Descent into Madness (In Character)

[salokcin]

To anyone else reading:

This campaign is only partly play by post, so there will be gaps. I won't bother narrating any previous happenings, but I will try to fill in any future spaces. The characters are trying to find the source of the strange Earthquakes (a mission from the King), and to escort the elderly Ronald on a quest to find the center of the earth (a private hire).

To Therala and Sgt. Malt:

Your character sheets will be put online shortly. Pick a color for your charater's speech. You are currently standing in the large earthen cavern with Toren, Ronald, your five remaining Sherpas and a dead purple worm. You entered the worm's network of holes from the south, and passages lead off to the North, Southwest, and East. All point downwards at a steep angle, and all are roughly the size of the recently deceased worm. You feel another mild earthquake's tremor.

[salokcin]

I actually killed something! exclaims Toren. Did you see?

Yes, well done then. Ronald turns to Sgt. Malt. My maps are not clear here. Which way do you suggest?

All rolls and OOC questions should be done inside spoiler tags. Specify outside of the spoiler if some characters are not permitted to see the contents. Toren's speech will be in "DarkGreen", and Ronald's will be in "RoyalBlue"

[Gowron]

Aye lad, best be ye get used to the feeling.

Sgt. Malt turns to converse with Ronald.

So far we've had good luck going down, might as well continue with it methinks.

Malt barks out the groups marching orders before setting of to scout ahead of the party down the south-western passage

ALRIGHT YOU LAZY GITS LETS GET A MOVE ON!

I assume we'll just do all the OOC stuff in spoilers? Also, sorry about the lag to post. Only figured out this was up after nagging T.

[Xanroth]

Fine

Therala sighs and follows hoping pain would not follow down this path, while glaring at Malt's back

[salokcin]

The passage continues downwards only for a short distance, and then levels out and curves off to the right. Without the torches there would be total darkness, but the flickering firelight reveals a that the surrounding soil is a deep bluish hue. A short distance futher, the passageway comes to an abrupt stop. The obstruction barring the path, however, is dirt; much less hard packed than the surrounding tunnel, and it seems that the roof may have recently caved in.

(OOC) No worries! Glad you both found it. I'm on a business trip this week, and i'm not sure if the next place I'm going has wireless. Consequently, I will either be able to post a whole bunch this week, or not at all. Cheers!

[Gowron]

I'm all for the path of least resistance. Therala, scout out the northern passage back in the worm's den. I'll check the eastern. Toren, hole up here for the time being. Looks like the most defensible position in these parts.

Malt shimmers a brief second before disappearing from sight.

The stout pixie moves out to examine the northern passage.

[Xanroth]

On it, Drakala, keep an eye out for anything that might hurt us. and when I say eye... well you know what I mean

Therala moves off as silently as possible in the direction earlier stated

[salokcin]

Ok! Sounds good to me!

To Sgt. Malt only (Nothern Passage):
The tunnel to the North is certainly curious. The composition of the walls changes abruptly into a dark shale. A smooth rut has been worn into the floor, while the walls are rough and sharp. As the passageway continues, it becomes steeper, and you notice that a set of stairs has been carved into the rocky floor beside the rut, and these proceed down the passage.

To Therala only (Eastern Passage):
The tunnel proceeds only a short distance futher before widening again. This room is littered with the bones of small animals, and on the other side of the opening is a normal sized door (its locked).

[Gowron]

After quickly surveying the area, Malt heads back to the convoy.

Upon reaching the rest of the group, the Sergeant becomes visible once more.

Report.

[Xanroth]

Drakala, try to sense anything in the room

I make a listen check

[salokcin]

Drakala senses nothing, Therala hears nothing, and Sgt. Malt finds that Toren and Ronald have nothing to report.

[Xanroth]

Therala casts knock and readies to cast Wall of ice in front of anything hostile

[salokcin]

The door quickly swings open. You immediately here a loud ruckus and squawking noises.

[Xanroth]

Therala sees what the ruckus is and ready to cast wall of Ice at any moment

[salokcin]

The ruckus appears to be coming from the cages full of chickens that line the walls. They began making excited noises the moment Therala opened the door.

[Xanroth]

Therala comes back to the party and quips
You'd have to be a chicken to go in the room I found

[Gowron]

That's nice. Report?

[Xanroth]

Just a room full of chickens in cages, hence my little pun, so what now?

[Gowron]

Room full of chickens eh? Well, the eastern passage continues in a down-like direction, with some stairs making an appearance someway down. As much as I want to get out of these wurm tunnels, I do believe the chickens warrant at least a quick search. Sound awfully odd to me.

I'll do recce, Torn, take point, Therala, you're on rearguard.

Malt takes to the air, setting a quick pace.

We'll take a quick peek at the chicken room before continuing down the eastern passage.

A lithe maple bow is produced in one of the pixie's stout hands, before the agile sprite disappears from view...

[Xanroth]

Good idea, I only looked in the room for a second perhaps a thorough search would be a good idea. Although on the lighter side, a fireball in there could make some nice roast chicken

[salokcin]

Carefully entering the room, you see that there are several rows of chickens, as well as some pigs in pens. The smell is terrible, and indicates that no one bothers to do any housekeeping. There are several large wooden barrels at one end of the room, and a ritualistic looking diagram inscribed in a circle on the floor nearby. You notice a hand bell sitting on a footstool near the entrance to the room.

[Gowron]

Strange. What would a wurm do with all this stuff?

The sergeant becomes visible once more.

Quick search people. Therala, is anything magical?

Malt moves over to the strange inscriptions, giving them a quick once over.

Ronald, do you recognize these inscriptions?

And so it begins again... The wait for the DM to post. Not that I'm complaining in any way.

[Xanroth]

Checking for magic, all right

I cast detect magic

[salokcin]

The circle is indeed magical, and the aura seems quite powerful. There are magical runes inscribed that you cannot read.

spellcraft check to reveal the school.
T, your character sheet is ready, but I need to know what spells you have, and you have fourteen skill points left to allocate. Your sheet is here. http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=74748
R. Your sheet is on the way.

[salokcin]

Here's your sheet R: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=78134
You need to pick an additional minor aura, add hitpoints, and skill points
Both of you need to make a spot check. If your not sure how, go here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4124667#post4124667

[Xanroth]

what's the aura?

[salokcin]

As I said, make a spellcraft check. [roll0].
I did that by going [roll=spellcraft]d20+9[&roll] but substitute a "/" for the "&"

Upon closer examination the aura is revealed to be transmutation, strong.

[Gowron]

Well? Anything magical?

Hurrah! Pretty looking sheets. I'll roll for HP in my next post.

[Xanroth]

Yes, it's magical... oh my god NECROMANCY... kidding it's transmutation and very powerful

[Gowron]

You've got five minutes to figure out what all this does.

[roll0]

[Xanroth]

me? If you want me to cast "Identify" on anything I need a hour no less

[Gowron]

Did I tell you to identify anything? Figure out what all this does, quickly like. I'll keep an eye out in the wurm's lair.

Malt disappears from view, moving high above the dead wurm.