Krystallos: Blue Quartz

Game Master JGray

"I might be able to smash the lock"

"By all means then Telthes." Milo said, gesturing towards the chest. "You seem to be our best option. Let us get it done quickly and be on our way, every moment we delay brings us closer to our inevitable discovery and loss of the element of surprise."

Dawna nods as she looks across the room. Someone is hoarding weapons here and that someone has to do with the manipulated locks and thus with the abductions, including those of the children.

Str check?

Telthes lifts his axe up and smashes it into the lock 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 multiple times 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 until it will break 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 41d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18.

The lock smashes open under Telthes' axe.

Inside the chest, there are a number of items:

• 2 light, crossbow bolts with skulls carved into tip.
  
• 5 smokesticks.
  
• 2 thunderstones.
  
• 1 tanglefoot bag.
  
• 1 bright red wand.

The lock smashes open under Telthes' axe.

Inside the chest, there are a number of items:

• 2 light, crossbow bolts with skulls carved into tip.
  
• 5 smokesticks.
  
• 2 thunderstones.
  
• 1 tanglefoot bag.
  
• 1 bright red wand.

"We should examine these items later. Onward, let us explore the next path."

"Indeed." Milo commented, though he grabbed the wand, leaving the rest for the others to take. "I will however inspect this now, it may prove useful."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Turning it in his hands a few moments, he quickly sighed and shook his head with a disappointed look. "You were right the first time it seems Telthes. Onward we go then."

Continuing on to the next door, he pressed the nerve cluster to open it.

Was anything taken from the armory besides the wand?

Milo opens the next room. An odor washes out, terrible and foul. Crude, wooden walls made from pallets have been propped up to form three stalls and, in each stall, there's a bucket full of what can charitably called raw sewage.

Was anything taken from the armory besides the wand?

Milo opens the next room. An odor washes out, terrible and foul. Crude, wooden walls made from pallets have been propped up to form three stalls and, in each stall, there's a bucket full of what can charitably called raw sewage.

everything from the chest. I don't think we can carry all the swords.

"oh my, thats...something." Milo said´, his voice rising a bit, the noxious fumes interfering with his ability to formulate a better sentence. "If anyone feels like searching this room for good measure, I wont stop you." He said as he left the doorway, wafting at his nose. "In the meantime, I'm opening the next one." He added, heading for the next door.

Opening next door unless someone interrupts him.

Kintal shakes his head and also holds his nose.
Even some of the worst cooks I have ever known would have trouble concocting something that vile.

Take everything we can carry. We can always drop loot if we find something more valuable.

Kintal follows behind Milo, rapier out, to make sure that nothing jumps out at the mage.

The group leaves the latrines behind and checks out the final door. The next sphincter opens to reveal what Kintal instantly recognizes as a small kitchen. There's a crude hearth built out of bricks. Two long benches on either side made from wood. Smoke hangs in the air, even though the hearth isn't burning - a sure sign of poor ventilation. And as Kintal peers it becomes clear that, despite a set of excellent copper cookware and some masterwork kitchen knifes, the food most often cooked in this kitchen? Giant flesh. Steaks of it have literally been carved out of the walls.

Kintal points to the holes in the wall and looks a little pale, perhaps almost nauseous:.
They are eating the giant.

Those knifes look fairly well made, most likely stolen somewhere." Milo noted, pointing at the assorted cutlery. "They may be worth keeping, ahem, after a good cleaning of course."

He looked around at the walls when Kintal pointed out the eating practices of the residents, swallowing loudly. "Surely not..." He said, trailing of as the full reality of it all hit him. "They are as a bot fly is to you and I, parasites." He seemed to gain back a glint of determination in his eyes, clenching one fist. "Let us finish exorcising this infestation."

He moved back to the door behind which the darkness loomed. "It would seem there is but one way forward then. Let us hope the darkness does not extend far."

Moving down to inspect the darkness first hand, unless someone objects. Would prefer if someone sturdier takes point.

"Nothing of this makes sense to me... but we will find out." Dawna swings her sword to test the grip, assuming she may have to use it soon and moves onwards to the only hallway left. "And whoever is responsible for this shall be punished, even in a twisted, corrupt city like this."

Okay. I'll need to know the following: Who is going into the darkness? And how are they investigating? Are they walking slowly and feeling along the walls? Going on hands and knees to search for pits? Using a ten foot pole? Once I know who is proceeding and how we can continue.

Telthes will go second feeling his way along a wall.

Leiko stays near the back, quite aware that she has expended every useful ability she has.

If it is dark to anyone there is no reason why Dawna should not go first. She taps carefully with her sword and while the noise may give her position away there is nothing she can do about it. It least the sounds may give her an idea of the environment. Every two steps she reaches with her shield for the wall.

Dawna's Perception check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11

Dawna taps along the floor, moving carefully forward. She takes another step when her sword taps not wood but emptiness. She carefully lowers the point of her sword, then moves it about, and discovers the hallway seems drop here. There's some sort of pit directly ahead.

Dawna tried her best to look grim, despite the darkness gnawing on her. Then she realized that it did not really matter how she looked so she did instead try to sound grim. "Careful, here is at least one step down, possibly a stair."

With her sword she knocked against the edge of it. "I hope you can hear that. Could you..." My, that sounded stupid now. She was a bit surprised with how loud her voice sounded. It wasn't like darkness might sounds more intense, was it? "Could you count through? I want to make sure everyone's still there." Next time they'd use a rope or something. "Don't bump into me, though I don't want to fall down there."

She checked whether the walls were still there left and right and then carefully started to descent. Step by step.

Dawna finds that they aren't stairs. And a check finds that there is no bottom within a few feet. This isn't a stairway or a drop. This is a pit leading down into the depths. Going forward without a plan might mean injury or death.

Dawna finds that they aren't stairs. And a check finds that there is no bottom within a few feet. This isn't a stairway or a drop. This is a pit leading down into the depths. Going forward without a plan might mean injury or death.

Can we tell how wide it is?

How are you checking?

Telthes will use his rope, tie something with a bit of weight on it and throw the weighted end out, then slowly pull it back. He will keep one hand one the rope at the point when he feels the weight drop so he can gauge the distance after he recovers the rope. If necessary he will go back out of the unnatural darkness to tie the rope and figure put the distance.

Hearing Telthes give voice to his idea, Milo retreated out of the darkness. "I will only be in the way." He remarked matter-of-factly. "I will keep a lookout while you work. Call for me if you make any progress or need my assistance."

I dont feel Milo will be of much assistance in this particular instance, so he will go to the main room and stay hidden. If possible he will open the sphincter enough that he can peek through, but not enough for the slight opening to be easily visible at a distance.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Dawna stands a little aside to let Telthes do his work and listens into the darkness.

Telthes will use his rope, tie something with a bit of weight on it and throw the weighted end out, then slowly pull it back. He will keep one hand one the rope at the point when he feels the weight drop so he can gauge the distance after he recovers the rope. If necessary he will go back out of the unnatural darkness to tie the rope and figure put the distance.

bump

I feel like I need to keep apologizing. Sorry. We're moving forward. Here we go.

Out in the main room, Milo detects no further movement. The sphincters only seem to have two positions - open and closed. There is no opening them just a little. He doesn't, however, come across any further threats entering the odd, fleshy caverns.

In the darkness, the clever method used by the dwarf - no doubt learned from his days in the dwarven tunnels - nets results. The pit is just under ten feet across and runs the entire width of the corridor. There is no going around it.

I feel like I need to keep apologizing. Sorry. We're moving forward. Here we go.

Out in the main room, Milo detects no further movement. The sphincters only seem to have two positions - open and closed. There is no opening them just a little. He doesn't, however, come across any further threats entering the odd, fleshy caverns.

In the darkness, the clever method used by the dwarf - no doubt learned from his days in the dwarven tunnels - nets results. The pit is just under ten feet across and runs the entire width of the corridor. There is no going around it.

Can he tell how deep it is?

Telthes: More than 50 feet.

"The gap is about 10 feet wide and at least 50ft deep, if we want to cross we will have to go and find a ladder or something to put across the gap."

"We could probably use some of the floor planks from the main room." Milo commented, measuring the assorted planks with his eyes. "With a little luck there will even be enough to seal the hole completely."

Are any of the planks in the main room of sufficient length to reach across? Are there enough to avoid having to balance too much when crossing?

They aren't so much planks as shipping pallets - five by five foot wooden platforms about six inches deep. With a bit of crafting you could rip a few up and use them to build a bridge, though.

Milo frowned at the realization that none of the planks would suffice. "Hmm, I may have overestimated the size of these planks, but with a bit of rope we might be able to make it work. Lend me a hand would you?"

Do we need a roll?

Kintal looks at the pit, then across the pit, then back down the pit.

We could tie a rope to someone and try jumping across. Jumping across that distance should not be too difficult.

Once one of us is across, we can use the rope to make our way across one by one. The last person can then swing across while the rest of us hole the rope on the other side.

Pulling apart and putting together the pallets to make a bridge will require a Craft (carpentry) or Survival check DC 12 to make something you can cross w/ an Acrobatics check or DC 15 to make something you can cross w/o a check.

"Do we even know that there is anything worth crossing this gap for? If so do those who built this cross?"

"That is a bold suggestions, but I think just jumping across it into the darkness is a bit too bold. Let's try to find some planks and cover the hole... To do that in darkness will not remotely be safe either, but better than the alternative."

I was under the impression that this way was the only way left to us in order to explore further from where the blue creature came.

If anyone starts creating a bridge we can put over there Dawna will help.

Craft (Aid Another): 1d20 ⇒ 15

Not sure you can do craft untrained.

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

I'm a chef dammit, not a bridge builder.

Telthes will aid the Halfling with the bridge 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

"Could have fooled me." Milo quipped, looking at the halflings work with an appraising eye. "It doesnt have to look good, just be sturdy. This looks sturdy."

As they scooted the makeshift bridge into place, Milo asked the all important question. "So, anyone want to go first?"

"Perhaps we should tie a rope around the first one just to be on the safe side?"

Kintal looks back up at the mage: If you are not going to make work look good, why do it. Things need to function, but also be pleasant to use and look at.

He then turns to Telthes:
I am by far the lightest, tie the rope off and I will go first.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 <-- in case needed to cross

Like an acrobatic, Kintal dances across the pit and then bows to the others when across.

See, piece of cake. I prefer chocolate with coconut shavings and some fresh whipped cream personally.

remember the darkness? ;)

Milos voice came drifting through the darkness to Kintals ear. "Well, no, we dont see much of anything. Unless you mean figuratively, in which case I shall take your triumphant tone as all the evidence I shall need." He chuckled softly at his rather snarky remark, before adding. "Does the darkness yeild where you are?"

"It is good to hear you and not a loud thump."

Working as a team a bridge is soon made. Kintal crosses it with style and grace. As soon as he reaches the end he finds himself out of the magical darkness. He is still in a corridor. He can see it continues on to the south, opening up to the west just twenty feet or so. There appears to be some sort of rip or tear in the eastern wall some thirty feet to the south.

Kintal calls back to the others:
Strange darkness ends just on the other side of the darkness. Let me hole the rope and have one of the more agile of you big people make your way across. The passage continues, and it seems that there is a tear in the giant's flesh up here.

Dawna's trust into the makeshift bridge in the dark is limited, but even if she can't be seen, she won't shy away from it now. "I'll follow, wait until I am across." She hisses to the others to avoid bouncing into them.

Acrobatics: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (11) - 5 = 6