Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus also follow the group. If they have to go in a single line, he will position himself after Sik.

Just let me know if you want Akhilleus to go second, silifi.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will again hold and take up the rear guard position, as others pass into the passage.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Bottomless Chasm?
No Idea On Time Or Day

Exiting the odd bedroom through the secret door in the wall, Kain leads the way to more mysteries, sweeping through the passageway in his shadowy form.

In their flickering torchlight, the group soon learns that the tight tunnel intersects with a steep, narrow staircase that bridges what appears to be a bottomless chasm to the south. Like a gnarled finger pointing downwards, the precarious stairway descends sharply about 50 feet before it disappears into total darkness.

The passage continues on as well, bending back around in a northerly direction that leads to who knows where. The slight rush of air seems to be coming from that direction, but nothing can be seen beyond your current light source. The air in this tunnel smells of dirt and stone, but no sound is heard while you investigate.

Actions?

Underborea 2 - Copy (2).jpeg (58.34 KiB) Viewed 287 times

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:1 AC6 17/19 Shadow Form:8
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12 CLW, DM Torch
Ceana (D3) FA:2 AC5 19/19 Torch
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 36/14 Enlarge

[silifi]

Sik, remembering the last time he rushed into battle, decides to let Akhilleus take second spot in front of him.

As the staircase to nowhere comes into view, Sik looks at it warily. He takes one of his (non-silver) sling bullets out of his pouch and tosses it into the abyss, listening for the sound when it hits the bottom.

"I don't care what you guys say, I'm not going down there."

[Rex]

Drest

Drest moves carefully forward.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus follows Drest. He remains wary, in case anything attacks them from above or flying from the side.

Giving ideas to our DM.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He looks out at the pit of nothingness and sighs. "I'm not sure my current form can fly, so let's call that stairway plan C? F?" He chuckles a bit. "There are other options, like to the north here. Or even two options back in that large circle room. Curiosity will get the better of those who act first and think later."

Kain nods "And yes, I realize the hypocrisy of me saying that while looking like this."

He flits off to the north, eager to find the moving air. Kain will attempt to lift off from the ground, trying to see if he can float.

[subaltari]

Magda pauses at the intersection using her lantern's light to peer down into the chasm. She smirks on hearing "shadow Kain's" somewhat contradictory speech, but adds, "Mayhap Belloc's owl could explore over those stairs. In the meantime I agree, let's follow this bend to the left.

"Drest, is there any sign of traps?"

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will check for traps as he advances.

Good thought, I sometimes forget he is a thief, LOL.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"I agree it makes sense to out where the passage goes before crossing the chasm."

[Belkregos]

Belloc agrees and stays towards the rear of the group, his attention focused on the shadow accompanying them

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Remaining silent, the druid follows along, eyeballing the descending stairs as she passes them.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will hold in the room until everyone else is out, then he'll follow.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Bottomless Chasm?
No Idea On Time Or Day

Sik cautiously drops a stone into the chasm, hoping to measure a possible depth. He does not hear a report from below.

Though he can float around as if he were flying, Kain never gains more that an average speed in his shadowy form. (MR:30) If that wasn't freakish enough, his voice also seems distant and wispy when he speaks.

Magda suggests the Magician's owl fly through the open chasm, but Belloc doesn't seem convinced that is a good idea.

Ignoring the stairway of certain death for now, the group follows the slowly widening pathway towards the open air, eventually arriving at the top of a series of switchbacks cut into a cliff wall that descends around 300 feet to another level below. Though the area beyond is shrouded in pitch black darkness, natural light from what must be phosphorescent growths sheds a creepy violet glow, making certain spots ahead easier to see.

A humid mist rises from a fast flowing river easier heard than seen just at the edge of your vision. A massive constructed bridge spans the waterway, disappearing from sight in the vast distance. Ruined structures can be made out at the bottom of this cliff, along with huge clusters of mustard colored spotted mushrooms that stand 20 feet tall and half that around. These mushrooms also give off a yellow brown light that bathes the entire bottom of the chamber in a putred colored haze. There is no distinct sounds from below besides the rushing of water.

It seems the group has definitely discovered an entrance of some kind into the fabled Underborea of legends, making the bottomless chasm of death option behind you look better and better.

Actions?

Underborea 2 - Copy.jpeg (67.55 KiB) Viewed 198 times

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:1 AC6 17/19 Shadow Form:7
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12 CLW, DM Torch
Ceana (D3) FA:2 AC5 19/19 Torch
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 36/14 Enlarge

[Rex]

Drest

"Which way now? It seems we are at a crossroads of sorts."

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

"Yoon-Deh' preserve us," breathes the Druid as she takes in the scene at the bottom of the cliff. "I should like to explore those giant mushrooms. I wonder what type of concoctions they may offer, what secrets of the mind they may open."
Unless someone stops her, Ceana will wander toward the giant stand of shrooms.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

"Maaybee wee should gooo baack tooo those other dooorss" Kain states his preference before following Ceana. "I'll gooo with yooou."

[subaltari]

Magda addresses Ceana with a tone of warning in her accented voice. "Those giant mushrooms are nothing like the ones the Toad Matron cultivated... and if she knew of them, she shared naught with me. Still, before going down there we might see if there's some mention of them in the herbal notes that you brought out of her hut?"

"Maaybee wee should gooo baack tooo those other dooorss" Kain states his preference before following Ceana.

Already getting used to Kain's ghostlike presence (which she hopes is a feature of the cloak and not permanent), Magda agrees. "The doors in the great hall, yes, you spoke of those before. It may be that one of them could lead us to the opposite side of that chasm behind us."

[Rex]

Drest

"The doors are a good option if everyone is fine with that I can lead the way back."

[shaidar]

Xenos

It does make sense to check all the previous options before we move on. We're not even sure that is the gem we are looking for, are we? I agree we should head back and check the double doors. "