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Rex wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 10:51 pm Da

Da lays down and creeps forward to the edge of the trapdoor. He then reaches down and sees if he can feel Daisy. "Reaching for you Daisy, hold on a little longer."

If that doesn't work he will remove his belt and lower it down to her. "Here grab my belt."

Daisy calls back up in a whisper, "I can't reach it! I think it's about 10 feet down, you'll need a rope."

You hear her stumble and say a harsh word or two that doesn't include, "Dang!"

"There's something here that I grabbed on the way down that broke my fall. Yeah, it's a ladder leaning against the wall down here." she whispers, "I wish I had some light!" she says as you hear more mumbling and stumbling sounds from below as she whispers back up, "I can't find my lantern!"

Grunting sounds accompany Daisy's whisper, "I'll move this ladder over."

With a thunk you hear and see the top rungs of a ladder emerge from the hole in the floor and a few seconds later you see Daisy's head pop up out of the hole.

"I think we found the how." she says, "Does anybody have a torch, candle, lantern? I lost my lantern down there and we're going to need some light if we're going down there to see if we can find out the who!"

Da

"I have one torch with me. I don't have any rope."

He buts his belt back on and goes about lighting the torch now that Daisy is safe.

Vurna

Eris wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 8:41 pmVurna taps along the flagstone floor (with her staff, right?) and stops when there is a change in sound.

No, she left that behind at the guild. She's tapping with the high heels of her boots − and they work!

Rex wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 9:57 amDa
"I have one torch with me. I don't have any rope."

"I have another torch, as back up. No rope either, but thank Urd it seems we mightn't need it."

Vurna is relieved to see Daisy intact. While Da prepares his torch, she looks at Trawets. "Next time we find a button or lever, anything like that, shall we let the thief look it over before touching it?"

Turning back to the others, "Daisy, you might like to let Da go down there ahead of you. But before we descend, I think I'll let my bird in so he can keep watch over the pit."

subaltari wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 2:57 pm Vurna

Eris wrote: ↑Thu May 22, 2025 8:41 pmVurna taps along the flagstone floor (with her staff, right?) and stops when there is a change in sound.

No, she left that behind at the guild. She's tapping with the high heels of her boots − and they work!

Rex wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 9:57 amDa
"I have one torch with me. I don't have any rope."

"I have another torch, as back up. No rope either, but thank Urd it seems we mightn't need it."

Vurna is relieved to see Daisy intact. While Da prepares his torch, she looks at Trawets. "Next time we find a button or lever, anything like that, shall we let the thief look it over before touching it?"

Turning back to the others, "Daisy, you might like to let Da go down there ahead of you. But before we descend, I think I'll let my bird in so he can keep watch over the pit."

"Good advice!" Daisy chuckles, "And I'm not a thief! I'm a bard. Any alleged thieving I ever might have done was in my misspent youth back across the wide, wide, ocean. But no harm done this time, and we found the trapdoor, sure enough,

She climbs out of the pit and standing with hands on hips nods to Vurna, "Yes, let you're bird in, but wait until Da is down the ladder so the light won't spill outside. What is your bird's name, did you ever say?"

"I'll follow Da, then Trawets, and after you let your bird in you join us. Does that sound like a plan?"

She cautions, "Oh, and remember this is an investigation, not a raid, but we're going into unknown territory and it is bound to be dangerous. So, everyone be very careful."

It's a good thing it's dark or you could see the red in Trawets' cheeks as Vurna admonishes him. I'm sorry Daisy. I got a little caught up in finding what we were looking for. I'll be more careful next time. Are you ok?

Da

Da heads down the latter slowly and carefully, knowing he is much heavier than Daisy. Once to the bottom he looks around, shining his torch every which way to check and make sure it is clear for the others.

trawets wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 9:35 pm It's a good thing it's dark or you could see the red in Trawets' cheeks as Vurna admonishes him. I'm sorry Daisy. I got a little caught up in finding what we were looking for. I'll be more careful next time. Are you ok?

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's partly my fault for standing on a trapdoor, anyway." Daisy smiles at Trawets, "It's good to be curious, but carefully curious, you know?"

Rex wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 10:20 pm Da

Da heads down the latter slowly and carefully, knowing he is much heavier than Daisy. Once to the bottom he looks around, shining his torch every which way to check and make sure it is clear for the others.

Taking care Da descends, counting rungs as he goes down. It is a good 12 feet down to the bottom when he steps onto a stone floor.

Looking up he sees the ceiling is only about 8 feet high with the first four feet, or so, on the way down forming sort of a chimney. The ladder isn't against one of the lower walls, but near the center and going up through the funnel like chimney. Now looking around, Da sees that he is standing in a square alcove about 15 feet across with narrow (about 5 feet wide and about 7 feet high) corridors leading off north, south and to the west. The eastern wall is solid. The corridors leading out are dark and quiet. Looking at the floor Da sees it is made of closely fitted flat stone as are the walls down here. There is dust on the floors, but Da sees that the dust has been disturbed by much movement around here much to confusing for him to make much sense of though. Someone with a scouting background might get more from the confusing tracks in the dust than Da, though.

UnderDocks1_7x8.png (54.82 KiB) Viewed 195 times

I'm glad to hear you are ok Daisy. After you. and Trawets points to the ladder. Once he gets down he begins to look around. Hold on. Don't anyone move around. I'm going to take a look at these footprints and see if I can figure out which path they have been using. First he looks for Daisy's lantern. After finding where it is and it's condition he begins looking at the footprints in each direction, including if any head toward the wall.

trawets wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 10:00 pm I'm glad to hear you are ok Daisy. After you. and Trawets points to the ladder. Once he gets down he begins to look around. Hold on. Don't anyone move around. I'm going to take a look at these footprints and see if I can figure out which path they have been using. First he looks for Daisy's lantern. After finding where it is and it's condition he begins looking at the footprints in each direction, including if any head toward the wall.

The lantern is easy to find, it rolled over near the eastern wall. Trawets notes that no footprints disturb the dust near that wall, only where the lantern rolled over there. It looks okay, the light just went out. Daisy should be able to relight it if she wants. Trawets hands it to her.

There are clear indications that some creatures have moved all around the ladder and into and out of three corridors into this room. Few tracks head south and only a few more west. Most appear to have come and gone through the northern exit. This is what everyone sees, Trawets leans down and examines the tracks more closely...

Trawets' Investigation (relate as much or as little as you wish to the others):

Da

"Lots of tracks Trawets, I can't tell anything from them. What about you?"

Trawets walks around carefully and kneels down and looks at all of the tracks. He suddenly stands back up and looks to the group We need to go north. Someone dragged a small crate that way recently. What is interesting is that there are some tracks west but old ones and a few more to the south made by some creature five to four foot tall, three toed, bipedal, one claw per toe. No idea what that is. Anyone have an idea?

Location: Alcove under Warehouse
Present: Da(torch 6/6), Trawets, Vurna, Daisy

trawets wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 11:44 pm Trawets walks around carefully and kneels down and looks at all of the tracks. He suddenly stands back up and looks to the group We need to go north. Someone dragged a small crate that way recently. What is interesting is that there are some tracks west but old ones and a few more to the south made by some creature five to four foot tall, three toed, bipedal, one claw per toe. No idea what that is. Anyone have an idea?

"It you are tracking, then maybe you need to go first." says Daisy, as she checks out her lantern, "I won't relight this until your torch begins to run down."

Then looking around adds, "I usually do this on my own, so I don't know much about group tactics, but I don't like leaving these openings at our rear. Da, maybe you should be the rear guard with Vurna and me in the middle? What do you think?"

Eris wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 7:41 pm Location: Alcove under Warehouse
Present: Da(torch 6/6), Trawets, Vurna, Daisy

trawets wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 11:44 pm Trawets walks around carefully and kneels down and looks at all of the tracks. He suddenly stands back up and looks to the group We need to go north. Someone dragged a small crate that way recently. What is interesting is that there are some tracks west but old ones and a few more to the south made by some creature five to four foot tall, three toed, bipedal, one claw per toe. No idea what that is. Anyone have an idea?

"It you are tracking, then maybe you need to go first." says Daisy, as she checks out her lantern, "I won't relight this until your torch begins to run down."

Then looking around adds, "I usually do this on my own, so I don't know much about group tactics, but I don't like leaving these openings at our rear. Da, maybe you should be the rear guard with Vurna and me in the middle? What do you think?"

Trawets laughs when Daisy says she usually operates alone. This is my first time adventuring so what do I know? I can say the other directions tracks are old enough that dust is filling them in. While I may be tracking, I am NOT the one you want to run into enemies first, but I'll track from the front and hopefully if we run into trouble I'll know beforehand.

Location: Alcove under Warehouse
Present: Da(torch 6/6), Trawets, Vurna, Daisy

trawets wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 8:12 pm

Eris wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 7:41 pm

trawets wrote: ↑Sat May 24, 2025 11:44 pm Trawets walks around carefully and kneels down and looks at all of the tracks. He suddenly stands back up and looks to the group We need to go north. Someone dragged a small crate that way recently. What is interesting is that there are some tracks west but old ones and a few more to the south made by some creature five to four foot tall, three toed, bipedal, one claw per toe. No idea what that is. Anyone have an idea?

"If you are tracking, then maybe you need to go first." says Daisy, as she checks out her lantern, "I won't relight this until your torch begins to run down."

Then looking around adds, "I usually do this on my own, so I don't know much about group tactics, but I don't like leaving these openings at our rear. Da, maybe you should be the rear guard with Vurna and me in the middle? What do you think?"

Trawets laughs when Daisy says she usually operates alone. This is my first time adventuring so what do I know? I can say the other directions tracks are old enough that dust is filling them in. While I may be tracking, I am NOT the one you want to run into enemies first, but I'll track from the front and hopefully if we run into trouble I'll know beforehand.

"Yes, well, if if it looks like we're about to run into trouble, it might be best if we run first." says Daisy, "So, keep a close eye out."

"Before we go on, I want to ask around." Daisy says looking around at each of you, "We have found enough to earn our reward of 20 gold, I think. We know how the pilfering is being done and can give direction of go after whoever is doing it."

She draws a breath then adds, "But we don't know who and we haven't found any loot to take for ourselves yet either. If you want to stop now and retreat I'll go along, but I'd like to explore a bit further, carefully, and see if we can discover more of what's going on."

"What say you all?"

OOC: If there is agreement to continue she'll nod to Trawets to go forward, otherwise we'll see if you can get out of here without getting caught.

Trawets shrugs. Let's move on. I could use more coin.

Da

"Agreed, lets keep on the track. I will watch our back for now."

Eris wrote: ↑Fri May 23, 2025 8:42 pm [Daisy] climbs out of the pit and standing with hands on hips nods to Vurna, "Yes, let your bird in, but wait until Da is down the ladder so the light won't spill outside. What is your bird's name, did you ever say?"

"I'm sorry Daisy, I didn't mean any offense! You do play the... thief role quite well.

"And no, you haven't met my bird but you will, after we've explored this pit!" Once the party descended and the warehouse was dark again, Vurna hurried to open the side door. Soon Zberac followed her inside and found a new perch at the top of the trapdoor, his small avian eyes getting used to the interior space lit only through chinks in the wall. Vurna then climbed quietly but quickly down the ladder to join the others at the tunnel junction.

Rex wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 10:15 pmDa
"Agreed, lets keep on the track. I will watch our back for now."

"As long as we all understand the risks, we can press on as a team," Vurna agrees. "It seems there are strange creatures afoot... 4-5 feet tall with clawed toes? That sounds like Ferd's 'Barklings,' except those would make paw prints. Three claws must mean something else... perhaps avian or reptilian, only upright?"

Mode: Roleplaying, Exploration, Combat
Location: Tunnels Below Slateholm
Present: Trawets, Vurna, Daisy, Da(5.9)

Exploration Turn 1

In single file, the small party enters the corridor leading north out of the alcove under the warehouse. Trawets is followed by Vurna, Daisy and Da, keeping close together.

Trawets, moves slowly, not entirely happy to be leading the party, but his scouting background does help with tracking, so there is that. The flickering light from the torch extends ahead of Trawets only 15 or 20 feet before it become too dim to see much, but it also would make it harder for anyone up ahead to see the light before the group draws close to them, so there is that, too.

The floor of the corridor is smooth flagstone, dusty, but marked by the dragging of things and more of the strange 3 toed claw marks. It carries straight ahead for 34 steps, Daisy is quietly counting each step as she takes them, with no openings on either side. Then you spy something just ahead, stone stairs going down.

Stopping at the head of these stairs you see that to the left of the stairs is a closed door with an iron bar across it. The door is inset into the corridor by about 5 feet. Looking more closely, you see that the bar is thick with dust and pitted with rust. The door appears to be made of iron as well. Looking back at the stairs, you see that the light from the torch barely shows the bottom of the stairs some 10 to 15 feet further down.

End of Turn 1

What do you do now?