Drow War Team 2

Game Master Tarlane

Tenoch sighs, "I guess it couldn't be so easy," he says before moving to the capstan to help push.

Strength (Take 20): 20 + 4 = 24

It takes a great deal of effort, but you are able to slowly turn the capstan, that deep roar rumbling through the cavern as the gear winds the chain. After several minutes of work what is little more than a box made of iron struts but with a solid base looms up out of the pit. Its top forms a pyramid with the chain connected at the top, so it rocks back and forth scraping along the sides of the pit as it rises, and there are no walls on the contraption.

As soon as you start to ease on the capstan you realize it is ready to spin and let the chain unwind again, so Morton moves and pushes the lever back up, locking it in place.

Morton looks at the lift with a furrowed brow and then back at you all. "I know we need to get down there for the kids, and its going to be a rocky ride, but how are we going to get back up? You think there is another winch on the bottom?"

Rusigari thinks for a minute.

"I'm not sure if we can rely on that. We may need someone to stay up here to turn the winch, or at least go get help turning it so we can return to the surface."

"Actually, even if there WERE another winch at the bottom, all that would mean is that SOMEONE would have to stay behind to turn the winch, and that's not really an option."

"So I think someone staying behind is our only option here."

Does no one have any rope with them?

I do, but I would assume this shaft is a lot deeper than 50 ft.

You know that its at the very least over 60ft deep because those of you with darkvision can't see the bottom.

"I packed rope, but not enough for this. I've got a solid 50 foot line of it, but that shaft goes AT LEAST 60 feet down. If someone else has some perhaps we could tie it together, but any idea of a quick getaway if we need it goes out the window if that's the only way back up."

"Could we not tie two pieces of rope together?"

yes we can indeed tie multiple rope together if need

i suppose that the box can contain a medium sized wolf?

The box swings loosely but is pretty good sized. All of you can fit in it. The cart tracks extended over the edge, so it likely was used to haul carts from the lower levels at one point.

great so lets all go down leave the npc to work the lever and clean up the lower levels.

He can work the lever to lower you down but isnt strong enough to winch the box back up by himself. Just will mean someone will need to climb up to help at that time.

Fine with me...

"Does anyone else here have a rope that we can use to tie to the first? And does anyone have the expertise or strength required to climb said rope later? Even if we leave someone behind here, we'll need more than one to handle bringing us back up, considering it took about the lot of us to lift it while it was empty."

Sheepishly.. "Um, yea there's noway i can climb that rope.."

"It's not likely in my case either, sorry. I wouldn't trust myself to do it under duress, at least, though I think I could manage it if we weren't, say, fleeing from a pack of angry Hobgoblins."

"You're the strongest of us, aren't you Tenoch? Could you not do it?"

I think Tenoch is taking it into account with his concerns, but he is wearing decently weighted armor. He would need to remove his armor or else his climb check is actually negative. The halfling has the same problem. Technically without stripping out of gear, Rusigari has the best climb check in the group. Removing only his shield, Sumak takes the lead with a +1

Morton is trained in climb and is wearing light armor(studded leather and a light wood shield) so he has a decent check, but him being able to climb up here if there is a problem doesn't really help you guys anymore than just leaving him up here.

The deputy looks around at the others and then to the winch, shaking his head slightly. "There is no way I could turn it by myself. I've spent enough time in trees I could get up the rope and probably climb the chain if it came to it, but the capstan is too heavy for just me. And if there is a problem, I can't imagine that you'll want to wait while I run back to town and rally some who are willing to brave the mine to come in here and help me raise it."

Saradel says There is an easy way to check the depth. I am fairly light and can see in the dark. Lower me down and hopefully I will be able to see the bottom.

With that she will take any proffered rope and tie herself off. Handing the other end to whomever is strongest, she will go to the edge and go over.

Sorry for the delay. Had a tooth pulled on friday and it took a lot out of me.

No problem about that. Dental work is certainly never fun.

Your action did make me chuckle a bit though. When you said there was an easy way to check the depth I figured you were going to drop a torch down or the like. Just waiting to see if any one else wants a different plan or to make sure that is what we are going forward with.

I was planning on using Light on a pebble but then I remembered I took Read Magic instead. =/

"Oh i can cast light on a pebble! That should let us see how deep it is.." She picks up a pebble and mutters a few words before it starts glowing with light.. Moving over to the pit she'll drop it in..

Saradel says Wait! You will be able to see but you will also be shining a brilliant beacon to whomever is down there of our arrival. They most likely already know but I do not fancy going down to the bottom while lit up like an illuminators firework display. Lower me down and I can see how far it is.

"My armor would interfere too much with my ability to climb. Even with a rope, the sheer surface would make for a difficult climb."

Turning to Morton, Tenoch asks, "Have you heard of other entrances or exits into the lower areas of this mine? Perhaps miners could have some form of alternate escape route should the system break down?"

He then moves to hold onto Saradel to help determine the depth. (unless the pebble thing occurs)

Pfff, i'll do it. i'll come back if needed with the rope in order to assist you morton. Now can we all get into this thing and get down? he ask mounting fred again and moving inside the box

I need to see that. The gimp is going to climb a rope?

Morton raises a brow and gives a small shake of his head towards Tenoch. "Mine closed in my great grandfather's time. Place floods. Miners claimed it was..." He pauses and glances back towards the passage where the apparition was seen. "Mine was haunted. Plus it ran dry. Nobody has come up here beyond a dare for near a century now. I have no idea what the layout is."

Since Saradel raised a valid point and no one has really refuted that yet I'm going to go with that to keep moving.

The deputy moves over to help Tenoch hold the rope as the alchemist eases off the edge of the pit between the wall and the box. After she is lowered down a ways she can start to see the bottom and by the time she is danging at the end of the rope she is still perhaps 10 feet from what is assumed to be the floor. It can only be assumed because the pit seems to be a perfect funnel for the rain water that trickles down from above, here rather than just being a small pool it streams in from cracks in the rocks and completely covers the ground and runs down into the tunnel that extends outwards.

From that height Saradel can't see clearly into the tunnel very far, but the water covers the area deeply enough that you can't see rocks sticking up making the depth impossible to tell.

Saradel quickly pulls on the rope twice to signal to bring her up. When she gets to the top she says The tunnel is about 60' down to the water but I expect it is at least several feat deep as I couldn't see the bottom. I can't imagine it is more than a couple feet however based upon the height of the mining tunnel itself. Unless for some inexplicable reason they made the tunnel 15 or 20 feet tall which seems unlikely. Tie the other end of the rope off to make the length near 100' and we can go down after the children. We should go relatively quickly however as the water seems to be rising. First though, give me a count of 30 before following once I am down to make sure it is clear and you are not attacked while attempting to climb. Saradel then quaffs the extract that she made earlier, her skin and clothing taking on the consistency and coloring of the cave walls.

Taking extract of Blend +4 to Stealth and can make stealth checks without cover or concealment.

She then has them lower her back down all the way, hoping the water isn't too deep.

Bold move missy. But you might want to have remembered that they too can see in the dark just fine. sumak will just sit across fred with a hand stoking his head.

To correct her statement, you tied two ropes together, so its more along the lines of 100ft to the water.

"We can lower you down to scout ahead a bit, but climbing down isn't really an option for the rest of us. It would be quicker for us to use the basket, although I grant that it will likely be noisier. Be careful down there. Considering that there doesn't seem to be any light set up anywhere down here, it's likely they can see in the dark as well, and they may come to investigate the arriving basket."

Tenoch glances down the shaft for a moment. "Getting out will be interesting. But, hopefully, we'll be able to take our time with it."

Gotcha, definitely missed that part. She would still do it but would drop the last few feet in order to have eyes down there for when the group comes down. As soon as she is down however she will take her Intelligence Cognatogen.

Not sure if this matters, really, but that could seriously hinder your escape capabilities (since it drops your Str, and damages it once it wears off).

I'm not sure how much -1 will be in the grand scheme of things. Also that makes me as strong in terms of penalties as Selene. Thanks for the heads up though :-)

As Saradel is dangled down again and finally drops off the end of the rope she finds the water to be nearly chest high at the bottom of the pit, though once she steps into the tunnel itself it starts to shallow a bit, reaching the thighs before the grounds ascent slows.

Just as it seems the ground is going to start to get more easy going, it slopes down again steeply and it is clear that the water is going to get to the 4-5ft deep range quickly if it doesn't slope up again.

Before advancing further though, a loud grinding comes from the tunnel as the others begin their descent in the cage, the roar of the chain almost deafening down within the tunnels compared to above. An angry grunt and what can only be a curse in goblin echoes down the hallway from further on and some splashing is coming from up ahead.

Still having his 'light" rock Lets get ready just in case. I think we are about to hit the main body of this hobgoblin clan. he whisper adjusting once more his shield in place

I am always ready, actually i was born ready...

Rusigari wades through the knee, and then chest high waters with distaste.

"Honestly would it be THAT hard to keep things dry?" he mutters as they walk on, temporarily oblivious to the sounds of Hobgoblins in the distance.

All of a sudden he snaps out of his little rant and focuses his ears in that direction.

Seems like we're going to have a bit of a scrape soon...and I'm tired of holding back.

He grins nastily and rubs his hands together in anticipation of the coming fight.

pff water.... Fred treads lightly in the water

Holding her waterproof bag above her head she wades in.. "Dammit.. I hate it when my hair gets wet.."

Just to give an OOC view on things, one of the hobgoblin's technically heard Saradel though the machinery would have put them on alert anyway so there is no surprise round here. From when you reached the bottom of the lift, you would be about 40-50ft from where Saradel currently is, with the hobgoblins noisily approaching. The water makes it all rough terrain(and Sumak, if you dismount you will be swimming). Since the enemy isn't making any attempt at being quiet, you can all take a rounds worth of preparatory actions knowing that combat is likely to be imminent before they get into sight. Whether that is just slogging through to try and catch up to Saradel or any buffs or the like feel free and then I'll get init rolled up.

Sumak knowing that combat was soon to begging will cast a Shield of Faith on himself

Refex: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

"What was that?" Looking around on the floor to see what it was..
She stops momentarily to pull a scroll out and cast Shield on herself and ready for the onslaught to come..

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Going forward with the assumption that nobody in the party felt that. That doesn't seem like a good thing...

"What are we waiting for? I want to get those kids so we can get out of this flooded mess."

how far away are the hobgoblins?

You don't have a clear line of sight to them, but from the sound you would guess they are probably 50feet or so further from you around the curve in the tunnel.

Ok thanks.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Saradel stays hidden against the wall and waits for the hobgoblins to appear.

Selene follows after Saradel and tries to stay hidden..

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Perc.: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

And apparently stopped at the bottom of the lift and ate her ninja wheaties..

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Tenoch, sword in hand, stumbles as he steps out of the basket. He doesn't fall, but he does look down in puzzlement. "Did any of you notice...," he begins but notices that the others had already moved off. He peers down into the water, hoping his vision can pierce the dark water. What was that? A corpse? A creature? He slowly backs towards the others.

Sumak and Fred Will move forward to meet the enemy.

Current AC 24