I. Tree Cave

[dmw71]

Stopping to study the side passage just ahead of you on the right, you can see that there are two "island" areas that would provide room for a few of you to stand on, but the floor of the passage itself, like the passage continuing forward, is mostly covered with water.

Cave Side Passage.jpg (285.31 KiB) Viewed 329 times

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Actions?


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Date: 20 Februarius, Year 7102
Time: 13:46 (Sunrise: 06:45, Sunset: 17:43)
Temp: 44F (53F topside)
Conditions:

• Cool
  Damp

Light Sources:

• Unknown
  Tom's Torch (AdaRue) (Extinguished: 14:26)
  Mila's Lantern (Mila) (Extinguished: 21 Februarius @ 13:30)
  Fire Beetle Gland (Tom: Sack) (Extinguished: 26 Februarius @ 18:37)
  Fire Beetle Gland (Watts: Sack) (Extinguished: 22 Februarius @ 13:22)
  Fire Beetle Gland (AdaRue: Backpack) (Extinguished: 23 Februarius @ 6:56)

Known Spells in Effect:

• None

Character Status

• Mila | MU: 1 | Mv: 120/40 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 9 | HP: 4 | Armor: Unarmored | Weapons: Dagger | Spells: 1st: 1
  Keebler| : Elf: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7/6 | HP: 6 | Armor: Std Leather, Shield | Weapons: Longsword, Shortbow (20)
  Tippin | Halfling: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7/6/5 | HP: 4 | Armor: Std Leather, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Short sword, Shortbow (20)
  Junius | Dwarf: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 8/7/6 | HP: 10-8 = 2+4 = 6 | Armor: Leather, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Scimitar, Sling
  AdaRue | Cleric: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7 | HP: 5 | Armor: Std Leather | Weapons: Staff | Spells: 1st: 1, 0
  Tom | Halfling: 1 | Mv: 60/20 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 5/4/3 | HP: 5-4 = 1+3 = 4 | Armor: Chain, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Handaxe, Shortbow, Dagger
  Canun | Cleric: 1 | Mv: 60/20 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 4/3 | HP: 4 | Armor: Banded, Shield | Weapons: Mace, Sling | Spells: 1st: 1, 0
  Watts | Thief: 1 | Mv: 90" | THAC0: 19 | AC: 8/6 | HP: 5 | Armor: Leather, Dex -2 | Weapons: Longsword, Longbow (20)
  Rainey | MU: 1 | Mv: 90" | THAC0: 19 | AC: 10 | HP: 3 | Armor: Unarmored | Weapons: Dagger | Spells: 1st 1

Marching Orders

• Scout:
  • Keebler
  5-foot:
  • Tom
    Junius
    Tippin
    Keebler
    AdaRue
    Mila
    Rainey
    Watts
    Canun
  10-foot:
  • Tom & Junius
    Tippin & Keebler
    AdaRue & Mila
    Rainey
    Watts & Canun

Rolls

• None

[Zhym]

"Let us try another path," suggests Keebler. "One that is less watery."

[drpete]

Rainey

"The animals who nest in the cave behind us must come here to drink...? Do you want to wade through it? Maybe someone without armor should go first here, and everyone go single file, so we don't step on something concealed by the water?

If people want to go forward, Rainey will take off his shoes and roll up his pants before going in the water. He's happy to lead the way here, if people want (since he has little stuff... less chance of drowning in a pit).

[Alethan]

Tom Cobley

Tom eyes the tracks on the ground before they are trampled by the others. He tries to determine if the tracks go to the water and then turn away or if the tracks go into the water.

[dmw71]

He tries to determine if the tracks go to the water and then turn away or if the tracks go into the water.

I probably need to clarify.

The floor of the cave when you entered (including the immediate area) is mostly dry, solid ground and not really conducive to leaving prints. As for the tracks that were discovered outside, they did led into this cave area, but all hint of them were lost on the sloped descent between the main ground level and this underground cave area and, as of now, you have not been able to pick up them back up again.

The deeper into the cave you progressed, the floor of the cavern grew wet in spots, and more muddy. It was in this softer dirt and muddy area where you were discovered the tracks you did. Most of them were old, except for a grouping of tracks that were near the are you explored by the large entrance, but these tracks didn't necessarily lead into the large entrance. Some do, some don't. Some appear to enter through the large entrance and turn around. They were basically the impressions left by some sort of rodent or rodents (possibly the rats AdaRue detected (but did not witness) near one of the smaller entrances deeper into the cave) that were wandering around.

[AleBelly]

"Let us try another path," suggests Keebler. "One that is less watery."

"Keebler is touched by the wisdom of Hubbard" announces Canun. "Water sucks."

[Bluehorse]

Mila

Still holding her lantern high, she kneels down to the water's edge and gives it a good whiff and examines it. Thinking it is worth checking to see if they have a fresh water supply to refill water skins with. If it seems safe she will splash her face and hands to clean herself a bit and suggest restoring their supplies before continuing.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Well I don't know about water being bad, but I don't see the wisdom in getting out of the rain just to go tromping through a lake. If I'd wanted to get wet, I'd have kept on walking towards town.

[onlyme]

Junius replies,
Agreed. We came down here to dry off. Makes no sense just to go swimming. Let's circle back for another path.

[ybn1197]

Watts nods his head in agreement and turns around to head back to the cavern with stalactites and stalagmites.

[drpete]

Rainey

Rainey shrugs, and keeps his shoes on. "Alright then... We saw entrances to three tunnels back there... this watery one, one that smelled like a rat's nest, and another one. Are we excited about the rats, or should we try the third way?"

[ybn1197]

Watts rubs his head. "The third is my choice."

[Alethan]

Tom Cobley

Tom nods in agreement. "Some of those footprints looked... large. I agree with taking the third entrance."

[Zhym]

"Let's do it!" agrees Tippin. "That water might be deeper than I am! Tall, I mean!"

[dmw71]

The group backs out of the wide entry and returns to the cave proper with the stalactites and stalagmites. Opting to bypass the suspected rat hole, the group reshuffles its order before electing to explore the second smaller opening.

Keeping an eye out for tracks on the floor of the cave as they approach, but not finding any in the craggy rock surface, they abruptly stop approximately 15-feet short of the entrance when a shuffling sound is heard from within, along with a shrill, defensive squeal.

Defensive Squeal.jpg (83.97 KiB) Viewed 291 times

Actions?


---

Date: 20 Februarius, Year 7102
Time: 13:52 (Sunrise: 06:45, Sunset: 17:43)
Temp: 44F (53F topside)
Conditions:

• Cool
  Damp

Light Sources:

• Unknown
  Tom's Torch (AdaRue) (Extinguished: 14:26)
  Mila's Lantern (Mila) (Extinguished: 21 Februarius @ 13:30)
  Fire Beetle Gland (Tom: Sack) (Extinguished: 26 Februarius @ 18:37)
  Fire Beetle Gland (Watts: Sack) (Extinguished: 22 Februarius @ 13:22)
  Fire Beetle Gland (AdaRue: Backpack) (Extinguished: 23 Februarius @ 6:56)

Known Spells in Effect:

• None

Character Status

• Mila | MU: 1 | Mv: 120/40 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 9 | HP: 4 | Armor: Unarmored | Weapons: Dagger | Spells: 1st: 1
  Keebler| : Elf: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7/6 | HP: 6 | Armor: Std Leather, Shield | Weapons: Longsword, Shortbow (20)
  Tippin | Halfling: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7/6/5 | HP: 4 | Armor: Std Leather, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Short sword, Shortbow (20)
  Junius | Dwarf: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 8/7/6 | HP: 10-8 = 2+4 = 6 | Armor: Leather, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Scimitar, Sling
  AdaRue | Cleric: 1 | Mv: 90/30 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 7 | HP: 5 | Armor: Std Leather | Weapons: Staff | Spells: 1st: 1, 0
  Tom | Halfling: 1 | Mv: 60/20 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 5/4/3 | HP: 5-4 = 1+3 = 4 | Armor: Chain, Shield, Dex -1 | Weapons: Handaxe, Shortbow, Dagger
  Canun | Cleric: 1 | Mv: 60/20 | THAC0: 19 | AC: 4/3 | HP: 4 | Armor: Banded, Shield | Weapons: Mace, Sling | Spells: 1st: 1, 0
  Watts | Thief: 1 | Mv: 90" | THAC0: 19 | AC: 8/6 | HP: 5 | Armor: Leather, Dex -2 | Weapons: Longsword, Longbow (20)
  Rainey | MU: 1 | Mv: 90" | THAC0: 19 | AC: 10 | HP: 3 | Armor: Unarmored | Weapons: Dagger | Spells: 1st 1

Marching Orders

• Scout:
  • Keebler
  5-foot:
  • Tom
    Junius
    Tippin
    Keebler
    AdaRue
    Mila
    Rainey
    Watts
    Canun
  10-foot:
  • Tom & Junius
    Tippin & Keebler
    AdaRue & Mila
    Rainey
    Watts & Canun

Rolls

• None

[Rusty Tincanne]

AdaRue takes several steps backwards, broom and torch held in front defensively. Oh dear... I don't like the sounds of that. Then she calls out, It's okay... It's okay. We're not here to hurt you.


Just noticed that it looks like Mila's lantern needs refueling.

[Zhym]

Keebler steps to the side and readies his bow.

[Zhym]

"Hullo!" shouts Tippin. "Who's there?"

[dmw71]

AdaRue takes several steps backwards, broom and torch held in front defensively. Oh dear... I don't like the sounds of that. Then she calls out, It's okay... It's okay. We're not here to hurt you.


Just noticed that it looks like Mila's lantern needs refueling.

Two points of clarification:

• The squeal did not sound human, but like it was made by an animal (or monster) of some kind.
• The lantern expiration date isn't until "tomorrow" in game time -- it's a full 24-hours; Tom's torch will be the first to flicker out, and I will be sure to mention that a bit in advance in my updates.

[Alethan]

Tom Cobley

While he has the room, Tom readies his bow, as well...

"I don't know... that could be the sound of an animal already in distress, not one that is afraid of us..."

Tom listens to see if he can hear anything further that might sound like a scuffle or fighting.