"The tunnels would certainly be a good place to hide, if anyone were doing such thing." Mayon commented softly, creeping up beside Morg and peering forward into the darkness for any signs of life.


4:14, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Investigation.
14:13, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Perception.
Decided to roll for both, since both could apply. If only one was necessary, I guess just use that one. Also this dice roller does not seem to like me much. :P

Jakrynn kept silent for the moment since the others were keen on talking. He avoided the tunnels for the moment. He didn't mind small confined spaces or anything. He just doubted that anything would be in there if they were storage used by the quarry workers. He wandered around above looking down and then slowly made his way towards the hills, looking around for anything strange and for any tracks.

14:22, Today: Secret Roll: Jakrynn Redgate rolled 20,19 using d20+4,d20+3.  Perception,Investigation.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:23, Thu 03 Nov 2016.

As the group spreads out to explore the quarry, Albaeri watches everyone closely. Occasionally she calls out a word of warning or a "don't touch that, you'll break your face open".

After a few minutes she absently answers Bram's question, still watching everyone as closely as she can. "Stories say it was a legendary group of adventurers, hauling a treasure they stole from a great dragon hundreds of years ago. They knew the dragon would come after them, so they stowed the treasure in Tricklerock Cave and split up, hoping one of them would survive long enough to come back and claim the treasure for themselves."

"But legend has it they were all hunted down one by one and killed. Don't know if it was the dragon who killed 'em all or one of the adventurers themselves, who was too greedy to share with his friends. So the treasure is still there to this day."

She winks at Bram. "Don't go killing yer friends if you're the one what finds it." She turns away, calling to Mayon not to touch the beam holding up the storage tunnel.

---

I posted a little clarification of perception vs. investigation to the rules threads. PHB is a little vague on this, but DMG is better, and there's plenty of discussion online about it =)

Long story short, searching the quarry for suspicious things would require perception checks, not investigation. Investigation would be needed if you found some strange footprints and wanted to know where they went, what they did there, etc.

So those of you who didn't do a Perception roll feel free to do so. As usual I'll reply to private lines in private lines back to you.

Bram - you don't see any evidence of stone-masked figures, only lots of footprints, tools, and rocks.

Mayon - you and Morg see the storage tunnel doesn't go very far into the hillside, and doesn't seem very sturdily held up. It's not surprising some of the other tunnels have collapsed.

Morg - if you like you can make a perception check at advantage, since you're at home in these environs.

Jak - there are plenty of tracks all over the hills and floor of the quarry, though all seem to be from booted feet indistinguishable from the others. You notice Albaeri's boots are somewhat smaller than most of the tracks though, and you can tell she spends a lot of time in the quarry. There are few areas that she hasn't frequented.
This message was last updated by the player at 23:51, Thu 03 Nov 2016.

Asano stays near Jak, as the rest of the group seems to be investigating the tunnels and other nearby areas. He looks around, but really has no idea what he's specifically looking for. "Maybe something'll jump out at me," he mocks himself quietly.

OOC:
Perception-21

Bram taps his chin and hums tunelessly to himself as he wanders about the quarry.  After finding nothing he pauses to ponder for a time, then speaks his deductions aloud, "The quarry itself seems mundane enough as far as work sites go.  Any mysterious intruders would not lair within the Stoneworks itself, lest they be discovered at once by the workers.  Ergo, the stone-masked figures in all probability infiltrated from outside the quarry."  He looks up to the rim of the surrounding hill from which the quarry was delved and follows the ridgeline with his eyes, then adds, "I reckon that we must expand our search to the surrounding hills.  Perhaps less-trodden areas will hold a trail leading away.  Shall we go together?"  With that the paladin carefully hikes up the slope of the quarry walls to the hilltop and sets to searching beyond the edges of the the commonly trampled areas.

15:31, Today: Bramwell Caulder rolled 12 using 1d20.  Perception.

Mayon shakes his head a bit, stepping back from the opening of the cave. "Well, I definitely wouldn't want to be in there for long. I doubt people would be hiding out in these. Looks like it might collapse like the rest any day now."

He looks up at the sound of Bram's shouting, wincing a bit at the noise, but walks away from the storage cavern to search the hillside and area a bit more thoroughly.

16:44, Today: Secret Roll: Mayon Graycross rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Albaeri continues watching the group, occasionally calling out instructions and warnings.

---

Mayon and Bram find little else from what's already been discovered. Most tracks leading in or out of the quarry come from the path Albaeri led you down to start with. The few tracks that don't start at the path head to or from town without exception.

Asano too finds not much more, though he notices that Albaeri appears impatient. He counts three storage tunnels in use, two that have collapsed, and four cranes.

This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Bram makes his way carefully back down the stony slope, mumbling and seemingly lost in thought as he arrives back in the quarry, "Dark-robed figures... watching from in the shadows, they said... in the shadows?  Hrm."  The paladin taps his finger rapidly upon his leg and nods to himself, seeming to have an idea.  He turns to the forewoman and asks, "Madame Albaeri, might I ask you to lower the hood on your lantern just for a moment?  It's probably nothing, but I'd like to check.  Please bear with me."

Assuming that Mellikho agrees to cover the lantern's light and any other light sources are dimmed, Bramwell seeks out the deepest shadows and peers into them with his dark-attuned half-elven eyes.  After some inspection he moves near the center of the quarry, closes his eyes and focuses on the divine energies surrounding him, if any are to be found.

---

Using Perception to search the shadows for any presences or anything changed from when they were lit:
17:54, Today: Bramwell Caulder rolled 18 using 1d20.  Perception.

Then I'll use Divine Sense to detect divine stuff in a 60 foot radius (full writeup of the ability is on my sheet, DM).

Albaeri rolls her eyes, then blocks part of the lantern with her hand.

---

Bram detects no celestial, fiend, or undead within 60'. Good thought tho!


This message was last updated by the player at 01:11, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Mayon sighs, glancing back over at the others. "I'm beginning to think we're wasting our time." He calls back softly. There didn't seem to be any unusual items, signs of life, or even tracks from an odd location. "I think we'd be better off checking out that cave and letting Miss Mellikho return to her home."

Morg looks for any signs of porous areas where tunneling may have been made near existing voids.

---

10:56, Today: Secret Roll: Morg Danforge rolled 22 using 2d20+3, keeping the highest dice only.  Perception check with advantage looking in the tunnels.
*If this fails to find anything, he'll join the rest when he hears Bram suggest they all search the rim of the quarry and the hills together.

10:59, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 16 using 1d20+3.  Perception looking for masked figures with darkvision with all the lights out.

11:01, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  If we go into the hills and rim of the quarry, perception looking for masked figures.

Morg inspects the existing tunnels, nodding at Mayon's observation that the tunnels are not entirely stable.

As he starts to head towards the collapsed tunnels however, Albaeri suddenly calls out "O-KAY, Master Dwarf, please stay away from the cave-ins. With the earthquake I'm very concerned these will collapse further, and I don't want Constable Harburk and his trusties to have to pull foolish adventurers out of the rubble tonight." She moves towards one of the collapsed tunnels, blocking Morg's path.

---

Morg doesn't see any masked figures.

Not sure about her motives, Morg looks at Mellikho's face and body language as she blocks the collapsed tunnel.

---

Can he figure out if she's hiding something worth making trouble over, or if she really just doesn't want the trouble of a crushed dwarf in her mine?
15:41, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 4 using 1d20+1.  Insight check into Mellikho not wanting anyone entering a collapsed tunnel.

Albaeri meets Morg's gaze levelly.

---

Wow, the dice roller's really not helping you here is it? =)

Of course others can also attempt to make insight checks...

I think insight results may be generally appropriate for private responses, so 5 of you shouldn't see anything below this line.


This message was last updated by the player at 15:39, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Bram watched the interaction between Morg and the forewoman, wondering if her reluctance was really driven by a pure desire for their safety.  Probably so.  He was never great at reading people, anyway.

08:09, Today: Bramwell Caulder rolled 9 using 1d20.  Insight.


This message was last edited by the GM at 15:36, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Having decided that the hillside has nothing, Mayon walks back over towards Morg in time to see Mellihiko's reaction. He cocks his head curiously, studying her. Those caves certainly are unstable, but if she's that worried, couldn't she have mentioned it before we went to explore them?

09:38, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 10 using 1d20+2.  Insight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:51, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Jak gave a shrug to Bram at his urging, as the urchin was already kind of halfway there. "Sure, Bram." He didn't mind humoring the older half-elf, especially since Bram could come up with some amazing things at times!

But...the quarry's owner seemed to keep telling them to avoid things and Jak frowned slightly, glancing back over his shoulder at her. She seemed very keen on watching them look around, which could be totally just business. But maybe not.

OOC: Um. So. Yah. Nat 20.
10:10, Today: Secret Roll: Jakrynn Redgate rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Insight on the evasive woman.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:29, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

"Well, I don't see...." He trails off at the sight of the Morg's stand off with Mistress Mellikho. "Uh, did I miss something?"

Jak tried to look a bit bored still but also looking around. He stepped closer to Bramwell and spoke quietly. "She's hidin' somethin'. Those collapsed tunnels, it ain't danger she's worried about."

Bram leaned in a little to listen to Jak's whisper, making a brief humming noise and a small nod by way of acknowledgement.  The half-elf steps up next to Morg, bows respectfully to the forewoman and says, "Many thanks for your patience, madame Mellikho, and your care for our safety.  My concerns are now satisfied that all is well in your quarry, as you wisely assured us at the outset.  I believe we are ready to be on our way and let you return to your work."  He looked questioningly to the others to see if they had anything else they wished to do before leaving, and if not then he would bid Albaeri good evening and make their way out of the quarry.

Once the party had made their way out of the quarry, he conferred quietly with Jak and the rest of his companions.  "She seemed overly defensive of the collapsed tunnels, didn't she?  Nothing else seemed amiss in the quarry besides that.  Perhaps we ought to confer with the miners as to the former purpose of those tunnels, and what led to their collapse."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Sat 05 Nov 2016.

"Alright everyone, follow your friends there. Everyone out of the quarry, we're closed for the night!"

She cajoles and harries the entire group until everyone is heading back up the path out of the quarry and back to the main road. Then she goes into her house.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:49, Sun 06 Nov 2016.

"Though perhaps those inquiries may have to wait for the morrow," Asano says, indicating the rising moon. "Unless we wish to investigate the tunnels oursleves. Master Morg, any chance of clearing those cave-ins queitly?"

"Not quietly, no." Morg says. "I'd hoped to make a ruckus anyway by splitting some veins of rock to see if that'd lure out the masked figures, but Mellikho clearly won't allow that. Asking the quarrymen about the tunnels seems best."

---

If we're ending day 1, Morg will have some crumblecake before going to sleep.

"She did act differently the second we started checking out the caves." Mayon agrees with a nod. "If it really was the earthquakes that had her so concerned, you would think that she'd mention something about them sooner, not just when we started getting curious."

Mayon'll just go back to the Swinging Sword for the night if we're heading back. I believe I said earlier that he was renting a private room for another night? I can double check if needed.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:19, Sat 05 Nov 2016.

Jak looked a bit disappointed and surprised. "Wait..but...so we think she's hidin' somethin'...I know she wasn't tellin' us the whole truth 'bout the collapsed caves...An' we're jus' gonna leave 'em be an' go t'bed fer the night??" He looked to each of his allies. "What good is goin' back t'morrow gonna do? She'll still be there, not lettin' us go in. We could wait a few hours til she's gone an' then go take a look."

He gave a shrug. "But if you all are dead-set on not doin' that, then alright I guess."