Delved Too Deeply [IC]

[Jjeinn-tae]

Myrrangleam, the Jewel of the South. Surely its silence has created havoc in many neighboring nations, but it is of course not remotely news that the republic has fallen into a crisis. The undermountain air today is a bit warmer than usual. While the industry below that normally provides heat to the upper levels has stopped, it just keeps getting hotter by the day, making it stuffy by even the already warm dwarven standards. This has left everyone in the lock-down on edge, even more so than waiting for an enemy to come to their homes that they know nothing about.

This specific cavern that you are currently restricted to, is quite large in every direction. About three stories of internal buildings reach up to the cavern ceiling, doubling in as supports to discourage cave-ins. A sparse network of walkways above the main road occasionally connect various buildings at their upper levels, and ladders abound. Despite all this, the view above is relatively unobstructed, as most buildings are a single story tall, and vaguely spread out, with numerous public squares. Everywhere you look though, you see a boarded up window, or door, as the population that is still here begins to bunker down for what is undoubtedly coming, still, in true dwarven fashion, there is the occasional shop or pedestrian stubbornly going about life as normal.



Essentially, I'm giving you guys an opportunity to buy with your funds pooled, if wanted, scavenge, or just interact before things really get started. I've kind of assumed you guys have been acquainted for a few days due to the lockdown, but you are free to do introductions as well, and determine how you've taken ownership of a building and prepared if there's interest in that (a few characters seem to likely have done so by this point). Feel free to pick whatever sort of building you want, but it's most likely been looted to a degree before you claimed it. It doesn't matter hugely given I don't think any of us really want to stay here and play homestead defense the whole time. :smalltongue:

Of course, if there's no interest in that, I'll move us on right away, I just didn't want to hold this off more by waiting for more feedback...

[Vhaidara]

Guardian moves through the area, his eyes scanning for looters. Even in times of crisis, some seem to continue preying upon each other.

Perception: [roll0]

[Bluydee]

Ryota leisurely yawned, relaxing his shoulders and letting his arms hang down. He wasn't expecting a fight right now, and so he merely watched the walls and inhabitants, though always ready for danger. He fingered his magic stone. So far his group hasn't experienced a fight, where he would transform, into his alter-ego! He still couldn't believe his magic power.

[SterlingDS]

I'd be ok with playing a defensive game, particularly if we want to get ourselves in a position to command the dwarves here. Building fortifications and planning defense tactics is something I'd enjoy as a player, and it could be something we do as a sideline to the adventuring if the party is not up for it as a whole.

Opifex figures that if it comes to house-to-house fighting, the cavern will have already been lost. However, he does want a house that will be workable as a workshop - and he has a strong positive feeling for the Dwarves, as his creators,.

So, if it's all the same to you guys, he'll have used his contacts with the Myrgleam artisan community to try and secure a building that served as a smithy, or next to one of the existing smithies to share workspace with a friendly dwarf. He can offer to guard the shop from looters when he's there since he doesn't need to sleep himself.

Then he'll take the following actions:

He'll want to survey what defenses are at the cavern entrances, and how many of them there are - find out if there are any escape routes they plan for a fallback position as well.

He'll try and talk to a guard or two (preferably the highest ranking one in the cavern), see if they've seen anything, or if they've heard what sort of enemies we face. Roll a monster knowledge check for me if anything gets described. He'll also ask if there's anything he can assist with. But he won't take it to the point of pestering them, he realizes they must be harried and worried.

Finally, he'll try to buy that masterwork UMD tool. I'd like one that fits on the eyes most, as I have an eventual plan for an item familiar that fits on his face.

As for the rest of the party - are we assuming we all know each other already now? He'll tell Guardian what he's up to and let him tag along if he wants to come. Maybe Ryota can be one of the guards on duty that he speaks to?

[The Vagabond]

There's a tiny flutter through the air. You hear a flutter in the air, as a tiny creature begins to fly around. She flies around the cavern, silent. Her eyes dart around in worry, as she slips into the shadows. She begins to sneak around town, quickly trying to figure out how everything is doing.

Gather Information Check:
[roll0]
Stealth check:
[roll1]
Perception:
[roll2]

[Machinekng]

Daosk huddled in the corner of the storeroom of the old shop. Old clocks and a clutter of tools and broken parts surrounded his feet. He had cut himself against something when he rushed into the room to hide, but he didn't know what it was; the room was too dark to clearly make out the composition of the mess.

Some friends are coming Daosk.

The damn voices. Nowhere to hide from them. There was no deep crany of the underworld in which he could flee too. He could only wait and shake as they teased and prodded.

Don't you want to make some friends Daosk? You don't have any friends, other than us.

Daosk didn't respond. No reason to egg them on. He had learned to ignore the voices before. All he he needed to do was to wait them out. Eventually, they'd get bored and leave him alone for awhile.

Why don't you get out more? You're such a homebody.

Once they gave him some peace and quiet, Daosk would have some time to figure out what to do next. If he couldn't get out of the cavern, well...

Come out and play. All work and no play will make you a dull boy, Daosk. No one wants to be a friend with a dull boy.

There was that one band he might be able to tag along with. They might not trust him, but he may be able to stick close enough to keep safe...

All work and no play! Do you know how long we've missed you Daosk? We really want to play with you.

Safe from what was coming.

Daosk, did you miss us?

Maybe...

Good.

[Smileybastard]

Nyram

Nyram has heard the rumour and as the lock down is real, he suspects that the rumours have some truth to them. He walks around seeking a defensive position, hopefully with other fighters or at least a high location he can make the best use of his bow.

[Jjeinn-tae]

Guardian, Ryota, Aran, Nyram and maybe Optifex?

You find yourselves in one of the many squares of the cavern. A great brazier in the center, surrounded by benches holds but a faint-bonfire of a flame, casting dark shadows in the already dim-lighting for an active merchant quarter; it's simply too hot in here to burn it much brighter. While certainly not empty, the square certainly has seen busier days in happier times. Most of the stone-cut and masonry buildings in the square have been sealed off, with only a few stores remaining open for business. In their absence various stalls have sprung up throughout the square, taking advantage of what opportunity they can find.

There's a slight commotion at one of the stalls, there is an obviously foreign dwarven man beginning to raise his voice at the clerk of one of the stalls, apparently for pottery. For her part she seems to be pretty calm about the whole thing.



Based on a conspicuous bulge in the man's sleeve, he is armed.

There are a few peculiar silvery beetles lounging near the brazier in the center of the square. You've been noticing congregations of them around, perhaps it's breeding season for them.

I guess this could make a decent introduction if we're not assuming we had. I was kind of planning that we were, but some of us seem to be taking it as otherwise, which is fine. Some of the things you guys were doing gives a bit of inspiration there.

Since Prehysterical hasn't posted yet, I can't really do much with him yet, but especially if we're going by not all of you having met yet, It would be great to assume Bolten is here, which could serve for a good introduction to you all, and directing you towards Daosk at Bolten's suggestion. I honestly like this idea better than having everyone know each other (which was more in response for me not really coming up with anything better than "you're all in a tavern, and oh wow, look at that, things are coming in.

Don't worry, Machinekng, this scene won't really take long, maybe explore the store a bit. And for SterlingDS, if you don't want Optifex to be here, we could pretty easily have you interacting with the guards at a post, I mean, you know Guardian via backstory already, so it's not cutting you out of your connection to the group. I'll leave that to your decision.

[Prehysterical]

A young dwarf stands in the square, buying some supplies from a merchant. He is young and his black beard is still fairly short. His nervous green eyes clash with the obvious craftsmanship of the warhammer slung at his belt. As he procures the food before prices inevitably go up, he ponders how things could have come to this.

What could cause such a lockdown in the area? What aren't we being told? With no better option so far presented, Bolten has his mind firmly in siege mode. With no real friends in the area, he has gone to ground in the clockwork shop that his family used to own. Its new owners had already cut their losses and run, but the place still brings back bad memories for the dwarf. I thought I had left that part of my life behind forever. I hope this isn't a sign of some kind...

Briefly, he considers getting some food for the strange dwarf hiding out in the old workshop. He hadn't said anything so far, but he had seemed content to find a dark corner to hide in. I wonder if he's in the same situation I am in... With such a thought in mind, Bolten purchases another pack of provisions for a peace offering.
4 days of rations, 2 gp
Sorry for taking so long to post, but I realized that I hadn't given Bolten his feat or spells! He should be good to go now.

[Vhaidara]

Guardian approaches the stall with the argumentative dwarf.
Is there a problem sir?

[Smileybastard]

Nyram

Nyram walks into the square, bow in hand, noting the closed shops and the dwarf raising his voice. He didn't know the nature of the lock down, but it seemed serious and he was cut off from the outside world and his people. Food could easily become an issue. He headed over to the open shops looking for rations.

[SterlingDS]

I guess he'll take part - could you still reply to the actions Opifex took though? He could just have been getting back from talking to the guards, and be heading to the merchants as his last errand.

Also, so what are we doing about the housing? Bolten is there already bu the rest of us at odds and ends?


Opifex wanders into the area looking for a merchant that might be selling irridium crystals he could use or modify for the purpose of making it easier to quickly scan and activate the scrolls he carries while in the midst of combat.

He spots the dwarf starting a ruckus, but also that Guardian is there to handle it. Frankly, an armed dwarf, particularly in this sort of situation, doesn't bother him, he's used dwarves carrying their hammers wherever they go. He'll let Guardian sort it out, though he makes sure Guardian has seen him so he knows he's around just in case.

Instead he checks out the beetles. They seem like a stranger detail than an angry dwarf, which is pretty common place - whether it's because they've been drinking, or because the ale's being rationed.


Knowledge nature for the beetles:
[roll0]
If they are not natural, Opifex has knowledge 10 arcana and planes.

[Bluydee]

Ryota lounged about, watching the people going their way. The people who volunteered to go with this group of guards were strange. Though, he probably shouldn't talk.

[Machinekng]

It was quiet now. The voices had left. Well, not left. They were still there, Daosk could try and make out their faint whispers and snickering, but they were staying quiet for the moment. New sounds appeared, with Daosk's stomach rumbled in the place of the voices' jeers. Food, he needed something to eat.

Outside then? Was it worth the risk? Well, he'd have to head out eventually.

Daosk stowed away his possessions, and went of the back door of the shop. It had been unlocked when he had entered the abandoned shop, and hopefully it would be unlocked on his return. He had some money, and hopefully it would be enough to make a purchase in this time of panic and shortage. Hopefully, he could blend in with the other dwarves as he made his way to the merchants.

Hopefully, that is...

[Prehysterical]

As Bolten walks back to the shop, he notices the strange dwarf approaching the marketplace. Angling toward him, Bolten holds out some rations. Trying to remember some form of social etiquette, he smiles as he asks, "Hail, clansman. I was going to bring something back for you. You seemed to be a little hungry. Who might you be?"