[Ptolus/AD&D] IC Thread #2 - Underground (part 1)

[Cole]

"Someone to the north has been watching us. I think all the bellowing has made them wary. We too should be wary. Let us organize ourselves for defense."

[Benoist]

Ylarum bellows out : "DROP ANOTHER LINE, JUST A THIN ONE AND WE'LL PASS UP A NOTE!"

There is a pause as Ylarum's shout echoes up the shaft. The answer ultimately reaches him back in a similar manner: "NO MORE ROPE. LOWERING THE PLATFORM NOW. WAIT FOR ME. I'M COMING DOWN."

With that, the platform on which Ylarum is standing is lowered back within the circular room, towards the dais.

[Drohem]

When the shouts about the platform echoed through the great circular chamber, both Belak and Klob immediately rush over to the dais.  Although they were too late to make a grab for it, they stood ready to assist Ylarum if need to try and pull it back down.  Belak was relieved to hear the conversation with those above, he and Klob remained silent so that those communicating could do so with the best possible clarity.

As soon as Ulas says that someone has been watching them from the north, Klob immediately raises his crossbow to his chin and cocks it in one fluid motion.  Belak grabs his battle axe off his belt and turns to face the north part of the circular chamber as well.

"What is it?" Belak asks in a harsh whisper as he looks to the north.

[Cole]

"What is it?" Belak asks in a harsh whisper as he looks to the north.

"Only the subtlest flicker. But suspicious for its very subtlety."

[skofflox]

Runch murmers..."Whos com'n down now?" as I look to the Dwarves as they bring weapons to bear at Ulas's obsevation. I check to make sure my sword is loose in its scabard then stride back to Erarht, glancing to the north as I do so.

Nimten shrugs and throws his cloak behind him afore going to work on the ocular orbit with his dagger... alternating between fascination and grim determination as he goes about the work...swallowing thickly as he cuts deep.

[Benoist]

A few seconds after the platform touches the dais, you all start seeing some dust and pieces of rock fall from the hole in the ceiling. Someone is presently climbing down the ropes, judging by their present wiggling motion.

As soon as Ulas says that someone has been watching them from the north, Klob immediately raises his crossbow to his chin and cocks it in one fluid motion.  Belak grabs his battle axe off his belt and turns to face the north part of the circular chamber as well.

"What is it?" Belak asks in a harsh whisper as he looks to the north.

"Only the subtlest flicker. But suspicious for its very subtlety."

For some time, there are no noticeable movements occurring north of your position, but then, suddenly, just as Ulas Xegg addresses Belak, they both can see, with Klob, tiny plumes of smoke puff through the clutter beyond the red lantern.

Despite the eerie red light emanating from the lantern casting sharp shadows all around it, you can clearly notice that the multiple wisps making it through the cracks have some sort of bright green, almost luminescent, color to them. They dissipate almost immediately, as if they were constituted of particules heavier than the air around them.

Had you not been watching over that location, you probably wouldn't have seen them.

Runch murmers..."Whos com'n down now?" as I look to the Dwarves as they bring weapons to bear at Ulas's obsevation. I check to make sure my sword is loose in its scabard then stride back to Erarht, glancing to the north as I do so.

Snave is not standing far from Runch as he asks his question. He shrugs silently, visibly wondering the exact same thing.

Nimten shrugs and throws his cloak behind him afore going to work on the ocular orbit with his dagger... alternating between facination and grim determination as he goes about the work...swallowing thickly as he cuts deep.

It's a messy business, but Nimten proceeds intently. It is going to take some time.

[Cole]

"There is green smoke coming out of those cracks to the north. I would not want to breathe it - maybe it is poison."

Ulas scowls and draws further behind cover. He whispers harshly,

"Or worse, a burning fuse preparing to blow a hole in that debris. And if it lands on the trap, it will fly straight in here!"

[skofflox]

Striding up to Erarht, jerking my thumb to the north as my right hand rests on the hilt of my sword ..." Ya knoz anyth'n bout what's b'yond that rubble or that green wisp com'n thru, poison maybe?" watching his reaction closely, looking for any sign of nervuosness or hesitation (I know he has already answered once about what is beyond the rubble).

Nimten keeps cutting...

[Sigmund]

Tudd excitedly switches back and forth between watching the rope and watching the rubble to the north, then says "Owww!" as he gets a spasm in his neck.

[Benoist]

"There is green smoke coming out of those cracks to the north. I would not want to breathe it - maybe it is poison."

Ulas scowls and draws further behind cover. He whispers harshly,

"Or worse, a burning fuse preparing to blow a hole in that debris. And if it lands on the trap, it will fly straight in here!"

A few precious seconds fly by. There is no explosion. The clutter by the red lantern does not violently fall apart. Maybe there is the hint of another faint whisp of smoke, red -pink?- this time, but nothing that breaks the tension building as Ulas, Tudd and the dwarves stare at the wall of debris.

Striding up to Erarht, jerking my thumb to the north as my right hand rests on the hilt of my sword ..." Ya knoz anyth'n bout what's b'yond that rubble or that green wisp com'n thru, poison maybe?" watching his reaction closely, looking for any sign of nervuosness or hesitation (I know he has already answered once about what is beyond the rubble).

Nimten keeps cutting...

DM: Actually, he didn't exactly answer that question (see this post and the ones following to see how the conversation went astray from there).

"A large corridor. Lanterns and urns, just like these ones," he gestures towards the yellow lantern and the large roofed urned standing under, "large doors on both sides. The large crystal and entrance hall beyond. The one with the blue door. I just hid by the urn waiting for the fight to be over. The walls were moving. I was too afraid..."

Tudd excitedly switches back and forth between watching the rope and watching the rubble to the north, then says "Owww!" as he gets a spasm in his neck.

The shape of a large man wearing black robes and suit of mail over them appears by the opening in the ceiling, climbing down the set of ropes leading to the basket resting on the dais. He is a large fellow, and wears a long heater shield, a broad sword and a staff or pole crossed on his back. He also carries a large leather pouch and dagger both secured to his waistband, and uses a set of chains to secure himself to the ropes while he is climbing down carefully.

DM: I'll stop there, since you guys might want to say or do something before the man reaches the dais. Let me know if you just wait, all the same. Here's an updated map showing everyone's positions as I extrapolated them (let me know if I got something wrong in OOC and I'll correct it):

Click for higher resolution

[Drohem]

Belak waits and watches the rubble area behind the red lantern on the northern wall, and waits and watches some more.  He hears that someone or something is coming down the lift and should emerge shortly, but from his position he has sight to it now so he turns his attention back to the rubble area and waits.

Klob has a bead on the rubble area behind the red lantern and waits, and waits.  Finally, he returns to normal breathing and relaxes his trigger finger slightly.  He looks over to Belak and sees him looking toward the shaft, and then return his gaze to the north.  Klob follows his lead and focuses his attention back on that spot on the northern wall.

[Cole]

DM: I'll stop there, since you guys might want to say or do something before the man reaches the dais.

Ulas tries to hide behind the trough.

[skofflox]

I stand near Erarht as he relates his answer, nodding and rubbing my chin... " Hmmm. We've a map showing the area there. Easy enough to confirm what ya say, for all the good it does. An don't fret. We wont be send'n ya down no hole ya don't wanna go inta so be easy. Wonder who's com'n down?" as I raise an eyebrow and point to the ropes leading from the Golden ladder...then looking back north to the rubble...

[Benoist]

Nimten keeps cutting...

Nimten is now done cutting. The eye of the beast is even larger than its heart. It will not fit in a backpack, that's for sure.

Ulas tries to hide behind the trough.

Ulas tries to squeeze between the trough and the wall behind it. He can flatten himself enough to make it, but it is a tight fit. Not enough room to do much of anything. What direction is he looking towards (he will not be able to turn himself over, if something were to happen)?

___

The large man keeps on climbing down from the ceiling and finally reaches the dais. He carefully stores the chains he used to secure himself to the ropes in the large basket right next to him, and has a look around. He eyes are intense, inquisitive. After a few brief looks left, right, above and down later, he takes notice of your current positions and takes a few steps away (westward) from the basket. He unfastens some straps tightened over his chest and seizes his sword and shield before saying: "Mundel of Kantz. Brother of the Sword."

He draws a few short breaths, and then asks, nodding towards the dwarves and half-orcs all looking at the pile of rubble to the north: "You are the other mercenaries Angharad hired, aren't you? What is going on?"

[Cole]

Ulas tries to squeeze between the trough and the wall behind it. He can flatten himself enough to make it, but it is a tight fit. Not enough room to do much of anything. What direction is he looking towards (he will not be able to turn himself over, if something were to happen)?

Toward the well. But when the guy seems nonthreatening, Ulas will slip back out.