[ic] In the Halls of Geryon

[Doubtful Gamer]

Given that she's a thief, Ginus can carry torches..

Without delay, Ginus draws her torch to face the darkness, but doesn't light it yet.

Shall we go down? I can lead the way.

[ragman]

Rath hurries after Ginus, exclaiming "I'm ready when you are!"

[tibbius]

Gsler follows, pausing at the threshold to wave to the haldeer. They blissfully ignore him as he steps into the stairway.

[Doubtful Gamer]

Ginus lights up the torch, flames coloring her pale face orange. She directs her carrying hand to the dark and slowly goes down, her other hand reaching for a weapon in case of dire need.

[tibbius]

Gsler follows Ginus, carrying his sword in his strong hand. Keeping the other hand in touch with the wall of the stairwell, in case the light goes out. The dim red glow disconcerts him in an almost nauseating fashion.

After a moment he asks, "Should I go ahead, so that the light and the smoke are behind me? Probly could better see that way."

[seanfsmith]

"Huh. Let me see that for a sec." Mote pricks his finger with an arrow and then holds the lopped off antler to the cut.

Almost immediately, the cut gums over. The wound is still visible, blood and all, but there is no pain and no damage.

Gsler follows Ginus, carrying his sword in his strong hand. Keeping the other hand in touch with the wall of the stairwell, in case the light goes out. The dim red glow disconcerts him in an almost nauseating fashion.

After a moment he asks, "Should I go ahead, so that the light and the smoke are behind me? Probly could better see that way."

At the far end of the stairway, the passage opens out into a large natural cavern. The walls and floors are flecked with white crystal but nondescript for the most part. You can see the far wall, but the cave continues east and west beyond the edge of your light. There is a sharp smell of blood and piss in the cave and it seems fresh.

w o t d o

[tibbius]

Gsler sniffs carefully, trying to get the "flavor" of the urine scent. Canine? Feline? Lizardy? Rodentine? Big or small, few or many? He swings his ugly sword carefully, almost like a blind man's cane, as he listens, looks around, and sniffs. "Stay close in year," he says to Ginus. He looks to the rest ... how are we disposed?

[Doubtful Gamer]

Ginus takes a quiet breath in, trying to sort out the smells. She stays back as required, running her eyes through the cavern and not without a hint of worry regarding the crystal walls bouncing the flame light and making their presence even more pronounced to dwellers.

She slowly crotches and uses her free hand to feel the ground, searching for information such as footprints or any slight incline.

[seanfsmith]

Gsler sniffs carefully, trying to get the "flavor" of the urine scent.

There's kind of a mix. Some parts sulphurous, like much of the rest of the caves, just more tannic in scent. There's also a reptilian edge too. Come to think of it, the reptilian is leftwards; the tannic is rightwards.

She slowly crouches and uses her free hand to feel the ground, searching for information such as footprints or any slight incline.

The cave slopes up to the left, but it's almost imperceptible. The ground itself is mostly bare stone with a loose covering of gravel: if there were recent footsteps, you wouldn't be able to tell.

There is a low growling noise --- the secret door to the staircase is closing behind you all (and by the echo, closing at the top of the stairs too).

w o t d o

[tibbius]

There's kind of a mix. Some parts sulphurous, like much of the rest of the caves, just more tannic in scent. There's also a reptilian edge too. Come to think of it, the reptilian is leftwards; the tannic is rightwards.
...
There is a low growling noise --- the secret door to the staircase is closing behind you all (and by the echo, closing at the top of the stairs too).

Gsler quickly moves to inspect the doorway - is there any apparent way to get back up the stairs?

"I think there be dragon to the left," he says, "or lizard folk or smother snakeywhat."

[Doubtful Gamer]

Ginus grits her teeth upon noticing the backdoor closing, but takes a breath.

We must move forward either way, right? We can worry about the door later. Sorry, people, but I can't tell if someone went through here... the ground inclines a bit, but I don't think it has any sort of trap door or the like. Should we go the opposite direction to whatever dragon may be here?

[ragman]

Rath says: "Opposite the dragon, aye, usually a good call! But let's be wary, somebody may have heard that door closing."

[Mica]

Mote grins and pockets the antler. "That'll be good in a pinch. Hey, guys, we should probably..." Mote looks around and finding the statue room empty, lets out a curse. He rotates the statue again in hopes of reopening the secret door and joining the rest of the party, muttering to himself the whole time.

[seanfsmith]

Mote rotates the statue again in hopes of reopening the secret door

The door dilates again, though the mechanism sounds more strained this time. If anyone wants to jam it open, you can do so with a dagger or spike or summat.

Mote makes his way down the steps to the cave and joins up with the rest of the crew.

The torches are beginning to dim — they are still throwing off ten paces of light though.

You all heading right into the cave (do you keep to the north or south wall?). A short way in, down a few steps, there is a haldor corpse. It has been peppered by a few unfamiliar arrows, but also it's had its throat cut quite recently. The arrow-wounds are quite old: it looks like the animal has tried to rub the arrows out by pressing itself against a wall. The antlers of this haldor do not have any runes.

w o t d u

[Mica]

Mote (moving in stealth mode and keeping alert) steps down and inspects the corpse as well as the arrows. How are the arrows unfamiliar exactly? Are any of them still usable?

[seanfsmith]

Mote inspects the arrows.

There are three arrows total, the first of which peels apart as Mote removes it. He's able to extract the next two without disrupting their structure (add two demon arrows to your character sheet). The arrows are reminiscent of pampas grass: fibrous growths with a strong long stem leading up from the head. The texture throughout is somewhat fibrous as if the whole things could be picked apart like rope or oakum. You can spent some time (ie. I'll make another encounter roll) investigating them to gain advantage in using or being targeted by them.

[tibbius]

Gsler shrugs as the door scrapes closed behind. He's long since accepted his luck, if that's what one cared to call the things that keep happening in his life. With fatal certainty, he follows Rath and Ginus, then pauses as Mote inspects the arrows. He looks back toward the source of the reptilian odors, then sniffs the present air. Any new smells? Any sounds? He looks for glowing eyes at the edges of the light.

[Mica]

Mote looks over his shoulder at the others, and says (with as much attitude as he can muster), "Now if you can all manage to stay in one place for two seconds without buggerin' off and leavin' me behind, we might actually learn something useful, eh?" Then goes back to spending some extra time studying the arrows.

[Doubtful Gamer]

Don't worry, we will wait.

Ginus looks over his shoulder as he studies the arrows, and starts sniffing the air carefully to see if there's any smells she can distinguish.

[seanfsmith]

Gsler looks for glowing eyes at the edges of the light.

Don't worry, we will wait.

Ginus looks over Mote's shoulder as he studies the arrows, and starts sniffing the air carefully to see if there's any smells she can distinguish.

With eyes and noses accustoming to the darkness and stench, you're both able to make out a reptilian humanoid keeping close to the ground and moving towards you. It's got a split-point dagger in one of its four arms, and it doesn't innately seem to know if it's been seen. The creature is slinking towards you as a predator might.

Mote spends some extra time studying the arrows.

Looking closely at the arrows, Mote thinks he has an understanding of where they are strong and where they are weak. They seem to be otherworldly in total: considering the daemoniac history of this place, it's likely abyssal materials. They seem to be notched like an arrow, but will probably fly as true as a crossbow bolt? Using these arrows you'll have advantage and you'll also have advantage if they're used against you.

Rath is aware that Ginus and Gsler are paying attention to something approaching from the west and is keeping awareness out to the east --- there's nothing coming from that direction.

w o t d u

fyi, tibbius' attendance is likely to be low at the moment --- Gsler will stick with you but likely at the back![/occ]