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If Ash did ever start to climb up, she'll be heading back down now as there is no need to continue. Then she'll prepare to leave this cavern section and go back with the others down the other tunnel.
Nathros says, "Well, it does not seem too likely that those zombies climbed up here, but those handholds were purposefully cut into the rock face. Still, it could be that they were made a long time ago; what do you think, Mycah, did they same well maintained to you?"
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
I guess Ash will lead the party back through the tunnels again and go the south direction from the split. Here's my general marching order concept. Feel free to veto and rearrange as you all prefer. :
Ash - Front guard
Nathros - Front guard
Mycah - Scout and Ranged support
Talsarios - Caster
Alanna - Healer
Brandon - Rear guard
We should just keep the same marching order as before. Nathros would rather not be near the walking fire-bombs in any case.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
Walking away from the crude ladder, Talsarios comments "I imagine it will be rather hard to climb up there."
He's squeezed back into the middle of the group again, but gestures with the lantern - "Let's go back to the shaft where we came down, and take the other tunnel, eh? We should see what lies the other way before we struggle up that crummy half-cut ladder, don't you think?"
Spoiler
Talsarios gently pushes any of his more reluctant companions - not with enough force to actually move them at all, just enough to make his preferred direction plain - back toward the first shaft, with encouraging words and nods, as if he were skilled at subtle persuasion.
With several people interested in backtracking and no one against it, the party falls into a familiar order and heads back to the main room. Nothing seems to have changed. Bats still flap around at the ceiling and a pair of ropes dangle motionless from the shaft above at the far end of the room. The path untaken lies ahead.
"They seemed solid enough to me, Nathros. Not maintained, exactly, but not too smooth or crumbly. Not that I'm too used to clambering around underground. Trees are my usual perch. There were some old animal bones scattered about, so I expect something lives up there, but it seemed... normal, natural. A dead end, I suppose."
Mycah will gather his gear and take his place near the front. He'll try to stay forward and scout a bit, prodding ahead with the staff as he goes, but should Ash push by, he'll let her rather than argue with his betters (as he sees it.)
Spoiler
Sorry. I thought I'd posted on Sunday... Meant too. :-(
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
Brandon whispers, "We already found all the missing miners, right? Everyone else we find here is a stranger, not needing rescue?"
The deeper the party crawls into the dungeon, the more Brandon seems tense. He tries to reassure himself, telling himself he's more experienced now and not the rookie he once was.
Talsarios thinks for a moment, then agrees: "Yes, Lady Aleena definitely said two workers entered, so it appears there will be none more to rescue."
He narrows his eyes momentarily and sets his jaw in what might be an attempt at an expression of grim resolve. "Of course," he adds, "now we must find this vile necromancer and put an end to their diabolic ways."
Talsarios walks along as he replies in a lowered voice, "Oh, you know, the usual: black robes, sinister jewellery, skull motifs on the robes..." He winks at Alanna with a smile and a shake of his head. "No, unfortunately, they can look just like any of us. You're right, Brandon: we must be wary..."
Mycah looks back at Brandon and Talsarios as they continue on, and on, with their chit chat and finally shoots them a dirty look. "SHHH! We won't hear anything trying to sneak up on us if you two don't be quiet!"
Spoiler
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
Last edited by Koren n'Rhys : 06-05-2012 at 07:17 PM.
The tunnel widens slightly, to almost room for two to walk abreast. It continues ahead to the limits of the torchlight. Then, from an alcove off to the left, a mess of tentacles reach out into the corridor, catching Mycah about the chest!
Spoiler
Surprise Round to the tentacles!
Mycah: Save versus paralysis or be paralyzed.
Tie for Initiative, so go ahead and post your action and I'll work it out.
Note the limitation to two abreast, though character movement might free up additional space.
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Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Nathros is alert and ready for action, he looks for any other signs of danger whilst his companions at the front do their best to save Mycah!
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
Mycah barely has a chance to shout out in surprise as the tentacles grasp him and he feels a sickening weakness begin to overtake him...
His would-be rescuers see him slump as he loses control of his body, a look of horror in his eyes.
Spoiler
Save vs. Paralysis (Need 13): (1d20)[9]
Damn it!
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Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
Last edited by Koren n'Rhys : 06-06-2012 at 09:49 AM.
Through the tentacles that lash about, Ash tries to spot anyone possibly controlling this strange beast. Either way, she'll quickly yet cautiously hurry into the fray with her sword and shield and try to slice off the base of the tentacle that grapples with Mycah.
"Curses - ! They numb! Don't let it touch you!" Ash warns with a severe tone in her voice.
Spoiler
AC: 1
HP: 11/11
Alertness to notice a weakness in their enemy or a caster of sorts that would control the tentacled beast. DC13:(1d20)[7]
Thac0: 18
Attack: (1d20)[2]
Damage: (1d8)[3]
PS: Ironic that Mycah was snuck up on just as he was warning the rest to stay quiet just for that reason.
If her attack was successful in dismembering the tentacle, Ash will shout out, "Someone get Mycah out of there!" as she tries to keep the enemy off guard to buy her companions time.
Spoiler
PPS: Isn't that a success cause it's lower than the # you had to roll against? Wouldn't Mycah be fine?
Talsarios stares in horror and fascination at the writhing tentacles, trying to gauge how best to act.
Spoiler
Knowing that a creature larger than say, an ogre, is too big to succumb to the Sleep spell, is it possible to judge from the size of the tentacles, or better still, from any body visible beyond them, whether or not Sleep would be effective?
Failing that, does it seem safe to grab any part of Mycah's person and drag him away from the monster?
Failing that, Talsarios dithers for a few seconds.
Ash reacts immediately, her finely honed alertness warning her of trouble just as it begins. She rushes her swing though and fails to hit any of the wildly waving tentacles. She watches as Mycah goes stiff amidst the tentacles.
Brandon steps in fully and swings his own sword but with no better results.
Talasarios cranes his neck to see around his two armored companions. A mass of tentacles waves throughout the hall, seemingly anchored out of sight to the left. Their source remains out of sight. His readings on humanoids didn't discuss anything like this. Pulling Mycah free would certainly expose a person to those tentacles, but the point is moot given his lack of access to the young scout.
Alanna and Nathros remain at the rearguard. Nothing appears from the rear.
The best then comes into view, advancing forward to bite at Mycah with a toothy maw that reeks of dead flesh and rot. Three feet tall and a least that big around, the thing looks like a many-legged worm. It moves only partway out, not quite filling the hallway, yet. The thing turns its head toward the armored duo and its tentacles wave wildly. They press and slap against Ash's armor but fail to find paralyzing purchase.
Spoiler
Mycah -1 hp
Creature won initiative this round but its attack on Ash failed.
PCs' turn!
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Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Given the opportunity, Nathros will try and use his spear to attack past his companions, shouldering his shield to grip it with both hands to get extra length.
Spoiler
Nathros, Level Two Dwarf: AC 3(2); HP 9(9); THAC0 19.
Attack Roll:(1d20+1)[9] Damage Roll:(1d6+2)[3]
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
Talsarios lets Nathros get into a better position, squeezing to the back of the group - and with a look of sudden inspiration, dashing back to the dangling ropes in the first chamber.
He tugs on one of the lines, calling "Drop the rope! We need it urgently!" up the hole to the workers, who he hopes are still vigilant above.
Ash tries another attack at the tentacle that grappled Mycah. Though, if the maw of the beast comes her way first (probably to attempt to eat Mycah), she will try to give it a good stab in the "face" instead.
She'll also shift about the room or tunnel just enough that an ally could maybe squeeze by if they needed to, but not so much that it puts the rest of the group in danger of the tentacles noticing them. Maybe that'll be enough where Nathros can shimmy to the front and the others can wait for a good moment to help Mycah.
Player:
RC D&D: Old Ways OOC/IC/My PC My Blogs:Kingdoms in Trevail, for my RC D&D ramblings + other "old-school goodness" and RetroCyberpunk where I work on a Shadowrun retro-clone
Ash lashes out with her blade and severs several tentacles before moving out of the way. Nathros rushes in, spear drawn, but struggles to land a blow against the large worm-like creature. Brandon has greater success, slashing a deep cut into what might its head. The thing bleeds and oozes from it's wounds.
Talsarios rushes back to the main cavern and calls up the shaft. The bats flap nervously at the movement below them but remain in their ceiling perch. Talsarios has no way to know if the workers remain vigilante above, or whether they have returned to their camp. His call echos throughout the chamber.
Alanna holds a torch, providing what little light exists down here, and Mycah falls to the ground wrapped in severed tentacles. He can see and hear what occurs around him, but it is a chaotic scene and he has no control over his perspective (now from the ground).
The creature tries to wriggle its way back into its side cavern, abandoning its prey. It bleeds and oozes and lurches backwards into a tunnel.
From out of the darkness ahead come a pair of arrows, and each finds its mark. Ash and Brandon each find themselves stuck with an arrow.
Spoiler
Mycah is still paralyzed.
The workers will drop the rope to Talsarios this coming round and it will take him the round to gather it up and run it back.
Foes won initiative and there are new unseen combatants ahead (obviously). They are beyond the present torchlight.
Brandon -6 hp
Ash -2 hp
The present order is now something like:
Mycah fallen
Nathros
Ash and Brandon
Alanna
Talsarios (back at shaft)
PCs' turn!
__________________
Fedoruman Roland Avatar by Chris the Pontifex
Band of local heroes seeks Magic User. Join our long-running Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI game Old Ways.
Nathros grabs Mycha ad drags him behind the fighters.
__________________ It is a joyful thing indeed to hold intimate converse with a man after one’s own heart, chatting without reserve about things of interest or the fleeting topics of the world; but such, alas, are few and far between.
– Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350), Tsurezure-Gusa (1340)
"FALL BACK!" Ash's shout is muffled from her helmet.
Ash will usher her group back through the tunnel they came from, seeking shelter from the archers in it's cramped quarters.
She can feel her wound in her shoulder stinging, but it seems mild while her adrenaline is so high. Just don't look at it, she tells herself.
As they "full/double move" out through the tunnel, Ash tries to explain, "If he can cast under pressure, Talsarios should be able to help us with this. If not, we can use the tunnel for bottle neck tactics."
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