Fourthday, Sixmonth, Forty-thirdyear of the 16th Cycle
10:30 am
Fifteen turns elapsed
The Redoubt of the Crocodile Kings
Hex 13.42
It takes a good twenty minutes to get the entire party up and through the tunnel, and upon reaching the other end all of the adventurers are wet and covered in a slick of greyish cave muck. But the sight they behold perhaps make up for their troubles, as they see they are at the bottom of a vast cavern, with a ceiling easily forty of fifty feet above them. The tunnel comes out in the northwestern side of the cavern, eighty feet south of the northern wall. The entire cavern extends about one hundred and thirty feet east to west and at least two hundred feet north to south. Massive stalagtites droop from the ceiling and their counterparts rise up from the cave floor, an uneven surface dotted with pools of water. The source of the water is soon apparent, as the adventurers notice -- barely visible in the lantern-light -- a rill of water that rushes down the wall directly opposite them from another hole, this one about thirty feet above the floor.
There look to be at least a few tunnels leading out from this enormous chamber, at different heights and locations scattered around -- it will take more investigating to locate them properly. Two things immediately catch the adventurers' attention, however. Dozens of crystals, similar to the one encountered previously, dot the surfaces in this chamber, and they reflect and refract the lantern light into wild patterns. Additionally, what appear to be crytalline webs cluster around these crystals, and in several of these webs the adventurers can see, glinting in the light, the reflecting of eightfold, arachnidal eyes!
IC I
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
It's hard to tell. The clusters of eyes are scattered throughout the cave. He counts maybe six or seven discrete clusters of eyes. They don't seem that large -- not nearly as large as the giant spiders the companions fought on the previous day -- but are still much larger than any normal, self-respecting spider ought to be. Maybe the size of a dog? Slightly smaller? It's hard to tell. They seem to be translucent, in much the same manner as the crystals, and thus it is hard to make out details, especially at a distance.
None of the spider-like creatures appear to be imminently attacking, nor even approaching.
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
Fourthday, Sixmonth, Forty-thirdyear of the 16th Cycle
10:50 am
Seventeen turns elapsed
The Redoubt of the Crocodile Kings
Hex 13.42
Thus begins a long, laborious, and filthy process of returning back down the tunnel. One might assume the process would be faster, but the slippery, clay-like mud that coats the interior of the tunnel makes the slope treacherous. Additionally, as the lead character approaches the end of the tunnel they notice a faint glow coming from the cavern at their destination. It's orangish and steady, without flickering, although it looks like whatever is producing the glow is moving. It does not look to be a lantern or torch.
i.e. there's something in the small cavern the adventurers are returning to!
10:50 am
Seventeen turns elapsed
The Redoubt of the Crocodile Kings
Hex 13.42
Thus begins a long, laborious, and filthy process of returning back down the tunnel. One might assume the process would be faster, but the slippery, clay-like mud that coats the interior of the tunnel makes the slope treacherous. Additionally, as the lead character approaches the end of the tunnel they notice a faint glow coming from the cavern at their destination. It's orangish and steady, without flickering, although it looks like whatever is producing the glow is moving. It does not look to be a lantern or torch.
i.e. there's something in the small cavern the adventurers are returning to!
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
Tiarsus edges forward and peers over the lip of the tunnel, gazing down into the cavern below. He espies two large beetles, each the size of a large dog, trundling slowly about the room. Each has two glands just behind their antennae that glow, producing the light the adventurers had seen.
Thus far, they do not appear to notice the adventurers crouching in the tunnel above them.
Thus far, they do not appear to notice the adventurers crouching in the tunnel above them.
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
Short bow or crossbow, I'd say. But because of the narrowness of the tunnel only one person can attack.
Re: IC I
Themon silently signals for everyone to back out of sight. He then shoots a crossbow bolt at the beetle closest to the hole and quickly ducks back out of sight.
Maybe they're dumb enough to not know we're shooting at them?
Themon has +2 dex so I figure I'll take the shot. If I miss, someone else can have a go at it.
Maybe they're dumb enough to not know we're shooting at them?
Themon has +2 dex so I figure I'll take the shot. If I miss, someone else can have a go at it.
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
The bolt flies forward and spears one of the beetles, nearly pinning it to the cavern floor and instantly killing it. He ducks out of sight. The other beetle does not seem to have noticed this quick act of violence.sulldawga wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2024 5:39 pm Themon silently signals for everyone to back out of sight. He then shoots a crossbow bolt at the beetle closest to the hole and quickly ducks back out of sight.
Maybe they're dumb enough to not know we're shooting at them?
Themon has +2 dex so I figure I'll take the shot. If I miss, someone else can have a go at it.
-
thirdkingdom
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 7898
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: IC I
Popping his head up and out of the hole, Themon fire another shot that just glances off the beetle's carapace; it looks as though it did some damage, but only minimally. Another bolt flies true, but it, too, only wings the beetle, who, deciding it must be facing a powerful, unseen foe, trundles back towards the tunnel to the north and out of sight.