Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

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Stirling
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#421 Post by Stirling »

Going back to the alcove, is there anything remarkable about it? Why have a corridor that leads to nowhere and an alcove with nothing in it?

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#422 Post by Marullus »

Olaf, Funil, Drunil, Winnie, and Earc give a thorough inspection to the hallway, nursing room, and hot tub room, checking everything over. They find no traps, triggers, or doors, but it is more of a frustration than a comfort, Issachar commenting on the logic of the dead-end hallway. Nonetheless, they have done their best and come up empty, and they'll need to rest before any further attempts.

Issachar ponders the hot tub, Winnie, Bianca, and Halfpint, with a suggestive look. Winnie contemplates the cleanliness of the hot tub - given that you drowned four gnolls to death in the water about two hours ago, it looks surprisingly clear. The steady flow of hot spring water has the effect of constantly clearing and refreshing the tub, given enough time. Issachar helps speed the process along, calling Gwanwen's blessing down upon the tub and refreshing the water.

The torches are beginning to gutter out. You find a crate with a plentiful supply of torches among the gnoll's things, or Earc's driftwood glowstick can suffice.


Date: 5:00pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Earc's glowstick
Effects: None
Injuries: Issachar (minor injury), Olaf (superficial injury)

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Zhym
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#423 Post by Zhym »

Olaf scowls back toward the dead-end hallway. "Dead end hallway don't make sense," he frets. "No use to it. Gotta be a door. Why canna I find it?" He half considers just going to the end of the hall with his pick and excavating until he finds the hallway he knows must be on the other side. Maybe tomorrow.

"Any of ye not looked fer doors yet?" He scans the group, his gaze settling on Issachar. "Ye! Yah, ye!" Creepin' on the women! How about ye make yerself useful and ogle the walls instead of the women? Women, ye can pitch in too if ye want. But I canna blame ye if ye want to stay away from creepy man."

If everyone looks for secret doors, our odds of finding one are much better.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#424 Post by onlyme »

Halfpint will search.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#425 Post by Stirling »

Issachar tries some lateral thinking and using a candle or small torch wants to check every nook and crevice of the corridor and alcove. Blowing little streams of smoke under the cracks and trying to find if a small breeze comes form somewhere so it might indicate another passageway.

also where does the springs water come from, is it piped into the hot tub or emerges from a valve inside? maybe the hot water will be felt through the rocks and it could also give a clue as to an extra exit.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#426 Post by Marullus »

Issachar has to climb in to inspect the hot tub. The hot spring bubbles up as an artisanal spring through a valve at the bottom of the tub. He also finds a drain that appears to be blocked and non-functioning, which would explain it overflowing the lip and wearing the channel down the tunnel to the waterfall exit.

Everyone has done their best to search already. If you suspect something is here, you can try looking again tomorrow after you rest and have some fresh eyes.

Date: 5:20pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Earc's glowstick
Effects: None
Injuries: Issachar (minor injury), Olaf (superficial injury)

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#427 Post by Rusty Tincanne »

Zhym wrote:He scans the group, his gaze settling on Issachar. "Ye! Yah, ye!" Creepin' on the women! How about ye make yerself useful and ogle the walls instead of the women? Women, ye can pitch in too if ye want. But I canna blame ye if ye want to stay away from creepy man."

If everyone looks for secret doors, our odds of finding one are much better.
:lol: :lol: :lol: Winnie has searched and used a candle.in the way Isaachar indicated. Maybe try water, to see if it pools or drains down, indicating an opening beneath?

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#428 Post by Marullus »

The book only allows one search roll per character, ever. I'm going to allow one search roll per game day. If you suspect something is here, you'll have to wait and try again tomorrow.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#429 Post by Rusty Tincanne »

While Isaachar is off with his candle, Winnie steps down and washes in the hot tub. She invites Halfpint and Bianca to accompany her.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#430 Post by Zhym »

Olaf keeps a wary eye on the hallway during his watch overnight.

Ready to move things forward whenever everyone else is.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#431 Post by Alethan »

Earc studies the hot tub in amazement, wondering how he can duplicate the idea in his own tower and why such a convenience is located so near a secret entrance or back entrance to the tower, if there is indeed an entrance to the tower. But there has to be, of course, so he pushes the other thought from his head.

He suggests a rest, that they might search again with fresh eyes later. While resting, he fiddles with the blocked drain to see if he can unblock it, though it looks like it has been blocked for quite some time.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#433 Post by onlyme »

Halfpint suggests that maybe the pool has an underwater tunnel to the other side? She isnt much of a swimmer and doesnt volunteer.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#434 Post by Marullus »

The ladies enjoy a dip in the warm hot tub while Issachar is away checking the tunnel one more time looking for drafts with his candle. The tub is quite refreshing and the ambient source of heat and steam is a pleasant treat against the northern clime which, even now in summer, remains cool. It is hard to imagine a better place to winter with pups.

Earc examines the pool drain - it is not a man-sized effluent pipe, but perhaps six inches across with a grate over the top and sediment in the pool bottom. It would be a feat of engineering to unclog several centuries of blockage from the pipe, but you imagine that it could be done with proper tools and training, restoring the flow appropriately. Meanwhile, Issachar notes a sliding panel in the alcove, located under the gnoll waste. Not being squeamish, he cleans it off and opens it, finding a narrow access to some pipework fittings and controls, but no further access to other areas. Issachar returns as the ladies finish in the tub, clearly in need of a bath himself.

With no further success in their searching, they eventually bed down at Olaf and Earc's urging, finding it quite comfortable to sleep in the gnoll's nursery room, so long as they don't think about the corpses of the children concealed in the soiled garment pile in the next room. They rest undisturbed and rise in the morning. The spellcasters are able to pray and meditate and restore themselves for a new day, then join Olaf, Funil, and Drunil who are already searching in the hallway.

You all search thoroughly, investigating the suspicious hallway for half the morning. Finally, it is Drunil who exclaims, “Khazâd ai-mênu!! Here! I found our way forward!" He uncovers a carefully concealed latch on the rear wall of the tunnel which is invisible when viewed directly. He pulls it and the wall opens as a door, revealing a chamber beyond. The chamber stretches forward and to the left, dark beyond the newly-opened doorway.

Pony the heavily-laden mule brays in the chamber behind you, uncomfortable at the mound of corpses which is growing in fragrance behind him and the hallway of waste and poor-footing ahead of him.

Please describe how you go forward and what/if you leave behind, and how you leave the chambers.

Date: 10:00am, 19 July 2021
Light: Earc's glowstick
Effects: None
Injuries: Issachar (minor injury), Olaf (superficial injury)

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#435 Post by Alethan »

Before studying his spells, Earc asks, "Would you like me to try and detect magic on the arms and armaments we found on the gnolls? If so, I can do that now and we can take with us what is magical to make sure we don't leave it behind. If not, I'll study offensive spells instead."
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#436 Post by Stirling »

Issachar

"we have rations and oil for a good amount of time. Rather than press on straight away, should we not spend the rest of the morning securing the passageway so that nothing creeps up behind us? At least make the access covered with some camouflage. It would not do to have wargs and wolves following behind us." The cleric suggests a pragmatic approach, we may need to exit this way again and thinks shielding the entrance from being discovered by passing goblins to be a wise choice even if it delays us half a day.

His new spell list memorized, he will press on with lantern in hand if we decide to explore now or later.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#437 Post by Alethan »

Earc asks, "Camouflage it with something besides a waterfall? What do you propose?"

"What I'd really like to do is clear out the disgust of the dead gnoll bodies. But surely that would give the entrance away faster than anything else. So they'll need to stay where they are for the time being. But if we reclaim the tower, I think I'd have an interest in helping to restore it. If I didn't already have my own tower under construction, I'd take this one over. Of course, that's always still an option..." he ends, muttering to himself.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#438 Post by Marullus »

Drunil looks confused. "Our ancestors already hid the entrance behind that roaring waterfall, did they not? I mean, had we not been tipped off to search the place by those... tree rodents... we'd likely not have found it at all. It's likely that closing those stone doors will provide a sufficient defense. I imagine that's why the gnolls kept them propped open."

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#439 Post by Rusty Tincanne »

Winnie watches the exchange with interest. She is ready to move ahead whenever.
ration deducted. Spells noted.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#440 Post by Stirling »

Issachar

"yes, thank you for reminding me of the rodents wealth of local knowledge, I shall take more care next time one needs blood to be shed. May Gwanwen give them a courtesy of grace."

Issachar is ready to move and takes his place in line. "Perhaps in preparation for any crypt things emerging I should venture behind the scouts". he offers while murmuring with his rosary beads.

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