Chapter 1a: Mystery of Odlo - The chasm...then the tunnel

[CAI4]

Margit says nothing, but anxiously awaits the result of Bob White’s chicken leg test towards the water source

[AleBelly]

Zygmund crosses the log spanning the chasm.

Legless ignites a torch then lies in the muck to watch as Yarnold tosses a rock down into the chasm. His aim is true; it lands just to the left of the robed figure with a plop, sticking in the muddy earth below. Nothing else observable happens. Margit watches these happenings as well CAI4 - Margit hasn't crossed the chasm yet so can't watch Bobwhite. Let me know if you want to use this turn to cross with Zygmund and Yarnold.. Yarnold, seeing nothing of note happening, crosses after the wizard's apprentice.

Legless inhales deeply, attempting to glean what lies below using another sense. GM rolls dice. He smells no signs of bodily decay, though the elf realizes the strong smell of bat waste could be masking such a smell.

Some of the PCs wonder about the fate of the adventurers above, just as light illuminates the tunnel from which they entered. Palermo, Sisyphus, and Hailey emerge, followed by others.

I have Margit and Legless on the near side of the chasm. Yarnold and Zygmund on the far side, making their way towards the room that Wenceslas, Xerxes, Bobwhite, and Rolf entered

Wenceslas, Xerxes, Bobwhite, and Rolf's adventure follows here.

Wenceslas, Xerxes, Yarnold, Zygmund, Bobwhite, Margit, Legless, and Rolf all receive 1 xp.

[OGRE MAGE]

Palmero attempts to cross the log next, hoping to join the others ahead.

"We found more toad spiders up there. Nasty creatures got 2 of us so far now."

Random D20 [1d20]=4

[OGRE MAGE]

Sully helps tie his rope around Legless so he can be lowered down to check on the body and voice.

"We will suspend you over the area for a moment so you can get a better look before we drop you all the way down."

[AleBelly]

Palmero attempts to cross the log next, hoping to join the others ahead.

"We found more toad spiders up there. Nasty creatures got 2 of us so far now."

Random D20 [1d20]=4

Minor correction - three have been killed: Deuteria, Hanson, and Hunwald

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry......I should have said 2 more of us.

[CAI4]

Margit heads towards the door with the others

Margit will cross the chasm after Yarnold and Zygmund

Sisyphus curls up into a ball and gently rocks back and forth incoherently murmuring under his breath, seemingly in a state of shock after the recent encounter. His eyes keep darting back to the area in which the toad spiders were last seen

Sisyphus is too shellshocked to request a weapon at this time

Radahn moves over to Sully as he lowers the rope. “Need any help? If something were to go wrong it’s best to have extra hands to pull him up quickly”

Bilberta gently sits down next to Sisyphus and attempts to comfort him

[AleBelly]

gurusql, Cotgric keeps his grappling hook and rope from the descent

The rest of the party exits the tunnel into the room with the mysterious chasm. As they file in, Nordman expresses trepidation at leaving the toad-spiders at their backs. Sisyphus has trouble coming to grips with his recent experience.

Feel free to continue to roleplay your PCs coming to grips with the recent deaths.

Meanwhile, those that were down below earlier continue their investigation of the chasm. Radahn and Sully lower Legless into the chasm OGRE MAGE check your private forum. Margit then Palermo carefully cross the log spanning the chasm, feeling it give ever so slightly under his feet.

Zygmund and Yarnold will reach the door next update. Margit and Palermo will reach it in two.

The faint old voice deep within the chasm repeats "Help me" every 90 seconds or so.

I am now synchronizing time between the two groups. Two PCs can cross the chasm using the log, one at a time, per update. If you want to double that, give an agility check of 6. This means four can cross per update one at a time, but a failure means dropping 30' into the chasm and taking 3d6 damage. It is ill-advised, but you can also cross two at a time on the log...but based on what the PCs have seen so far there's a chance the rotten log would break under the weight.

Actions?

[Rex]

Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Nordman sees the chasm and shudders. "I don't like the look of that, I am supposed to cross that log?"

Rimilda looks everything over. "Looks to be barely holding out. Maybe someone could take one end of the rope so we can rig a safety line in case the log gives out?"

Wenyld, "Good idea, I will look for a something to tie the rope to.", she looks around for an anchor point.

[AleBelly]

Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Nordman sees the chasm and shudders. "I don't like the look of that, I am supposed to cross that log?"

Rimilda looks everything over. "Looks to be barely holding out. Maybe someone could take one end of the rope so we can rig a safety line in case the log gives out?"

Wenyld, "Good idea, I will look for a something to tie the rope to.", she looks around for an anchor point.

This plan will also accelerate the crossing of the party to four per update. Nice work! There isn't a good anchor point here, but one PC could make a solid anchor by planting their heels in the muck. Then those on the far side could anchor the last one to cross.

[Rex]

Wenyld

"I will anchor the rope on this side."

She is probably the largest of my characters as she is the strongest (12 Str) and tied for toughest (15 Con).

[AleBelly]

Wenyld wraps the rope around herself and digs her feet into the muck near the log on the near side of the chasm. She offers the rope to someone to take it to the other side, hoping to create a rope handbridge to make crossing easier.

Meanwhile, some of the party watch Legless at the bottom of the chasm. The elf pokes around at the robed body with his staff from a distance before investigating it any closer. He then looks into the far wall at the bottom of the chasm. "I see another way in if you are afraid of crossing the log. A lot less muck, too."

He picks up what looks like a leather bag near the body, and a stick. He then begins taking the robes off the body.

Wenyld, Legless, Radahn, and Sully have made their moves. Others on the near side, please let me know if you're crossing the chasm using the rope this round.

[Rex]

Nordman, Rimilda, & Wenyld

Once the rope is in place.

Nordman attempts to cross.
Dex (8/-1) [1d20]=14

Rimilda attempts to cross.
Dex check (10/0) [1d20]=11

Wenyld will continue to anchor the rope.

[OGRE MAGE]

Palmero will cross the log, using the rope, if it's not too late.

[AleBelly]

I had Palermo already crossing, hanging with Margit.

There's a lot to keep track of...if there's a better way for me to do this please let me know. But the chaos fits a 0-level setting well in my opinion.

[OGRE MAGE]

Wenyld, Legless, Radahn, and Sully have made their moves. Others on the near side, please let me know if you're crossing the chasm using the rope this round.

Okay.

I wasn't sure as I didn't see him listed above.

The confusion should clear up once you whittle down a few more victims.

[Rex]

We seem to be whittling down pretty quick.

[Marullus]

He then looks into the far wall at the bottom of the chasm. "I see another way in if you are afraid of crossing the log. A lot less muck, too."

Hailey holds her torch out to look. "Another path? Point it out? Does it lead to the same door, or another?"

If it leads to the same place, she crosses the log bridge.
Dex [1d20]=16

[AleBelly]

He then looks into the far wall at the bottom of the chasm. "I see another way in if you are afraid of crossing the log. A lot less muck, too."

Hailey holds her torch out to look. "Another path? Point it out? Does it lead to the same door, or another?"

If it leads to the same place, she crosses the log bridge.
Dex [1d20]=16

Legless can't be sure that it leads to the same place, just the same general direction. And, the opening he's referring to is at the bottom of the chasm, so it's also 30' below.

[Marullus]

"Hey! Down there." Hailey calls attention to the lower route for anyone still at the chasm. "Why don't we check that lower route? Legless, while you are down there can you try the door?"