DAI pulls out one of those special tents he bought off some Halflings, feeling a little drained from a mix of frustration and poor spell use, so he was definitely ready for a double dose of magical aide from the tent and one of SILI's songs.

Zeig didn't feel too exhausted, but he would gladly welcome the comforts and rejuvenation that came with a tent.

He'll give a last once over on everyone to see if there were any ill effects left over from the zombie goo.
04:58, Today: ZEIG rolled 18 using 1d20+13. heal check - Divine Inspiration.
If multiple checks are needed then I have a +6 for the rest. 1st check goes to Jaga who has to walk through the sludge more often and got hit with the goo.

ZEIG is confident the festered puss and bile from the zombies hasn't produced any long-term effects on Garus and JAGA. Nobody else was exposed to any of it directly.

After checking Milo to make sure he was all right, Sili soothes the party with his Ballad and Paeon.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Perform (Vocal): 13, +10 = 23 total

Ballad (Base DC 20): A 4th level character sleeping in a dungeon for the night gains 4 mana points instead of the normal zero. The same character resting in a tent receives 12 mana poinst instead of the normal 8.

Paeon (Base DC 10): A 4th level character sleeping in a dungeon for the night gains 8 hit points instead of the normal 4 hit points. The same character resting in a tent receives 12 hit points instead of the normal 8 hit points.
DC 20: As above, and 5 temporary hit points are granted that persist for 24 hours.

7 HP/MP more than what we normally get and 5 THP.

---

The night's rest is moist and sadly, a bit smelly. Though helpful for a short time, it seems that no matter how much DAI or ZEIG hits everyone with Prestidigitation to freshen them up, the funk of the swamp, the stank of the residue left from the bloated zombie's fluid, and the inability to completely dry out anything are combining to take their toll on the general quality of the aroma of close company.

The morning sun's light is dimmed and scattered behind the thick blanket of clouds above you. Visibility is better than yesterday, but about a quarter of that on a normal, clear day. The group's prediction of a steady drizzle for the entire day turns out to be true. The signs of tomorrow's powerful and inclement weather only strengthen.

MILO's continuing battle against foot-rot is reinforced by ZEIG, who spent a lot of the night drying out and tending to the dog's paws. Though not happy about another day in the swamp, he suffers no debilitating effects.

SILI, you have been doing the initiative Recitative the previous days, so I'll assume you do the same today as well.

SILI gives his now customary rousing speech in the morning, keeping everyone a little sharper than they might normally be in prolonged stinky and soaked conditions.
04:39, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 15 using 1d20+13. Recitative.
+1 to initiative rolls this day.

DAI starts the trip by summoning the day's chocobos.

Checking the map every hour or so, the party advances toward the first point Vestus had described--one of the two secondary entrances.

MILO is the first to give some kind of indication that the party might be getting close to something. He stops and looks down into the water which is only a bit over a foot deep. SILI, noticing this, looks down as well. An old patchwork of stones replaces the mud and muck that had laid under the water for the past week.

Exploring the area a bit more, and poking a trident or quarterstaff downward as a probe, the group quickly finds that it is an old road that has fallen into inundated disrepair.

04:59, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 22 using 1d20+3. Knowledge (archi/engi).

SILI, vehemently bored at an Elfheim house party the prior season, happened to read a book on foreign civil engineering someone had left on a table in the lounge. It featured a section on drow roads built in the southwestern swamps as an example of public works in adverse environments. He points out some very shallow remains of dykes that probably kept this road dry in times passed. He guesses that without the yearly upkeep required to keep such a structure in shape, it won't be another twenty or thirty years before there's no sign of the road under the silt as it sinks into the swamp.

Every eighth mile while walking down the road, it raises up to an artificial island of sorts--a design to make sure that if one section of the road floods, the next will not. The road continues eastward to the main entrance which lies days away. The party begrudgingly leaves the first sign of civilization, though abandoned, they've seen in weeks and heads south toward the secondary entrance that apparently, and hopefully, should still remain.

At 4:45pm, as the sun begins to approach the horizon and its light begins to falter in its angled combat against the clouds overhead, the chocobos step up onto a platform only eight or nine inches under the water. The stone bricks are different than that of the road hours before. They are very loosely-fit, as if actually ancient. ZEIG is the first to spot three stone pillars at the edge of what would be obvious vision in clear conditions. They are six feet all, and would form the points on a triangle with even 40' edges. As the party approaches the pillars the stonework under them fits closer and closer together until it looks to be in fairly decent shape inside of the triangle.

Moving closer reveals a wide hole completely filled with water in the middle of the triangle. It runs deeper than anyone's staff at a first test. Exploring the edge of the stone bricks under the water reveals it to be a platform about 130' by 130'. It may have been larger in the past, before the swamp began to swallow it starting with the outside. No features are found except the hole and three stone pillars. The pillars do not have any symbols marked upon them, though they are quite worn. Such things, if not etched deeply, may have been worn off decades ago by the unceasing rain of the swamp.

The water here is about 8 inches deep. Knowing exactly what to look for, you can easily see the stone bricks that lie directly beneath it. The point where the hole begins is absolutely clear, though it would not be so in dim illumination.

Visibility down the flooded hole only extends a couple of feet at most. The edges of the hole or pit are also made of stone bricks. The craftsmanship is quite good, though the masonry is obviously very, very old. There are no gaps or bricks missing at the side of the hole or the pillars sticking up from the platform, though the exceedingly small ledges of bricks that have worn or moved slightly with age are enough to grip with the ends of your fingertips if supported by the buoyancy of the water while underwater. The hole is a perfect circle, 25' wide.

You have good visibility out to about a hundred feet (double that for people with low-light vision), though this is quickly changing as it will be dark within 30 minutes.

Now that the chocobos have stopped their choir or splashing, the sound of a low rumbling to the south hints at the tempest moving inward from the sea.

It is the end of the adventuring day. Overland travel of another hour (or more) would start to test the endurance of the party and require another round of chocobos.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:10, Thu 13 Sept 2012.

11:35, Today: ZEIG rolled 28 using 1d20+17. know (history) - DI.
Zeig takes a look around, trying to remember if he had encountered anything like this that people used prominently in the past.

"If there isn't some trick to this then there's not much point in going in this way. I'm not up for swimming an unknown distance before there's air into a creepy old tunnel. Sili, any elven tricks you know of?"
Tomb Raider, anyone?

This is assuming that we have already searched the pillars. You seemed to indicate that as we found no writing on them. If not then we'd probably each take 20, I know I would. Since there is so little time left each person could take a pillar and the two left over could just search around in general.

I included all the common sense stuff you'd do first upon arriving. It's easy to assume that you would check the pillars nearly first thing, and you found nothing. From a meta standpoint, of course you'd take a 20, so I just went ahead and told you that you'd find nothing, as per described above.

This hole obviously goes down... probably a long ways. ZEIG remembers all sorts of tales about the grand dwarven entrances to their caverns and cities, and tales of similar, if not a little less welcoming, structures leading down to the drow caverns. This is not one of those entrances.

This was described as a secondary entrance, which were meant as means of travel for secondary purposes, such as a short cut for individuals, escape, and other such things.

11:29, Today: teslas, on behalf of DAI, rolled 17 using 1d20+8. Know (history) assist.
Total: 30

This is a very obscure thing, but a check of 30 is a fairly strong result.

There is a nagging feeling that ZEIG can't quite express that the holes like this used by the drow were safe to simply jump into. He doesn't remember anything about them being submerged, though. DAI confirms, suggesting he thinks he might remember a similar story, something like a Float effect to keep you from plummeting to your doom... but this is filled with water... and very old and unused.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Thu 13 Sept 2012.

"Hmm...it doesn't look like we're getting in this way, especially with that storm rolling in. I don't have any ideas for getting a bunch of water out of the tunnel, do you? There's no way of knowing how far the flooding might go."

Zeig sighs heavily.
"I hate this place so much. So any ideas on how to prepare for hurricane Ike? Looks like we're gonna be above ground for it."

We could potentially use these pillars to set up some kind of shelter. 130' by 130' is a massive area though and we don't have the supplies to cover anything that large. We have enough canvas to stretch between two pillars but a wall of canvas isn't going to do anything. I'd suggest throwing the canvas over a pillar and then securing it with stakes if the bricks are loose enough and there is dirt under them. I doubt that is the case though or the pillars would have toppled long ago.

Also, Zeig probably wouldn't know how to do any of this. Any other ideas?

If someone has stakes, you could easily pound them into the gaps you'll create between the stone bricks. You could even probably pry up some of the bricks, defacing the ancient ruins, and use those to anchor the canvas.

How much of a shelter this might be would be up to those with Survival.

Let's see if anyone else has any ideas.

DAI shrugs and helps with setting up shelter as best he could, though he does speak up while doing so. "I have a spell that lets you swim around and breath water for a while, it's not one I can share normally but a few potions could let us all go..." He looks around and seems a little turned off by the idea, that entails roughly six days to craft the potions if MILO and GURLOP were going to be coming at all...then the visual of a Hawk swimming invaded his mind.

After examining the hole a bit, Sili shakes his head and says "Forget about the hole for today. We need to set up camp somewhere. We're a foot deep into water here, so we need to find somewhere else or get rid of the water. I don't suppose either of you have a spell for that? I'm NOT drowning in foot deep water because I turn over when I sleep."

"After we set up camp it might be worth a try. Even one potion so someone could scout ahead and see if it is possible to navigate in the morning."

"Whatever, as long as I'm not the scout."

19:08, Today: JAGA rolled 15 using 1d20+7. Survival to set up camp.

Jaga helped set up camp listen to the other discuss what to do.

"I can swim," Jaga offered, "But I'm not keen on exploring on a breath of air."

The party warily mulls about the platform and the hole for the last minutes of daylight before deciding it's best to stay here for the duration of the storm.

The sun, as it sets on the horizon, does not penetrate the elongated layer of clouds causing the constant drizzle. A light is made that can be set down if need be.
Will assume someone casts Light. DAI it is.
16:28, Today: teslas rolled 1 using 1d2. 1 = DAI, 2 = ZEIG.

19:08, Today: JAGA rolled 15 using 1d20+7. Survival to set up camp.
16:35, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Survival.
16:34, Today: teslas rolled 11 using 1d20+7. Garus Survival.
TOTAL: 19
15 is enough to do some common sense stuff for experienced outdoor travelers, but it's not the really creative solutions you might get with a 20 or higher. A 19 is enough to give all of you (but not MILO) a +4 to any Fortitude save that might be requried as a result of the storm.
16:39, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 19 using 1d20+4. MILO Survival.
But MILO is a hoss and still gets his +4. Get 'em MILO, good boy.

The group begins to pull up bricks from the old platform as a way to anchor their canvas. Garus, JAGA, and SILI are sure that the storm is bound to bring with it strong winds, torrential rain, and at least a foot of storm surge water. With that in mind, SILI's canvas is doubled up and thrown over the top of one of the three stone pillars--which have surely survived dozens of these types of storms or more over their years in the swamp. Three of the four sides are anchored very thoroughly with stone bricks all along, several deep. The fourth side is left unanchored with the plan of having Garus simply sit on it to keep it closed. This will allow water to flow in and out more easily, lessening the risk of any waves or changing air pressure to outright pull the entire canvas up and away.

There's nothing to be done about sitting in the water all night long, and rest surely won't come easily to anyone. The good news: foot-rot tends to only caught by immersing the skin into the swamp's mud. The bricks here should provide reasonable separation.
DC reduced to where you'd need to roll a nat 1.
16:46, Today: teslas, on behalf of ZEIG, rolled 11 using 1d20+5. Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?
16:46, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 22 using 1d20+4. Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?
16:46, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 18 using 1d20+6. MILO, Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?
16:46, Today: teslas, on behalf of JAGA, rolled 11 using 1d20+8. Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?
Gurlop sits on Garus's shoulder, no save required
16:45, Today: teslas, on behalf of Garus, rolled 28 using 1d20+10. Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?
16:45, Today: teslas, on behalf of DAI, rolled 11 using 1d20+5. Nat 1 vs. Foot Rot?

The rain begins at about 11pm. The wind dies down to nearly a standstill and the drops, which sound to be the size of small birds, collide with a forceful thud only every five to six seconds.

At 11:45, the frequency of the drops increases to one every one or two seconds, and by midnight gusts of wind start blowing hundreds against the canvas in what may as well be airborne waves.

By 2:00am, the rain and wind are whipping the canvas in and out several, several inches, even though it was anchored very tautly to the ground with a few hundred pounds of stone and half-giant. Sleeping with a back against the canvas is made completely impossible, leaving everyone with only the option of sitting upright or leaning against one another. The water level slowly rises from less than a foot to 18 inches. The water is not comfortably warm, though it's not cold enough to risk the party suffering hypothermia due to the canvas blocking circulation of new water and there being six medium bodies warming it slightly. It is, however, uncomfortable.

Fortitude save to get restful sleep:

Base DC of 5 to sleep through a storm of this magnitude.
+4 due to the wickedly violent whipping sound of the canvas
+4 due to sleeping in water halfway up to nipples, requiring you to sit up, not to mention not being used to such a situation
+4 due to the water being uncomfortably chilled
+2 to not having any kind of suitable sleeping surface or anything to lean on except the cold, hard stone pillar or one another (laying down more to use your bedroll or something else as a pillow would increase the surface of your body exposed to the water, which wouldn't do you any good)
Total: 19

ZEIG and Garus's rings of sustenance will give them a +2 Circumstance bonus to this check, since they only need two hours of sleep.

Everyone, due to Survival checks, gets +4 to their save.


DAI falls asleep fairly well, only waking briefly the few times he does when ZEIG or JAGA shove him a little while trying to get comfortable. Garus has slept in mountain storms a little worse than this, with it much colder. He dreams of pleasant things all night long. SILI falls asleep and inadvertently uses MILO as a source of warmth and partly as a pillow. This works out very well for SILI considering the situation, but not so much for MILO, who doesn't have the heart to wake his tired master on his own behalf.

17:18, Today: teslas, on behalf of ZEIG, rolled 18 using 1d20+11.
17:18, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 25 using 1d20+8.
17:18, Today: teslas, on behalf of SILI, rolled 12 using 1d20+10. MILO.
17:18, Today: teslas, on behalf of JAGA, rolled 17 using 1d20+12.
17:17, Today: teslas, on behalf of Garus, rolled 7 using 1d20+4. Gurlop, same, but DC 9.
17:17, Today: teslas, on behalf of Garus, rolled 29 using 1d20+16.
17:16, Today: teslas, on behalf of DAI, rolled 23 using 1d20+9. Fortitude to sleep well, DC 19.

ZEIG, MILO, JAGA, and Gurlop are now suffering from sleep deprivation.

They gain no benefit from resting (and therefore cannot gain the bonuses of Recitative the next day) and are considered Fatigued until they can fully rest (or are magically cured of it).

If you failed your save, you can try to rest again today but the DC increases by two due to failing the first one, and two more due to the water level rising even more, to a total of 23.

By the time watches end, the storm outside has lessened only slightly from when it began. It is due to last the entire day, and the water level is sure to only rise little by little until it tops out at about two feet. Everyone is thankful they managed to find this platform, else they'd be a good bit deeper under the surface.

Outside (and inside if you don't make some source of light) it is as dark as night, and the rain is so thick you almost need to cover your nose and mouth to breath.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:45, Sat 15 Sept 2012.

DAI isn't really happy with how the night had  gone- he was fine but it seemed like the animals, JAGA, and ZEIG had slept terribly, if at all. He sighs a bit looking over the area, and makes a decision. "Alright, we can't afford to waste any more time here so I guess I'm gonna see if this place is worth checking out..." DAI walks over to the mouth of the opening, preparing to cast Illuminate on a Gil(or something small he could move to his mouth if Light suddenly becomes bad for me) and Water Armor on himself prior to diving in.

OOC: Sort of pausing in case enough people decide to just move on, otherwise guess I'm going in.

18:30, Today: DAI rolled 16 using 1d20. conserve MP Water Armor, 6-8.
So if this does happen, MP 43/68

Zeig responds a bit groggily, handing Dai his staff.
"Take this with you. It will light the way where normal light may fail you."

+1/+1 Staff of the Deep

Amongst other things:

When held underwater, the staff automatically emits a bright light, illuminating everything clearly within 30' of itself in nearly any condition of water. Shadowy illumination is shed out from 60 to 600 feet, depending on the water's clarity. This light never pierces the water's surface, and anyone looking down from above the surface is unable to perceive the light or its effects.

"And put on one of these rings. I'll put one on too."
Boarding Ring, lets us know each other's status and HP totals.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Sun 16 Sept 2012.

The party eats their breakfasts and take turns glancing at the canvas whipping back and forth furiously.

Remember, "Gil" is just the colloquial term for a gold piece in Cornelia and its surrounding towns and provinces. You probably want to lose copper pieces before gold pieces.

DAI shakes his head at the staff, leery that it might attract the wrong kind of attention if the hole opens up as or is as deep as he fears. He casts Illuminate on a copper coin, puts on the ring ZEIG has handed him, steps out of the canvas with the others following him.

There is so much water falling from the sky that breathing is made difficult. Indeed, a fish would probably be alright if held aloft, apart from being relentlessly bombarded by water droplets. The water running ZEIG's staff sparkles slightly as if a distant light source is being refracted, a first anyone has ever noticed, with all of the water running down it. It doesn't seem to be able to tell whether it's above water or below, apparently.

The water in the hole is slightly murkier than the day before, though it's still fairly clear as compared to straight swamp water.

25' of clear vision.
50' more of cloudy vision.
Distance modifiers on spot checks doubled (low-light vision negates this).

DAI casts Water Sheath, having to concentrate more than he thought he was prepared to in this weather.
Swim speed of 15' (10' with a medium or heavy load)
Breathe Water.
Immune to non-magical flames.

With one last nod, he hops on into the hole.

DAI immediately notices the water is well over 50' deep without any change in the sides of the hole, which he bobs up to report as soon as he's in.

The water is cold enough to where after being immersed for an hour, hypothermia is a real risk, though he should be fine until that point.

After one more wave goodbye, DAI dives in deeper.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:23, Sun 16 Sept 2012.

PM

Garus watches as Dai dives into the water. The half Giant waits for now. Silently petting his hawk. "Zeig we should probably prepare something to get him warmed up once he returns from the water. Also help me get out of the armor if someone has to go after him im the best choice but the armor will be in the way of that."

Three minutes pass.

Garus is helped out of his armor.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:48, Sun 16 Sept 2012.

DAI surfaces after about a total of four and a half minutes with a glowing hat, then he squeezes some of the excess water out of his robes. "Well...it took me about 3 minutes to swim to the bottom of the water, and at the end of it all there's some room that's magically warded so that the water stays out."

GM Edit-
Editing time for sake of consistency as per DAI's OOC post.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:20, Mon 17 Sept 2012.