"I believe every second may count. As much as I would love to adventure down this path, I vote we head to the citadel. Though, if you all feel differently, I am with you the whole way."
After the combat Julio tends to the fire and replays the scene in his head over and over.
It happened so fast. No warning at all. I must be better prepared for these types of things.
The next morning he gathers his things and moves out with the rest of the group. When they come to the fork in the road he check the ground for recent tracks.
Akula ranged out ahead of the group about fifty feet, scouting and keeping quiet.
The next morning, Savien is thankfully quiet. Quickly gathering up his gear, he takes up a position at the head of the group, keeping a wary eye on his surroundings.
He takes a keen look at anything resembling a small bush or tree. I do not plan on getting caught again.
If any of the group tries to talk to Savien during this part of their trip, unless it's something important or relevant to their mission, he ignores them, preferring to keep up his careful scan of their surroundings while they walk. Savien had done some tricky guard work in the past. This isn't so different.
When they come upon the trail heading east, the guardsman clearly notices it, but barely pauses on his path toward the citadel. When some of the party members stop to inspect it, Savien turns and makes a wide beckoning gesture with his left arm, as if he's trying to corral the group toward him.
"Let's go! If one of you takes a wrong path and dies, I get your share of the reward!" he calls out sarcastically.
Savien turns and walks off up the old road without waiting for a response.
Vak'rogh and Kazh keep quiet in the morning, and walk at the rear of the procession. When it becomes apparent that the group intends to go toward the citadel rather than follow the wagon tracks, the half-orc is in total disbelief.
No! We should follow this path! Vin knows more than he tells, and traveled path will have fresher news! Why look where no one goes? This way better, now, and will still lead to ruins, later.
Blitz listens to Vak'rogh's words, thinks a bit, and says "Well, now that Vak spoke up...it made me realize we are following those who left months ago. Now that I grasp the scope of time that we are running behind them in, I would put the odds with Vak's suggestion. If they in fact have remained alive for these few months...they are either surviving somehow by their own power, or that someone or some thing is keeping them alive for a reason! At risk of causing more strife among us, I am siding with Vak."
Kazh tests the air at the diverging paths, obviously more interested in a fresh trail.
Julio fails to find any recent tracks either way. The "new" path has clear wagon ruts in it and trampled vegetation, but likely hasn't been used more than a few times. The Old Road is a mix of broken up paving stones and washed away gravel. You know the other group came through here about one month ago. So if they came this way, any trail that they left must have worn away.
Kazh goes up the eastern path a short way but does not seem to smell anything familiar.
With some dissent, the group ends up pushing northward. The morning is clear and there seems to be plenty of signs of birds and other animals in the area. The sharp divide between the tree line and the Ashen Plain remains and it seems like the plain must not be too large because at places you can see small copses of trees on the far side. After an hour or so, the road heads more directly into the grassland and also becomes much more hilly. As the group crest one particularly large hill, you see in front of you to the northeast a very large pit or quarry measuring hundreds of feet across.
A short while later, the party arrives at the southern edge of the pit. The grassland ends in a shear drop of about 60 or 70 feet all around the perimeter of the opening. At the bottom of the pit is a mix of broken masonry and rubble with very little vegetation. There are small pools of water in some of the low spots. In the approximate center is what looks like the remnants of a building that was nearly demolished. From the southeast corner of the building it appears that some of the rubble has been gathered and built up into a rough path leading to the northern lip of the pit. At that point, it is probably only about a 20 foot drop from the grasslands to the bottom of the pit.
Savien approaches the lip of the pit with slow caution, motioning the others to stay quiet, though not interfering if they join him in peering down over the ledge. The young guardsman spends a long moment watching the pit for movement or creatures.
"It looks like it... sunk. Someone built a path. There must be something down there."
After several moments, the guardsman begins a slow walk around the lip counter-clockwise toward the path in the north.
"The path doesn't look appealing, but the drop is lower over there. Stay close."
Vak's scowl has not lessened in the miles between the eastern track turnoff and the quarry. One hand resting on Kazh's shoulder, the half-orc warily scans the area as "Funny-man Savien" makes his circuit of the depression. He found the place he sought. And the death in his heart will find us all. . . . . Vin all but said they were dead already, back in the village . . . . They'll find I was right, in time. If Savien doesn't get everyone killed, first.
Vak rolls his shoulders as he looks on, feeling the sting of his scabbed wounds stretching. No matter. Vak'rogh and Kazh will survive this! With or without sixty-six pieces of gold!
Julio follows the group as they descend into the pit.
Savien leads the team around the pit. For the most part, the ledge ends in a shear drop off to the rocky ground below but in some places, the grassland above overhangs the rocky area below by at least a few feet. Scattered about the area below are the remnants of pillars and walls. At least some of these have writing on them which you can't make out from here.
Eventually, you make it around to the northern end and find a rope staked to the ground, leading down to the makeshift path below. Now that you are up close, you see that the ground below is quite rocky by passable. It is also more like 40 feet below you. The rope itself has conveniently been knotted to aid in climbing.
Savien makes it to the rope and stands, quietly observing the area below. Other than dust kicked up by the occasional breeze, there is no movement. You do hear the occasional movement of rock right below you and notice that the overhang here is short...generally only a foot or so but angled in a way that you can't really see the wall.
From what you can tell, there are tracks of both normal size humanoids and small size humanoids.
"Vak'rogh, being a sylph, I can ensure Kazh's safe descent...it will take but a leap of faith. Getting him back up is on you though! If not, you all may want me to climb down first, that way if something happens and one of you fall, I will be able to "catch" you as you come in range of 25'"
"Many creatures below. Small. We should try to keep quiet." Akula said. he moved over to the rope and started to make his decent down the rope.
After his fruitless search of the old campsite, Vak'rogh wanders over to the rope and gazes downward. After a few moments' thought, he begins freeing two pieces of rope from his pack. He ties the 10' section into a harness for Kazh, and then makes his 50' rope secure to the rig.
Каж, будзе ціха і спакойна, he whispers.
Vak gently lowers his loyal friend over the edge of the wall, slowly bringing him to rest not far from where the knotted rope's end lies.
Kazh. Stay.
Not need magic to solve all problems, Blitz. Vak's smile is genuine, if brief.
He takes up his pack once more, loosely threads the rope still tied to Kazh through a shoulder strap, and begins his own descent.
Savien frowns at the rope as he watches the others descend. So that's the secret. No opposable thumbs and you get a free trip down. With a shake of his head, the guardsman glances at the others briefly before lashing the head of his hammer to his backpack, the pole sticking way up in the air when he puts it back on.
"See you at the bottom."
Savien carefully descends the rope and unstraps his polearm at the bottom.
Hold the show on posting for a moment. GM Post incoming.
Akula's boot touches the ground and he looks down. There at his feet is a scrap of worn cloth and a small bone. He moves out of the way and looks around. Vak and Kazh make it down and then make way for Savien.
"SCREEECH" sounds out from either side of the warpriest.
You see three of the largest, ugliest rats you have ever seen climbing out from between the cliff wall and several of the larger rocks.
Bad guys win this time...with 2 20's!
Round 1, Bad Guys
Two of the rats come from the west and make their way toward Akula, sensing an easy dinner. The third does the same from the east and goes right for Vak, managing to get a bite in.
...somehow it misses the big man.
Round 1, Good Guys
Figures.
The creatures rush out right as Savien's feet touch the ground. No time to unstrap his polearm, he shrugs his backpack off behind him, between the wolf and the cliff, and draws a longsword.
"So much for being quiet."
Savien takes a heavy swing at the Rat.
Akula pulled the rope on Vak'rogh's backpack to free the wolf, then adjusted away from the wall to make sure he wasn't in the way of anyone coming down.
Frustrated by being hefted about like a bag of turnips, Kazh reacts to the rats' advance automatically.
With an almost idle air of indifference, Vak aims a kick at the rat rushing at him.
Julio, still at top of the cliff, attempts to shout a warning but it is too late.
Looking at the others still up top with him he says, "I think they can handle it."
Savien moves quickly pulling his longsword out of his pack, whipping around and slashing at the nearest rodent, coming down on its spine and killing it.
Akula takes a moment to free Kazh from his harness, the wolf looks back at the other half-orc in the group, baring his fangs but holding back from nipping at the man. He tries to slide away from the rat that is menacing him but can't do so gracefully over the uneven ground.
The rat seizes the opportunity and lunges for an exposed part of Akula's calf, latching on and taking a deep bite.
Kazh turns back to the rat that is moving towards him and lunges out of the harness at it, batting it with his paw and narrowly missing the smaller rodent's ear.
Vak tries to kick the rat and accidentally kicks a rock instead of the rat's head. For its part, the rock sails high and out of the pit.
Julio looks down with interest from his position of comfort.
You would have more luck telling Blitz not to be a sylph, than telling him that he should put away the short sword he was given and unstrap his scizore for a leisurely climb down the rope as his comrades are being attacked. No matter what the odds, if he stands idly by now, when he could help, what kind of swashbuckler would he be? What kind of a man would he be? It just isn't an option!
He moves forward and jumps off the cliff.
In an instant, his sylph heritage takes over as he utters the vocal component for his Featherfall spell-like ability,
"Eitil!"
He lands in front of the rat.
He lands in front of the rat.
Using his scizore to defend himself, he lashes out with his new borrowed weapon,
Watching Blitz jump shocks Julio at first but when the Sylph stops his fall in front of the rat he says, "That was impressive."
Turning to Sureliah, "Maybe we should get down there."
He grabs the rope and begins his slow decent.
|
Sureliah watches from the top of the rope,
Eh? now how am I supposed to help? she stands at the ledge and begins calling on her inate ability to summon creatures,
A small viper covered in Feindish spikes appears behind one of the rats, the one fighting Blitz, immediately it lashes out to attack
(Additional bonus from flanking)
(Minimum 1 Damage)×2
She then begins moving to get down the rope,
Unfortunately she feels her hands slip, finding herself falling down the rope instead
Sureliah falls the distance and lands with a resounding THUD
Never one to miss a good scrap, Blitz leaps off the ledge and glides gracefully the the broken ground. He immediately lashes out with his shortsword, seeing his thrust bounce harmlessly off the rat's hide.
Julio works up the nerve to begin climbing down and makes it almost half way.
Sureliah closes her eyes and focuses on the ground below. A small viper suddenly appears and lashes out at the rat, burying its teeth in the rodent's leg.
Sureliah then begins climbing down...and completely misjudges her grip on the rope. She begins falling right at Julio and Savien.
Julio happens to move to the side on the rope just as Sureliah goes plummeting past. She continues downward towards Savien...
Savien feels something brush against his back and then land in a thud immediately behind him.
Sureliah hits the ground hard.
As soon as Sureliah hits the ground, her summoned snake disappears.
Round 2, Rats!
The rat next to Blitz turns to face the Sylph and lunges at him.
The other remaining rat continues attacking Vak.
Round 2, Good Guys!
Frustrated that-despite his best efforts-the filthy thing seemed to just get past his defenses,Blitz tries to lay a heavy blow with his scizore.
Nearly crippled from the pain of these fresh bites added to the wounds from the previous night, Vak attempts to rid himself of the threatening rat once more.
And he frees his longspear, hoping its greater reach will prove helpful.
Blitz's thrust manages to penetrate the rat's hide this time and blood spouts from the wound, coating his blade. The rat is still up though, staring at him with fangs bared.
Vak's boot just misses the center of the rat's body and instead skips harmlessly off to the side.
Kazh's teeth taste rat fur...and that's it. The wolf is clearly agitated at it's inability to taste blood.
Julio watches in horror as Sureliah flies by. He hurries down the rest of the way and pulls out his healing potion.
In a panicky voice he yells down, "Hold on Sureliah. I'll save you. You'll be fine"
When Sureliah fell, Akula tried to close the gap to keep the rats from reaching her. He hoped she wasn't dead.
Savien glances over at the sound behind him with a scowl and then a frown. Looking up at Julio, so far up the rope, and at the others, engaged with the rats, he's the only one close and in the clear.
Damn. Maybe she does deserve to die, but I won't stand by and let it happen.
Savien turns his back on the others and crouches down, a quiet but forceful stream of profanity escaping his lips, just loud enough for the others to hear.
"Desna's Starry Left Tit, what the hell, Elf?!"
The stream of vulgur references to various gods in the pantheon continues aggressively while Savien digs out Sureliah's potion and dumps it into her mouth.
Julio watches in horror as Sureliah hits the ground below. He tries to hurry his way down to her but his hands slip and he nearly falls himself, barely catching his momentum but also not making any more progress.
Akula spins back to the rat he left, raises his axe and decapitates it.
Savien grudgingly helps his downed companion but only gets as far as holding the potion over Sureliah's mouth.
Administering a potion is a full round action
Sureliah continues bleeding.
Rat Round 3
The remaining rat continues bearing down on Vak.
Its teeth latch onto the leather of Vak's boot but are unable to penetrate it.
Round 3, Good Guys
Seeing Kazh finally make contact on a bite, Vak'rogh presses the attack with another kick.
Kazh again fails to land a bite on the rat. He’s getting a bit ravenous.
Vak kicks out again, ineffectually hitting the rat’s flank with his boot.