ENT: Exploring the cliff cave

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Argennian
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ENT: Exploring the cliff cave

#1 Post by Argennian »

~ Not finding a stalagmite, rock projection or any other such geographical asset available to secure his rope to, Bogdan calls down to his fellow northern trail scouts to retrieve the retractable grapnel hook and silk rope he found inside the dead gnome's backpack. Whilst his companions undertake to do so, he retrieves Shanny's home-brew healing elixir he was issued and quickly quaffs it (+8hp), giving himself a huge healing boost that restores much of his lost vitality.

Ulrich digs through the long lost weathered pack and retrieves the retractable grappling hook and 100' silk rope. A close inspection of the specially-made climbing asset reveals it can only be used with a silk rope, as it's eyelet is too small for a hemp rope to fit through. After announcing as much, he moves back to the center of the clearing, winds up and sails it upward towards the big fighter. The cleric's first throw comes up short and it falls into the brush below. It takes Sorel's help for them to collectively pull it back through the thicket and bramble but they're eventually able to do so. The dwarf then lines up his next shot and sends it upward nearly perfectly to the waiting Half-orc. Bog catches the specialized dungeoneering tool and proceeds to find a crack large enough to hook it into about 25' back on the floor of the cave where it meets the left (east) wall.

Back below, Sorel slings his bow, returns his readied arrow to his quiver and equips his hammer and broad-headed spikes. With Ulrich pulling the rope somewhat taut over his head to keep it free of becoming tangled in the flora, the Half-elf easterner moves up the first couple of stone steps and hammers in the first spike. Once driven in deep, he takes the silk rope and wraps it around it for the cleric to pull tight. Sorel then climbs up almost to the large mass of dead assassin vine and drives in the next one, wrapping his free arm about the rope for stability while doing so. With a bit of slack lessened, he then wraps the rope around it and has Ulrich pull it tight again. He then climbs up and over the center mass of slain plant and gets to the first step on the other side. Using the same method as before, he pulls another spike and drives it into the cliff side with an echoing kerrang! of hammer blows. Once driven in far enough, he again wraps the rope around the head of the spike and tells Ulrich to pull it back taut and tie a knot off at the first spike. The dwarf does so as Sorel makes it up to join Bogdan at the entrance to the cliff cave.

Being the last of the northern trail scouts to do so, Ulrich then hangs his mace off his weapons belt, slings his shield over his back and begins climbing up. The dwarf covers the first section of entangled stone steps easy enough but struggles to get over the thick mass of the dead killer vine. He's eventually able to do so without falling thankfully, and with Bogdan's help, is pulled up into the entrance of the cliff cave to join him and easterner Half-elf...


Actions?

Questions?

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OOC: Bog's (& Sorel's) home-brew healing elixir marked off; HP & TOD adjusted


If you have any questions, or need additional clarification, please let me know!

TOD: now 11:20am noon of Day 9 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 20 days)


HPs/Status: Bog 21/34 ; Ulrich 22/22 ; Sorel: -6hp
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – none ; Ulrich – none / mace & shield slung / SC ; Sorel - reequipped short bow* / short sword (arrows fired: 1)
(SC = spell component/spell to cast; * indicates loaded and ready to fire)

Spells cast/Healing Elixirs used:
Ulrich: cure light wounds x3; Detect Magic
Bogdan: Shanny's home-brew healing elixir x1
Sorel: Shanny's homebrew healing elixir x1 (given to Bog)

M.O./Location:
Up in the cave: Bogdan , Ulrich , Sorel

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Alethan
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Re: On the island: Exploring the northern trail

#2 Post by Alethan »

"Now that we're all here, I want to make sure there isn't anyting in the back o' this cave," Bog says gruffly, pulling a torch out of his pack and lighting it with his flint and steel.

Once it is lit, he draws his sword and cautiously moves to the back of the cave.
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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SocraticLawyer
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Re: On the island: Exploring the northern trail

#3 Post by SocraticLawyer »

Ulrich will ready his mace and shield and follow Bog into the cave.
How do we know you're not a donkey-brained man?

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Argennian
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ENT: The scout trio check out the cliff cave...

#4 Post by Argennian »

~ With the trio of northern trail scouts reassembled in the cliff cave entrance, Bogdan announces his desire to make a quick reconnoiter within, just to be sure there isn't anything lying in wait back there that might want to kill and eat them...

As the big fighter retrieves his tinderbox, pulls a torch from his pack and proceeds to get it lit, Ulrich reequips his mace & shield and prepares for any more potential island denizen encounters. Sorel reequips his bow, readies another arrow, and stares off into the looming darkness of the inner cave in search of any clear or present danger.

Once the torch is lit and burning well, Bog draws his just-recovered masterwork longsword and proceeds to head further back into the cave to scrutinize it's depths and features. Ulrich follows and Sorel brings up the rear. The mostly-circular cave passage leads southward, maintaining the same approximate dimensions. Dust kicks up in tiny footfall mushroom clouds from the obviously long-untraveled passage. Other than an occasional rock, twig or even tiny vermin or bird husk remains, the floor, walls and ceiling remain a fairly smooth surface. Ulrich uses his innate dwarf senses to confirm it appears naturally formed and is angled slightly downward at less than a 10 degree gradient.

After @ 200 feet traveling southward, the hard rock tunnel ends in a T-intersection. What the trio find interesting, if not both shocking and stunning, is that the new passage traveling to the right (west) and left (east) is no longer natural but appears to be a worked stone hallway, 10' tall by 10' wide! Ulrich scrutinizes the stonework and announces that it seems old but is incredibly precise. He believes it was made by either master dwarf or gnome masons a long, long time ago.

A quick reconnoiter of the worked stone hallway going right (west) reveals that it ends in a substantial cave-in all the way to the ceiling at about 150 feet in. The hallway going left (east) does so for approximately 250 feet and ends in dead end. Ulrich again scrutinizes the stonework here but cannot locate any hidden stone portals or shifting walls. It's like the hallway merely ended here for some unknown reason. Sorel slings his bow to take a look as well, but finds no secret or concealed doors anywhere.


Actions?

Questions?


********************************************

If you have any questions, or need additional clarification, please let me know!

TOD: now 11:30am noon of Day 9 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 20 days)


HPs/Status: Bog 21/34 ; Ulrich 22/22 ; Sorel: -6hp
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – longsword & torch ; Ulrich – mace & shield / SC ; Sorel - short bow* / short sword (arrows fired: 1)
(SC = spell component/spell to cast; * indicates loaded and ready to fire)

Spells cast/Healing Elixirs used:
Ulrich: cure light wounds x3; Detect Magic
Bogdan: Shanny's home-brew healing elixir x1
Sorel: Shanny's homebrew healing elixir x1 (given to Bog)

M.O./Location:
Back inside the cave: Bogdan , Ulrich , Sorel

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Alethan
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Re: On the island: Exploring the northern trail

#5 Post by Alethan »

Bog shrugs.

"Good to know this is all here, I guess. Maybe at some point we could clear the cave-in and try that route, but for now we should get back to camp and let the others know the lookout is cleared."

Bog makes his way back to the entrance, extinguishes his torch and packs it away, and climbs down the rope. Once they have everything packed up that they found, he'll lead the way back to camp.
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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SocraticLawyer
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Re: On the island: Exploring the northern trail

#6 Post by SocraticLawyer »

"Agreed," says Ulrich.

He follows Bog back to camp.
How do we know you're not a donkey-brained man?

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Argennian
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ECC: The scout trio departs the cliff cave

#7 Post by Argennian »

~ With the cliff cave confirmed clear, the trio of northern trail scouts decide to return to the ship & cove to report in. Bogdan leads his companions safely back to the entrance. The view north from their elevated position still reveals no signs of any navy or pirate ships. The three largest islands of the Sprice Trident chain loom ominously on the watery northern horizon in the distance...

With torch extinguished, wrapped up and safely stowed, Bog dons his pack back and begins the descent back down to the clearing below. Ulrich monitors his progress as Sorel keeps watch with his bow to hand and sharp Half-elf eyes roving for trouble. The big fighter makes it down almost too easily and Ulrich follows next. The dwarf cleric struggles to maintain his footing on the steps through the dead, saggy vine but with a sure grip on the rope maintained, eventually arrives below safe in one piece. Sorel slings his bow and follows next, making it down handily in an impressive show of dexterity.


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OOC: ok, let's pick up the action here:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1575&p=185068#p185068

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