VII. The Lost City

[Inferno]

Xhalh Vhaldharian, human 'knight'

"I say thee nay!" grunted Xhalh bravely, still in his noble stance. "'Tis hardly sporting!"

[Zhym]

"This ain't sport, Skippy," retorts Malfindel.

[Inferno]

Xhalh Vhaldharian, human 'knight'

"The name is Xhalh," the honourable oaf whispered, with a verbal reverence for his own name that one usually reserved for that of Theseus or Heracles.

"And aye, verily good maiden, this be not sport at all," Xhalh hoarsely continued with the gentle courtesy and graciousness he afforded all of the weaker sex. His spine became even more erect, his bearing more regal, his head higher as he lovingly recited: "Forsooth, it be Chivalry! Why, maiden, know you she is the mother of mercy, valour and uh... fairness! The stay of the oppressed, the redresser of grievances, the curb of the power of the tyrant! Umm... Nobility is but an empty name without her, and... uh, liberty finds the best protection in her lance and her... uh... sword!"

[GreyWolfVT]

Lúthon arches his eyebrows, impressed. "That is not a bad idea," he says. "But what if the occupants of that room do not come out on their own? Surely they know the danger the bats pose, and would therefore be reluctant to venture forth of their own accord?"

Malfindel snorts. "Why don't we just pour oil by the door, leave a trail of oil back to the ladder, and light the damn thing? That'd get their attention."

Dorin whispers "Bah ya fool that'd burn the durned bridge too ya know."

[Zhym]

Malfindel scoffs and turns away before Xhalh has reached the word "verily." "Whatever," she interrupts with a backward wave of her hand.

Dorin whispers "Bah ya fool that'd burn the durned bridge too ya know."

"Watch your tongue, dwarf. Maby the bridge burns, maybe it doesn't. Seems we're better off either way—unless you're too much of a fool to have brought rope with you?"

She glares at the others. "We killing these flying rats, or what?"

Lúthon just shakes his head and feigns intense interest in the bats that are nowhere near his sister.

[GreyWolfVT]

Relve "It would be unwise to burn the bridge we'd surely use up all the rope we have just trying to reconstruct the bridge." the dwarf adds to the conversation. "If you wish to attack the bats I will move to the back of the line as I only carry and attack face to face." as he indicates his melee weapons the mace in his belt and the warhammer in his other hand that is not carrying the lantern.

[Inferno]

Xhahl Vhaldharian, human 'knight'

The chivalric chump neither notices nor cares that the elf maiden has already lost interest. It matters not. He is deep in his reveries now.

Then he grunts earthily: "Good you now, keen archers. Uh... Pray... dispatch yonder savage animals that we may proceed with noble combat; righteous, sporting and fair!"

[onlyme]

Rummus mentions,
I see no reason to attack unprovoked, as these bats have caused us no ill.

[dmw71]

I need somebody to actually do something, please.

Open a door. Move somewhere. Attack something. Anything besides talking.

[Zhym]

"Perhaps we should investigate to the east for now," suggests Lúthon. "The bats and doors will be here when we return. Xhalh, Relve: would you be so good as to lead us in that direction?"

If we're talking, at least we aren't dying.

[AleBelly]

Bingus shakes his head. "Y'all are fixin' for a fight huh? There's enough this island happy to oblige. The bats swooped on the shits behind that door. They'll do it again. Be nice to watch a fight instead of be in one. What do you reckon will happen if we attack the bats? Make noise and bring out another enemy so's we fight two at once. Don't make a damn bit of sense. Maybe we open that door quietly, I throw my voice in there and get the bats to attack for us."

He sighs, exasperated. "Lots of folks already died on this island. You ain't no better than them. Need to use our noggins to survive."

The thin mage walks up to the door quietly and places his ear against it to see if he can hear anything on the other side. If he thinks it's being opened, he will sprint as fast as he can back to the area near the rope ladder.

Didn't see your post, Zhym. Bingus will still listen at the door.

[Zhym]

"The old knock-and-run, huh?" says Malfindel. "Fine, but the rest of us should back away somewhere so the bats don't get distracted by us."

She and Lúthon will stay back toward the ladder, bows ready.

[GreyWolfVT]

oh and Relve did move however the others are blocking him.

[Inferno]

Xhalh waits to learn what Bingus hears, sword and shield ready for glorious combat.

[dmw71]

Bingus advances to the front of the group, passing Relve on the sturdy rope bridge as the dwarf, concerned with his lack of ranged weapons, moves towards the rear of the group. Remembering the T-intersection just before the door, with passages running in either direction, the arcane caster secures Relve's lantern as the pair pass each other. Once he reaches the intersection, Bingus uses the lantern to illuminate both left and right as he peers down each side passage. Turning, he quietly relays to those behind him that each side passage runs approximately 25-feet, and there a closed door is found at the end of the passage to the left, and a narrow opening, maybe a foot wide, formed out of the natural stone of the walls off to the right.

Absent the appearance of any threat, the user of magic steps forward and approaches the door across the intersection in the northern wall. Pressing his ear to the door and straining for several moments, he believes he hears some chanting taking place on the other side, in a tongue foreign to his ears.

Door.png (6.66 KiB) Viewed 414 times

Actions?

---

Date: 7 Goodmonth, Year 571
Time: 9:17 (Sunrise: 05:31, Sunset: 17:59)
Temp: 87F outside (82F underground)
Conditions: Thunderstorm outside (Stuffy and humid underground)
Light Sources: Relve's Lantern (13:47) (Temporarily held by Bingus.)
Known Spells in Effect: None
Spells Remaining: Bingus (MU-1st: 1), Luthon (Elf-1st: 1), Malfindel (Elf-1st: 1), Rummus (Elf-1st: 1)


Health
Good: Bingus Dorin, Luthon, Malfindel, Xhalh, Relve, Rummus
Fair: None
Serious: None
Critical: None

---

Note:
As you can tell from the above, I am going to attempt to more closely begin tracking some more general game conditions that would be obvious to anyone.

Thank you, AleBelly, for shared with me the system you use.

If anyone has any feedback, suggestions, thoughts; I am more than willing to discuss everything the 'ooc' thread.

[GreyWolfVT]

Relve awaits the report back or a decision as to where the party is going to move to.

Dorin too awaits that intentions of the group in front of himself waiting to attack by bow or move onward.

[Zhym]

"Perhaps I can understand the language," suggests Lúthon when he hears about the chanting. He steps forward and listens at the door.

"Only if they're chanting in pompous," mutters Malfindel under her breath.

[dmw71]

Lúthon listens at the door and, while he is not able to comprehend what exactly is being chanted on the other side, he suspects it is some sort of religious ceremony taking place.

[AleBelly]

Bingus sweats profusely, nervous at tangible evidence of the enemy. He looks to the two doors. Is there a way to bar them from the outside? Can he tell? Would it be possible to tie a rope to the door and open it from a distance?

[Zhym]

Lúthon tries to determine whether the chanting sounds sinister or like a regular religious ceremony.