Ibith's Great Game (Inactive)

Game Master Angie H

One vote for left, one vote for up. Anybody else or do I flip for it?

Quinn takes point, looking for traps. When they need to make a decision about which way to go, she tries to remember which door they'd past getting to the Mind Door. "I don't think the stairs lead out, Duncan. There's no leaving until the Game is finished. It's not do one door, go party, do one door, go party. It's finish the Game and if you survive, you can party."

I'm not sure if the directions would lead to one of the surrounding doors. Which doors flanked the Mind Door again?

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Jibril takes a spacious second position in the marching order to give Quinn some room to do her work. Two spaces or ten feet behind "Are we in a common area? Might we run into other contestants here? He removes his bow from his shoulder and readies the three blunted arrows he had prepared. He is listening carefully perception with an additional +2 if it is undead: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24.

"There's no leaving until the Game is finished. It's not do one door, go party, do one door, go party. It's finish the Game and if you survive, you can party."

Is that the way the game works? Can you leave and re-enter or is it one shot straight through. Is there an intermission of some kind? knowledge The Great Game: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 I am with Khaddar, let us continue to make left turns. Even if the stairs led out, of which there is no guarantee, this may be one of the side opportunities like the Strongarm safe. We can also handle another challenge and part of this contest is to be quick. Let us not leave yet."

I agree with Khaddar, Elia responds, indicating as such by starting off down the hallway after him. Stairs up seem too simple. If we weren't meant to go through these corridors, they wouldn't be here - no point in building something that won't be used.

Duncan raised his hands, "What the hell people? Of course it's one door and then another door the next day. Why would there be supporters, suppliers, par-ties, outside for the contestants."

He said again, "I think we should exit because we finished our challenge for the day BUT I can't, in my good conscience, leave you alone here if you really, and I mean really, want to continue."

Common knowledge of the game is that you enter the GameField through one of several doors, you complete challenges over the course of hours/days, or occasionally longer, and come out at the end, hopefully as the champion. I gotta admit, Duncan is so masterful in his ignorance, I've questioned Fabian's understanding of it.... :)

It's been about an hour since you entered the Mind Door. Your tattoos haven't faded noticeably, although the fancy illusion on Duncan's tattoo has disappeared, and his looks the same as the others.

Nobody seemed to be paying particular attention to the other doors. You passed the Teeth, Moon and Water door as you approached yours, and the death door was three doors past your own. I'll give you a freebie and tell you that the Cold Door was on your immediate left, and the Fear door to your immediate right as you entered.

They hear nothing at all, and Quinn sees nothing out of the ordinary. The team travels left down the corridor (this one isn't as narrow as the one topside, and you can travel 2 abreast if you want).

They soon come to a T-junction, with the new corridor running north and south. The south route only goes a few more meters before ending at a very plain wooden door, with a large, stylized snowflake carved into the centre.

The north passage curves around to the right and out of sight.

Face to Face with what he assumes is an incredibly uncomfortable room, Khaddar winces and looks askance at Quinn. "What... say we skip this one? I'm no fond a' freezin me jiblets off. Think we could get luck enough tae pretend this one's a wall?" The scarcely dressed monk rubs his goose-bumped arms in sympathetic chill, just imagining what hellish ice-rink must lie beyond the simple door.

Jibril keeps looking at the teleport tattoo and watching the halls unfold. "I wonder if there is a correlation?"

"What... say we skip this one? I'm no fond a' freezin me jiblets off. Think we could get luck enough tae pretend this one's a wall?"

I have wandered the iced bearded caps of Mount Spire, and I've been to the far south. If this room closely simulated a natural setting I might be able to protect us from the elements. This room, I don't think has another team. That may be deemed an advantage. I seem to recall others picked the Water, Moon, and Death Doors. Khaddar, I am not opposed to marking the presence of this door and trying something more practical ... we might try to find the sand, trap, or earth door? Though perhaps Quinn would like to see if we could find the Death Door?

Quinn ponders their options before saying, "I do think there's a better chance of finding something interesting behind the Death Door as opposed to the Cold Door. Snow is definitely not interesting and often slippery." She shrugs, "But whatever. Aren't we supposed to finish as many door challenges as possible before our tattoos fade? If so, we have a door right in front of us and we won't waste more time finding another one. I have a scarf and toque so I'm good."

"What do you mean it's not one door per day?"

He looked for support, "But the twins... they said they would... they're waiting for me!"

He was really confused, "So what about lunch? Or dinner? Did anybody bring any food? Shouldn't we be looking for the food door?"

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Fabian also thought it was one challenge per day so we could have a lot more RP opportunities interacting with the outside people and not just us. You guys are stuck with me now. :)

"Aye. The tooth door I kin handle. Or e'en the death door, though that first route was exhaustin'." Khaddar prattles on without acknowledging Duncan's suddenly crestfallen questions, "If ye've got magic for it, lad, now's yer chance ter shine. Crack the seal and we'll head through, but I reckon there's a route through the doors that will take us tae the end, and one that'll use us up bite by bite till we're all spent. Let's see what we hae in snow and ice, and claim oor token tae move along."

Quinn pulled on her toque down over her ears and wrapped her scarf around her neck, pulling it up over her mouth. "I'm going to open the Cold Door unless someone is completely against it." She takes a step towards the door and moves to open it.

To Quinn "Wait." Jibril moves his survival equipment MW Survival Kit to the top of his pack. He takes the strip of his cloak, the one he had over his mouth in the Mind room, and reties it so his breath doesn't condense on his face. Then he untucks his pant legs and draws them over his boots - 'cuz he hates it when snow gets down in there.
survival +2 with kit: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
He does a quick review of the rest of the team in a very paternal fashion, making sure they are 'buttoned up' - he doesn't ask permission until he gets to Elia and Ifanna. Any cloth you have that you can wrap inside Ifanna's harness may help. Remember, protect your chest and your head. Quinn, make sure your scarf is tucked under your chain mail. You don't want the cold metal coming in contact with your skin. No ... like this. Khaddar, wrap this about your chest. Jibril produces his silk rope. Try it under your outer Gi. Over your shoulders and under your arms in an x. It wont hamper your movement, it will help keep you warm, and it will hold your inner clothes closed. He produces a series of leather straps from his kit. Dun Can, your slitted sleeves will collect snow and your hair should be tied to protect your ears. Stop squirming. Is the other rope still knotted? We should have it at the ready to link us all in case of a white out."
My roll is good enough to give the entire team a +2 on fortitude checks against harsh weather if we move slow and +4 if we are stationary.

Once Jibril had helped them prepare, Quinn cautiously opened the door. It was unlocked and opened easily into a small chamber, just big enough for the five - no, six of them. A spy-eye hovered overhead, and taking up the entire floor was a symbol that matched the purple tattoos on the back of their hand.

Ifanna's been doing this longer than any of us, Elia responds to Jibril's fussing with a small smile. With her coat, she's got us beat. And Duncan, you won't starve in half a day's time. But here. Setting her bag down, Elia withdraws a leather-wrapped packet. Opening the flap reveals several strips of dried meat (from what beast it's impossible to say, although it gives off a strong gamey scent) and a handful of dried berries. No bacon and eggs, but this'll keep you. And the rope I've got here, Jibril. You're right - we should all hold it in line, to make sure we don't get separated.

I don't think I realized or thought about endure elements being an oracle spell, and I just realized it makes no in-character sense for her not to have cold-weather clothing, but it's too late now. :)

"Try it under your outer Gi. Over your shoulders and under your arms in an x. It wont hamper your movement, it will help keep you warm, and it will hold your inner clothes closed."

There's some faint laughter from the monk as he is advised by the Half-Elf. He pulls the neck of his gi aside in reminder "Aye, lad. That's chest-hair. Dwarves hae a fine layer a down tae keep us warm and dry in inclement weather." Clearly, nothing comes between Khaddar and his GiVDs. Other than his leather bracers and cleats, all his clothing is that thin cloth, and more rope, so adding more rope to it seems like a stellar idea. Probably. It might keep him warm. At the very least it gives him a million anchor points for keeping the party tied to! Over the extra rope he drapes his cloak, which at least gives him the pretense of wearing a blanket about to keep the chill off, only to have Quinn open the door into the bare stone room with an anticlimactic squeak.

"Aye, I dinnae buy it. Not fer two bent coppers. Brace yerselves fer a storm, friends."

Duncan looked at the jerky with some trepidation but took a handful of dried berries to much on, "Thanks."

He finally saw that his tattoo no longer scintillated with vibrant colors and shook his hand a few times to get to work again to no avail.

Hungry and disappointed, the blonde just went through the motions of getting ready for the cold, "Once I stayed at a hunting lodge that only had one fireplace. Now, that was cold."

He shivered just remembering it and nodded when Quinn went to open the door, "You all sure we don't get to come out until the end?"

Quinn walks into the teleporter and waits for the others so that they can join hands.

At Duncan's last question she sighs in exasperation, "Yes! I'm absolutely certain, sure, positive, confident that we don't leave the Game until it's over. As long as your tattoo is there, we won't be leaving."

"Is everyone ready for cold?"

With varying amounts of enthusiasm, Team Orra answered Quinn in the affirmative. Crowding into the small room, they held hands. Elia and Jibril each held on to Ifanna's harness, making her part of the circle. Duncan made sure to wedge himself between the girls, so as to escape the clutches of Khaddar's none-to-gentle hand.

"Okay, all together now. We are ready."
"We are ready."
"We are ready."
"We are ready."
"I am ready. Sorry!" Duncan apologized as soon as he misspoke, realizing he'd gotten them wrong. Judging from the dwarf's glare, he praised his foresight in putting himself on the opposite side of the circle.

Sighing, Quinn said, "One more time....We are ready."

This time, they spoke in unison, and the spell began. The walls around them faded to an incredibly bright white, so bright that they closed their eyes against it, fighting the urge to drop hands in order to shield their eyes.

A moment later, the cold struck. It was a dry, bitter cold that made their breath puff out in white steamy clouds. The brightness faded a bit, and they were able to open their eyes.

Team Orra stood on a raised, stone platform, with an identical teleport symbol scribed into it. Around them, in every direction, was a world of white. Fresh powdery snow lay in all directions, all the way to the horizon. Overhead the sky was a bright blue, and the sun glared on the snow. There was not a tree, shrub, or bush in any direction. Just a rolling, featureless plain, covered in snow.

Well, not quite featureless. Right next to the platform stood a signpost. Three wooden signs were nailed to the sturdy post. One pointed directly towards the sun, and said, Umiujak 6 mi. Another pointed in roughly the opposite direction, and said, Salluit 15 mi. The final plank roughly between them, and said, Cold Challenge 4 mi

As their eyes adjusted to the light, they could see that footprints broke the smooth snow, heading in the cold challenge direction. However, the breeze that whipped up their clothes also blew glittering snow over the tracks, and would eventually erase them.

It is -10C, or about 15F. Everybody make a Fort save, DC 15. You have +2 thanks to Jibril. Anybody with a cold-weather outfit gets an additional +5. Failure means 1d6 nonlethal damage. This will happen every hour, unless it gets colder, then it will happen every 10 minutes.

Fort vs Hellish Cold: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
... $#iT.
Cutting Glass: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Khaddar is now fatigued.

As Khaddar's nipples crystalize in the eye-crossing cold, his breath hitches and he practically chokes. He jams his fingers into his armpits and pulls the rain-cloak down around him, trying to pin it against his sides with his elbows against the faint breeze that feels oh-so-much like stabbing knives. "COR WIDDLIN PILLOCH!? I think me boys jes climbed up intae me bowels tae keep warm! These pants do no at all against the cold!" Somewhere, deep down, Khaddar is glad he decided not to buy that steel cup he was once offered to protect his family jewels. Right now he'd be stuck to it.

Fortitude+survival skill+endurance feat: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 + 4 = 20
The icy air hits Jibril's face and it's like a great weight has been lifted. It is cold and he feels it's bitterness but the claustrophobia, the density, of the city is gone and he remembers part of who he is ... then he looks to Khaddar. "Do not be so proud as to not use the wand. If we get a chance to rest I will check you for frostbite. It will take us between five and six hours to get to the challenge depending on the snow." Jibril wraps his cloak about himself and starts a half speed march in the direction of the challenge. He looks back at his companions with concern - if too many are suffering then he will abandon his precautions for speed. If all are suffering then he will stop, and walk back to the teleport sign.
Jibril is moderately encumbered 2m/hr x 3/4 moving over tundra x 1/2 for taking survival precautions ... it will take almost 5 1/2hrs to get there. If two more people fail their saves he will abandon the survival training and Team Orra can make it in under 3hrs ... but everyone will lose the +2 and Jibril should probably re-roll his save vs cold. If everyone else fails then he will suggest Team Orra leave immediately.

Fortitude save with shapechange bonus, Survival bonus, trait bonus: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 13
Oh s*~*! Damage?: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Ifanna save with Survival bonus: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Elia had spent all her life in the cold wastelands of the North...but this went beyond that. This was cold like she'd only known once or twice in her life - cold that she went out of her way to get out of, to ride out in a snow shelter or hollow tree until morning broke. Only...this was a magical storm, most likely. It wasn't going to break. Inwardly, she curses herself for leaving behind the heavy clothes she'd worn for most of the journey. But no, I made the mistake of packing light... Stamping her feet and curling her arms over her chest, she looks around. This won't get any better. We have to choose - make straight for the challenge, or get out now. There's no sense wasting time and risking fingers only to turn back halfway.

Ifanna, for her part, merely paws at the snow with her fur raised against the wind, supremely unconcerned for now.

fort save, bonus, DC 15: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 2 = 17

Duncan squinted in the snow, "Oh my god. This is cold!"

He shivered and palmed his face, "I can't feel my nose. Has my nose fallen off?"

He put his hand in his pocket to pull out his hand mirror but decided it was best to keep it there.

He looked at Jibril, "Five or six hours? Just to get to the challenge? You have got to be kidding me!"

I don't have a good feeling about this. Shari can do -10 no problem but Quinn is a different story.

Fort: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 2 + 5 = 21 I'm counting her toque and scarf as cold weather gear...

Woot!

Quinn looks out over the snow. "At least there's footprints. We should probably get moving before they disappear."

At Duncan's outburst she says, "Maybe that is the cold challenge. Traveling five to six hours in the snow and not freezing to death. We're just lucky that it's not snowing or windy."

As someone who has walked a mile in a blizzard before, that can definitely be a cold challenge.

So, are you guys going for it? If so, what pace? Slower gives you a bonus, but more saves to get through. If fast, one more save for now, please. If slow, three more saves at DCs 16, 17 & 18.

Jibril notices the wearied Khaddar. We have no choice but two now. We turn back now or move ahead carefully. If Khaddar's movement is 15' then Jibril can continue with his survival preparations.
"If the weather worsens we will all surely die. Even as we are, our survival is not guaranteed. I can not conscionably lead you through this wilderness. We should leave and find better gear in the rest of this game - if we can."
Jibril walks back to the teleport sigil and waits for the others - his vote is clear.

I wasn't aware that the teleporters were two way. I thought once we teleported, we were stuck there. Considering that's not the case, Quinn will gladly go back.

Seeing Jibril move back towards the teleport symbol, Quinn follows. It was too great a risk to the group for them to continue. If it had just been Khaddar, they may have been able to spread resources around but considering Elia was also looking affected by the cold, it probably wasn't worth it. "Alright, let's go back. If we can..." she echoed.

I wasn't aware that the teleporters were two way. I thought once we teleported, we were stuck there. Considering that's not the case, Quinn will gladly go back.

Jibril doesn't understand this sort of magic very well ... he assumes that it goes both ways

Duncan's mood suddenly changed, for the better.

"Yeah, if the expert here says it's not worth the risk then let's not argue. I agree with Jibril here. We should go back."

He tried real hard to hide the smile so as to not influence the others and letting them know that he was thrilled with the idea.

He neared the dwarf, "Wow, you look really, really cold. And you don't even have too much of a beard to help you keep that neck warm. We should go back, eh?"

he went to the circle and extended his hands, "C'mon, let's not waste any more time lest someone get a cold..."

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I guess the GM will tell us if it's not a two-way portal...

The shivering team Orra holds hands yet again and speaks the magic words. I few seconds later and they are comfortable once again in the relative comfort of the teleport chamber they had left moments ago.

I'll leave a spot for reactions, but assuming you stick with the left-turn rule, I'll move you along the corridor.

As the shivers finally stopped, the five teammates moved forward back through the door, and straight ahead through the new corridor. Khaddar kept his chalk line on the left, but it turned out to not really be needed. The corridor make a turn to the right, and then came to a dead end. Two doors stood at either end of the corridor.

To their left was a stone door on heavy, rusty iron hinges. An enormous black iron ring stood in place of a traditional handle. Carved deeply into the door was a stylized pile of stones and boulders.

The door on the right was fashioned of steel, and looked thick and heavy. It had two-way hinges, making this a door that could pushed open from either side of it. Glowing redly in the middle of the door was a sigil showing a bonfire and billows of smoke.

*SYMPATHETIC SHIVERS* Oh thank god... I'll never disparage a ranger's endurance feat as a class feature again...

The dwarf shivers "Oh bless ye, Lad. That was far too cold..." He even bumps up against Duncan like he can knock some off the chill off into the prattling 'baird'. "Me beard's shorn in penance, lad. S'rude tae mention it. It'll grow back as I strive tae make me clan proud o' me once again. Don't see me mentionin -yer- baby-smooth face, aye?"

But they come up between a rock door and a hot place, and he looks back and forth, balking away from the door on the right. "Alright... I waes cold, but ye think if we went in there we'd just die o' heat like we were dyin' o' cold, or would it just be fiery monsters that set me elbows ablaze? I'm happy tae head inta yon earth door!"

Sweating didn't really bother Duncan but the dwarf seemed to think that they would 'dying of heat', which was not acceptable.

He checked his baby-smooth face with his hand mirror and smiled to see his distinguished nose was still all there.

He turned to Khaddar, "Are you saying you like my face and want your face to be smooth like mine?" He turned to see the dwarf from a couple of angles, "Er... maybe you ought to keep your beard. No offense but some faces just are... better with a beard."

He agreed, "I agree. The Earth Door. Dwarves are good with that, right? Do you think we'll need light in there?"

Silently thanking every spirit she knows for respite from the cold, Elia pulls out her healing wand, drawing it over her numb right ear. Paranoid, perhaps, but in these games you wanted to be as fighting fit as possible. Cure light wounds for me - I'm glad, of course, to heal anyone else that took damage from the cold, too. Earth Door, I say - we know what to expect, at least. Let's go.

Jibril grabs hold of the enormous black ring and, assuming he can pull the door open, hauls the door wide.
Resume our old marching order? Quinn first, then myself, Khaddar, Duncan and Elia/Ifanna?

The door swings open with a groan from the old hinges. Once it's open, Team Orra is left facing....a wall of earth. The entire space is filled with hard packed earth. After a surprised moment, they look down and see that there is a narrow tunnel through the earth, but it's only about thigh-high. It is pitch black inside. When Khaddar gets down to squint into the darkness, he can see that the tunnel curves around to the left.

If Team Orra is going in, they'll be crawling.

Earth Door, I say - we know what to expect, at least. Let's go.

Jibril lets out a little boyish laugh as he sees the tiny passage. It is a laugh of complete and utter surprise, not mirth - he really is at a loss. It will be like crawling into a grave. He takes off his cloak and stuffs it into his pack, into which he also places his hammer. He withdraws a torch from the bag, grabs it firmly with both hands almost as a demonstration to the others, and says "Lux!". It ignites with a bright blue flame. He waves his hand through it showing there is no heat. He grabs it with both hands again "Tenebris!" and it goes out. "Khaddar, would you mind returning my rope to me?" As Khaddar returns the rope Jibril unsheathes his gandasa and cuts two ten foot lengths from it. With one he binds his now unstrung bow, his quiver, and the ten extra Ashtoe arrows to his backpack. He places his bowstring in his beltpouch. With the other rope he ties the backpack to his right ankle. Turning to the rest of the team he offers up the rest of the rope now 30' - "Who first? ... perhaps you Elia? You have a distinct advantage in close quarters fighting. Quinn? You have a talent with devices and traps. Khaddar? You also would not need to swing a weapon. Dun Can? Your boonies have been effective in the past. If none of you, then I will go ... Lux" Once more the torch ignites.

"Aye, give me yer light, Lad. I'll head up front." After a quick slug to the meat of Duncan's thigh (Nerd.) he drops down on all fours, the rope threaded into his shoulder-bind, and starts to shuffle ahead on hands and knees. He keeps his sloping brow down and his eyes squinted, Dwarven darkvision seeing further than the range of the torch, and any dirt that falls down from the ceiling caught in furry eyebrows. That's the real worry here. This seems more burrow than cave, and loose earth is -nightmare level dangerous-. Hopefully this tunnel is at least packed heavily enough that their mere passage won't bury them all (very briefly) alive. If the tunnel narrows, the Dwarf is the thickest member of the party. Turning around is hardly an option; the wrong decision could be instant death.

Ow, ow, ow...

Duncan was not happy with the idea of getting down on all fours and crawling, "My clothes are going to be ruined. Will the organization pay for my clothes?"

Quieting down some, he conjured up light so everyone could concentrate on the tunnel up ahead. Being a few persons down the line, he kept asking those in front of him, "Is the tunnel over? is it over now?"

They crawled through the tight tunnel, fighting feelings of claustrophobia. Khaddar's fears about loose earth and cave-ins seemed unfounded...a few trickles of earth came down on their heads, but not enough to be dangerous.

The dwarf led them around the corner, and then let them know that it seemed to be opening into a larger cavern up ahead. Soon he was able to gain his feet, and the rest of the party after him.

They were standing, or stooping, in an irregularly shaped cavern with a low roof. The roof was very irregular - at its highest, it was almost six feet high, and at its lowest it was a little less than five feet.

Strange, twisting stalagmites rose from the floor in seemingly random places. Some of them joined to the ceiling, forming pillars, while others tapered to a point three or four feet high.

Aside from Jibril's torch, and Duncan's light (I assume he has one), it was pitch black in here.

Check out the current map. Grey spots are low ceiling, black dots are stalagmites or pillars. The blue bit is flooded, but you can't see that from where you are. If you start to move around in the cavern, please move yourself so I can see what part you're moving to.

Quinn had never been more relieved to exit a tunnel in her life. Not because of the close quarters but because Duncan had been yammering the whole entire time. Now that they were in the cavern, they could spread out and hopefully he'd quit asking inane questions.

Wanting more light, she digs out her ioun torch and sets it into orbit around her head. It's movement threw weird shadows around the cavern because of the stalagmites. She moves forward cautiously, looking for hazards as well as clues as to what they were expected to do.

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"Finally!"

Duncan got up, dusted himself with some magic, and stretched. He hit his head on the ceiling, complained about caverns being built for short people, and dusted himself again.

"You don't think there's like a food stand or something here, do you?"

He looked around and waited for Khaddar to start spewing his knowledge of places such as this, "So were you like... born underground or just spent most of your life there? Is it true that lack of sunlight makes people grumpy?"

"No... Aye... No... Shut up." The dwarf answers curtly and quietly, "Watch fer danger." The low ceilings are less hindrance for the low dwarf, and he quickly moves ahead to place his shoulder on one of the stalagmites, using it for cover as he trains his senses across the cavern's dark interior. From his position there his Darkvision can see the entirety of the cavern interior, and without noting an exit he grips his fist tight, expecting trouble. He still carries Jibri's blue Lux, providing light for the party to look ahead into.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Jibril hugs the wall near the entrance and unlashes the two ropes releasing his ankle and the pack. If there is time he will string his bow. He is on one knee and listening very hard. perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 "Unless there is a secrete chamber, the only place to conceal a token seems to be the water."

In this cavern, it's important to keep in mind all the pillars and stalagmites. They will interrupt line of sight. So even though the cavern isn't very big, try drawing a straight line to anyplace you're looking, and if it goes across a black dot, then that's as far as you can see.

The members of Team Orra began to creep carefully into the cavern, being careful not to hit their heads. Ifanna sniffed the air and began to whine immediately - there was a scent here, or scents, that she didn't like.

It was difficult to see much in here - the many stalagmites caused a riot of shifting shadows as they all began to move into the chamber. They needed to move slow and carefully in order to make sense of the shadows in the darkness.

As Jibril strung his bow, he saw what might be a low burrow or hole in the side of the cavern wall. It was on the east wall, just where it looked like the roof got low.

Khaddar was able to see clearly to the northwest corner of the flooded area, and saw what appeared to be a hole, or perhaps just a depression, near the edge of the water. He also saw that the pond was rippling slightly.

Quinn had to grab onto her ioun stone, to keep the shadows from dancing around. Once she had it under control, she looked carefully, peering into shadows. She noticed a black shape under the western overhang, and some small, green eye-shine. Eight dots of eye-shine, to be exact. Which could mean only one thing...quite a large spider.

Duncan, worried about his clothes, didn't even notice the spy-eye that hovered overhead, just a few feet north of him. Elia was distracted by Ifanna's warning whine and growl. The wolf did not like it here.

I've placed purple x's on the map at the locations that I've noticed you've seen something. I apologize for the lame map - I am trying to figure out some other programs that will allow me to make for more interesting and mood-appropriate maps, but I don't have much time to spare for that. If anything on the map is unclear, please ask.

Quinn takes a step back when she sees numerous glittering eyes in the darkness. "We should go back. NOW." She takes another step back and releases her dagger from her wrist sheath. Spider meant spider webs. Quinn's body visibly shudders as she relives the horrible feeling of webs on her skin and on her face, not being able to remove them no matter how much she swiped at them. Something that big...she couldn't even comprehend the webbing and she didn't want to.

"Spider...large spider...in the corner."

Jibril stuffs his gandasa in his belt and grabs the Ashtoe arrows like they're a magical ward against spider-bite.

"Spider...large spider...in the corner."

"I can't see it! ... Khaddar! There's a burrow in the wall - watch your left!" He readies an arrow incase anything comes through.

"Aye. And a move in the water. Might be a current, might be a beasty, ye ken. Slow an' steady, lad. Slow and steady." The dwarf remains measured, slow, calm, and he waits while the others hurry. Calculating, triaging, there are ways to deal with creepy crawly things in the dark.

Dwarfgeoneering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

When you live your whole adolescent life underground you pick a few things up about what it means to be down here in the dark. Like spiders being attracted to movement, to things that disturb their webs, to the way they leap out in ambush and drag things back into their dens to paralyze them. And feast at leisure. All the shadows mean nothing to dwarven darkvision, from this point in the cave, cover stops his keen eyes, and nothing more than that. Echoes and warping sounds are familiar to him, and he's more observant even than most dwarves, and they give him a better sense of what he's listening to, and where.

So he drops the torch.

A little under-handed flick and the lightsource bounces the magical torch much closer to the spider, in fact under the lowering portion of the ceiling and in to much more tempting reach, while Khaddar slips a step back and away. Spiralling shadows dance in the torches arcing, bouncing light, and he now has a much more clear line of sight to the burrow Jibril pointed out, dark eyes piercing the darkness which deepens in the torch's disappearance.

Eight legs or two, you won't have a bite of my friends while I'm still standing, bug.

That's a 5' step back to have a view, and a chuck to distract the big spider. I put a little blue sun on the map to show where the torch is!

Duncan thought about calling forth his angelic spider but the place did not seem as nice as heaven would be so he decided against that.

He whispered, "So what's the plan? Are we trying to get through to the other side?"

He looked about for any token that may be on the ground for their taking.

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perception: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Did we ever get a token from the 'brain place'?

Khaddar had encountered, or at least heard of, several different types of spiders that might make their homes underground. This one seemed...unusual. Spiders typically catch prey in one of two ways - they spin a web and wait for food to come to them, or they actively hunt for it. Usually the hunters live in burrows or dens, and either ambush their prey, or come out and stalk it. Web-spinners carefully place webs where prey is likely to get caught.

This spider had spun a web nearly against the wall of the cavern. Considering the number of pillars around, certainly there were better places to spin a web. Why would it have chosen that particular spot?

As the light illuminates the northwest part of the cavern, Duncan and Quinn and Elia are able to get a good luck at the spider. It was huge - the main part of the body at least the size of watermelon. The hairy legs spanned almost four feet. And despite the light shining on it, it was completely unmoving.

The dwarf was now also able to clearly see the burrow that Jibril had noticed. And burrow it certainly seemed to be - a clear hole, less than 2 feet in diameter. It might be possible for one of them to get in there - if they wiggled like a worm. And what was that just in front of the hole? Something...shiny...coated on the ground? Or perhaps just wet.

Duncan looks around for tokens, and finds none. He does, however, spot the spy-eye nearly overhead.

Once they've been pointed out, anybody can see whatever anybody else points out by moving to their spot, even if it's just to peer over their shoulder. The line-draw function on the map can help you determine if you have line-of-sight to any particular place.