Lair of the Lamb (group A)

[SlyJohnny]

You awaken into darkness. Feeling sore, groggy, and badly dehydrated, your throat parched. The heat of other bodies, lying beside you, breathing shallowly. Rope, tightly wound around your bare wrists and ankles. You're unclothed and bound, your body curved into a drunk's impression of a crescent moon, by the concave stone you're lying on.

As you start trying to piece together what might have happened to you, there is movement from the gloom. The sound of something very heavy, dragging across stone. A distant, but sudden stink of ammonia.

Something is coming.

--

Ryland, Steve, Alco hol, Hult:

It is pitch black. There is no light. You can't see the source of the smell or the ponderous dragging noise, but it's coming from somewhere to the east. There's a strange, rhythmic rasping sound. The way the sound seems to surround you suggests that you're in an enclosed space, possibly indoors, or inside a cave.

You are badly dehydrated, weak with thirst. You are at disadvantage to all ability checks, attack rolls and saving throws until you drink water. Without water, you will all be dead within 24 hours.

You are lying next to two or three other people, who have started to stir alongside you. Their bodies are bent at the head and feet the same as yours, resting along the upward curve of the surface beneath you

The movement from the dark appears to be growing closer, headed in your direction.

Please check this image and confirm I've copied over your peasant stats accurately.

https://i.imgur.com/KyGvpuS.png

You all start with no equipment, except for Alco hol, who has somehow managed to keep a small knife (stats as a dagger) hidden on their person.

You begin controlling one character only; your other characters are still restrained.

[Palanan]

Checking in, stats look fine, thanks.

Can Hult try to make an Escape Artist check or the equivalent? And does the odor of the air suggest a damp stone cave, dry stone or earth, or some sort of wood?

.

[SlyJohnny]

Sorry, I wasn't clear; Hult and the other starting PCs are no longer bound. They've either wiggled out of their bonds in the time it took the heaving movement to approach, or were cut free by Alco hol.

Or what else did you imagine the Escape Artist check relating to? Roll a Dexterity ability check at disadvantage if you think it'll still apply.

[Palanan]

Original text said we were tightly bound, but it looks like that no longer applies. Thanks for that. :smallsmile:

Hult will try to very, very carefully crawl while crouching (not standing up, but on toes and fingertips) in the direction away from the sounds, carefully feeling with his fingers so he doesn't accidentally go over the edge of a pit.

Not sure if I quite understand disadvantage, but here's my attempt at Stealth:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[moonfly7]

"well, where in the depest pits of muktown are we?"

Steve asks as he spits on the ground.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Seems fine. Tho I'm not sure you applied bobberts skill Proficiencies correctly.

Also do any of characters remember how we got captured.



Alco hol would try to untie every everyone but when she hears that sound she decides to sneak away. Not wanting to risk being caught by that thing. If she had to guess that thing probably would of eaten the others by now. Maybe that thing only eats the others while awake. Or maybe it's a guard of some sort. Even if it was willing to eat the others it's probably better in hols mind for herself to survive then to risk saving the others. They can come back for them later if they are still alive.

Afterall it's better if 8 die then all dying.

Alco would answer the man but she didn't want to alert her position to that thing. So she just tries to sneak away.



Iirc stat bonuses for skills that I'm not proficient in so since i have a plus 3 to dex.

Disadvantage right?

I'm not familiar with dnd 5e so feel free to correct me.

[roll0]

[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

Alco hol can remember her circus stopping at the Free City of Lon Barago. She'd decided to wander amongst the evening crowd in plain clothes before her act, to see if anyone wasn't keeping too close an eye on their money pouch or valuables. That's the last thing she can remember.

Holt muses that the cold stone he was lying on suggests a cave. The air was muggy when he was lying down next to the others, but as he rises, he feels cold. It's hard to orientate himself by smell, because the approaching stench of ammonia and old blood are beginning to block out the more subtle scents.

Alco hol, Hult:

You turn and orient your body to the strange, smooth gradient you're resting on, creeping away to the west, in the opposite direction to the approaching sounds and stench. In the dark, you can feel one of the people pushed up against you trying to move off at the same time, clearly having the same idea.

Together, the two of you clamber along ground which slopes sharply upwards in an abrupt, curved parabola, and after several feet, your questing fingers come into contact with some kind of ledge, or edge, or lip, extending about a foot thick and curving gently like the edge of a circle, before the slope falls off and curves back towards you. As you try to find purchase on this long, narrow ledge, the arced surface you're resting on shifts beneath you, pitching you forward and see-sawing underneath you unsteadily, as if this entire strange, sloped ground you're on is thrown off-balance by your attempts to climb. You hear the soft grinding of stone on stone, in time with the teetering of the ground beneath you. The two shifting bodies below you roll into contact with you both, along the slope you were just climbing.

Acting on instinct, Hult reaches forwards into the darkness and his hand comes into contact with a cold, unworked stone floor. He slows the descent of whatever vessel you're resting inside of, preventing the noisy clattering of stone striking stone that would have occurred, had you tipped fully onto the floor.

Steve, Ryland

The ground you're lying on shifts, seems to rise up, and turn partly on it's side. You roll west, into two sets of feet.

All

"well, where in the depest pits of muktown are we?" Steve asks, groggily. His voice isn't terribly loud, but the only other thing in the room that's making noise is whatever is approaching from the east. He doesn't have to compete to be heard.

Immediately he is answered by an excited keening shriek from the east. Whatever was approaching suddenly seems to quicken it's movement, shifting it's bulk. It's suddenly a lot closer than before, maybe 5 or 10 feet away to the east.

Everyone roll for initiative. The number you'd like to beat is: [roll0]

---
wkwk, if you're with us, you can take a turn for Ryland before the initiative count, to catch up :)

[Ameraaaaaa]

Together, the two of you clamber along ground which slopes sharply upwards in an abrupt, curved parabola, and after several feet, your questing fingers come into contact with some kind of ledge, or edge, or lip, extending about a foot thick and curving gently like the edge of a circle, before the slope falls off and curves back towards you. As you try to find purchase on this long, narrow ledge, the arced surface you're resting on shifts beneath you, pitching you forward and see-sawing underneath you unsteadily, as if this entire strange, sloped ground you're on is thrown off-balance by your attempts to climb. You hear the soft grinding of stone on stone, in time with the teetering of the ground beneath you. The two shifting bodies below you roll into contact with you both, along the slope you were just climbing.

Acting on instinct, Hult reaches forwards into the darkness and his hand comes into contact with a cold, unworked stone floor. He slows the descent of whatever vessel you're resting inside of, preventing the noisy clattering of stone striking stone that would have occurred, had you tipped fully onto the floor.



Pardon my lack of ability to imagine physical space (which i do pretty well most of the time) but what happened? Did we fall into a slide of some sort?

However i do understand that a monster is chasing us. So can i grab a random henchmen like mikely or bobbert, stab them to make them scream then throw them off the ledge to their doom then sneak to the side as the monster chases the sound presumably also to their doom.

The plan hinges based on the fact that the monster seems to not have dark vision (or else it would of have seen us in the dark) and seems to track sound feel free to correct me if i misunderstood the mental lay out of the place.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Oh i forgot to roll.


[roll0]

[roll1]

I think i did initiative with disadvantage correctly.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Pulling free of his bonds just a moment after the others, Ryland tries to scrabble away from the sound on his hands and knees, as quickly and quietly as possible, falling in with them just in time to feel the floor shift underneath him, his eyes widening to no effect in the darkness.

"Where are we?" Ryland whispers near-silently. "And what's that thing? We are in no shape to fight whatever it is."

Stats look fine! :smallsmile:

I just love how everyone had the exact same idea: get away from whatever that thing is, as quickly as possible, but carefully enough not to attract its attention or fall into a pit :smallbiggrin:

If needed:
Stealth: [roll0] / [roll1]

Initiative: [roll2] / [roll3]

[Palanan]

Maybe I need more coffee, but I’m having a hard time visualizing what we’re in. Are we in some kind of giant stone bowl that’s rocking back and forth in a larger stone cave?

Initiative:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

Are we in some kind of giant stone bowl that’s rocking back and forth in a larger stone cave?

Yes, that's what's up. You're visualizing the situation just fine :)

[Ameraaaaaa]

Yes, that's what's up. You're visualizing the situation just fine :)

So i can do my plan right?

[SlyJohnny]

So i can do my plan right?

It's just the four of you here, right now. If you want to throw out some live bait, you'll either have to go out and find your two henchmen, or use another PC.

You guys can scramble out this round, I just want to see whether Steve beats the monster on initiative.

[moonfly7]

"No idea, but your right. Sadly that thing doesn't care." he hisses in a whisper, looking for some way out.


Initiative:
[roll0]
Question, are we going to have an OOC thread or just an IC for communication? Also can I make a perception check to see if there's a way out of here, or anything I could use as a weapon?

Also ameraa, not having proficiency doesn't give you disadvantage.

[Ameraaaaaa]

"No idea, but your right. Sadly that thing doesn't care." he hisses in a whisper, looking for some way out.


Initiative:
[roll0]
Question, are we going to have an OOC thread or just an IC for communication? Also can I make a perception check to see if there's a way out of here, or anything I could use as a weapon?

Also ameraa, not having proficiency doesn't give you disadvantage.


I know but iirc the gm said all rolls get disadvantage because we're in the dark. I'll check the op again.

Edit nope just ability checks attack rolls and saving throws.

[moonfly7]

I know but iirc the gm said all rolls get disadvantage because we're in the dark. I'll check the op again.
Oop, my mistake. Gonna roll the other bit.
Initiative:
[roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Alco hol, Ryland and Hult move quickly, stumbling out of their stone bowl onto a cold stone floor. There is a soft, strangled whimper from the north west; Alco hol, sensing a mark, moves off towards it.

Ryland and Hult move ten feet west into the darkness, before their questing hands come into contact with a wall of unworked stone, that stretches away to the north and south. They could separate, or move together, keeping track of each other by soft whispers or linked hands. Are they following the wall? Which way are they going?

Alco hol moves away a few feet, before her hip comes sharply into contact with a stone outcropping at about waist height, circular, curving away underneath. Another bowl. The sound came from within. Pursuing her plan, she reaches down, her hands coming into contact with several warm bodies, and coming out clutching a gently squirming bundle of human, conveniently bound at wrists and ankles. Bobbert is too weak to offer much resistance before the knife, and doesn't seem to understand their predicament. Alco hol jabs them with the blade, eliciting a pained squeal, before tossing them out in the direction of the shuffling.

Steve is left behind, the bowl momentarily settling back to rest as the others leave, but then abruptly lurching to the other side as some large mass comes to rest on it, tipping him towards the keening, shuffling thing. It is at this moment that a yelling figure stumbles out of the dark and falls on top of him, bleeding all over him from a knife wound in their side.

There is a roar as loud that of a lion, and something surges towards Bobbert.

Bite [roll0] attack, [roll1] piercing damage
Crush [roll2] attack, [roll3] bludgeoning damage

I didn't think we'd need an OOC thread, but we totally should have one. Here: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?638171-Lair-of-the-Lamb-OOC-(group-A)

New round. Initiative order:

Alco hol: 19
Ryland: 18
Hult: 12
The Lamb: 9
Steve: 3

[SlyJohnny]

(Bobbert is at 0 hp)

There is a short scream in the dark. A thrashing, and a wet tearing sound. Steve is hit with a spray of warm, coppery-smelling liquid that fountains from nowhere. There is a brief silence, and Steve feels the body of the stumbling figure being lifted off of him, the bowl shifting around as whatever is holding it down adjusts it's bulk.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Come on," Ryland whispers, frantically grabbing at Hult's arm and dragging him along the wall, heading North. "We need to get out of here. If we find anyone else we'll free them."

[Palanan]

Hult instinctively pulls his arm free from the hand that came out of the dark. He doesn’t know who it is, and he’s not saying a word, but he will continue moving as quietly as possible, fingertips on the rough stone wall, heading north a few paces behind the other, louder person.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult and Ryland shuffle fifteen feet north, before Ryland feels his right side bump against a stone outcropping at about waist height, circular, curving away underneath. Another bowl, like the one they so recently fled from. There's the sound of breathing inside the bowl, rapid, shallow breaths. Muffled, as if someone is hyperventilating into their arm. Panicking, but trying to be very quiet about it.

There's a gap between the wall and the edge of the bowl, enough space to squeeze past without making noise, and they both have plenty of movement left this round. Are they both moving on?

[moonfly7]

Steve dashes for the exit and hauls himself through, leaving this monster to eat what was surely another human left to this fate. He spares not another thought on it as he escapes as fast as he can. Before he runs though, he scoops up as much rope as he can. He knows he'll need everything he can get to survive.

[Palanan]

"Stay...silent," Hult barely breathes over the rim of the stone bowl. He reaches in, tries to find whoever is bound inside, while moving as quietly as possible and listening intently for any sounds that the...thing is moving again.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult reaches into the bowl and retrieves the form of a woman, with ropes around her wrists and ankles. She stiffens at his touch, but remains silent, and seems to decide to trust him, trying feebly to raise herself out of the bowl with her feet, in support of his efforts. Hult can throw her over his shoulders and stumble along with her, though he'll need to go carefully, and could injure her very badly if he falls.

Steve leaps out of the bowl and takes off sprinting the dark. The thing snarls and wickers menacingly as he weaves around it (the pitch and tone all wrong, unlike any animal Steve has heard before), but it seems more intent on consuming it's kill than on chasing vague movements in the dark. He bangs his shin painfully on some outjutting hard stone, disturbing some large object that rocks a little in response to the impact, and runs for 15 feet to the east before he slams into what feel like solid wooden doors or planks, that swing away, saloon-style, as he meets them with his arms raised. He stumbles out into a narrower area, the sounds closer-in now. Feels like a wide corridor. He can trace it's south wall against one hand, and can't reach the north side without leaving the wall his hand is against. Ten feet on, and the south wall curves away, the passage turning to the south. He thinks the corridor he's in also continues to the east; his nostrils detect a strong barnyard smell from that direction.

Alco hol can hear the sounds of laboured chewing and tearing, and the sounds of bare feet on stone moving away from it; someone dashing haphazardly through the room, banging into things, a little over to the east. There may be other people in the new bowl she's found, but she's still very close to the meat-tearing noises. What are her actions?

[Palanan]

Rather than trying to haul the woman over his shoulder (since Hult is on the thin side) he will set her down gently on the stone floor and try to undo the ropes around her hands. If this loosens her hands enough to work, he'll guide her hands to her feet so they can work together on the the bonds around her ankles. If the ropes come off, he'll wrap them around his hands, like a fighter wrapping his fists.

All the while he's doing his best to move silently and to listen for anything and everything around them:

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult begins to work on loosening the ropes. They are tightly wound, with small knots, and his fingers feel weak and imprecise. It will take him several minutes of fumbling around in the dark to untie her, but it should go quicker once he's freed her hands and she can help.

Is Ryland assisting, or continuing to move north without delay? Or doing something else entirely?

[Ameraaaaaa]

Alco hol tries running towards the man who's footsteps were dashing ahead. It was a risk but it was probably worth it.



[roll0]

[roll1]

2 perception rolls to find the dashing sound and hear the wooden doors open then follow it.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Reaching into the bowl, Ryland quietly helps untie the woman, all the while staying alert to his surroundings.

[SlyJohnny]

The sound of fleshy tearing noises- becoming noticeably wetter, now- along with the soft rocking of the bowl against the stone floor, as it is shifted to and fro, fill the room.

Alco hol moves away to follow the figure, but within moments the sound is gone and she isn't sure exactly where it came from, her only frame of reference the distracting chewing and tearing sounds, coming from some indeterminate distance behind her. She reaches forward and her hands comes into contact with a stone wall going north to south, apparently having missed whatever door the other man fled by. She isn't sure which direction she'd need to follow the wall to reach her goal.

Hult and Ryland pause together and haul the woman out, working to loosen her bonds, which are wound cruelly tight and cutting off the circulation to her wrists. It takes perhaps five minutes of feverish fumbling, but finally the thin cords around her ankles and wrists are removed. The woman stands uncertainly, feels around blindly until her hand touches the wall to the west, and then attempts to grasp one or both of you by your shoulders, arms or hands, and move away north.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Alco hol decides to just go through the door snd hope for the best.

[SlyJohnny]

There's no door, just north-to-south stone wall.

[Ameraaaaaa]

She chooses the south wall.

[moonfly7]

Steve follows the event of animals. May be it's the wrong call but at least it's something to go off of.

The entire time he walks his eyes search the darkness for any other passages or ways out, checking the floor, the walls, even the ceiling in his panic.

Perception:
[roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve shuffles down the passage, checking the floors as he goes (he can't reach the ceiling, though he assumes there is one). He gropes blindly for another 10 feet, before his hands come into contact with another corner, opposite the one he just left. He can feel the passage stretching east, and instead of turning south he follows it for another 10 feet before arriving at a wide wooden door, behind which the barnyard animal smell is coming from.

As he is finding the handle and pondering whether to go in, he can hear soft footfalls approaching behind him in the dark.

Alco hol moves down a few feet and comes into contact with the wooden doors she missed earlier after just a few feet. They open outwards at even a light touch. She slips into the corridor, and moves down unopposed for about 15 feet, beside the north wall. She can now smell a strong barnyard smell coming further from the east.

All

The fleshy wet sounds have been replaced with rhythmic snapping noises, like a man methodically breaking kindling into small pieces. There's the occasional slurping, lapping sound. It sounds like there's not much left of the creature's current meal.

[Palanan]

Hult will support the woman, taking whatever ropes he can, and will help her as they continue moving north as silently as possible, all senses alert. Hult will be trying to catch any sort of scent, especially anything that might suggest fresh air and a way out.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult clasps the short lengths of rope he just untied, and moves north. 15 feet on, and he arrives at a corner, the rough stone walls stretching away east, and back to the south.

He can't smell anything except the monster in the centre of the room, which stinks of blood (old and new) and ammonia.

[moonfly7]

Steve opens the door quickly and carefully moves into the room. He has no idea what could be coming. He grips the rope-like it it could actually help-he thinks. But if he must he'll try to strangle whatever monster comes at him. Or whatever is in this room.

[SlyJohnny]

Steve opens the door and steps inside. As he does, he can feel something crisp and straw-like being crushed underneath one bare foot. They cling to his undersole as he adjusts his foot. It feels like hay. His left foot rests against a small pile of whatever it is.

From inside the room, something stirs. There is the soft but clear tinkling of a bell, which grows closer, announcing it's steady approach towards Steve.

"mrehhh." something bleats, feebly, from the darkness.

[moonfly7]

Steve peers into the darkness eyes wide trying to discern exactly what just made that noise. Gripping the rope tight in his hands.


Insight:
[roll0]
[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve is so wracked with thirst and so weak and groggy he's having trouble thinking clearly. The bleating sound is strange, unearthly. He can't place it.

Whatever made the sound is approaching, though. He might disappear back through the west door and escape, but he has moments to act.

[moonfly7]

Steve move forward. He's trapped between whatever is in the room and what's behind him. He'll take this on with only a rope and his bare hands. Better to die on his feet. He doesn't know how his life got so horrible so suddenly, but he won't die with his back turned running away.

[moonfly7]

He lurches forward, his teeth set and adrenaline pumping as he tries to grapple it with his rope

Garrot attack:
[roll0]

[roll1]

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by SlyJohnny
Hult clasps the short lengths of rope he just untied, and moves north. 15 feet on, and he arrives at a corner, the rough stone walls stretching away east, and back to the south.

Hult isn’t going ahead of the woman, so he’ll be proceeding with her leaning on him.

If the only choices are going back the way he came or going east, he’ll go east, supporting the woman and being as quiet as possible. He is also straining every sense, in case there’s the slightest glint of light or the faintest sound.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult and his companion move along the wall for a total of 30 feet before he reaches the opposite corner of the room, this one running south and back to the west.

(Ryland can elect to have been following this whole time and be at this corner right now, or post their own actions if they wanted to travel the other way or something)

Steve lunges forward, and tries to wrap his rope around whatever is in the room, but it seems to sense his intention, and pulls away at the last moment.

His opponent bleats in alarm, and he feels his questing arms meeting small, sharp horns, as it counterattacks:

[roll0] [roll1] to hit. [roll2] damage if hit

[SlyJohnny]

Steve is gored through the throat and lower jaw (4 points of damage). Whatever just attacked him retreats, 20 feet away to the south east; he is blind and so cannot react in time to strike at it departs, but the ringing of the bell broadcasts it's movements.

[Palanan]

Still supporting the woman, Hult will pause at this new corner and will listen with utmost care, hoping to hear something, anything that could tell them what else is happening in the dark.

Perception

[roll0]
[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult listens carefully, but can't hear anything.

He realises he can no longer hear the sounds of the large creature from the centre of the room. It has stopped eating.

[moonfly7]

Steve doesn't know what kind of horrifying monster this is, he leaves the room limping down the hallway. He doesn't know what was behind him but he knows staying in that room would end in certain death.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Alco hol procedes to follow the barnyard smell. Holding her knife tightly.

[SlyJohnny]

Alco hol and Steve pass each other in the corridor. Steve can hear this other person opening the door and slipping inside the room he just left.

Is Steve turning south or heading back to the room with the bowls?

[moonfly7]

"Hey" Steve whispers hoarsely at Alco hol.


"Don't go down there, there's some kind of monster in there too. With horns, smaller but it still almost killed me. I'm going south, away from both of 'em. There's safety in numbers, we should stick together."

[Ameraaaaaa]

"Hey" Steve whispers hoarsely at Alco hol.


"Don't go down there, there's some kind of monster in there too. With horns, smaller but it still almost killed me. I'm going south, away from both of 'em. There's safety in numbers, we should stick together."

"You gotta be kidding me" she whispers.

"Ok I'll follow you then." She then proceeds to follow him.

[SlyJohnny]

Steve, Alcho hol:

Together you shuffle 60 feet to the south, until you both notice a faint light, from off to the east; a small patch of east-west wall, illuminated as it reflects the light from some unseen source.

At around the same time the light comes into view, you detect a strong smell of vinegar, from somewhere further to the south. The barnyard smell from back to the north is also still detectable here, but fainter.

[Ameraaaaaa]

"We should definitely go towards the light. Sure it might be a trap but so can the vinegar. Best to risk for the chance of sight vs to risk for the chance of vinegar."

[Palanan]

With no other choice apparent, Hult will move south along the eastern wall, supporting the woman and again moving as silently as possible, listening with utter care:

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult feels his way south along the wall, moving down 10 feet, until the rough stone wall ends and he's feeling the regular texture of wood grain beneath his fingers. The door (at least, that is what it feels like) shifts outwards at his touch, leading to a corridor heading east; presumably the passage by which the creature entered the room earlier. He could continue in that direction, or continue to follow the wall south, in hopes of finding another exit from this room.

[moonfly7]

Steve nods.
"We go in cautiously then."


Stealth:
[roll0]

[roll1]

Perception:
[roll2]

[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve creeps 40 feet to the east, towards the light, until he emerges onto a landing illuminated by torchlight. (Feel free to describe Steve as he emerges into the light. If you like. No presh :) That goes for Alcho hol too, if she decides to follow Steve onto the landing.)

https://i.imgur.com/03Fz8iI.png

Steve can see a set of heavy steel doors, with no keyholes, handles, or obvious ways of opening.

To the left of the door: a lit torch, burning away atop a 6 foot metal pole.

To the right of the door: a sturdy table holds an iron-banded chest. Atop the chest is a fire striker.

Other than whatever might lie behind the doors to the north, three dark, unlit corridors lead away back to the west, to the south, and to the east. A horrible stench is noticeable to the east.

[moonfly7]

Steve moves into the light, his blood stained against a white barber's smock. Brown hair matted to his head, sharp Brown eyes evaluate the scene.


Perception:
[roll0]

[roll1]

If it looks clear and safe I'm going to go grab the striker and open the chest.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland follows Holt, helping him hold the woman, trying to stay quiet and alert. Upon reaching the wooden door, he pushes through, helping the woman through.

Geez, this is moving fast :smalleek:

And yes, Ryland is staying with Holt. Feel free to roll perception and stealth as appropriate.

[Ameraaaaaa]

"I don't trust chests in a place like this. Better test it. Just in case. " Alco hol takes the 6 foot pole and touchs the chest with it. If it's not a trap then she'll open the chest.

[SlyJohnny]

Steve cannot spot any hidden dangers, but there could be easily be something lurking in any of the dark passages and observing the illuminated bubble of light unseen.

The chest reeks of tar and pitch. He tries to open the chest, but it's securely locked. The fire striker is easily retrieved, though Steve's hands are now full, between that and his collection of short cuts of rope.

Alco hol tries to pull the iron pole down and use it, but it's screwed to the wall. She will be able to wrench it loose with a few minutes of focused effort. The torch is resting inside a metal loop, and could be removed and carried easily.

Ryland slips into the corridor, and moves down unopposed for about 15 feet, beside the north wall. He can now smell a strong barnyard smell coming further from the east. For a moment, he thinks he can detect faint whispering coming from somewhere to the south, but can't make out what was said.

[moonfly7]

"I-I think we're suppose to burn the chest. Or at least set it on fire. It reaks of Tar and pitch, and there's a fire striker on it. Either way, we should grab that Torch. It could be useful, and maybe that pole too, although my hands are pretty full..."

Steve is going to tie the rope around his waste like a crude belt for now, for easier storage.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland turns to Holt and the woman, and whispers, "I think I hear people whispering that way. Let's go," he tugs at them towards the South. He figures, even if they're not friendly, then maybe he can talk his way out of trouble.

[Palanan]

Hult had paused at what felt like a wooden door, when another person (the same as before?) took the woman through the door. Hult wasn't sure who it was or where they were going.

But he's also not sure if following them is the best idea. He will remain at the wooden door, running his fingers lightly up and down it, and feeling in particular if there are pins to the hinges which he can try to remove as some sort of weapon or tool.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve can tie the ropes together and around his waist, freeing up a hand, and making him technically not-naked (his usual barber's smock is absent from his person, even though he can clearly remember wearing it when he served his last client of the day).

The chest itself doesn't appear to be flammable or coated in oil, but the smell is definitely coming from inside the chest. Perhaps it contains something flammable.

Ryland and his companion shuffle 60 feet to the south, until Ryland notices a faint light, from off to the east; a small patch of east-west wall, illuminated as it reflects the flickering light from some unseen source. Shadows dance against the wall; the distorted silhouette of a woman, casting her shadow this way and that as she moves in a way that partially blocks the light.

At around the same time the light comes into view, you detect a strong smell of vinegar, from somewhere further to the south. The barnyard smell from back to the north is also still detectable here, but fainter.

Hult pauses to inspect the door. He's increasingly confident that is what he's dealing with here, feeling all the parts he would expect. He finds hinges driven into the stone and wood by pins, but they're too small and too secure for him to be able to remove them with his bare hands. The door itself is 5 foot wide and 10 feet tall, swings outward easily, and careful probing reveals that it meets another door, coming from the opposite side of the doorway to the south; the two of them can swing inwards or outwards together when pushed, like batwing/saloon doors. The corridor the doors are a portal for is 10 feet wide, and could comfortably admit a procession of humans marching double file, or perhaps a single very large creature.

As he is moving his hands quietly over the edges of the door frame, he feels the door pushed outwards, moving away from his touch. Something very large slithers out of the darkness behind him from the west (much quieter than he would have expected, he had thought it still in the middle of the room) and heaves it's bulk through the doorway and past him, heading down the corridor to the east. It misses touching him by a hair's length, but cautiously huddled as he is by the side of the doorway, he just manages to escape it's notice. The doors swing closed as it moves away, and the soft sounds of it's slithering motions recede.

[Ameraaaaaa]

"I-I think we're suppose to burn the chest. Or at least set it on fire. It reaks of Tar and pitch, and there's a fire striker on it. Either way, we should grab that Torch. It could be useful, and maybe that pole too, although my hands are pretty full..."

Steve is going to tie the rope around his waste like a crude belt for now, for easier storage.

"Ok." Alco hol tries to grab the torch and the pole. Even if it takes a while.

[Palanan]

Hult's eyes have been wide with barely suppressed terror, his breath the shallowest possible flow through his nostrils.

He waits for several long moments after the thing has passed, and then with utmost care he continues south, no longer touching the wood of the door, but moving as silently as possible parallel to where he believes the wall must continue south of the door--south and south, placing each foot with slow deliberation, but unable to help hurrying his pace further south once he is past the door.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult moves down past the door. The stone wall continues for a further 10 feet before it reaches a corner, with a wall running east to west; 30 feet south of the northeast corner of the room he found previously.

[Palanan]

At the corner, Hult will continue carefully west--and this time he will have his right hand extended out towards the interior of the room, expecting to feel the rim of another stone bowl.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[wkwkwkwk1]

Overjoyed by the hint of light, Ryland half-drags the woman towards the East, barely noticing their missing companion.

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland creeps 40 feet to the east, towards the light, until he emerges onto a landing illuminated by torchlight. The woman he is accompanying (Camile) hesitates, but then follows, not wanting to be left behind. (Feel free to describe Ryland and Camile as they emerge into the light.)

https://i.imgur.com/03Fz8iI.png

Ryland can see a set of heavy steel doors, with no keyholes, handles, or obvious ways of opening.

To the left of the door: a lit torch, burning away atop a 6 foot metal pole. A naked woman is trying to wrench the pole and torch free from the wall. She would get this done faster with assistance. She's holding a knife in one hand, the blade red with blood.

To the right of the door: a sturdy table holds an iron-banded chest. A man, naked except for a length of knotted-together short strands of rope tied around his waist is inspecting the chest carefully. He clutches a fire striker in one hand.

Other than whatever might lie behind the doors to the north, three dark, unlit corridors lead away back to the west, to the south, and to the east. A horrible stench is noticeable to the east.

Steve and Alco hol notice they have been joined by two others who have emerged from the western corridor, a man and a woman.

Hult moves away to the west and after ten feet or so he finds the bowl he was expecting. It's closer to the wall than the others, close enough that he can't squeeze by against the wall without moving it or crawling underneath it.

Straining for any hint of sound as he is, he can detect movement from the bowl. The bowl itself shifts, it's side tilting, and comes into contact with the south wall with a soft tap. At this, the movement immediately ceases as the bowl rights itself, as if whatever was moving has now frozen.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Alco hol notices the other 2 and perks up saying "ah thank god! Wanna help me with this ****ing torch and pole?" She whispers.

[Palanan]

“...Stay silent,” Hult breathes into the bowl. “I’ll help you out.”

With that, still moving carefully with nose and ears alert, Hult will reach into the bowl from the east side—so tipping it won’t scrape it against the south wall—and helps whoever is inside to crawl out.

If they need help, he’ll carefully take hold and pull them out; and if they are bound, he’ll unbind them and keep the ropes.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult rescues another woman from inside a stone bowl. She's as tightly bound as the last one; freeing her entirely would be the work of but a moment, if Holt had a knife. With just his fingers it'll be several minutes of delicate and fiddly work in the dark.

The woman twists her body until her head is level with Hult's. "Where are we? What's happening?" she whispers urgently against his ear.

[Palanan]

"Shhhh," Hult whispers urgently. He works on the bonds around her wrists first, so she can help with the ropes around her feet.

"There's something in here. We need to be very, very quiet. Is anyone else in there with you?"

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult hears the woman respond. "Yes." She breathes. "Three. Three others..."

Another voice from the bowl, this one sounding like a man. "I'm here. I'm Marrac." He murmurs, groggily, a little louder than Hult might wish; he's keeping his voice to a low whisper, but he has to whisper a little louder to be heard from the bottom of the bowl, as he isn't whispering directly into your ear like the woman is. "The other two are breathing, but not moving. Think we were all drugged... lethe-root. I think."

[Palanan]

"Quiet," Hult breathes into the bowl. "I'll get you out."

He continues working at the woman's bonds--hands first, so she can work on her ankles--and then once she's free, he will pull Marrac and the others out of the bowl, working as quickly and silently as possible.

"Help them," he directs the first woman, "--hands first," and Hult will begin untying Marrac's hands as the woman (hopefully) does the same for another. All the while listening, listening ever so carefully for the slither and whicker of whatever that thing was--or perhaps the sounds of wet splintering in the distance, beyond the door.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland emerges from the dark tunnel, revealing a lithe young man, with dark hair and eyes, barely a stubble on his chin. His face breaks into a very, very tired grin upon seeing other people. "Greetings, I--" he whispers, pausing when he spots the blood-stained blade. "I'm Ryland. Please tell me you're friendly. Is that from... whatever that thing back there was?" he points at the knife.

"Hello," Camile emerges from behind him, a fetching young woman, splotches and rivulets of makeup still staining her face.

"Have you tried the doors?" Ryland whispers, hoping the others don't think he's insulting their intelligence.

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland approaches the heavy steel doors. A set of ascending stairs is barely visible between them. Tentative pushing or probing will find the door doesn't budge; locked, from the other side. There are no apparent means of opening the doors from this side; no handles, no keyholes, no visible hinges or mechanisms.

Ryland, Alco hol, Steve: Please roll a Perception (Wisdom) check at disadvantage.

[Palanan]

Hult will continue working on freeing the others, silent and alert.



When the thing slithered past him, did Hult smell anything unusual?

Did he smell blood, bone, ammonia, any or all of these?

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland, Alco hol, Steve:

After much effort, Alco hol wrenches the 6 foot iron pole (with the torch still balanced on top) loose from the wall, sending irregular shadows spinning around the room as she adjusts her grip. As the three converse in low voices and Alco hol is inspecting her prize, something heaves itself into the landing from the dark corridor to the west, emerging into the light behind Alco hol without a sound, like a dragon in a silent pantomime.

https://i.imgur.com/u7ShqzG.jpg

It looks like a gigantic, hairless, obese cow. It has no obvious head, its neck instead terminating in a drooping cowl of wrinkled flesh. It drags its belly as it half-walks, half slithers on it's many spiderlike arms, from which dozens of odd nodules dangle, hanging like loose skin tags, or ripe fruit, along the creature's armpits and milk lines; most are dark green, but a few are bright orange. The arms seem too small and delicate to move such a mass, yet they do, dragging it across the ground towards you.

It reeks of blood and ammonia.

The wrinkled cowl of flesh at the front of it's body turns towards Alco hol (who is nearest the west corridor), and then peels away, retracting on all sides until a head emerges; it looks like a bloody horse skull with sunken eyes, and a black tongue that is far too long. It wickers excitedly as it's jaws loll open, and then screeches sharply as it's head swings towards Alco hol, just as she turns to face it.

((Initiative for you three please. Alco hol, I'd like to know what your immediate reactions are, particularly with regards to the torch you're holding, even if you lose initiative.

The Lamb initiative: [roll0] ))

Hult frees the woman after some minutes of painstaking, fingernail-destroying work. She tries to rub some feeling back into her sore wrists, before turning to assist him with Marrak, who seems to be feeling less chatty.

Some distance away to the east, there is the echo of a strangely-pitched wicker, following by a screeching roar.

((The creature reeked of blood and ammonia as it passed him. The scent of blood was both the old and decayed kind, and more recent, fresh and coppery-smelling.))

[Palanan]

"Listen," Hult breathes to the other two as he works, "we have to work together to survive. Does anyone have anything with them? A knife, a rock, a flint, anything at all?"



I'm a little confused about the number of people Hult is dealing with right now. Is it just the woman he's freed, plus Marrac? Or are there one or more others still in the bowl?

[SlyJohnny]

Hult hears both the woman he just freed and the man who called himself Marrac murmur "no" in response. It's only those two people speaking, but feeling around in the bowl reveals another two human-shaped figures lying at the bottom of it, like unwanted leftovers. They are both breathing shallowly, and one man stirs at Holt's touch, moaning weakly, barely audible.

[Palanan]

"Free them too," Hult says firmly, though still in a barely audible breath, and he directs Marrac and the woman to help him bring out and untie the other two people.

[SlyJohnny]

Initiative order:
16 Ryland
16 The Lamb
15 Steve
4 Alco Hol

Ryland shouts a warning, and turns to flee. (wkwkwkwk1 if you're still around, you're first, you can post an action for this round and next at the same time)

As the creature extends it's head to close it's jaws around Alco hol, she turns around to face it, and thrusts the torch-pole into it's face.

The creature shrieks as the flame is waved towards it, it's beady eyes reflecting the fire. It seems terrified of the light. "Father! Father!" it cries, in an increasingly loud and distorted voice, through a throat not designed to accommodate the Common tongue. It retracts it's head back into the folds of it's skin, as it's large, wobbly body shakes and backs away from Alco Hol.

(Lamb disengages and backs away 20 feet, due to Phobia)

It shuffles back into the corridor it came from, where the flickering torchlight is more kind to it, dimmer and more shadowy. It's head starts to emerge again, and it's eyes follow the swinging movements of the pole. Working it out. It stares balefully at Alco Hol. It seems to already be overcoming it's fear of the fire she holds. It looks almost comical, it's oversized bulk wobbling to and fro, but something about it's posture reminds her of a cat about to pounce. The fire and light made it hesitate the first time, but she senses this won't work again, without a much bigger source of fire or light.

(Ryland, Steve, Alco hol: your actions! The torch pole has Reach and will do 1d6+Strength fire damage if you hit with it, attack rolls at disadvantage.)

[moonfly7]

Steve does the smart thing and immediately runs. He knows what that thing can do. He's not risking it.
"Everybody run!"

He screams, rushing down the hallway that's closest to him but furthest from the lamb, making sure to stay as far away from it as possible.

[SlyJohnny]

The closest corridor to Steve is the one that leads away east. It's 10 feet away from his current position, and then he's out of the range of the torch's illumination, haring off into the darkness. (How far east does Steve run? He can spend his action to Dash, for a maximum of 60 feet.)

[Palanan]

Still working to free the last two captives--hopefully with the help of Marrac and the woman--Hult continues straining his eyes, ears and other senses for any hint of the creature or anyone else.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[Ameraaaaaa]

Initiative order:
16 Ryland
16 The Lamb
15 Steve
4 Alco Hol

Ryland shouts a warning, and turns to flee. (wkwkwkwk1 if you're still around, you're first, you can post an action for this round and next at the same time)

As the creature extends it's head to close it's jaws around Alco hol, she turns around to face it, and thrusts the torch-pole into it's face.

The creature shrieks as the flame is waved towards it, it's beady eyes reflecting the fire. It seems terrified of the light. "Father! Father!" it cries, in an increasingly loud and distorted voice, through a throat not designed to accommodate the Common tongue. It retracts it's head back into the folds of it's skin, as it's large, wobbly body shakes and backs away from Alco Hol.

(Lamb disengages and backs away 20 feet, due to Phobia)

It shuffles back into the corridor it came from, where the flickering torchlight is more kind to it, dimmer and more shadowy. It's head starts to emerge again, and it's eyes follow the swinging movements of the pole. Working it out. It stares balefully at Alco Hol. It seems to already be overcoming it's fear of the fire she holds. It looks almost comical, it's oversized bulk wobbling to and fro, but something about it's posture reminds her of a cat about to pounce. The fire and light made it hesitate the first time, but she senses this won't work again, without a much bigger source of fire or light.

(Ryland, Steve, Alco hol: your actions! The torch pole has Reach and will do 1d6+Strength fire damage if you hit with it, attack rolls at disadvantage.)

Alco hol knows the risks but she thinks it's her chance.



[roll0]

[roll1]

If i hit.

[roll2]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve takes off, bounding into the dark down the east corridor. He makes it 30 feet before his next stride doesn't make contact with the ground, and he's in freefall. He drops 40 feet straight down, before his body makes contact with hard stone covered by a thin layer of sewage and effluence.

((Steve takes [roll0] bludgeoning damage from the fall))

Alco Hol swings her pole at the creature, but misjudges the distance, weak with thirst as she is. Shrieking in rage as she brings the flame close to it, it surges forward. It first tries to catch her head between it's jaws, and whether that succeeds or fails, it attempts to roll on top of her, crushing her lower body against the ground.

Bite [roll1] [roll2]
Crush [roll3] [roll4]

[SlyJohnny]

Steve pitches forward into the pit, landing head first and snapping his neck. He dies instantly.

Ryland can hear a woman's hoarse scream, coming from the direction Steve disappeared in.

Alco hol's head is caught by the creature's jaws. It hurls her body violently from side to side, shaking her vigorously like a crocodile with a bird in it's mouth, until she goes limp.

Mikely and Vyre "Steel Head" Mack wake up, lying in the base of a giant stone bowl in the dark, their wrists and ankles bound. "-have anything with them? A knife, a rock, a flint, anything at all?" a voice whispers, very quietly, from just above. They each feel a hand moving over them, checking their pulse, before withdrawing. "Free them too." the voice murmurs, to someone.

Hult and Lorelyn free Marrac of his binds, after much painstaking work. Hult feels the woman murmur against his ear, fretfully. "This is taking too long... shouldn't one of us go for help?"

Hult can feel the two previously-unconscious people at the bottom of the bowl starting to stir, now.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland's eyes and mouth widen in a silent scream. Then, somehow, they seem to widen even more when the creature speaks.

"Wait!" he calls out. "You can speak? Who are you?"

He starts maneuvering towards the South corridor. While there is safety in numbers, he feels like against... this, there might be more value in splitting up in hopes of distracting it. Hearing the scream from the East cements his conviction.

"Please don't attack!" he is talking as much to the creature as to his newfound companions, scraping the bottom of the barrel of desperation. "What do you want? We can help you!"

He quietly drags Camile with him.

[moonfly7]

"What the heck happened?" the young kid asks as he stands up and shakes his head. He's small, and clearly malnourished. His head is decidedly large.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely whispers "help me!" She also tries to remember what happened.

[SlyJohnny]

As Ryland speaks to it, the creature raises it's snout- red with blood now, serrations along it's jaws dripping red as it's head moves- and emits a guttural snarl at him. For a moment it seems like it's about to follow him and chase him down, but it settles down and starts chewing on Alco hol's half-crushed body.

Ryland and Camile move about 15 feet south into the dark corridor, before he feels a wooden door against his left hand (the east side of the corridor). The corridor continues further south.

((If Ryland doesn't intend to draw further attention to himself and wants to wait until the creature has finished eating, we can jumpcut to that, it will slither away to the east after 10 minutes, leaving the landing (still lit by the fallen touch) unoccupied. Otherwise, while he waits he can continue to explore this corridor to the south or the door to the east in the dark, for a dungeon turn/10 minutes.))

Mikely's last memory was of talking a sceptical priest into overpaying her for several cheap bottles of wine she'd relabelled as rare and expensive vintages. She wonders how that con turned out.

Holt releases another person. They set to work on the final two, their hands moving quicker now with practice, loosening the tightly wound ropes. Mikely and Vyre feel several set of hands working at their ropes, and after a couple of minutes, they're freed too.

What does Holt intend to do with his new gang?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by SlyJohnny
What does Holt intend to do with his new gang?

Hult will once again listen very, very carefully, while encouraging the others to be as silent as possible and to listen as well:

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Holt has been listening to the distant screeches and roars of some unidentifiable creature as he works. At one point, he swore he heard the same unnatural voice cry out "Father! Father!!", but it's possible that was just the results of his feverish and overactive imagination. There's a woman's scream, from even further off. Then silence, or at least, no sounds he can pick up. He has a nasty feeling he's hearing the sounds of violence as the monster hunts down the people who fled earlier. At least the creature doesn't seem to be intent on immediately returning to this room, at least for the moment. But that's surely only a matter of time.

Lingering here in the dark seems a risky proposition, but so does venturing into the unknown in the wake of the creature's trail.

[Palanan]

“Listen,” Hult breathes to the others, “the only way we survive is if we work together.

“There’s something monstrous out there—it went right by me and it’ll be coming back. There’s a door right over there—” and Hult points instinctively, even though it’s too dark for anyone to see— “and we need to be ready for when it comes back.

“This stone bowl—it’s loose, it can be moved. Five of us together can lift it onto its edge, roll it like a wheel up to the edge of the door.

“When that thing comes back—we drop it down and trap it, and then we get out of here. Okay? Now everyone help me with this. We can do it if we all work together.”

With that, Hult directs the others to arrange themselves along one side of the stone bowl, and lift it up onto its edge or nearly so, with the intention of slowly and carefully rolling it towards the wooden door.

.

[SlyJohnny]

Holt's companions hesitate, but his apparent confidence and familiarity with the situation wins over Lorelyn and Marrac to his plan.

Mikely and Vyre can hear Holt's voice in the dark, addressing them and two other unidentified figures. They soon find themselves being evicted from their current accommodation, displaced from the stone bowl as three murmuring figures seek to upend it and roll it away to the far side of the room.

[moonfly7]

Steelhead gets up and stays quiet, trying to find the new people and keep pace.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland freezes as the creature snarls at him, then quietly slinks away, Camile in tow. "Let's wait here," he whispers when they reach the wooden door. "We need that torch. We'll run if it comes this way. Now stay quiet."

[Palanan]

When Hult realizes the other two aren't helping, he will urge them to contribute: "We'll have a better chance if you help us. It's not far--just a few feet--so help us!"

He continues listening as carefully as possible, and moving as quietly as possible under the circumstances.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[moonfly7]

Steelhead nods in the dark and immediatly moves to help. His tiny frame, weaker than even am average 10 year olds, is not very useful, but he gives it his best shot.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely also tries to help out. Trying to help with her average strength to lift the bowl to it's edge.

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland and Camile wait in the darkness, trying to breath quietly, listening to the sounds of tearing flash and teeth worrying at bone.

Eventually, the chewing sounds become snapping sounds, which then become licking/slurping sounds, and finally grunts of what might be contentment. The monstrosity slithers away to the east, sluggishly, apparently having forgotten about them.

When Ryland returns to the landing he finds the woman's body is completely gone. The iron pole with the burning torch on the end lies on the ground, next to a knife. Other than this, only a faint red stain on the ground and the corner wall stand as evidence she existed. The other man he saw earlier has not returned from his dash to the east.

Ryland can see a set of heavy steel doors, with no keyholes, handles, or obvious ways of opening.

To the right of the door: a sturdy table holds an iron-banded chest.

Other than whatever might lie behind the doors to the north, three dark, unlit corridors lead away to the west, to the south, and to the east. A horrible stench is noticeable to the east.

Hult, Vyre, Mikely and their two companions are still weak and in the dark, so even a simple thing like moving the stone bowl takes some minutes. Eventually, though, it is positioned next to the door to their liking.

Does Hult have some plan to lure the creature back into the trap? If he is going to wait for it to return, how long will he wait?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by SlyJohnny
Does Hult have some plan to lure the creature back into the trap? If he is going to wait for it to return, how long will he wait?

Yes. Hult has been saving all the ropes that the others were bound with. Once the stone bowl is on its edge beside the door--with Marrac and the others holding it in place--Hult will feel around for whatever loose pebbles he can find.

Once he finds a couple, he will strike and strike, and strike and strike, until he kicks out enough sparks to light one section of rope into flame. He’ll put the burning section of rope in front of the wooden door, right in the middle of where the stone bowl will fall.

He’ll also light another section of rope, and will hold it high to try to get a sense of what this chamber looks like, listening and looking all around.

Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult feels around in the dark and searches the room exhaustively. He cannot find even a single loose pebble. The floor of the room is oddly bare, as if it's been swept clean of any detritus.

He does confirm that he is in a 30x30 square room with only the one exit, and that there are three giant stone bowls in here; one now positioned by the door, one empty except for a sticky wetness at the base of it, that Hult feels might be blood, and the third has two other bound and terrified people in it, a man and a woman. One of them shouts in alarm and rolls away at Hult's touch. "No! No! Not me!" He cries, as he tries desperately to wiggle out of the bowl.

(wkwkwkwk1 you are in a prime position to come back with a torch and save everyone, and I don't want to move time forward/roll for monster encounters until you've acted! You're probably away all weekend having a social life or something :(

If there's no Ryland post by Sunday I'll move time along.)

[wkwkwkwk1]

(wkwkwkwk1 you are in a prime position to come back with a torch and save everyone, and I don't want to move time forward/roll for monster encounters until you've acted! You're probably away all weekend having a social life or something :(

If there's no Ryland post by Sunday I'll move time along.)

It's quite alright :smallsmile:

I check in semi-regularly, but at random times, that's why sometimes I seem to disappear :smallbiggrin:

Ryland waits for the creature to finish its meal, trying not to think too much about the woman that the meal consists of. He waits until the last slithering echoes die off, then creeps back into the room.

"I think there were more people in those bowls in the first room," he whispers to Camile. "I'm going back for them. Come along if you want, or stay here, but I could use your help."

He moves quietly over to the fallen torch, grabs it, and heads down the passage he first emerged from, holding the torch in front of him.

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland (with Camile in tow) heads down the corridor to the west for 50 feet, before he reaches an intersection. There's a barnyard smell to the north, and a vinegar smell coming from the south.

https://i.imgur.com/RBUFEFn.png

Retracing his steps, he heads north, coming to a t-junction with a wooden door each to the east and the west. The barnyard smell is coming from the door to the east. He's fairly sure the room he came from is to the west. He steps through the west doors, and is nearly crushed by a falling stone bowl that was leaning up against the door jam. Five people stare at him from inside, wide-eyed, blinking as their eyes adjust to the sudden influx of light.

Hult, Vyre and Mikely catch a glimpse of light from around the door jam, a scant moment before the door swings open, revealing Ryland, clutching a 6 foot iron pole with a burning torch on the end, which lights up the whole room. He narrowly avoids being squashed or captured by the tumbling stone bowl.

All

https://i.imgur.com/7uS77Vu.png

((Position of bowls as depicted is no longer accurate. Feel free to describe your characters, who are now all visible in the torchlight))

The room you're in is a 30ft by 30 foot room with unworked stone walls. There are three large stone bowls scattered about, one of which has two people, still bound, inside (Nail and Aggy).

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland did not expect that :smallbiggrin:

By the way, I forgot to have Ryland pick up the knife and the fire-striker, but naturally he did. He does, after all, have a penchant for running of with things :smalltongue:

Ryland barely supresses his urge to scream a curse, and instead glares at the the gathered people, silently fuming.

"...let's just untie these two folks over there and get away," he whispers, walking over to where they are and leaning the torch-pole against a wall (did Camile come along?). While working on the ropes, he describes the chest room to the other people as best as he can.


When Ryland returns to the landing he finds the woman's body is completely gone. The iron pole with the burning torch on the end lies on the ground, next to a knife. Other than this, only a faint red stain on the ground and the corner wall stand as evidence she existed. The other man he saw earlier has not returned from his dash to the east.

Ryland can see a set of heavy steel doors, with no keyholes, handles, or obvious ways of opening.

To the right of the door: a sturdy table holds an iron-banded chest.

Other than whatever might lie behind the doors to the north, three dark, unlit corridors lead away to the west, to the south, and to the east. A horrible stench is noticeable to the east.


"The creature that's picking us off one by one, it is afraid of fire, and I'm fairly sure the chest is full of something flammable. Tar and pitch. We could try to pick it with the knife. Or, if we set the table underneath on fire, we might be able to get the chest to burn."

"In any case, we should probably check out the other corridors too, maybe there's exits that way. Or water. I'm horribly thirsty."

[SlyJohnny]

By the way, I forgot to have Ryland pick up the knife and the fire-striker, but naturally he did.

Ryland can have scooped up the knife (or quickly double back for it once he realises he wants it) no problem, but the fire striker is nowhere to be found. He thinks the other man he met briefly might have carried it off with him, when he ran to the east. Camile was hanging back, but edges forth into the room to stand beside him.

Cutting the two bound people free is the work of but a moment for Ryland's knife. They rub their sore wrists and ankles and stare up at him thankfully.

[Palanan]

“You’re…not who we thought,” Hult blurts, forgetting to whisper as he stares past his raised arm. He continues to blink, trying to take in the new arrivals.

Hult himself is a slim young man with dirty blonde hair, a touch on the short side, and on his better days is engaging and even mildly appealing.

Beside him, gaping thickly, is Marrac, slightly taller and sturdier with a tangled mass of reddish-brown curls. A young woman steps quickly behind Marrac, covering herself in the sudden torchlight as best she can. She has dull brown hair, somewhat round features and a stocky body of which she is highly conscious, now more than ever.

Hult recovers himself somewhat.

“Who the hell are you?” he demands. “Did you bring us here?”



Hult is actually quite relieved to see someone who is a) not a monster and b) carrying an actual light source, but he's been so wound up he's instinctively a little aggressive.

Palanan, meanwhile, is slightly disappointed, since he would've liked to see if his stone-bowl plan would've worked on the monster. :smalltongue:

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland emerges from the dark tunnel, revealing a lithe young man, with dark hair and eyes, barely a stubble on his chin. His face breaks into a very, very tired grin upon seeing other people.

"Hello," Camile emerges from behind him, a fetching young woman, splotches and rivulets of makeup still staining her face.

Ryland sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "First, keep your voice down," he whispers. "Second, look at my wrists and ankles. Look at the clothes I'm not wearing. I get it, you want out of here. Everyone does, so let's go."

He winds some rope around his waist, tucks the knife into the makeshift belt, and turns to leave, then stops and whispers over his shoulder, "Your plan with the bowl was sound, but unless you want to drag that thing with us, or lure the beast back here, it'll have to wait."

"I say we check over there first," he points at the wooden doors on the opposite end of the corridor. "Just in case."

He holds the torch-pole in front of him like a spear, ready to strike and/or set something on fire if necessary.

Of course, roleplaying is the spice of the game :smallwink:

And I'm with Palanan, though Ryland may not have enjoyed the experience :smallbiggrin:

[Palanan]

“…Okay,” Hult replies cautiously. “How much further does this place go? —And do you have any more torches, or anything else? —And what was that thing?”

As he speaks, he catches sight of Camile—takes a long, hungry look at her, and then casually brings his hand, holding a bunched ball of rope, down to cover his groin.



I’m very tempted to suggest rolling the stone bowl along with us as we go.

:smalltongue:

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely is a fairly attractive woman with blond hair and 1 black eye and 1 blue eye.

Whispering she says "whatever that monster is i don't want to find out."

[wkwkwkwk1]

I’m very tempted to suggest rolling the stone bowl along with us as we go.

:smalltongue:

Feel free to, I'd love to see how that works out :smalltongue:

Camile smirks and winks at Hult, not even making an attempt to cover herself up. Despite their current predicament, she can still recognize a potential customer when she sees one.

Ryland notices none of this, already heading towards the other end of the corridor, more pressing matters weighing in his mind.

"It's... horrible, he whispers. A mess of flesh and skin, and insect limbs, and... a bloody horse skull for a face," he shudders. "Let's just go, and pray we do not run into it again."

[moonfly7]

"Where is that monster?" Steelhead whispers in a terrified tone, his tiny body shaking.

[Palanan]

“You said it’s afraid of fire?” Hult asks as he follows Ryland out of the room. “We should make more torches before that one goes out.”

Despite the other people around, Hult is still listening as carefully as he can, and stepping as silently as possible across the stone floor.



Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[wkwkwkwk1]

"I have no idea where it is... it slithered down a side passage. And yes, we should make more torches, but out of what, exactly?"

[Palanan]

Hult pauses to examine the door in Ryland’s torchlight. “It’s wood…and you have a knife. Try splitting or peeling off some sections of it.”

Hult will also pay attention to whatever hinges are holding up the door, in hopes of finding some way to remove the door. He couldn’t get a sense of how large or heavy the door was, and now that there’s light he wants to examine it for a long, careful moment.

[SlyJohnny]

All:

The large double saloon door's hinges are fastened to the stone wall through pins. They might be gradually pried off with the knife, but they're secured tightly in there, and this could take a while; there's a risk you'd dull or even break the blade of the knife.

You might carve off strips of the door and burn the wood, but they wouldn't burn long or brightly, just as they are. Making a proper torch will be difficult, lacking so many of the necessary materials and accelerants.

Ryland heads out of the door and plunges the bowl-room into darkness. Those who have most recently been freed scurry after him, instinctively wanting to stay in the torch light.

https://i.imgur.com/2jJk9kl.png

The corridor outside this room leads to a t-junction, turning off to the south after 10 feet. The corridor stretches east 30 feet before it ends at a wooden door. There's a strong barnyard smell coming from this direction. Ryland heads this way, and opens the door.

There is a pile of hay next to the door, with a stone post set in the ground beside it. Three dead goats are tied to it by short lengths of twine. One live goat is also tied to it, it's horns stained with dried blood. All of the goats are wearing bells around their necks. The living goat bleats weakly at you as you enter, and seems to hesitate, studying Ryland carefully, before it ambles over towards him, it's little bell tinkling as it approaches at a steady pace.

There is an empty wooden bowl lying on the floor.

[Palanan]

“Get that bell!” Hult hisses as he follows Ryland into the barnyard room. “Cut it off—otherwise it’ll bring the monster.”

He takes in the rest of the room, and crouches low to investigate the empty wooden bowl. If it seems free of anything dangerous, he will pick up the bowl, and then move over to the pile of hay.

He will also investigate the hay, and if it seems safe he will pluck out a few strands, then extend them towards Ryland’s torch to see how well they burn.

“If this works,” he says, “then we can all take bunches of hay. First hint of that monster and we all light the hay. If it’s afraid of fire, that should keep it away.”

All the while he is moving as quietly and carefully as possible, and keeping his senses alert for threats near or far.


Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[SlyJohnny]

Hult retrieves the wooden bowl. It does not bite him or hurt him, and doesn't seem like a dangerous object.

The hay also seems to be what it appears to be, and burns merrily away when exposed to the torch flame.

[Palanan]

“Okay,” Hult tells Marrac and Lorelyn, “gather the hay into bundles, and tie each one together with a little rope. Make sure every one of us has at least two of them.”

Hult will share his lengths of rope with them, and then will turn back to Ryland. “Have you cut off that bell yet? We don’t want the bell to bring that monster back.”

Hult will also inspect the three dead goats as best he can, in hopes of finding one that’s fresh enough to eat. And as always, he will be moving as quietly as possible, and listening as intently as he can.


Stealth

[roll0]
[roll1]

Perception

[roll2]
[roll3]

[wkwkwkwk1]

At first, Ryland is tempted to walk over to the living goat and free it, but quickly stumbles backwards when he spots the dried blood in its horns. He remembers the man with an odd wound on his neck. "Stay way from it!" he hisses, hustling the others back towards the door. "I think it's aggressive."

"It's a bit late to worry about the bell, after you nearly crushed me with that stone bowl, don't you think?" Ryland asks, failing to keep

If Ryland can reach the hay without getting within reach of the goat, he takes as much as he can, tucking it in his belt.

[SlyJohnny]

Everyone who wants hay can grab some, without risk of being menaced by the goat. The pile of hay is within range of the goat, the post it's tied to being right next to it, but the goat is moving quite sluggishly and hesitantly, so you would have time to steal some hay and escape through the door.

[SlyJohnny]

Holt examines the dead goats. Two look like they died within the last few days, and have become bloated and smelly. The other seems more recent.

Holt can retrieve a plausibly fresh dead goat with a bell tied around it's neck by untying it from the post.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely grabs some hey just in case.

[Palanan]

Hult will indeed retrieve the freshest dead goat, but he will take pains to remove the bell first.

—Then, an idea occurs to him, and Hult stuffs the bell with hay to prevent it from ringing, then carries it in the bowl, with the dead goat over his shoulder.

He checks on Marrac and Lorelyn to see that they’ve finished making basic hay torches, then addresses Ryland:

“Okay. How do we get out of here? How much further have you gone?”

[SlyJohnny]

Hult effectively stifles the bell's clapper with wrapped hay, and takes goat and bell with him.

The collected hay can definitely be lit, but you'd need most of the pile to make a substantial fire- the individual handfuls or heaps you're carrying won't outburn the torch, in isolation.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland does his best to describe what he knows of the rest of the place, while tying bunches of hay with rope.

"Did you see that junction we passed? The corridor heads South, and after a bit there's another corridor branching out to the East. That way is the room where I found the torch and the knife. And... the people who had them. That room has two more corridors, one going South and another further West. One of the people I found headed West, and... I heard her scream and fall silent. Besides, the beast went that way."

He starts heading back out towards the corridor. "I propose we either go South, beyond the Eastward junction, or to the room, and try to figure out how to open the chest."

[SlyJohnny]

Ryland takes the torch out of the room and away to the south. Anyone who elects to stay behind is plunged into darkness. Everyone who wants to stay in the bubble of light has to match his pace and huddle within 30 feet of him.

The group shuffles 50 feet to the south until they arrive at an intersection.

https://i.imgur.com/RBUFEFn.png

There's a barnyard smell to the north, and a vinegar smell coming from the south.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"When we get to the junction, which way do you want to go?" Ryland asks on the way. "I say we check out the room first, because of the locked chest in there. Also, there's a weird smell coming from further along this corridor, and it might not be good news."

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely nods her head "yes. Agreed. Perhaps that chest has what we need."

[SlyJohnny]

The light moves 40 feet to the east, until those following it emerge onto a landing.

https://i.imgur.com/03Fz8iI.png

(Torch mounted on 6 foot iron pole is no longer present as depicted, Ryland is carrying it.)

There is a set of heavy steel doors, with no keyholes, handles, or obvious ways of opening.

To the right of the door: a sturdy table holds an iron-banded chest.

Other than whatever might lie behind the doors to the north, three dark, unlit corridors lead away back to the west, to the south, and to the east. A horrible stench is noticeable to the east.

[moonfly7]

"The Chest is covered in pine tar" Steelhead whispers "may be we need to burn it?"

[Ameraaaaaa]

"Perhaps. Let's just hope it's not a trap" she says.

[SlyJohnny]

The chest reeks of tar and pitch. The stink seems to be coming from something inside it, rather than the chest being coated with it. The chest looks very sturdy and reinforced, too strong to be bashed open with a brick or the table. It would take a heavy impact, or the weight of something very large, to shatter the lock.

[Ameraaaaaa]

"Maybe use one of the heavy bowls to open the chest?"

[wkwkwkwk1]

"That's... not the worst idea, in fact," Ryland says. "Though I fear it would take us far too long. Perhaps we could split up, now that we all know the way back and forth, and some of us could go fetch a bowl while others explore some more?"

"Or maybe we could set fire to the table underneath, but there might be something useful inside the chest besides the tar and pitch."

[Palanan]

Hult has been following Ryland closely, along with Marrac and Lorelyn, although Hult has a hard time taking his eyes off the beautiful woman with the running makeup.

But when the stone bowl is mentioned, Hult agrees. “We can go back for it,” he says, “but we should all go back. We’re not going without a torch, and you don’t want to wait here in the dark. And wherever we go, we’re safer if we all go together. I say let’s get the stone bowl and drop it on that chest.”

He’s doing his best to sound bold, decisive and manly, and while his words are directed primarily at Ryland, he’s also glancing to see how the young woman responds.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Hult has been following Ryland closely, along with Marrac and Lorelyn, although Hult has a hard time taking his eyes off the beautiful woman with the running makeup.

But when the stone bowl is mentioned, Hult agrees. “We can go back for it,” he says, “but we should all go back. We’re not going without a torch, and you don’t want to wait here in the dark. And wherever we go, we’re safer if we all go together. I say let’s get the stone bowl and drop it on that chest.”

He’s doing his best to sound bold, decisive and manly, and while his words are directed primarily at Ryland, he’s also glancing to see how the young woman responds.

"Sure. Let's all go together. Safety in numbers." She smirks at hult. Best to manipulate his emotions so he doesn't backstab her. Heep him loyal.

[wkwkwkwk1]

Ryland shakes his head, "We need to keep going. You're putting too much hope on a damn chest."

He glances at Camile, who answers with the most ambivalent shrug. Ryland sighs, and shakes his head once again

"Fine. I admit, I'm curious too. Let's take that chest, go back, and crack it open with a bowl. But let's move."

To illustrate his point, he starts heading back out of the room, just slowly enough to let the others follow with the chest.

@Amera+: I do believe Hult is staring at Camile, not Mikely :smallbiggrin:

[SlyJohnny]

All:

The chest is carried back to the bowl room, which is faster work than wheeling the giant bowl to the landing would've been. A bowl is appropriated, positioned over the chest, and brought sharply down upon it. This takes several attempts, as the sturdy chest does not give up without a fight, partially splintering and rattling over the floor at the first attempt, creating a great cacophony. But if anything hears the chest cracking open, there is no obvious response.

Inside the chest is a fresh torch. It lies in a pool of lamp oil and the glass shards of a shattered flask.

((Torchbearer Ryland, it's been three dungeon turns/30 minutes... time for our first encounter check!

Roll 2d6. 1d6 to see what kind of encounter it is:

1 Active Encounter
2 Passive Encounter
3 Indirect Encounter
4-6 Depletion

And then another 1d6 as a "recon die". Having a lit torch gives you a 1/6 chance of being able to surprise or avoid an encounter. If you are reduced to navigating by candle light, the recon die will be replaced by an "ambush die" with a 1/6 chance of your group being surprised. If you have no light all, this chance will be 2/6.

If anyone elected to stay behind on the landing while the chest was carried away, one representative of this second group roll me your own encounter check (2d6), with the ambush die instead of the recon die.))

[Palanan]

Hult, Marrac and Lorelyn will have stayed with Ryland and the torchlight, and now Hult will reach for the torch, spinning it in the remnants of oil and touching it to Ryland's torch to light it.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Oh... what a shame we didn't find the key, that oil could have been useful," Ryland says. "Still, we can soak these bunches of hay in the oil, it might come in handy later."

"No!" he whisper-shouts at Hult when he reaches out to light the torch, terror flashing across his face. "We need to conserve our light sources. Please. I don't want to be back in darkness once this torch ends."

[Palanan]

"Fair enough," Hult allows, pulling the unlit torch away from Ryland's flame. "But when your torch gets low, I'm lighting mine.

"Now, we're not likely to get through that metal door. And we shouldn't waste our torchlight trying it. We need to find another way out."



Meanwhile, Marrac is crouched over the broken flask, sniffing cautiously but curiously.

I'm not sure how to do an alchemy or herbalism check, so I'll roll two d20s and hope that some kind soul can tell me what modifiers to apply:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[wkwkwkwk1]

"I agree. Now, should we try this southward corridor, or the one that breaks off from the other room?"

Rules-wise, I have no idea, but given that second roll... I'm going to hazard a guess and say that it failed spectacularly :smalltongue:

[SlyJohnny]

All:

Marrac puzzles over the broken flask of lamp oil for a moment, almost convincing himself it's some magical substance, but it's just lamp oil, of the every day kind you can buy from the market. It looks like it was shattered during the process of breaking into the chest.

As the group is deciding their next move, the saloon doors to the east of the room swing open, and the monster heaves itself into the sphere of torchlight.

https://i.imgur.com/VnLHztv.jpg

It looks like a gigantic, hairless, obese cow. It has no obvious head, its neck instead terminating in a drooping cowl of wrinkled flesh. It drags its belly as it half-walks, half slithers on it's many spiderlike arms, from which dozens of odd nodules dangle, hanging like loose skin tags, or ripe fruit, along the creature's armpits and milk lines; most are dark green, but a few are bright orange. The arms seem too small and delicate to move such a mass, yet they do, dragging it across the ground towards you.

It reeks of blood and ammonia.

The wrinkled cowl of flesh at the front of it's body peels away, retracting on all sides until a head emerges; it looks like a bloody horse skull with sunken eyes, and a black tongue that is far too long. It's eyes seem to track from the empty stone bowls to the standing people, and it shrieks, a horrible, grating sound where the pitch is all wrong. This shriek fades to an excited whicker as it glances back and forth at those who are moving, backing away from it. As if it's decided that chasing down it's food is going to be more fun, after all.

((Everyone roll initiative

The Lamb initiative: [roll0] ))

[Palanan]

"Light the hay!" Hult yells. "Set it on fire!"

He touches his torch to Ryland's, because dammit, he wants fire between this thing and himself.

Initiative

[roll0]
[roll]1d20+3/roll]

[Palanan]

Flubbed my second Initiative roll, and I can't edit the post to roll again, so here's the second one.

Initiative

[roll0]

[Palanan]

A new idea strikes Hult: "Be ready with the hay, but I wanna try this first."

He's still carrying the dead goat on his back, and now he slings it over his shoulder and drops it in front of the nightmarish beast. "There! That's yours! You eat that, okay? We'll give you that, and you let us go, okay?"

Hult is trying to be as reasonable and conciliatory as possible, given the circumstances:

Persuasion

[roll0]
[roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

As Hult steps forward to deposit his offering, the creature lunges for him. It's head protrudes another couple of feet as it suddenly rocks it's mass forward, abruptly extending it's range.

It's jaws settle around the dead goat and wrench it out of Hult's hands, twisting it sharply and shaking it violently in the air. It's surging mass threatens to overrun Hult.

(Crush [roll0] to hit, [roll1] bludgeoning damage)

[SlyJohnny]

Hult manages to stagger upright and narrowly avoids being crushed to death against the stone floor.

(Everyone else, the Lamb has acted and it's your turn.)

[Ameraaaaaa]

"Hurry! We have to get to the bowl!" Mikely starts heading to the bowls direction.

(Not sure how far away the bowl is or if we brought it.)

[SlyJohnny]

Mikely (or anyone else) can make an Athletics test to trap the creature underneath a bowl.

[moonfly7]

Steelhead moves to help, his tiny body adding what aid it can.


Athletics:
[roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Vyre "Steel Head" Mack springs into action, propping his small frame against one of the giant stone bowls. Nail stares, agape, and is shamed into action, rushing forward to assist the child.

Together, they lift it, and hurl it onto the creature. It swings it's head in their direction too late, doesn't see it coming. There is an alien screech of rage from beneath the bowl, as the bowl itself is carried away from the duo, to the left and then to the right, as the creature (now obscured) shuffles blindly around the room. It looks hilarious, blundering blindly about, though it's mass is immense, and it might still crush you between it's stone bowl prison and the wall.

It's blind meanderings have carried it away from the door.

[Palanan]

"Quick!" Hult yells. "Get another bowl, drop it on top of this one, before that thing gets free again!"

[wkwkwkwk1]

This time, Ryland offers his torch to Hult, and watches in confused terror as he instead turns to offer the dead goat that the beast snatches.

As the stone bowl drops, he finally snaps into action, asking Camile and the others to help him. He tries, unsuccessfuly, to hide his shame at how the women, young and old, both lift the bowl far more easily than him.

I think we're down to +0 modifiers, but correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, here goes the athletics roll:

[roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

All

Desperation lends strength to Ryland and those he has rescued. They heft another stone bowl on top of the creature, which had just started to try to wedge it's head under the lip of the first bowl. It emits a keening wail of confusion and anger as it feels more weight hefted on top of it.

The creature is blinded and trapped, at least for the moment. You can all escape the room automatically without provoking attacks of opportunity, if you want to.

[Palanan]

"We've got it now!" Hult calls out. "One more bowl! If we get this last bowl onto it, we'll have it trapped!"



Am I recalling correctly there are three stone bowls in this room?

If so, then piling a third bowl onto the first two should be that much more weight, and hopefully enough to keep it permanently pinned. Otherwise it'll get free in another few rounds and come rampaging for us.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Mikely runs to get the 3rd bowl. Hopefully with the help if the others.

[Palanan]

Hult will help with the third bowl, and hopefully can exhort Marrac and Lorelyn to help him and Mikely.

[SlyJohnny]

Not to be outdone, Mikely and Hult swoop in and together pile another bowl onto the creature.

The creature is enraged. The stacked bowls wobble this way and that as it seeks it's tormentors, but it cannot find them, and it's movements are even more sluggish now it's weighed down by the three large bowls.

Suddenly, it veers off in a random direction. The naked peasants in front of it's path all scurry to get out of the way, as it bears down on (1 Ryland, 2 Vyre, 3 Mikely, 4 Hult, 5-8 an unoccupied part of the room).

Crush [roll1] or [roll2] disadvantage to hit, [roll] 1d12+1 bludgeoning damage.

[SlyJohnny]

Noone is between the creature and it's chosen path to the edges of the room. The bowls hurtle towards the wall unobstructed, and impact against it with a loud CRACK of stone on stone, that reverberates throughout the room.

A hairline crack has appeared down the edge of the topmost bowl, and the bowls shift and clatter as if they might fall away from each other, but the creature is still trapped and blinded.

[roll0] damage