The Game Thread

[tibbius]

Now that Black Dog has actually tasted a cockatrice, her nose recognizes the scent. A few have been through this room at different distant times. She picks up four ... five distinct individuals. One fairly recent headed toward the smelting room where you just came from.

[jemmus]

Careful, Black Dog, says Delx. He moves to be in position to help if needed. He doesn't want to get too close and trigger the iron thing into action. He doesn't know much about golems, but hopes that this is just a laborer and not a guard.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon held the torch aloft, his sword in the other hand. Delx knew his dog better then he. Did she detect danger ahead? The musicmancer held off speaking, should the echoes of the large hall alert enemies.

[Juramenta]

She quickly runs back to the area where they had taken their rest, searching for any inedible leftover or discarded item that could serve as a makeshift signal. Finding a small piece of bone, she grabs it in her mouth and races back to her companions.

Once back, she drops the bone at Delx’s feet and barks sharply four times, her head turning toward the direction of the scents she picked up. She then taps the bone with her right paw once, signaling that there’s something significant about the number four. Finally, she barks four times again, pointing her nose toward the direction the scent trails lead.
Her eyes remain focused on her companions, hoping they understand the message.

[tibbius]

Black Dog's eager noise does echo in the vault of the Foundry. The echoes chase each other around the room for a short breath and then fade.

The torch flames waver briefly then steady.

What do you?

[Grognardsw]

Do ghosts have scents? thought Elcroon, relieved his inner thoughts don’t have to be rhyming verse. Probably not, according to lore. The flicker of torches meant moving air currents. The echo meant no element of surprise.

Since Black Dog seemed very smart for a canine, Elcroon on a lark asked the dog:

“Good dog - is the scent the same
as your kill - the cockatrice in name?
If so, fall down and act lame.”

Elcroon winced at this last rhyme. Curse his curse!

Or could the bone and four barks indicate four skeletons? Elcroon listened for the echo of shuffling feet coming toward them.

What again is the room shape and size? How far away are the two exits? How many feet to the golem (which is in middle of room?) The cold furnaces set in the walls - at what frequency are they placed and could you step into one?

[tibbius]

The room is big beyond torchlight. You think it's roughly eighty feet square. The furnaces are spaced about twelve feet apart around all the walls. Each is big enough for a dwarf to step in. There are coals and ashes in the bottoms of the furnaces. There are big broken pieces of porcelain ladles scattered near the furnaces - Delx nearly stumbled on one. It looks like the bowls of the ladles were about three-four feet across hemispherical. Definitely similar to the massive ladle that the iron golem holds. You are about thirty feet from the iron golem, it is at the edge of your torchlight near the center of the room. You have circled the room and returned near the corner of the room where you came in from the big passage. The other exits are in sides of the room to right and left from your position facing the center.

[Juramenta]

Black Dog cocks her head toward Elcroon, his request puzzling her for a moment.
Lying on my side is dangerous, poet warrior she thinks as she watches Elcroon.
Still, she does her best to accommodate his request, understanding that he seeks some form of confirmation.
Carefully, she lowers herself to the ground, but instead of fully lying flat on her side, she maintains a poised and focused position. Keeping all her paws grounded.
Her muscles remain tense, ready to spring into action if needed, but she hopes her partial compliance will satisfy Elcroon’s request.

[jemmus]

Delx's eyes again widen. Black Dog, you understand language? If "yes," stand and tap your front paw on the floor.

Elcroon, we'll need to watch for.... He's unsure of the plural word. Cockatrices? Cockatreese? Cockatrices. I don't fancy staying here frozen as a stone statue like those dwarves. Though I suppose they at least don't feel the cold. He pulls his winter coat up around his ears. We need to keep moving, this place will freeze us as ice rather than stone if we stay. And I'd say we stay clear of that golem. I can't see any good from investigating it, but I can see plenty of harm.

[Juramenta]

Upon hearing her master's command, black dog's ears perk up at the realization that he understood her more than she thought. Without hesitation, she rises to her feet and taps her front paw firmly on the floor, signaling her understanding.
The realization that her master can understand her kind better than she anticipated does not keep her from her duties. The scents of the cockatrices linger in the air, and a low, rumbling growl escapes her throat as she directs her gaze toward the direction of the lurking creatures. Vermin still roam, she thinks, her body tense and ready for action.

[tibbius]

Nothing happens ...

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon followed the gaze of Black Dog toward what he assumed was the direction of the lurking creatures. (Which is…?)

“I balk at the cock of the walk
Let us not dice against thrice
Instead shun and go opposite direction!”

Pointing toward the opposite doorway to the cockatrice direction, Elcroon motioned Delx forward.

[tibbius]

You take the left doorway.

Next room is a Forge. A mid-size room, low ceiling. Here the dwarfs made weapons and armor. The room has many small fireplaces cut into the walls at waist height, with anvils set on stone pillars adjacent to each fireplace. Hammers and metal scraps lay discarded near the anvils.

Denizen? [_3d6]=(3+2+2)=7

There are three other exits from this room.

1: [_3d6]=(6+5+6)=17 2: [_3d6]=(5+4+2)=11

[jemmus]

Delx waits to see if the wondrous Black Dog scouts ahead, as is her habit. And if she warns again of the presence of cockatrice.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon paused to scribble out the next few rooms on his map.

Descriptions based on GT and OOC post descriptions by number indicated.

[Juramenta]

Black dog indeed takes the front to scout ahead, but remains aware of her companions position in case they decide to pick a different route.
I will scout, but master will decide direction she thinks to herself as she divides up her attention between scouting and being aware of the movements behind her.
She attempts to pick up the scents again of the remaining vermin.

[jemmus]

Your map is good to have, Elcroon. I'll confess that my weakness if having little sense of direction. Perhaps we should go through this room's south door. I seems that a room we haven't seen is beyond it. But first, do we dare light a fire in a forge, to warm ourselves up a bit? Much more of this cold and we'll become as frozen as the poor dwarves, but of ice rather than stone. Surely the smiths here left behind some coal or other fuel.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon concurred.

“Aye, let us pause and sit
to warm paws with fire lit.”

The musicmancer cast about for coal.

[Juramenta]

Black Dog lets out a low growl in the direction of the lingering scent, her instincts urging her to hunt down the vermin. But when she sees her companions moving toward the forge, she reluctantly turns around to follow them.
Don't take our retreat as weakness, vermin. I will find you she thinks angrily, her eyes narrowing at the thought of the creatures still hiding in the shadows.
As she moves closer to her companions, the prospect of warmth from the forge begins to lighten her mood. Realizing they are about to warm up the room, she can’t help but wag her tail a little.

[tibbius]

There are hods of coal or charcoal near each of the hearths, now that you think to look. One of you has a bit of tinder in your pack, you pile coals around it like a wall, and then the torch flame gets the tinder going and the coals begin to glow.

We'll skip the Depletion rolls while you're near your fire, and we'll restore all penalties. However, the warmth may draw attention?

Denizen? [_3d6]=(4+4+4)=12

Indeed, as you crouch by the hearth to warm yourselves, you hear a keening from behind you. Glancing back, you see an apparition approaching: a vaporous dwarf clutching a very real axe!

He darts at Delx but any of you may try to defend and attack.