IC II Toes In The Water

[Cavelcade]

Kurt hesitates a moment, clearly not wanting to come back, even as he turns around and does. "You're right, of course..." With a more dour expression, he sets to work on the still living ones.

[Admiral]

While Kurt takes care of the remaining orcs, Shiny turns to Valen and lays his hands on him- he seems to enjoy the borrowed divine power.

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I really do think we should heal as much as we can. If we don't heal, we're running for our lives, certain to die if we run into another battle. If we do heal, we're nearly as effective as we were at the start: Shiny still has 7 L1s left, and Mithril still has some of her deadliest spells. I do know there are consequences both in terms of nastier orcs being able to regroup and find us and the 4 minute long buffs like Bull's Strength and Enlarge Person possibly wearing off.

Use Magic Device: (1d20+10)[17]
Healing: (1d8+1)[7]

For the second time, Shiny's skills fail him. He looks up at the ceiling. "Garl Glittergold the Sparkling Wit, if this happens again I just might try a new deity..."

[Zman]

Valen, feeling better after Miriam's healing, "Master Dwarf, Direction?"

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Kurt believes that South is likely the way to the surface while East appears to be the same depth.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia places a hand on Kurt's shoulder. She doesn't really know what to say to make him feel better.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia looks to the others and asks, "Ready for daylight? Back to Linwood?" She wants to be as far away from the caves as possible when the hooded one gets back.

[Admiral]

"Let's go!" Then, not knowing when to quit, Shiny tries another healing spell on Valen, even if it holds them up a moment.

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UMD: (1d20+10)[14]
Healing: (1d8+1)[5]

Shiny dusts off his hands, confused. "I thought I had it that time." He quickly proceeds forward towards the direction Kurt thinks is the surface.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Heal if hear," Natalia says, then follows it with, "Or drink healing."

As they walk, Natalia asks the spellcasters, "How drained?" trying to keep her mind off the slaughter they left behind.

[Athedia]

Mithril followed Shiny putting her expended rod back into her pack and moving the magical torch to the hand that had held it. The bloody ground made her feel ill to look at and she tried to step in the cleaner spots. The idea of seeing the sky was more appealing to her now than it had been at any other point in her life. She reached back to grab Natalia's hand as they walked through the dark caves, the trauma of the past few days would crack someone who was alone.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia inhales slightly when she feels Mithril take her hand. With a smile, she gives a little squeeze back.

[Admiral]

"Heal if hear," Natalia says, then follows it with, "Or drink healing."

As they walk, Natalia asks the spellcasters, "How drained?" trying to keep her mind off the slaughter they left behind.

Shiny hustles up the corridor at the lead of the party as he whispers back, "Let's see... I have 7 spells left: a sleep, a color spray, an illusion, one that can raise the recently dead, one that summons a hurricane, one that can freeze time, and one that determines whether food has gone bad."

As he talks, he draws his two powerful healing potions, handing one to Valen and one to Kurt. "Could be worth using."

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I can't remember who gave these to me but Natalia says I have them.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Still holding Mithril's hand, Natalia nods and ignores the last bit of what Shiny says. When he passes over the potions, she says in a low voice so Miriam won't overhear, "Thank...Morton's gift..."

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When we distributed Morton's stuff, Shiny got two CSW potions, two vials of silversheen, and a packet of dust that basically acts like the glitterdust spell.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The thick clotting smell of blood hangs in the air, dense and cloying like the worst humidity. The sharp iron smell clings to Natalia's nose and seeps into her skin and is sticky on her boots and will not leave. She knows exactly what Mithril's feeling as she holds the wizard's hand and tries to reassure her silently, without using the words and language she'll never be quite able to say.

[Cavelcade]

Kurt nods at the gnome, drinking it down quickly and sighing in relief, keeping going as fast as he can down the quickest route towards the surface.

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(3d8+1)[14]
If the modifier is wrong, ZMan, you can tell me!

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia follows the confident dwarf, still holding Mithril's hand.

[Zman]

Valen take the potion from the small gnome, surprised by his generosity, "Unusual graciciousness. My thanks." and much to the surprise of those around him he doesn't drink it, but puts it in his belt and take forth one of his more dilute potions and drinks it down.

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(d8+1)[7] That puts Valen at 34/35, I'm ok with that.

The modifier for a potion of CSW is 3d8+5, you get 4 more HP Kurt!

[Zman]

As the group ventures further down the southern tunnel it opens to a wide space, their entrance on of five possible routes out of the space.

Kurt believes the East and Western Directions are roughly the same depth, while heading further sound is deeper.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Which way?" Natalia asks, looking around as best she can in the dark.

[Admiral]

Once Kurt shares his opinion on the directions, Shiny takes a sharp left turn to lead the party east. "He who hesitates is lost," he says over his shoulder, "and he who is lost should never hesitate!"

Just before trudging forward, he quickly quaffs a weak potion he's had stashed in his belt.

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Taking a CLW potion I bought back in the first city to fix the missing 4 HP.

Healing (1d8+1)[6]

[Cavelcade]

"He who hesitates is lost - but he who goes first can get eaten by an orc! Stay behind me, Shiny, or I won't get the value from that potion you gave me!"

Kurt runs to get ahead of Shiny, though he's glad the gnome is there to avoid even a hint of doubt.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia shrugs and follows them.

[Zman]

As the group moves down the Eastern path it again begins to narrow into another tunnel before widening again into another crossroads...

Mithril is the first to notice sounds of movement in the darkness ahead...

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Listen Checks
Miriam(d20+3)[9]
Kurt(d20)[2]
Shiny(d20-2)[10]
Natalia(d20+8)[16]
Mithril(d20+3)[23]
Valen (d20+3)[12]

[Cavelcade]

Kurt goes to each tunnel opening, pondering which will take them out the most efficiently.

[Zman]

Once akurt reaches the crossroads in the tunnel hell know that South distinctly leads to higher ground.

[Cavelcade]

Without even waiting to tell the others he turns in that direction, striding forward. "Don't get left behind!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Mithril, come! Wanted to see light?" Natalia asks as she hurries along, trying to keep up with Kurt.

[Admiral]

Shiny jogs along behind, whispering "And I was just starting to like it down here..."

[Athedia]

"I here something ahead, be careful Kurt." Mithril was looking forward to leaving the caves. As the group jogged out she was struck by a thought. She whispered to Natalia "I left my bedroll behind so I could carry the books, we can't go back to the hideout now..."

[Zman]

A few Orc shouts can be heard coming from the more Eastern Southern fork. It's difficult to understand what they are saying, even for Shiny. But it sounds like they are mobilizing.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia looks back at Mithril and says, "Left my crossbow and wire too. If not now, when safe."

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She can always share!

When Mithril says she hears something, and that something turns out of be orcs, Natalia's eyes go wide and she asks the others, "Run or fight?"

[Athedia]

"Run, better to fight outside in possible daylight than in their home."