Udgruth, the hard-of-hearing dwarven farmer and guide leads you through a small network of tunnels to find two underground streams and the underground river they feed into.

These are the main sources of fresh water for Scardale Town, a town recently plagued with more problems than large cities ever see in a decade!

Among these problems were poisoned wells, and you have set off to find out if the cause of the poisoning is to be found here, at the source of the town's water.

"If the problem is down here, we need to search for it. This is the start but where do we go from here? I wonder how we even know that the water is pure or poison here? Any ideas?

He felt somewhat unprepared suddenly but hoped that Lathandar would show him the way. He looks about and the notion came to him that they would have to follow the stream to find the truth.

"So, which way do we go?"

[ooc: what are the choices?]

"Perhaps Lathander can give us guidance."  Vella suggested.  Closing her eyes, the pretty cleric began softly intoning a short phrase repeatedly.  "Manifestus veneno. Manifestus veneno..."  as she waved her arm slowly in an arc before her, palm flat and facing the waters.

OOC: Not sure where the new DM is, so I will run the region as much as I can until they show up to take it over.

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The first stream is running a bit low and weak and there are several places where the water is a mere two to three inches deep.  Many rocks offering ways across it are apparent.

The water smells fresh and clean and the air inside the tunnel is very crisp and cool.

You hear crickets and a "ch-chik" sound every now and then, probably from some sort of cave-dwelling bird.

Vella's spell reveals the water to be pure at this point.

==============================

Moving a bit around the tunnel, you see some signs that you have not been the only visitor here in recent days.

Small prints, boots that would fit a gnome or a kobold, perhaps, line this side of the stream bed.

They look to be no more than a day old.

Before moving, Vella looked around at her companions.  "Are there any trackers among us?"  She asks, as she looks at the obvious signs.  "Someone should take a look at these before we tramp all over them."

The "ch-chk" sound stops when Vella talks, her voice filling the tunnel.

=======================

OOC: DM Ettercap, your new DM, will be taking over soon.  I'll keep things rolling 'til then.

I have filled him in on the present adventure, so there will be no lag time.

Hidari moved forward in the group.  "I have some skill in tracking," he said matter-of-factly kneeling and examining the fairly fresh tracks.

Dart follows the others just waiting for something to happen, always keeping a hand on one of his weapons. He winces a little at the notion of having to fight lots of kobolds or a couple of skilled gnomes.

You sense nothing more than what is posted about the tracks above.

============================

Deciding to move on, you head forthe next section of tunnel where the stream can be accessed.


As you go (and the going gets slow at times, due to the tunnel constricting in size), you notice several spots where the floor is very damp, and there are some places where almost a full inch of water is on the ground.

You are also aware that there is much life within these tunnels.

The sounds of crickets and other bugs, bat droppings, and even small tracks like those of voles and rats can all be seen and heard.

But in one section of tunnel there is a sign of life -- and death -- that you did not want to have to see.

A koblod has been killed and its insides have been eaten away.  Its eyes and tongue are missing and several large holes in its body show where its organs and blood were drained.

Looking around, you take in the size of the tunnel.  It is about 8 feet wide and at least that high, probably 9 feet high.

Your light reveals a deep shadow over where the kobold's body lies.

You also spot a fishing rod and a leather bag that has three rotting fish in it.  They have also been chewed at, probably by rats.

==================================================

Spot -OR- Listen checks!

Just one or the other.

Post results.

Vella stares at the dead kobold, but the shadow hovering over it interests her more.

He stops in his tracks as he spots the dead kobold. Two things seem obvious. First, there are dangers, such as kobolds, down here. Second, something killed the kobold and that was dangerous too.

"Stay alert. There's danger down here!"

Hidari stared into the darkness and tried to discern what exactly had done this to the kobold.  It was more than a little disconcerting that whatever did this to the kobold didn't care to eat the fish.

As the three of you look up, you realize that the rock overhang would make a great spot for some sort of ambush, as the kobold fisherman fisherman probably found out too late.

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OOC: Just posting to your Spot results.

DM Ettercap will be getting into the game ASAP.

Darton immediatley draws his weapon but is distracted in doing so and sees absolutely nothing.

14:49, Today: Darton Von Dartington rolled 1 using 1d20-4. spot.

Other than a great ambush spot from above, you see nothing out of the ordinary, but the knowledge alone that it is there gives you the unsettled feeling of being watched. Further upstream, under the ledge, the tunnel the spring water flows from restricts again. It does look just big enough for human passage, although any combat inside the tunnel would be impossible.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:02, Tue 28 Feb 2006.

"We should pass that spot one at a time, with the others covering."  Vella suggests.  "Then if something falls on the person passing, we can all concentrate on it - anyone volunteering for lead?"

"I'll do it." Darton sees himself as the one who would be able to take the most damage before going down.

As Darton makes his way forward, he nears the entrance of the tunnel, and sudenly realizes he is walking into fine almost invisible filaments he never saw until it was too late. As soon as he touches the strands, a figure of what looks like a cross between a Spider and a lobster leaps from the crevasse and lands Behind him. And it looks hungry.

Everyone roll initiatives.

EDIT: Had to edit due to size. Creature looks like a very large spider lobster. With a long narrow snout. Its approximitely 7' long.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Wed 01 Mar 2006.

19:07, Today: Darton Von Dartington rolled 26 using 1d20+7. initiative.