Malik and Shakur step forward from either side of the door, whence they had retreated after opening it.  Shakur laughs with delight, claps hands together for joy, and Malik observes, "Oh, you are a good choice!  You play such wonderful games!"

"Try standing closer to the people we fight in future," suggests Silverglade. "You'll get a better view there."

Elboc attempts to retrieve his arrows, which have yet to hit anything.  Then he takes a closer look at those shelves.

Recognizing a good idea when he saw one, the old dwarf scrounged around for his bolts.

"Do you know where there are any others that would like to play our games?" Albricht asked the masked fools.

Vsaati scrambled forth and helped Roak collect any valuables or items of interest from the ogres, before casting about to recover as many of her sling stones as she could find.  If there were still shelves to search after that, the burglar would aid Elboc in that bit of investigation.

Sherborne rubs his brown covering his eyes at the apparent glee from the new comers but then gathers himself near the door and keeps watch.

Malik and Shakur laugh at Silverglade's obvious joke.

Vsaati is able to recover her sling bullets.

<Elboc and Albricht:  you can do this on the honor system, but you have a 50/50 chance of recovering any arrow or bolt that didn't strike an enemy.  Those that did strike an enemy are expended.  This is supposed to be the rule for sling bullets as well, but I completely fail to believe that a stone or metal projectile would be damaged in any significant way from usage, short of occasional breakage of stone (maybe).>

Albricht sighed, finding one of his bolts sticking deep into one of the ogres, broken off from the weight of the foul monster. After a few moments of searching, he found the other stuck in between the shelf and the wall. He retrieved his crossbow and re-cocked it, using the found bolt as ammo.

"I'm down to a hand," he said, holding up five fingers. "Tell us friends, we heard from some tall women that there's an underground city down here somewhere... you wouldn't happen to know the way there would you?"


<Aye DM, I've been trying to keep track as best as possible. It's been a long-running game and I might have missed a few, but I'm close with 5/30 remaining...>

"Oh, you want to go to Cynidicea?" asks Shakur.

"We know the way," follows Malik, in a knowing way.

"Please do tell us," says Silverglade. "What do you know about Cynidicea?

Albricht scowled at the sound of the name. It was as if they had a mouthful of salamanders or something similarly slimy. "Cindy-dice-ya? Erm... Yeah, tell us about... whatever that is."

OOC: I wrote on my sheet that five of my arrows have been expended so far.  Does that sound reasonable?

"The city below?" asks Malik.  "It's pretty boring, really.  You wouldn't want to go there.  There are much more interesting things up here."

Roak finds 1400 GP, a red gold ring, and a rolled up piece of parchment in the ogre's sacks.

<That will be fine, Elboc.>
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:32, Thu 15 Mar 2018.

Albricht cast a glance around at the others. "Is there water?" It was his first and obvious question.

"We need to resupply so that we can... erm... have more fun... Tell us, are there traders in Cindydiceya?"

“Could that be a scroll?  Mind if your favorite elvish hero has a look?”

In response to Albricht's question, Roak notices what is probably a large, grubby waterskin on one of the ogres.  He also recalls the pair of fountains in the room where the group first met Russell and Vixie, which should be just around the corner and down the hall.

As Roak began to wrestle with the huge waterskin, Albricht clarified his question... to their new companions.

"Be there any water in Cindydiceya? Like huge lakes and such?"

Roak very happily shares his find with the party.



Roak shrugs and hands the parchment to the dark elf. "You're the expert--you tell me!"

He laughs as he sees Albricht struggling with the waterskin. "Kids, my personal opinion is that we need to get enough food and water to head back UP and OUT of this wacky place. I don't necessarily want to spend the rest of my life digging to the bottom of this place."

Voran crosses his arms. "While I sympathize to a degree, Roak, this place represents a rare opportunity for adventure. We are in an excellent position as well to walk away with considerable treasures as well. We should explore further, I think."

Shakur seems a bit startled, and tells Albricht, "Of course there's a huge lake there."

Silverglade examines the ring. "Perhaps one of new friends would like to wear this as a reward for their bravery?" he suggests.

The sun-baked old water finder danced the desert dwarf equivalent of a jig. "HA!" He pointed a bony finger at Elboc, Silverglade, and the others. "I toooooold you there were lakes beneath the ground! It is said, has been said, and soon will be seen! Water is down, ever down..." He shuffled as his dance came to an end. Having lived so long in the inhospitable desert, his addled sanity had been questioned frequently. But he believed in the gift, had proven it time and time again, and hoped to be soon vindicated in both his abilities and adherence to myth.

"Downward! Water is downward! It is not to be questioned!"

Elboc examines the outside of the parchment before daring to open it up to read it.  Is there any sign of danger?  Does it seem to be magical?

Malik reaches to take the ring from Silverglade, examines it for a moment, then slips it on a finger.

Elboc is unable to differentiate this parchment from any other, magical or otherwise.

Silverglade keeps a close eye on Malik for any good or bad reactions to the ring. He makes a mental note to take the ring once Malik dies.