Holes/Session 35
A fragment of the Garden of Remembering
EXT.
Apheori (GM): Unless you guys want to play out Amadi and Rhu sloshing around in a pool of water getting bathed by the Gravedigger, any objections to just jumping straight to the inn to talk to George? Gaurav: nope! Rhu can slosh in his own time. Two quick questions, though: (1) is Rhu still wearing the mask? and (2) is Rhu still blind without it? Ganelon: I certainly would not object to such a jump. Apheori (GM): Yes. Gaurav: Thanks. To the inn! Is BSG really around? I don't think we've heard from him yet. Bear Soup Guy waves a weary hand Apheori (GM): Whooo. Gaurav: Yay! Okay, so y'all get Rhu and Amadi out of the water and head toward the inn. Somewhere along the way Rhu actually finds his legs and remembers how to walk, and you don't lost Greibel. Despite all efforts. lose* Gaurav: We can always find him by sniffing for hallucinogens. Apheori (GM): Well, in this case I mean he stays with you. Instead of getting left behind. So you find George outside the inn. He looks grumpy. Ganelon: I'd remark about it being nice that the gang's all back together again, but... Well, Radek. Apheori (GM): There's a middle-aged woman talking at him. He seems to be ignoring her. Do you care at all about this or just ignore her too? Rhu squelches along behind the group in his wet shoes. He seems surprisingly happy and very talkative, babbling loudly about anything and everything to anyone who'll listen long enough. Gaurav: That's not the woman whose basement we tried to de-monster and ended up burning her house down in Arah, right? Amadi listens intently to Rhu. Or looks like it, anyway. Radek: Morning, George. Ganelon: I trust his judgment. She's probably worth ignoring. And no, Gaurav, that woman was crazy and couldn't have possibly followed us this far. Especially through the methods we used to get here. Apheori (GM): Completely different woman. Probably a local. Frezak (GM): You thnk SANE people would use those methods? Apheori (GM): Unless it's a disguise. You can roll to check. Gaurav: What's she talking at George about? Apheori (GM): Something about giant rats in her basement and how the guards should be helping why aren't the guards helping you're a disgrace of a guard fuck you. George sighs. George: (to Radek) Oy. I'll be blunt with you, but I don't really remember last night that well. What were we doing? Rhu: (to middle-aged woman) We met a woman once who had a raccoon in her basement, can you believe it, a RACOON, covered in oil, it was nuts, but then ... (rambles on and on and on) Apheori (GM): George looks a bit hungover, actually. Ganelon: Hmm. I don't know if I have a cure for that. Apheori (GM): ...admittedly this is more because I forgot what happened that session myself than anything else. >.> Woman: A raccoon? A rutting disgrace of a province. Completely useless, the lot of them, won't even do their jobs, and I've never even SEEN this one before... Woman starts ranting at Rhu. The Gravedigger: Hey. This man is the last guard because the rest turned to flesh-eating zombies. Radek: You offered to take us to the dimensional rift causing problems for this world. And the universe at large, really. The Gravedigger: He's the last Guard. Now give him a little respect, okay? He has a ton of work without people bitching at him. Radek: I've been thinking about how to fix it. Apheori (GM): The woman's mouth slowly drops open, and then she points accusingly at George. Woman: WHAT DID YOU DO? Frezak (GM): everyone okay with me relocating her? George finally turns and gives her a surprisingly powerful hungover glare. Amadi listens intently to the woman's rants, too. Amadi: (Or looks like it, anyway.) Apheori (GM): George's response to Radek dependso n what Gravy does with the woman. Gaurav: Frezak: do it. Frezak (GM): Gravy will pick up the woman. With his mighty hands. Apheori (GM): The woman gasps indignantly and starts flailing. George snickers, then manages to stifle it and turns to Radek. Frezak (GM): I will take this lady out. Apheori (GM): Y'all are outside the inn. Like, by the door or something. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Frezak (GM): Oh. I'll just go to the other side of the square and put her down and give her a stern look. Radek: It involves... well, explosives. I'll start small, no need to worry. George: Right, yes. That would explain this spelunking gear. George is covered in caving equipment. George: And you were going to blow up the... zombie stuff. In the cave. Over... Radek shrugs. Radek: Ideally. George: Yeah. Sounds good. You all ready to head out? Apheori (GM): Gravy: The woman yells at you a bit, then walks off in a huff. Some girls watching giggle at it. Or possibly you. Because you so hot. Frezak (GM): I will plod back to the party and beam. I was helpful! Radek: Quite. Ganelon: Likely none of us are even remotely prepared to explore a cave. Frezak (GM): AHEM Ganelon: I said CAVE. Frezak (GM): I CAN DIG ROCK I CAN DIG ANYTHING IF I CAN DIG SPACETIME AND NEGATEIVE SPACE I CAN DIG SOME BLOODY ROCKS George: Great. It's a few hours hike unless you want to charter an airship, which is a few days out because they never actually come here. George eyes Rhu skeptically. George: Are you SURE you want to take him? Rhu returns George's skeptical look without pausing in his speech, which is explaining something about digestive tracts to no-one in particular. It's not clear when he last drew breath. Radek: ...As much as I would love, more than words can describe, to let him be someone else's problem... He has an uncanny knack for finding his way back to us. Supervision is for the best. Ganelon: It's seriously uncanny, the places Rhu has come back to us from! Rhu nods at Radek. He's now talking about saliva. Amadi: He's god-addled. It's not his fault. It's not even my fault! George raises an eyebrow, but then guides everyone out of town. Apheori (GM): Should anything interesting happen during the hike up to the cave? Ganelon: Uh. Gaurav: Conventional wisdom would have exactly one encounter --> http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0145.html (To Amadi): Is it okay if I kill you? Apheori (GM): Fine. You encounter a herd of elk. They're generally all over the place, including across the trail. Rhu: Ooo. Look at that. Gaurav: Any zombie elk? Should we ask Greibel to turn into an elk and investigate? Apheori (GM): They look like normal elk. Radek: ...I've hunted worse. Ganelon: In this campaign alone. Apheori (GM): ...I should have handled the George guiding everyone out thing better. Because he didn't really guide. He just sort of left and assumed you'd follow. Frezak (GM): I CAN TRACK HIM LIKE A GOD With my serachlight eyes. Gaurav: That certainly seems like a miniRadek thing to do. Ganelon: Well, I followed. Gaurav: Rhu's just happy to be back and would follow the party anywhere. George glowers at the elk. Apheori (GM): The elk just sort of stand around grazing. Are you all there encountering these elk? Rhu finally stops talking and just watches the elk quietly. Apheori (GM): Okay, you're all there. Does anyone do anything besides stare at them? Frezak (GM): I have no reason to interact with them. Ganelon: I'll shoot 'em if anyone wants me to, but Radek doesn't hate all life /violently/ most of the time. George grumbles and walks through the herd across the path. They mostly ignore him. Gaurav: Yeah, they're big and scary (unless you're Gravy). Let's leave them alone, unless Greibel wants to do his druid thing. Apheori (GM): A couple off the path put their heads down and kick their legs a bit. WHO KNOWS ELK? Ganelon: Definitely not me! Frezak (GM): I think that at least me and Greibel have Nature rolling 1D20+10 ( 12 ) +10 = 22 That's mine. Bear Soup Guy: ELK NO! WE DID NOTHING TO YOU! rolling 1d20+13 ( 20 ) +13 = 33 Frezak (GM): You ARE the Elk. They are you. You are all one. Bear Soup Guy: The elk vanish to magical elk land where they will be safe, but away from us Gaurav: The elk join our party. Frezak (GM): Gorram leadership feats Gaurav: They also sign authorisation forms so we can use them in Hole-related experiments. Ganelon: Hey, man Without leadership feats, how could one play a three-kobold mobile siege crew? (The PC is the one with the Important Hat) Apheori (GM): Greibel: The ones with their heads down are just worried that you might be after their food. If you keep going it won't matter. Gravy gets a sense of this too, namely that there's no reason not to just go through them. Since those don't seem to give a damn. Greibel motions to everyone to just keep walking Apheori (GM): Does anyone not do that? Ganelon: Not I. Rhu lingers behind the group staring at the elk, but if they get far enough ahead he'll realise it and run to catch up. Apheori (GM): So Rhu lingers behind and then runs to catch up? Or does Gravy pick him up or something and just carry him? Gaurav: Let's go with lingers, unless someone wants to drag Rhu along. Apheori (GM): So nobody stops him? From doing that. Ganelon: Not I! Frezak (GM): if he's capable of walking he can walk Apheori (GM): Okay. So Rhu lingers behind while everyone else walks through the herd of elk across the trail. Meanwhile the agitated ones to the side (there are only a couple of these) become more agitated. Gaurav: Can Rhu see that they are agitated, given that his mask makes everything look like muppets? Apheori (GM): Does he have any nature? (From Amadi): Yes. Sorry. Was dinnering. Gaurav: +9 rolling d20+9 nature check ( 4 ) +9 = 13 If they're being noisy, that's probably fine. (To Amadi): Excellent. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+10 ( 5 ) +10 = 15 Nature again Apheori (GM): They're not noisy, just... look like they're about the charge. WHAT DOES RHU DO? This is important. (To Amadi): This determines whether or not you all spend the next hour running up a mountain chased by a herd of elk. Apheori (GM) cackles. Apheori (GM): Oh bugger, did I do that aloud? Amadi giggles. Ellemerr also giggles. Gaurav looks around at everyone giggling and sighs. Gaurav: I don't know how elk look before a charge. Is it big enough that Rhu would noticed through MuppetVision? His passive perception is 24. Apheori (GM): They have their heads down. Gaurav: Eh, I'm going to say Rhu notices. Apheori (GM): The agitated ones are looking at Rhu. Rhu starts backing away from the agitated ones slowly. Apheori (GM): Away from the rest of the party, which is through? Gaurav: Oh. Hmm. I didn't realise the elk were between me and the party. Is there space on either side of the path? Are there trees? Apheori (GM): The agitated ones are off to the side, but you haven't necessarily passed them yet. The elk are all around the path. So... not really. The party just went through the ones across. Gaurav: No trees either? Hmm. Rhu will leave the path on the side opposite the agitated elk and give them as much space as possible to try to get through to the rest of the group. He will also attempt some stealth. Rhu: rolling d20+5 stealth ( 19 ) +5 = 24 Apheori (GM): There are trees. You've gotten up into the foothills. Gaurav: He will try to walk close to trees so he can climb them if that becomes necessary. Apheori (GM): This takes him right into the rest of the elk. The stealth actually works, but because he was acting so suspiciously right up until then, and then especially since he disappeared, the elk become even more agitated and the entire herd spooks. Gaurav: Yay! Oh, wait, no, the other thing. Just let me know when I should run up one of the trees. Apheori (GM): Roll acrobatics to run up a tree. Gaurav: rolling d20+10 acrobatics to run up a tree ( 13 ) +10 = 23 Apheori (GM): There are elk stampeding in every direction. Rhu tries to run up a tree and then falls on his face because his arms aren't working that well. Gaurav: On the plus side, if Dave is anywhere within earshot, she'll probably swing by to investigate. Apheori (GM): Some elk run over him. Rhu: Oof! Apheori (GM): Everyone else - spooked elk run past and you realise Rhu isn't with you. Unless you already knew that, in which case spooked elk just run past. Radek: (To George) You see, this is what I was talking about earlier. George: Eeergh. The Gravedigger: RHUUUUUUU Frezak (GM): 18 Con lungs. Amadi runs around like a spooked elk. Joining in the party. For fun. Apheori (GM): The spooked elk stay well clear of the Gravedigger, and are soon all past. Rhu: If you're conscious, you hear him. Actually you probably hear him anyway. Gaurav: Heh. They might be spooked, but they ain't stupid. Is Rhu unconscious? How much damage did the elk do? Apheori (GM): How much damage should an elk trampling do? Gaurav: It takes me 25 HP to be bloodied. Ganelon: Well, uh. Frezak (GM): I'd just take away a surge. that's how I deal with out of-combat damage ofa ny significance Apheori (GM): Okay. Ganelon: Yeah, that's probably the most convenient way since I'd just heal him and he'd lose surges anyway. Frezak (GM): Since he's just going to heal it up anyways. Apheori (GM): Rhu loses a surge and is all sore. Gaurav: Cool. That's 12 HP of damage. He now has a elk hoofprint on his left bicep. I'll wait until we need it before actually repairing that damage. After my time in the void, it'd be nice to be sore for a while, I think. Apheori (GM): So what do you do? Do you go catch up? Does anyone go back for him? Rhu wanders up to the rest of the group, grinning widely. Apheori (GM): Right, then. Ganelon: Like a lost puppy. Gaurav: Like a puppy whose rolled around in the mud despite repeated instructions not to. who's* If anybody chastises him, he'll just grin apologetically and then point at the hoof print and go, "Elk!" Ganelon: I've actually gone through that exact experience before. I could swear, dogs become more affectionate the dirtier and wetter they get. Apheori (GM): So you all are getting up into the foothills. There are trees and stuff. The trail leads up a mountain. Yadda yadda blah you get higher. A grasshopper flies into Greibel's ear. Greibel reaches up to move the grasshopper to sitting on top of his ear Frezak (GM): WHAT SECRETS DOES IT SHARE Apheori (GM): ROLL DRUIDINESS FOR GRASSHOPPER SECRETS. Greibel: rolling 1d20+13 ( 18 ) +13 = 31 Bear Soup Guy: This hike in the outdoors combined with the drugs earlier really has Greibel in nature affinity mode today Apheori (GM): The grasshopper warns you to beware the reflections. The water is dark and muddy. And sticky. It ate Bob. Bear Soup Guy: Greibel assumes the grasshopper is talking about a fellow grasshopper drowning in a harmless puddle, even though I fully expect we're going to encounter a big shiny sludge monster that ate a human named Bob Ganelon: You better offer some condolences. Unless Bob was kinda a jerk. Gaurav: "... with the drugs earlier"? Are you suggesting that Greibel isn't smoking something right now? Bear Soup Guy: Greibel asks the grasshopper is Bob was kinda a jerk Gaur: Well, just his baseline stuff. But the drugs from earlier were quite special :D Gaurav: ah I see! Apheori (GM): The grasshopper helpfully informs you that Bob was Bob. Gaurav: I'll brb in 10 mins. If Rhu needs to respond to something, make him grin widely and do something silly. Greibel nods sagely Greibel says "Here's to you, Bob" out loud, providing no context to the rest of the party, before taking a huge bong hit Apheori (GM): The grasshopper perches on Greibel's ear happily before flying away some ten minutes later. Amadi: TO BOB! Amadi keeps running around wildly. Apheori (GM): Did amadi run after the elk or just run like them and then run back? Ellemerr: The latter. Apheori (GM): Awesome. Ellemerr: And she's still running. George ignore her. George: s Ellemerr: Probably in circles around everyone. Apheori (GM): Well, you all get to a cave. The surrounding landscape is all stony and rugged and full of trees. The gave itself is a small hole in the side of the mountain. George: So before we head in, I'd just like to mention that I'm not liable for anything that's about to happen. So if the entire thing caves in or something, it's not my fault. Radek: Don't worry, it'll be one of theirs. George: I'm not sure how reassuring that is. Amadi: Don't worry, we won't get buried. We have an expert with us. Amadi leaps elkily onto Gravy's back and beams proudly. Radek: ...Yes, he should be able to dig us out. If he doesn't decide to kill us so that we end up buried /properly/. Gaurav: Either way. Ganelon: Radek's bedside manner is not the best. Frezak (GM): recap for me, gan dearest secretary Gravy will wave a shovel continue Ellemerr: I did recaps. I can do that too. Yay. Ganelon: Recap what? Frezak (GM): nevermind Ganelon: I mean, we messed around with elk, Greibel learned that "the water" ate Bob, which is likely a grasshopper... And now we're at our destination. Rhu wanders around looking at trees. Rhu: rolling d20+9 nature check on trees to confirm their glorious treeness ( 18 ) +9 = 27 Apheori (GM): The trees are trees. Gaurav: But are they glorious? Or (more seriously) in any way affected by living near a putative Hole? Apheori (GM): They look like fairly normal pines. One of them drips resin in your eye. There are needles all over the ground. Frezak (GM): So they're also druggies? Ganelon: Reused needles too, I bet. Greibel: So many zings George has lunch. Apheori (GM) drops pine beetles on everyone's heads. Ellemerr adds the beetles to her dinner. Ganelon: Radek does that horrible thing he's known for. Extracting all the goodness out of food and leaving the mass behind. Rhu examines the beetles Gaurav: With boundless fascination Apheori (GM): Does anyone do or say anything about the cave, or do you just eat or not eat and head in? Ganelon: ...Sure. Radek: So you've seen the rift before? Ellemerr: I'm following... or, riding... Gravy. Without comments. Gaurav: Rhu doesn't eat, but he'll follow Radek around, lingering behind to stare fascinatedly at things. Greibel has a lunch of delicious drugs George: Haven't SEEN anything. Everything's coming out of there, though, so whatever the rift is, we should find it. Radek: You have no idea how deep it goes? Gaurav: George said earlier that "they sent in a unit. They came out zombie." George: I wasn't there, and nobody would come with and investigate again. Not after what happened the last time. Nevermind that all you should really need is some proper protection, and if you never investigate you'll never even know what that is. Do you know what that is? Ganelon: "That"? Apheori (GM): The protection. Ganelon: Um... I don't think I do, but possibly I forgot. Apheori (GM): I don't know what it might have been either. May not mean anything. >.< Gaurav: Do we still have that sphere of protection thing? Radek: It might be best if you explain. George: I don't know! But I mean everything has something you can use against it. Radek shrugs. Radek: So far, we've managed without. George: You go against normal undead, you take relics that repells them. Go somewhere with decaying particles, wear a suit that blocks the energy. Maybe it's something you already have. Frezak (GM): I only have one things for zombies. George: Or maybe the group that went in before was all idiots. And they did something really stupid. Radek: Well... Radek points at Rhu. Radek: He /occasionally/ wields divine power. Radek points at Gravy. Radek: ...And I doubt he can sustain damage at all. Rhu waves idiotically at George. Frezak (GM): UNless it's from magic cats George: (looking at Rhu disbelievingly) Really? Rhu nods. Rhu: *Definitely* Elk. I saw it. It was HUGE. Amadi: I could be an elk. I'd make a good elk. So would he! *points to Greibel* Rhu: (points at Amadi) She keeps saving my life. Rhu grins at everyone, nods and everyone, and return to peering at beetles. Radek sighs. Radek: Yes, really. George: Huh. Well, that must be real interesting. Shall we head in? Radek: Certainly. Apheori (GM): George heads in first unless someone stops him. Gaurav: Brave man. Brave, idiotic man. Ganelon: I'm sticking to the safest position of "behind Gravy". Apheori (GM): Well, first he yells loudly into it. When nothing happens, THEN he enters. Ganelon: I would be a little miffed if George died. He's a good fellow. But I certainly don't believe that Radek has any capacity to /save/ him. Apheori (GM): Hey, he maybe could. Depending on what happens. So you all follow George inside? Ganelon: I should hope so. Apheori (GM): Hey, you never know. OKAY. THE INSIDE IS DARK. Rhu wanders in behind everyone else. Apheori (GM): Also the walls are really tight, so you can only go through one at a time and Gravy has to practically crawl. Also you're all elves so you can see anyway. Ganelon: Huh. Apheori (GM): It opens up into something pretty cavernous after a bit and you all can spread out and stand up properly again. George is wearing funky goggles. You all are in a large cave room thing. It's all steep around and there are cracks and passages and stalagmites. There's also a massive pit before you. George: (pointing into the pit) Down there. See how it's glowing? Apheori (GM): Unless you're Greibel or Amadi, d20s to see how it's glowing. Ganelon: rolling 1d20 ( 19 ) = 19 Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20 ( 12 ) = 12 Rhu: rolling d20 ( 8 ) = 8 Apheori (GM): Rhu: EVERYTHING IS HAIRY AND YOU SEE A PIT OF REALLY LONG HAIRS SNAKING UP AT YOU. Radek: It's sort of glowing. Not really light, but magic. Gravy: It looks like a deep pit. Gaurav: rolling d20 sanity check to not get freaked out by the hairs ( 8 ) = 8 Apheori (GM): Rhu: EVEN THE HAIRS ARE HAIRY. Gaurav: Eeks! Radek clicks his tongue and shakes his head. Radek: Yes, I see it. A magical disturbance of some sort. Rhu backs up against the wall away from the pit, but doesn't run away. George: We'll need to get down there and check it out. George has rope and tools and stuff and starts getting them out and setting up to go down with rope. Apheori (GM): ...I forgot what you call that. >.> Ganelon: Rappeling? Apheori (GM): ...yes. He sets up for that. Frezak (GM): Can't we just put the MEGAORB on a rope? Then just jump down with it and winch it up each time? Apheori (GM): You could. If you can get Radek to let go of it. Radek: Oh, good, you came prepared with a way back up. Ganelon: Let go of my precious orb!? Actually, yeah, I think he could live without it for a few minutes. Literally live. If you want to be first. Frezak (GM): I TOTES WANT TO BE FIRST George: Yeah? How were you planning to get down? Frezak (GM): I GRAB THE ORB And.... all the rope; Radek: Here, watch. Gaurav: How deep is this pit? Frezak (GM): And hand someone one end of the rope. Radek hands the orb to Gravy. Apheori (GM): You don't know how deep it is. It's not straight down, either - there is a serious of rather long steps where the rock shelves away. Frezak (GM): I... suppose Is hould drop a torch to get an idea. Of depth or I could USE GRAVYVISION Apheori (GM): No, no. You're future elves. You'd use magic glowsticks. Frezak (GM): Sure. Futuremagictorches Ellemerr: Am I still piggybacking Gravy? 'Cos that'd be GREAT. Apheori (GM): Apparently. So Gravy chucks in glowy things and uses gravyvision? ROLL. Frezak (GM): rolling 1D20+20 ( 16 ) +20 = 36 Apheori (GM): Man, how did you even get +20 on that? Ganelon: He's Gravy? Frezak (GM): gravyvision! Apheori (GM): Gravy: As the glowsticks bounce down, you realise you can see around corners. Frezak (GM): Actually, with Rhu it's 22 Ganelon: We call it Gravyvision for a good reason. Apheori (GM): But you called it gravyvision when it was +8. Whereas this is actually impressive. Frezak (GM): It's still gravyvision if I don't use my power. Ganelon: He's had a power to give him ludicrous bonuses to perception for ages now. Gaurav: I think Rhu only gives +1 to perception for allies within five squares? Ganelon: I think he got it at level 2. Frezak (GM): yeah, it's my L2 utility. Apheori (GM): Well, whatever. The bit chasm pit thing goes down a ways, and eventually opens up on an underground river, which seems to have cut into a bit of a large room, and some random passages. There are lots of old bones and an alarming lack of bat guano anywhere. Ah. Frezak (GM): Do we have enough rope to reach down? Since we should all have a ton of rope. Apheori (GM): Since it goes down in shelves, easily. To go all the way down without resetting it up each time? Possibly. Frezak (GM): How much possibleness? Well, what if you guys rappell and I just make sure there are no terrible things? If there's something bad I have Amadi. Apheori (GM): Lots of possibleness. Frezak (GM): Who will make tea. Gaurav: And sandwiches. Radek: ...Water at the bottom, hm? Apheori (GM): You can't hear the water. That is odd. Radek: Hand back the orb, Gravy. Frezak (GM): awwww I comply, of course. because everyone shoiuld obey grumps Ganelon: You avoid a stern look. Radek: So much for that idea. George: What idea? Radek: One could survive a fall with this, you see. Losing it in an underground river or drowning, however, are somewhat beyond its capablities to protect oneself from. Frezak (GM): Hrmph! Ganelon: It's also oodles of fun to get hit in the face with a shovel while holding it. Frezak (GM): Shoulda got a Tenser. 's disk George: Maybe I'm just missing the obvious here, but if the rift is down there, and the zombies got... out... How did they get up here? Gaurav: Is a Tenser's Disk that the thing we carried the Mouseforged around on? Frezak (GM): yeah Since it just floats down We can just pile on and waft to the bottom Rhu: (mumbles) They must have climbed the hairs. All the little hairs. All the big hairs. The big hairs with the little hairs on them. Radek: ...That is curious. You're certain they came out of the cave's mouth? Frezak (GM): I could heal Rhu By slapping him George: Maybe they got carried out the river. Zombies wouldn't need to breathe... Rhu: (focusses slightly) Maybe they climbed up? Or there's some way ... Radek: It's possible that the water is tainted. We observed a... similar phenomenon elsewhere. Though the rift needed to be in constant contact with the liquid to exert any ill effects. Apheori (GM): Agh, I'll be right back. Something something has to be this because noises I'll actually write it out when I get back. Ganelon: ...Right. Apheori (GM): Sorry. George: Well, it had to be this cave because it's the only thing in common between all the affected areas. The kids would come in and hear voices, too. Said something about a hole... If it is in the river, that would be kind of not good. Frezak (GM): HOLES? Gaurav: Does anybody have decent dungeoneering? There might be a hidden passage or something. Bear Soup Guy: I've got a 6 Gaurav: Mine's 7 rolling d20+7 dungeoneering: look for hidden passageways, trapdoors, crevices, that sort of thing ( 20 ) +7 = 27 Bear Soup Guy: Rhu becomes a cleverly concealed spike pit trap Gaurav: hee Bear Soup Guy: punji was the word I was looking for Radek: I'll do what I can, but we need to be closer than this. Apheori (GM): Rhu finds a lot of hair. There is some interesting hair. He can examine the interesting hair. Gaurav: I'll hand it over to Gravy for Gravyvision purposes Rhu: Hair! Apheori (GM): You can't hand it over. It's a ruddy wall. Gravy: Rhu tries to hand you a wall. Gaurav: Oh. Right. rolling d20+14 perception check on the hairwall ( 10 ) +14 = 24 What is interesting about this wall? Apheori (GM): It looks like a wall. You open a door in the wall. Gaurav: Oh. Rhu: Guys? Apheori (GM): Rhu falls headfirst into the wall. Radek: ... Apheori (GM): I WANT POPCORN. I mean... Gaurav: If they just see me fall, I stick my head back out and wave at them to follow me. If I really fall, I scream as I fall. Apheori (GM): You really fall. Apparently down a flight of stairs. Gaurav: One of my housemates was eating some last night. Should be some around. Rhu: Oof! Oof! Oof! Oof! ... I think I found something! Apheori (GM): They're not exactly even stairs, and feel almost organic in a way, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense since it's just stone that conveniently shelfed off into fairly elf-sized stairs...? Gaurav: Organic as in natural, not organic as in alive, right? Radek: Sometimes, his penchant for trouble also pays off. Apheori (GM): Gaurav: Well, it comes across as natural. It also comes across as something that might have grown. Somehow. Gaurav: Has Rhu stopped at the foot of the stairs? And does he get any falling-down-stairs-clumsily damage? George: He seems intensely irritating. Gaurav: I could acrobatics to catch myself mid-fall. Apheori (GM): Rhu stops at a random landing. Which is to say a somewhat larger step. They keep going. Radek: I seem to be developing a resistance to that. Rhu: rolling d20+14 perception check to see where I am ( 6 ) +14 = 20 Apheori (GM): Rhu: It's a crevice. With steps. Going down. You can feel a cool, wet breeze coming up, and hear the sound of water. Gaurav: As long as there are no obvious threats, I'll shout up for everyone else to come down this way. Rhu takes out a glow light, and then realises, elf, so puts it away again. Ganelon: I'll gladly descend the steps. Like a sensible person, though. With my feet. Apheori (GM): Elves still need some light to see. If they can see at all. Which, technically, Rhu can't. George packs everything up and follows Radek. Gaurav waits for everyone else to catch up; in particular, he'd rather not be in the lead going down Rhu waits for everyone else to catch up; in particular, he'd rather not be in the lead going down Apheori (GM): Have we lost BSG and Frezak/ ? Frezak (GM): I'm here. Apheori (GM): So just BSG, who probably passed out? Oaky. Y'all head down the stairs. Does anyone take point? Bear Soup Guy: I'm here Apheori (GM): AHAH. Okay, so Greibel winds up in the lead if nobody else aims for it. Greibel: You're getting closer to something horrible and you can hear voices from whatever's ahead. They're getting louder as you get closer, but they're disorganised, jumbled, and all a bit on top of each other. Gaurav: Gravy should be in the lead. ... oh dear. Bear Soup Guy: pfff Standard cave sounds, clearly Gaurav: It's just the wind Bear Soup Guy: ONWARD Gaurav: Mildly disorganized wind Bear Soup Guy: Wind and insects Ganelon: Of course. Frezak (GM): FORWAAAAARDS Bear Soup Guy: Just call me the Warsong Commander Apheori (GM): The stairs end spilling out into another cavern. This one is dark and full of voices that nobody but Greibel and Amadi can understand. George looks a bit pained. Ganelon: What's up with him? Apheori (GM): Rhu can see weird shapes moving through the hair. You'd have to ask him. Rhu: (whispers to Greibel) Can you see the weird shapes moving through the hair? (To Greibel): He's seeing the shapes of things displaced in time. Greibel: Um....no. (To Greibel): It's not something he should be seeing. (To Greibel): And why it has hair in it... well, that's just gross. Ganelon: I'd rather Insight than ask. (From Greibel): It definitely is! Ganelon: Even if Radek is bad at that rolling 1d20+4 ( 18 ) +4 = 22 Rhu: (nods) It's probably the mask, then. It's an odd mask. Apheori (GM): Radek: It looks like the place is giving him a headache. Especially the voices. Maube. maybe Ganelon: ...Can Radek hear these voices? I guess so, but best to ask. Apheori (GM): You can hear them, but they're fairly distant and you can't make anything distinct out. Frezak (GM): Unless anyone is going to stop me I'm going to HEEELLLLOOOOOO? Ganelon: Go ahead. Ellemerr: If there is no natural echo, Amadi will provide one. The Gravedigger: HEEELLLLOOOOOO? Apheori (GM): It echoes. The voices scatter like a swarm of tuna. Then they fill the emptiness again when the echoes subside. Radek: Hmph. Ganelon: Arcana scan! George winces. Amadi: Elloooo ellooo elloo ooo oooooo Amadi fades out and then comes back with ghosty noises instead. Radek: rolling 1d20+12 ( 20 ) +12 = 32 Apheori (GM): Radek: It's the magic effect of a hole. It's in the next room. You'll need to be really careful with it, because it's not like the previous ones... Radek: This is it, alright. Be careful, all of you. There's something off about this one. George puts on his industrial earmuffs and grumbles. Ganelon: I s'pose I'll have a proper look at it. In the next room, as you said. Amadi eyes the earmuffs with a very childish "I want one of those" look. Apheori (GM): Radek goes into the next room! And your dm falls asleep.
