Chapter 25 - Tween

[greyarea]

Each party member steps into the open area and feels his weight leave him, as if he's perpetually falling. He grabs the handle, which descends, and he moves with it. As the level is passed a sphincter door opens,
, and one is "solid" on the floor beneath him.

The next level down appears open and empty. The ceilings are lower than the level above and it is generally dark.


There is a large piece of machinery to the northwest of the drop tube. There is some old equipment and detritus lying around, as if this is a working area, not a living one, and a skeletal leg can be made out at the extreme of your vision to the south.



Dieter's metal golem friend beeps and whirrs as you look around.

Actions?

Hit points and marching order
Grimes 69/69
--Dandy 39/40 < Cure Light Wounds x6,Bless, Hold Personx2, Find Traps, Augury, Silence 15'r,Glyph of Warding, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Speak With the Dead,Protection from Evil 10' radius, Cure serious woundsx3,Raise dead,plane shift >
Castinus 39/39
--Furuk 78/78
Ulster 62/62 < see char sheet >
Dieter 42/42 < see char sheet >
--Algrim 70/70

[Zhym]

"Nope, no plants here," says Ulster, displaying a perspicacious grasp of the difference between plant and mineral matter—the result of years of druidic training, no doubt.

[merias]

"Some plants would be nice, this whole place is dead..." Dandy says, then walks south and checks out the area with the skeleton.

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Yes, compared to the level above and Grimes's report on the levels below this place is dead. On you toes comrades, there may be something here that keeps this place dead.

Dieter turns to the golum: Is there anything on this this level that is alive other than us?

[greyarea]

The golem replies in an excited string of beeps, whistles, and pops. You get the impression that the answer is "no" but there is a lot of explanation behind that that you are missing.

[tumblingdice]

"Nope, no plants here," says Ulster, displaying a perspicacious grasp of the difference between plant and mineral matter—the result of years of druidic training, no doubt.

Nice one!

Castinus investigates the column closest to the party, with the drawing and cobweb covered, um, thing.

[greyarea]

Even with his understanding of the language, Castinus cannot make heads nor tails of the schematic.


The cobweb covered "thing" is integral to the column, it appears. Like a small metal casket with metal tubes issuing from it. It looks like it can be forced open, there is no lock but also no obvious simple opening mechanism.

Dandy checks out the area with the skeleton. The corpse itself is in a rotted uniform, the band of what you've previously identified as a laser pistol around one of its forearms.


The area near the skeleton is more of the same: dust, detritus, and emptiness.



Actions?

Hit points and marching order
Grimes 69/69
--Dandy 39/40 < Cure Light Wounds x6,Bless, Hold Personx2, Find Traps, Augury, Silence 15'r,Glyph of Warding, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Speak With the Dead,Protection from Evil 10' radius, Cure serious woundsx3,Raise dead,plane shift >
Castinus 39/39
--Furuk 78/78
Ulster 62/62 < see char sheet >
Dieter 42/42 < see char sheet >
--Algrim 70/70

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim "Well dun look like that thing lasted long still want tha thing on yer arm? Look what good it dun this fella." the dwarf points his spear at the skeleton.

[merias]

Dandy moves on, back to the group. "Nuthin' but one o' those magical weapons, can't say as it did that fella any good though."

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Rubbing his chin a bit: To quiet here... need a scout.

Dieter casts Monster Summoning I and while waiting for something to arrive turns to the golum and points to the weapon near the dead body: Do you know how to use that?

OCC: Spell deducted.

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim volunteers "I may look like a gate guard but I can be yer scout if yah need me ta."

[greyarea]

The metal golem gives a sad sound, which Dieter takes as "no" to the weapon question.

After some small time passes, how many [2d4] = 3 of the vegemites appear. They gather around the wizard looking up expectedly at him.

Actions?

Hit points and marching order
Grimes 69/69
--Dandy 39/40 < Cure Light Wounds x6,Bless, Hold Personx2, Find Traps, Augury, Silence 15'r,Glyph of Warding, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Speak With the Dead,Protection from Evil 10' radius, Cure serious woundsx3,Raise dead,plane shift >
Castinus 39/39
--Furuk 78/78
Ulster 62/62 < see char sheet >
Dieter 42/42 < see char sheet >
--Algrim 70/70

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

I place a high value on your life Algrim, the vegetables can take a look for us.

Turning to the veggies: You three, move toward the center of this level, spread out, wait one minute and then return here to report.

[Zhym]

"The monsters we seek are not here," opines Ulster. "I think we should head down."

If the others insist on staying, Ulster will take a closer look at the skeleton.

[tumblingdice]

Castinus - human thief

Castinus frowns. Hrmm...I can make neither heads nor tails of this complicated HVAC system.

Oops, was that out loud?

The thief waits for Dieter's veggie minions to return.

[badams30]

"The monsters we seek are not here," opines Ulster. "I think we should head down."

If the others insist on staying, Ulster will take a closer look at the skeleton.

Grimes - Fighter

Grimes nods in agreement. "those boxes and crates have my curiosity piqued. But then again, I defer to the smart folks here."

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim bows accepting the vegemites as scouts "So be it. I'll be on guard then."

[greyarea]

The creatures disappear. A short while later you see them excitedly return: they are discussing something amongst themselves. One approaches Dieter and begins hand-waving quite determinedly. It seems he has found something.

Actions?

Hit points and marching order
Grimes 69/69
--Dandy 39/40 < Cure Light Wounds x6,Bless, Hold Personx2, Find Traps, Augury, Silence 15'r,Glyph of Warding, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Speak With the Dead,Protection from Evil 10' radius, Cure serious woundsx3,Raise dead,plane shift >
Castinus 39/39
--Furuk 78/78
Ulster 62/62 < see char sheet >
Dieter 42/42 < see char sheet >
--Algrim 70/70

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Dieter shrugs: Honestly, I am surprised they all made it back... should we see what they found or go down another level? I could go either way, I am not sure what excites them is of interest to us.

[badams30]

Grimes - Fighter

Grimes shrugs "I'm all for goin' down, but we could have them lead us to what's makin' em' so happy."