge." She grimaces at the crevice.
SteelBrow reaches for the rope from his pack, "In case the bridge fails..."
Akia nods, "I was thinking something along those lines. Anything we can tie it to?"
Norry peers uncomfortably past the bridge.
* Akia rolls 1f20+1: -10,1 = -9.
Akia huhs, "Steelbrow... maybe you can brace yourself in the doorway here, we'll tie the rope around your foot..."
Norry says, "I just healed that leg, and I won't have you pulling it down the chasm."
SteelBrow coughs, "How 'bout round my waist?"
Akia says, "Ah, that might work."
Akia says, "How long of a rope you go there? Looks like we need some 30 foot of slack."
SteelBrow says, "50 foot, or a certain merchant owes me."
Akia nods, then stops for a moment, "Waitasec."
Akia says, "So... no trap on the door. But this bridge here..."
Akia says, "Look, we've got walls on either side."
Akia says, "Someone could just as easily built a nice floor, with wall mounted anchors."
Norry says, "Well if our quarry is on the other side, they must cross somehow."
Norry asks, "Unless there's another passage we haven't seen?"
Akia asks, "It's gotta be a trap. Or something. Why else would they put a rope bridge over a chasm that they probably could have built around?"
Akia says, "Well, sure."
Akia grimaces.
Sebrinia shakes her head, "They went through this door, of that I am certain."
SteelBrow nods, "such a bridge there makes no sense."
Akia asks, "How long ago, Sebrinia?"
Sebrinia goes back a bit to look them over, then says, "...Within a week, I would say."
Akia makes an inscrutable face, "Well, at least it's unlikely they're standing on the other side with an axe."
Akia says, "Which is probably the real purpose of this bridge."
SteelBrow ties one end of the rope securely around his waist, and presents the other, "who wants to cross first?"
Akia will take it.
Norry not me, no thank you! I'll wait here to... keep an eye on Steelbrow's wound.
Norry acks, and 'Says.'
Sebrinia gives the offered rope a dubious look, and is relieved when Akia volunteers.
Akia takes the end of the rope and ties it firmly around her waist. She briskly heads across, attempting to not be too noisy, and then slow down just as she reaches the other side.
* Akia rolls 1f20+10: 8,10 = 18.
SteelBrow braces himself against the wall beside the door, and feeds out rope, keeping minimal slack.
DM is acting....
* When Akia first steps out onto the bridge, it creaks noisily under her weight, but seems to hold together as she starts moving along. (more)
Akia stops just as she sets her foot on the bridge. She peers down under the bridge for a moment.
Akia reaches into a pocket and pulls out a candle. She presses forefinger and thumb to the wick, lighting it on fire.
Norry asks, "What... what is it?"
Akia shrugs, "Not sure." She tosses the candle into the darkness.
* Akia rolls 1f20+5: 6,5 = 11.
SteelBrow peers around the corner and follows the candle down with his eyes.
Akia hisses under her breath, "There's... something down there. Alive. It dodged my candle."
Sebrinia looks worried. "What kind of something?"
SteelBrow says, "hang back a bit an let me a look."
Norry withdraws from the doorway to make room.
DM requests that you update your token positions accordingly.
SteelBrow gets down on his hands and knees for better stability, and peers down between the slats.
Akia pauses a second, then nods and moves out of the way, "Be careful. You'll sink far more easily than I. Take care at that ledge."
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 15,1 = 16.
SteelBrow says, "You sure you saw something? I see water not far down."
Akia says, "ti"
Akia says, "It's hard to see."
Akia says, "Lemme look again."
Akia lays down on the floor, her head peeking just over the ledge, and peers down into the darkness.
SteelBrow asks, "Would a lamp help?"
Sebrinia also offers to look, if Akia would like someones else to try to spot whatever it is she's seen.
Norry says, "I could make a light if you need."
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 14,4 = 18.
Norry says, "I'll illuminate one of these bones, and toss it down."
Norry rummages among the bits remaining from the skeletal dog.
Akia says, "Good plan. The water is unlikely to put it out... we might want to get away from this ledge first."
Akia gets up and slips back into the room, keeping an eye towards the dark water in case anything moves.
SteelBrow backs out of Akia's way and stands.
Sebrinia also keeps back out of the way, watching.
Norry finds a bone the length of his hand, and holds it up to inspect it. As he peers intently, it begins to shimmer and glow.
DM comments that whatever it is Akia believes she has spotted requires to be standing either at the ledge or on the bridge to see.
Norry says, "This should do it I expect," and tosses the brilliantly gleaming bone down past the edge of the bridge.
Norry then moves back out of the way.
SteelBrow advances to look sharply down between the slats.
* The bone arcs cleanly down, and hits the water with a rather larger splash, shedding light up against the walls and ceiling.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 14,1 = 15.
SteelBrow jiggles the bridge sharply.
* The bridge creaks ominously.
SteelBrow says, "if something is down there, it's hiding well."
* The rippling effect of the light from the submerged bone against the walls of this hall slowly settles down, although there are still visible disturbances.
Norry says, "Well I suppose it wouldn't hurt me to have a look then."
SteelBrow moves to the side.
Norry kneels down and peers between the slats.
* Norry rolls 1f20+7: 19,7 = 26.
* Norry rolls 1f20+6: 9,6 = 15.
Norry says, "There IS something there, and it's no wonder you missed it, watery as it is."
Norry says, "Some kind of oozy beast, if beast is the right word."
SteelBrow growls low, "it comes out it gets chopped. It stays there, not much I can do."
Sebrinia wonders, "So... should we ignore it? I don't really want to waste too many of my arrows down there...."
SteelBrow asks, "think it can reach the bridge?"
Akia asks, "How big was it, Norry?"
Norry says, "Big, I would say. Quite large. Must be nearly five feet across. I don't know if it could reach the top, but... it may."
SteelBrow asks, "Akia, think you could blast at it without burning the bridge?"
Akia grimaces, "Something that big is likely to be able to reach."
Akia grins, "Well fire may not be the best idea with a rope bridge here, but I think I can do better than that."
* Akia rolls 1f20+8: 19,8 = 27.
Norry steps back out of the way.
* Akia rolls 1d6: 5.
Akia stands by the ledge and gestures into the room. A gust of freezing air buffets you as the room fills with flakes of swirling ice.
SteelBrow grins and makes a rumbling sound of satisfaction.
* The light turns rather icy as the surface of the water is frozen. There is a shiver of motion in a particular spot directly underneath the slats, and then a circular-ish thing smashes through the layer of ice, gathering itself together into more of a sphere-ish shape, although it seems to leave a few solid chunks of itself behind. It moves over to the wall of the ledge, and - if anyone gets close enough to the ledge to look - it seems to be managing to climb up, dripping some sort of thick, clear material from itself as it goes.
DM says, "Initiative."
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 30,4 = 34.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 4,4 = 8.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 2,1 = 3.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+5: 5,5 = 10.
DM says, "Akia, go."
Akia gestures at the beast, sending a blast of frosty cold towards it as she backs into the room to make room for others to attack.
* Akia rolls 1f20+6: 7,6 = 13.
* Akia rolls 1d6: 1.
Akia's blast barely ices an edge of the beast.
Sebrinia steps back a little and lifts her bow, readying an arrow to fire as soon as this whatever-it-is clears the ledge.
DM says, "Norry, you're up."
Norry takes a step back as he readies his crossbow, then waits for a clean shot.
DM says, "Steelbrow, go."
SteelBrow raises his axe and prepares to strike when it comes into view.
SteelBrow spots the blob creature sliding over the edge, and brings down his axe.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+3: 5,3 = 8.
* The ooze clears the ledge, leaving a glistening trail of some sort of different slime, and you can see now that it is almost totally transparent. However, it also presents itself as a target ot the two archers, followed by Steelbrow.
DM looks pointedly at Steelbrow.
Sebrinia releases her held shot, but it goes high, just skimming over the top of the... thing.
* Norry rolls 1f20+6: 14,6 = 20.
* Norry rolls 1d6: 5.
* The bolt flies true, burying itself deeply into the slime. While it does not appear to hit anything vital, the ooze quivers in what would seem to be severe discomfort.
DM says, "Initiative."
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 2,4 = 6.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 17,1 = 18.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4: 8,4 = 12.
* Sebrinia rolls 1f20+5: 3,5 = 8.
DM says, "Try again, Steelbrow."
SteelBrow, missing with his first swipe, spins his axe around for another shot.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+6: -10,6 = -4.
SteelBrow again misses cleanly.
* The ooze doesn't even have to dodge the blow. It does, however, lurch forward, extending a pseudopod and swiping at the closest target - in this case, Steelbrow.
* It doesn't lurch forward far enough, though, and Steelbrow easily evades the swipe.
DM says, "Norry, you're up."
Norry readies another bolt, and fires again.
* Norry rolls 1f20+6: 19,6 = 25.
* Norry rolls 1f20+6: 4,6 = 10.
* Norry rolls 1d6: 6.
* The second bolt lodges just to one side of the first, setting the gelatinous monstrosity to quivering again... and then it slumps, no longer holding its form. It actually seems to be partially dissolving, with lumps of it falling backwards to plop into the water below.
Akia aws
Norry shivers slightly. "Well that's a good job then. Now we've got to wade through it."
SteelBrow says, "Maybe freeze it first."
Sebrinia lowers her bow again, congratulating Norry on his marksmanship, then looks at Akia, startled. "'Aw'? You really wanted to fight that thing some more?"
Akia says, "Well, I was getting ready to unleash some fire. Ice is nice and all, but fire is just... more effective."
Sebrinia shakes her head incredulously. "I'm just as happy that it's gone. I expect you'll have a lot more to throw fire at."
Akia leans into the room and blasts with a weaker chill, just in case.
* Akia rolls 1f20+2: 14,2 = 16.
Norry takes a bow. "Thank you indeed."
* Akia rolls 1d2: 1.
Akia watches the blob bits for any reaction.
SteelBrow says, "And I'd prefer crossing that bridge if the water under had some solid ice. Me an' swimming don't go together."
* A few more semi-frozen bits are blown off the ledge and landing with more distinctive *paloonks* into the water below. A couple others scatter with rattling sounds onto the thin layer of ice still remaining.
SteelBrow gathers up his rope, "we still want this crossing the bridge?"
Akia nods, noting she's still tied to the rope.
Akia says, "Well, I suppose I can still go first."
SteelBrow again braces against the wall and feeds out the rope.
Akia saunters across the bridge, not particularly worried now.
Akia does, however, pause on the ledge at the far end to peek into the next room, hoping to not have to dodge any immediate attacks.
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 2,4 = 6.
* When Akia steps back onto the bridge, the bridge feels unstable and creaks loudly while you stand upon it, but seems to hold your weight..
Akia grimaces at the dusty old bridge, and grips the rails tightly as she carefully makes her way across the noisy thing.
DM is acting....
* Akia rolls 1f20+2: 17,2 = 19.
* As Akia crosses the old, creaky bridge, she gets to about five feet from the far side, when she abruptly gathers herself and makes a giant leap to the platform on the far edge, landing safely. Just a second or two later, the frayed anchoring ropes on her side of the platform let go, and the remaining span of the bridge breaks free, crashing into the chasm and sending water splashing everywhere.
Akia looks about for something to tie this end of the rope to.
SteelBrow looks across the gap with deep concern, "think you can freeze a path on the water?"
* Some of the bridge lands on the sheet of ice, cracking it a bit, but it's frozen thick enough towards the eastern ledge so that the remains of that part of the span lie on top of it.
Akia hms, "Yeah... it'll be slippery, though. We should have the rope for support."
Akia says, "It'll take a few more applications of cold... though... I'm not sure I can get it thicker."
Akia says, "And it looks like it's already cracked."
Norry says, "Maybe you'll just mortar in the crevices."
* Akia rolls 1f20+4: 9,4 = 13.
Akia grimaces, looking at the anchors on this side of the chasm.
Akia says, "Good think Steelbrow didn't go first."
Akia says, "Thing"
Norry nods. "He may well have gone down like a dwarf in a well."
SteelBrow says, "A dwarf would never build such a rickety bridge."
I don't recognize the player named "gm"
Akia shakes her head, "No... the ropes were sabotaged."
Sebrinia offers, "It looks like it was built a long time ago... but I have to agree with you there, Steelbrow. It lasted a long time for its type, though...."
Akia says, "The anchors seem fine, though." She busies herself untying her rope from her waist and tying it to an anchor... she pauses in the middle to look into the room she is now adjacent to, though.
* Smooth stone littered with small bits of broken rock and dirt make up the floor of the chamber Akia now stands in. The door to the northwest is shut and intact, but remnants of the south door are propped up against a ruined frame and a badly cracked wall.
SteelBrow waits for Akia to finish on her end, then ties the rope tight on a bridge support at his end.
Akia asks, "Now... how much slack do we want?"
Akia says, "If we're walking across the ice... it needs to hang down a little."
Akia says, "If we're hand-over-handing it, then it'll need to be quite tight."
Akia says, "I do not have any gloves, though. So over the ice it is."
SteelBrow adds a little slack so the shorter people could react the rope standing on the ice.
Norry says, "I suppose I'll go next, if the rope is secure."
Akia hrms, "Lemme seal up those cracks."
Sebrinia steps up, giving the rope and the ice below a slightly doubtful look, then nods, and offers, "I'll try to cross. Or you can go first, Norry, if you'd like."
Akia blasts some more cold down into the area below, attempting to make a more solid walking surface.
Akia says, "That should probably do it."
Norry says, "I'll take the risk this time. To test the rope, that is."
SteelBrow removes his pack, and prepares to hand it from the rope by a shoulder strap after the others have passed.
* The room is getting pretty chilly with all of the ice now resting on the water below, as it wasn't really a warm area to begin with.
Akia's fur fluffs a little, warding off the cold.
Norry holds on to the rope, and carefully tries to lower himself to the ice and remnants of the bridge.
* Norry rolls 1f20+4-1: -10,4,-1 = -7.
SteelBrow tosses down the loose end of rope, near 10 feet.
* Norry rolls 1f20+7: 13,7 = 20.
* Norry's boots slip on the ice, and he has to scrabble a bit for balance, but he manages to do so without letting go of the rope. It takes him a few minutes longer, but he eventually stablize himself to stand on the ice without falling.
Akia frowns, "Are you alright over there? Do you need help?"
Norry says, "I'm ok. Had a bit of a scare there."
Norry takes up the slack between himself and the far side, and carefully walks forward.
Akia says, "I have some extra rope here if we need it."
Norry scrambles up the far side with the aid of the rope, and joins Akia a bit winded, but none the worse for it.
Akia helps Norry find a spot to sit down, then steps back to the chasm, "Sebrinia? You ready?"
Sebrinia nods to Akia, and steps forward to take ahold of the rope, and gingerly lowering herself down to the ice, keeping a secure hold after seeing Norry slip.
Sebrinia slowly but steadily crosses the ice sheet, keeping her grip on the rope, and makes it to the far side without incident, using the rope to haul herself up to the ledge.
Akia grimaces, looking up at Steelbrow.
SteelBrow slips a free strap from his pack over the rope and secures it so that when he releases the pack it slides down a bit and hangs secure. He then uses his axe as a walking stave 3rd foot making his way down.
Akia raises an eyebrow, watching Steelbrow make his way across.
SteelBrow placing his left arm over the rope, he carefully walks along pushing his pack.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+1: 10,1 = 11.
SteelBrow makes it to the far end, unfastens his pack from the rope and hands it up.
SteelBrow next hands up his axe, and attempts to climb up the edge.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+3: 15,3 = 18.
SteelBrow easily makes it up unencumbered by his gear. Safely across he again puts on his pack and takes up his axe.
Akia says, "Nice one. Alrighty."
Norry peeks through the southern door.
SteelBrow eyes the broken southern door, "think they went that way?"
* You can't see through the southern door. The door itself is damaged, but it's propped up agains the frame, blocking view into the room.
Akia grimaces at the southern door, not liking the look of it.
Sebrinia looks around the room, not sure which way to go.
SteelBrow picks up the south door and sets it to the side.
* It bears pointing out that all the doors you have gone through, including this one, are stone, not wood. Approximately four inches thick.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+3: 7,3 = 10.
SteelBrow strains, and changes his mind. "Maybe I should just pull the door over and let it drop."
Norry tries the northwest door.
Norry opens the door a crack, and peers through.
Akia watches Steelbrow with interest, then grimaces as she sees the halfling getting ahead again.
Norry seems to jump, then carefully and quietly closes the door. "Someone is sleeping in there. Or some THING."
Akia huhs, whispering carefully, "Even after all this noise, eh?"
SteelBrow says, "then we either deal with it or jam that door."
Akia examines the door and offhandedly asks Norry, "Are there any exits from the room?"
Akia pulls out her waterskin.
Norry blinks, then pulls the door open a crack again.
Norry carefully closes the door, then says quietly, "No exits I can see, though I can't see much."
Akia speaks softly, "I'm pretty sure I can keep the door from opening easily. And undo it just as easily if we need to later."
SteelBrow starts sweeping up some loose stones to a pile near the northwest door, "a few of these might jam the door if the something in there tries to open it."
Akia grins, "I have a better plan."
SteelBrow stands aside, prepared to be amazed.
* It bears pointing out again that all the doors you have gone through, including this one, are stone, not wood. Approximately four inches thick.
Akia hrms, seeming to consider.
Akia pours some water in the crack between the door and the wall and a frosty ice begins to fill the cracks, slowly filling in between the door and wall and floor.
SteelBrow asks, "how long 'til it melts?"
Akia says, "We're underground. It'll be a while."
SteelBrow pushes his collected pile of rocks against the door, "all the same, better to be safe."
* The framing of the doors - the damaged one notwithstanding - are expertly made, with only the slightest of gaps to serve as seams. This particular one fills with ice almost instantly.
Akia grins and pours a little water over the rocks, freezing them all together.
Norry chuckles. "Ah, that's a cunning bit of mortar work there."
SteelBrow turns his attention to the south door, "I know I can open it. Closing it again after might be harder."
Akia grimaces, running out of mortar rather quickly.
Akia looks wistfully back at the room FULL of water that she can't easily get to.
Akia headthwacks, and fills her waterskin with some water from the air.
Akia uses the excess water to mortar the stones more securely.
Norry says, "Well I suppose that leaves this other door."
SteelBrow examines the south door, where he could slip in a pry bar, whether he could pull out the bottom leaving a gap they could slip through.
* The door is resting against at an angle with the bottom farther away from the frame than the top. Pulling the bottom further away would probably open a space... but may also cause the door to topple flat.
SteelBrow asks, "So, which we do we prefer this door fall?"
Norry exclaims, "In the way that doesn't squish me!"
Sebrinia exclaims, "I second that!"
SteelBrow chuckles at the obvious replies.
SteelBrow gets out his pry bar and places it behind the lower left edge of the door, "Stand back."
Sebrinia does as advised.
- As does Norrelberry.
SteelBrow pulls on the prybar, inching the lower corner of the door out, hoping the upper right corner falls through the doorframe.
* SteelBrow rolls 1f20+3+2: 15,3,2 = 20.
Akia is near the north wall where she had iced the door, hopefully out of harm's way.
* The door shifts, and falls through exactly the way Steelbrow desired. It drags heavily against the frame as it slides down, finally settling against the ground with a much lighter impact than would have otehrwise been caused, although you can still feel the slight vibration of its impact.