ENT: Exploring the watery cave

[Argennian]

~ Forced to stay low and huddle within the more restrictive dimensions of the coastal cave beyond the rock ledge and watery floor, the party assesses the debris field of heavy-looking rocks that are blocking them from moving further in.

Lauranna commits to squeezing through and past the apparent cave in, just as the giant rats did, so that she may get a better look of what lies beyond and identify the source of the whimpering, if she can. She sheds her pack and asks if any of her fellow explorers have rope.
Bogdan removes his pack and retrieves his 50' rope from within. He passes it up to High elf, who then begins to tie one end of it around her ankle. Emm looks on nervously and whispers an iteration of caution and concern.

With one end of the hemp rope affixed securely to her ankle, Lauranna pushes her gear out the way and relays easy instructions of what to do if she gets in trouble and calls out. She nods to the others and begins to work her way through the gap in the cave in. While everyone looks on, she wiggles her way along the nearly 10' long section of rubble towards the other side.

Caelvanna shuffles up to look through the gap behind her, quickly coming to the conclusion that she will not be able to provide adequate fire support through the debris pile that would be of any real help to Lauranna if she needed it. A look of consternation flashes across the Wild elf archer's visage as she moves out of the way and back to the rearguard position next to Ulrich.

The High elf magic-user/thief finally finishing wiggling through the cave in and appears to pop out the other side*

Actions?

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* PM sent out for Nuke!

OOC: ok gents, please let me know of any further declared actions for your PCs here whilst Lauranna undertakes a quick little look-see on the eastern side of the cave in. Atm, I'm showing Bogdan as having the only functional light source at present (via the magical light coin).

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need any further clarifications!

TOD: now 8:32am of Day 6 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 18 days)

HPs/Status: Bog 28/28 ; Caelvanna 22/25 ; Emm 9/10 ; Ulrich 12/16 ; Lauranna 9/9
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – spear & shield; Caelvanna – short bow (arrows fired: 6/quiver: 18 left) ; Emm – spear ; Ulrich – mace/shield ; Lauranna - none (SC = spell component/spell to cast)
M.O./Location (In the coastal cave) Beyond the cave in: Lauranna ; At the cave in beyond the corner: Bogdan , Emm , Ulrich , Caelvanna

[Alethan]

OOC: no additional action, aside from holding on o the other end of the rope, taking up the slack to make sure he can pull Lauranna out, if necessary.

[dmw71]

No change.

[tkrexx]

Emm finds herself wishing she had placed her last Invisibility to Animals spell upon Lauranna before her friend entered the tight crawl space, just for her own peace of mind. She realizes she herself is nearly as slight of build as the Elf Maid, and prepares to delve into the hole if needed.

[SocraticLawyer]

No change.

[Nuke66]

we are progressing FYI

[Argennian]

~ The remaining party members hold impatient vigil but do wait for their High elf companion whilst she reconnoiters the eastern side of the cave in...

Bog sets down his spear and shield and takes up the free end of the 50' hemp rope in his two barrel fists. The big fighter is intent on being ready to enact Contingency Plan Delta and pull Lauranna back quick if need be. Able to stand up better than any of them here, Ulrich remains stoically at Bogdan's side to observe and be prepared to lend assistance to the operation, if needed. The armored dwarf cleric looks back occasionally to check on Caelvanna. The Wild elf archer, having moved back to the corner to be able to watch the watery cave entrance, has installed her emotionless guerrilla fighter visage of concentration and wariness, and remains weapons ready to deal with anything foolhardy enough to approach their rearguard.

Unable to just crouch there, Emm feels a sudden pang of regret with her hindsight and creeps up to stare into the darkness past the pile of large rocks and debris, wishing she had thought to cast her last Invisibility to Animals spell on the High elf maiden before she went through. After confronting her previous inaction, she then assesses the tight squeeze though the cave in and her own lithe stature. The druidess takes off her pack once again and prepares to move through the gap if action is needed!


~ After about a minute's length of silence, Bog can feel Lauranna tug on the rope, and so begins to feed her slack as she is apparently creeping further within. Another minute passes and soon the half-orc fighter is looking at the last 5 feet of his rope. Before he has to join Emm at the opening to give up the last of it, he can feel Lauranna stop*. There is once again a length of silence and no movement from the rope...


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* continuing PM sent out for Nuke!

OOC: ok gents, please let me know of any new/additional declared actions for your PCs here whilst Lauranna continues her reconnoiter on the east side of the cave in, if so desired. TOD updated.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need any further clarifications!

TOD: now 8:34am of Day 6 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 18 days)

HPs/Status: Bog 28/28 ; Caelvanna 22/25 ; Emm 9/10 ; Ulrich 12/16
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – rope! ; Caelvanna – short bow (arrows fired: 6/quiver: 18 left) ; Emm – spear ; Ulrich – mace/shield (SC = spell component/spell to cast)
M.O./Location Further inside the coastal cave; at the cave in beyond the corner: Bogdan , Emm , Ulrich ; Back at the corner on watch: Caelvanna ;
Beyond the cave in (on east side): Lauranna

[dmw71]

Caelvanna, eyes fixed on the cave entrance, continues her vigilant defense of their current position.

[tkrexx]

Far enough, that's far enough, Emm can be heard whispering softly to herself more than to Bog or Lauranna, her dark eyes trying desperately to pierce the blackness of the cave.

[Argennian]

~ The wait continues, administering feelings of strain in some and anticipation in all...

Caelvanna sees no danger to the party's rearguard while the others wait with forced patience for some word or sign from Lauranna. Emm murmurs whispers aloud, but not to anyone in particular. Bogdan feels no further movement on the rope. All is quiet from beyond the cave in...


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* continuing PMs sent out for Nuke!

OOC: ok good people, I know that the waiting can be the hardest part, IC & OOC, so appreciate your patience. Can't really say much about what's happening with Lauranna in there but can confirm that the dice have been a rolling!

Another round has passed; TOD updated.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need any further clarifications!

TOD: now 8:36am of Day 6 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 18 days)

HPs/Status: Bog 28/28 ; Caelvanna 22/25 ; Emm 9/10 ; Ulrich 12/16
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – rope! ; Caelvanna – short bow (arrows fired: 6/quiver: 18 left) ; Emm – spear ; Ulrich – mace/shield (SC = spell component/spell to cast)
M.O./Location Further inside the coastal cave; at the cave in beyond the corner: Bogdan , Emm , Ulrich ; Back at the corner on watch: Caelvanna ;
Beyond the cave in (on east side): Lauranna

[tkrexx]

Emm continues her vigil next to Bog, trying not to be in his way if he suddenly needs to yank the rope.

[Alethan]

Bog calls out, "Lauranna? Speak up or I'm coming after you."

He slowly begins pulling on the hemp rope.

[Nuke66]

Lauranna feels the tug and slowly moves to tug back, twice.

[Argennian]

Lack of any update or movement on the rope from Lauranna elicit a status query hail from Bogdan through the gap in the cave-in. There is no verbal response so the big fighter begins to slowly pull back the rope. Emm moves to the side to be out of the way of any potential High elf manual-retrieval contingencies but hovers nervously nonetheless. She strains her ears for any signal from further in and remains ready to slip through the gap for support if needed.

Just as the slack in the rope comes taut, Bog feels two slow and steady return pulls. While the half-orc stops and considers the meaning of the message behind the tugs, Emm crowds near the opening and looks into the darkness. Not more than a few moments later, an excited whimper erupts from somewhere beyond the cave-in, followed by slack on the rope and the echoing sounds of movement and footfalls!


Actions?

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* continuing PMs sent out for Nuke!

OOC: Ahh, it's those wonderful times like these when you don't know what's happening to your fellow party member...

Note: Half of the next round/minute has passed; TOD updated.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need any further clarifications!

TOD: 8:36.5am of Day 6 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 18 days)

HPs/Status: Bog 28/28 ; Caelvanna 22/25 ; Emm 9/10 ; Ulrich 12/16
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – rope! ; Caelvanna – short bow (arrows fired: 6/quiver: 18 left) ; Emm – spear ; Ulrich – mace/shield (SC = spell component/spell to cast)
M.O./Location Further inside the coastal cave; at the cave in beyond the corner: Bogdan , Emm , Ulrich ; Back at the corner on watch: Caelvanna ;
Beyond the cave in (on east side): Lauranna

[dmw71]

Caelvanna turns her attention towards the excited whimper and echoing sounds of movement. She slowly leaves her position and starts to move in the direction of the others at the gap in the cave-in, alternating her focus between the sounds and the groups rear which she has been protecting.

[Alethan]

Bog calls out, "Laranna, call out or we're coming over."

Bog begins climbing the rubble to see if he can get through.

[tkrexx]

Pull her out! Bogden, pull her out! Emm stammers loudly. Pull her out or I'm going in! She tries her best to dart to the opening, yet finds the Half-Orc has already made the climb in half the time and with twice the grace.

[Alethan]

Bog stops climbing and pulls the rope with all his might.

[Argennian]

~ Any semblance of sneaky and quiet is thwarted by the sound of action beyond the cave in. The excited whimpering and sound of footfalls are getting closer...

Bogdan calls out again for Lauranna but gets no response. Already crouching down from the low ceiling, he begins climbing forward on the rubble up to the opening but quickly realizes that as is, he couldn't get his massive frame through, even without his armor on. Understanding that same fact, Emm shouts and stammers for him to pull the rope back quick-style! She comes up alongside the big half-orc on the rubble, announcing that she's ready to crawl past if they can't get her back via the rope. Meanwhile, Ulrich stands ready to assist behind the druid and fighter duo at the opening. Caelvanna falls back beside the dwarf cleric to be closer to the action, but keeps her keen Wild elf eyes alternated back to the corner to be sure their escape path remains clear.

Backing up a bit on the rubble to make some room to work with, Bog takes the hemp rope up in both hands and begins pulling it back as quickly as he can. The big fighter finds that although there is a slight bit of resistance from time to time, naught but slack is being reeled in. There are now sounds of something coming through the gap in the cave in and the crescendo of skittish whimperings can be heard much more clearly and closer. It no longer sounds like a mongrel at all but something much more harrowing and most certainly malevolent. Ulrich grasps for his holy symbol as everyone's hair stands up on their necks and their blood is chilled...


Suddenly, a figure emerges at the opening. It's Lauranna! Her face is flush and her High elf eyes are wide as she grasps the edge of the opening. Bog continues to reel in what must be the remaining slack past her as fast as he can whilst she makes to pull herself out, but suddenly, the High elf magic-user/thief is yanked mightily backward! In fact, it is with so much force that were she not holding on at the opening, she'd have easily been pulled back through. Whatever is trying to yank the young elf maiden back exalts a most-disturbing, hissing, blood-curling scream...


Actions?

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OOC: Bogdan is still pulling slack back on the rope but knows there can't be much left (say 5-10 feet tops). Emm is within easy reach of Lauranna at the opening in the gap. Due the somewhat restrictive dimensions of the cave, Ulrich and Caelvanna would have a tight squeeze past Bog on either side but could do so if they wanted to assist the druidess.
(M.O./TOD updated below)

Apols for the ongoing lateness, gang. The on-call, health & RL drama has achieved double factor alpha this week.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need any further clarifications!

TOD: now 8:37am of Day 6 on island (Total time since departed Karagonia: 18 days)

HPs/Status: Bog 28/28 ; Caelvanna 22/25 ; Emm 9/10 ; Ulrich 12/16 ; Lauranna ??/9
WIH (primary/secondary): Bog – rope; Caelvanna – short bow (arrows fired: 6/quiver: 18 left) ; Emm – none (spear) ; Ulrich – mace/shield ; Lauranna - none (SC = spell component/spell to cast)
M.O./Location (In the coastal cave) At the west opening of the cave in: Lauranna ; At the west opening: Bogdan , Emm , Ulrich , Caelvanna

[Nuke66]

"We got company" Lauranna yells as she makes it back to the group.