4e Trouble in Brixham (IC)

[Acheron]

Illyrion Wildwind, Halfling Sorcerer

Kalek Emris

"At either rate, can we go there? The longer we are in this cave, the more likely it is that an ambush would be around the corner." he said, shifting back and drawing his bow.

"Or the spiders decide to try their luck again. Either way, I agree, we should get going."

[Emongnome777]

Goresh Ironforge, Dwarven Barbarian

Goresh nods to the halfling. "Aye, we be needin' ta move on, 'n soon. It nary matters ta me which way we go, tho I'm believin' that we should look at goin' the other way from tha first split."

[Master_Rahl22]

Matrim says, "Yes, let's go all the way back to that first fork in the road and take the other one. Maybe we'll spot a knife and spoon we can take too." He winks and gets up from the floor preparing to lead on.

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

"You're sure then?" Elric asks. "Alright, lead on."

Assuming the normal formation the party back tracks about 15 minutes to the original split in the path and take the right fork instead. None of you notice any spiders during your trip back, this may be because they've given up on you or might be because they're too stealthy for you to notice.

You're at the original fork in the path. You can head back the way you came (to the cavern where the ambush occurred), down the unknown fork or to the entrance of the Spider Caves from here.

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@SPoD: Ah, sorry about that. Yeah, the path you're thinking about just leads to the floor you jumped down from when going to aid Matrim.

[Master_Rahl22]

Unless there are objections, Matrim heads down the unknown fork, keeping an eye out for signs that this path is dangerous as well.

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Perception - (1d20+7)[12]

[Emongnome777]

Goresh Ironforge, Dwarven Barbarian

Goresh follows Matrim as they head down the unknown fork.

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

The party descends into the unknown fork, lead by Matrim's sunrod and Kalek's glowing arrow. All of you notice that the holes in the walls are becoming more spaced out and sparse as you continue to descend.

After about 10 minutes you find yourself in a small cavern, much like the one you were ambushed in. There's a path off to your left a bit of the way and a path across the cavern from you, neither cave has a dagger marking the entrance but may have the marks hidden like the others.

Very few spider holes line the walls, leaving plenty of room for plants and cave moss; it almost looks like a normal cave actually.

"This looks promising." Elric comments as you approach the entrance to the cavern.

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Interject if you wanted something from the previous fork.

[Master_Rahl22]

Matrim says, "Wait, moss. Does anybody have something we can use for a torch? We should see if this is that shadow moss stuff before we keep going."

[Honikan]

Kalek Emris

Kale takes out a torch, lights it and walks along the groups of moss. His magically flaming arrow next to it, "If the torch goes out, then we are near shadow moss. And if we are, well, we will be quite unfortunate."

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

Kalek lights up his torch and while it doesn't go out it does seem sufficiently supressed. If the sources of magical light weren't present you'd probably find it much harder to see in here than expected.

Elric and Peter look unsure, their experience with this sort of thing being minimal. They await the group's judgement.

[SPoD]

"Good enough for me!" Ravinna whispers as the torch dims. "Let's get the heck out of here before Queen Spiderzilla comes and eats us!"

With songblade drawn and scanning around worriedly, Ravinna carefully creeps back to the tunnel they came down, motioning her friends to follow her.

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Perception: (1d20+8)[24]

[Honikan]

Kalek Emris

"Now hold on, if we can handle a few spiders, what makes you think we can't handle a few more. Also, the shadowmoss isn't as bad as I thought it would be, besides, we still have out magical light." Kalek takes a step forward, "I guess we have another fork, let's look for hidden dagger marks again."

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I meant to say earlier that we should change back the dagger that we moved in the first place at the fork. Obviously we went the wrong way the first time, so we know that this is the correct first turn. Although, I'm not sure if we would have accomplished anything by doing that, except an other few posts of RP.

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Perception - (1d20+12)[28]

[SPoD]

Kalek Emris

"Now hold on, if we can handle a few spiders, what makes you think we can't handle a few more. Also, the shadowmoss isn't as bad as I thought it would be, besides, we still have out magical light." Kalek takes a step forward, "I guess we have another fork, let's look for hidden dagger marks again."

"Were you not listening to the one person who knows anything about these caves?" Ravinna hisses, pointing at Elric. "There's a great big talking spider that we don't want to meet, and it lives where the shadowmoss grows. THAT'S shadowmoss, which means it lives HERE, which means let's get the hell out of here."

She turns and starts leaving back the way she came, muttering as she goes. "I do think we can handle more spiders, which is why I want to go back where there are only spiders, instead of something much, MUCH worse."

[Master_Rahl22]

"I think the lady has a point, Kalek. We ought to backtrack to the room where we were ambushed and check that out some more."

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

"I agree with the Miss and the elf." Elric replies. "I have no intention of ever meeting that beast. At least I know you can take the spiders."

Ravinna & Kalek Perception

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Looking at the flickering border of the torchlight within the sunrod's radius you both notice that the torchlight heading up the tunnel you came is much stronger than the light which extends into the cavern. You also notice that the light also seems stronger going down the path to your left.

Neither of you can see any indication that any of these caverns have been marked via the dagger method.

Kalek only Perception

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You hear faint whispering although you can't really understand what it's saying. It seems to be emenating from the spider holes in the walls, floor and ceiling.

Goresh Dungeoneering

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Your instincts are right, you know that often larger cave dwelling predators will feast on the smaller members of it's specie if no other prey is available. Because of this fact you know that the smaller species tend to avoid the lairs of larger predators.

You're also able to discern that most of the small holes nearby have not been used for ages.

[Emongnome777]

Goresh Ironforge, Dwarven Barbarian

"I'm agreein' with Ravinna and Matrim. Them other spiders are avoid'n this part o' tha caves fer a reason, prolly not ta get ate. N' by tha look of it, they been avoidin' it fer a while. While I'm not convinced we can't take on this big critter, no need a riskin' it when we know we can handle them spiders in tha other direction. I feel foolish enuff fer goin' back 'n forth, but let's not make tha wrong decision again."

[Honikan]

Kalek Emris

*Shares info in first perception spoiler*
"So we know 'it' isn't down the left pass. Why don't a few of us take a look down there, just to see if there is a threat? Matrim, Goresh and I can see better in the dark than most of you, we could look. he says, not moving.

[Acheron]

Illyrion Wildwind, Halfling Sorcerer

"So we know 'it' isn't down the left pass. Why don't a few of us take a look down there, just to see if there is a threat? Matrim, Goresh and I can see better in the dark than most of you, we could look. he says, not moving.

"I agree with the others as well, besides I'm not so sure if splitting up is such good idea."

[Honikan]

Kalek Emris

"Alright, I guess it wouldn't hurt to check the other direction. It's better than me staying here alone. Lead the way Matrim." Kalek bows and follows behind Matrim.

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

With the group having agreed everyone heads back the way they came. As the group moves on everyone is able to notice how the torch picks up intensity as you backtrack and by the time the group arrives at the first break in the path it's returned to normal.

Heading towards the cavern where the group was ambushed about 30 minutes prior shows no change in the torch or the light emitted. Moss covers several areas of the cave but still the torch seems unaffected.

It's not long before the party arrives in the cavern where Matrim fell. You spot it before you even arrive as the carcass of the large spider Goresh defeated remains in place albeit a bit torn up now.

[Master_Rahl22]

Matrim says, "Excellent, so we know the left most path here leads down to the pit. Which of these others do we want to try?"

[Honikan]

Kalek Emris

"How about we try the strait tunnel first, both the strait and right paths go down. Of course we dont know if the right tunnel leads down to the cave with the shadowmoss."

[SPoD]

Ravinna seems much more at ease now that the shadowmoss cave has been left behind. "Yes, straight is fine with me," she says.

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves - Barred Way]

"Straight sounds like a sound idea." Elric replies before following the group. As you enter you notice that the down slope is only temporary before it levels out. You also notice an eventual end in spider holes but the torch doesn't show any indication of dimming.

After about 10 minutes of trudging through the new cave work you all come across a metal set of bars worked into the cave to prevent anyone from passing. It has a door with a lock fashioned on it and the bars are about 1/2 a foot apart each and about 1 inch thick.

"This is new" Elric comments, viewing the bars. "I'm afraid I wasn't planning for this..." he looks kind of nervous. "...so I don't have a key..."

Elric looks as though he's preparing for the wave of frustration to come crashing down on him.

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Pushed it along, it looked like you had a majority with Kalek, Ravinna and Goresh (ooc)

Intervene if you wish.

[Emongnome777]

Goresh Ironforge, Dwarven Barbarian

"Aye, tha middle tunnel is fine by me."

[Master_Rahl22]

Matrim says, "I don't suppose anyone here knows how to pick a lock? If we can't find a way through this door we may have to take our chances with the shadowmoss cave."

[SPoD]

Matrim says, "I don't suppose anyone here knows how to pick a lock?"

"What? How dare you even suggest such a thing! How would I know how to pick a lock?" Ravinna exclaims, flustered.

Then she realizes that Matrim wasn't talking to her.

"Well...If you must know, I did once need to rescue a kitten that had been left alone in a house for several days. Naturally, it required me opening the locked door, and as it turned out, I had quite the knack for it." She kneels down, peers into the lock, and mumbles, "Looks like a three-tumbler with a 8-degree slant to the left and a double-H bite." She pulls out a few odd-looking brass tools with prongs, slanted necks, and tapered points from her backpack.

She looks down at her tools, then up at her companions. "Have I mentioned my interest in dentistry?" she asks.

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Pick that lock!

Thievery: (1d20+11)[15]

EDIT: Well, I tanked that. I forgot to add +2 for thieves' tools, but that's still only a 17. If nothing bad happens to me for failing, I'll take 10 on a retry, giving me a 23.

[Sipex]

All --- [Spider Caves]

During Ravinna's first attempt with the lock she is unable to get it open but after taking her time she's able to easily push the door open.

"Bravo!" Elric exclaims. "I knew I chose the right people for the job. You've all proven to be very capable and versatile."

He whispers something to Ravinna as well, ending it with a coy wink.

Whisper to Ravinna

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Don't worry Miss, I won't tell anyone.

Peter smiles sheepishly, echoing his father's sentiments.

The tunnel leads on for about another 5 minutes and you all emerge in a large sloping cavern. Water drips down into the cave from the surface causing an eternal symphony of 'plips' and 'plops' which echo endlessly.

You can tell this is the main cavern you've been searching for, partially because of the lanterns Elric had mentioned earlier (now put out) and partially because Elric exclaims it as such.

"Nearly there, just up the slope to our left and take the first right." Elric explains.

You all note that the cave continues further on to your right as well, sloping sharply downward and staggered in places (offering sharp 10 to 20 foot drops at a time).

[Emongnome777]

Goresh Ironforge, Dwarven Barbarian

"Very well, then. Let's be movin' forward 'n get these folks outta here safely. Keep yer eyes open; I be thinkin' this was a little too easy." Goresh keeps his axe held at the ready.

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Perception Check: (1d20+4)[13]

[Sipex]

Goresh --- [Main Cavern]

Perception

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You hear a lot of dripping, it's kind of throwing you off.

You don't notice any sort of threat though.