Chapter 2: The Highway and Silver Spring

[ravenn4544]

Androgost with sword in hand nods his understanding of the need for quiet

[redwarrior]

Frannie will remain quiet. Boff shakes his head, and does likewise - while drifting to the tail end of the group /

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos draws his sword, shifts position so his back is against a wall, and quietly waits, listening.

[shaidar]

Garrant waits quietly.

[Rex]

Qleceec

Qleceec waits quietly with the others.

[gurusql]

In the Jotens - Mid-day
Sunday, 16th day of Planting, 597
11th day since leaving Loftwick

Qleceec (AC 1, HP 60/63)
Androgost (AC -6, HP 62/65, Armor 26/26)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 53/53)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48)
Garrant (AC 8, HP 47/50)
Hex (AC 0, HP 26/27, Armor 8/8)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8)
Boff (AC 5, HP 59/61)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 26/26)

Gimbrek says "Extinguish the lights, we will go the last 100' in darkness. When you are told to turn it will be to the left and I warn you there is a low ceiling at first, about 4 and a half feet tall. Hold hands and stay together."

So after the the lights go out, there is a scraping sound, followed by two taps, the first is short and crisp the second is a flatter sound.

"Go now"

The group is lead into the darkness, those with infravision it is just returning. The group stays together and with those over 4 feet tall being reminded to duck. The group is let down a five foot wide tunnel for about thirty feet before it opens up and the ceiling raises. The room is lit by a fungi, it is enough to see by (like dusk), but not enough to read by. The light lets you all see about 100' which you can tell is not across the length of this chamber. The ceiling is perhaps 100' high in the center. It is oval in shape about 70' wide and as mentioned extends farther than you can make out at the moment. Most of the floor space is taken up by neat rows of fungi with many trails crisscrossing the mushroom patches.

There is a scraping sound behind the group and then Gimbrek says "Welcome to Silver Springs, you are the first non-dwarves to enter here in almost 40 years. I have sent the scouts ahead to let the Elders know you are here. As soon as we can get them gathered we will call for you. The fifth ladder on the left might a good place to have you wait." With that prompt you notice that there are 10 ladders made of mushroom "logs" on each side of the large chamber. Each of these helps with a climb of 4-7 feet leading to the entrance to a structure build into the caves.

Almost as if there was no one making a sound the movement of the dwarves in the chamber returns. There are at least 40 female dwarves and perhaps 25 children visible between the "ground level" and up on the raised structures. Gimbrek remains pointing to a path keeping you on the left side of the chamber.

Actions?

Corrected grammer

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos follows to the left, counting to five he grabs the rung of what he believes to be the correct ladder and glances at Gimbrek before climbing up.

[gurusql]

Gimbrek

Gimbrek nods and smiles at Nah Olos.

[Rex]

Qleceec

Qleceec follows up the ladder.

[Storm11]

Hex and Raffi will follow up the ladder in their turn as well.

[shaidar]

Garrant follows the others up the ladder.

[Spearmint]

Siouxsie

A patch of light sensitive Shriekers?

She follows along.

[gurusql]

In the Jotens - Mid-day
Sunday, 16th day of Planting, 597
11th day since leaving Loftwick

Qleceec (AC 1, HP 60/63)
Androgost (AC -6, HP 62/65, Armor 26/26)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 53/53)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48)
Garrant (AC 8, HP 47/50)
Hex (AC 0, HP 26/27, Armor 8/8)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8)
Boff (AC 5, HP 59/61)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 26/26)

As the party begins to climb the mushroom ladder, it leads to a platform about five feet above the ground. At the top of the ladder is a small platform outside of an obvious residence. This home has five dwarf sized stools up against a bar. For the taller members of the group it might make more sense to stand and seeing the crowd, female dwarf says "Oh oh so many of you. If there are a few dwarves, gnomes or halflings you can clean your feet and sit in my life-ing room. I answer to Molly, not hey-you or something worse. I am the local brew master. " The inside ceiling is only about 4.5' tall, but the couch looks a lot softer than the stool. Molly continues "I got both kinds of drinks, Mushroom Ale and MushRum. For visitors such as yourselves the first one is on the house."

[shaidar]

Garrant smiles at the brew master

"Thank you Molly, I think a cup of the ale would be very refreshing."

[Storm11]

hex goggles at the invitation, bowing impressed. He drags Raffi along with him into the life room and follows Molly’s direction.

A pleasure young lady. The rum for me, he says looking at the halfling. And for me as well thank you Raffi replies, sitting himself beside the gnome.

A pleasant dwelling indeed, the illusionist compliments. Are the dwarf elders coming here? How long have you been experiencing the quakes here, coupd you tell us?

[cybersavant]

Nah Olos sits on one of the stools. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Molly. I'll try an ale. How much for the second one?"

[ravenn4544]

Androgost declines the brew politely. “Not while on duty, thank you”

[Rex]

Qleceec

"I will try the Musrum please."

[redwarrior]

Boff smiles, Good Golly, Miss Molly, but some mushRum would hit the spot, indeed it would!

Frannie is more reserved and states Ma'am, I would take a mug of the Ale, if you would be so kind.

[gurusql]

In the Jotens - Mid-day
Sunday, 16th day of Planting, 597
11th day since leaving Loftwick

Qleceec (AC 1, HP 60/63)
Androgost (AC -6, HP 62/65, Armor 26/26)
Nah Olos (AC 4, HP 53/53)
Siouxsie (AC 2, HP 48/48)
Garrant (AC 8, HP 47/50)
Hex (AC 0, HP 26/27, Armor 8/8)
Raffi (AC -1, HP 21/21, Armor 8/8)
Boff (AC 5, HP 59/61)
Frannie (AC 4, HP 26/26)

Molly gets everyone's drinks. The Mushroom Ale is deep, maple-y, as well as fairly rich and strong. The MushRum is mahogany color with copper shades and suspended particles of fungi. "Enjoy friends."

Answering some of the questions, Nah Olos sits on one of the stools. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Molly. I'll try an ale. How much for the second one?" - "One silver slip for the Ale, 5 silver slips for the Rum"

Hex asks "Are the dwarf elders coming here? How long have you been experiencing the quakes here, coupd you tell us?" and Molly answers "Oh no, they were expecting you a few days ago, they will call you when they have gathered. And yes of course we have had the quakes here for more than a month. Perhaps the garden hides it well but those cracks she points out several in the center chamber are all new and more than a handful have died in cave-ins." (With your height and perhaps the calmness you can see multiple cracks in the large chamber that Molly points out.)

After about 15 mins Gimbrek returns, I will escort you to the gathering hall. Gimbrek leads the group through the large main chamber. room ends of being about 140' long with gardens in the center and structures on the edges up the mushroom ladders. Each appears to be a different residence. He leads you pass a dark, but open tunnel and too and through a set of double doors and double a short 10' hall to large room that is 20' by 40' with a generous 8' ceiling. The room is lit by 6 total lanterns. Not counting the way you came in there are three other doors in the room, all closed. Two on the left and one on the right. Standing in the rear of the room are five dwarves. Gimbrek says, "May I present the Council of Elders, Arvid Stonespring,, Gavin Wellhorn, Longscar Gondquell, Devon Glitterstone and Rakr Riftdust." All five men have a somber expression.

1-ArvidStonespring.gif (158.88 KiB) Viewed 6709 times

2-GavinWellhorn.jpg (181.52 KiB) Viewed 6709 times

3-LongscarGondquell.jpg (176.54 KiB) Viewed 6709 times

4-DevonGlitterstone.gif (109.07 KiB) Viewed 6709 times

5-RakrRiftdust.png (151.56 KiB) Viewed 6709 times

Giving the adventurers a chance to react.