Nee pulls her sashes tighter in a vain effort to stop any cold from making its way in through the light material. She grins a mirthless smile as the group comes across the pillars. Her gaze lingers on the pillars, and her neck cranes a little, head angled.
”Wonder why these pillars are…here. Why either side of the ravine? Do they mark a border, like to proclaim territory?”
Nee shrugs. ”At any rate, Jacq - do you think we are supposed to go….in….down?”
The young ascetic seems keen to keep further thoughts to herself as Temerith’s lights descend, illuminating the sides of the ravine.
”Wonder why these pillars are…here. Why either side of the ravine? Do they mark a border, like to proclaim territory?”
"What's left of an old bridge, I think. Maybe."
Nee shrugs. ”At any rate, Jacq - do you think we are supposed to go….in….down?”
"Well, let's see who or what's been around here..." Jacq inspects the ground and ropes, looking for footprints or signs of passage.
Temerith moves up to the edge to peer down. If the light doesn't go to the bottom he casts Dancing Lights and sends the glowing orbs down as far as the spell allows.
As Temerith approaches the edge, the air grows noticeably colder. Wind stirs the brittle grass at your feet and whispers faintly through the broken pillars. The knotted rope seems sturdy enough - its fibers still taut and clean - hanging from one of the leaning columns, disappearing into the darkness below. It looks to have been tied in the last couple of weeks.
Older signs mark the ravine wall beside it: weather-worn hand and footholds, unevenly carved into the stone. Clearly some form of crude craftsmanship - steep, narrow notches worn slick by use.
The Dancing Lights drift down, casting pale radiance across the ravine’s interior. Fifty feet below, they reveal a narrow, sandy ledge jutting from the stone face - barely visible through the swirling dust and gloom. Beyond that, the magic fades, swallowed by the deeper vault of shadow.
Dorian drops his pack and walks over to the pillars looking them over checking the strands of rope and peering inside
[Dice=perception]1d20+1 (+2 for the pillars because it's stonework)
Dorian runs his hand along the weathered stone, eyes narrowing. The pillars are ancient - older than the road itself - and though time and weather have worn them, the craftsmanship is unmistakably Dwarven. One in particular bears faint chisel marks around its base, as if once part of a larger structure.
The rope tied to it is recent and well-secured - no signs of fraying. Whoever anchored it knew what they were doing.
"Oh! It's 'sunless' because it's down there!"
Nee shrugs. ”At any rate, Jacq - do you think we are supposed to go….in….down?”"Well, let's see who or what's been around here..." Jacq inspects the ground and ropes, looking for footprints or signs of passage.
Jacq kneels beside the ravine’s edge, brushing aside loose grit and dry tufts of grass. Time and wind have faded most signs, but with patience and a practiced eye, she begins to piece the story together.
There are footprints - many, though mostly old. Goblin tracks dominate, small and clawed, moving to and from the ravine’s edge. A few are deeper, fresher - no more than a month old. Among them, she finds heavier boot prints: human sized or close enough, heading toward the rope.
More curious still, near the base of one pillar, she finds the faint outline of a camp - stone rings buried beneath ash and churned soil. Someone tried to hide them, but not well enough to fool her. Bits of charred bone and a goblin-wrought spear tip are half-buried in the dirt.
Silvash looks the area over and then says "It looks like we are going down. Should I go first in case someone has set traps or would someone more... martial like to go first?"
Dorian tries to determine how far they would have to descend the rope before bringing his pack closer to the pillar. Then he rests a hand on it. Fine dwarven stonework this. It looks aged, but its stood the test of time. This rope is good also. I recommend none of us climb down with packs on. We can have four go down, then the last two send the packs down tied. and then they come down.
"Sounds good. First down should probably be you Dorian. If there's a creature waiting we can pull you up but if you have time to get ready you're armored and you can see better in the dark."
"I'd best stay to the back. I'm no good in melee but might be able to aid with magic and missiles."
Jacq kneels beside the ravine’s edge, brushing aside loose grit and dry tufts of grass. Time and wind have faded most signs, but with patience and a practiced eye, she begins to piece the story together.
There are footprints - many, though mostly old. Goblin tracks dominate, small and clawed, moving to and from the ravine’s edge. A few are deeper, fresher - no more than a month old. Among them, she finds heavier boot prints: human sized or close enough, heading toward the rope.
More curious still, near the base of one pillar, she finds the faint outline of a camp - stone rings buried beneath ash and churned soil. Someone tried to hide them, but not well enough to fool her. Bits of charred bone and a goblin-wrought spear tip are half-buried in the dirt.
Jacq frowns, tapping at seemingly random tufts of grass and scrutinizing bits of dirt.
"Yeah," she agrees with Silvash, "We go down. Humans or human-like went down the rope. No more'n a month. But I don't like what else I'm seein'. Goblins camped here." She holds up the broken spear tip she found. "Not sure if they also went down or who went first. Our folk might've been trying to escape them... or the goblins might be chasin'em down."
Jacq nods at Temerith and Dorian. "Good idea. I got silk rope if we need more. I'll send down the packs and come down last."
Dorian looks at the group. lowers his shield to the ground, and removes his scale mail. Then he looks at the others. Once I be down, pull da rope up an send me armor down to me so I can armor back up whilst you uns come down. Then looking at the others. he continued This'll be slow going, but better and safer then falling and he pulls the rope completely up and ties it off to his waist ...a pause and he adds who follows me. Jacq is last. Temerith 5th. Nia howz about you 2nd? Silvash you 3rd, Lanlis you 4th? That work ok? Temerith pull the rope up and tie my pack to it as well as the others, and lower it to us before you come.
unarmored, with only his weapons he grips the rope and starts down the knowing the rope is tied off and will stop him...eventually.
Silvash shrugs to Dorian "It might be better if I were second to catch any traps there may be. But I don't mind either 2nd or 3rd." He then goes down the rope carefully on his turn.
”If Dorian finds no trap or snare when he hits bottom, I’ll follow next. Then you Silvash.”
Nee waits to see if the rope Dorian used seems to bear his weight.
Then, if he indicates that all is safe, she descends.
As Dorian descends, the knotted rope proves sturdy and the climb effortless, especially for a dwarf accustomed to stone and weight. Hand over hand, he eases down the fifty-foot drop. The cool air thickens with the scent of damp earth and something fouler, more animal.
Boots touch down on a wide, sand-dusted ledge. Bits of old bone and debris crunch underfoot. The chamber yawns into shadowed depth beyond, silent but for the faint scuff of gravel disturbed by his landing.
Then, sudden motion - four large rats erupt from a collapsed pile of rubble, where they'd been burrowed and waiting. Eyes gleam, fangs flash. They lunge, surrounding Dorian!
((First round Dorians AC10 after he's gone he's ac11. Can he shout before his action ?))
Temerith looks down and sees his friend surrounded. "I hope this helps...." He sings out arcane words and flicks a little sand from his spell component pouch, casting sleep on the rats.
Temerith looks down and sees his friend surrounded. "I hope this helps...." He sings out arcane words and flicks a little sand from his spell component pouch, casting sleep on the rats.
Jacq curses as she stands at the top of the ravine, watching the party members go down, and sees the sudden movement of creatures. "Those rats should not look that big from this far up."
She reaches for her bow and nocks an arrow , aiming for any one that is still moving after Temerith casts a spell. If none are moving, she aims for any of them that seems easiest to hit.
But the awkward angle causes the arrow to strike a rock and fly astray into the dirt.
Lanliss had been watching Dorian traverse down the rope, hoping to see how hard the climb down was. And so, he was able to see when the vermin started to swarm. Bracing one foot as close as he dared to the edge, he leans over and draws an arrow to fire down along the ravine wall.
Silvash goes down the rope
-- Round 1 (continued) --
Temerith’s voice rises above the ravine, laced with arcane syllables and a scattering of fine sand. The magic sweeps downward and settles into the gloom - two of the dire rats slump into sudden slumber, overcome by the spell.
Silvash begins his descent, slipping over the edge and carefully working his way down the knotted rope. He manages only a short distance - roughly ten feet - before the demands of the climb slow his progress. The flickering shadows below are still some distance off, but the tension in the rope and the shouts from beneath tell him danger awaits.
Jacq raises her bow and looses an arrow toward the scuffling creatures below. The awkward angle throws off her aim, and the shot glances off a rock, disappearing into the debris.
Lanliss moves to the edge of the ravine and draws an arrow, watching the battle unfold below.
Niamhaiofe begins her descent after Silvash, hand over hand, the rope taut beneath her grip as she makes her way downward.
But the fight is far from over.
The remaining dire rats hiss and lunge at Dorian. One snaps harmlessly at the air, but the other sinks its yellowed teeth into the dwarf’s leg, tearing flesh and drawing blood.
Dorian, still with the rope tied around his waist. looked around and saw two of the 4 rats drop to the ground, did they just fall asleep? He shook his head...magic...hed never get used to it.
The other two jumped at him snapping with their jaws. One sunk its fangs into his leg. Ack ya dam bastich he pulled the warhammer out of its loop and struck at the offending rat, then put his back flat against the wall so there was less chance hed be flanked. glancing up, he saw Silvash and Nee coming down. It would take them a few.
-- Round 1 (finished) --
Dorian splatters one of the rats with a mighty warhammer blow, and retreats to a better tactical position.
-- Round 2 --
Silvash continues descending the rope. He shouts down "We are on our way!"
Nee, frustrated at her slow progress behind the elf, nods passionately to…no-one.
”….Smash the….bastiches!” she sends down to the dwarf.
Lanliss is just able to make out that there is one rat still on its feet. He draws back his arrow and fires.
Jacq grits her teeth and tries again, aiming for the rat that just lunged at Dorian.
Silvash continues his careful descent down the rope, steady and swift despite the height. Above him, Niamhaiofe follows, frustration flickering across her features as she watches the action unfold below and urges her companion on with fierce encouragement.
Arrows whistle through the dim ravine - Lanliss and Jacq both fire at the last standing rat. But whether from the awkward angle or fear of striking their ally, both shots thud into the dirt or clatter harmlessly off stone.
Temerith watches the battle, considering getting his bow but decides to aid with his Bardic magic instead. He starts a battle chant, empowering it with his magic.
-- Round 2 (continued) --
Temerith calls upon his Bardic Inspiration to bolster his companions, while down in the ravine, Dorian faces off against the monstrous rat.
Snarling, the diseased vermin lunges once more - but the bite glances off the dwarf's sturdy boot, failing to pierce flesh.
Dorian shook his foot to get the rat's teeth out of his boot, as he swung his hammer again a wild swing that may have landed a glancing blow. Then he grabbed at the knot, trying to loosen it so he could get out of the rope before his comrades were coming down on his head.
((No it does not. so thatd be 14 to hit and 5 damage))
With the echo of Temerith’s battle chant still ringing in his ears, Dorian shifts his weight and brings his warhammer down in a swift, brutal arc. The rat snarls - then goes still, crushed beneath the blow.
The ravine falls silent once more, broken only by the creaking of rope as Silvash and Niamhaiofe continue their descent.
The two remaining rats lie unmoving, still deep in magical slumber.
Temerith calls down to Dorian, "Kill the other two. The sleep spell will end soon."
He waits for his turn to climb down after the packs and other stuff has been lowered down.
Dorian unties the knot around his waist and then moves over carefully brining the jammer down on a sleeping rat...then does it a second time. ((Any rolls needed?))
No need to roll - Dorian finishes off the other two rats.
"You all okay down there? I'll be down in a minute, gonna do something up here."
While the others climb down, Jacq feels a moment of paranoia. If goblins are around, they might sever the ropes if they know someone has arrived. She takes some time to try to cover their tracks... she may not be able to eliminate them completely, but she can muss them and throw dirt on them so they look older than they actually are.
She also makes sure she eyes an outcropping that a rope and/or grappling hook could be thrown onto, in case the rope hanging down is indeed removed.
When everyone is down safely, she passes down the packs and then climbs down herself.
Dorian shouts up to the others prior to their descent. don't be forgettin to lower my armor, shield and pack
As he checks his wound and then looks over where they landed.
Lanliss also removes his armor and pack. When his turn to climb down comes, he sends them down before he goes down so that he can be putting them back on while Temerith and Jacquelin follow.
One by one, the party begins the slow, deliberate process of descending into the ravine. Armor is unstrapped, packs are lowered, rope creaks under shifting weight. It's careful work - but slow. For several long minutes, the group is half-strung between surface and shadow, exposed in the chasm’s gloom.
Above, Jacq lingers a moment. Something about the openness of the descent nags at her instincts. She works quickly, disturbing the dirt and loose stones around the edge, disguising the tracks of their passage and casting grit across the rope’s anchor to make it look weathered and old. She takes note of an outcropping that might serve as a backup anchor point for a rope or grappling hook - just in case.
Light flickers across damp stone and tangled roots. Shadows dance and stretch with an unnatural rhythm, cast wide by the shifting glow of Temerith’s arcane lights. But even magic fades - the motes drift and gutter out, one by one, until only the faint, ghostly luminance from far above trickles down the ravine walls.
From below, Dorian watches the descent, warhammer slick with rat blood, boot pressing down the last of the twitching vermin.
Somewhere beyond the edge of the dying light, deeper in the cavern’s yawning dark, a sound breaks the stillness.
A soft, leathery flap.
It echoes - briefly. Then silence.
Not scurrying. Not chittering. But something larger. Wings.
They’ve lingered long - exposed in the open, gear being lowered, armor removed, voices echoing off damp stone. For every moment spent here, there’s a chance something else might come wandering.
Eventually they all join Dorian in the sandy ledge - it overlooks a subterranean gulf of darkness to the west. The ledge is wide but rough. Sand, rocky debris, and the bones of small animals cover it. A roughly hewn 5' wide stairwell zigs and zags down the side of the ledge, descending into darkness.
All at max HP, except Dorian at 13/17 hp.