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Inside The Wooden Structure
Earthday, 4th of Goodmonth
Night, Hot, Humid, Not as Buggy

Though they know almost nothing about it yet, the group decides to camp in the entryway of this strange structure for the night. It is easy enough to chop down and gather some nearby giant sized fronds and leaves from the jungle to lay out on the floor and walls of the place to prevent sleeping in the black goo.

Any nearby deadfalls are gathered and a small fire is started in the center of the first passage. The 10 party members and their animals all try to make themselves as comfortable as possible for the night. The ever important water supply that is so vital to ones survival out here is magically replenished by Saracen, any that isn't contained is drank throughout the night so it isn't wasted.

Storm finds no luck when searching for more roots to make the natural bug repellent, the groups supply now running very low. Fortunately, the bugs don't seem to be swarming much at all inside the smelly structure. He uses his magic to seek out any spiders within a 20 foot path directly in front of him. He detects none.

Jaxsen stands at the closed copper gate, looking up. He sees that the twisted walls of thick vines and branches do accumulate heavily at the top, creating a living frame just above the gate. He thinks they could be cleared away with a great deal of work and a sharp enough implement, but that may be difficult to accomplish 15 feet from the ground.

Magg knows he won't be able to sleep with an unexplored passage right around the corner. He moves to the edge of the wall and has a look around it. The light from the torch flickers off the black walls to the north, disrupting his infravision, but casting flickering rays of light down the unexplored passage. He sees nothing but more darkness beyond, though the floor there seems a bit different to him somehow. Either more light, or no light will have to be used to see anything further down that passage.

Rations are shared and night watches set as the large group readies to turn in for the night. Nothing threatens them from any of the three directions as they make their preparations.

Actions?

map:
Campfire
Brother Gilbert 8/8 3/3 first
Jax 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Fieghtus 14/14
Jeevus 3/3
Storm 8/8 3/4 first
Saracen 25/25 3/4 first 1/1 second
Avalaa 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Rollo 17/17
Eawad 6/6 Torch
Judson 14/14
Maag 9/9

Lighting will obviously be necessary in here. I will keep track of that by indicating what light source is being carried, and by whom. Please let me know if you ever want to add to or lessen the torchlight.

The young fighter makes preparations to sleep. Before laying down he Jaxsen and Magg know that he'd be ready and willing to take over a watch if they needed to rest.

Jaxsen Reiter

Jax will take the first watch, along with whoever decides to accompany him. He continually moves around the others at irregular intervals, to keep anyone who might be watching them guessing as to his next appearance. He keeps his halberd in hand throughout his watch. He lets whoever is taking the watch with him tend the fire. At the end of his watch, he makes sure to not only wake his relief, but make sure they are wide awake before curling up on the edge of the camp nearest the copper gate.

Avaala the Grey

Avaala does not volunteer to take a watch. Although he hopes the others will understand, he will explain if necessary that a mage requires sleep to maximize his concentration and efficiency. He also points out that there are sufficient numbers in the party to allow for watches without him. Finally, if he still needs justification, he points out that Rollo is a very light sleeper and an excellent alarm system.

Since they are inside, Avaala does not pitch the tent. He unrolls it on the ground and makes a good sleeping pad out of it for himself and Rollo, however.

Storm breathes a sigh of relief. I can’t sense any spiders ahead at least. I need some rest to recover my Earth magic. At least four hours. Wake me after that and I can take over! he says to the group at large. Patting the dogs the little Druid settles in to sleep near a wall, his scimitar to hand just in case.

Saracen moves to stand before the grate. He calls forth the power of Pelor to let him see, and casts Detect magic through the grate. He will peer beyond it too as far as the spell reaches, and then move to the opening and examine the plaque with his enhanced vision as well. He will then wander around the corner with Maag and peer down that unexplored corridor with his magical sight. He will look up into the jungle as well. If he can the half-orc will examine every area we have access to until the spell runs its course, including some 50 feet along the walls of the structure in either direction from the entrance.

Once that is done he will do the exact same thing once he casts Find Traps. After this the holy champion will settle down near the magic-user. I too need to recover my sun magic. After four hours I will be able to take a watch shift. Placing his weapons and shield beside him the warrior-priest begins to snore.

Gramble lays his head down on Fieghtus he will be ready for his assigned watch.

Brother Gilbert

He offers to assist with the 2nd watch, and get some sleep to bolster his healing powers.

Eawad Driftwood

Not really sure of how watches are assigned -- and too consumed by nervous excitement to sleep in any event -- Eawad simply walks up next to Jaxsen, watching him and doing as he does. Eventually, he falls into his own pattern of interlacing his patrols with the fighter's, moving unpredictably, stopping in the occasional patch of shadows flung into the corners by the small fire. From time to time, his hand brushes reassuringly against the hilt of his long sword, wondering if he'll be presented with the need to draw it.

Maag

Maag sees that there are plenty of volunteers for the first watch, and the spellcasters will presumably take the latter one. He decides to take the mid-watch, knowing from his own experiences that the best time to sneak up on a place is when the occupants are deepest in their slumbers.

During his watch he alternates positions to watch the access points and keeps an eye on the "roof" in case of a visit from spiders.

Inside The Wooden Structure
Freeday, 5th of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Humid, Not Too Buggy

Saracen intones prayers that let him spot magic auras. He finds that the copper gate is definitely magical, but doesn't find anything else during his detection. He then casts a second spell that will locate any mechanical or magical traps. He runs into the same issue as Magg when he looks around the dark corners of the place. He cant really see everything by the nearby firelight, and that faint light prevents him from using his night vision. He thinks he spots an indication of something registering as a possible trap overhead around the first corner, right above where Magg spotted the anomaly on the floor, but with the limited light source, he cant be totally certain.

Satisfied that there are no immediate threats in the general vicinity, the group settles down for the evening, hoping to get some rest and at least wait out the darkness unmolested. It isn't long before they encounter some unseen opposition. After about an hour into the first watch, a light rustling can be heard in the unseen branches overhead. Nothing shows itself, but there are definitely clicking and chattering noises along with definite movement through the natural ceiling of this place. Rollo and Fieghtus notice it as well, they begin to growl and bark every time the noise comes in too close. Again, nothing shows itself, but the dogs wake up and bark about every 30 minutes or so all throughout the dark night, preventing anyone from getting any healing rest.

At the first sign of daylight, the noises stop and the dogs calm down a little bit. Study and prayers commence in the morning, as the rest of the group starts to move around in their cramped little camp. After a quick meal and some more water, the group is ready to move again. Some natural sunlight shines its way through the leaves and branches of the overhead canopy, but not enough to illuminate this dark place really well. There are still plenty of shadows in the corners and alcoves of this dim fortress, but at least torches are no longer needed. Saracen and Magg are glad that they didn't let their curiosity get the best of them in the night when they look around the next corner again in the feint light.

The 10 x 10 foot section of the next passage over that Magg thought looked strange in the night is indeed strange. It looks like there is a pit built into the stone floor of this place around the next bend, though you cant see how deep it is due to its contents. There is a slick, stinking, shiny green slime that covers the entire surface of the pit, likely filling it completely. The slime is only about an inch or two below the top of the pit, but you have no idea how deep it might be. The stone floor resumes again 10' beyond the pit and it looks like the passage there turns back upon itself yet again. There are 3 thick logs laying on top of the 15' high wooden walls that span the top of the pit in its very center. The logs are stacked two on the bottom and one on the top, forming a tight triangle. There is a thick swinging rope wrapped around the logs a few times that hangs down in the very center of the 10 by 10 area. The rope hangs loosely about a foot off of the green, smelly surface of the pit. It appears that the rope is used to swing over to the other side, though it currently hangs about 5 feet out of your reach.

Actions?

map:
Brother Gilbert 8/8 3/3 first
Jax 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Fieghtus 14/14
Jeevus 3/3
Storm 8/8 4/4 first
Saracen 25/25 4/4 first 1/1 second
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Rollo 17/17
Eawad 6/6
Judson 14/14
Maag 9/9

Being in the back near the gate Judson moves forward and then to the right to guard the front entrance so that the others can decide how to handle the slime and rope situation in front of them

Storm moves to look at the pit. I don’t know much about green slimes and such like, but we could maybe try fire? Is the black goo here abouts too?

Avaala the Grey

The mage follows Storm to the edge of the pit. He adds, "We really aren't sure what this is.
Perhaps a test is in order."

With that, Avaala jogs back to the entrance. He cuts a small branch or creeper from the foliage, one with ants or other crawling insects on it. He brings this back to the pit and very gently tosses it on the slime. He is careful not to cause a splash, and very careful not to touch the slime himself.

Avaala watches carefully, wanting to see the effect on the insects and the vegetation.

Much to the chagrin of one of his bug loving comrades, the learned mage tries a quick experiment.

He cuts a switch from one of the jungle trees outside, making sure there are a few insects on it. He tosses the stick onto the surface of the slime pit and it lands with a soft glopping noise. The ants crawl around normally as the stick starts to sink into the green ooze.

After a few seconds, the stick, and the bugs on it, slowly get sucked below the glossy surface and disappear.

Eawad Driftwood

As Eawad watches the experiment, a mix of fear and disgust washes over him, as evidenced by his facial expressions. Almost unconsciously, he takes several steps back from the slime-filled pit.

Maag

"If we got an axe, an' der stuff we need to cut down a tree an' drag it in 'ere, why don't we jus' go back to der entrance an' chop through der wall, an come out behind der pit?"

The half-orc thinks for a moment. "Somebody's got an axe, right?"