CHAPTER 9: Return to the Tunnels, Part II

[greyarea]

Watching Kurot the android run to and fro, Denslow wonders out loud, I hope our metal friend knows what he is doing. I was confused by his report, he went so fast. Does he think the morlock lair to be in the direction behind us and not ahead as initially thought? He did not receive injury to his circuits did he?

[Zhym]

I'm hoping that Kurot could explain the layout of what he saw without me typing it all out. If not, let me know—the intent of "update the others on what the forward group found" was to describe fully what we see on the map.

[shaidar]

Silvestri gets his rifle ready in case any enemy exit from the side-passage.

[Norjax]

...

Tunnel Complex, 298D/81 (Late Afternoon)

Kurot tests the “staircase” for sturdiness and, satisfied, steps up into the side tunnel. Ron, Farmanus and MacMak follow the android, ready for action.

The curved 10ft-wide corridor does indeed link with the southern rail tunnel. Kurot follows a trail of blood, including beast-man footprints, that leads into an eastern 20ft x 20ft room with a curved wall. An oxidized metal cylinder runs floor to ceiling with an open door centered and facing the corridor. The trail of blood ends at the dark, open door to the metal column. Subtle debris and dirt have accumulated in the wall to floor corners and around the bottoms of the cylinder. Walking paths through the floor dust crisscross the entire area. Kurot doesn't move into the room, but positions himself against the wall and peers around the corner into the west passage.

The 10ft-wide side hallway runs 40ft to the west before it opens into a second curved room. This room has a similar metal cylinder centered, but no doorway is visible from Kurot’s view. The foot traffic down this corridor appears to be less frequent then the floor of the entry hallway and eastern room.

A slight, unidentifiable hollow ‘bang’ echoes multiple times out of the eastern cylinder with open door. It is intermittent and muffled.

***

Those on the rail trolley deck keep a wary eye on the south exit of the side tunnel.

MAP:

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 16/57 [0/9]
Denslow – 10/42 [6/16]
Silvestri – 43/60 [0/14]
MacMak – 17/68 [4/17]
Bruce – 33/50 [1/12]
Kurot – [50]/50 [1/15]
Frank – 36/63 [2/13]
Ron – 45/69 [13/15]
Farmanus – 40/87 [13/13]

...

[greyarea]

If all others face south, Denslow will watch the two other corridors in the roundabout. Just in case.

[Zhym]

Kurot cautiously approaches the opening in the cylinder to the east, holding his torch in front of him to try to illuminate what's going on inside the cylinder.

[Norjax]

...

Tunnel Complex, 298D/81 (Late Afternoon)

With caution, Kurot moves to one side of the east cylinder’s open door. He holds the torch forward and illuminates the inside of the tube. Three grooves, running vertical, are evenly spaced around the perimeter. The interior is identical to the tube used to access the ring room at the previous station stop. Each groove has regularly-spaced pockets usable as hand and foot holes for emergency ascent and descent. (There is some risk to using these, so an ability check is required)

The android takes a chance and quickly peers into the hollow cylinder. The tube drops nearly 30ft to a floor that has a large hole ripped into it. The tube continues over 40ft above this floor (The limits of the torchlight) and a second open door is 30ft up facing the opposite direction of this door. Kurot can hear the ’bangs’ again up in the dark extents of the tube. He thinks the surface of the cylinder makes a slight vibration after each ’bang’ ends.

***

Although still seriously wounded, Denslow assumes the task of watching the two tunnels that lead out of the turntable chamber. (From the safety of the trolley deck)

IMAGE:

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 16/57 [0/9]
Denslow – 10/42 [6/16]
Silvestri – 43/60 [0/14]
MacMak – 17/68 [4/17]
Bruce – 33/50 [1/12]
Kurot – [50]/50 [1/15]
Frank – 36/63 [2/13]
Ron – 45/69 [13/15]
Farmanus – 40/87 [13/13]

...

[Yrkoon]

Farmanus the Unneeded

"Up in the earth," Farmanus whispers to himself.

Out of character: If he is able, Farmanus will climb with his weapon. Otherwise, he will ask MacMak to 'hold my spear'.

Agility check [1d20+3] = 2+3 = 5

"The handholds are slick with mucus and blood," grumbles Farmanus, unaware that he made them so.

[Urson]

Belial
Belial shares the guard duty with Denslow.

[Zhym]

"I think this is about as far as we should pursue," opines Kurot. "Let's see what's on the other side of the hall."

[Norjax]

...

Tunnel Complex, 298D/81 (Late Afternoon)

Kurot and Ron explore the western hallway and discover the curved room is circular with a metal tube centered in it. An open door faces to the east and the interior is dark. The same amounts of subtle dirt and debris is collected in the wall and floor corners.

Farmanus has MacMak strap the spear on his back, and the Uber Strain Human enters the hollow cylinder. He reaches for one of the grooves and secures his hands and feet. Slowly, he begins to climb the vertical slot (DC5. easy task with risk). After 20ft, he can see the door opening leading to the east. The entry is still 10ft above him, and Farmanus can’t discern any details in the pitch-black space of the tube. The ambient light from below provides just enough illumination for a 20ft ascent.

Farmanus hears the slight 'bangs' from above that vibrate the metal wall of the tube.

IMAGE:

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 16/57 [0/9]
Denslow – 10/42 [6/16]
Silvestri – 43/60 [0/14]
MacMak – 17/68 [4/17]
Bruce – 33/50 [1/12]
Kurot – [50]/50 [1/15]
Frank – 36/63 [2/13]
Ron – 45/69 [13/15]
Farmanus – 40/87 [13/13]

...

[Zhym]

Kurot zooms back to the sled to give another update on what they've found.

[greyarea]

Denslow thinks on Kurot's information. Do we think that a defensible resting place? We could use some rest, I think. I hate to be a stick in the mud, but my limbs are drooping.

[Yrkoon]

Farmanus the Unneeded

Farmanus descends and reports to the others about the door above. "I can't see much because it's dark."

[shaidar]

Denslow thinks on Kurot's information. Do we think that a defensible resting place? We could use some rest, I think. I hate to be a stick in the mud, but my limbs are drooping.

Silvestri

"Doesn't sound safe to me, the dark-dwellers know it's there and it appears to be on their route to somewhere. So they could come back anytime"

[Norjax]

...

This is what Farmanus describes.



...

[Urson]

Belial

I'm with you dudes- the Z-monster's gettin' to me pretty rough. Maybe we can move the cart back into the tunnel so we only got two ways that bad guys can come at us? Maybe that'll be enough for us to be safe while we rest?

[shaidar]

Silvestri

"I think we're going to need to rest a few days, one isn't going to be enough to get people healed up. That's why I thought that round room of the ancients back the way we came would a good choice"

[Norjax]

...

Current Location is the pink dot. Ring room is above the four green diamonds on this schematic map.





...

[rossik]

"Hey guys, any one have a weapon more efficient than my crossbow to spare?"

MacMak feels he needs more firepower