Expedition - Lug/Exploration - May 20, 1 VC

[Zhym]

Lug looks down at Orrin, confused. "Did I say something funny?" he asks.

Looking back up at the cliff blocking access to the mountain, he frowns. "Anyone bring a rope and grappling hook?"

Speaking of which—Keehnelf, could you PM us character sheets when you get a chance? Thanks!

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram admits that he has 50 feet of rope that has served him well so far. But no grappling hook to secure it.

[Keehnelf]

Sheets will need to come tonight, but I'll do it--thanks for the reminder!

[Keehnelf]

May 25, 1 VC - 4:20pm

The party approaches the cliff even more closely, passing over the scarred portion of land that had only recently been an open lava flow. In places, the ground still smokes menacingly, causing the large group to take a circuitous path across the landscape to reach the base of the sheer mountain face.

From close up, they see cracks and fissures in the face of the stone that would allow a skilled climber to make an ascent even in the absence of a rope, but such a task would be a difficult (and of course dangerous) one.

A mile or so to the north, the sheer face of the mountain gives way to a somewhat shallower climb made up of the debris that collapses off the mountain's peak when it fell to the north. It might be somewhat more unstable, but decidedly less sheer.

[Zhym]

"An unstable pile of debris," says Lug, master of the obvious. "I see nothing that could possibly go wrong climbing that!"

Lug heads for the pile.

Every now and then I figure I'm obligated to have Lug act his wisdom. If only he had a beer he could ask someone to hold.

[Keehnelf]

At least it's had a few weeks to settle!

[hedgeknight]

Krysta swallows hard and shakes her head, but then moves out, with a prayer on her lips, following Lug.

[Zorroroaster]

"Right behind you, big guy. Well, perhaps a little ways behind. Lemme know if you wanna take a rope, spikes and a hammer."

[KingOfCowards]

If we have spikes and hammer, it might not be a bad idea.

I guess we'll see how difficult of an ascent it is with a gentle, yet unstable slope.

[Zhym]

"Gentle yet unstable," repeats Lug. "Knew a girl like that once." He chuckles softly.

"Okay, gimme the stuff and I'll lug it up the slope. Get it? Lug the stuff? HAH!"

[Zorroroaster]

Orrin looks around at the others and then back to Lug.

"Whassamatter with you? You hit your head or something?"

[Zhym]

"Not recently. Why?"

[Zorroroaster]

"Just wondering. You thnking of changing career? Bard? Jester?"

[Zhym]

"I could be a bard," says Lug. He starts singing, well off key:

"Lug, Lug the song of Lug
This is the song of Lug!
Lug, Lug, Lug, Lug
Everyone wants to be Lug!

Lug, Lug the song of Lug
This is the song of Lug!
Lug, Lug, Lug, Lug
It's better than being a bug!

He's fast, he's strong
And charming to boot!
He's brave, and kind
The handsome galoot!

Lug, Lug the song of Lug
This is the song of Lug!
Lug, Lug, Lug, Lug
Everyone give him a hug!"

He looks around, a big grin on his face, as if expecting applause. "You like it?"

[Zorroroaster]

"The hills are alive. With the sound of ...Lug."

Orrin's face is expressionless. "Why don't you take these spikes and hammer here and dance your way up these rocks?"

[Zhym]

"Hey, that's good!" says Lug. "I might use that!"

"The hills are alive
With the sound of Lug
And songs that he sings
With his gorgeous mug!"

Looking around and seeing tolerance at best and glares at worse, he seriouses up. "Okay, okay. Gimme the spikes and rope and stuff and I'll go climb the rocks."

[Keehnelf]

May 25, 1 VC - 6:20pm

The group heads north across the debris-field to the northwest face of the mountain which has been reduced to a somewhat-steep irregular pile of broken stone, searching for a way to make an ascent. A lip far above, over which a steady flow of smoking air spills, indicating the location of the caldera. To the north of that open lip, a sizeable section of the mountain remains intact, rising in an irregular ridge-like spire west to east. The party, with a few minutes of squinting and discussion, feels confident that they spy openings into that spire on the west end: corridors through the native stone revealed by the mountain's collapse. Just below it, a rough roadway of cooled lava would provide a convenient final ascent to those openings, but the climb up the broken stone to reach it would be time-consuming at best. To safely make the climb with the entire group might take three or four hours, by which time darkness would have fallen and it would be time to make camp.

The shape of the debris-slope suggests that there may be an easier ascent on the eastern side of it, more on the direct northern side of the mountain, but that would involve walking around the slope's steeper elements, which will likely take nearly as long as the climb though be ultimately safer.

[Zhym]

About how far up is the lip of the caldera?

[Marullus]

Niles hangs back with his frail frame, quietly scratching his wolfhound and watching Lug and Orrin work out the safe pathway forward.

[Keehnelf]

The lip is about 2,000 feet above ground level.