Yaara Ndor (10+ Years in the making- Open world)

Game Master Lanx_Kotan

Now entering the mine you can tell it is a pre dug hole that has had only recent human interaction. So it seems the mine owners found this hole, bought the land and sent in crews to mine the visible oars. On you examination, the mine looks quite deserted today, a sign moved of to the side says in common that it is closed for the weekend. You likely won't find anyone down here. You don't here anything, there don't seem to be any footprints besides the workers footprints, meaning no non human footprints. The dungeon at the entrance seems kind of well worn from constant in and out activity by the minors. You can't see very long down the darkened cavern, but there are plenty of torches lining the walls, though they are unlit.

Following an instinct, Obadiah raises the cross around his neck to his lips and whispers a prayer; he stares at it in wonder as it starts to glow like a torch. Gesturing at others to take torches, he hesitantly treks further into the mine.

Light cantrip

Recovering his backpack from Lanx, Justin retrieves his flint and steel and lights a torch on the wall before removing it from its harness and welding it in his off-hand. The rogue briefly examines how effective their lighting is now before returning his flint and steel to his backpack and flinging it over his shoulders.

"This mine couldn't have been dug out by humans.. Look at the way the walls are cut - this was something's burrow.. I just hope whatever borrowed in here isn't home anymore. Watch out for any ooze too - we don't want to swallow that like the boy did.. "

Keeping his primary hand on his dagger, the rogue advances deeper into the mine with his comrades.

Dmitri also keeps his had on his weapon as they walk, keeping a wary eye out for any threats the group may wander across.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

[/i]This is... The priest wields magic... there are some sort of living oozes... the hell kind of world is this that I've stumbled into?[/i]

You can see clearly that there has been heavy traffic here for some time, but there are no branches or major offshoots...if there is any deviation it only lasts a short distance before a dead end. The main path continues in progressive downward slope winding left from the straight path you were taking when you entered.

Obadiah descends deeper.

"It's despicable for the mine owners to essentially force the town's people into working in a place that is dangerous. They're taking advantage of their poverty.. If we can't solve the main problem, at least we can sleep peacefully knowing we made this place safer for everyone."

Justin shakes his head, more trying to make himself feel better than anything. Continuing to press forward, he silently damns their inability to handle the real issue.

All in due time, Justin. Don't beat yourself up over matters outside your control.

You notice the footprints begin to thin out in number, you can almost make out some individual footprints as the path takes a nearly abrupt turn to continue descending to the right of your entry point. Still many small deviations not extending very fat at all before abruptly ending.

Raising his cross, Obadiah hesitantly pokes around, looking for abnormalities.

Take 20 on Perception for 24

TD lines up behind the cleric and waits to hear what he has to report about the corridor's safety.

No difference in the passageway except that it is further down, darker, and that there are fewer and fewer footprints from traffic. Upon examining the footprints you see that the smaller ones are still constantly the same in number, even now. They continue deeper underground. With your heightened perception you can hear no wildlife, no people besides your group. Just the low rumble of the earth and the drip of water from stalagtites. You can not yet see where that young man got the dark ooze that he coughed up.

Oh, we're not at the bottom yet?

Obadiah descends deeper.

Justin follows behind Obadiah.

Dmitri becomes more nervous visibly as the decent continues. He seems to be trying to keep track of how long they had marched, checking his wrist where his watch used to reside and shaking his head when he remembers he couldn't wear it over his armor. He anxiously looks around the mine, almost jumping at the shadows cast by the light coming from Obadiah and flexing his grip on his sword, absentmindedly mumbling what appear to be prayers or chants, but it's difficult to tell.

Coming another turn, you see one two sets of footprints and very few off shoots, the cavern seems almost devoid of human demolished passageways...more natural...yet still very quiet. Setting scorch marks on the wall reassures you a little that others did pass this way with torches lit...but why are the scorch marks on the wall so jagged, as if struck by the torch or something to that effect. You hear no footsteps aside from your own, you see no others in your visible area, you can not tell of any danger in your perceivable tunnel distance...but you may yet travel more.

Obadiah keeps moving.

Seeing Obadiah advance around the corner, the rogue looks at Dmitri and gives him a thumbs-up before moving forward himself.

Dmitri looks unconvinced by the thumbs up, and nervously taps on the hilt of his sword as his eyes dart from side to side, his breathing becoming more rapid and his unconscious mutterings becoming more rapid. Occasionally, he jumps at the echoes of the group's footsteps down the passageway as they continue.

Now you see only one set of footprints, they seem similar in size to the child that was ill. There are less scorch marks and more cobwebs on the walls. You pathway seems to be devoid of human interaction aside from that set of child sized footprints. As you travel on you see where the child had stepped off the path for a moment but back on only a short few meters. You can easily hear the sounds of the dripping stalactites...but it is muffled lightly, not the sound of water, dripping from the bowling ceiling ahead.
Perception check everyone.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Dice, don't fail me now!
Edit: Swwwwweeeeettttt xD Just hope that's high enough now.

You rolled twice as high as everyone else and then some. Congrats. You see a thick syrup like substance dripping from the ceiling...similar to that scene in "Alien" but thicker...and black. With your high perception, I'll give you a sniff...oil...strongly scented of raw oil. You have a slimy pile of oil. The pile begins to shift, an unsuspecting rat becomes engulfed by the ooze.
Roll initiative, than take your surprise round. The rogue goes first on surprise round because he spotted it. The right actions can save your life at low levels.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Guys, look out! Sludge!!" The rogue calls out as he spots the mass.

A couple of quick sniffs and Justin's mind is taken back to a brief childhood memory where his family had a little bonfire in their backyard once and his step dad threw some oil on the fire make it burn hotter.

I remember that smell..

Dropping his backpack and removing another torch, he quickly presses it to his lit one to ignite it.

"Get your torches - this thing is made of oil!! Keep your distance and let's throw them at it!"

Obadiah blinks in confusion as he looks around. "...what? Sludge?"

Init 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

"Dead ahead!" The rogue yells, "Just use my torch to light yours - we'll save time that way!"

Struggling to let his words keep up with his impromptu strategizing as his mind races, Justin hopes the others understand what he's saying.

"And don't eat it!!" He feels to needlessly remind them so they don't end up like the young boy.

I have already taken my action for the Surprise Round, if that's what everyone's waiting for. Or if your campaign allows a move&standard action during the Surprise Round then I'll add a standard action. Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving too!

Obadiah you're first. Sludge is last. Take your move action and standard action.

Obadiah blinks for a moment, his hand dazely falling to the haft of the axe at his belt. Nervously, he waits a moment. "Erm... try your torches? Erm..."

Delaying

It's me then Dmitri now, right

Justin swiftly steps to the side so Obadiah isn't in his way and he lobs the torch in his primary hand towards the ungodly beast.

Oh, I hope this works..

Attack: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 4 = 8

Minus four for throwing an improvised weapon, unless you rule it as otherwise.

Dmitri, eyes wild, leaps forward at the creature, slashing his sword in a surprisingly graceful arc, given his mental state.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 3 + (5) = 12

Throwing the torch at the unaware moving pile of sludge you see it catch fire immediately it beginnings writhing and flailing in agony, slashing at this new enemy with your sword you notice it slides almost right through the enemy, but you took a bit of its oily slime on your blade...which is now on fire as well. It reassures to lunge at Dmitri who slashed at it, still on fire.
Attack (dazed): 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (19) - 4 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Dmitri!" Obadiah hesitantly raises his mace and moves up to swing it at the boiling oul monster.

1d20 ⇒ 1 1d8 ⇒ 3

"Careful, friends!" Justin calls out to the others as they advance on the monster. Seeing Dmitri's now-flaming sword, he's reminded of the Shishkebob and how it was his favourite weapon in Fallout 3.

Too bad this isn't a game, he thinks to himself before stepping around the beast and approaching it so he is flanking it against Dmitri's side while drawing a dagger.

Let's see how you like this..

With a quick swipe, he slashes at the ooze.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Damage: 1d4 + 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + (1) + 1 = 3

Lmfao Christ, two 1's on my damage? Thanks dice.

Swimming at the writhing flaming mass of oily slime your blade goes straight through and takes some slime with it. It now had a flaming blade. The slime staffers to begin attacking but falls to a puddle as the flames take it out.

Dimitri pauses, his sword raised above his head, ready to make the next swing in his kata, but stops as he sees the creature falling apart. He keeps his sword aloft, in the scenario that he may need to use it.

Readjusting his grip on his dagger, Justin quickly glances to his fellow party members before asking, "Is it dead? Did we kill it?" There is hope mixed with caution in his voice's tone as he speaks, leery that the abomination might not be defeated just yet.

Is it dead?

Swinging at the writhing flaming mass of oily slime your blade goes straight through and takes some slime with it. You now have a flaming blade. The slime staggers to begin attacking but falls to a puddle as the flames take it out. It is dead. (Correction on massive auto correct issues and conclusion on the battle.) You killed it with surprising ease. Brings to mind the concern, was it too easy?

Seeing the abomination dissolving into the ground, TD jumps into the air with glee, cheering as he realizes their first victory.

"We did it, guys! We actually did it! We really can save this land!!"

Turning to glance down the corridor before them, he asks, "So do you think there's more? Or should it be fine to report back to the kids that we destroyed the sludge-beast? It's your call, guys."

I don't think it was too easy - I just lucked out with that high perception roll xD

Compared to Obadiah's prior history of killing slime monsters this one was unextraordinarily hard to kill.

The priest shudders a moment. "What... what was that?" He examines it. "I... I think we head deeper, to be sure."

Dmitri breathes heavily for a few moments before lowering his sword. He doesn't appear as frenzied as before. Perhaps removing the threat calmed his nerves. Though his shoulders slump as he cleans and sheathes his blade, and he leans against the wall while saying, I'm sorry, I need a bit of a break... the uh... the stress of waiting for that creature... expecting it to strike from anywhere... He takes a deep breath before continuing, Just... a minute to collect myself is all I need.

So as to not bog down play, we don't actually have to role play the waiting, I'll just assume by the time you guys do something he's sufficiently collected himself :-P

Walking back to his backpack, the rogue allows the flames to burn out before returning his dagger to its sheath.

"I think we all could use a little break after that."

Crouching beside his gear, he removes his waterskin and takes a drink from it before offering it to Dmitri and Obadiah.

"I wonder if there is anything else in here. I almost feel bad for invading these creatures' home, but I cannot stand to see children being put in danger. I already know that trying to talk to the mine owners would be useless - they're only looking for a profit. So 'cleaning up' the mine is the only feasible solution. Maybe after this we can convince the mine owners to ensure that they can protect their workers from other dangers too, like the cave in's and gases that the children mentioned."

Dmitri thanks TD and takes a drink from the waterskin, getting his thought together before saying, If the industrial revolution is any indication, I sincerely doubt the owners of the mine will do anything, even if we talk to them. We need to find some other way to help, no doubt. But we had this conversation with Lanx while we were coming back, and he said something to the effect of "you're nobodies, no one is going to listen to you." He sighs and offers the waterskin to Obadiah before continuing, So Obadiah and I think we need to go to a few quests, make a name for ourselves, before we could give any lasting help to these folks.

With a heavy sigh, Justin slowly hangs his head. "I'd hate to accept that we can't solve the root of this problem.. But we aren't in our world anymore."

The realization hits hard that this world is not structured like their world is. These people have not had the history that lead to the current laws and ethics that Justin, Dmitri, and Obadiah are used to.

We'll need reputations to actually hold any influence in this world.. This is feels like the Old West had a child with the Medieval times and raised it in the Industrial Revolution..

Accepting the standards that this world expects of them, Justin nods and smiles as he reaffirms, "Well if it's a reputation that they want, then it's a reputation they'll get. Looks like we're going to be the historic figures that shape this world, huh? Then let's shape it right."

An eagerness swells inside him as he realizes how great of a responsibility they'll have and their potential impact on this world.

We can make it a better place than our world.. We can truly bring balance to this land. This is so exciting!

"Whenever you're ready, we'll press on," he states to the others.

Continuing down the path you notice no more slime and no more footprints...you are officially in uncharted territory. After almost an hour of careful walking and examining you notice a slight change on your surroundings. Perception please

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 Could you roll all our perceptions and initiatives? It'll speed us up quite a bit.

I have no quarrels with DM rolling those for us if he decides to.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14