"I am not sending a woman down there again...I'm sorry Evelynn..I should have gone myself..and that means I'm going down this time.
"Fergus can you make sure Evelynn is ok I think you mentioned some medical training the other night when we were talking"
"I suggest we take a few minutes rest"
Rita scowls and mutters under her breath.
"What, like we women are incapable or somethin' ? Jeez ! At this rate it'll be another century before we get a woman in the whitehouse... "
...although she actually looks quite relieved at not having to deal with heights again anytime soon.
"I am not sending a woman down there again...I'm sorry Evelynn..I should have gone myself..and that means I'm going down this time.
"Fergus can you make sure Evelynn is ok I think you mentioned some medical training the other night when we were talking"
"I suggest we take a few minutes rest"
Evelyn smiles at Robert but shakes her head as she touches his arm gently, "Who is going to pull you up if something happens? The reason I went in first is because you were always there for me which proved fortunate. Things could have been much worse the other way around."
Robert finds new respect for this beautiful, quiet yet courageous woman. taking her hand he raises it to his lips..
"Ma'am.."
"If you are sure...I wont be far behind you"
Evelyn smiles warmly and then turns toward Rita, "Are you still up to the task or shall I go again? If Robert and Fergus lower us slowly I don't think much harm will come even if we do slip. Do we have enough rope to add another ten feet? That will get us to the bottom." Evelyn winces slightly as she moves.
Rita gives a glance down but steels herself .
"Sure, I'll give it a go...Besides, why should you have all the fun ?"
She adds to Evelyn with a a faint nod.
"While I'm gone....don't do anything I wouldn't do."
She leans closer to Evelyn and whispers something.
"On the other hand..." she stage-whispers with a glance briefly in Roberts direction "...that doesn't exactly exclude alot,. My Hymie never woulda asked me out if I'd been all retiring about it." and grins.
Rita walks over and ties herself to the rope. If you didn't know her so well, you could be entirely taken in by the innocent look on her face.
You attempt the process once again with Rita being the volunteer to head down the steep tunnel. Fergus and Evelyn remain up top, while Robert monitors Rita's progress from the ladder.
Rita
Climb: 1d100=19
It takes some time but you manage to navigate down to a spot where the tunnel flattens. It is still narrow and constrictive, and you feel a little claustrophobic. In the far distance you hear the faint piping sounds Evelyn mentioned drifting down the tunnel. The ceiling is high enough that for the most part you can walk upright, but only wide enough that humans could travel single file. The damp rock continues to be coated with crystal and the formations are thicker on the walls and ceiling than the floor. Overall the air is cool and very humid.
You attempt the process once again with Rita being the volunteer to head down the steep tunnel. Fergus and Evelyn remain up top, while Robert monitors Rita's progress from the ladder.
Rita
** spoiler omitted **
Evelyn makes sure the rope is tied so that Rita has enough length to reach the bottom.
"I've reached the bottom, it seems to flatten out a bit into a narrow tunnel.I can stand up but its a real squeeze. It looks a bit too cramped for too many of us."
If Ritas descent has broken off any crystals, she'll put a bit into her backpack (or pocket), provided its not too large.
"I'm going to go down the tunnel a little way to see if it opens out a little, so that we could all come down. I won't go far."
Rita unties the rope.
There might be "folks" down here, i'd better be quiet she thought, already beginning to regret her adventureous urges. But I'm here now...
She begins to make her way very slowly and carefully down the tunnel, torch in hand (pointed at the floor mostly, to limit its range and to check its not too slippery).
(If it looks like it goes more than about 100 feet , or is becoming slippery or steep, she'll return to the rope.)
I wonder who's making the whistling ? It could be moonshiners or smugglers! A surge of excitment goes through her as she imagines headlines like "Plucky New Yorker cracks smuggling ring". There might even be a reward !
Rita
Rita returns to the rope.
"It looks like there's a side passage down here that someone has dug out. Its all very narrow. I'm going to have a quick look down them both to see if there';s somewhere we can all stand. "
After that, Rita will go and explore the man-made tunnel a ways to see if there's a room at the end of it.
Rita
How far do you want to follow the tunnel?
Rita comes back to the rope
"The side passage is wider, we might get a few of us down there,if we're careful."
Rita returns to the rope.
"It looks like there's a side passage down here that someone has dug out. Its all very narrow. I'm going to have a quick look down them both to see if there';s somewhere we can all stand. "After that, Rita will go and explore the man-made tunnel a ways to see if there's a room at the end of it.
At Ritas comment Robert begins to climb down the ladder again..by the time she returns to the bottom of the entrance tunnel he is moving down it...
"Ok Rita...lets just wait for the others"
"FERGUS!!!! send Evelynn down will you...its ok now the way is clearer than it was"
At Ritas comment Robert begins to climb down the ladder again..by the time she returns to the bottom of the entrance tunnel he is moving down it..."Ok Rita...lets just wait for the others"
"FERGUS!!!! send Evelynn down will you...its ok now the way is clearer than it was"
Her body a bit achy Evelyn climbs down the ladder again once Robert is off of it. She reties herself to the end, "Will you lower me slowly so that if I slip I don't fall very far?"
For the sake of keeping the game moving I'll be kind.
Several minutes have passed, you have all managed to safely navigate down the treacherous shaft, despite its steepness. You made you way through the narrow tunnel for some distance, until you reached the part where the man made tunnel branches off of it. You now stand huddled together in the mouth the of wider, man made tunnel. The piping sound echos in the distance from further down the natural tunnel way. A slight stench wafts down to you from further up the man mad tunnel.
"I suggest we go up the side passage first. There's more room for us...what do you think ?"
"I agree..I'l go first then you ladies and Fergus can bring up the rear"
"Sure thing" Fergus gasps. He wishes he was a few years younger or in better shape, as he is starting to get a stitch in his side from trying to keep up, but soldiers through anyway. His faith will keep him going
With Robert leading the way you start exploring the man made tunnel. It slopes upward, but at regular intervals there are carved stone steps to make the going relatively easy. The air feels stale and oppressive. After traveling for a few minutes, Robert's torch sheds light on a pile of collapsed stone rubble that blocks the tunnel, making a dead end. It is difficult to tell how much work it would be to clear out the rubble to allow you continue, but at a minimum it would take you several hours.
"Well that sort of puts the cap on that..doesn't it...Lets go back to the other passage and see whats making that whistling noise"
"Well that sort of puts the cap on that..doesn't it...Lets go back to the other passage and see whats making that whistling noise"
"One moment Robert. I read that you can determine if there is a open way beyond sometimes if a breeze can be felt or seen. Does anyone have a match? Light it and put it close to the wall, see if it flickers. Not that we'll clear it now but I suspect it may have once been another entrance from the surface. I do agree that we should look down the other tunnel now though."
Rita:
Rita nods, and says
"Lets rest for a moment before we move on."
Rita doesn't seem particuarly out of breath, but she nods slightly in Fergus's direction when he isn't looking.
" Its hard work doing all this climbing about"
"Matches...sure"
Robert delves into his pockets finding a box of matches and lights one holding it up and moving it slowly across the rock fall
You try the match test, but there doesn't seem to be enough breeze getting through to have an effect. After a short rest, you venture back down the passage way into natural tunnel way.
From there you start following it toward the piping sounds. For the most part the tunnel is easily traversable, but you do need to be constantly watching your footing, for the ground is far from level. The size of the tunnel way varies from narrow spots that nearly require squeezing through, to low ceilings that you have to duck or crouch under to continue, to wide open areas where you can all walk together side by side.
You are witness to many natural rock formations, but due to your inexperience with caving, they all seem very strange and alien to you.
Though the piping sound gradually starts to increase in volume, it soon becomes clear that you are in a very large cave network, one that you could easily become lost in.
Just as you are about to discuss how much further you should continue, you hear a scuttling sound among the stalactites above you.
cave images
As they progrss, Rita says
"The stalactites, they're just like pipes in a giant church organ. I wonder if they're causing those sounds?"
Rita looks around. "I have some chalk for marking which way we've come" She'll chalk an area close to where they came into the current location.
When the scuttling sounds begin she looks up and jumps back as she shines her torch upwards, looking panicky.
As Rita shines her torch up, she illuminates the long, tight clusters of finger-like stalactites that cling to the ceiling. The longest ones end only about 5 feet above your head, and they look fairly delicate. They move back and forth slightly, and it is apparent that there is something crawling among them. You can't make it out clearly at first because it is concealed among the stalactites and moving quite quickly. However, it appears to be a millipede like creature. With a white segmented body. Yet, it is unlike the millipedes you've encountered because it is probably between 8-12 feet long and its body is about 1 foot wide. You catch a glimpse of a pair of segmented feelers protruding from its rear end and those are easily 3 feet in length. At first it scuttles off, trying to escape the light, but then it turns and starts crawling towards you. You catch a glimpse of its head, and you are suddenly truly horrified, for its head looks vaguely like a shriveled up humanoid head and not at all insect-like. Its mouth has no lips, and it bars its teeth and hisses at you.
Sanity checks.
"What in the name of god..."
Robert draws his Colt snapping a shot at the sickening creature
Robert fires a shot at the horror, and though it is a well aimed shot, the creature has enough cover from the stalactites that the bullet ricochets off them, missing his target. The gunshot certainly startles the thing and it scuttles up higher into the forest of stalactites, seeking more cover.
As an unfortunate side effect of the gunshot, a few chunks of the fragile mineral deposits are dislodged and fall, shattering on the ground, just missing Rita.
Evelyn gasps and grabs Roberts arm knocking his shot wide of it's mark while lifting her torch with the other hand ready to smack the thing should it get too close....
Fergus stares at the abomination, disgust patterning his face. He freezes for a second not sure whether to raise the shotgun, or his crucifix, but as the creature moves in towards the others, he raises the shotgun, and takes aim.
"Quickly to the sides of the chamber" he shouts as he takes aim.
The shotgun blast explodes up among the stalactites, hitting the creature. It shrieks in an almost human sounding voice, but it still seems to be alive. Its body writhes around, smashing the fragile stalactites and causing them to come raining down on top of you, forcing each investigator to dive for cover. As the creature thrashes, more of them fall, and suddenly it too plummets to the ground, and you can see it plainly writhing on the floor on its back.
Dex checks
Fergus: 1d100=61
Robert: 1d100=81
Evelyn 1d100=44
Rita 1d100=55
Fergus you also lost 1 point of sanity.
Fergus and Robert are both hit by falling stalactites- you each take 3 points of damage
Rita looks a bit green at sight of the critter but otherwise seems mostly unpurterbed.
San check:
01, thats a turn up
"Is everyone alright ? Are there more of those things about ?"
Her voice sounds calm but as she shines the torch around at the floor, walls and ceiling, she looks very pale .
"I never saw one a dose in my national geographic - what is it ?"
If its still alive, Rita looks around for soemthing big and sticklike to beat it with.
Wincing slightly at his bruises Robert gets to his feet offering a hand to Evelynn. Then he picks up a large chunk of fallen rock and moves to dispatch the fallen monstrosity
"I'm not sure but it's the second unnatural creature we have come across down here...perhaps the Professor had the right of it and Whately was involved in something terrible..something we need to get to the bottom off anyway"
He checks his Rolex...how long have they been down here?
Robert and Rita finish the thing off with stones, and lays unmoving on the ground.
Evelyn wrinkles her nose, "Ugh, what is that thing?" Suddenly looking worried she begins shining her light around, "Do you <shudder> think there are more? Can't say that I am terribly fond of bugs in the first place but I think that thing is going to give me nightmares for awhile. Well, if there is anything else living down here it probably knows we are here now." After the ringing in her head from the shotgun blast goes away she listens to see if the piping can still be heard.
The sounds of the piping can still be heard in the distance.
How do you wish to proceed?
Robert picks up the rifle and checks it for damage...Springfields are tough but getting hit with falling rocks is never good.
"Lets go find out what's making that god forsaken noise...keep an out out for bugs everyone"
Robert picks up the rifle and checks it for damage...Springfields are tough but getting hit with falling rocks is never good.
"Lets go find out what's making that god forsaken noise...keep an out out for bugs everyone"
Evelyn just nods at Roberts words and shines her light erratically into every nook and cranny obviously nervous that one of those things could come from anywhere.....
Fergus and Robert are in pain from the rocks that came down on them, but they find the strength to press on, and you continue down the tunnels. You walk for several more minutes through the damp, cool darkness with no further sign of danger. Gradually, the piping sound gets ever louder. Eventually, you find your way into a larger cave that seems to be the source of the whistling sound. You figure you have been more or less heading westward. The tunnel continues at the west side of the cave. To the south side there is a new tunnel that looks like it makes its way in more downward direction. The north wall of the cave seems to be the source of the piping. This wall is made up of flowing pipe like rock formations that remind you somewhat (as Rita said early) of a pipe organ. The sounds are drifting down from the upper portions of the wall. As you shine your lights on this strange, but beautiful looking rock formation, you also note that strange white flakes that look at bit like snow are gently floating to the ground from up above. The flakes have gathered on the floor near this wall and are a few inches in depth. Though there is a slight resemblance, the flakes are not snow flakes.
Fergus and Robert are in pain from the rocks that came down on them, but they find the strength to press on, and you continue down the tunnels. You walk for several more minutes through the damp, cool darkness with no further sign of danger. Gradually, the piping sound gets ever louder. Eventually, you find your way into a larger cave that seems to be the source of the whistling sound. You figure you have been more or less heading westward. The tunnel continues at the west side of the cave. To the south side there is a new tunnel that looks like it makes its way in more downward direction. The north wall of the cave seems to be the source of the piping. This wall is made up of flowing pipe like rock formations that remind you somewhat (as Rita said early) of a pipe organ. The sounds are drifting down from the upper portions of the wall. As you shine your lights on this strange, but beautiful looking rock formation, you also note that strange white flakes that look at bit like snow are gently floating to the ground from up above. The flakes have gathered on the floor near this wall and are a few inches in depth. Though there is a slight resemblance, the flakes are not snow flakes.
Evelyn gasps, "How beautiful.......whats making it snow?" She shines her light up at the ceiling to try and determine the source.
Robert takes in the eerily beautiful sight..then squints up at the ceiling as Evelyn shines her torch in that direction
Shining your light up at the ceiling, you see that the strange white fluff seems to be coming out of the walls of the upper part of the cave. Perhaps there are small holes or slits in the walls, which could also explain the piping noises.
Shining your light up at the ceiling, you see that the strange white fluff seems to be coming out of the walls of the upper part of the cave. Perhaps there are small holes or slits in the walls, which could also explain the piping noises.
Rita squints up at the holes.
"Whats coming out of the walls ? Are those critters making tunnels or something ?"Without realising it she moves a little closer to the menfolk.
She shines her torch around the walls and ceiling of the cavern, worried there might be more of the crawlers about.
Shining your light up at the ceiling, you see that the strange white fluff seems to be coming out of the walls of the upper part of the cave. Perhaps there are small holes or slits in the walls, which could also explain the piping noises.
Evelyn seems to be waiting for Robert to make a decision on what to do next since he is in the lead.
What's the plan here?
As Robert and Fergus seem mesmerized by the falling flakes Evelyn finally gets impatient enough to start moving around the edge of the cave toward the passage that heads down and south. She is attempting to stay close enough to the wall so she can see where she is stepping without the "snow" hiding the floor. "You would think they had never seen snow before the way they are staring at it. Rita what do you say to finding out what is down that tunnel over there? Be careful where you step though as I doubt the floor is very even and you can't tell with all this stuff all over it." It seems that she has regained quite a bit of her confidence since the bug encounter.
Fergus, shaking off the adrenalin filled last couple of minutes, reaches down and picks up some of the "Snow". Can he identify it in any way?
Fergus it is hard to tell what the little white flakes are. If you had a microscope to analyze them you could certainly find out more, but the stuff appears to be some sort of organic substance, like flakes of dried skin, or possible spores or pollen, but it isn't quite like anything that you are familiar with.