Chapter 1: The Righteous Go Free

[shroomofinsanity]

Feeling happy about the chances for a new environment to pillage for edibles, Haar searches for tasty morsels while the group is wary about the new surroundings. using his lantern, even though there are several other lit, as it allows him to better see what he is picking up.
I'll just roll this instinct real quick, I don't know the obstacle but I can assume it most likely won't go well.
[1d6] = 4[1d6] = 5Well look at that, 2 successes, ain't that swell. I will edit this post when I know if I actually found anything or not, and is it still possible for me to narrate for that scout advancement? If it's been too long I understand.

[Stirling]

Clough. 'Mouse no' 2'.

The 'action' he is taking seems more instinctive. We have entered deep into an unknown cave system and some run ahead, abandoning a reasoned search in pursuit of a goblin guide. Guhnk knew of the dead fall trap but gave no indication of it to those following. It would not surprise Clough to find other goblins or creatures, alerted to our presence or following behind us. Hence dimming the lantern and using Dungeoneering if a skill roll is required to assess the goings on.



He will stab out at any creatures poised to surprise the less wary group members in front of him.

[Marullus]

Your difficulty may go up and down based on where you are, but you have some say in what you're looking for:

Anything edible (i.e. one portion of forage) at the bottom of a rocky gorge is Ob 2. That's enough to feed the group with a Cook test, though. Herbs or minerals to improve your Cooking (give a +1D to your cooking test) is Ob 3. Something to give Ganna a +1D for Healer or Alchemist to help Durgenor is Ob 4. Go ahead and roll and narrate.

You should specify if you're looking for food, something to enhance your cooking, or something medicinal. That's in your control when you kick off the instinct.

As the group moves hurriedly forward, Haar scans to the sides with his lantern. Caverns, after all, are rich places for tasty morsels rich in savory, earthy flavors. While Clough chastizes the dwarves for their recklessness and the others count their luck for having been missed by the swinging stone skewers (you could roast a whole cow on those!), Haar's eyes catch something thick and purple in the dim light, growing on the stalactites. Plump Helmets! These tasty mushrooms are a robust thickener for any stew. He breaks a few off and tucks them into his small sack with the lizard while the others worry about things like "where to next."

Success for Scavenge (and I allowed Scout). Plump Helmets take up 1 pack slot and add +1D to a Cooking test.

[drpete]

Grimm

Having seen the goblin attempt to lead us into a trap, Grimm will approach him, if he can, and quietly tell him, out of the earshot of the others, if possible.

"I saw what you did, there... with the wire. I will do everything in my power to help you, and your people, if you help us here. Iwill shoot you myself, if I see another betrayal."

[Rex]

Ganna

Ganna continues along, keeping an eye out for ambushes.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Tancred

So Cu, you offered me the use of your dagger a while back. I'm thinkin' that light up ahead might mean we need to be on our toes, so to speak. Mind if I borrow it now?

[Enoch]

Cu Aislin

Cu doesn't say anything, but his Adam's apple Bob's below his mask as he swallows. He draws his dagger and passes it to Tancred, hilt first. As if that act awoke something in him, he pauses, swinging his pack down in front of him and hurriedly untying his sickle be for hustling to catch up with the rest of the group.

[Marullus]

Session 1, Turn 5. Second turn of Adventure Phase.

Party: Durganor, Clough (Fresh), Tancred, Haar, Ganna, Cú Aislin (Angry), Grimm (Fresh)

As the group moves hurriedly forward, Haar scans to the sides with his lantern. Caverns, after all, are rich places for tasty morsels rich in savory, earthy flavors. Haar's eyes catch something thick and purple in the dim light, growing on the stalactites. Plump Helmets! These tasty mushrooms are a robust thickener for any stew. He breaks a few off and tucks them into his small sack with the lizard while the others worry about things like "where to next."

Having seen the goblin attempt to lead us into a trap, Grimm will approach him, if he can, and quietly tell him, out of the earshot of the others, if possible. "I saw what you did, there... with the wire. I will do everything in my power to help you, and your people, if you help us here. I will shoot you myself, if I see another betrayal."

Ganna and Tabby do their best to keep up. Keeping an eye open in case of ambush. "With all that noise anyone nearby knows about us now."

"Push on, goblin. There is power here, I can feel it," says Cu Aislin.

Tancred, the young warrior, turns to Cu Aislin and asks, "So Cu, you offered me the use of your dagger a while back. I'm thinkin' that light up ahead might mean we need to be on our toes, so to speak. Mind if I borrow it now?" Cu doesn't say anything, but his Adam's apple Bob's below his mask as he swallows. He draws his dagger and passes it to Tancred, hilt first. As if that act awoke something in him, he pauses, swinging his pack down in front of him and hurriedly untying his sickle be for hustling to catch up with the rest of the group.

"Fools, running headlong into the goblins domain." says Clough as he arrives at the stalactite trap. More wary now, he allows the others a bit of room. He dims his lantern a little, moving slower, feeling the wall and listening to the babble of waters above the dwarven shouts. He edges forward, focusing on the blue light to guide him. Dagger in hand, he expects more goblin surprises.

...

Clough (Lantern)
Guhnk the Goblin

Grimm
Durganor
Ganna (Lantern)

Haar (Lantern)
Cu Aislin
Tancred

Clough and his dimmed lantern slink forward, Guhnk carefully watched between him and the wary-eyed dwarves. The smooth limestone bank of the waterway is easy to traverse as the party winds its way among the stalactites upstream, closer and closer to the blue light. The massive stone skewers swing back and forth like pendulums behind you, receding in the darkness, only occasionally clacking as they tap against another stalactite as you move on.

The passage slopes up steeply, the water burbling down the decline, then opens into a massive circular, domed room. The sides of the chamber recede beyond your lantern light, the center of the room is a placid cenote -- cold, dark and unfathomably deep -- roughly 40 feet across here at the surface. The ceiling recedes upward, over 80 feet in its center. A shaft pierces upward at the center of the ceiling, a bluish shaft of residual sunlight flitering down from above, shining a column of illumination upon the center of the watery pool and making it glow faintly that you could likely see into its depths, and providing dim illumination the chamber outside your lantern light. A bucket hangs on a rope, dangling a few feet above the water's surface, the rope extending upwards in the shaft above.

Fat stalactites, shaped and hewn by mortal hands, stand around the pool, carved with sigils and glyphs around their sides and on their flat top surfaces, round as end tables. It doesn't take Cu Aislin to inform you - you all can feel the spirits here, the raw, deep power of this magical place.

That said, the place also is strewn with a distressing amount of bones and trash, most of it mounded along the wall to your left. Hunks of bone, tattered cloth, offal and waste, and the rusty indication of things once metal.

Actions?

[Enoch]

Cu Aislin

Cu wanders forward, nearly in a trance. He falls to his knees before the nearest stalagmite, his lips moving silently beneath his mask as he examines them.

I am going to try to interpret the carvings.

[Stirling]

Clough.

It doesn't resemble any great place of power, dark and dank as it is. No statues or altar pieces, vestry closets of fine raiment, shrines of holy relics. "All very goblinoid." he says cynically whilst thinking a truer power and perhaps riches lie above, at the end of the bucket rope.

He will use his advance to check out the pool and water and see if the bucket may be reached or hauled in.

[Rex]

Ganna

Ganna looks around in wonder, checking to see if she can learn anything or find anything useful around the edge of the water.

[drpete]

Grimm

Grimm readies his crossbow, keeping an eye out for whatever created all those skeletons. Here heads over by Cu Aislin to try to lend a hand interpreting the writing.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Tancred

Not being knowledgeable in reading old runes, I'll just keep watch, or help Clough if he wants to try to reach the bucket.

[Marullus]

Session 1, Turn 5. Second turn of Adventure Phase.

Party: Durganor, Clough (Fresh), Tancred, Haar, Ganna, Cú Aislin (Angry), Grimm (Fresh)

Cu Aislin wanders forward, nearly in a trance. He falls to his knees before the nearest stalagmite, his lips moving silently beneath his mask as he examines them. They are written in the secret language of druids and he pores over them... there is so much here...
I need a Will test, Obstacle 4, from Cu Aislin. We resolve this before the actions below. We can do this while OOC discussions happen.

Clough and Tancred go to the edge of the pool, contemplating the bucket and rope, Clough thinking of ascending to better spoils. The bucket dangles six feet above the surface of the center of the water, illuminated by the shaft of bright sunlight, some 20 feet from where you stand on the edge. The rope is brand new, as is the bucket, and it certainly looks as if it would support you if you could get hold of it. How you reach it at that distance is a bit more of a conundrum. Test will be declared when you decide an action to reach the bucket. Tancred gazes down into the pool, looking for a way to help, and is surprised by what the bluish light illuminates. A glimmering longsword sticks upright in a marble slab in the middle of the pool, about ten to fifteen feet or so below the surface of the still blue-tinted waters...

Haar holds his lantern aloft next to Grimm who watches with wary eyes, training his loaded crossbow around the room for a threat. Ganna and Tabbi pad around the area, looking for clues or valuables among the midden. Looking back behind himself, Grimm sees that both Durganor and the goblin are gone, only the dwarf's large sack of torches lying there, meaning the dwarf freed his hands...

Durganor's stated goal was to dissappear with the goblin (and hopefully murder him) when you all were exploring the cave. His large sack contains two slots of torches (x8 total) and two slots holding his lantern.
Since Rossik has to depart OOC, I will allow this to happen here off-camera, dropping your party size from 8 to 6, which is more manageable...

As Ganna and Tabbi tiptoe carefully across the floor, lantern raised, the large pile of midden to your left explodes upward -- massive creature lunges outward to surprise her! It is about ten feet tall with long, wiry limbs and long, dirty claws. Its hair is matted to its head and bits of trash still cling to it as it bursts forward, its rubbery, spongy looking flesh and sharp shark-like teeth making it no surprise that its intent in skulking there is to devour you.

troll3.gif (19.01 KiB) Viewed 1193 times

Fortunately, your wary approach leaves no one surprised and Grimm ready for action...
Sidebar in OOC Conversation on how to handle a Conflict scene.

[Enoch]

Can't use any of my Traits to benefit me because I'm Angry.

5D: [1d6] = 3, : [1d6] = 2, : [1d6] = 4, : [1d6] = 5, : [1d6] = 4

3 successes. I can't spend any Fate, because I don't have any 6's and I can't use Deeper Understanding when I'm Angry. I forgot to roll the helping die from Grimm, though:

1D: [1d6] = 5

Success!

[Marullus]

Session 1, Turn 6. Third turn of Adventure Phase.

Party: Durganor, Clough (Fresh), Tancred, Haar, Ganna, Cú Aislin (Angry), Grimm (Fresh)

Cu Aislin has no difficulty reading the druidic language carved upon the stalactite stelae, but the contents therein, the nature of this place, threatens to overwhelm him. The stones write of the past, but also the present and future as if time is unbounded here. He recognizes the writing style of these stones as his own, as if he carved them himself, though he has never been here before. The realization threatens to overwhelm him with terror at what its implications might hold... but his will is formidable, and he faces what he sees before him, omens and omens of things now and yet to come... it is his burden to cary the inevitable future.

IC revelations (for Cu Aislin only):

You determine that the following things about the past or present are currently true about this cave:

• The author of these stones is referred to by the title of The Merlin, and this person has reincarnated in many epocs.
• This cavern is home to a powerful water spirit who manifests as a beautiful woman.
• The Lady is guardian of the sword of the Pendragon King, wielded five generations ago to bring about the Lasting Peace.
• The sword, named Excalibur, can only be wielded by someone who truly believes in the Law.
• These waters are holy (and act as holy water).
• This cave is supernaturally peaceful. It grants +1D to recovery tests while present.
• The presence of trash, bones, and midden here is highly irregular.

The following things are decipherable in the stones as not yet come to pass, and can be used to invoke Omen-Wise appropriately at any future time. Special Effect: If you are leading into their fated outcome, you can grant +2D Help with the wise instead of +1D.

• The True Heir will face the Prince of Duloc and win.
• A dragon will burn an army in the field.
• The True Heir will learn of his true noble heritage from someone besides you.
• The True Heir's ill-fated love will produce a bastard son.
• The True Heir's noble marriage will unite the kingdoms.
• As soon as the sky is colored brightly at night, two brothers shall cause the overthrowing of royalty.
• When the moment comes that wolves howl together, a woman clad in blue shall bring forth the downfall of two kingdoms.
• The Thief's faith will close the demon portal.
• A bear's discretion will determine when the time is right.
• When the lion roars, the witch will understand her folly.
• The kingdoms will only unite as equals.
• The Merlin will fall in love with The Lady, giving up your prescient sight and being imprisoned in this cave.

As the huge, long-limbed monster bursts forth from the midden heap, the party reacts and prepares fend it off and not be devoured as its dinner...

The entire Conflict Scene fits into Turn #3. Feel free to post your IC reactions as the creature appears. We'll then post turn-by-turn for the Conflict actions.

[Enoch]

Startled, Cu scrambles back on all fours, crab-like, nearly forgetting his sickle in the process. Not a pretty woman! Not a pretty woman!"

Would we recognize the creature or know anything about it?

[Stirling]

Clough. 'Mouse no' 2'.

The sword in the stone looks a relic but Clough doubts anyone could pull it out and immersed in such a way makes him think the pool perhaps is not what it seems.

Seeing the troll, Clough will protect with his dagger. He calls for flame, "Torches, these creatures are more wary of flame than blade."

[Marullus]

Would we recognize the creature or know anything about it?

Seeing the troll, Clough will protect with his dagger. He calls for flame, "Torches, these creatures are more wary of flame than blade."

Player knowledge and Character knowledge are usually distinct. Because the game has a mechanic for IC knowledge of monsters (the Lore Master or Hunter skills), it normally benefits from a roll. I mentioned earlier in the OOC thread that you could have chosen to do a roll to identify the creature from the midden it was leaving, and to recall facts about it (such as weakness to fire).

As we're learning, I'll allow the roll before combat initiates; since recalling Lore isn't currently anyone's instinct, it will be Turn 6 and then the conflict will be Turn 7. Since the creature is now apparent, it will be an Ob 2 test with either Loremaster or Hunter to know its weapons. Cu Aislin knows this creature doesn't belong and is NOT the guardian he was expecting; he can roll to identify a troll with his Loremaster with Grimm's help.

[Enoch]

OK. I assume this is an application of the rule "Never Volunteer", in which the first player to propose a plan has to execute it.

I have a 4D Lore Master, +1D for Help.

5D: [1d6] = 2, : [1d6] = 3, : [1d6] = 3, : [1d6] = 4, : [1d6] = 4

Scraping by by the skin of my teeth today!