Descent into the Depths Wednesday August 18th, 1999 11:38:25 PM
At Shad's prompting, Heuse goes over to the barred door. Once everyone is ready, he quickly slides back the bolt and pulls the door open. A cold draft is momentarily drawn out, causing the party's torches to flicker. Stairs lead down into the darkness. With the upmost caution, the party easily makes it to the foot of the stairway (made of stone with no railings) and finds itself in a 20x30 room that is empty except for an old beatup furniture shoved in the corner under the stairs. Across the way, a single wooden door sits. From what you recall, beyond it is the wine cellar, where all the activity has occurred.
K'nara Thursday August 19th, 1999 3:06:33 AM
K'nara picks up the bag with whatever is left in it and tucks it on top of the stuff in her backpack. "All ready..?" she looks to the rest of the party. When they all confirm that they are prepared, she goes to the open door and takes a look inside. "Olana and I up front..." she calculates, "...Ingrge and, oh, say...Shadrach can keep an eye on our backs. Everyone else can arrange themselves comfortably in between." The warrior woman glances back at Madam Colsum. "See you soon!" she says, nodding, then descends the stairs into the room below.
Olana Thursday August 19th, 1999 10:46:15 AM
Olana nods at K'Nara, makes sure she has a couple of daggers handy, and her sword ready to be brought forward in an instant, and then enters with the others.
Figment Thursday August 19th, 1999 11:28:19 AM
falls in behind Ingrige as they move down the stairs. He prepares his spells.
Milo d100=94 Thursday August 19th, 1999 1:12:28 PM
As he gets to the bottom of the stairs, Milo carefully and quietly weaves his way through the group to the door to the wine cellar. After ssshhhing the group to silence, he carefully places his ear to the door to listen.
Ingrge Thursday August 19th, 1999 3:26:52 PM
waitng at the door for the rest of the party to descend, Ingrge notches an arrow and follows the others down.
Flueterflam Thursday August 19th, 1999 7:29:58 PM
Fluet held a torch and his sword nervously, looking around. He hummed without thinking.
Shadrach Thursday August 19th, 1999 7:32:16 PM
Thinking dire thoughts, the priest followed the others down, pulling out his own bow and holding it prepared with an arrow.
The Cellars 7d20(12+7+4+6+16+13+10)+4=72 d100=17 Thursday August 19th, 1999 9:16:32 PM
Fluet's tune seems to be oddly well-rhythmed -- in a minute, he realizes the clicking of a metronome in the background has helped him keep time (the sound is coming from over in the pile of furniture, but no one else has heard it). Milo, listening to the door, definitely detects the squeaking of many, many rats. The Emerald Talons successfully prepare weapons, spells, etc.
Milo Friday August 20th, 1999 12:42:15 PM
Starting in a whisper and then building in volume,"Rats... guys I can hear a whole lotta rats on the other side of this door." Backing away from the closed portal. " Would one of you care to do the honors?" Milo gestures to the door while drawing his short sword. He stands ready to meet whatever may come through.
K'nara Friday August 20th, 1999 3:17:55 PM
K'nara's lip curls. "Rats!" She snorts, unsheathing her sword. "Lucia!" the female fighter announces, causing the sword to come ablaze. "You all ready, right?" she asks the rest of the Emerald Talons. At their consensus, K'nara nods, then tugs open the door with her left hand...
Olana Friday August 20th, 1999 3:18:35 PM
Olana pulls her sword and nods. "With a bit of luck they'll all scatter when we open the door" she says optimistically.
Flueterflam Friday August 20th, 1999 10:24:40 PM
"I have a bad feeling about this," Fluet muttered.
Shadrach Friday August 20th, 1999 10:27:14 PM
"Rats...why'd it have to be rats," Shad shuddered, and took a firm grip of his trident, preparing to start making rat-ke-bob.
Ingrge Friday August 20th, 1999 11:55:47 PM
With a grim look on his face, Ingrge steps to the side of the door in order to allow the others to enter and to allow him to have as much of a view of the room as possible once the door is open.
Wine Cellar Sunday August 22nd, 1999 6:38:05 PM
The party opens the door and sees a huge room, extending to the left and right well beyond the range of your light. Row upon row of casks and wine bottles fill racks throughout. Ahead of you, you can barely make out the far wall (50 feet away), against which stands a weather-beaten cupboard -- one of its doors hangs by a single bent hinge. As you start to enter the room, you hear the sound of scurrying feet, and see their red beady eyes peering at you from the dark corners. Their shadows seem uncommonly large. Immediately, several of these rats break from the shadows and attack the party. You have initiative. There are five giant rats, and a huge carpet of normal rats (filling a 10x10 area) that are swarming the Emerald Talons. The squeaking noise is almost deafening.
Figment Monday August 23rd, 1999 11:28:05 AM
casts instantly upon seeing the rats get into attack formation. A huge sticky mass of webbing ensnares all who fall within it (attach to back wall, racks and front wall makde sure and covered the 10x10 area where the rats are but in front of the party).
Ingrge d20+5=14 d20+5=16 d6+2=8 d6+2=3 Monday August 23rd, 1999 4:31:26 PM
As soon as Ingrge gets a clear look at the large rats, from the door way, e lets fly with two silver arrows of quality (hitting ACs 7 and 5 respectively for a total of 8+3 points)
K'nara d20=11 Monday August 23rd, 1999 5:55:19 PM
(11+3+1=15 total--forgot to click on the multiroll) K'nara's fiery blade whirled into action against one of the large rats not caught in Figment's web...she was dancing a cautious jig with her sword, since she didn't yet wish to set the webbing on fire...
Milo Monday August 23rd, 1999 5:55:20 PM
Stepping quickly and quietly over to the side of the door, Milo attempts to position himself for an attack of opportunity, should any of the rats come through the portal.
Olana d20=13 d8+1=9 Tuesday August 24th, 1999 10:57:49 AM
Olana steps determindly into the room right after K'Nara, attacking one of the larger rats free of Fig's netting(if poss)with her longsword.
Rat Battle d20=16 d3=2 d100=88 d20=12 Tuesday August 24th, 1999 1:18:47 PM
The massive webbing covers a huge area, trapping the majority of the regular rats, and one of the large ones. Ingrge skewers one of the remaining giant rats, pinning it against a keg. K'nara, avoiding the webs, neatly slices another in two. Olana's handiwork flattens yet another, leaving a single giant rat -- which bites Olana for 2 points of damage. Many other rats in the room, startled by the battle, scatter into the various nooks and crannies. Milo (who is nearest the stairs), happens to glance over his shoulder, and notices a blue cloud rapidly advancing from the pile of furniture.
Milo Tuesday August 24th, 1999 1:55:49 PM
The nimble halfling dashes across the room towards Knara, and ducks behind the warrior. His arm comes out from behind her, pointing, "Does anyone know anything about that blue cloud?" Milo is ready to avoid the menacing looking vapor.
K'nara Tuesday August 24th, 1999 5:02:22 PM
The bladesinger pirouettes, turning to face the blue cloud Milo has just pointed out. Frowning, she whirls her blade, causing it to radiate the brightness of the sun. "Heads up--there's a cloud of something here--betcha it's NOT natural..!" So saying, K'nara makes sure that she is between the cloud and the halfling who warned her about it...
Ingrge d20+4=17 d20+4=9 d6+1=3 Tuesday August 24th, 1999 7:09:10 PM
Grabbing two more arrows, normal ones this time, Ingrge fires them off, this time aiming for the remaining giant rat that bit Olanna Hitting with the first arrow (ac3 or 3 pnts) but missing with the second (ac9) as he was distracted by Milo's and K'narra's comments about the blue cloud.
Flueterflam Tuesday August 24th, 1999 8:19:53 PM
Although Fluet hasn't said much for awhile, he is standing nearby Milo still. In fact the only thing that distracts him from wondering about the metronome that he heard earlier, is the sudden blue cloud. "Does anyone know if there's a way out over there?" He points in the opposite direction of the blue cloud. "If not, I'm gonna hold my breathe and see if I can find the cause of that." He points towards the cloud.
Shadrach d20+3=22 d6+5=7 Tuesday August 24th, 1999 8:19:54 PM
Shad waited for the opening and stabbed at the giant rat on Olana (AC-2,D7). "Be careful, Fluet!"
Flueterflam Tuesday August 24th, 1999 8:30:35 PM
After thinking a moment about what he might be getting into, Fluet also readies his dagger ready for whatever it is that may be the cause.
Olana d20=9 Wednesday August 25th, 1999 10:34:06 AM
Olana winces as the rat bites, noting that her comrades waste no time rounding on the beast.Attempting to finish the nasty thing off with a poke of her sword, she misses as the thing reels away injured from Ingrge's and Shad's attack. She nods at them both in thanks.
Figment Wednesday August 25th, 1999 11:32:31 AM
moves over to the corner of the first room and pulls out a flask of oil from his pouch. He prepares to throw it on the furniture - but refrains pending Fluets efforts.
Cloud Advances Wednesday August 25th, 1999 12:46:33 PM
The blue cloud has nearly filled the original cellar room, blocking off access to the stairs. Figment, with a start, sees several rats through the mist. Apparently, they came from the pile of old furniture: All (of these rats) are now lying motionless on the ground. Meanwhile, in the wine cellar, the final giant rat lies scattered in three pieces. The other rats trapped in the Web are squeaking something horrible as they try to work themselves free (without any luck).
Figment Wednesday August 25th, 1999 1:57:54 PM
"Fluet I suggest you refrain from going over there. Look at the rats! Its poison everybody! Into the wine cellar! We'll shut the door so we are able to avoid the cloud!". He grabs the door after all have gone through it and quickly closes it - then he turns his attention to the rats. "I bet they would roast nicely if we cared to burn them. We could also just leave them and move on. Either way I suggest we move away from this door. No need to stay near that cloud."
Milo Wednesday August 25th, 1999 2:59:07 PM
Quickley moving about the room, "Hey guys lets try and find a way outta here, just in case that gas can come through the door or somethin'." Milo looks for an obvious exit, if none present themselves, he begins searching more carefully, for secret doors and such.
Flueterflam Wednesday August 25th, 1999 4:26:25 PM
Fluet follows into the wine cellar. "There better be a way out of here." With that he helps Milo in his search. Looking, and feeling over every part of the room, just in case he missed something. He also makes sure to keep as much distance away from the rats as possible. "Keep holding off those rats, we're searching for a way out."
Shadrach Wednesday August 25th, 1999 5:38:32 PM
Shad backed up as much as possible from the door. "Remember the Red Wyrm Inn? There're tunnels under some of these big houses. Maybe we can break through a weak part of the wall somewhere, get into a sewer or part of the Maw or something."
Ingrge Wednesday August 25th, 1999 5:56:31 PM
Watching from the doorway as the cloud advances, Ingrge says. Umm Olanna, K'nara, you might think about making a hasty retreat about now. He will remain at the door until all the party has exited and then close it. Figment, I think Madame Colsum might take exception to our burning her house down, particularly as she is throwing a party this evening.
Cloud Advances 3d20(6+4+6)=16 Thursday August 26th, 1999 7:41:27 PM
Because of the party's quick actions, the gas appears to be contained in the entry cellar. While various members are searching the huge wine cellar for egress, many smaller rats scurry out of harm's way. Milo, Fluet, and Shad all notice a large number of these rats have fled to weather-beaten cupboard. After a minute of searching, you discover that the cupboard slides back, revealing a dark staircase leading into darkness, with the sound of rushing water beyond.
Milo Thursday August 26th, 1999 8:33:17 PM
Hearing the rushing water, "Oh dear, I don't like the sound of that... hm... well anyhow, I'll just have a look before we all go clambering down the stairs making, heaven knows what, ruckus." Milo proceeds to light a candle, whose flame he guards with his hand, and if nobody objects, he proceeds with all due caution and stealth, down the stairway.
Shadrach Thursday August 26th, 1999 8:53:01 PM
Shad glanced around nervously, eyeing the door. "Best make it quick, Milo." He looks around to see if the web still contains the other giant rats.
Olana Thursday August 26th, 1999 10:16:59 PM
Olana backs away, nodding at Ingrge and covering the others as they head into the wine celler. Once inside she keeps her eyes open for more nasties, as the others search. Then she see's Milo dissapear down some stairs and hears the sound of water. "The sewers, perhaps?" she asks. The elf move cautiously to the stairwell.
K'nara Friday August 27th, 1999 8:36:20 AM
K'nara thought a moment, then spoke. "If everyone goes into that passage, we could open the door, let that blue cloud in here, let that poison kill these webbed-up rats, and leave us to go find out the source of these little buggers. Sound good?" She moved closer to the opening. "I'll slide the cupboard back into place to keep the gas from following us too quickly once we're all in the passage beyond."
Figment Friday August 27th, 1999 10:00:36 AM
"You know, that's rather clever, K'Nara. I was wondering the best way to exterminate those things without having to turn them loose and fight them. If that gas cloud is big enough to follow us down then I doubt the door will hold it off for long anyway. I'm game. I would suggest I be the last one down the stairs except K'Nara, of course, so I can modify my spell if needed." Figment moves to the stairwell and waits for the others to go down - or offer other ideas.
Ingrge Friday August 27th, 1999 10:14:56 AM
nodding to K'nara and Figment as they discuss the plan of action, Ingrge moves up to take a point position after Milo when he comes back with the scouting report.
Olana Friday August 27th, 1999 11:53:16 AM
Olana stays near the stairwell, listening for signs of Milo.
LOG ON