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Foxy O'Hare

After securing the horse in the alcove out of line of fire from the spears, Foxy will take her bow and wrapping some loose tinder and grasses around an arrowhead will cover Idriss from the western wall. She will carefully take a position she can fire into the south cave area at anything that moves or a pile of bracken, brushwood she can set alight.

Idriss proceeds with extreme caution, watching the floor for pits and the ceiling for loose stalactites, a torch in one hand and his tapping staff in the other. He reaches where he suspects the pit trap to be, poking it with his staff. The normal-looking stone floor seems solid until he touches the middle, at which point the whole section of "stone" hinges downwards, dumping a pile of leaves into the hole below, then snaps shut, once again blended with the cave floor seamlessly.

Foxy peers beyond the pit, lighting her arrow and picking what looks like a likely mess of brush and detrius in the cave beyond. Launching her arrow, it hits squarely and the flame spreads rapidly through the dry twigs and waste - within a minute it is thoroughly engulfed and illuminating 30' of the cavern around it.

This is punctuated, however, by high pitched squeals of terror as the flaming mass begins to undulate and disgorge creatures the size of hunting hounds. Once in the light, it is clear these are rats of unusual size, at least three feet in length, and they are both frightened and angry as they pour forth from their large flaming nest. As you stand, torch in hand, they spot you and begin charging both you and the entrance as the flames crackle and grow behind them. There are at least a dozen already coming at you and even more coming out of the nest every moment.

Actions and initiative!

Rolls:

Idriss Shakinglikealeaf

"Wow such a big nest of critters. Foxy run to get oil, I can only bait them here."

Idriss will send Foxy away to retrieve oil from the pack hoping she can get a few flasks to use as firebombs. Then, (looking at the map) he will try to take a position in the half square just north of the pit trap. His hope is that he can lure enough rats to charge at him so that he can trigger the pit trap and send a few to the pit below.

"Here ratty ratty, come to Mr Pied Piper, "

Initiative roll [1d6] = 6. Idriss has a +1 dex to reactions or initiative if that helps. He doesn't want to trigger the trap too early though...or too late either!

Foxy O'Hare

Drawing her sword to slice and dice any critters who follow, Foxy takes the same footprint path back to Bluebelle and retrieves two flasks of oil, which she will use to break open at that square by the pit next round to create a conflagration barrier or bar-b-que for the attacking rats.


[1d6] = 2

Stirling - as group leader you can re-roll initiative. I'd suggest only doing so if it isn't a six, though. This time I'll let the higher result stand.

Foxy moves swiftly but with nimble feet to reuse her previously cautious footsteps, returning to the mounts and grabbing two flasks of oil.

Idriss alone stands with torch and staff, taunting the rat horde into coming towards him. When the moment is right, he pushes the trigger plate again, dropping seven of the frothing, dog-sized creatures into the pit. In the moment it is open he can see them dropping just beyond the reach of his torchlight (figure about 20') and squealing in pain.

The remaining rats divert around the pit, two of them making it to him just ahead of the others, but he is able deflect them with his torch and staff. (If you want to wield your staff, you need to drop your torch. If you wield your torch, it does 1d4 damage.)

Rolls:

Foxy O'Hare

Returning quickly, Foxy will smash open both flasks of oil on the ground immediately to the east of the pit trap, hopefully catching a few rats in the spill. "Torch them Idriss, and open the pit again, it might swallow see more rushing on and those fleeing the blaze."

Idriss

Will throw the torch into the spill of oil created by the smashed flasks. He will stay close the pit ledge, ready to spring it again if rushed by the other rats while trying to dodge the teeth and claws of the couple who nipped by, kicking them towards the flames.

I need initiative and an attack roll from Idriss. Idriss is already in melee, and the horde is fully upon you both this round. Tossing the torch can be a free action - The oil will ignite for next round.

Initiative roll [1d6] = 3

Waving Foxy back to stay in the shadows of the stalacmites, Idriss calls to the rats hoping to repeat the same move with more success. He drops the torch in the slick oil and bangs the centre of the pit with his balance polestaff as the second wave of rats try to overwhelm him.

"C'mon you furry fookers, the big cheese is over here. Hope this works Wilbur!"
Attack roll with staff [1d20] = 17 damage [1d6] = 5

Foxy returns with the oil, pouring it carefully on the ground so it can be lit. The pit still hangs open, funnelling the rat horde towards the oil slick and the two of you. The sheer mass of giant furred bodies coming at you is intimidating as they undulate in the flickering fire glow.

Idriss brings down the butt of his staff down fiercely, crushithe skull of one of the rats trying to bite his leg, but suffers a bite from a second rat. (-1 hp)He frees his hands by tossing his torch at the oil, the flammable liquid beginning to catch. Foxy also kicks and flails to keep them at bay as she finishes her work, suffering vicious bites from two of the dog-sized rodents as she does so. (-2 and -3 hp)

(Next round - actions and initiative!)

Rolls:

how many rats are there now?

Idriss points a long finger and casts Magic Missile on the rats attacking him. I think it is automatically hit, no book to hand so you can roll dam for me.

Wilbur weasel is going to scuttle down Idriss cloak and nip a 'favoured enemy' rat too.

Foxy O'Hare

She is forced to stand her ground in front of the blazing barricade to stop the rodent horde rushing through. Hopefully enough are caught in the conflagration to make them lose morale and skitter otherwise it will be Foxy and Idriss fleeing with their tails between their legs.

Foxy pulls out a dagger from her bandolier to use in her left hand and slices and stabs at the attacking horde like a swashbuckling rogue.

Foxy melee: scimitar:[1d20] = 2damage [1d8] = 5

Foxy off hand dagger melee [1d20] = 13 damage [1d4] = 4

Two-weapon fighting: The rats crowd the oil slick in their attempt to bite their way around or through the humans blocking their way. Idriss points his finger and chants his words, a bolt of mystical power knocking back the rat closest to his already-bitten leg. Foxy swats at the rodents with her sword and dagger, keeping them back but not landing a blow.

Idriss's torch ignites the pool, a horrid smell of burning hair and the audible screaming of terrified rodents overwhelms them. The flare of light overwhelms all eyes momentarily in the dark, the sound of scurrying heard back the other direction. You blink and see eight charred corpses in the guttering oil flames, the last six rats having fled out the other end of the cavern. With a thud, the pit trap closes once more.

The way before you is blocked by fire now, a line of fire filling the area between the stalagmites and the pit trap. It will burn out in nine minutes. You can take an action while waiting, if you like, then tell me what you do. It is matched by its sister inferno, the bonfire that was once a giant rat's nest, ahead of you in the middle-left of the cavern.

Date: 20 May 2021, 11:35am
Light: Oil fire (until 11:44), Rat nest fire (until 1:30pm)
Injuries: Idriss (lightly injured) Foxy (minorly injured)

Idriss Silverleaf

We have a few minutes before the way through clears, the bonfire will be blazing a good hour plus yet by the look of it. If you Foxy can pepper any stray rats with your bow I will try to make the entrance a bit more secure. Did the rats go by the 'scythes' cave or out into the open fields? Plus that gong noise, may have alarmed another tenant of the caverns, watch out. Going to where the map says 'spears', Idriss would like to disable any remaining spears about to fly out of the wall. He will have to move forward slowly and use his piano playing fingers to check the spear holes. He has his staff to trip any more wires, hoping any rats would have triggered remaining ones long ago. If he can reach the northern pit trap and set it off...not by just walking in... at least we know we could guard an area a little more defensively. I know it is early but camping in the cave mouth might not be such a bad idea if we need to rest and heal up later.

A couple of questions. Without a cleric what can we do to staunch blood loss and heal wounds up. Another hit, even a humble rat bite may be fatal for us both. Also what time do we expect the guards to circle by, I would like to flag them down if possible. They might see smoke rising from the cave mouth anyway and come closer of they are curious enough.

I have an idea to use my heirloom face mask, wear it as we search beyond the rat cavern, an intruder may consider me a friendly face.

Foxy O'Hare

Will use her bandana to tie up the rat bites, must remember to get them seen to properly, don't want a rabid disease to set in.

Foxy will take up a position behind a stalactite to guard and watch into the cavern and cover Idriss with her bow also.

Apart from the crackle of the rat nest, any other sound? Footsteps, hushed whispers or the sight of moving shadows caught in the firelight?

• The rats left through the "scythes" passage.
• Anyone has a chance to detect traps, but only Thieves can remove traps as a class skill. Other classes can try to creatively trigger them and hope to not get hit, but can't disarm them.
• Healing expectations: The basics are: 1) bring a cleric - CLW helps you continue moving. 2) Camp. 1d3/day is pretty rapid natural healing. You should plan to secure sites and rest periodically during expeditions. You face random encounter risks (much higher in dungeons than outside), but otherwise can regain your strength. 3) Potions and poultices. Baudh sells services - healing potions are 100gp each, currently. Or, foraging in the forests to the North has been shown to produce the Blue Tormentil herb as an option instead of food (more likely found by magic users and elves who have more herbal knowledge).

Foxy ties up her wounds and takes cover behind a stalagmite with her bow, providing cover in case any rats re-emerge. The faint drip of water and stagnant breeze of air waft both add to the ambient noises of the cave. The rat-nest crackles and pops as it burns, destroying the materials pulled into it by the rodents.

Idriss lights a torch (subtract one from inventory; that's down to 6?) and moves away to inspect the traps. He finds the narrow apertures from which the spears emerged, but his long, slender fingers can discern little else. Tapping with his staff he finds a similar pit trap on the other passage, its hinges swinging open and then closed when enough pressure is applied to its center panels.

The oil fire abates, the smell of burned rat fur oppressive in the air as the eight charred corpses still smoulder. The path is no longer blocked in that direction.

Date: 20 May 2021, 11:45am
Light: Oil fire (until 11:44), Rat nest fire (until 1:30pm), Idriss torch (until 12:30pm)
Injuries: Idriss (lightly injured) Foxy (minorly injured)

Idriss Silverleaf

"Well, I can never be sure but I feel the entrance at least my be kept free, providing all the spears have been triggered."

Idriss will mark around the outline of the pits, just a few days of artist make-up so that he and Foxy can discern the locations so they know where not to tread. "Perhaps we could search this north cave branch and then catch the guards passing by in the afternoon. I have a mirror to signal them at least though I expect the city gate guards to pass a message on to look in on us."

If Foxy agrees, Idriss will, torch in one hand balance staff trap finder in the other move forward cautiously. Wilbur will follow at his feet, scenting around and ready to squeal at any rat or snake encountered.

Rolling boulders, dropping boulders, moving rocks, on the lookout for all. Will stick to traversing the north wall


we only had a estimate of when the guards pass daily, the plan was to arrive here an hour plus before them.

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy picks up another couple of oil flasks and her lasso rope and will follow in the footsteps of Idriss, staying a few feet behind him covering ahead into the rolling balls cavern with her bow. She will certainly look for spider webs, bats in the roof and anything that might want to strike at us.

You can go out and catch the guards an hour after arriving as planned; that's fine. They actually arrive 90 minutes after. What do you want from them?

The pair carefully make their way around the pit trap, outlining it with make-up marks on the floor, and then pass down the northward passage. You round the corner to your left and see the next chamber before you. The ceiling arcs up out of view in the torchlight, shadows of stalactites dancing around. The southern wall is lined with columns - stalactites and stalagmites connected together, then carved into symmetric and organic shapes. You see no sign of rolling stones, despite the map.

You start into the room, carefully tapping the floor. Wilbur the weasel darts forward after a beetle on the floor, pouncing on it and crunching loudly. You relax a moment.

Then a giant gecko lizard, at least five feet long drops from the ceiling, lunging at Wilbur and snapping his jaws on open air as the weasel darts out of the way. Foxy, arrows trained on the ceiling, notices that much of the ceiling is shifting in the torchlight. She counts at least nine more above.