CHAPTER 14: Retrace the Tunnels

[shaidar]

Silvestri

"None of this seems familiar to me. Which direction should we head?"

[Norjax]

The Gam’A Zone 21D/82 (Evening)

Denslow is the first to enter the large cavern. Water from the two nearest pipes flows out of the left, the blue liquid flows from the right out of the third pipe. The fluids cascade into a pool where they churn and mix before leaving for the waterfall, adding a rhythmic cadence to the atmosphere. The smell of fresh water mixed with earth aromas occasionally offers an unknown scent that is neither foul nor pleasant. The pipes, buried ages ago, emerge and exit from solid compacted earth about 20 feet above the floor. The irregular ceiling maxes out at 40ft.

A narrow passage lies behind and to the left of the nearest rock pile.

Upper_Cavern_V3.png (772.19 KiB) Viewed 1042 times

Anton walks toward the pile of blue rocks, quickly recognizing it as a fungal mass. The bioluminescent rock-shaped nodules are 6-12 inches in diameter. He pauses, refraining from interaction until he can examine it more thoroughly. Being part of the fungal kingdom himself, he knows there could be unseen dangers hidden within.

Two more masses are in this cavern, opposite the central pool.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 24D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [8/16]
Silvestri – 53/60 [4/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [11/15]
Max – 28/28 [7/15]
Anton – 43/43 [5/11]

[greyarea]

Denslow steers clear of the blue rocks. I’ve gotten Athlete’s Root before and it wasn’t pleasant. I have cream for it but would prefer not to grow more again. I prefer my fungal friends upright and walking, not growing in my bark.

[Zhym]

Is there enough room to get to the passage without disturbing the blue fungus?

[Norjax]

Is there enough room to get to the passage without disturbing the blue fungus?

Yes. A couple feet of clearance.

[Norjax]

Bumping this thread.

[greyarea]

Max gets up real close to the fungus, not touching it yet, but about as close as he can get without touching. Is it possible to pick individual pieces (like many mushrooms)? How big are the fungi?

My momma told me never to eat the red ones with white polka dots, he muses aloud. She never said a thing about glowing blue ones…

[Anton_E_Gregor]

Anton cautions Max "It might be safer for me to investigate that Max, i'm inside this suit"

[greyarea]

Good point, ant man, responds Max. Have at ‘em.

He steps back to allow Anton to inspect the fungi.

[Anton_E_Gregor]

"Stand back!" Anton pokes cautiously at the fungus with one of his darts.

[Norjax]

The Gam’A Zone 21D/82 (Evening)

Anton interrupts Max attempting to inspect the fungal growths. Each nodule is the size of an Ostralope Melon (6-12 inches in diameter) and appears to be connected to the bulk of the mass with a stem. Unlike the smooth, white skin of an Ostralope, the surface of the blue nodules is porous with a flat sheen. He commands the others to step back as he pokes one of the nodules with a dart. The point of the dart pierces the surface of the fungal fruit.

There is no reaction to the cautious probe.

Kurot, surmising a construct should be able to pass unnoticed, pads forward to investigate the passage behind the closest fungal mass. He discovers a narrow 8ft-wide passage that leads out into the unknown.



Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 24D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [8/16]
Silvestri – 53/60 [4/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [11/15]
Max – 28/28 [7/15]
Anton – 43/43 [5/11]

[greyarea]

Maybe we take some of those mushrooms for further examination, suggests Max.

[greyarea]

I don’t want anything to do with them, says Denslow. He steers clear of them fungi and peers down the corridor Kurot found. Let explore here.

[shaidar]

Silvestri

"I agree, let's take a look."

He is careful to avoid the fungi.

[Anton_E_Gregor]

"Seems normal, I guess?" Anton says with a shrug. Satisfied that the mushroom is not of interest he follows the other party members.

[greyarea]

Max grabs a handful of the mushrooms and puts them in his pack, rolling them into his blanket. I really need some small sacks, he thinks. Then he joins the others down the side corridor.

[Norjax]

The Gam’A Zone 21D/82 (Evening)

Max grabs a few of the nodules and slips them into his pack.

The narrow, jagged passage opens into an ancient, artificial chamber. The air is damp, moisture seeping through the worn stone walls and pooling on the floor. Metal boxes and cabinets occupy the room.

A wall cabinet, anchored to the east wall, features a regularly blinking amber light. Knobs and corroded metal utensils jut out from the front, while strange symbols and pictographs cover its face.

Two large metal boxes, each about 10 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 4 feet tall, sit in the northern part of the room. They are a deep blue, almost black, with holes and slots on the sides. In one corner of each box, a clear 6-inch sphere is securely fastened to the top.

Across from the entrance, a large patch of dust-covered, ochre mold clings to the floor, spreading out like a stain.

In the northeast corner, an alcove houses a cylindrical column that runs from floor to ceiling, its purpose unclear.

Suddenly, Max feels an itch spreading across his palms. Glancing down, he notices a faint blue glow emanating from them. A wave of dizziness hits him, and he staggers, bracing himself against the wall for support.



Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Point Recovery - 24D]:

Denslow – 42/42 [8/16]
Silvestri – 53/60 [4/14]
Kurot – 50/50 [11/15]
Max – 28/28 [7/15]
Anton – 43/43 [5/11]

[greyarea]

Max slumps down sitting against the wall, holding his glowing hand in front of himself and staring at it. I don’t feel so good, he says. I hope this trip gets better.

[greyarea]

Denslow watches to make sure Max isn’t going into convulsions. He gets out his anti-fungal agent. We might need to use this somehow, he says.

[Anton_E_Gregor]

Anton is distracted by the blinking machines and their controls. "We had many such apparatus aboard when I lived in the sky" he recollects.
He observes the machines hoping to discern any pattern or purpose to their function.