The Mouth of DOOOOM

[Distorted Humor]

After the nastiness of the Gnolls, the party proceeds, perhaps a little more somber after the killings. Soon other things are on your mind.

You approach the hill that the "Mouth of Doom" is supposed to be located at. Before you is a large, carved demonic face in the mountian, with a screaming mouth. The mouth is about ten feet tall and wide, and you can see in the afternoon sun a set of stairs that head downwards. This must be the Mouth of Doom.

Yvega mumbles "Who would WANT to carve something like that?" and gives a shudder.


PS - since this is the end of the old thread, every gets 100xp Let me know if you level!

[Dogma]

"Well, at least it is quite obvious how they came up with the name for this place,"said Otikas. "I supposed it wouldn't behoove us to march right up to yon mouth. No, no... indeed I would think not. Best we look around for another entrance. Something less conspicuous...less Mouth of Doomish."

[Grognardsw]

Logan, fighter

"Aye, perhaps we can find the anus of death," jokes Logan. "I would see my sword cut evil in twain!"

The warrior's adrenaline is rising at the thought of skull cracking sword slashing monster destruction.

[Blazeguard]

"Why waste time searching for an alternate entry when we have this one right here?" queries Wolf.

[HereticalOne]

Ushnab examines the 'Mouth' and the stairs leading down it's unwholesome gullet. He looks for obvious traps, trip-wires or the like. Tracks from animals or previous disturbers of the peace. If it looks clear, then he retrieves a 50' coil of rope. Ties one end to his belt. Hands the other to whichever of the hirelings is closest. Lights a torch. Draws his scimitar and enters the 'mouth.'

"I'll take a look around. The rest of you can make your preparations. If you hear a loud noise, like me screaming, then I would greatly appreciate it if you would pull me back out of there using the rope. If I reach the end of the rope without incident, I'll head straight back. In the meantime, anyone wanting to find an alternative entrance can do that. It would be a good thing to have some options, or at least a choice as to which way to enter this place. Or to leave it."

[Tomcat42]

Hrothgar the dwarf

"Well, I would suppose now would be a good time to find a suiting campsite for everything staying out here." Hrothgar says to the rest of the party.

[Distorted Humor]

Will update tomorrow! Work been very busy but after the 11th the workload will drop down, as we are running 2 people short right now.)

[Dogma]

"Very good, Ushnab, very good indeed,"replied Otikas, "Scouting ahead to see what maybe be down there. Fine idea. I'll just poke around a bit up here. See if there may be another entrance. yes, yes...another entrance might be jsut wat we need...," he mumbles to himself as he walks away.

(He'll give a cursury search around the immediate area, presumably to look for another entrance, but mostly to avoid being around the main entrance or to help set up camp.)

[Distorted Humor]

The party makes camp at the side of the hellish mouth, some watching a brave Ushnab go into the gullet of the mouth of doom. The hire-ons start to set up the camp for the party, as a few go around to look. There is no sign any other way in, however the south side of the hill has a sandy pit near the stone of the hill that might warrant more investigation. Also going to the top of the hill confirms that there is no gnolls or other baddies on the hill, or within view of the hill. It appears that the area is secure.




the TL:DR version is

Looking around finds no alternate entryway (But something might be worth looking at.)

PM sent to Ushnab

The party is able to make a semi-secure camp, it is built on a hill and quick scouting shows no sign of any baddies one or around the hill.

[HereticalOne]

After maybe all of 10-15 minutes (probably less) Ushnab returns from below.

"These stairs go down about forty feet. I didn't spot any trip-wires or obvious traps, but then I'm not exactly an expert on that sort of thing, so if someone else has more expertise in that area, you might want to take a look for yourself. At the foot of the stairs there is a room that has six doors in it, each door set into a 10 foot by 10 foot alcove. It stinks like an old grave down there, but that was to be expected, I guess. We'll need to decide if this is the way we want to go, or if there's another entrance. If we do go down this way, we'll need to decide which of the six doors to try-out first."

Ushnab re-coils the rope as he takes a look at the camp-site. "Anyone else spot anything interesting?"

[Grognardsw]

Logan, fighter

"If no door shows signs of frequent use, the let us choose the door which stands in the direction the sun rises," says Logan.

[HereticalOne]

"I like Logan's idea. Working with the sun, as it were. Once camp is set-up, maybe we can go take a better look at these doors. We have a nice supply of spikes, ropes, poles and such to help us dismantled anything we can't force or simply break...and reinforce it after us, if deemed prudent..."

Ushnab digs out a wine-skin. Takes a snort of the ale from back at the Inn. Starts taking stock of what to pack in with him, what to leave behind...

"Has anyone taken a look around the perimeter of this hillside? Any fresh water springs? Game trails? anything interesting or potentially useful?"

[Dogma]

"Just a sand pit to the south."replied Otikas. "A little prodding and poking might reveal a secondary entrance. Not without a bit of work, I would say. And of course, we might dig for a week and find nothing. But then again, a new entrance might be but inches beneath the surface. Quite the conundrum it is....to dig or not to dig?"

[Todd Spengo]

Theron will examine the sand pit, using a stick or pole, to determine if there is any barely buried secret entrances there.

Theron memorizes Detect Magic, Sleep, and Strength.

[Grognardsw]

Logan watches the others dig around the sand. He shakes his head and spits.

The gruff fighter feels the call of nature and pisses on the demon's mouth of doom. "Drink it deep demon. We're coming for you."

[GreyWolfVT]

A well dressed handsome looking man walks up to the party out from the shadows with a smug look on his face. "Well what have were here? I suspect you are the folks in need of someone of my skills or so the Rangers told me. I was asked toyou track and meet up with a group of folks that was short with folks of particular skillset that I happen to be quite well in. The Rangers pointed out that if you could follow you without being detected I would prove my worth to the group. I did see how you took care of the Gnolls. That was quite skillful work. This appears to be the cave the rangers wanted me to help investigate and clear out. So here I am at your service." he bows elegantly.

[Distorted Humor]

Theron will examine the sand pit, using a stick or pole, to determine if there is any barely buried secret entrances there.

Theron memorizes Detect Magic, Sleep, and Strength.

The sand pit reveals no secrets. it appears that it is what it appears to be, just a sandpit.

[Grognardsw]

Logan, fighter

"When is a sand pit not a sand pit?" cracks Logan. "When an adventurer looks at it."

"Okay boys, let us put feet to path down this here Mouth. What's our marching order?"

Logan, hand on hilt, turns to the newcomer. "I think there's an explanation hidden in all those words, but no name. I'm Logan. Who are you?"

[GreyWolfVT]

"I'm known as Jinx and you can call me that." he extends his hand out as if to shake Logan's hand.

[Dogma]

Otikas tries not to look to peeved that the sandpit didn't reveal any secret entrances but fails miserably. "Well now...Jinx you said? And what exactly are these skills you posseses that we are in such dire need of? Hmm?"