Dorian takes a walk around the perimeter of the ledge after putting his armor back on. His vision shifts into the familiar gray spectrum of the underdark as he looks around. What's out in the darkness,? Is the path onward apparent?. The stone stairs ...do they look stable?
Nee wipes a stray lock back from her face, and wrinkles her nose. Looking up, she sees her companions following down, and ensures that each member alights the rope with ease and safety.
Once the group is down and off the rope and gathered on the shelf, Nee takes the time to light her lamp - saving her precious sunrods for later. She swings the lamp’s light toward the stairs.
”Hmm. So…we keep descending? Seems like a bad place to stop…here….”
Jacq tries to identify what kind of winged creature may be flapping. Most normal bats are going to leave folks alone. But so are most normal rats, and we've seen how that works out.
Also, while Dorian assesses the stairs, she takes a moment to fetch two arrows from her pack to refill the quiver strapped to her side. There's no point in looking for the ones that shot off into the darkness.
Dorian takes a walk around the perimeter of the ledge after putting his armor back on. His vision shifts into the familiar gray spectrum of the underdark as he looks around. What's out in the darkness,? Is the path onward apparent?. The stone stairs ...do they look stable?
To Dorian, the path onward seem to be the stairs - they are roughly hewn, and do not look particularly well made. But they seem stable.
Jacq tries to identify what kind of winged creature may be flapping. Most normal bats are going to leave folks alone. But so are most normal rats, and we've seen how that works out.
Probably a giant bat - or more than one. These creatures are often found roosting in desolate, shadowed places: the ceilings of deep caves, forgotten ruins, even underground ravines like this one. Most are not aggressive unless disturbed, but their size makes them dangerous if startled or hungry.
This wouldn’t be just a normal bat. A full-grown specimen might span fifteen feet from wingtip to wingtip and weigh as much as a warhorse. A flap like that could easily echo through stone.
Still, they’re not predators by nature - more scavenger than hunter. But then again… so are rats.
When he reaches the ledge, even before he thinks about his armor and pack, Lanliss moves over to Dorian.
"Dorian! You're injured! Can I use Fharlanghn's blessing to heal you?
"I'll have to touch you near the wound, but I know that some people are uncomfortable with being touched. However, I'm uncomfortable with being punched because you weren't expecting me to touch you, so I thought I'd warn you, first."
Lanliss smiles innocently. He's not trying to use levity. It's obvious that he's just speaking his thoughts without much of a filter.
Dorian nods when Lanliss asks about treating his wounds. he says I knows Rats can carry diseases. Can ya get a sense if this one did?
Temerith reaches the ledge and gathers his small pack. He knew it would feel twice as heavy soon....
"Looks like we continue down from here. Probably should try to be quiet as we go. Is anyone trained to scout for traps? If goblins are ahead there could be things rigged."
Silvash looks the place over and then heads to the top of the stairs. He say "I have some skill in finding traps. I should probably go first."
+1 for traps
Jacq speaks quietly to the group. "Hear that? An echoey flutter here? A squeak there? Giant bats. To go with the giant rats. We'd better try not to disturb them. Try and walk slow and quiet if you can."
She moves toward Dorian and Silvash as they discuss and attend to healing. "Good point about illness. Silvash, that wound warm to the touch?" She eyes Dorian carefully, looking for signs of a cold sweat or odd coloration about the wound.
Silvash inspects the top of the crude stairway carefully and finds no traps.
Jacq notes that rats often carry filth fever, a disease that can affect motor skills and stamina. Observing the deceased rat, she sees discoloration around its gums and a patina around its yellowed teeth, which are cause for concern.
However, Dorian’s wound shows no immediate signs of infection, though Jacq also knows such symptoms may not appear right away. She will have to keep an eye on it as the day continues.
Silvash waves the others to follow him, "I'll head down first keeping an eye out for traps. Dorian, would you mind following me keeping an eye out ahead, about ten feet back? Then someone with a light might be good. I'm going to need light so there is no point my scouting ahead. Just far enough to hopefully keep everyone else safe if I miss a trap."
aye I can be your back up.Silvash. 2nd it is
Temerith digs in his bag and pulls out a sunrod. "I've got a sunrod if you'd like Silvash? Would you want to carry it or should I follow fairly close behind Dorian?"
Nee waves her lamp to indicate it is a…light.
”I’m saving my sunrods for now Temerith - you should too. Taking time to light this was fine while not completely in danger, but being able to strike a ‘rod for instant light while under threat might come in handy…later. ”
The young warrior moves to follow Dorian.
"Good point."
He tucks the rod back in the pack.
Dorian says, Ive got 10 torches in my pack. take one ane someone in the middle can carry it.
Silvash waves the others to follow him, "I'll head down first keeping an eye out for traps. Dorian, would you mind following me keeping an eye out ahead, about ten feet back? Then someone with a light might be good. I'm going to need light so there is no point my scouting ahead. Just far enough to hopefully keep everyone else safe if I miss a trap."
Nee waves her lamp to indicate it is a…light.
”I’m saving my sunrods for now Temerith - you should too. Taking time to light this was fine while not completely in danger, but being able to strike a ‘rod for instant light while under threat might come in handy…later. ”
The young warrior moves to follow Dorian.
"Save the torches if we need to burn something. I've got a proper lantern that provides better light, and we can hood it if we need to hide." Jacq produces the lantern and a flask of oil.
"If someone else in the middle can carry it, I'd appreciate it. I can be sure nothing follows us and support those in front with my bow."
Silvash looks to the group and then says "If we are ready?" He then begins looking carefully at each step and the sides making sure there are no trip wires or shifting steps. He taps each step with the pommel of his rapier before standing and stepping done. His head makes a rhythmic pattern in it's search and it's the same pattern for each step.
+1 for traps
Temerith gets his shortbow out. He isn't really good with it, but it there are any bats he'll take a shot....
"I'm ready. Down we go."
Silvash leads the way, every step deliberate and cautious. He crouches low, scanning each slab of stone, each edge and crevice for any sign of disturbance. The pommel of his rapier taps the stairs in a steady rhythm - tap, scan, step. Tap, scan, step.
Behind him, Dorian keeps a respectful distance, boots grinding softly against the stone, warhammer held ready. Nee follows with the lantern held high, the light casting long flickering shadows along the ravine wall and revealing the slick, craggy surfaces around them.
Lanliss, Temerith, and Jacq trail behind, the group's formation stretching like a narrow line of torchbearers threading downward into darkness. Their breaths fog faintly in the cold air, and the breeze rises stronger now - dry, chill, and edged with the scent of old rot.
Despite Silvash’s thorough attention, no traps reveal themselves. The stair seems only ancient and treacherous, not actively defended.
Eventually, the stairway opens onto a small courtyard. Cracked stone gives way to a wide, flat expanse - the remains of what must once have been a battlement. Now it lies sunken and level with the surrounding cavern floor, buried by time and the slow, relentless shifting of the earth.
To the west, looming out of the cavern wall, stands the surviving structure of the Sunless Citadel. A tower, still mostly intact, rises at the far side of the courtyard—its windows dark, its top leaning slightly under the weight of centuries.
The ground around them is unstable: broken masonry and rubble fill the courtyard like loose shale, some of it shifting underfoot. The floor stretches north and south into darkness, and the depth of the collapse beneath is uncertain.
Only the lantern’s glow pushes back the gloom. All else lies in stillness.
Lantern spent: 16/360 min
Silvash stops at the bottom and turns his head over his shoulder "We've reached the bottom. The floor here is trecherous. We should clear a path if possible so if we have to leave in a hurry this doesn't slow us down. I'll continue searching for traps and try clearing a narrow path. If those behind me could widen it, that would be good."
Silvash then starts moving and clearing stuff out of the way. If his path just fills back in he'll give up and just try to move carefully while looking for traps.
+1 Traps