Blackened Forest: Surveys & Survivors.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

"Brother Symeon you cannot go down there. You'll be infected and then you can't come back with us. Unless your intention is to remain here with the Kids?"

"You saw what became of Krall. Likely the kids are carriers but can resist the disease somehow or perhaps at puberty they too will change."

"It's a noble cause but only if there is a measure of success to it my friend. If I could be sure of getting a high priest here with the knowledge of higher healing that would be one thing. We don't know how this is even transmitted. Touch, smell, taste, closeness/range and the time it takes to change from normal to ophidian."

[DrRenfield]

Brother Symeon

I am loathe to call down to these children without approaching to offer comfort, but I had neglected to consider that my exposure would risk the safety of Helix, not merely my own person.

Symeon follows Durgo's counsel and stays above.

[kwll]

Genaromes scratches his bald head while he walks to the cistern. "There is certainly more to it than what this gnoll says. Are these children in possession of an uncanny power? What do we really know of their parents and family?" he asks, as much to himself as to his companions.

[4d6]=19

[Spearmint]

The Gnoll Ruin.

The quartet of comrades are very unconvinced in regards to the Gnolls intentions, being pushed into the deep shaft feels a very real possibility. But despite the press of surrounding bodies and ever present threat of a barbed javelin in the back to provoke a fall into the descent, the Gnolls do not yet seem intent on causing you harm.

Hrasa holds a torch over the edge, peering down. You can hear child-like voices echoing below in the cistern. He drops the flaming brand which falls maybe thirty or more feet to land in the dust at the bottom. It lights up the lichen covered circular shaft, which is about eight or so feet in diameter. There is no internal ladder to scale down and judging by the lack of buckets nearby, you can conclude that the water has long since dried up.

On the floor are remnants of scraps; bones, remains a boar's trotter, rotted vegetables, cores of apples. The children are 'fed' it seems but poorly so. Still you hear sounds of laughter or giggling rather than cries of despair.

Durgo calls down, adding the toy tokens that might provoke some memory of childhood (and humanity?).

Xapache calls to some of his tribe, Fydmar might be alerted since the words translate with 'axes' and 'cut them down' but the warriors do not rush upon you, rather they go to cut a long sturdy branch that they trim to become an ad-hoc ladder.

"They cannot climb up. Descend if you will to minister whatever grace you can upon them." The Gnoll chief strikes another firebrand and holds it out for someone to take.



in terms of the checks, you should be rightly suspicious of the Gnolls, especially Xapache. You haven't questioned much in regard to the unfortunate Gnoll Kraal. It seems he found the children, brought them into the ruin but very quickly became withdrawn from the community, locking himself away in his quarters for several days before others forced their way in to find his 'shed skin'. He had turned 'serpentine' and slithered away. The children however were still present, described as being 'God touched now' but you don't exactly know what this means. And the Gnolls do not divulge any specifics only to say 'they are looked after' (fed?) and that the phrase Hrasa used "they should go to their embrace", suggests they are being sanctified or set apart for some holy (unholy?) purpose. The Gnolls have not killed them or released them or even taken them back to the fringes of human civilization. So beyond keeping them in the dry cisterns, do they have a purpose for them?

Things to mull over.

actions please.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Drugo says, "We shall not go down. We will try and save the kids."

Durgo hoping to convey a worth for them so they will be kept alive. He makes a mental note of how many gnolls he thought there might be from when they came in their camp.

"We must go think things over for what is best for the children back to our village. We will come back once we find some answers. We can bring things back if we have them and trade again. Spider silk is good trade if you can get more."

Durgo will whisper to the others, "We can talk on the way back to Helix. We can stop for another silk try and get more map details done if there is time."

[kwll]

Probably because of his inexperience, Genaromes asks: "Are you seriously going to leave the children in this pit?" His face looks genuinely astonished.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Durgo replies, "We can talk about that Gen on the way to Helix my friend. Yes. They must stay for the moment."

[scottjen]

Fydmar
I will decline the chance to go down into the pit.
Xapache, do you plan to do anything with those in the pit in the next few days?
He will go along with returning to Helix / extracting spider silk (if come across any) as Durgo suggested.

[DrRenfield]

Brother Symeon

It galls me to leave the children, but Durgo and Fydmar make shrewd points. We must learn what we can and make according arrangements. I pray we can return and move them to Helix rapidly once a course of action is decided.

[kwll]

Probably blinded by the ideals of his youth, Genaromes can't decide himself to leave without checking on the children. "I will climb down the branch, at least far enough to be able to see if they are well enough to sustain another few days alone in this cistern." he says, before handing his staff to a companion and approaching the crude scale.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Durgo steps in Gen's way and says, "I cannot allow it my friend. I have my reasons. You will have to trust me on this. We must get started back to Helix my friends. Let's get going."

Durgo will try to usher them back out to the path.

[DrRenfield]

Brother Syemon

Come now, Durgo my lad. There cannot be harm in trying to catch a glimpse. We need all the information we can get. I would try it myself were I more nimble.

Through I will warn you young master Gen, if you slip in you'll need to stay out of Helix, possibly for good.

[kwll]

Genaromes cannot help but imagine the life of the two children in this pit of darkness. "We cannot leave without at least communicate a minimum with them, can we?" he answers the Durgo, looking for support among his companions.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Durgo says, "It's not that simple my friends..There is more at stake......than.....just......the.....kids." Durgo tries to drive the point home. "It is not just.....about.....the.....kids. I can't be any plainer than that my friends. We need to get going."

[Spearmint]

The Gnolls Ruin

Xapache eyes the group, staying silent as do his cohort of Gnoll rangers. Hrasa looks down into the shaft with Genaromes.

You can hear the children's voices echo below, unintelligible words garbled in a strange tongue, laughter (?), despair (?). It is hard to know for sure and the two foundlings do not approach the firebrand to show their presence to you.

"It is as I said. They are not as they were and not yet as what they may become." he shrugs.

The choice to clamber the long branch ladder is yours. The group discuss, Durgo, ill at ease, most vocal in trying to dissuade any descent. His choice seconded by Fydmar who has equal distrust.

"Mourn them and say your goodbyes. The gods will take them once the moon is full." the chief barks. It is unclear what he means by 'the gods taking them'. Are they being given away, traded, sacrificed?

If discoveries of 'deep Ones' icons and statues being noted is anything to go by, 'the gods' are probably not the benevolent ones of goodness and law.

Actions, unless a character actions any last minute descent, I will conclude the cistern investigation and move to update the return trek / continuing wilderness survey.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Durgo is obviously torn and in turmoil over the kids. He is not without compassion. Durgo makes sure he dropped the kid's toys down away from the firebrand for them.

Durgo says to the group, "I am uncertain that we can save the kids. If they are partially turned, which I believe them to be based on the sound they make. We could not return in time to change that. Is there any magic you know of that can change a person back to their natural state? That we can get back here in time to use it effectively? I am sorry my friends. I think it is too risky. I will try to get a glimpse from up here using a trinket I have to shine a light to get a glimpse. Someone hold onto me as I near the edge or if someone with better reflexes would like to try. I'll hold onto you?"

Durgo pulls out his trinket and either shines it to see the kids while someone holds onto him or gives it to someone to try and see while holding onto them. Durgo will not go to close to the edge or lean too much to minimize the risk.

[Spearmint]

Durgo, you can get in your hands and knees to the edge and shine the bullseye lantern cone of light from the piece of blessed stained glass. It clearly illuminates the whole shaft, much better than the firebrand torch that flickers in the dirt below.

Shaft illuminate provokes Children's interest vs 50% [1d100]=99

Actually it has the opposite effect, the bright light shining down causes fear and alarm which you hear in the children's voices as they scream, thinking their privacy is about to be invaded.

Interestingly the cistern below is suddenly plunged into darkness, so impenetrable that it smothers the flames. A Darkness spell cast or invoked in some way. The cistern also goes quiet, movement but not abridged sounds like steps, dragging sounds. In the darkness you might imagine it was slithering instead but that could just be your fears manifesting.

The shaft remains illuminated and you see the long branch ladder jerked. Imagine a ladder being kicked by the bottom legs or rungs. You can't see for the last ten foot below the shaft is dark, but you could think they or someone is trying to break the branch or pull it down completely.

actions

[kwll]

Genaromes holds on to Durgo, helping him to bend over the shaft without falling. He is surprised an appalled by what is happening down there, and starts to understand what his companion was trying to lead to. "We better get going, then." he whispers, while looking with apprehension at the gnolls surrounding the party.

[Cwreando]

Durgo

Drugo says, "Let's get going. I think we can be on our way. Much thanks to the Chief for allowing us to put the matter to rest."

Durgo adds for Fydmar to translate, "Great Chief, would you be interested in establishing trade with our people. Perhaps if you have an abundance of spider silk then we might have something you'd like in return? If we have it. We have established trade with the under folk and will be making trips out this way. Perhaps we can trade with you too? "

Durgo would chat as they proceed toward leaving with the rest of the party and the chief.

[DrRenfield]

Brother Symeon

These are dark signs. I will not know how to even begin proposing a plan to the church for the children's' safe return.