You do indeed manage to find a secret door at the end of the passageway. After investigating, you open it to discover an unworked, sandy tunnel leading east and west, descending slightly as it goes toward the east.
Dargon goes to scout the west side.
Stealth:
Perception w/Darkvision:
Khaz peers into the darkness behind Dargon, then winces a little as a painful reminder snags her attention.
"Oh my. Uhm, Zstelian, could you help me, please?" Khaz whispers, dabbing at a wound on her arm.
Kyson looks down the sandy hallway.
"Maybe we should go this way," Kyson says tentatively. "There might be another secret door at the end."
Take 20 Perception: Perception
While searching, Kyson will reflect on the last battle and something that is bothering him.
"Seka, you know lots of things about swearing and offending others with your speech, right?"
He definitely does.
"What does 'tusker' mean?"
"What does 'tusker' mean?"
Khaz's hair whips across her cheeks as she turns on Kyson. Lavender fire jumps in her eyes and colored sands whirl in her palm before she can force a calm appearance she doesn't feel.
"it's not a nice term, Kyson. Good people don't use it." And bad people die for using it.
"Maybe I should go help Dargon." she whispers, heading into the darkness ahead rather than face the conversation at hand.
Rubbing her arm as she goes, it occurs to her that she should have thanked Zstelian for the aid. later, I'll tell him later.
Kyson backs away from the angry tus--, ehr, woman, a horrified look on his face.
"Oh, sorry! I was just asking...uh...look! A secret door!" Kyson stammers and tries to change the subject.
Another breath, and then a third, before she can pick up the offered conversational olive branch. "Oh, so it is! I missed it completely"
Creeping up to the western end of the sandy strip, Dargon sees what appears to be a large crocodile straining at a chain, its jaws open wide as if hoping the dwarf will simply fall into its maw.
Further east, Kyson does in fact find a secret door a little farther down the tunnel . Like the one you entered through, it's actually about 5 feet above the floor, meaning you'd have to climb to reach it.
While searching, Kyson will reflect on the last battle and something that is bothering him."Seka, you know lots of things about swearing and offending others with your speech, right?"
He definitely does.
"What does 'tusker' mean?"
"It's like 'leaf-eater' for elves or 'rock-sniffer' for dwarves, only for folks like Khaz", says Sekathral quietly, trying not to be overheard by Khaz herself as he does so, then louder: "Only ever used by dung-gargling syphlitic embarassments like tinkly-balls back there who can't even be f**king bothered to learn to frigging well curse properly"
Sekathral vaults up onto the raised passageway
Creeping up to the western end of the sandy strip, Dargon sees what appears to be a large crocodile straining at a chain, its jaws open wide as if hoping the dwarf will simply fall into its maw.
Further east, Kyson does in fact find a secret door a little farther down the tunnel . Like the one you entered through, it's actually about 5 feet above the floor, meaning you'd have to climb to reach it.
Dargon looks down at his shoes as he ponder whether he is due another pair.
"My shoes are new enough... no need to bother this lizard."
With that, Dargon heads back to the party, keeping one eye on the crocodile until it's out of sight.
"Nothing but a brand new pair of boots waiting to be skined that way."
"This place is immense!" Silvio exclaims. "Passages and holes all over the place, like a rat's nest. No wonder the cowardly micemen that call themselves dragons dwell down here, ey?" the chelaxian laughs and smacks Kyson on the shoulder, emphasizing his joke.
... "Only ever used by dung-gargling syphlitic embarassments like tinkly-balls back there who can't even be f**king bothered to learn to frigging well curse properly"
The passageway leads southwest, then turns southeast, ending at a door. It opens into another round room with a ladder leading to the surface and a door on the far side.
Kyson accepts the slap on the back from Silvio with a grunt.
Ow. Why?
Kyson gives Silvio a questioning look.
He hates me. Always hitting me.
Oh, wait. That was a joke. He only mostly hates me.
"Tee hee."
Kyson waits for Sekathral to point the way to go next as he has the best vantage point.
"Maybe we should go down to that door."
It opens into another round room with a ladder leading to the surface and a door on the far side.
"Well, on we go."
Sekathral (after making the usual checks) opens the door to see what lies beyond.
Kyson follows, pleased that Seka is taking the lead.
I bet now Khaz hates me too.
As you explore more, you realize you're in what appears to be a rough loop, with circular rooms with ladders to the surface in each corner.
Inside, you find a massive cavern, most of which consists of a large pool of brackish-looking water, its surface greasy with filth and rotting seaweed. Dripping lead pipes protrude from the wals of the 20-foot-high cavern, including one that's nearly two feet in diameter to the east. A five-foot-wide hole in the ceiling seems to lead up to the surface.
North of that, you later discover a narrow room that overlooks the cave. A barely perceptible haze hangs in the air between these two rooms, almost as if some sort of membrane were stretched over the opening. Five wooden chairs are arranged before the "window," which appeared to be a solid wall from the large cavern below. A low table is surrounded by more chairs while to the east a large valve wheel protrudes from the wall.
Dargon also noticed a secret door in the circular room to the southeast, which led to a tunnel that connected to the southern part of the tunnel system.
Maybe I should just go buy a pair of new boots when we're through. I don't think that dragonette back there is still going to be any good at this rate. Maybe something in lilac.
"What? Oh yes, definitely this way. We can come back to the ladder."
Khaz traipses along with the others, sickle in hand.
Sekathral sneaks out to the T-junction
"Well, mates - starboard or larboard?"
"Any of ya notice boot tracks or signs of use near any of da ladder rooms?"
Perception:
You neither see nor hear anything at the T-junction.
There were plenty of signs of use in the ladder rooms, however, Dargon.
Int check
Kyson stands in the window/chairs room overlooking everything, hands on his hips.
"What? This is a weird room. What do you think it was for?"
Perception
It appears to be a way to see what was happening in the room with the large pool and the drain pipes without being seen.
"Silvio does not know because Silvio does not care", the chelaxian states matter-of-factly. "Silvio did not venture here to discuss architecture. Silvio came to find the rat and coward Vanthus Vanderboren, whom have been notably absent from these halls. Silvio is beginning to think that our skeletal friend under Parrot Island was misinformed."
"Well this is...odd." Khaz crinkles her nose at the scent of the pond on the way by, and then again when looking down upon it from the room above.
"I guess it would be good for smugglers, though. Just drop their goods into the pool. Err, if they weren't afraid of the goods starting to smell like that cesspit down there. "
"...Silvio is beginning to think that our skeletal friend under Parrot Island was misinformed."
Kyson nods in agreement.
If we can't trust vengeful scribblings from an emaciated and tormented figure found in the sunless muck and guarded by the most hideous undead imaginable, who can you trust?
Kyson looks up in D9...is there an opening up top?
* * *
Kyson tries to think where else they need to explore.
"I think there were some doors over there and down a bit? Should we check them out?"
Kyson leads the party to the door south of D10 and north and left of D2.
"I don't think we've been in there yet."
"Yeah, let's check out the rest of the place. Vanderb*gger'll be about somewhere. Maybe hiding inside that critter Dargon saw chained up back there "
"How much bigger could this place possibly be?", the Varisian asks in disbelief.
"They can't be too much bigger." She says with a determined nod. If you believe anything enough, it has to be true.
The walls of the long room are lined with dual bunks, eleven in all. The bunks sport sheets spotted with mildew, yet appear to be well slept in.
A door to the south leads to a smaller room with four large casks standing against the western wall; judging from the scent in the air, they're filled with rum.
Once you leave there, you discover a surprisingly clean lavatory. An educated guess by Sekathral is that cleaning the room is a common punishment, and probably one that's used frequently.
Casks of rum... whole casks of rum... By Calistria's busy tongue, this trip hasn't been a total waste after all
Sekathral is in something close to a good mood.
Kyson will exit the lavatory, having done what he needed to do.
I'm like Silvio in there...doing what needs to be done!
...but with much less grunting and then bragging about it.
Kyson will re-cinch up this breeches and cast Create Water to wash his hands as he walks over the kegs.
"Anything good in the kegs? I should check the beds, eh?"
Kyson will toss the beds to see if there are valuables stored in any.
There don't seem to be any personal possessions in the beds.
"Yeah, I'll follow you Seka," Kyson says,happily following Seka down to D3, ready to take on the world.
Nothing better than a good poop.
"Onward, then, shall we? " Falling in line, Khaz keeps a careful eye on the suddenly happy men.
"Onward, then, shall we? " Falling in line, Khaz keeps a careful eye on the suddenly happy men.
"Aye"
Following the hall west, you go through the first door you find, discovering a room that feels a little drier than the others in the complex, with air that smells a little less musty. The room itself is furnished as a lounge, complete with stuffed couch and low table.
A door in that room leads to a chamber with two fairly comfortable-looking bunks. The sheets on them only sport a few sports of mildew. A search of that room discovers a scrap of paper with a map sketched on it -- it looks a bit like the Vanderboren vault -- and a dozen rows of numbers, all of which seem to be crossed out.
Moving on, after checking it, Sekathral opens a door to the north; before you can get a look inside, though, a vicious howl fills the air and what appears to be an unusually large wolf leaps into the passage to attack Sekathral. He rips a huge chunk of flesh from the elf {ooc]10 hp[/ooc] though Sekathral's somehow able to keep his feet as the wolf tries to pull him down.
HP 3/13
"SH*TTING BLOODY HELL!!"
Sekathral will take a 5ft step away from the beast (back into the hallway) and drink one of his potions of CLW
Initiative:
Silvio jumps back in surprise. "Now that is a creature that Silvio will consider stuff and put on display! Perhaps in the captain's cabin of Silvio's future ship", the "captain" muses as he engages the wolf with a few thrusts and slashes. The chelaxian's attacks are lax however, more like casual jabs to try and get the beast's attention, or to avoid ruining its pelt.
Round 1, Init 21
Kyson recoils from the wolf, trying to find an opening to strike at the beast.
Seeing an opening when Sekathral retreats to heal and Silvio's mad awkward thrusts, Kyson "lights the candle" on the wolf.
Ranged Touch (cover, not in combat)
fire damage
Init +5; Senses Perception +6
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17. (+5 armor, +2 shield, +3 Dex)
hp 17 (1d8+2)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +7
Spd 20 ft.
Melee
. . Scimitar +0 (1d6-1/18-20/x2) and
. . Whip -4 (1d3-1/20/x2)
Fire Bolt +4 Ranged Touch 30' deals 1d6+1 Fire damage. (4/7 used)
Touch of Glory Grant +2:CHA-based skill or ability check.(0/7 used)
Channel Positive Energy 1d6 (DC 14) (2/5 used)
Round 1, Init 20
Dargon moves into the spot that Sekathral left open and swipes at the wolf with a wide arc to help deflect any incoming attacks.
"Heel pup! Heel!"
Khaz readies to fight. Her sickle in hand, she searches for an opening to strike.
if such a situation presents itself:
Sekathral: 21
Kyson: 21
Dargon: 20
Big bad wolf: 17
Silvio: 13
Zstelian: 7
Khazmia: 5
As Sekathral steps back and quickly downs a potion, Kyson lets loose with one of his small fireballs, which slams into the doorway harmlessly.
Dargon steps in and tries to drive the wolf back, but it seems to easily duck his axe. It snaps back at the dwarf, but he's prepared and easily sidesteps the creature's vicious jaws, drawing another howl that seems to echo through the labyrinthine tunnels.
Wolf attack:
Round 2, Init 20
"I said heel pup! Heel!", Dargon yells as he sends out a knee and a backhand, both aimed to be as defensive as offensive.