Expedition to Undermountain IC

[Holocron Coder]

The evening passes uneventfully, with occasional calls out for more ale. At some point, each of you stumble to your respective rooms, be they in the inn or at home.

Those unused to the city take a while to sleep, the intermittent noises of the city startling them awake. Eventually, dawn arrives and, along with it, the unheard of.

A long, rolling earthquake shakes the city, waking the residents of the city. Walls and floors crack a bit, but even the most unstable building remains standing. Despite the relatively mild intensity of the event, the city is in an uproar. Along with the quake came visions of darkness, destruction, and chaos.

Each of you wake with a vision in your mind's eye, the details still fresh as you stumble around your room.

Spoiler

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Check your private messages

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

Riktor stumbled around the room, still groggy from last nights drinking but with a huge grin on his face. When he had stumbled up here he had been sure he'd feel some regrets in the morning. But that dream, that dream had only confirmed that this was what he was meant to do. It had to be an omen of good. He could still feel that joy, the prize almost in his hands. He'd be damned if he chickened out now. Clothing, and armouring, he shook himself out of the last bit of shock at the earthquake and grabbing the rest of his gear, made his way down into the common room to await his fellow party companions.

[Glawackus]

Jole staggers out of his room, shell-shocked by both the earthquake and the dream. Was...was that the treasure of the Undermountain? With his gear in hand, he stumbles down the stairs and heads off to join the others.

[Dethcom1]

Jaerg gets dressed slowly, carefully pondering his dream. When he at last steps out of his room, every inch a warrior, only one thought remains in his head. I'm going to die. He notices, distantly, that his hands are trembling, and with great force of will stills them. He breathes deeply before climbing down the stairs, and just before he enters the common room, he forces himself into a jovial mood.

"Hail Riktor, Jole. How did the both of you sleep?"

[Glawackus]

"I had...I had the strangest dream..." Jole says, not quite sure just where to start. "There was treasure...more gold than I've ever seen in my life..."

[Inspectre]

G'nar woke from his dreams of treasure to find that he was not wealthy - yet. Which simply meant that it was time to go to work. With the practiced ease of experience, he settles his armor onto his body and straps it in tight, and then slides his weapon into its sheath across his back and swings his shield up to rest hanging from his back as well for the moment.

Preparations for battle concluded, G'nar heads down to the tavern to meet up with his companions - hopefully they had not disappeared in the night. Reaching the tavern, it seemed none of them had, and G'nar moves over to join them.

"Morning." He says simply, before going over to collect whatever breakfast he could get for the last of his silver pieces. He had better find some money down in this place today, or he would be at risk of starving soon.

Coming back with a plate of food, G'nar settles himself back in his seat, and then begins to eat quickly. Between mouthfuls, he manages to choke out, "We have a plan?"

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

Riktor almost snickers a little at Jole's description of his dream, but instead turns it into a smile. There were far more valuable and marvelous things than gold that could be hidden down there, and the joy was in finding a way to take them, as his own dream had shown.

"Well, I slept like a rock until that shake up happened. As for a plan, well, how about keeping it simply? We head down, explore a little, try and see if we can't find some valuables. If things are going good, we stay down there and continue deeper in the next day. If things get too hairy, we pull back and regroup, back up to here if necessary." Riktor says to his party members, looking for approval from the rest.

[Dethcom1]

"Fair enough. Best we go slowly, in my opinion, as I'm pretty sure this is going to be a rough trip." Jaerg sits down hard and shouts for some bread and fruit.

[Holocron Coder]

The rest of the inn seems to be taking the quake a bit more seriously than the rest of their little group. Snatches of conversation can be heard around the inn. Statements such as "never happened before... never!" and "I wonder if something happened below..." abound.

Along with comments and slight panic about the quake are stories of what appears to be a commonly shared vision amongst the remainder of the town. Many of the inn's guests claim to have seen a vision of a screaming, bearded man. Some focused on his eyes, described as blazing with an odd mix of rage, sorrow, and swimming stars. Others focus on the feelings that accompanied the vision: that of great magical forces crashing around them, destroying and crashing. Still more paid attention to the rest of the vision. It continued with scenes of pillars cracking and tumbling, ceilings collapsing in caverns and dark rooms, and surging explosions of blue-white sparks.

The foreboding scene left many on their knees or on their floors of the room, although the latter a couple attributed to the quake. Many of the adventurers seem nearly salivating at the thought of new treasure uncovered below, but had yet to make plans to retrieve such. A few were put off by the apparently new danger and were quietly sharing tales of the dangers they had seen down below on previous trips.

[Dethcom1]

Jaerg laughs quietly at the discomfort and fear of the townspeople. "We'll go down after breakfast. I never was one for marching on an empty stomach. Does everyone have what they need?"

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

"Hey, I was born ready for this." Riktor says, his excitement about today toning out the worries of the common folk as he searches out the owner of the establishment, Durnan. "Hey big man, how about one of your famous breakfast specials for a member of the next group that's going to make it big off the Undermountain. Oh, and we'll be needing to make use of the entrance today in a little bit, so be ready."

[Inspectre]

G'nar frowns at the troubling stories drifting over from the surrounding tables. It sounded as if things may have changed down below, assuming the dreams actually had an substance. In his line of work, sudden change usually didn't mean an unexpected payday or unveiled treasure - it usually meant people were about to die because of some mistake.

"I agree we should be careful when we go down. I've found surprises to be more unpleasant than not."

G'nar sullenly continues eating his breakfast. After a moment's consideration, he decided not to end his contribution to the conversation on such a low note.

"'Course, I havn't run into any surprise nastier than my axe yet, either. Heh heh."

[Holocron Coder]

Durnan walks over to the table at Riktor's beckoning and catches his comment. "So, you're the first to go down after the big quake, eh? Hoping to find something shaken loose, I take it."

Looking over the group, he nods and comments, "Group of four, not bad... You do remember that using the well isn't free, right Riktor?"

Spoiler

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You should remember that it's 1g each way. Once paid, you can be lowered down or climb down yourself.

[Glawackus]

"Are the earthquakes common?" Jole asks.

[Pink]

Spoiler

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Hey, I actually have some gold left for in game spending!
Anyway, also taking out five silver for drinks/food/room/food. Tell me if I should be taking off some more.

Riktor Mathers

"Course not. Here's my gold piece." Riktor says to the big man, pulling out a gold as well as the silver coin necessary for his breakfast before chowing down on it. "You can bet we're going to find something really spectacular down there. The quake's just good timing really, probably has knocked something loose now that you mention it. Maybe brought down a wall that'll lead to some secret cache of treasure."

[Dethcom1]

"...Yeah, treasure..." Jaerg looks uneasy for a moment before shrugging and placing three coins on the table, all gold. "We'll see you in a bit, eh? We've got some wraiths to wrangle." He stands and walks to the well, looking into the depths again before turning to the innkeeper. "Well, let's go. All that treasure's just gonna rot if we let it."

[Holocron Coder]

Durnan pockets the offered coins and gestures towards the well. "Best hope wraiths weren't woken with that quake. Such would make short work of many adventurers heading below."

As he talks, he readies the pulley, assuming they will want to utilize it to go down. "As for the quake... no, I don't ever remember having one of those. In other places, sure, but, not here."

The lower-able platform has enough room to handle quite a load. Well more than your little party.

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

"Keep an eye out for shouts or lights from below to signal our return when We've got some stuff." Riktor says, full of confidence and he finishes his breakfast, grabs together all his supplies and, with a deep breath, steps onto the lift platform, trying to appear calm and professional even though deep within he's an excited little boy that's going on an adventure.

[Inspectre]

G'nar finishes his breakfast, washing it down with the last of his ale, and then moves to join the others on the platform. "Time to earn my keep." He mutters to no one in particular, strapping his shield into place over his arm and holding his waraxe in a readied grip. Seemingly confident that he was prepared for battle, G'nar nods and steps onto the platform off to one side. "Lower us when ready."

[Holocron Coder]

The rest of your little band finishes grabbing what gear they have and pay the toll for the well. Boarding the platform, you can glance over its side to again confirm that the well is deep. Really deep.

With a shudder, the platform begins to lower into the well. Eventually, the last echoes of the crowd's toasts and betting whisper about you as descend into the well. As the flickering light from the torches above fades, a chill overtakes you and you find yourself still sinking with no end in sight. You drop slowly and steadily deeper on the rope, almost as if you were the bait on an unweighted fishline in placid waters, but the cold and quiet of the well that surrounds you is anything but peaceful. The silence has more of a threatening quality to it.

AFter being lowered for what seems like too long a time, you at last see the bottom. Below you stretches sand-covered ground and whatever fine fate awaits you in Undermountain.

[Dethcom1]

As the group descends, Jaerg's demeanor changes. His jocular attitude seems to melt away and in it's place a serious one forms. He prepares his weapons and checks his armor, straining to see any hint of an ambush below.

Khalumniyet, empower me. My strength is yours, my mind is yours, my glories are yours. In your name I conquer, and in your shadow I live. Grant me speed of thought and sense, that the treasure of these lessers may be yours.

Spoiler

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Everyone gains +1 to Listen, Spot and initiative as long as they remain within 30 feet of me.

[Glawackus]

Jole tosses a pick up in one hand, letting it spin in the air, and then catches it. "So, this is it?" he asks, peering down over the side.

This is a very, very long way down.

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

As the platform is lowered beyond the light of the tavern, Riktor pulls from his pack a lanturn and, carefully filling it with oil, lights it and allows it to illuminate the shaft as they're lowered. As they continue down, and down, and down, Riktor gives a slow impressed whistle. "Some place eh?"

As they finally reach the bottom, Riktor is the first to step off, carefully stepping on the sand a couple times with only one foot, before standing upon it if he finds it firm and then takes a look around at the cavern they've landed in.

[Inspectre]

G'nar looks over the side of the lift as they are lowered down if he is able, peering into the darkness beneath them. Once they are on solid ground and this is confirmed by Riktor, G'nar follows him off. While Riktor is examining their surroundings one way, G'nar sweeps the darkness with his darkvision in the opposite direction.

Spoiler

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Spot:(1d20+1)[11]

"Yeah. Doesn't compare to a good dwarf hold." G'nar grumbles, and it occurs to him immediately thereafter that except for a few dim early childhood memories and one or two short visits to dwarven lands, he's never really seen a "good dwarf hold".

"Least, that's been uh, my experience. Maybe it'll look more impressive further in. Like inside the treasury." G'nar adds hastily, attempting to cover up his guilt with more words. In G'nar's experience, that never really worked either, and with a loud cough he continues his examination of the room.

[Holocron Coder]

Several inches of sand covers the floor of this roughly square room. Broken and dented shields hang on stone walls covered with chalk and charcoal graffiti. The ceiling looms a mere ten feet above you -- as it does in the hallway that leads out of the room to the south -- but a thirty-foot-diameter hole in the ceiling that you came through forms a chimney that rises up over a hundred feet.

[Dethcom1]

Jaerg moves to cover the doorway, peering in and raising his shield, in case the denizens of the dungeon decide to lay in wait. If the corridor is dimly lit, he motions Riktor to join him and illuminate it.

"I'll take the lead. Gnar, stay next to me. Riktor, just behind and keep the lantern on. Jole, you take rearguard, make sure nothing sneaks up on us. Everyone keep your eyes open, we don't know what kind of surprises the creatures here left for us. Any problems with that setup?"

Assuming there are none, Jaerg begins marching down the corridor when everyone is assembled.

Spoiler

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Taking a spot check every round, with a bonus of +1.

[Inspectre]

G'nar nods his head as he shifts his grip on his war-axe to "ready". "No problem here." He grunts, shuffling up to stand beside Jaerg at the hallway's entrance. He then moves in-step with him down the hallway once their little group is ready to depart the entry room.

[Holocron Coder]

The hallway extends about twenty feet into darkness, the light from the shaft fading quickly to the shadows of the underground. You can see that the hallway makes a right ahead, with no sign of further light sources.

[Glawackus]

Jole, picks at the ready, keeps his back to the others and watches warily. "Do you know what those shields were, G'nar?" he asks, genuinely curious.

[Pink]

Riktor Mathers

Riktor takes his place in the line up, lifting his lantern high to help illuminate for everyone (at least those that need light).
"Awesome." He whispers as he actually begins to walk into the halls of Undermountain. "Just slow down and let me take the lead if we start coming to anything that looks odd or unusual, or especially mechanical." Riktor then says to Jaerg.