24. Left Branch (Ewell, Ken, Darrin, Epsilon, O'rek only)

[onlyme]

Ewell will head south.

[dmw71]

Ewell leads the group down the branch to the southeast with Kendrick and his torch close behind. After about sixty feet the passage dips to the south slightly before turning due east almost immediately. Ewell quickly halts the group as he picks up a trace hit of a foul smell not far around the turn. Not as offensive as the defensive attacks of the troglodytes encountered in battle, but a weaker smell resembling that. He also hears general noise from movement around the bend, which quickly becomes quiet. As the general noise quiets, the strength of the odor increases.

Kendrick's torch begins to sputter and likely has only a few more minutes remaining. Epsilon's lamp, with a greater range of illumination, still has nearly two hours of burn time left, however.

Code: Select all

                                                                  
                   \                                             
                \   \         /                                 
                 \   \       /   /                             
                  \   \_____/   /                               
                   \           |                                 
                    \_______   |                                
                            \   \                                  
                             \   \_____________________________     
                              \                   Or Ep Da Ke  \__     
                               \____________________________ Ew        
                                                            \________/

[onlyme]

Ewell will quietly move backwards toward the west, knowing that his fellow adventurers are not fighters. He also suspects by this time that one of the other parties must be in need of his help.

shall we go north, or west again, and work our way toward the exit, and go to the right branch that the other group went?

[Zhym]

Let's try the north branch where we had just gone south.

Beep. Beep. Beep. This train's backin' up.

[dmw71]

Ewell and Kendrick back the group out of this southeastern tunnel and return to the four-way intersection, at which point Kendricks' torch is extinguished leaving Epsilon's lamp as the only source of light. The group is led up the northeast passage instead; towards the previously detected scent.

This northeast passage runs approximately 40 feet before turning due east for a short distance before twisting back northeast again. As Ewell reaches this point of the passage tunneling back northeast, the scent begins to really intensify and movement beyond is heard, and sounds to be approaching. Without a light source closer to the turn, it's nearly impossible to see what lies more than a few feet around the bend.

Code: Select all

         \   |       _______/  /         
         |   \      / Da_Ke_Ew/
        /    |     / Ep/
        \    \    / Or/
         \    \  /   /
          \    \/   /
 note ---> \       / 
            \      \
            /  /\   \
     ______/  /  \   \
    /   _____/

[onlyme]

I think that was the wrong turn. Isn't that the NE path toward the B1-5 trogs?

[Zhym]

Does anyone else have a torch? Kendrick does not (I can't even remember how he got one).

[dmw71]

I think that was the wrong turn. Isn't that the NE path toward the B1-5 trogs?

It is.

I figured that was what was meant here:

Let's try the north branch where we had just gone south.

I'll back you up to the four-way intersection.

[dmw71]

Does anyone else have a torch? Kendrick does not (I can't even remember how he got one).

It was the torch Darrin was carrying (that someone?) had given to him.

[Zhym]

You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.

Any chance we could get an overview map of what we've seen so far? It's getting a little hard to keep track.

[dmw71]

Any chance we could get an overview map of what we've seen so far? It's getting a little hard to keep track.

I could, sure, but would your characters have access to this?


Backing the group up:

Ewell leads the group back to the four-way intersection with the arrow pointing northwest (with the "Ewell is a goat farmer" note).

Code: Select all

         \   |       _______/  /         
         |   \      /   ______/
        /    |     /   /
        \    \    /   /
         \    \  /   /
          \    \/   /
 note ---> \       / 
            \    Ew\
            /  /\ Ke\
     ______/  /  \ Da\
    /   _____/    \ Ep\                                             
                   \ Or\         /                                 
                    \   \       /   /                             
                     \   \_____/   /                               
                      \           |                                 
                       \_______   |                                
                               \   \                                  
                                \   \____________
                                 \               
                                  \______________

[Zhym]

I'd presume we're doing enough mapping to get us around and out of the place even if it isn't entirely precise. And our characters would have memory of where they've been that we don't necessarily have over the extended time of PbP.

The request is basically whether we can get a combined map so we don't have to flip back through the posts to reconstruct it ourselves.

[dmw71]

I'd presume we're doing enough mapping to get us around and out of the place even if it isn't entirely precise. And our characters would have memory of where they've been that we don't necessarily have over the extended time of PbP.

The request is basically whether we can get a combined map so we don't have to flip back through the posts to reconstruct it ourselves.

I understand that this isn't a basic game where a player to serve as a 'mapper' was officially called for, but I don't share your presumption that characters are taking the time to stop and scribble directions at every turn. If a character wants to do this, they need to let me know. Epsilon specifically used the chalk from his inventory to draw an arrow on the ground to mark that progress. That happened. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of your progress has not been "mapped."

The fact that this is a play-by-post game actually serves to your advantage. I don't go back through all the threads and delete maps posted so, unlike in a face-to-face game, you do have the ability to to back and retrace your steps by re-reading the various thread(s). These artifacts will serve as your characters' memories. If you want to go back and piece everything together, your character remembers. If you don't, your character forgot, or got lost.

[Zhym]

Epsilon specifically used the chalk from his inventory to draw an arrow on the ground to mark that progress.

I thought that was to tell the other group where we went if they happened by, especially since it was in the context of "If we aren't waiting for the other party."

[ravenn4544]

O'rek pats himself down and whispers 'no torch here, sorry'

[dmw71]

I thought that was to tell the other group where we went if they happened by, especially since it was in the context of "If we aren't waiting for the other party."

And....? So that move served a dual purpose, it doesn't change the fact that at no other time has a player indicated that their character is taking the time to note their progress in any way.

I will make it a little easier for you by sharing that Epsilon left the note he did very soon after you re-entered the lair, and you know where the note is so it shouldn't be too difficult to back your way out of that is your plan.

But, I'm sorry, I'm not going to debate this point any further. No mapping has taken place for this group since no one indicated they were making that effort. And while you are not at liberty to read through the other threads, I can tell you that characters in another group(s) did specifically declare intentions along this subject and will be able to more easily retrace their steps if they so decide.

[ravenn4544]

O'rek pats himself down and whispers 'Anyone got a pencil?'

[Zhym]

Do you mind if I keep track of the maps that have been posted in this thread?

I don't mean to make a thing out of this. It's the first campaign on this board I've seen where character mapping is an in-game issue. In other games, my request was a trivial one that was answered with either a map or "later, when I have time." That's purely a DM choice, of course. I'm just trying to figure out what is and isn't in play.

[ravenn4544]

Don't mind at all. Have at it (then I don't have to do it!)

[wolfpack]

we havent realy made any turns. if we go back t the intersection where epsilon made the arrow and go southwest we will exit the caves. I drew this from memory without looking back on maps but I am willing to bet it is correct.