Under the School IC

[Sampi]

This morning, you all got a brief written note:



Please report to briefing room 2, on the fourth floor at noon today.
You have been selected as part of the underground expedition.
Pack the personal items you wish to take along and get additional supplies from the commissary.

Laksara


You have gathered in the briefing room after getting your things together. The room is square, with a desk in the front, and windows overlooking the courtyard behind the desk. Some wooden chairs are by the walls, and a hat rack stands by the door. On the table there are two containers, a large unfinished wood box with no lid and a small lacquered chest. Some of you have arrived early, some punctually, and the rest are only minutes late. Laksara, the exploration officer in charge of local exploration has refused any requests to discuss the mission before everyone is here. She waits patiently behind the desk, her focus on some papers. When the last of you comes in, she asks them to close the door and everyone to have a seat.

Laksara is known to you all, as she has been your instructor in some of your Exploration courses. She dresses in brown clothes that are made to get dirty in her job, but somehow always stay clean. Her platinum-blonde hair is cropped close on her temples, with a short mohawk on top, hanging to the left. When talking, she gestures a lot with her hands, which brings out the fact that they are covered in a green, reflective chitinous layer; a mark of her lower planar heritage. She stands up and begins:

“Nine days ago, the team expanding our basement levels excavated their way into natural caverns. There was some debate whether to close up the hole to block access or to explore, but in the end the Conclave of wizards decided to fortify the hole and send out an exploration team. I was given the task of selecting the team, and you are it. I believe your individual skills, perspectives and knowledge is a good combination to send out here.

Your mission is to explore these newfound caverns, map them as far as you can and make sure there are no immediate threats to the school within them. How you do it and how long you take with it is up to you, but I know at least one Conclave member is very keen on seeing results. As you are all going out to the field for the first time, let me remind you of the Code.”

This has been drilled to you several times, so as she goes over each point, you nearly mouth it off silently with her.

“One: Friends are better than enemies. I will make the former, and destroy the latter.
Two: My companions are my life. I will do everything in my power to bring all of us back, no matter the condition.
Three: My loyalty is to the Explorers, and I know the Explorers will support me in return.
Four: Knowledge is the most powerful thing in the world. If I find any, I will bring it back.
Five: Finding things is rewarded by finding things. I will let things Í find be inspected. In return, I will know what it is and it or another item of the same kind will be given to me.

I trust you will remember these.”

She then takes several engraved metal rods out of the large box.

“In addition to basic mapping and evaluation, you have two additional tasks. The first is to place these rods in hidden locations as you move out. They will create a magical alarm system designed to warn of approaching threats to the school. The farther out you get them, the better. Optimally, place two of them on either side of a corridor or cavern, so that anyone going through will pass between them. There are sixteen rods, so you should have enough. Try to make sure you cover all entrances towards the school.”

Then she opens the lacquered chest with a tiny key and takes out two monocles, framed in gold with a long silver handle.

“The second bit was a surprise. Today, professor Callan came to see me and gave me these, with instructions to give them to you. He described them as high-energy detection lenses, and said that they’ll detect magic and like phenomena, whatever that means. In any case, he wants you to keep an eye out for the extraordinary. If you find something you really can’t account for or something truly strange and out of place, he asked you to leave it alone and report back. In addition, if the lenses detect very powerful magic, the same applies. Leave it alone, report back. He didn’t really explain himself, but I would heed his request if I were you.”

She puts the lenses back in their chest, and sits down.

“Now I think this mission is rather important. It’s not often we have virgin grounds in our basement. Personally, I’d have sent more than one team out, but right now we don’t have the manpower to do that. Instead, I convinced the steward that you need better equipment. That means I got access to some advanced stuff for you. Here’s the breakdown: every one of you gets to choose a better weapon, armor or a magic thing. You go see Ako Korfaras in the main tower and tell him which of these you want and he’ll find something in storage. Personally, I think gold to get you what you want would have been a better option, but he insisted that stored items are better used. Anyway, it’s better than nothing.”

She folds her hands behind her head and leans back in her chair.

“Now you need to do two things before seeing Ako. Decide on a leader, and decide who uses the lenses. I’m not going to make those decisions for you. Any questions?”

With that, the room is silent, and sounds of the younger students’ games lesson echo in from the courtyard.

On the Conclave:

The Conclave is a group of professor Callan’s apprentices who have been tasked with the daily governance of the valley and school. They decide on important matters by voting, with senior members having more votes than the junior ones. They all have something visibly strange about them, something that’s not right. There are a lot of other authorities in the school and in the valley, but the conclave is the professor’s voice when he’s not around. And he does keep to himself a lot.

[freebiewitz]

Raising his hand Chappe takes a step forwards.
"Ahh yes I have one question, these 'UPGRADES' you mentioned from the steward." Motioning at his own sword for emphasis he continued.
"I assume they're on loan and are expected to be returned and if not they would be part of our payments?"

Chappe was hoping for a decanter of endless water honestly.
Weaponry and armour while nice wasn't his main focus. An endless supply of clean drinking water that could be used for soup would have amazing potential uses. He could wash his hands in running water in the desert for goodness sake where normally he'd have to go without!

The luxury of having such a thing would increase the quality of food on the road tremendously.

"Oh and of course I would volunteer myself for the responsibilities of leader if there is no objection." Bowing his head slightly he smiled.
"I believe myself to be suited to such a task even if it is for a short time."
This was the opportunity he was looking for! To prove himself in not just battle but in a leadership position! It would make his parents proud.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Chappe's question did raise a good question, what equipment might she really need. She had never gone on an adventure like this. She hoped they would get into any fights but the thought of danger did excite her.

She had no problem with someone else being leader. It wasn't a responsibility she wanted. The pretty girl raised her hand, "I'll take one of the monocles."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin lays both hands on the table and rises from his seat in a way that would seem violent, but most can tell it is merely the menial groundskeeper's "ungentle" qualities; he clears his throat and ask:
"So, ebout these rods, epproximetly how fore 'er these supposed te be plented from eachoth'r? end frum the entrince?"
as he speaks, he points to one of the rods, but is unsure if he wants to take one to help his question or not.
he then stares at the chest, moves it with his hand to center table and remarks:
"elso, thit thing wouldn't fit un me if ye broke into size, So i'll pes on thit..."

[Marker Mage]

Niko stopped taking notes in his spellbook once question time began, closing it up with left index finger used as a temporary bookmark, holding the closed book and a vial of ink in the same left hand in a position that some might find uncomfortable. He pointed his pen towards Chappe. "I don't mind if the goody two shoes over there gets the leadership position."

Niko's pen turned from Chappe to Gurlin. "And I must say that I share the..." Niko paused for a moment, realizing that despite all the studying he's done, he could not identify this one species. "...whatever it is' interest in how these rods work. If we have the path fork into two, will we be able to get away with leaving only three, with the center one covering the job of two rods? If we find an unusually wide corridor, would we have to use three or more to cover it? Will water, walls, being buried, or anything short of an antimagic field limit their function? We are talking about the safety of the school, and more importantly the knowledge kept within it. Also, you seem to have left out instructions on how to activate or deactivate them. I am also curious about how we should go about preventing these rods from sending a false alarm, should we backtrack through areas that had them installed."

Niko's pen turned again towards Ceraphina. "As for the monocles, I think that the decision of who holds on to each of them should be left to our group leader rather than whoever calls dibs on them. I have my own advice to give about that decision, but perhaps that should wait until we are done with our questions and have all come to an agreement on who the group leader should be." Niko was sure that he would be using those magic-detecting monocles often, but it would probably be to examine things that others had noticed with them.

Niko opened the spellbook back open, ready to start taking notes again once the questions started being answered. It wasn't so much that he expected to have to read it again at a later time, but that writing such things down helped him remember them. Niko's thoughts were slightly distracted by thoughts of what kind of magic item he would want to bring with him. Once he considered how long it usually took him to get a wand to work, he could only think of a handy haversack. He already felt that the stuff that he would be taking with him was a bit heavier than he'd like, and it was just going to get heavier once he picked up some souvenirs to bring back.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

The boy sat alone in the classroom, even surrounded by his classmates. Former classmates, he reminded himself, still feeling the sting of shame and disappointment at his failure. He clutched his backpack in his lap for social armor, and sat on his spell book for a little extra height. He watched the interplay of emotion and ego around him, and longed to take part, but as usual he was silent and still. His hand toyed with a simple locket around his neck, or fidgeted with his long hair as he listened to the babble of excited conversation that rose around him.

Respectfully, he sat up straight when their instructor entered, and listened carefully to Laksara's speech, with special attention and interest for the magic items demonstrated to them. As she spoke he could feel the excitement rear again, and his lips threatened to break into a smile, but he forced it down despite the tiny glow of pride that had been kindled at receiving her note inviting, well, instructing him to take part in the most exciting event since he'd begun attending the school.

When she finished her lecture, his mind filled with questions immediately, but they all fell quiet before reaching his lips as the others spoke up more quickly, and louder, than he would have been capable. He cringed away from the social positioning and negotiation that had begun already, remembering a time when he hadn't been so reticent, and quickly brushed the thoughts away.

Eventually, he was forced to ask the one he felt was most important, since no one else had. "Will we be given anything to communicate with the school in the event of an emergency?"

I turned Judit's portrait into a link to his character sheet, hope that helps.

[shugyosha]

Niko's pen turned again towards Ceraphina. "As for the monocles, I think that the decision of who holds on to each of them should be left to our group leader rather than whoever calls dibs on them. I have my own advice to give about that decision, but perhaps that should wait until we are done with our questions and have all come to an agreement on who the group leader should be." Niko was sure that he would be using those magic-detecting monocles often, but it would probably be to examine things that others had noticed with them.


Being rebuffed by Niko, Ceraphine with draws herself. She wasn't used being bullied like that. If she was more forceful maybe she would have stood her position. Instead she quietly listens to everyone else.

[Man on Fire]

"Ow...my poor, poor head." Can be heard from the floor level. Once somebody looks there, they can see Stinky, sitting on the floor and holding his head in his hands. "What did I drank yesterday..." He mutters to himself, very quietly, suffering from terrible sickness known as hangover. Despite how it may looks like, he listens to Laksara very carefully, even as he whispers annoyed "I know." after every point of Code.

"More job for poor Stinky. And not a nice one. Where are those barbarian princesses to seduce you guys promised me?" He whines to himself. "Oh poor me, no respect, no gratitude for all the things I've done."

"I can send someone else in your place." Laksara says, visibly annoyed by his behavior.

"Yeah, so you can say it's my falut when they'll all die? No way." Despite all his complains kobold is clearly offended by the mere suggestion that somebody could replace him. "They need good old Stinky and his great magic...sometimes I don't know what would you people do without me." Stinky continues in that vein for a good moment, clearly talking to himself, before he stands up and, while others discuss, takes one of the monocles. "Calling dibs on this one." He says, then looks at Laksara again. "We'll need some rations. And water. And equipment would be good too. You know, we probably have some spare bedrolls, tools, tent or things like that? I can share my bedroll with one of the girls if we're short in that department. Rope would be nice too. And lamps, some oil, backpacks, climbing hooks, you know, all that stuff." He then turns to the others and gives them a look.
"One girl looks scary, another looks scared." He says, looking at Ceraphina and Lyta. "Two boys are looking weaker than myself, and that's saying something." Now he looks at Judit and Niko. "A Paladin." He says, like it shouled explain everything, looking at Chappe. Goblin will probably rob us and stab me in the d*** at first night. He looks at Chaff. "And I don't even want to know what's your problem." He says, looking at Gurlin. "I'm so gonna to die. Poor Stinky, no respect for me, not at all." He starts muttering to himself, having go full circle as he sits back on his place.

[Marker Mage]

Niko just stares at the kobold, closes his book again, keeping a finger between the pages as a bookmark, and slams his head into it in the hope that somehow the physical pain will overpower the feelings of shame to even be in the same room as this thing, much less to know that it somehow learned how to do what he himself could not. All worries about getting stuck on the wrong side of a cavein or discovering a dragon are replaced by worries of Stinky doing something stupid.

[Prince Zahn]

"Quit yer pest'ring, ye little wine-spitt'r" Gurlin growled at the groggy kobold who was puzzled at the big wierd thing that interrupted him, who then took Stinky's hand holding the monocle and whispered to him indescreetly "ind if ye'd hevve noticed, we just igreed no cehling the lensis, so pey ittensh'n."
He then mumbled something in a language strange to the others present,

OOC:should anyone here have any understanding of halfling tongue, Gurlin is mumbling something that sounds vulgar, but first translates tend to point towards ramblings about a shaved turtle and hippogriff shoes.

[Man on Fire]

"Don't be angry at me, it's not my fault you're so ugly." Says Stinky, but he keeps his mouth shut for the rest of conversation and pays attention, just like he was ordered to.

[Needle]

Lyta spent the first moments thinking about which kind of items would be good to ask for, trying to listen what everyone is taking so far, but after hearing for some time her new-old companions, she decided to speak.

Did you just got out of school? Or are we at kindergarten again? - I said, as if trying to break the ice. I'm fine at not being leader, but as my colleague says here, we should choose who would take the monothings. If you want me to speak, Wizzies don't need it and frontmans have better things to do, ne?

She's very interested in everyone, as except for Niko she barely knows them. Maybe her tough time learning didn't help, but her looks didn't help at all. At least she is glad that someone is nicknamed Stinky.

[freebiewitz]

"Now now, we should not fight each other before we have even set off for adventure, that would set bad precedent." It was a good sign however that most people agreed that he himself should be in charge even if it was because no one else wanted the position. With time that reason would hopefully turn to respect.

"As for who should take what equipment I am more then willing to hear my fellow adventurers advice, most of you would know your own skill sets better then I and I trust you all." Trust, faith, it was something he was familiar with and something that came easy to him.

"Now uh..." Thinking for a moment he tried to recall the name of one of his peers. "Niko was it? You seem rather knowledgeable about these rods, I'd rest easy if you were the ones to wield them unless you had a better suggestion of course." Chappe didn't seem bothered by the 'goody two shoes' description of himself, if anything he had taken it as a compliment.

Turning to the goblin his name was easy to recall as the humanoid had said it earlier himself. "Do not worry fellow adventurer, I doubt you will die, the well being of my peers is of utmost importance!" He meant it as well, you couldn't be a good cook without wanting to look after people as his mother once said.

"As for the monocles it seems that several people would want them, obviously the one that can make the most use of them should possess the lenses." Personally Chappe was thinking that either the kobold (Despite his aggressiveness) or the young cleric should use them, the goblin seemed more concerned with his personal well being then anyone else, something that didn't sit will with Chappe at all. "However once again you know your own skills better then I and if you could inform me why you should use them I'd be delighted to hear."

[Marker Mage]

Niko raises his head from his book and looks towards Chappe. At least this guy recognizes the knowledge behind those questions. After all, knowledge of what to ask about a subject comes from knowledge of that subject. "The last time I tried to hide something that shape didn't go too well. I wouldn't say that one of us in particular needs to be assigned the task of using them, but someone is going to need to carry them. If one of us keeps finding the best places to put them, then we can let that person carry them."

Niko turned his gaze towards the monocles. "As for the monocles that everyone seems to want, I would like to stress the usefulness of them in identifying potential threats. As such, I would recommend that they are used by anyone scouting ahead or anyone that has good eyesight. We'll likely encounter opportunities where it would be beneficial to have others use them temporarily, but threat detection should probably be our first priority in new territory, and those situations will probably turn up when we have enough time to argue."

[Man on Fire]

"I don't like to brag." Stinky says, looking at his feet. "Buuuut...." He lift his head up, smiling widely. "If you insinst, then very well, I may tell you few words about my many skills." He stands on his chair, posing proudly. "I'm Stinky the vandal, Stinky the destroyer of the Garden, Stinky Annoying." He says, like any of those names were something to be proud of. "I'm the one who defeated evil lord of darkness, known only as the Beard, whose name had send the most powerful wizards flee in terror." Everybody remembers that Beard was some small-time dwarven bully who really was more of an annoyance than actual threat. He wasn't remarkable for his magic skills or even cruelty, but for his huge facial hair. "I saved future mistress of all magic, great Janisa, from his disgusting hands, by challenging him on a duel of power and wits. He tried all he had, unleashing the most destructive magic known to man, but I had not yeld." Janisa was one of the best students at school and Stinky did saved her from Beard...by jumping at his head and clinging to abovementioned facial hair, making dwarf panic and start throwing spells right and left, causing a lot of destruction. "Even when he had took the form of terrifing fire demon, I didn't even flinched at his burning breath." Finale of the fight took place when Beard accidentially set both of them on fire. The fight ended to be replaced by running away in pain, which, through unknown circumstances, escalated into great fire that burned large part of school's wing and garden. "As you can see, there is none more brave than me." It was a well known fact that Stinky didn't let Beard go even after both of them were saved. It was also known fact that through the whole ecounter Stinky was very, very, very drunk. "I'm also master of magic, musician, trapmaker, miner, spy and man of great knowledge and taste" Those parts hold some truth to them, he was skilled in a lot of things, but he was nowhere as good as he claimed. Appertnice, maybe. Master? No way in hell.

[Grytorm]

Chaff looks at the Kobold and says, "What is he talking about? Did he shave himself or something?" then he looks at the monocles, "Why even decide now, can't we pass them around as needed?

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

"Dav Opre!"

Delighted with the little Kobold's boastful story, Judit cried out in traditional praise and burst into applause, which petered out quickly when he realized everyone was looking at him, and not joining in. His pale skin provided a nice contrast to the flush that lit his cheeks, but he was so pleased with Stinky that he didn't hide his face at the scrutiny of his fellows. The tale, and the way it was told, reminded him so much of the stories that the Familia told, when they all gathered for the lil natsia, the telling of tales around the communal cook-fires. It was such a sweet memory, and so sharp, that for a while he forgot to be sad that it was gone. He wanted to throw a copper, the traditional reward to the tale-teller that carried the night, but he wasn't sure how the surly Kobold would react, and anyway, all of that was gone. He wasn't with his familia, and wasn't Romaji any more. They had moved on.

He gathered his courage, and looked around at the faces of the others, still quiet as they studied him and thought their thoughts. A little of the old magic was on him, and he felt almost free, like when the tale had passed to him, and he had held them spellbound with his words, and the coppers had covered his shoes. "Niko knows." He looked at Chappe, seeing the man's hard, unsmiling face; meeting his eyes. "Niko knows what he's talking about. I have made a study of the Arcane theorems, the formulae, the words of the masters, and I thought I was the expert among you." He looked apologetically at Ceraphina, at her drab clothes and downcast eyes, empathizing with her in a sudden rush of remembered pain and loneliness. "Niko taught me how much I didn't know. There are tests I passed only because of his help. He shares it with me, the knowledge, but his mind grabs the sigils like lightning, and holds them like steel. I can follow along, most times. But I follow, I do not lead." He pointed at the strange, joined double monocles, aware of the inadequacy of the term. "Niko will use these best."

Then he gripped the edges of his spellbook where they stuck out from under him so that he could not get up and run out of the room to hide.

[Prince Zahn]

Knowing the details why he cleaned up after the kobold's brawl that day, Gurlin ignores Stinky's fabrication and turns to Chappe:
"Es a Grehndskeep'r I issure ye, Mr. Klirigo, I em more thin cepible of luggin' whetever's needed, if emong uther tesks."
Having already displayed hints of authority and his first name being hard to pronounce given the big guy's speech-impediments, Gurlin adressed Chappe formally. Then turned to Stinky and rasped:
"I issume most of ye to know bett'r then Pleying the reb'l..."He glared briefly at the little callous Stinky, grinned in a creepy fashion, (perhaps liking what he sees?) then gave the same leer to everyone else, he quickly stopped rasping, withdrew his expression and returned to his regular, odd and stern deep voice:"*Ehim* - But we hevve e job to do, So I'll expect you oll to do theh right ind ecceptib'l."

Gurlin had a passing thought while talking about what he would want when he'll request of korfaras from the storage, and at first imagined uses for a living rope, then thought perhaps a practically warded armor would help him in danger - if They can fit one on him.

[Sampi]

Laksara takes one of the rods in hand and tosses it to Niko.

"I'm told these create a field between them that will sound an alarm when passed through. Rocks, water and vegetation don't hinder it much, so a rod can even be buried. I wouldn't go overboard with the depth, though. The field lets animals and School personnel through without alarm. The range is theoretically very long, but no one's tested these thoroughly. As I said, one at either side of a cavern or corridor would be fine. Also, all the rods connect with each other, so the three rod arrangement you described would be fine, Niko."

"I suggest you let someone strong carry these, maybe even divide them between all of you. Then take them out when you need to place some."

The rods weigh 1 pound each, there are sixteen of them.

Opening the chest, she takes a monocle by the handle, leaving the other one in the chest.

"I did some testing on the monocles myself, and it appears that they're permanent magic detection devices. At least I did not manage to see any difference between using them and using a Detect spell myself. They also seem to have the same limitations in range. Though there are some discrepancies in the devices' magic auras..."

She gestures towards Chappe with a glittering hand.

"The equipment upgrades I told you about fall into the category of "permanently assigned". That means you will not be asked to return them, except maybe if you leave Exploration. Even then, most of the people I've known to leave have gotten their permanents as a parting gift. Treat them as your own, though I would not go and sell them if I were you."

A dirty look at Stinky:

"Did you not get my note? Get your basic gear and supplies from the commissary if you did not already."

With a sigh at the kobold's inattentiveness Laksara turns to Judit:

"Yes, your question about emergency communication is a good one. Usually, explorers are sent out on their own, and don't get any sort of communication device. That's the standard way of doing things, and the others seemed to think that was okay for this mission too at the planning session. I tried to make them see that the threat to the school is much greater so near, but in the end they decided to stick to SOP. Idiots. This time, I had to go to my own resources."

She produces a scroll from the desk, and hands it to Judit

"This is mine, but I think you will need it more. Use it only in case of dire emergency. It has Sending on it: target me if the need arises. Nobody else is expecting you to use such a resource."

She then turns to face all of you.

"It appears Chappe will lead. That's fine by me. Are there any other questions I could answer? If not, then go to Ako for your upgrades."

[freebiewitz]

Turning to the shorter mage Chappe stared at him. He didn't approve of Stinky much and he himself had heard rumours of his ill exploits already. When the wizard had burst out into applause it confused the paladin.

The Kobold had a strange way of speaking that took a second to process but despite this he seemed professional if somewhat hostile about it. A trust worthy individual if Chappe was any judge. Agreeing with the draconian humanoid he decided that he'd be one of the more qualified rod holders.

Staring back at the boy wizard he wasn't sure what to make of him but the fact that he trusted the goblin enough to believe his exaggerated stories left a small impact on Chappe.

In that case it was positive.

A man who trusted another at his word, Pelor taught his followers that trust was most important thing to have in a family or any relationship. The fact that Chappe himself didn't trust stinky while this mage did made him feel shame. He'd have to follow his example if he himself were to grow as a man! Smiling he patted the boy- no man on the back.

"I do not know your name but I like you!" Grinning he laughed.

As Laksara explained things in more detail Chappe simply nodded in understanding. With the amount of rods she had supplied them he figured he could trust stinky with a few for testing purposes if nothing else. Hopefully the added responsibility would mould the goblin into a model citizen. He didn't expect any miracles but a little faith could do much.

"I have no questions myself, if no one else has any we'll head for the steward."

[Marker Mage]

Niko opened his old spellbook back up to write down some notes of this new information. His notes were rather simple: "fld Btwn; alrm ps thrw anml/schl; obst=mnr; lng rng?=test; NtRcnct. moncl=difDtct". He closed up the book and put away the ink and pen.

"I think that's all I'll need to know. I'll do my best to provide the school with new knowledge." He gets up grabs one of the monocles and 2 of the rods and walks towards the door, only stopping next to Chappe. I would like you to also remember that as the leader of our group, your decisions will be a big part of whether we succeed or fail. You will need to take all available information into consideration with those decisions. If you're ever unsure and have time, please consult the rest of us. If you're unsure and don't have time, then perhaps quicker access to this may help." Niko places the monocle in Chappe's hand and proceeds to exit the room to head towards the main tower.

Niko stuffs the rods into his backpack as he walks and pulls out a book, "Johnson's Guide to Caves". Considering the author's later loss of sanity, it might not be all that reliable a guide, but it did describe all manner of animal, vegetable, and mineral that he might encounter in this expedition and the arcane uses of each. So Niko casually skimmed it during his walk, all the while keeping his spellbook under his left arm. Once he reached Ako, he was going to ask for the magic thing. Maybe he would take a detour past the Alchemy classes and see if he can pick up anything good. Most of what the students make in those classes for practice gets sold anyway. Selling the stuff to someone just outside the door when the class ends just means less hassle.

[Prince Zahn]

"Liksereh, just one mur frum me: how efficientlee ehre the undergrund aryehs s'posedlee ventiletted? Exploresh'n hesn't ilwes eximend gen'ril aryeh prup'rtees befur sendin' peep'l down tu explor, Er so I've been tuld..." Gurlin suddenly thought to ask Laksara, remembering some small details from the course of his training, particularly those on the tools used against gas-poisoned areas.

OOC(and quick translation)
"Laksara, just one more from me: how efficiently are the underground areas supposedly ventilated? Exploration hasn't always examined general area properties before sending people down to explore, or so I've been told..."

Anyhow, Gurlin asks this blatantly rude, as well as likely outdated-to-redundancy question on the project because he's heard on an occasion or two of early expeditions sent to unexplored bogs and mountains where the explorers' suffocated corpses were found.

[Sampi]

"Gurlin, basic divinations have been made and the immediate area deemed safe to explore. Of course, that's not foolproof. I guess that's always the nature of exploring virgin grounds; there may be unknown dangers. But the diviners were very sure there's no danger of poisonous gases or major rockfall nearby."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin releases a nod and sound of confirmation from his throat, he then took four rods into his big pack, poked Stinky's shoulder and said " Come, ye igwuneh, I'm tekkin' ye to the commiss'ry, yer too Ill-preperred if thet's ull her tekkin'!"

OOC:
Man Of Fire: I'm assuming from the last few posts your character has not geared up fully at this point, so a chance is there to do so IC if he wants to stock up or get more food.

[Man on Fire]

Stinky pulls out the note and reads it again. And then he says the smarter thing he had said this day.
"Oh.".

Once group goes to the Ako, he goes to the comissary and quickly gets all he needs - 10 meters of rope, climbing spiders, backpack, bedroll, winter blanket, everburning torch, hammer, flint and steel, tent.

"I would take that ten foot pole too, but I won't be able to carry it along. What a shame."

Once geared up he joins the rest.

"Missed me?"

[Marker Mage]

Niko's arrival at the alchemy labs was well timed. He managed to catch a rather upset-looking professor bringing out a cart of his student's work to be delivered to the storage area in the main tower. The professor was named Mark Curie, and was upset about yet another case of a student ignoring a safety rule. This time it was food in the lab. It didn't take much for Niko to get on his good side. Just help the guy push the cart and provide him with someone to rant to.

Eventually, the two reached the storage, and Niko was able get a hold of a flask of acid and a thunderstone in exchange for the friendly ear, the extra hands pushing the cart, and 40 gold pieces.

[freebiewitz]

Nodding Chappe heeded Niko's advice. The man spoke sense and had a good head on his shoulders. Mentally he decided to place him as a second in command so that if he himself was incapacitated the group would still have direction.

The most important thing about being a leader in Chappe's mind is the safety of everyone who followed him and to do that listening would help.
Nodding to Laksara he politely bid her farewell before leaving the room.

Waiting for a few other people to join him after their questions he soon set off.

Smiling he waved his hand in greetings before asking for a list of supplies, things he imagined he would need for the trip underground. The kobold, Girlin? Garland? Gurlin that was his name! He mentioned that the group could suffocate due to poison air. Chappe couldn't think of any way to purify the air without the use of a more powerful mage but he could do something for the people that breathed it in.

However he soon found that they did not have such expensive items though he was pointed towards the alchemy portion of the school in case he wanted to buy them any ways. Eventually he found himself in front of the steward.

"Hello Ako, you seem well I hope you're not too busy." Though he didn't know Ako personally he still saw the man occasionally due to his position as steward.
"I came here from Laksara to get an upgrade for my weapon, some sort of long sword that can emit light if possible, an ever burning torch is all well and good but I think that it is better to be always armed."

[Sampi]

The trip to the commissary is uneventful, but they do not have any antitoxin to give you. Maybe someone over in Alchemy could sell you the stuff? (OOC: You want it, you need to pay for it.)


The school’s main stores are in the central tower’s basement level, a couple of levels above the newest excavations and your assigned exploration grounds.

As you exit the north tower and Exploration’s domain, you see many familiar faces around. Most of the people around offer a passing glance and a nod, but some come to you to wish luck and success for your first field assignment.

The courtyard is enclosed by the outer walls and the three outer towers. Various buildings, ranging from faculty quarters to student laboratory complexes are arranged in an organized chaos with paths, gardens and open spaces between them. The huge and imposing central tower rises from the middle and dwarfs all the other buildings.

You make your way through the courtyard, now bustling with students and faculty. The very young students are organized by class, following their teachers from one school building to the next. Those old enough to be trusted run and chase each other through the paths, avoiding you (or at least Gurlin). The older students all lounge about, some of them casting envious looks your way. Nobody pays too much attention to you though, as you aren’t the strangest thing they’ve seen today.

You enter the central tower through the main doors, a pair of double doors tall enough to admit a stone giant. The doors are almost always open, and a squad of Guards stands just inside. They wave you in and the squad leader jerks his thumb towards the wide stairs on the left, leading down. A full circle around the main tower perimeter and three basement levels later, you find the entrance to the Steward’s storage rooms.

The storage takes up an entire level, with annexes dug into the surrounding rock. The sheer quantity of things overwhelms the senses, and you focus on the man sitting on a stone bench next to the entrance, nursing a lit long-stemmed pipe in his right hand. He gets up as he sees you enter, and raises his left hand in salute.

”Hello, you must be the explorer team to be sent down. I’m Ako, pleased to meet you. Laksara was very adamant in equipping you with some better equipment, so I’ll get you some. I’m sure she told you what the choices are. What’ll it be?

[Marker Mage]

Eventually, Niko reaches Ako. In response to Ako's question, Niko has only one answer. "I'll take the magic thing of course. Even if it's just a wand of Prestidigitation, I'm sure that I'll find it a more useful improvement to my arsenal than a nonmagical upgrade to my weapon or armor."

Niko then proceeds to take his spellbook out from under his arm and open it. He began to rest the copy of "Johnson's Guide to Caves" on the opened spellbook while he goes back to reading.

[Prince Zahn]

(Before meeting up with Ako:)
Gurlin, who went with Stinky to the Commissary requested antitoxin as well as some supplies for the Kobold, was directed to the alchemy lab, so he directed Stinky to go straight to Ako as he'll catch up. While on his way a bunch of children were chasing eachother back and forth across the large hall and almost colliding with Gurlin a couple of times, he noticed the elementary alchemy instructor, Darloc farlie, who just dismissed his students from the morning session to let a custodian clean up, Gurlin told him he requires antitoxin for the journey in case of -well, in case of any emergency Antitoxin would help. The two discussed, While not having good relations with Gurlin, he tried to keep his temper professional. And offered him Antitoxin for fifty gold per vial. Gurlin, only capable of affording one, purchased it, knowing that would only help one of his group should a relevant and unfortunate opportunity arise. On his way to the storage he noticed Niko running to the alchemy labs, fortunately evading everyone despite rushing fast.
I inserted this here because I could not react when I had the chance to get the antitoxin, IRL issues...hopefully I wouldn't do this again, in the meantime, I am adding 4 of the alarm rods and the antitoxin to my character sheet, followed by subtracting 50 GP.

Upon his arrival to Ako He heard Chappe and Stinky Conversing with the steward, Ako and Gurlin knew of eachother, but never spoke to one another - they were two with different jobs and ranking, when which point when he finished speaking Gurlin pointed out he was sent as well, he went straight to the point and drew his rope and held it as he spoke:
Yes, es fur me upgred, I thot e kind've megic'l rope would help, perreps one thit surrunds itself 'rund neirby objects if ye gut one. If nut I could werk with e more furtifeid irmor..."
Having never spoke to Gurlin before nor neccesarily familiarizing with the accent, someone might need to translate for Gurlin to get his point across, if so you wish.

[shugyosha]

Ceraohina


Niko turned his gaze towards the monocles. "As for the monocles that everyone seems to want, I would like to stress the usefulness of them in identifying potential threats. As such, I would recommend that they are used by anyone scouting ahead or anyone that has good eyesight. We'll likely encounter opportunities where it would be beneficial to have others use them temporarily, but threat detection should probably be our first priority in new territory, and those situations will probably turn up when we have enough time to argue."

Ceraphina knew the monocles weren’t designed for the rugged uses of a scout. Threat detection was only one of its function and its most important. It was more than a matter of looking at something and knowing what it was but what context it is brought into. She was certain that she had a wide breath of knowledge than most here.

Niko was smart but he held books in his hand while she held them in her head. She remembered seeing him in the library and even recalled handing him a book or two. While he loved books, she had made knowledge her life.

At the end of the meeting she stood up and went to the alchemy lab. She meekly watched Niko pass her by. She knew things would be tough down there and she need to be prepared. It took the last of her money she got a single vial of antitoxin.

Then she headed to see Ako. There, she smiled at his salute and did her best to do the same. When asked about equipment she says, “I need something to carry all my equipment, do you have something like a Haversack? As for a weapon something like a small crossbow would do.”

[Marker Mage]

Yes, es fur me upgred, I thot e kind've megic'l rope would help, perreps one thit surrunds itself 'rund neirby objects if ye gut one. If nut I could werk with e more furtifeid irmor..."

Niko looked up from his reading on the 12th species of bat listed in the book, a rather large example that the book referred to as the FROUS, or flying rodent of unusual size. His gaze turned to Gurlin. "You're handwriting wouldn't happen to be easier to understand than your accent, would it? I wouldn't mind giving up some paper and ink to make it easier for you to communicate." Niko slid a strap of his backpack off of his arm to maneuver it to where he could reach inside.

[Man on Fire]

"Sorry I'm late, some loser wanted to shove my head into the toiled for good luck. Poor me, no respect whatsoever" Stinky says, walking in. In reality he was a bit late because he make a detour to say goodbye to his friends, but nobody needs to know about it. "What do you actually have for us? "Armor, weapon or magic item" is sorta vague, don't you agree?"

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit spoke up shyly, from his place near the back of the pack. He eyed the misshapen man warily, hoping he wouldn't take the clarification of his speech badly. "Sir, Gurlin would like some kind of animated rope for his item. Something he could command to wrap, or knot or entangle. And here are some things I was hoping for."

He'd spent quite some some time scribbling on a scrap of paper in the meeting classroom, pausing for furious thought, and scribbling again. He'd hardly noticed when everyone else filed out, and had to run to catch up, stopping twice more to hold his paper against a wall or the floor to add something to what was apparently a list. He handed it to Ako, and waited, deeply embarrassed to be asking for anything, to see if any of it was in stock and if he would be trusted to carry them.

[Grytorm]

Chaff looks at the others and at Ako hoping that the man did not have a sense of humor, "I'll take some sort of magic item. Something to help me survive or maybe something to hide with. I don't know."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin paused and stared puzzlingly at the odd request, not one has asked him to write in over decade, and now he feels he must -once again- explain why:
"kid,he said, trying to be gentle. Yer prob'ly e smehrt yung min, reight? cerryin' texts rith'r then bledds er tules... So why nut tri to inser me this -
The groundskeeper stepped towards Niko and jerked his opened his hand in front of Niko's face:
Do ye think ye c'n FIT E QUILL on THIS HEND?!"

Gurlin raised his voice and shook his hand violently in an upset tone in front of Niko, but a face that should be appropriately angry based on his voice appears actually upset and full of grief. He stayed in that shaken and frustrated expression for a couple of seconds, then withdrew his hand and took a few deep breaths. Realizing his outburst was uncalled for, "sorry ye hid to see thit, kid." he finally whispered blatantly with a stern expression.
Gurlin noticed that Judit translated his request to Ako, who seemed neither pleased with his response towards an innocent inquiry, nor satisfied with the apology for the act.

"Yeh, whit this young'n sed. umm... thenks, Judit."

[Marker Mage]

Niko stares at the misshapen hand for a moment in shock. Once the shock subsides, he puts his mind to thinking of what to do. He wants to do something to at least make up for what he said. He has an idea. He thinks that it will either be very insensitive or very inspiring. He takes one of his ink pens out and a vial of ink, and places the backpack on the floor. He puts his spellbook down on the floor too, puts the library book next to it, and turns to the last page of the spellbook. Niko then proceeds to sit down on the floor and take off his right shoe. He then dips the pen in ink and places the pen in his foot, trying to grip it with his toes. He then tries his best to write just two letters in the book: "N" and "O". He makes the letters as big as he can in an effort to make up for the general lack of skill he has in writing like this.

[Marker Mage]

Niko looks at his work and smiles. He turns his gaze to Gurlin, with the pen still in the grip of his toes. "If your hands can't hold a quill, just find some body part that can and get some practice. Why let a little physical deformity stand in your way?" Somewhere deep down, Niko wasn't sure if he was trying to inspire Gurlin, or make him look bad.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She was aghast at how insensitive Niko could be to Gurlin.

[Man on Fire]

"Your equpipment better be good, as you see, I'm working with crazy people, I'll need it." Stinky says, watching the scene.

[Marker Mage]

An interesting idea hits Niko. He puts the pen down and gets his shoe back on. He looks towards Ako. "Ako, when you bring back the magic things, would you be willing to wait a bit before telling us what they are? I'd like the group to try something if that would be OK with you..." Niko then turned to Chappe. "...and if it's OK with you too. Just a bit of a mental competition that should serve to give you an idea of how each of us stacks up in the intelligence department. And since it's in my best subject..." Niko pulls a silver piece out of his belt pouch and holds it up for everyone to see. "I'd be willing to offer a small prize to be shared between whoever can match or best me, whether it be by with knowledgeable wit, or just dumb luck. However, I think that some may be satisfied by the bragging rights reward."

[Man on Fire]

"A game? If you insist." Stinky says nonchalantly, or at least tries to. Deep inside he feels strange. Like he was happy that he may play a game with people who doesn't hate him...that much. Nah, he thought to himself, that's probably an side effect of a hangover. He really needs to stop drinking that second-hand joke and get some real alcohol.

[Grytorm]

Chaff turns back toward the other miniature cretin in the room and says to Stinky, "They definitely are quite a few, personalities in this room."

[Man on Fire]

"You need to pardon them, they're humans. As you know, this race isn't exactly known for their great mental capabilities, unlike ours." Stinky says to the Goblin, without a shade of sarcasm.

[Marker Mage]

"Of course, it would be best to wait until all of us are here," says Niko, noticing that a certain half-elf is missing. "I'll explain the game after Lyta gets here and decides what kind of item she wants."

[freebiewitz]

"A competition huh?" He didn't like the idea of allies working against allies however the fact that it was worded as game relieved him somewhat. If it was all in good fun then perhaps it would bring the group closer together.
"I suppose that's not a bad idea." He conceded. "But please play nice, I'd rather you all get along." Despite his consent he was still somewhat worried.

Turning back to the steward he began to elaborate on what he wanted.
"Right a flaming long sword would suffice I believe however if possible I would prefer a decanter of endless water." He doubted that they'd trust him with something like that at this stage. Though less powerful in terms of brute strength then a flaming long sword a decanter of endless water was much harder to craft.

He wasn't sure how it was crafted only that the spells involved were multitudes more complex then those needed to create a flaming enchantment.

[Grytorm]

Chaff smiling slightly says to the Kobold, "Well yes. Of course. But my parents told me to be delicate with them. Especially when they are paying you to hide lemons here and there. I'm still not certain what that was about."

[Prince Zahn]

From the moment the young man asked him to write inconsiderately, to the second he proposed a game of wits, Gurlin did not like what Niko has been telling him. Yet at the same time he is somewhat bewildered by the bookworm's unusual methods of...belittlement? Condescension? Ridiculing? Perhaps all three.
Once Niko did propose to play a game, Gurlin grumbled in some odd language(if it can be defined as a language to others), turned his back, and went to lean against the nearest wall that doesn't face the others directly.
"He's subtly mocking me... By openly making a fool of himself... What kind of game is he -really- playing?" Gurlin thought to himself as he sternly scowled at what surrounded him.

[Marker Mage]

Just going to let Needle say that either Lyta was already there. whenever he does decide to post.

Now maybe some of you have forgotten what our choices are in what we're getting here. Some of you may remember, but be hoping to convince Ako to give you more choice beyond 'weapon, armor, or magic thing'. I wouldn't count on it. We're going to be given whatever examples of each Ako chooses, so why not make a guessing game of it? We'll see who can identify more of the magic things that Ako chooses for us. I'm sure that most of you may be able to identify at least one of them. Even if you aren't that knowledgeable of the subject, you may remember having seen one of the items in question, perhaps with a label attached. If any of you identify just as many or more than I do, you'll be able to win a nice silver piece. And since I happen to have three of them with me..." Niko pulls out two more silver pieces. "...I'll let the top three players who beat or match me get one each. If there's a tie for who gets the third, then the prize will be need to be split." Niko looks in Gurlin's direction and sighs. "And if you're still upset with me, Gurlin, then I'll let you punch me once for each of them that you get right." Niko knew that this could be painful, but his idea required everyone to at least try. That was the point of offering the prize in the first place.

"Your guesses will be written down and revealed after Ako tells us what they are. If you find writing difficult or impossible, you can have someone who's already written their answers down do it for you. Other than that, you won't be allowed to look at anyone else's answers."

Niko looks around. "As for the actual identification, you'll be allowed to examine them in anyway you wish as long as you don't activate them or damage them. Yes, that means that you can even use the monocles in the hopes that the power or color of the magic aura will give you a clue. I'll even do my own identification without the monocles to make things easier on the rest of you." Niko remembered the monocles as the first source of conflict within the group. Perhaps if everyone gets a turn trying them out, it will cause less problems later.

"Any questions?"

[Prince Zahn]

"Ye must be pritty confident 'bout yer skills if yer risk'n e beiting frum Gurlin "the punish'r" fer nu rees'n, So I'll hold ye to thit wej'r." Gurlin Finally said with a malicious grin on his face as he sat down in front of Niko, trying to present there's more to him than what menially appears, and hoping Niko would pay notice to that. Gurlin believes this shouldn't be too hard. After all, he was a student here too, once.
Though he's already thinking to himself how can he get the monocle to aid him if it would never fit his eye: maybe ask a kind enough player who finished writing his answers to hold the lens near enough for him to see through it? Or ask instead for an optical description of what they see..?

However, he is hoping most of all to get at least -one- right, not exclusively for the satisfaction of punching a wise-guy... But he himself is not sure yet as to why... if not for the silver nor the punch, why would just one correct answer suffice?

I'm currently not rolling the intimidation check described above, since I think Niko/Marker Mage should decide how they perceive and react to the noted above, assuming Niko noticed.
If a roll will be required anyway, I'll roll it in the OOC thread.

[Marker Mage]

Niko put on the bravest face he could. He was not one for absolute confidence in something. His reading of "Plane Wars" and other arcane fiction novels had left him with a distrust of words like "invincible" or "fool-proof". With this plan, he was probably going to be hit once, but the pain would subside. He eventually manages to get a smile back on his face in time to utter "My skills aren't going to have any effect on whether or not I get that beating from you."

[freebiewitz]

Chappe didn't like this at all. It was almost like gambling, though to be fair instead of leaving things to chance it was skill that decided the outcome.
That he could handle.

The part about winning permission to punch Niko was another thing altogether.
It was even worse when the man agreed at that point.

"Now now, I don't mind the prize being coin." That was a small lie, he did mind but he wasn't going to stop it.
"But the violence is a bit too much!" Trying to stop people punching other people would be his first action as leader and hopefully he wouldn't have to make a habit of it.

"Surely this should be a friendly game." He said crossing his arms. "No punching." Frowning he tried to imitate his father by striking the 'This is me being disappointed, you should be ashamed' pose.



Not sure what this roll would be.
A Diplomacy or Charisma check I suppose.
He's not exactly trying to intimidate people but it could come out as that.
For the time being I'll just make it a straight Charisma roll to convince people that no punching should happen.

[roll0]



edit: Man I fail at reading comprehension, it was the kobold that agreed not the goblin. I have changed the post accordingly.

edit2: Okay I REALLY fail at this. All this time I thought the weird accented speaker was a kobold..... wow I am dumb.

[Prince Zahn]

"Hold un, Mr. Klirigo, The groundskeeper averted his gaze from Niko. ye've seen whet hepp'nd frum the bott'm up, did this kid nut p'rmit to punch him, if und'r certin cundishins?"
Gurlin wondered if he was helping his case, or solving nothing.
" me point is, whe dun we see how big e men of his werd Niko reelly is?"

[Marker Mage]

Another clever idea pops into Niko's head with Gurlin's words. "Yeah, I gave him permission to punch me under certain conditions." Niko thought to himself that he might be able to get away without being punched afterall. And even if he didn't, there was still a chance that one of the magic things might be something that could help him soften the blow.

"If that's all of your concerns..." Niko gets out 2 sheets of paper and uses his dagger to cut each of them into 4 pieces. They were from the commissary, but they have mending and erase spells that could turn these back into the 2 blank sheets that they once were. He also gets out both of his inkpens and 2 vials of ink. The vials he takes out look a little different from the ones that Niko has been using to take notes in his spellbook.

Niko glances towards his spellbook. Why not? "If any of you would like something solid underneath the paper, and are unwilling to use a wall or the floor, feel free to use my spellbook. You can even take a peek inside if you think it will help with the identification."

If you can succeed on a DC 15 Decipher Script check without any modifiers beyond what your character sheet says, your character can get a +1 skill bonus to the knowledge (arcana) check AND learn that Niko once managed to help a fellow student learn how to cast Locate Object despite not being able to cast even the simplest cantrip himself.

[Man on Fire]

"This is the most boring wizard tornament I ever seen. But hey, at least nobody wants to try to feed me to monsters from beyond the reality, like that costume party back in my student days." Nobody knows what's Stinky talking about now, he's probbly making things up to make himself look cool.

He takes the paper and looks at it for a moment. "How precise do you want us to be?" He asks Niko with a vague voice.

[Marker Mage]

"The names that the school uses for each of them will do. If you want to be less precise than that..." Niko turns his head. "Ako, you wouldn't mind judging the answers as a neutral third party, would you?"

Niko's question was responded to with a short "Not at all!"

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

The young librarian just watched passively as Niko prattled on.

[Marker Mage]

Once the items were brought out, Niko got to work picking various ones up and giving them a good look. He looked them over for clues to help in identification. An image of a/an ______ went a long way of identifying one of them. Knowing that a new group of explorers like them were probably not going to be trusted with the best stuff gave him a good idea of the power level of each. But the biggest clue he had, was one he had gotten back when that cheating incident was still in the planning stages.

Back then, Niko had been tutoring a more advanced student learn a spell. The amazing thing had been that Niko's help seemed to make a difference. Niko hadn't been sure if it was simply a placebo effect, or his own knowledge of spellcasting being enough to teach the art to others despite his own inability to cast a single cantrip. That student had also just started learning how to make wands and shared some rather useful information with Niko. Apparently, the school would ask the students to put certain strings of numbers and letters on the items they enchant. These strings of numbers and letters were meant to identify the item's function, the student who made them, and any activation method to make grading such things after class easier. Niko had only one example of that code explained to him, but he was certain that it would allow him to identify the items before him and the others.

Once he thought he had them figured out, he took his pen and wrote down his answers. He then passed the pen on to someone else to use.

[Sampi]

Having hefted the first batch of items on to a table nearby, Ako looks at the kobold for a long while, then knits his brows and puffs his pipe.

"You think I'm going in there an' lugging you everything I have to pick from? Look around, there's thousands of things in there. You pick the type, I go pick what I think you need. That's how it works. Or maybe I just go in an' pick without your input. And where's that half-human anyway? I don't got all day to wait here."

He then looks at Gurlin and smirks.

"Though I'll wait for the punchings, that'll be fun to watch. Maybe I'll even heal those broken ribs after."

[Prince Zahn]

Once the first set of items was laid out, Gurlin took a brief stare at each of the items, without touching them. Once he was done he looked at the others examining the objects, then tried to whistle as he waits for someone to finish and help him write and use the monocle, only to find out there are still things left to discover he can't do.
"Wait a sec, I couldn't even whistle before the accident, why should I suddenly be able to whistle now?" He thought, replacing his disappointment with embarrassment.

[Man on Fire]

Stinky takes the monocle and examines those objects. He also tries to think logically. They are new in this, so they won't give them the most expensive items. Whatever magic is in them should be easy accesable and helpful. Thinks like wand of curing light wounds, small, not very expensive and useful. It's probably also something more deffensive than offensive - when it comes to weapons, school faculity would preffer them used to save student lives, as opposed to killing the enemy.


So, knowledge Arcana, yes? [roll0]. If one for each of 3 items: [roll1] and [roll2]

[Sampi]

Ako comes back from between the myriad shelves, with a Floating Disk in tow. The disk is laden with the following:


A short wand made of some dark wood, carved with abstract spiral marks. It’s capped at either end by a golden tuning fork. The wand has the silver aura of illusion magic.
A longsword in a scabbard of red leather, with a crossguard sculpted to look like rose boughs. The grip is twisted silver wire and the pommel is a smooth, highly reflective metal ball. When drawn, cool flames dance around the blade, highlighting the wood-like grain in the metal of the blade. A residue of evocation magic may be detected by a careful inspection.
A rigid leather pouch with a belt clip, containing five clear vials. The vials contain a faintly yellow thin liquid. All the vials have an aura shifting from blue to red and back again, indicating transmutation magic.
Eight cylindrical rice paper packets, each the size of a small marble, all packed together in a glass tube. They have no magic aura.
An empty, worn black leather backpack with heavy iron buckles to hold the lid closed. A scintillating green aura indicates moderate conjuration magic.
A bamboo tube, capped at both ends by blue sealing wax. Tiny hieroglyphic writing circles the entire tube in red ink. The aura is again shifting red and blue, but rather faint. The tube is bundled together with a dark metal test tube, closed with a cork and wax. An engraved dog’s canine tooth is embedded in the wax. The tube gives off the static blue aura of abjuration.


”Okay then, folks. This is your stuff now, take good care of it.”
He begins to hand out the items. The wand is handed to Niko, the sword to Chappe. Gurlin gets the pouch of vials, Judit the tube of paper packets and Ceraphina the backpack. The bamboo and metal tubes are handed to Chaff. Finally, he hands a list detailing all the items to Chappe.


Niko - A wand of Ghost Sound, usable twice a day
Chappe – A masterwork longsword with Continual Flame
Gurlin – five Oils of Animate Rope
Judit – eight Summoning incense balls; they increase the duration of any summoning spell by 4 rounds when used. (Nonmagical improved material component.)
Ceraphina – Handy Haversack
Chaff – Dust of Tracelessness and Potion of Hide From Animals



A bored glance at Stinky reveals some irritation at the indecisiveness.
”Have you made up your mind yet, lizard?”

[freebiewitz]

Taking the scroll Chappe nods his head in thanks.
"Everything seems in order, thank you for your help."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

When Ako returns the crafty librarian quickly casts a spell. She is curious to see what objects the others get.

As the objects are laid out she looks at them with interest. When she collects her bag she looks at the other items carefully. She does her best trying to hide curiosity with a veil of dispassion. It was the Cylinder that worried her. It had no magical aura.


cast detect magic

Short Wand
[roll0] spellcraft check

Long Sword
[roll1] spellcraft check

Belt with Vials
[roll2] spellcraft check

Cylinder
[roll3] KS Dungeoneering check
[roll4] KS Arcana check

Bamboo Tube
[roll5] spellcraft check

[Man on Fire]

"Gimme something to not get hurt so easily, I know I doesn't look like it, but I'm quite fragile." Stinky says, then goes to inspect the items, applying logic he dictated earlier.


Knowledge Arcana for:
Wand [roll0]
Sword [roll1]
Pouch [roll2]
Packets [roll3]
Backpact [roll4]
Tube [roll5]

[Prince Zahn]

While inspecting the items, nothing really indicates just yet of an obvious item to Gurlin, He lifts the packets, noticing the tube is unsealed, and opens it on the floor to take a quiet whiff. after all, he figures, if it would've gone off by opening, it probably would have been properly sealed. he takes a monocle with a secure grasp. he doesn't know how long they have to inspect the items, he may as well ask someone already:
"Serifineh? If yer nut usin' the lensis," he unravels his fist to show her the detection monocles. "mind help'n e men the lensis wer but disend fer?just to hold it neir me ei es I go?"
If Ceraphina won't agree to help Gurlin, he will ask the next person who finishes, or 'order' a passing student to hold it for him near his eye if all else fails.
Once he can see through the monocle, Gurlin reexamines the packets, to find no magical aura, which puzzles him at first since it is defined as a "Magic Thitakes tarts thinking at the tip of his tongue What kind of magic thing is not magical, or not magical per se?". Having possibilities at the tip of his tongue, he carries on, gesturing the holder to follow him, he takes a closer look at the symbolism etched on the bamboo, then examines the sword from hilt to edge, checks whether the belt and it's vials are magical, and examines them thouroughly, keeping an eye for anything from the liquid texture as he gently shakes the belt and it's contents (despite not knowing much on the matter) to the scent and magic aura given by them.
As for the supposedly Modest backpack that betrays a magical aura, Gurlin holds it in the air, looks inside, checks the opening(s?), and carrying on to think it more when he's done.
Finally, he examines the most peculiar of them, the wand. He assumed at first glance it was a fancy fork of some sort, but figured it's more likely a magic wand upon closer inspection, he has a few thoughts on it, but ultimately he is not completely sure.
Rolling the knowledge(arcana) checks now, though I may as well call it an "Intelligence check" having no ranks in the skill. Marker Mage/Sampi:do I need to roll Spellcraft first or are the aura types obvious if you look at them through the monocles? Because I can roll spellcraft after this if deemed necessary, then disqualify the knowledge rolls with failed spellcraft, but in that case it should fair if everyone does that, I think.
Intelligence Checks(modifiers may be added at your judgment, Sampi):
Packets: [roll0]
Tube: [roll1]
Sword: [roll2]
Belt+Vials: [roll3]
Backpack: [roll4]
Wand: [roll5]

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

A little surprised that the large deformed man would ask her for help. She turns to him and says in a calm informative tone, "Hold the monocle up to your eye and look at the objects. Don't stare, just let your mind relax, like when you look at clouds. You'll see colors, they should tell you something about the properties of the object. Also notice the particular shade, hue, and intensity of the colors. Those subtleties are the key do actually determining what the object can do."

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Realizing the nature of Gurlin request, Judit took the monocle and held it before the deformed man's eye, trying not to get too close to him in the process. The combination of an intimate gesture of aid, with his obvious discomfort at being so close to a man prone to outbursts, would be comical if his eagerness to be of help wasn't so obvious. Instead of inspiring laughter, it requested sympathy for both of them. "Can... can you see them alright sir?"

When Gurlin was done inspecting the items, Judit claimed the glass tube for himself, unwrapping a cord from the opening of a small leather pouch. When opened flat it proved to be nothing more than many small pockets sewn to a flat piece of leather. He tucked the vial into one of the pockets, and closed the pouch, hanging it from his belt behind his cloak. He bowed his head to Ako, and thanked the man. "This should be of great help sir, thank you very much!"

[Marker Mage]

Niko looks over at Judith and Gurlin while the former holds the lens for the later, and smiles. He begins thinking about what he's going to say once he collects everyone's answers. His words then would be the thing that will make Chappe think this game was a good idea, and the thing most likely to prevent the beating that he was expected to get from Gurlin. It seemed that he was only waiting on Chappe, Chaff, and Lyta, but he might be willing to go on ahead if Lyta doesn't get there before everyone else finishes.

Prince Zahn: If we go by the "monocles work just like detect magic spell" idea, then the spellcraft check should be needed to identify the school of magic. I was thinking that just using the monocles would add maybe a +1 bonus while succeeding on the spellcraft check with them would add an extra +2.

[Prince Zahn]

"I cen see fehn, Judit. This won't tek long." Gurlin reassured him, having already thanked the young man for earlier, it did not occur to him to thank Judit again, "If it dun't trub'l ye, I need someone to wreht me ens'rs, pr'eps when yer dun with yer's?'

EDIT:Marker Mage: fair enough, I'll make the checks, though I think I used the monocle on everything, but I'll keep just +1 on the packets - what with them having no magical aura to decipher:

Spellcraft checks:
*rolls aren't working, I'll do them in the OOC thread.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

The young man smiled shyly, happy to be of help. "I'll write for you," and gestured to the far corner of the antechamber, "do you want to step away so we won't be overheard? I don't plan to compete myself, it wouldn't be fair with my knowing your guesses." When the big man was done, Judit held the monocle to his own eye, curious, then handed it to the next person.

What do you want for an aid another roll? Spellcraft? Judit tries to aid Gurlin with his rolls.
1d20+7
1d20+7
1d20+7
1d20+7
1d20+7

Well, none of these worked. See the OOC thread.

[Grytorm]

"I might as well make as guess. Although I never did so amazingly well with magic." As soon as he can he gets a hold of one of the monocle to take a quick look. Pausing a moment on his two items before passing it on. "Interesting, they appear to be, things."


Wand [roll0]
Sword [roll1]
Vials [roll2]
Marbles [roll3]
Backpack [roll4]
Tube [roll5]

[Prince Zahn]

"If ye think it wes" Gurlin took Judit to the corner and whispered his answers.

When the young man tried to share his expertise, Gurlin whispered and interrupted with a stern look "I dun need yer help, kid, just... wret down me answers and dun't cheet fer me, if I tek thit Niko up, it'll hev to be fehr 'n' sqwehr!"

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Meekly, Judit did as he was told, quickly committing to paper the twisted man's words, minus the flavorful language and cultural argot. When he was finished, he blotted the paper with his sleeve, and handed it to Gurlin. His script was small and neat, the hand of someone who's life might depend on being able to read his own writing later, despite rushing to transcribe every word of a long lecture.

[Sampi]

Ako comes back from the storage again with two new items on the Disk. He tosses the larger bundle to Stinky.

“Here ya go. Hope it’ll do you more good than the last person who wore it.”

Opening the bundle, you find it’s a silvery chain shirt made of a very light metal. A skullcap of the same material falls out of the bundle with a clatter, and you’re surprised to see it even has holes for a kobold’s horns in it.

He hands the smaller package to Chappe. Inside are two bundles of crossbow bolts, tipped with unusual metals.

”Here’s something for that missing half-human. If she doesn’t show up, just use it yourself.”

Taking everybody’s notes on the items, Ako compares the lists everyone has made.

“You seem to have your answers written out. Let me see who wins silver and who wins punchings.”

He looks up from the papers at Niko.

“Where are your answers, Niko? Can’t really rule this without them. Though I can tell you you've already won a punch, because Gurlin was spot on with Judit's tube of incense..”


Stinky – A masterwork mithral chain shirt
Lyta – Masterwork crossbow bolts; 10 tipped with cold iron, ten with alchemical silver.

[freebiewitz]

Sighing Chappe tried to come up with a solution, one that didn't involve Niko getting punched by an obviously stronger man.
Wracking his brains for an answer he found one, it wasn't perfect but if it worked then things might turn out for the better.

"If you must punch someone then as leader I shall volunteer to take the hit!"

Hopefully the request would be accepted, this had two benefits.
One, one of the people he was leading would go un-punched.
Two, perhaps seeing their leader willingly take an attack on behalf of another would lead to respect.

Hopefully it would work.

[Marker Mage]

Niko shows the back of his piece of paper. "Before that though, I have something to say." Niko then turns towards everyone who had been willing to try out this little game.

"I told you guys at the beginning that this was going to test your wits and intelligence. Surprisingly, Gurlin seems to have been the only one among all of you to have done the smartest thing any of you could have done, asking for help from the other members of the team, even if it was just to hold the monocle for him and write out his answers. The rules that I gave had said nothing about working together to figure out the answers before writing them down, and I had been wanting to see if any of you were clever enough to pick up on that. Whether you guys like it or not, we're going to need to be a team once we go into those caves, and we might as well get some practice with it now. So would anyone like to stick with the answers that you have now, or would you like to try again, but work together to come up with your answers? It'll increase your chances of that prize, and even allow Gurlin to get some extra punches on me. You would just have to be willing to split the silver pieces. You can even compare the answers you came up with on your own later if you care about showing off. But if you guys can't find it in yourselves to work together, I can just show my answers now, we can get this over with, and Chappe will know who to keep an eye on."

Niko looks at the faces of everyone that he will eventually depend on. He had made this challenge with the idea of using it as a chance to get everyone to try working together before they went into the caves. He had said they could use the monocles in the hopes that it would get it into everyone's head that these monocles can be passed between members of the team as the situation requires it. He had offered Gurlin permission to punch him in order to get Gurlin to try to participate and perhaps in the hope that it would make a good enough apology for his earlier actions. Niko had also always wanted to emulate those wise mentor figures that appeared in some of the stories he's read, and thought that this kind of secret test would be a good way to do so.

If you accept the teamwork option, then you only need to have at least one person get an item right for everyone to get it right. If no one got it right, then the lowest rolls for the item will behave as aid another attempts to boost the highest roll for it. If all six magic things are correctly identified, then it won't matter how many Niko can identify, and the three silver pieces and six copper pieces will be split between Chappe, Judith, Ceraphina, Gurlin, Chaff, and Stinky, which will leave them each six copper pieces richer.


"If you must punch someone then as leader I shall volunteer to take the hit!"
"I made him the offer, and I'm going to stand by it. If he's still upset with me, he can give me those punches. If he's going to get back at me for any insults that I have made towards him, I'd prefer it to be on my terms, which in this case is going to be violence while I'm in a place where I am more likely to receive magical healing in a timely manner."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin harkened carefully to Chappe's good intentions, as well as to Niko's words, seeing that he may have come to terms with the inevitable. Normally that would be enough of an apology for Gurlin, but Gurlin believes there's still one more question left unanswered.
Gurlin had an adamant look in his eyes:
"Mr.Klirigo, if ther wes e rees'n to punch ye, let me issure ye I wood hevve dun so elreidee. If ye need to heel 'im efterwirds, it'll hevve been Niko's rispunsibil'tee. Now let's kwit evoid'n feht, ell of ye!"
Gurlin slammed his fist in a nearby wooden wall, it intentionally did not break the wall, but it drew ye attention to him. He then pointed at a nearby wall, and shouted.
"NIKO! NO SEC'ND REHND! OV'R THIR, NOW!"

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She was just glad to get what she asked for. She knew everything she was going to carry was heavy for her. She only half heard Niko's words as she decided to head to the commissary to get the rest of her equipment. She meekly informs the others, "I'm going to get get some provisions and pack."

Although she didn't know where to meet up with them she thought the group would be easy enough to find.

[Marker Mage]

Niko looked a bit dejected. There went his brilliant plan to get everyone else to try working together as a team. This was why he couldn't hope to have the role of leader. When he tried to use clever ways of helping people, whether it be trying to convince them that there are probably ways to get around their problems or trying to get a group to work together, it tended to just fall apart. Even the people he tutored tended to end up hating him. He walked towards the wall.

"So I guess you are fulfilling that 'still upset' condition for this punch." Perhaps he would think back to this moment the next time he got one of these clever ideas. That would probably keep him from trying them.

As for Niko's answers...
Wand 1d20+9
Sword 1d20+9
Vials 1d20+9
Marbles 1d20+9
Backpack 1d20+9
Tube 1d20+9
OK, I guess I shouldn't preview the post when there's some rolls to be made.

[Prince Zahn]

"Now, If innee of the delinquints these fists met ehr to be trust'd, it'll hert ye less if ye close yer eis..." Gurlin took two steps towards Niko.
(if Niko's eyes are still open, he will bark "Close yer eis ilreidee!!")
At this point, whether or not Niko shuts his eyes, Gurlin approaches Niko, takes a deep breath, then inhales and let's out a cry that sounds almost like an Orc's shout, albeit with a slightly higher pitch.
Finally he thrusts his fist towards Niko's face, only to freeze his charging fist about two inches short of impact with Niko's right eye.
A disturbing smirk then betrays Gurlin's face as he savors the immediate reaction for a couple of seconds.
Marker Mage: Gurlin now wants to see what Niko plans to do at the last moment. so you're up to decide.

[Marker Mage]

Niko tried his best to stay in place. He felt that the coming pain would disuade him from any more foolish ideas that he may get. He closed his eyes like he was told, not in the hopes that it would hurt less, but that it would slow his reaction time. He couldn't help but jump a bit at the shout, but managed to get himself under some control in time. After a few seconds, he speaks up with his eyes still closed, but his voice is cracks quite a bit. "Is that a delay or a miss?" He waits a moment before asking in a voice closer to his usual level of confidence "Or could it be that you decided you didn't fit that pesky 'still upset' condition?" Niko's eyes remain tightly shut.

[Man on Fire]

"Now that's what I was talking about. You have an eye, brother." Stinky says, dressing in the chain shirt and helmet. "Out of sheer curiosity, who was it's previous owner?"

"If it's a competition, I want to test my skills, not soebody else's. But, if you really insist on this teamwork stuff." Stinky grumps to himself as he tries to help others in second attempt at identifing the items. He tries to assure himself that while six pieces of copper aren't as good as one piece of silver, they're much better than nothing. It doesn't work.

[Prince Zahn]

"Open yer eis, and open yer eis, kid!"Gurlin repeated himself whispering while withdrawing his fist, assuming he's being clever. I'm still upsit, but I know I med us eev'n."
He took a step back and continued as he pointed his twisted index finger not angrily, but judgmentally: "now it's Yer turn to Mek sure it stehs eev'n."
He then grabbed Niko, taking him to the center between everyone, and announced with more seriousness than most ever seen Gurlin:
"Mr.Klirigo, I proved Mr. Tizzeh here e men of 'is werd, lik I sed I wud. So reth'r then lett'n kehndniss blur yer judgment, Ye shud be thenk'n me."
Gurlin then lets go of Niko, sits down, opens his backpack, and rips a small piece of bread from his food prepared for the caverns, eating it with a deformed, yet rare and sincere smile on his face.

[Marker Mage]

Niko opens his eyes. "It probably isn't going to stay even. I don't tend to have much luck in getting people to like me. There are plenty of students in this school that could tell you about how irritating I can be to be around. I would like to see if I can find some way for you to hold a quill though."

Niko replies to Stinky with "Forget about it. The moment was ruined. We'll just go with the individual efforts."

It looks like Chaff and Stinky are the winners for matching Niko. It seems that Judith forgot to write down his answers and Gurlin only got one right, Ceraphina and Chappe seem to have not participated, and of course Lyta didn't show up.

Niko gives Chaff and Stinky their winnings. He was really hoping to see his prize split between everyone in the group.

Niko thinks for a moment. "Shouldn't we try to find that half-elf?"

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

From where he'd been crouching in the corner, cringing at the prospect of violence among the Explorers, Judit slowly let out a relieved sigh. He could feel tense muscles slowly unbind, and he rubbed a few cramps out of his thighs as he straightened to his feet again.

He no longer felt much like competing, even in something as simple as identifying items. The conflict had shaken him. It wasn't just the powerful taboo against hurting people in your Familia. He knew personally how little it took for real violence to erupt, the kind of heartbreak that could be a consequence, and knew he'd never be able to take it for granted.

He skirted Gurlin and Niko, avoiding their eyes as he made his way over to where Ako stood. He felt a sharp resentment that they would allow their hubris to shatter the growing confidence, the sense of belonging that he'd been tentatively exploring since they'd been gathered in the classroom and told about their new mission. Part of him wished the Stock-master had interceded, but he knew that staff protection was for students. None of them were students anymore.

"Pardon me sir, but where are we to go from here?" Judit stood diffidently near the door, anxious to be gone.

[Sampi]

"Oh, just in down as far as you can go, then ask for Markalk. He's in charge of the excavations."

"But don't go yet. I kind of want to see if you get them all right. Tell you what: if you do, I'll get you those antivenoms you wanted. Maybe a bonus if you're quick. It's been a slow day an' I like this enrertainment."

He turns to look at Stinky.

"It belonged to a fellow named Fluke. Was a doppleganger posing as a lizard. Don't know why. Anyway, I hear the Conclave finished him."

[Man on Fire]

"Good, I haven't knew him then. It would be heartbreaking if one of kobolds I do know died." Stinky says, rather to finish conversation than to express his concern. Probably.

[Marker Mage]

Niko's ears perk up at the thought of some additional supplies. "Perhaps my idea is going to turn out better than I thought. Since it's to identify them all, I assume that it would be alright for me to work with them, possibly without the limitations that were to give them a chance against me."

If Niko is allowed to, he'll take a look at the answers that were collected, keeping in mind the number that everyone got right. He may be able to figure out which ones were guessed correctly through eliminating the ones that he knows are incorrect. Maybe he'll even have one of those "Why didn't I think of that, it's so obvious now" moments while looking at them. He'll also use one of the monocles, taking care to try to see where the magic seems to focus in the items. He will of course listen to any ideas from the rest of the team on why they gave their answers.

The wand with its tuning forks had to have something to do with sound. The low amount of magic it had could possibly be due to it being used to cast a cantrip.

The flames in the sword gave away its flame magic, but there was the issue of whether the sword was just going to burn as it cut, or if the flames would instead leap out of the sword as part of some spell that its wielder could command the sword to perform.

He remembered Gurlin asking for something about Animate Rope. Maybe the vials might have been for that.

He thinks of the contents of the glass tube and its lack of magic. He feels that he can safely guess it's a special spell component. He had thought about keeping an eye out for some while he was exploring.

The backpack could possibly be the handy haversack that he had thought about when he had first heard he was coming here to get something. He even recalled Ceraphina asking for one.

And as for the tubes... If Chaff was getting something to help him survive or to hide... The animal tooth in the wax... hide from animals?

He felt he could identify every one of them now.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

The mousy girl headed to the commissary. There she smiled at the women helping her. "ah, yes... I'm going on the expedition to caves they found under the school.

"Oh really that kobald here? He really isn't as bad as people make hime out to be...

"Right, what I might need... A light source, a blanket, food... oh, I don't know, maybe a few pitons and some rope... I'm sure some of the others will be carrying rope. OH, yes, a hammer for the pitons. No, I don't know how to use them but I'm sure one of the men I'm traveling with might know.

"Is there anything else you can think of?

"Oh no I don't think a tent will fit but a bedroll might be nice."

[freebiewitz]

...... Seeing how Niko and Gurlin now interacted Chappe could only blurt out one thing.
"Everythingwentbetterthenexpected!" A saying that his family often used.
He was proud of them and was glad that they called him leader. He would not betray that respect.

[Man on Fire]

"hat's all just bad propaganda from nasty humans. They love to stick it to us, the little ones, Kobolds, and go on how we're greedy, cowardly and drink too much. I'm glad to see someone finally realizes we're really just pretty nice, decent, attractive, good-willing creatures who wants to spread love and happines through the world." Greedy, cowardly Kobold that drinks too much anre really doesn't want to spread love and happines through the world andswered to Ceraphina's words about him.

[Sampi]

Ako looks at the list compiled by frentic comparing of notes and rapid discussions partly conducted in draconic and partly in common.

"hmm... Right. Well, you missed the tubes, so no extra prize. I guess I can get you some anti-toxins anyway."

He goes in the back and retrieves another case like the one Gurlin got, only this one is slightly wider and has eight vials instead of six. These are filled to to capacity with a bile green viscous liquid, and each is labeled:


Anti-toxin
Consume before exposure
for best results.

Ako sits back down on his bench and points his pipe towards the stairway.

"Down you go. Remember - if you find anything interesting you don't want to use yourself, I'll trade you for something you like. Good luck!"

[freebiewitz]

"Yes sir, we'll be sure to keep that in mind!" Helping the academy would strengthen them and in term allow them to help the party even more.

It was an easy, basic but effective way of doing things.
Working together always yielded the best results.

"Alright, let's go find this Markalk fellow." He was delighted to see the anti-toxins on offer. He himself had a flask so that he could test new ingredients in his recipes. Not many people knew that some kinds of poisons were actually quite tasty if prepared right.

Chappe had suffered many nights of stomach aches due to these ill advised experiments in his youth, it was fortunate that his mother was a cleric honestly.

"However I would prefer we all travelled in a group." Reffering to the missing members of the party he continued. "I realize we haven't actually started the expedition yet but I would enjoy discussing marching order." The key word here being enjoy. In his younger days apparently his old man was an adventurer, no one too famous or successful but experienced enough to rub a few habits onto young Chappe who himself had never done something like this before.

Marching order, it would be novel to talk about with his new found friends.

[Prince Zahn]

"thenk's Ehko, Ye'll be f'rst te heer once it's fully repurt'd."
Gurlin stopped eating from his supplies, put it all back in his pack, and listened to Chappe as he tried to put on the belt Ako gave him:
Hmm? Good thught, yes. un topic, Leid'r, I think inyone who wud whimp'r from e splint'r shud be gehrded, if ye know whit I mein? best frum both sehds, I'd sei."
adding: Belt vials(animate rope) to inventory as "worn"
Augustus Gloop: you said Judit took a vial in his pocket, right? So that's one vial for him and four for Gurlin, Or did I mix that up with something else entirely? Let me know so I can put a number down, okay?

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She gathered all the things and placed them systematically in the various pockets and compartments of Haversack. She lifted it quiet easily.

Having everything she needed she went to rejoin the group.


I have added to the equipment list various items that I think are easy enough to get. Sampi, please check if they are okay.

[Man on Fire]

"I say you go first and our large friend closes the collumn." Stinky says, a paladin's suggestion about marching order. "I can be in the middle with girls and two timid boys, Goblin may do scouting." He smiles in very lecherous way at the though of himself having to keep companion of two young women. He would preffer them to be kobolds, but, as his grandma used to say, you don't look given horse in the teeth. it took him years to understand what she meant.

[Marker Mage]

After tucking his new wand into his belt, Niko gave the question asked some thought. He couldn't recall something like marching order being brought up in the Plane Trek books he had read, but then again, maybe that's why so many security personnel tended to die in them. Niko took a quick look down at his clothes to make sure they weren't red. OK, they were blue. "I'll be on the left I guess."

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit waited silently by the door for the group to assemble itself. He smoothed his robes nervously and fidgeted with his belongings, checking and re-checking that everything was in place and that he hadn't forgotten anything. He was excited about the coming adventure, and apprehensive about how he would do, and whether the group would be able to pull together into a team. He guessed that having a leader would help, but there were so many wild and assertive personalities here, and none of them had any real experience at exploring the unknown, at least as far as he knew. The Romaji had unspoken and unbreakable rules about who was in charge, but for the most part everyone in his Familia just knew what to do without having to be told. They'd been traveling since before there was history. Even the earliest tales were of wanderings and journeys. Everyone grew up learning how it was done. This group... if he was being kind he would say they were disorganized. He hoped they could get it together before any disaster happened.

Prince Zahn: If I said vial, I misspoke. I meant the tube of incense balls. If you're passing out anti-toxin, Judit would take one though.

[Man on Fire]

"One more thing. Before we go,I need to go in one place. I'll catch up to you in a moment." Stinky says, then he quickly runs to the dorms on the other part of the school, making few detours to make sure nobody is follow him.

There he parades into the room of his friends, yelling "Look at me. I'm the badass explorer!"

He then spends some time telling his three two friends, Flue and Boring, that he'll be going for the mission and thy shouldn't worry. Last kobold of their little team, Little Jimmy, is apparently in the bathroom, suffering from food poisoning, so Stinkly wisely tells him goodbye through he doors. Then he heads out, saying goodbyes again, asking his buddies to wish him luck and tell goodbye to Janisa from him. Then he quickly returns to the team. He hopes nobody was following him, he don't want to destroy his mystrious look by the fact he went to say goodbye to his friends.

[freebiewitz]

".......Right." It took awhile for Chappe to decipher Gurlin's speech but in the end he agreed. He himself in front with the warrior in the back.
"With my sword out constantly at the ready not only will it give us ample lighting from the front but it will mean I will be armed for whatever meets us."

"As for who is directly behind me I'd say anyone who can identify traps so that I myself do not walk into any." The idea of scout though appealing seemed dangerous. "We'll hold off sending anyone off for reconnaissance for now, It'd be best to stick in a group until we're more experienced."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin Let out a light grunt as he nodded to agree, But a new thought struck him: But whoev'r goes in frunt of me shud be vij'lint es well, lest sumthing sneik up frum the bek."
He then lifted a few of the curls at the sides of his head, revealing to Chappe a pair of ears that seem small for him, perhaps that's why he concealed them. A moment later he hid them once more under his hair and quoted said with a hint of depression:
" 'Yer c'n heer just fehn, but most c'n just... do it e bit bett'r... Is 'ehl', thit's whit... Herlif end the medical profess'r tuld me." he said with his voice gradually lowering until a point is still audible, but mostly to those adjacent to him.

On Harlif: Harlif generally has a reputation as a great teacher in most of the school, despite teaching theoretics and philosophy to the advanced groups, he also has a way to settle many student-staff arguments when they reach serious stages, he hears out many people he thinks need it, among them Gurlin,to whom he taught most importantly to practice self control constantly. Titles for Harlif include: "The hearer"; and "the kind".

[Sampi]

You descend the final round of the long spiral stairway as a group. The levels beneath the storage areas are poorly lit and you hear some very strange sounds coming from corridors you pass and from behind closed doors. One of the corridors is occupied by a large fish, floating in the air and looking at you with three eyes placed one above the other in the central ridge of its head. Going past that, you briefly feel as if something cold and slithering was caressing the inside of your head.

Finally, you reach the bottom. This area is still only lit by torches on the walls and lanterns hanging above, but the light is enough to see by. All around, you hear the sounds of hammering on stone. Humans, goblins, kobolds, dwarves and other creatures are busily excavating new spaces for the School’s needs. Some rooms are farther along in construction, some are just rough caves cut in the rock, and there are many still being dug out.

You ask directions for Markalk from a passing worker, and he points you towards a heavy construction of stone blocks, timber and iron in a far corner. Picking your way between the workers and equipment, you find yourself at the structure. Close up, you see it’s a fortification; a narrow passage lined with murder holes above and at the sides, and two huge crossbows behind stone and iron covers pointing directly at the entrance to the basement. Several elite Guards in their dark armor are stationed to make use of the defensive structure.

The nearer door – a thick timber and iron slab – is raised, but the one obviously going out into the natural caves is closed. Its surface is covered in sigils and runes. Just looking at it makes the hair (or scales) on the back of your neck stand up. Obviously there are some pretty serious magic wards set up.

As you stand and look at the gateway to your mission, a balding dwarf walks up to you. He’s dressed in dusty leather coveralls and heavy work boots. His gloves are tucked into his broad belt along with various measuring implements. His beard is chocolate brown and finely combed and waxed, with many dainty curling points. It’s almost comical, but he carries himself with great confidence. He holds a two-meter long level in his left hand and offers his right to you.

“Hi folks. You must be the expedition that Exploration sent. I’m Markalk, in charge here. There’s not much I can tell you about the caves out there, except that the one cavern we can see from this hole seems pretty stable. Further out, I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything out of the ordinary from this hole, so nothing’s moving nearby, anyway. Come on, I’ll show you the way to get back once you’re out there.”

He walks to the outer door and points at an empty circle in the center.

”You have a wizard among your number, I’m told. Good. This thing works by Arcane Mark – you draw yours in that middle circle and it’ll open for any School wizard. If any of you others got far enough in your studies to have a Mark of your own, that should work too.”

He scratches his head, and pauses for a moment.

”Now I know this might be dangerous for you, so there’s a backup in case you lose your ability to make a Mark. We open the door every 24 hours, at noon. So if you need to get in, you just wait long enough at the door. Mind you, there’s no other way we’ll open it – I don’t want my workers to get rushed by grues or worse. So no pounding on the door. Not that it would matter, there’s a Silence spell on it as well.”

“That’s about all. Do you have any questions, or will I tell the boys to open the door?”

On Arcane Marks:

An Arcane mark, also called a Wizard’s Mark is essential for all magic. I becomes a part of every spell scribed into a spellbook and every magical text that a wizard writes. In the school, it’s used in many more tasks, including lab reservations, tests and as a form of ID. A Mark is not static, but grows with the wizard. It starts out simple, often as the wizard’s own initials or monogram or another symbol important to the wizard. Everybody chooses their own. As the wizard grows in power, it becomes more and more elaborate. Some very powerful wizard even have three-dimensional marks that rise out of the surface they’re written on. Some move. Nonwizards may also have marks, if they’ve studied the wizard ways for long enough. These don’t grow, but remain static unless the owner starts learning arcane magic.

(Ruleswise: if you have two or more ranks in Spellcraft, you have a Mark of your own.)

[Marker Mage]

"So it will react to one's mark being drawn upon it by mundane means?"

[Sampi]

"To be honest, I'm not completely sure. It should, the wizards told me it would but nobody's tested that."

[freebiewitz]

Chappe scratched the back of his neck. He himself was never able to create a mark on his own and by the way that Markalk spoke of it, it seemed like such a basic thing.

It was a slight sore point for the paladin who couldn't use arcane magic despite spending at lease a couple years attempting to learn. His mindset as his teachers told him was wrong for this kind of art and he was eventually pointed to a more faith orientated position.

"Alright, if we're dealing with tunnels I assume that at most only two or three people can walk down them side by side." He began. "Thus one person should be able to hold one section by themselves at least for a short while."

Clearing his throat he continued.

"I'll be going in first, you all know my reasoning by now. Next up I'd like Niko right behind me, you've got a good head and I hope this means you'll be able to spot danger before anyone else does." He said pointing to the man.

"Next I'd like Stinky behind Niko, if rumours are correct then you're quite the illusionist." The rumours didn't speak specifically of his magical ability but did imply that he was talented enough to fool his victims. "I'm hoping with your powers you'll be able to hide us from certain threats that Niko detects, I'll need you both close enough to communicate for this to work." It wasn't the only reason Chappe placed the kobold there, he wanted the two of them to get along.

"After Stinky we'll have Chaff, you're there to spot anything that Niko misses and you're next to Stinky for the same reason, keep us covered with your bow." That and he liked the idea of a kobold next to a goblin it seemed fitting.

"After that I'll have Sara? Serry?" Damnit what was with him and names? "Ceraphina! Yes, the cleric will be next in the middle for obvious reasons. With Chaff and Stinky being somewhat shorter then most you'll be able to reach me as easily as you reach Gurlin who will be in the back." Healing magic was most important and though paladins could use that power themselves Chappe wasn't experienced enough to do so yet.

"In the back I'd like Gurlin to protect our rear with Linta? Leeta?.... Uhh the half elf will be in front of Gurlin to detect any threats coming from behind." Well that was bad, he couldn't even remember another girl's name properly, that made almost four people that day, what kind of leader forgot his followers names? "Ahh.... Lyta! That's it!" Despite seeing himself as a fair man Chappe wasn't immune to racial stereo types. Elves had good hearing as far as knew or at least better hearing then the average human.

He sincerely hoped he didn't offend anyone.

"Right in front of Lyta I'd like Judit to be present, as a mage you'll need protection thus why I've put Gurlin there but at the same time I'd like you to be able to see as many people as possible in front of you to support them." Made sense in Chappe's head though he noted that he had no idea what kind of magic the boy used.

As far as marching orders went it didn't seem too bad to Chappe, he had been thinking about it ever since he found out about the whole expedition.

"If anyone has any suggestions please make them, keep in mind that I don't know everyone's skill set so my proposal may not fit what everyone can do so at most all I could do was guess."



What Chappe proposes:

Chappe, Niko, Stinky, Chaff, Ceraphina, Judit, Lyta, Gurlin.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Meakly she raises her hand and asks, "How long out of contact do we have to be before we are considered missing?"

[Marker Mage]

Niko accepted his place in the marching order. However, there were two things that he felt should be mentioned about his skill set. "I am not too sure about my eyesight..." Niko takes off his reading glasses and tucks them into a pocket. "...but I may be able to provide you with useful information about anything we encounter, so perhaps having me close to you would be a good idea. As for my skills..." Niko holds up the spellbook that he's been carrying almost constantly. "Don't let this fool you. Sure, it is a spellbook and has a few cantrips in it, but I can't actually prepare and cast spells on my own. I still try though, and maybe I'll finally have a breakthrough before we get back."

"As for Lyta, I'm sure that she simply got lost on the way to the main tower. She may be able to catch up to us later, since we're going to be slowed down by the mapping. As for the door, I would be happy to give it the testing that it needs."

[Prince Zahn]

Yes, Mehrkehlk, just how big is the erieh ye deem 'steb'l'? How much of it wes scenn'd? Ind whir's the burd'r-Lehn?"
He then noticed he kind of interrupted Chappe's sentence, so he asked him to repeat it.
After hearing him what he said all the way through, he Objected calmly: "I dun't think it wehs to put e goblin next to a scel'd rit lek thit, thei'll be pessin comments to eichoth'r thit meht itrect unwehnt'd ittensh'n, no, I reth'r think the goblin, Chiff, reht? shud stick with me. A critter thet meager must hevve dun sumthing reht to ivoid being prey. Heh heh, Leeta wud go neer Serifineh ind Stinky Ov'r heer. Gurlin paused to think of the odd nicknames most Kobolds go by, wouldn't it be so much easier to just call them by one collective name? "Like 'Supper', perhaps?" he mused to himself but then realized he's still in a conversation. And to ensure Stinky's attention, I case he wasn't listening, he spoke a bit louder:
"Oh, ind e ferr wirning: If thit hurn'd gecko ent'rs with e bott'l in his beek, I swehr - I'll smesh it eginst e sullid woll."

Bottom line - What Gurlin is suggesting:

Chappe, Niko, Stinky, Lyta, Ceraphina, Judit, Chaff, Gurlin.

[Man on Fire]

"I'm okay with it either way." Says Stinky. Kobold isn't really a good tactician and while he like to joke about marching order that let him hit on girls, he knows when it's time to let people who actually know strategy to decide.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

"Sir, I'd like to test the door first. Let us pass through, and I will draw my mark. If it doesn't open, please open it after a minute." Judit surprised himself, and likely everyone else, by speaking up in a clear, confident sounding voice. He was so surprised, he forgot to weaken it by adding something like if it's not too much trouble. He stood, startled, and waited for the Dwarf to scream at him for speaking out of turn, or giving orders, or something.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko searches his backpack for a piece of chalk and hands it to Judit.

[Sampi]

At first Markalk is a bit reluctant to open and close the door, but he sees the necessity. You test the theory, and find that a mundanely scribed Mark works like a silent knock - the runes on the inside flash but the door does not open, like it would for an actual spell-scribed Mark. Markalk promises that someone will keep an eye on the door at all times in case this happens. HE brushes aside all your questions about the outside and the mission, saying it's not his place to know, and that Laksara told you all you need.

Then he walks out of the defensive corridor and waves to somebody on top. The runes around the door flash for an instant, then you hear the clinking of chains. Slowly and silently, the heavy door slides up, revealing darkness. As soon as the door stops, you hear Markalk’s voice from behind you.

“Get going now! I don’t want to keep this open any longer than necessary! Good luck!”

You go through the door and it slides quickly back down, leaving you in the darkness, staved off by the torches you carry. The circle of light is not quite large enough to encompass the whole room. What you do see looks like a natural cavern. Walls of striped grey rock are covered partly in dust and dirt. The floor slopes down ahead of you and vanishes in the darkness. The ceiling is low here, but further along there’s plenty of headroom. Behind you, the ceiling and the floor come together to form a tight corner.

The air smells a bit like clay and decaying leaves. It’s very silent, although you hear occasional faint sharp sounds, like a twig snapping far away.

A bit further in, you see the cave is roughly V-shaped, with the door into the School’s basement at the corner. A crumbling rock face separates the two halves. The left-hand fork tightens to a narrow triangular passage with the floor sloping to the right. The other passage is wider, and slopes down into darkness.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She is a little miffed that her question is ignored.

Taking out a book she begins scribbling the rough size of the cavern, noting the two passage ways, and leaves room for further mapping.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza
Niko looks at the walls carefully. He guesses that they are gneiss. He has a sheet of paper out on his open spellbook along with a vial of ink, and the guide to caves book. He switches between drawing a map and taking notes from the guide. His everburning torch is held in place with his armpit.

[Man on Fire]

Stinky

"Well, that looks promising." Stinky looks around, trying to not look scared. "I say we go the wider route, how about it?"

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit noded, agreeing with the Kobold. He certainly didn't want to squeeze into anything, with the unknown likely to jump out and bite them. He was suddenly glad he was near the back of the group, and worried about those on the front line. He checked his gear again, and loaded his crossbow, holding it in the crook of his arm, thankful for the hours he'd put in shooting targets when he couldn't stare at his books any longer.

[freebiewitz]

Gurlin as always confounded Chappe with his speech though after a moment of being dumbfounded (Which he disguised as thoughtfulness, he was getting quite good at that with all the practice he was getting lately) the paladin soon nodded.

"Makes sense I suppose." As for Niko he was surprised to hear the man admit his weakness with sight. He always assumed those with glasses were perceptive and in most cases over analytical.
Then again if they had good eye sight why would they need glasses in the first place?

It was good to have team mates, they often picked up on things that you miss. Even if those things you miss are stupidly obvious. It was one of the reasons that he was glad Niko would be beside him.

Thanking Markalk Chappe pulled out his sword and marched forwards until he reached the fork. His sword seemed to burn with a bright flame yet was not hot. Chappe even tested it earlier to see if it could roast meat.

To his disappointment it wasn't. A blade that could cut and cook meat it one strike would've been a chef's dream come true!

"I'd prefer the slightly wider passage, hmm any idea's which one has been used more if at all?" He asked Niko. "If we're here to explore it's better to map out the newer areas first though as I said before if both are equally unused then the wider one would be preferable."

Remembering a few of his father's stories he continued.

"Then again perhaps it'd be safer to enter the more dangerous one first, if we go down the other route there's no telling if the denizens of the more dangerous path will come around and hit us from behind.... yes the wider route regardless would be better then."

[Grytorm]

Chaff who had been watching silently on the way down and steps next to Chappe and says, "Sir for the marching order I could move a ways ahead. I can be rather silent when I try to be."

[freebiewitz]

Crossing his arms Chappe frowned.
He didn't like the idea of sending someone forwards into danger like this.
But his father told him that sometimes you had to and that it would at the very least ensure the safety of everyone else.

Not only that but if he refused Chaff's request it would look as if he didn't have any faith in the goblin.

"Alright, just be careful and if anything happens you come back quickly alright?"

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko looked up from his note taking. He had started over in his reading through of the book when he entered the cave. He had heard once that if you have your senses experiencing something while you study, that having them experience that again will help bring back the memories. This was easy enough to take advantage of with some flavored hard candy being sucked on during a study session and later during a test. A few wizards in the school would even use Prestidigitation to add a distinctive flavor to one of their fingers or a piece of their robe and lightly gnaw on it during both the studying and test. Niko hoped to achieve the same thing with the sights, sounds, and scents that surrounded him in that cave. If possible, he might want to convince another in the group to try sparring with him while he tries to read up on the more dangerous creatures. However, that would have to wait for the moment.

"I would rather go with the path that everyone's more comfortable with, but if I may point out something. The wider path allows room for wider creatures. If we take the narrower path, we would be less likely to encounter anything bigger than ourselves. However, we would have more to worry from swarms of smaller creatures due to our lessened maneuverability."

Niko studied the two paths closely. "Of the two paths, the only one that I can think of a clever strategy for would be the narrower one. We would have our goblin friend scout it out for either danger or a wide-enough section, then come back. If it's a wider section, we head towards it. If it's a dangerous creature, we wait at the wider section and try to lure it out into an ambush. For the wider route, I'm afraid that we would have less opportunity for starting any confrontation in an advantageous position, and I've heard that a fair fight is a sign of poor tactics plenty of times."

Niko eyed the crumbling rock face that separated the two paths. "For now however, how about we set up the first of the rods? We are going to have to set them up for the paths we don't take anyway, and we know that one of them will go right there." Niko points at the wall separating the two paths.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Finishing up her writing she packs her things then comments, "Didn't they say they wanted the detect devices as far out as possible. If they wanted it here they would have done it themselves." After saying it she realized that she would probably be ignored. She wondered if was because she was a girl.

[Prince Zahn]

"Serefineh's reht, we shud cov'r some grehnd befur settin' the rods, if something did come chergin' heer, thehr'd be no time to pripehr."
With a small pause, The lug continued:

"Hevving cleen'd mennee vishus mess's in smill currid'rs, ye shud know the leck of movemint c'n burd'n us greitlee shud it get too nirrow. most impurtintly to those in the middle."

Gurlin nodded to his words, and then poked Niko's shoulder and whispered as he gestured with his hands:

Niko, Shud the Kevve beists stert'l ye, ye'll be surree her hed Wes in e book the wholl tehm, so eis-frunt frum ev'ryone is best."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko turned around to see Ceraphina. "We were also told to cover all entrances to the school. If something comes through a route that doesn't have the rods set up for them, the school's first warning will be when that stone door back there is opened or broken. We can always move the rods later, can't we?"

Niko turned to Gurlin. "I was just reading up on the kinds of beasts we're likely to come across. I was also doing some ma..." A realization hit Niko. "We never decided who would be responsible for making a map, did we?"

Niko hasn't been paying much attention to what's behind him. So he hasn't noticed Cera making a map.

[Grytorm]

"I'll move down the smaller tunnel for now, follow if you wish after a few minutes. If I encounter a fork or anything alive I will come back." Chaff says as he begins to move down the tunnel. Stooping at the entrance to look for any signs of something passing through before going forward into the darkness as he readies his shield.


Survival [roll0]
Hide [roll1]
Move Silently [roll2]
Note moving forward without a light. Relying on dark-vision.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit listened to the debate, and finally found an opportunity to speak up when he was certain he wasn't going to interrupt anyone else. "I think we should put three of the rods here, even though it's so close. Nothing says we can't move them, and since we'll be returning to the school at some point we can pick them up on our way out again, once we understand the layout of the tunnels better." He peered around at their surroundings and shrugged, "I've never been in caves before, but I don't think there's anything that says these two tunnels ever have to meet up again. Does anyone know if they're naturally formed, or if they've been dug by creatures? There are certain types of worms that grow this large, and they are known to burrow through solid rock."

[Man on Fire]

"Large worms? They doesn't happen to eat uncareful explorers, right?" Stinky quickly gettis scared over simple rumor and starts to panically thinking if there are any large worms known to live under school grounds.


Knowledge Local [roll0] + bardic Knowledge [roll1] to see if there are any rumors about giant underground worms. Yeah, Stinky jsut got scared.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko takes a look through "Johnson's Guide to Caves". "Cave types... Ah, here it is! Hmmm... The lack of stalagmites and stalactites rules out a limestone cave... If this cave is a natural one, then it's probably a lava cave formed during an eruption."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin is impressed by Niko's deduction, perhaps all that book reading wasn't for nothing, or maybe this place they stand upon now might have just been two corners of something much, much bigger than themselves:
"Lehvveh, ye sei, if thets the cehs the pruffess'r Meh hevve just fehnd a feir-spell guld-mehn..." Gurlin, holding the goblin's torch as well as his own lightly shook the light sources in his hands as he uttered the words "fire-spell gold mine".
Gurlin Drew two rods from his backpack, and turned toward Judit: I've bin thinking, Rith'r then plentin' three rods, weh nit just behree one in the cent'r of eich peth? Sum one Lind me e shov'l?"

[Sampi]

Chaff disappears in the left-hand passage while you discuss the nature of the cave.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"I may have misheard that. Bury them in the CENTER of each path? It's a good thing that I took notes on how these rods work." Niko went to the notes he took on the rods.

fld Btwn; alrm ps thrw anml/schl; obst=mnr; lng rng?=test; NtRcnct.
Niko translates the notes into common. "The rods create a field between them. The alarm activates when something passes through that field, unless that something is just an animal or school personnel. They basically act like a tripwire. Burying them in the center of each path will leave half of each path unnoticed by the rods. If we want to cover both paths with only two rods, then we are going to have to put them somewhere behind us. Ideally, we would want to place them so that the only way to reach them without passing between them would be to approach them from the direction that we came from."

[Man on Fire]

"Guys, anyone knows anything about geology? It would be good to know how old those tunnels are." Stinky says, then he immiediately bites himself in the tounge, realizing that's a stupid idea. He also realzies that he's quite nervous. Last time he flet that way was when he was about to attack Beard. Slowly a terrible realization crawls into his head - he is scared. Those are two nasty, bad tunnels in front of him with they don't know what waiting inside. He really feels like he needs some booze. But he haven't took any. Poor him.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit felt as though he had to continue to disagree, as much as he wanted to just be quiet and go along with the knowledgeable Niko, and the terrifying Gurlin. "There's no reason to be stingy with the rods right now." He continued quietly, eyes firmly on his shoes. "We know nothing about the tunnels, or where they lead, and we don't know what information will be valuable. What if it is vital we know which tunnel a threat emerged from, but we only used two rods? If we take the time now, and use three as we should... I mean, if you think it's a good..." He trailed off, his confidence forsaking him.

http://i47.tinypic.com/vijmyp.jpg

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She watched Chaff go alone and wondered why Chappe let him go off by himself. Was the goblin supposed to do all the exploring all by himself while they argued about placing the rods here or not.

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin nodded and grunted lightly after Listening to Niko and Judit, he used the shovel handed to him and he scooped off the initial dirt from the left corner from the entrance, dug up a Hole about a foot-and-a-half in diameter, and a few feet deep, it should suffice to cover the rods entirely, while the rods will be placed shallow enough in the dirt should they need to retrieve it in a matter of minutes,
He then did the same on a corner closer to the other path.
despite his clumsy appearence and hasty work, the observant among us might have noticed Gurlin being quite...orderly with the digging and placing, it seems clear he's done similar jobs before.
Once the two rods were buried and each concealed under a rock Gurlin picked up on the spot. Gurlin drew out a rugged chalk stone, walked to the center of the fork and wrote a white "X" on the ground while holding the torches in one hand and the chalk between two fingers in the other fist:
"Here, ye sei?"
"Ilreht, I'll get to it next."
He placed the stone in his apron pocket, laid the torches down, pulled his third rod from his pack and resumed the job, picking up a light sweat doing so.

[Man on Fire]

"Guys, how will we know when it's time for gates to open again? Stinky points out. "None of us thought about any way of measuring time."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko just stares at Stinky for awhile before speaking. "I'm assuming that you have thought of some way that knowing when it's time for the gates to open will benefit us. Would you mind sharing it?"

[Man on Fire]

"Well, mister smart, knowing exactly when gates will open may benefit us if we wouldn't be able to make the marks to open them ourselves and would have to head back, we would plan our road back differently with that knowledge, especially in case we need to get out quickly. Really, somebody could have tought you think I'm crazy or something."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"So we wouldn't just take the shortest route back and begin waiting in the event that we needed to go back but couldn't use the marks once we got to the door?"

[Man on Fire]

Yes. But what if we would run out of food or be pursued by something? I don't want to die because we raced back here only to find the doors locked."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"If we can't find enough mushrooms and bats down here, we'll just have to resort to eating our shoes. And if that isn't enough, we'll resort to eating each other. And if whichever of us is left is still hungry, they'll just have to eat the rations we brought with us." Niko may have been joking, but not by much. He would probably miss a meal or two before his stomach got loud enough to convince him to eat any of the rations he brought with him. He was honestly hoping that they could find mushrooms or something. "But seriously, we can use the number of meals that we've eaten to decide when to go back. If we are pursued, then I would really like to know how we would go about timing our arrival at the door. Even with something to use to know how much time we had until the door opened, it would probably be very difficult. We'd probably have a better chance of luring whatever was pursuing us through a route that went between two of the rods with hope that the alarm convinces them to open the door sooner. Taking the effort to measure time will take some attention away from other tasks like mapping, looking for food, and my memorization of this book."

[freebiewitz]

"Hmm with the issue of food as long as we can procure the raw ingredients I'll be able to make it edible." It was a long winded way to say 'I can cook' but he had to show that he was the leader and not their personal chef.

"As for the problem with knowing when the door will open or not I have a few ideas." Pointing at one of the rods he continued. "The rods make a note of when things pass correct? Assuming the doors open inwards then the rods should be able to detect this." Of course the problem of knowing how much time before this happened was still an issue.

"Otherwise we'll simply continue to explore the underground and if we find anything valuable that we should not risk we'll come back up ,simply wait and camp out until it opens up again." Chappe honestly wasn't that worried.

If there was something dangerous down here then they would need to eat something right? And if there was nothing to eat then there would be no monsters. Though now that he thought about it he wasn't so sure which was the worse option.

Imagining each scenario was worrying but then he realized that undead didn't need a food source.
Shivering he clenched his glowing sword tighter.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina



[COLOR="orange"]"As for the problem with knowing when the door will open or not I have a few ideas." Pointing at one of the rods he continued. "The rods make a note of when things pass correct? Assuming the doors open inwards then the rods should be able to detect this."

"The problem is that these rods don't tell us anything. They are meant to give those on the other side notice." She did understand the problem of time Stinky brought up. Not everyone could make a mark she assumed.

She didn't like the idea that anyone of them were left alone, "We really should make sure Chaff is alright," she suggested.

[freebiewitz]

"I admit I am worried but you should have more faith in him." Pausing for a moment he then added. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check his progress none the less, if everyone is ready we'll move up."

[Grytorm]

Chaff worries a little that the group has not followed as he returns until he reaches the party. When he sees them arguing he smiles and shakes his head. "The tunnel goes up after a ways. And it reaches a point where I would have had to crawl. Something is definitely something past their though and the tunnel widens."

Sampi, about how long was I gone?

[Sampi]

Chaff was away no longer than two minutes.

[Man on Fire]

"Then I don't see much choice. If Goblin had to crawl, then even I, with my muscular body, may not be able to get through, not to mention you, very large big bad humans." Stinky says, clearly ignoring the fact that he is anything but musculat.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

"Or we could check the other passage first," she countered. She did not like the idea of crawling but tried to hide it as much as possible.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

"Perhaps we should move the rods for this passage as far forward as we can, and try the other way." Judit wanted the school to have as much warning as it could get, but he really didn't want to have to crawl and squeeze through a passage. Anything could happen while they were stuck in there!

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"I'm all for Judit's idea. It might also be a good idea to leave some way for us to identify the other end of that tunnel should we ever come across it again. The rods could work for that. We'd just have to use the monocles to notice them."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Ceraphina pulls out a piece of chalk. "I can mark the passageit."

[Prince Zahn]

ilreht, thit's the th'rd one, Gurlin placed the shovel on the ground he dug and stomped on it to flatten the ground, he approached the rest:
Weht, whit ixectlee did Judit suggist?

[Man on Fire]

"Too bad we don't have a leader who would decide what we do." Stinky says sarcastically, eeing his teammated arguing over Judith's idea.

[Grytorm]

"Isn't it somewhat pointless to mark the passageway we are about to go down? Although we should mark the passage I explored." Chaff asks.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphine

Looks at Chaffe incredulously. "Yes we mark your tunnel and as we go so we know when we double back or if we want to come back here."

[freebiewitz]

"Alright let's move on then shall we? We'll move down the tunnel that Chaff had scouted out earlier, as far as we can tell there wasn't anything dangerous."
Looking around he continued.
"I'll be sure to send you out again but only when we see sign of danger and even then it will be purely circumstantial of course."
Bringing his sword up to get a clearer view of the area Chappe motioned to everyone to get form up before go forth.

[Sampi]

All right.

You move up the left-hand tunnel. It turns slightly to the right, then there's an upward slope. About a hundred meters in, the tunnel rapidly narrows to a mere hole that you'd need to crawl through. It's not sure you can even fit in.

You stop at the hole, and listen. There's a faint sound coming from the hole, like porcelain chips or bamboo pieces rubbed together. Looking through the hole with a light, you can see that it widens a bit just at the edge of your illumination.

The rock on the right-hand wall is slightly different. It's black and flaky, and it has some brass-yellow glittery bits in it. The ceiling and the floor are still the same stripy rock that Niko identified as "gneiss".

Note that the passage is narrow: only two of you may fit next to the hole at a time.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Once there she takes the chalk and marks and the was with an 'H' and an arrow pointing to it. "The H stand for home, the arrow shows the direction back," she explains. "So we set up the rods here and then go back and try the other tunnel, right?"

[Man on Fire]

"I suggest we head back, I mean, it's obvious you won't be able to get through and I really don't want to see what are those strange sounds." Stinky says, taking a step back. He tries to look in his memory for anythign that could make those sounds, especially if it could be very scary predators, big red worms in particular. He feels like he really needs a drink.


Bardic Knowledge [roll0] and Knowledge Local [roll1] to see if he can recognize the sounds.

[freebiewitz]

"If anything we move forwards BECAUSE it's dangerous." Turning around he explained. "We're here to explore and if we don't get past this now some one else will have to do it."

Bringing out his weapon Chappe pointed back to the hole.
"Besides it's why we have metal objects with pointy ends." He joked, a little humour always helped make friends, he was sure one of his parents had said that once, he wasn't sure which though.
"Alright lets get moving." Bringing out his shovel alongside his blade Chappe wonders if he can squeeze through the hole without the help of said shovel.

[Grytorm]

"It actually seems rather safe. It was making those same sounds when I came here before. Water maybe? Or something asleep or a machine is all I can think of." Chaff says hoping that at least one person was sane and he would not begin swinging his sword around down the hole.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko looks up from map-drawing and note taking to offer some advice. "We are here to explore and eventually report what we find back to the school. If we cannot continue down this direction, then it makes sense to save it for later. Perhaps another path will connect to there later on, and if not, we can request something to make passage through here easier once we have more to report."

[freebiewitz]

Deflating Chappe found himself disappointed by the lack of danger and adventure.
"Alright, in that case mark it down as a point of interest, we'll come back here later then."

[Sampi]

The hole is solid rock, so a shovel wouldn't do much good. Lyta, Chaff and Stinky would probably fit throuh fine. Niko, Ceraphina and Judit could fit through without too much difficulty. Chappe's and Gurlin's armor might be a problem.

But this is all washed from your minds as you see movement down the hole, very close. You start to react and some of you draw your weapons as a green and black form comes through.

It looks like a caterpillar, only its size is different. Its body barely fits in the hole, and as it pushes through, long hairlike spines puff out around it. It has wicked-looking black mandibles on its head and three sets of black compound eyes. The hair/spines form alternating green and black bands around its body. The sound you hear is suddendly much louder, but you still can't see what causes it.

As the thing gets some of its body out of the hole, it rears up and clicks its mandibles threateningly.

Roll for initiative.

[Man on Fire]

Initiative [roll0]

Seeing big, flesh-eating (because he surerly is, doesn't matter that the color is different) monstrous worm coming out of the hole) Stinky does the most rational thing. That is, he squeals like a little girl. Some part of his mind sutely suggest to make tactical retreat. And by that yours humble servant, the narrator, means it screams to drop everything and run like hell. But another part tells him he is not a coward and he cannot fail his friend up there. It also tells him that he cannot abbandon his friend up here. And even if he could, where would he go? Unsuprisingly, this part speaks in Janisa's voice.

Stinky decided to do the second most rational thing and causes uick flash of light to appear in front of the monster. It has eyes, or at least something that looks like them, and it lives underground, so it should blind it. Then he picks up his crossbow and fires at the creature.


Flare at the monster.
attack roll [roll1]
damage roll [roll2]

[shugyosha]

Ceraphiina

She stumbles backwards as the creature came out of the hole. She grabbed her crossbow and fumbled with it as she tried to get it ready.


Why couldn't we just hack it's head of as it came up through the hole?

[roll0] init

[Sampi]

Why couldn't we just hack it's head of as it came up through the hole?


Because the people near enough failed their spot and listen checks.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko quickly closes his spellbook and uses its durable cover as an improvised shield as he approaches the creature carefully. Niko felt that if he could just get himself on the other side of the creature's head, he might be a lot safer while being in a better position to attack it. Niko also attempts to identify the monster from memory. He had hoped that they would encounter a bat first. He had read enough useful information on bats just recently after all.

Initiative: [roll0]
Knowledge (Nature): [roll1]
Niko is using 5-foot steps to approach the creature.

[Grytorm]

Chaff stares at the thing before saying, "Why must my companions have mouths?" Then he readies his bow and if he can get a clear shot he shoots the beast.

Five Foot Step away from the Thing if Possible
Initiative [roll0]
Attack [roll1] (6 Base +1 Point Blank Shot -4 Shooting into Melee
Damage [roll2]

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin, who's behind everyone, notices everyone comment and drawing their weapons, he draws out his broom pole - which seems to be quite the hefty piece of wood, he steps in to get a good view of the danger through where Chaff took distance.
"Ilreht, whit's ehl this eb-LIMBU'S MEHJ! -thit's thing's huge!" The lug was startled. He's handled big crawlies, but handling bugs that big was normally under the vermin tamers' line of work.
Nevertheless, every bug needs someone to squish it, and Gurlin felt he needed to pull his weight.

[freebiewitz]

The first sign of combat in this adventure had begun!
His mind lit ablaze and realizing that he was in striking range of the monster Chappe decided to yell out a word of encouragement that would increase the moral of the party ten-fold!

"CHARGE!" He wasn't exactly the most inspirational speaking when fighting.
Moving forwards Chappe swings.

[roll0]
That's initiative.
[roll1]
That's his to hit roll.
[roll2]
And that's his damage if he hits.
Just rolling everything to speed things up.

[AugustusGloop]

http://i47.tinypic.com/21j3hvl.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409255)
IJudit

Judit stared in shock and wonder at the massive centipede as it emerged from the hole in the rock. Could this be what made the hole? It only barely fits! With a level of calm that could only be described as severe shock, Judit lowered his crossbow until it pointed at the creature, and pulled the trigger.

Initiative: [roll0]

[AugustusGloop]

Hit:[roll0]
Crit Confirm:[roll1]
Dmg: [roll2]
Crit Dmg: [roll3]

[Sampi]

The initial chaos is soon worse. Bolts fly, spells flash and the creature manages to bite Niko's book.

The flare flashes, but appears to have no effect. Chappe's sword is deflected by the surprisingly springy spines, as is Ceraphina's bolt. Lyta retreats and loads her crossbow. Judit's and Chaff's missiles penetrate and stick in the creatures body. Gurlin manages to get close.

The creature itself crawls fully out of the hole, revealing a pair of stingers in its backside. They rub against each other, making the sound you keep hearing.

So 4 damage, no damage to you. Apparent AC is 14. Chappe and Niko are currently flanking, Gurlin is close and others have retreated.

[Man on Fire]

Terrified Stinky really wanted to run. Creature was blind, so his illusionary powers wouldn't work on it. His weapons didn't worked either. He felt even more scared than moments ago, he fels his stomach dangerously close to his throat and his testicles getting smaller, like parts of his body tried to climb upward and escape through the mouth.

Part of his mind slapped that one that was panicking and reminded it, and by proxy Stinky as whole, that if he won't get it together, they will all die. if the creature doesn't use sight, then it probably uses hearing. Stinky looks for any rock lying around in other end of the room, on the other side of the hole they are. Then he uses magic to lift it as high as he can, then let it fall. When creature is distracted, he slowly and quietly moves back, to get away from it, giving everybody signs they should do the same.


Casting Presdigidation.

[freebiewitz]

Staring down the monster Chappe decides to give things another go.
Though a part of his mind told him to be careful and watch for an opening, another part of his mind was trying to think if the thing was edible.

"TAKE THIS!" Putting his weight behind the blade Chappe decided to take a risk and go for a heavier all out attack. Hopefully it would keep the beasts attention on himself.

[roll0]
This is the attack roll, flanking bonus is included.
He is making a power attack which is why it's not at a +7.
[roll1]
and that's the damage.
[roll2]
And that's the crit confirmation if it crits.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

It takes both arms and a lot of effort to reload her crossbow. Placing it at her should she takes aim and fires, hoping not to hit any of her friends.


[roll0] to hit (firing into melee -4)
[roll1] damage
[roll2] crit
[roll3] crit damage

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko recognizes the creature as a moth caterpillar, but a huge one. He would have to ask to use one of the monocles later to find out if it was magically grown to this size, or if it's just naturally large. The markings seemed to indicate that its tail was... "Guys! Watch out for the tail! I'm pretty sure it has venom in it!" Such markings were meant to be seen by things that might foolishly try to hunt it. When Niko considered the usefulness of visual warnings in such a dark cave, things just didn't add up, but those thoughts would have to wait until the current danger has passed.

Niko tucked his book under an arm and drew his dagger. He started watching the creature's movements for a clue as to where to aim. He remembered that a scorpion's stomach provided part of the ingredients for the venom kept within its stinger. Perhaps this creature was similar in that respect. Maybe draining the acid out of this thing's stomach would weaken its venom a bit after a bit of time, and it's stomach should be located right...

Attack roll: [roll0] (included +2 flanking bonus)
Damage roll: [roll1]
Sneak attack damage roll: [roll2]
Crit confirmation roll: [roll3]

If hit: "GOTCHA!" Niko buries the dagger into where he suspects the stomach to be located and proceeds to twist the knife in the wound as much as possible, intent on getting this thing to leak acid, bile, and its last meal.

If miss: "DRAT!" The flat of Niko's dagger slides smoothly across the overgrown caterpillar's exoskeleton without puncturing anything. Niko probably should have expected that considering the time he had tried pinning a normal-sized bug in place for someone's collection. STUPID NEEDLES! STUPID ARACH AND HIS "LET'S SEE YOU DO BETTER" ATTITUDE! STUPID BUGS!!!

After the attack, Niko's gaze turned to the stinger. That stinger seemed like the most dangerous part of the creature, even if its effectiveness does manage to be weakened from a punctured stomach. For now, Niko would ignore the head if it meant a greater chance of avoiding that stinger.

[Grytorm]

Silently Chaff draws another arrow and fires at the creature again. Thinking of the creatures unceasing noise.


Attack [roll0] +1 BaB +4 Dex +1 PBS -4 Into Meelee
Damage [roll1]

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin was not generally one simply keep his mouth open long when handling dangerous acid-spewing, venom-dripping, or slime-exfoliating monsters, unless it was necessary. It was mainly because the mouth tends to be a big, easy target for such toxins to enter. "If this is a nest, We might need to report it" he thought as those slick, creepy vermin tamers came to mind again.
Instead, he took a small step closer* with his left leg for momentum, drawing his torch a bit closer as well, and, as if all part of the same motion, he took the same distance step with his other leg**, while swinging the heavy broomstick towards the dangerous Centipede's Head:
"HHHRRUUUOOUGGHHH!!" he yelled out in as he moved, trying to summon his full force into the blow.

*is there enough room for this to be possible?
**this may be technically two steps, but total movement is equivalent to a 5Ft step.
Power attack +1
Attack roll: [roll0] (3 STR)
Damage: [roll1] (3 STR+ 1 PA)
Critical confirmation(on a natural 20 attack roll only): [roll2]
Double damage on critical hit

[Sampi]

Niko's attack wrests a hiss from the creature, and it twists about trying to bite its assailant. The mandibles strike empty air close to Niko's shin. Then, the caterpillar raises its hindquarters and the stinger strikes lightning fast - but sprays its brownish green fluid onto the shield-book.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Her bolt struck true as it pierced the side of the huge monstrosity. Bright green fluid oozed out of it's flank.

She smiled knowing that her shot didn't hit any of her friends. However, her friends efforts were not going so well. Loading her crossbow, she holds her shot, feeling she might not be as lucky this time.

[Sampi]

The constant bolts and blades piercing its skin slow the creature down and it reverses direction, trying to get to the hole. Green ichor stains the ground and the wounds leak more. The air is beginning to smell strange - a strong earthy smell. Those of you who know nature find it similiar to the smell of cut mushrooms.

It's doing a full withdraw at inititative count 10. Everyone before that gets a full action, and both Niko and Chappe are in position for an attack of opportunity on its turn.

[Man on Fire]

Stinky is happy to see creature retreat, but doesn't trust the smell. If he can recognize it a dangerous, he'll tell others immiediately and head back from the place.

Bardic Knowledge [roll0]

[freebiewitz]

Seeing that the beast is beginning to retreat Chappe imagines the repercussions of letting it escape.
True the party would be slightly less tired if the monster was allowed to flee however he wasn't sure if the thing would come back later with a vengeance, perhaps with more of its kind.
Above all however the thing could be a potential source of protein.

"You're not getting away!" Raising his sword once more Chappe goes for what he hopes is the killing blow.

[roll0]
That's attack with power attack+flank included again.
[roll1]
Damage
[roll2]
Crit confirmation if crits.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

An idea lit up like a match in Niko's mind when he saw the creature begin to retreat. He recalled how it seemed to squeeze through the opening, and a grin spread across his face. He took a step towards the hole and waited with his dagger, still dripping with whatever juices came from the creature's belly. His idea was one that was widely used in fishing hooks, arrows, and even some insect-eating plants. He was going to stick his dagger into the beast at an angle and leave it in. When the giant bug would squeeze through the hole, the dagger stuck in it would push against the walls and ceiling of the hole. Thus, every inch the creature moved through the hole would add another inch to the cut the dagger would leave. But first...

Niko let the book drop from under his left arm and reached for a bag of caltrops at his waist. "Might as well see how many scratches I can leave on it." Niko swung the bag's opening in the direction of the hole, scattering the caltrops within. When the creature begins to push through the hole, friction should cause some of the caltrops to get stuck, whereupon the over-sized caterpillar would either have to stop pushing against them, or get pierced by the caltrops. Carnivorous plants of the genus Genlisea used a similar strategy to keep prey from escaping.

So Niko's scattering caltrops at the hole and plans to use his attack of opportunity to put his dagger into the beast and leave it in. I might as well roll for that attack now.
Attack roll: [roll0] includes flanking
Damage roll: [roll1] + sneak attack [roll2]
Crit confirmation: [roll3]

[Sampi]

Niko manages to stop before scattering the caltrops, as Chappe's sword lets the last dregs of life out of the caterpillar. It slumps to the ground, dead.

Congratulations, you now have around one hundred kilograms of dead caterpillar on your hands. How do you proceed?

[freebiewitz]

100 kilos you say? :smallamused:

Looking down at the his, no the party's handiwork Chappe smiled as he wiped the blood from his blade. He wasn't sure if magic weapons needed to be cleaned like this but it never hurt to do it any ways.

"Alright any idea if this thing is edible?"

A few idea's had gone through Chappe's mind upon watching the potential morsel of meat. Oh the recipes he would make with this...



Not sure if this will work but going to try and use profession chef as sort of a knowledge check if possible. Not trying to identify what the thing is more like..... trying to remember if anything similar has been cooked before.

[roll0]

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko puts the bag of caltrops back where it was on his person and squats down to retrieve his... chewed on... and poison-splattered... book...

Niko squeezes the dagger that's still in his hand more tightly as he turns to face the corpse of the thing that's responsible for this. "YOU! YOU DID THIS!!!" Niko lunges at the dead bug and slices the side of its face. "YOU!" Niko stabs the corpse's left eye and leaves the dagger in. "UNCIVILIZED!" Niko grabs the lifeless beast by the neck with both hands and squeezes as hard as he can while shaking it back and forth. "DIMINUTIVE!" Niko grabs one of the mandibles after it manages to leave a scratch on his cheek from the shaking and begins an unsuccessful attempt at breaking it off. "PIECE!" Niko gives up on breaking the mandible and settles for slamming its head into the ground. "OF!" Niko grabs one of its spines and rips it off. "EXCREMENT!" Niko then begins to kick the poor corpse.

[Sampi]

Yeah, the book.

It's not really meant to be used as a shield, is it? The damage is not actually that bad, it's just the cover that's been chewed and splattered. The poison is the worse damage, it still seems to be corroding the spots it stains.

[Man on Fire]

"I'm not eating that!" Stinky protests. "Bet this s*** is poisonous, don't you feel how it stinks, worse than me I telly you!"

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

She looks at the book in Niko's hand, "I hope that wasn't borrowed from the school."

Taking a look at the monstrous caterpillar she decides whether it is edible.


[roll0] knowledge Nature

[Grytorm]

Chaff looks at the raving lunatic and sighs, "If he doesn't want it I might take it. I always find it is good to have a book around. They can be useful for many many things."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin saw Niko excecuting all-out Warfare against the miserable insect body, such behavior from someone who is not generally aggressive is an interesting sight that amused Gurlin, who viewed it like a spectator to an exciting performance:
"Thit's the spirit,Niko! Wei to shoh 'im! The lug applauded the outraging, but cheered no louder than common speech, thinking to himself:
"Now you just need that kind of spunk towards living things..." but he felt he shouldn't say that to Niko's face. at least, not until after he calmed down, anyway.

While Niko was finishing up his overkill, Gurlin overheard Stinky's Whining, not exactly trying to keep quiet, another one of those insects could crawl out at any moment if it's noise that attracts them. He approached the clustering group with his usual serious face.
"Pehp duwn, ye tohd. Ind hold un e momint, We'll need to repurt eni big insect infestesh'n, supp'r ur nut."
He looked again at the Caterpillar and Niko's venom covered book. He turned again to the group, Squinting as he continued:
"Ind I Reilly hope We're nut eeting thit cehve crehll'r..."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko manages to carry the colossal, cadaverous caterpillar to the currently corroding book. "Just look at what you did to my..." Niko stops for a moment in realization. "Does anyone have a way to heal this thing enough for it to be conscious? There is no way this thing should bite and squirt poison at a book and get away with anything less than a live dissection! Just look at the damage that it did to my spellbook! There are bite marks and the venom is starting to..." Niko realizes that the venom is still corroding the book. "AH!" As Niko's emotions switch from anger to worry, so does his actions quickly switch from punishing the bug to trying to clean off the venom by pouring water on the parts of the cover stained and wiping it off with part of his shirt.

[freebiewitz]

"Now now, as far as I know there are certain species of insect that are indeed edible." Cutting away portions of the bug flesh using his dagger Chappe continues. "The poison however is another story but rest assured I'm keeping well away from it, besides even if it tastes bad as long as we can consume it then there's really no reason not to, we should conserve what rations we have honestly."

Looking at a one of the pieces of meat Chappe gives it a sniff. "If you're afraid that it'll give you a stomach ache I'll give it the first bite after I finish cooking it, deep frying such a thing is probably the best option we have."

[Prince Zahn]

"Mr. Klirigo, We're nut enim'ls who hevve to eet ev'rything thei c'n fehnd. Hells, If we ehr, Then I suggist the Liz'rd fer e testier dinn'r" Gurlin Points at Stinky, taunting with a tiny touch of intent.
"they dun't coff up tuxic slime, just ret fur, but thit can be wosh'd off!"

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko looks up from his book for the moment. "Before cooking it, there may be a few things that would be worth pointing out. First, can anyone here tell the rest of us exactly what this bug is? I ask this because the closest thing that I can think of that resembles this thing is a moth caterpillar, which are much smaller than this thing is. It might be worthwhile to consider whether this size is natural for it or the result of magical energies. The monocles might help with that. Also, it's use of visual markings to warn potential predators of its poison seem rather strange to me. Such markings are meant to be seen, and I doubt that darkvision would be ideal for making out such markings. I am certain that this creature is adapted to a life outside of a cave. Its resemblance to a moth caterpillar has me even more convinced of this." Niko recalled that the reason that moths were drawn to flame was because they mistook it for the stars they used for navigation. For one to be located somewhere so devoid of light, it seemed like something to be suspicious of.

"Oh, and I think that its stomach might assist in the creation of its venom, so I aimed my first stab there. It might be worthwhile to check its stomach contents to get a good idea of what it eats." Truth be told, Niko suspected that the creature might be a magically modified creature that was being kept in a secret lab somewhere down in these caves, but that might simply be from having read too many arc fic books about mad magicians creating monsters for no other reason than "for magic!".

Niko finished cleaning the spellbook up and retrieved the cave guide from his pack. He began to look through it for any information about this creature on the off-chance that he was wrong about the creature not usually inhabiting caves.

Knowledge (Nature) check in case you think it's appropriate for this task.
[roll0] (added a +2 bonus for using the book this time)

[Man on Fire]

"At least eating me or catterpillar is still safer than eating you. You look like you crossed your expiration point ten years ago." Stiky responds to Gurlin's taunts.

[Sampi]

Both knowledge checks only remind you that generally creatures either use poison or are poisonous to eat, not both.

Survival would be the best skill to determine if things are edible or not.

[Man on Fire]

"Okay, if we're going to eat him, somebody needs to remove parts with poison. Gurlin, my dear friend, you look up the taks. You have so big, strong hands, a little bit of acid won't hurt them. In fact, it may be an improvement."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

"Why do we want to eat this, when we already have rations. Plus even if it is edible it will probably taste awful. Let check the other tunnel like we said we would."

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin, whom one might think of to be seeking rivals with everyone, quickly approaches Stinky, looking him in the eyes. among other reasons like narcissism and lack of discipline that all match their craven ways, he dislikes Kobolds for trying to skirt off all responsibility by talking, whether it's by acting high and big when they need something, or trading outright condescending quips with someone until one simply gives up on them. Either way he hates that kind of attitude.

He stood silent for moment, both thinking of what to say and engraving his hostile expression in Stinky's "mind's eye". Gurlin clearly does not like playing games on the job.
His nostrils expand as he inhales sharply, and grins with a sharper quip:
"Ohnlee if I c'n use yer teeth to dismbohl 'im, yer kehnd of noots been drinkin' in spitting pois'n fer dekids long; I'm shur it won't herm ye... Much, hehe..."

Gurlin heard Ceraphina's protest, of course it sounds better than eating grubs and worms.
Ye, let's eit whit we hevve fer noh, mebbe we'll git luckee ind fehnd cevve fohl next."
Translations:
"only if I can use your teeth to disembowel him, your kind of newts been drinkin' an' spitting poison for decades long, I'm sure it won't harm you... Much, hehe..."
---
"yeah, let's eat what we have for now, maybe we'll get lucky and find cave fowl next."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza



"Why do we want to eat this, when we already have rations. Plus even if it is edible it will probably taste awful."

"Have you ever tried rations? Not even mold will eat it. I've actually heard that an elf once left this exact type of ration in his bag for over a hundred years, and it came out looking and tasting just as bad as the freshly made ones. That right there is evidence that the stuff can't get any worse than it already is. To tell you the truth, I'd rather eat the bug, and I feel that even that will require me to skip a few meals first so that the roar of my stomach will drown out the screams of my tongue. So are we going to take anymore steps to find out more about this thing before we try cooking it?"

Niko gives up looking for the creature in the guide and opens his own book to a blank page, where he begins taking some notes on the creature. He makes quick doodles of it, its head, its mandibles, and its stinger, and adds some labels and a paragraph of notes. He stops at one point to walk alongside the creature, while counting the number of steps he takes. He also removes his dagger from the creature's eye at this time.


MCplr? (insert number of steps Niko counted here) pcs, stngr=poi&noisy,

That would do until Niko could get some more info on the creature. Niko looks at his dagger for a moment before trying to wash any poison that may have gotten on it off. He judges the blade to be tough enough to handle some of the soap that he brought with him.

"I can handle cutting the bug up. I think I've gotten over my earlier outburst well enough to handle the separation of it from its poison. Even if we don't eat it, we may find out something useful from dissecting it."

[freebiewitz]

Now stop me if I'm going too far.

Having removed some of the outer flesh well away from any organ or poison sacks (Well any identifiable organs and poison sacks) Chappe decided to give things a test trial.

"Well we'll never know if we don't try right?" Getting a small portion, a bite sized piece of flesh ready Chappe pulls out of his bag what he needs and begins simmering away.


If there was a prestige class called Iron Chef I'd take it.
[roll0]
This is a craft check.
I have no idea what the DC is.

[Grytorm]

Chaff looks at the creature and asks, "Why was the thing making that noise? If it was to lure prey it worked." after a moments thought he adds, "Usually when you eat bugs you just eat them I think. I don't think you have to cook them."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

"You can eat the bug at your risk, you can also carry it."

[Man on Fire]

"My kind only drinks what your spits." Stinky says, trying to act brash to throw Gurlin out of his guard. And then he kicks in in the knee and runs away, hiding behind Chappe.
"Help me, brave Paladin! This big bad....whatever it is, wants to hurt poor innocent me!" He says.

[Prince Zahn]

I knew it, go, run'n hehd, litt'l Liz'rd..." Gurlin said sarcastically. But then got serious:
The grub proov'd thir's much worse things'n this cevve then me, du ye Reellee wunt tu stehnd'n the corn'r in hehd frum me, or do ye wunt tu be useful?
Think Hehrd now, ye meht proov something tu yerself if ye ens'r currectlee..."

[Man on Fire]

"Can somebody translate that? I swear, I hear him open his mounth but the only thing that comes from them is the sound of two copulating pigs." Stinky says and shows Gurlin few obscene gestures, clearly trying to provoke him.

[freebiewitz]

Chappe felt he needed to intervene, not because he was told to but because the arguement was starting to ruin his concentration when he should be cooking.

Frowning the words he spoke came out harsher then he intended.
"You two stop acting like children, we're adventurers out in unexplored territory, I don't care if you don't like each other but you'll have to work with each other whether you like it or not!"

Looking back down at the morsel of bug meat he paused realizing how aggressive that sounded.
"I'd prefer if we all got along, if you have any arguements then at least wait until after a meal before you talk again." If Chappe knew anything about food it was that it had the magical ability to bring people together and make them forget why they were fighting with each other in the first place.

[Man on Fire]

"Yes, mom." Stinky nods quietly, but leaves Gurlin alone. After showing him one, last vulgar gesture.

[Man on Fire]

(double post, because I'm not seeing new page)

[shugyosha]

Ceraphine

Obviously bored by the banter she asks, "Can we go now?""

[Grytorm]

"Yes please."

[Grytorm]

Chaff waits through the silence for a few minutes and sighs. "I'll be scouting the next tunnel, please save some of our friend the freak of nature for me." If no one stops him he begins to make his way up towards the juncture where he turns and looks back the way he came before taking a few steps down the other path.

Hide [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]

[freebiewitz]

Frowning Chappe finally decided to put business before pleasure. No matter how much he tried to play off said pleasure as business it seemed no one really agreed with him.

Cutting a few more chunks from the bug Chappe finally got up.

"Alright, I assume someone has taken note of the hole and it's location?" He asked Niko in particular. "If so we're going to backtrack and find what's down the other tunnel."

[Prince Zahn]

"Weht a mom'nt, We're jist goin' t'leeve this hohl? dun't we need to plug it? sumthin' cud crul uht egin 'n sit off the ilehrms,"
Gurlin lightly pokes Niko's shoulder with his ring finger, probably to get his attention or ask him a question, then does the same to Chappe.
dun't ye think we shud shut the hohl so nuthin' coms uht? Niko, cin ye think of whit to fill t'with?
Here's a Suggestion: why don't we just seal it up before we go? if something pops out and wanders it could easily set off the alarms we toiled to to bury.

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

"We'll place the warning rods like we were told to do," the girl says. "We weren't told to block the entrances only to explore."


Is the caterpillar's body stuck in the hole?

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"I would agree with Ceraphina on this one. If we really need to block it though, we might be able to stuff the bug up in there."

[Sampi]

The bug is lying on the floor, it never got to the hole. There are loose rocks you could use to block the hole with a little effort. It would take about ten minutes of concentrated effort to do so, more if you really want to make sure nothing could get through.

[Man on Fire]

"In my infinite wisdom I agree with Ceraphina, in her infinite wisdom. Let just set alarm rods here, like we should do."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

SHe didn't realize that the group had turned into a democracy. She had thought that Chappe was the leader of this expedition. She looked at him to see what he decided.

[freebiewitz]

"It'll take too much time when we can use said time to explore, however the alarms are a fine idea though I believe they'll be unneeded for a few reasons." Coughing he continued.
"This is the first hole as far as we seen, the first evidence of such a creature existing, I doubt there are any more and if there are they don't venture far. If they did we would've seen more tracks or holes, so c'mon lets move. Besides if there are any more predators they'll be after the corpse here rather then us and if it's more bugs maybe they'll avoid the dead of their own kind doesn't matter which."

Slicing off one more portion of the bug Chappe stashes it away into his bag.
"This is of course not just emergency rations, I intend to submit this to the boys upstairs later for testing hopefully the meat will not have deteriorated too much by then."

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"I would think that my sketch of the creature and measurement of its length would be enough for identification purposes, but if you want to bring some of it to be analyzed later..." Niko retrieved a vial from one of his pockets. "This might make a better container."

[freebiewitz]

Nodding to Niko Chappe hands over a small sample of bug flesh."Good, then that's settled, let's move off then!"

[Sampi]

Okay, so you turn your backs on the hole and follow Chaff back down the tunnel.

After you pass the basement door, the going gets rather steep. You have to slow down to make sure nobody falls. The walls change from the striped rock to a uniform brownish white. The passage levels off, and suddenly widens to a large cavern. It's moist here and stalactites, stalagmites and pillars of stone fill the cavern. The ceiling is high enough that your torches' light cannot reach it, and the far walls are too far to be seen. The cool air smells slightly musty, and the underground silence is broken by an occasional "plink" of falling drops.

There is no clear passage now, how do you proceed? It seems the floor ahead has less stalagmites than the area near the walls.

[freebiewitz]

"Alright, we stick to the walls, the left one to be specific." Always remembering his fathers advice about direction Chappe nodded.

A good adventurer always goes left!

Chappe didn't know if there was an actual logical reason behind that saying or if it was just used to remove hesitation but it would serve well for the time being.

"We'll try and plot this room and see how large it is first, if there are any other passage ways we'll leave them until we figure out how many other ones there are first,after that we'll take the most left passage, if we're lucky we might come across the other side of the hole we found earlier."

Raising his glowing sword Chappe tries to get a better view of the surroundings.

[Man on Fire]

"Why the stalagmites are only close to the walls, not in the middle?" Stinky says. "Doesn't it look suspicious? Like a some sort of trap, maybe by some predators?" he hides behind Ceraphina, as if any monster was about to jump at them right now.


Bardic Knowledge [roll0] and Knowledge Local [roll1] to answer Stinky's own question

[freebiewitz]

"A trap? I highly doubt it." Shaking his head Chappe takes a closer look anyways.

[roll0]
Spot check

"I doubt anyone would set a trap down here, it's supposed to be unexplored and even if there was a trap we just came from a path that until today was not used." Looking around his paranoia began to play up.

"If anyone had set up any traps it implies that there are multiple passages through this area that are used often." Well the sound of drip drops sounded like water. It wasn't a far stretch to imagine monsters coming here for a drink.

[Man on Fire]

"Who would set a trap? Undergrouds predators, of course. Duh." Stinky says, looking at Chappe like there was something wrong with him.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

"It seems that this area was hollowed out by a different method than the previous. Water erosion I expect. However, I am pretty sure that stalagmites usually form in the center of such caverns rather than up against the walls." Niko pulls out the cave guide again and starts skimming. "Stalagmites are usually made of calcium carbonate that is deposited by mineralized solutions that drip in..." Niko pauses a moment before translating it to layman's terms. "The water leaking in has stuff mixed in that slowly builds up a stalagmite. The water will usually dissolve a bit of the surrounding rock, which over a long time results in a cavern like this, but with the stalagmites in the middle rather than at the walls."

Niko does some thinking. "Perhaps sometime relatively recent, there might have been an object placed somewhere above here that would block the water to the center of this area, diverting it to places closer to the walls. I would bet that such an obstructive object would be part of the school that was built after the initial formation of this cavern. Not a trap, but nature being affected by the unnatural. If you don't believe me, just take a look at the bottoms of the stalagmites at the center. Look for them to be thinner around there due to erosion occurring but not deposits. Notice where the water dripping in is landing. Is it near the walls where I said it was landing, or near the center?"

Niko glances upward. "I am starting to wonder which part of the school can be found above here. I guess I'll just have to figure that out once we return."

[Grytorm]

Chaff takes a long look at the ceiling, hoping to see anything he can with his darkvision. After a moments thought he bends down and picks up a rock and considers throwing it at whatever is up there.


Spot [roll0]

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

The young girl stopped at the edge of the cavern and takes a book out. She quickly jots down their position and a few observation of the cavern. Putting it away she continues with the others.


[roll0] Dungeoneering (ID potential hazards)
[roll1] Geography (determine position relative to the school)
[roll2] Nature (ID natural hazards/artificial nature of surroundings)
[roll3] Spot

[Prince Zahn]

Gurlin held his torch high, trying to make the most of the illumination.

Still seeing nearly nothing noteworthy, he lowers it a pair inches and opens his water supply, taking a quick swig as the others babbled about the stones and their places, and addled his head with rocks and their shapes: "Stalag-mites, stalag-tites?", how would he know the difference?

He paused for a moment to concentrate away from the group's talk and more on what goes around him, true, his hearing isn't perfect, and, though he hates to admit it - his visual observation is not beyond average, as far as he knows.
But truth be told he knows that everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled and their ears keen, lest the secretive creatures behind the shadows sneak up on them.

He is not afraid, but he expects the worst when he hears rapid drippings in the dark, and the lone echos of footsteps, chafing cloth, and the almost rhythmic rattling and jingling of traveling gear.
when noise goes on, Other sounds hide, and he's doing his best to find them.
not sure if I just cost myself a concentration check, I'll roll one later of necessary.
Listen:[roll0]
Spot:[roll1]

[Sampi]

The going next to the wall is very tough and slow. Many stalagmites fill your path and you have to climb and clamber over them, occasionally stumbling (and inevitably cursing). After an hours' labor you come to an area relatively clear of stalagmites.

What's more interesting, you see an opening in the wall. It's roughly triangular in shape, and very high and narrow. It also appears that a path is worn from the opening towards the center of the cavern. The path is narrow and disappears from sight behind a rather thick pillar of stone. There are no obvious tracks on the path.

[freebiewitz]

"Alright you all know the drill." Moving forwards Chappe raises his glowing sword for a better view. "Marching order with me in front, Niko you mark this place down and someone drop a couple of rods down if there are any left."

Walking through the narrow passage he wondered if it was artificial.

[Prince Zahn]

"Dorrei!" Gurlin cried as he grabbed the shovel he used earlier, What Gurlin means by "dorray" is really anyone's guess, though judging how he reacted and spoke in compliance an educated guess might be "yes, sir!"
He dug a hole similar to the previous ones- one-point-five feet in diameter, and a few feet deep, and placed and stood the first rod erect inside the hole.
(I'm guessing about 3-4.5 feet deep is enough for future referrence?)

"Noh," pausing his sentence as he as he began shoveling dirt back inside, and saved the top layer for last.
"Wehr do ye-..." he dropped a big mound of dirt into the hole. "need..." after filling the hole he began stomping on the mound, avoiding stepping on the rod itself if it sticks out. "the nixt..." reaching to the shovel he made sure to keep the ground even-ish. "Hohl...? Gurlin actually grunted strongly with that last word, but after a few rushed breaths and shaking his arms a bit he was able to continue.

"Dorrei." he said again as he moved on to the next location.

[Marker Mage]

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/MarkerMage/NikoTezza.jpg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=409920)
Niko Tezza

Niko puts away "Johnson's Guide to Caves" again and retrieves his pen to add onto the map tucked between the pages of his old spellbook. He draws the area the best he can and includes some "^"s to mark areas that contain stalagmites. Once he's through with that, he puts the pen away and closes his spellbook and stuffs it under his arm again.

[Man on Fire]

Stinky is visibly shaking as they walk futher and futher away. Now he starts looking around nervously and don't make any noises, like he was trying to listen to something. Or was thinking something is going to jump at him at any moment.

Spot [roll0] ad Listen [roll1]

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Stopping at the triangular hole in the wall, Ceraphina takes a care look at it before taking out her book and jots down some notes before moving on.


[roll0] Nature (artificial nature of the hole)

[Grytorm]

Chaff looks down the hole curiously. He regards it and the rock he grabbed before. "I propose a test." He says gesturing at the rock and the hole.

Knowledge Dungeoneering [roll0]

[Sampi]

Okay, your knowledge combined says the hole itself is natural, a fissure in the rock, but the floor has been smoothed by either constant use or some shovelwork.

[Sampi]

After Gurlin's done with the rods, you explore the opening. It widens a bit, and the ceiling rises to a height that your light or darkvision does not reach. You follow the path for about two hundred meters, the corridor twisting left and right alternately, and finally come to a place where the walls close in to each other and the passage ends.

[Grytorm]

Chaff tosses the rock into the wall.

[Sampi]

The rock bounces off the wall and knocks some dust loose, then clatters to the ground.

[Man on Fire]

"Yeah, that accomplished a lot." Stinky groans at Chaff. "Maybe try knocking three times and sweet underground spirits will open the hidden doors for you? Or even better, try secret passowod, while you're at it. Like 'Friend" or "Open Seasame" or ""Beware the Wallrus", I bet you'll think of something."

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

"Do you really think there is a secret door here? If you do I can use a spell to find it," she offers.

[Grytorm]

"No, that doesn't make sense." Chaff looks at the meeting of the walls before turning his gae upwards, hoping to see if anything is apparent above. "Something clearly uses this path."

Is the cieling still beyond sight?

[shugyosha]

Ceraphina

Unsure if he was referring to what she said she repeats her offer, "I have a spell that can find secret doors, do you want me to cast that?"