Completely flummoxed as to where the carts and animals may have gone, Rolf proposes the possibility of a drain in the pool, such that when the plug is pulled, the way onward reveals itself.  While what strikes him most is the oddity of the situation, Rolf thinks this possible explanation is worth exploring, and asks for any volunteers to explore the depths of the pool.

Within a few moments, Sajaa has removed her outer-garments and placed them near the edge of the pool, where at least there is a bit of dry stone.  The woman steels herself, tightening her weapon belt around her waist, and walks a few short steps from the edge of the pool as she quickly submerges to her hips, then to her chest.  Though the water of the creek had seemed cool as they had tromped upstream, the water here seems warm and comfortable.  She is surprised by the steep slope of the pool, and has to turn her feet towards the side to keep her balance even as much of her body is submerged.

Sajaa takes a few forceful breaths, then plunges her head under the surface of the water...

The underwater view in the pool is beyond an eerie experience.  Though the light of Gustav's and Lisa's weapons breaks through the surface to shine below, the sediment in the water is thick, which causes the light to flow in beams of gold intermingled with dancing shadow.

At first, Sajaa does not stray too far from the surface, trying to catch her bearings in the pool, especially with the reduced visibility.  However, she quickly finds it impossible to see anything near the bottom, let alone a drain or plug or whatever without submerging herself farther.  Propelling herself down with a forceful pull, Sajaa finally manages to discern something a little closer to the bottom, really just a larger area with a darker shade than the water around.

Musing at how deep this pool goes (for she has to be at least her own height under the water by now?) Sajaa kicks herself gently towards the bottom, hoping to give herself just a bit better view before coming up for air.

Slowly, the shape comes more into focus...  A zombie!  or perhaps just a body, for the thing doesn't seem to be moving.

Sajaa shifts herself, projecting her arms around with a wide clapping motion to propel her back up to the surface...  But something is wrong, just as her arm has swung out in front of her it has struck something solid... something invisible in this opaque pool.  Involuntarily, Sajaa's muscles seize up in pain!, her left arm burns like fire where it touched the thing but still, she can't even see what has hit her apart from the skeletal remains which glare at her limply from more than a yard away!

OOC:  Sajaa has taken a light, burning injury to the left arm.  Roll vs. HT labeled 'Paralysis'.  Failure will cause momentarily paralysis (which would be very bad right now.  Feel free to use a hero point to reroll if needed).  If you succeed, you are only suffering from a -2 shock penalty.  Also please make another HT roll labeled 'Breath'.

At the moment, you've only been underwater about 12 seconds and you are not yet concerned about losing fatigue to holding your breath.



Sajaa's story continues here from Chapter 30, Return to the Caves of Chaos

Sajaa glides through the tepid water, kicking her way toward the pool’s floor. When she spots the dark object hovering down near the bottom, she redirects her path toward it, for a closer look…

But just as she draws near enough to identify it through a haze of silt, her lead arm extended for another stroke,  bumps sharply against some … unseen obstacle standing between her and the dark object…

Instantly, a sharp, burning sensation shoots up her arm, seizing the muscles!  But before she can even think about this … she is now near enough to make out the dark shape …

It is a human body!  It is more skeleton than cadaver, clad in tatters of rotten fabric…

Sajaa releases a mouthful of bubbles in a silent, startled cry – one of both pain and fear…  Instantly she kicks backward, away from the corpse and whatever invisible field of force that stands before it.  As she backpedals crazily, her right hand reaches down to seize the ivory handle of her saber…

OOC: Ooh thrilling scene! :) I 'think' I understand what's going on.. Is there some kind of force field or something keeping her from advancing to the corpse? And you described the corpse as limp, so perhaps it isn't animated?  Was the burning pain from the corpse or from that invisible force? Okay, so unless there’s some unknown modifiers, I think Sajaa succeeded her Fright Check, HT roll vs Paralysis and her “Breath Roll.”  Sajaa has High Pain Threshold, if that helps at all, too.  Sajaa’s intended actions are to retreat from the corpse/unseen barrier; draw her saber; and try to better make out what the heck’s going on. Can she see anything about this invisible barrier?  Did I read it right?  If she is attacked, she will attempt All Out retreat aggressive sword parry, but her sword will push at her adversary, to keep it back rather than slash through the water.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Fri 26 Aug 2022.

Sajaa sprouts a font of bubbles as she cries out in pain and surprise, though he body never stops moving to get some space between her and the reanimated corpse.

Or is it reanimated?  Confusion reigns in Sajaa's mind, for the body does not move at any joint, it simply floats towards her and stares at her through empty eye sockets, its mouth agape in an unending scream.

Sajaa kicks hard away from the body, though again her foot meets with something more solid than the water around.  Her foot penetrates to the ankle as if she were stepping in deep mud, and she feels her toes surrounded by a thick fluid that burns like stepping into a hot campfire!

She flails!  Her foot retreating from the substance with an audible pop! though the sound is dulled and deepened by the water that surrounds her.

Sajaa kicks again, and this time she sees the skeletal creature receding.  She jerks her saber from its scabbard, holding it in front of her like an aegis as she kicks back again to retreat farther from the abomination!

As she glides upwards and back, Sajaa's head breaks the surface of the water, and she feels underneath her the shelf of the bottom, just shallow enough now for her to stand.

Sajaa returns to Chapter 30: Return to the Caves of Chaos

OOC:  Hopefully the description does a better job this time around of answering your questions.  Solid was probably a little off to describe the 'force field' last post, for it is soft and moldable, though it has a clearly distinct feel from the water elsewhere.  You can't tell any visible difference between the forcefield and the water, though the cloudy water probably is a component of that.

The body seems just a body now that you've had a few moments to look, for it doesn't move independently, though it does seem to be floating in your direction.

Yup, you made all your rolls, with some to spare on the fright check with the +2 modifier from your combat reflexes.  Thanks for the reminder on your HPT, you can ignore the previous comments on the shock penalty.

You've taken a moderate burning injury to your right foot, though for the moment it seems like you've at least disengaged.  You have your saber drawn and held in front of you so that it is the first part that touches the forcefield if it gets close to you again.

I'll let you respond in the main thread, as you can now talk/breathe/and interact somewhat normally with the group.