Richard joins in the conversation, "I'm also under the impression they aren't interested in talking.  They also seem to have put themselves in a rather defensible position and rooting them out may prove difficult."  He pauses to consider, "I wonder if that's the only way into the cave...?"

Fost nooded.
"Yes, we should indeed check for another entry option. Let's scout the area."

"Well... I mean, if it's a cave, it would only make sense that their would be some sort of convient escape entrance." Swinging his staff to his left hand, he would get ready to follow them.

OOC: Whomever is performing the search needs to make a Perception (Searching) test vs. a hidden TN.

rolled 10 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 1, 2.  PER.

Brother Loran stepped forward slightly and gave the area a look over to.


18:50, Today: Brother Loran rolled 13 using 3d6+2 (5 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {5}, 1, 5.  PER

Fost moves further along the edge of the plateau's base, searching for another entrance to the clumsily-hidden caves. He stops a few hundred yards away, just in sight of his compatriots - although they're are clearly just small stick figures on the bleak terrain - finding no other entrance to under the escarpment.

Looking away from the plateau, the land slopes down toward the distant shores of Lake Calenhad. The pathway continues to follow the contour of the plateau's base, and still roughly 40 yards away; he notices the heavy footsteps begin to turn away from the path and down the slope, disappearing through a sip in the landscape.

Just beyond, Fost notices hexagonal "dwarven steps" that occasionally dot the landscape; he had heard of similar steps leading to entrances to the Deep Roads along the northern coast of Ferelden. The oddly-shaped footprints leading to something that might indicate a Deep Roads entrance might be near makes the warrior's mind wander to the possibility of them belonging to darkspawn. (At least they're walking toward the rock formation, and not away from them...)

OOC: If you look at the main picture at the top of the page, you get an idea of what the rock formation looks like.

https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Rifts_on_the_Coast
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:22, Sun 14 Mar 2021.

Fost scratched his head at the possibility of a nearby entrance to the Dwarven Realms.
As he mused on the horrors that might use these ways instead he called over Richard... or was just about to, when he realized that shouting might well warn those hiding in the cave. He caught himself just in time. Instead he tried to wave over Richard to draw his attention to draw the rogue's attention to the presumed tracks and asking for his better tracking skills about his fear of deepspawn.
Sighing heavily as Richard had not followed at all he stopped his waving and walked back instead to share his observation.
"Well, I hope you were having a pleasant pause, yes ?"
Only Loran had actually helped in searching for a possible second entry.
"So, I did not find anything, so we're back to where we started. Attack them or try to talk to them."

Richard snapped to attention, irritated that he had been daydreaming while he companions searched for an alternate entrance.  "Let me go take a look." as he wanders off in the hopes of finding something, anything.  A short while later he returns, "I couldn't find anything either.  They might be willing to talk but we can try, even though I have my doubts."

11:02, Today: Richard rolled 10 using 3d6+3 (3 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 1, 3.  perception check.
If a 13 didn't find anything a 10 certainly won't either...

OOC: Of course, the 13 may have succeeded in confirming nothing, and the 10 also succeeded in the same... ;)

Richard confirms the tracks seem to go over to the group of dwarven steps, but finds no other evidence to confirm Fost's fears of nearby darkspawn. He also fails to find any sort of second entrance to the cave; it's not unusual for a cave to have a single entrance.

The group gathers around the overturned cart, where the option of talking to the kidnappers is floated. First, though, they have to release the cart from the rope that holding it against the rock face.

Looking over the cart, Mikhail just points to the ropes. "I take it cutting it isn't an option? Are we trying to go in quietly, or do we care if they notice our presence?"

while the others talked quietly Brother Loran looked over the cart, surely no one would seal themselves into a cave especially if this was the only way out, perhaps they had rigged up a system that allowed the cart to be released like a door so they could come and go when needed.

ooc

18:34, Today: Brother Loran rolled 11 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 2, 4.  PER.

Peering in, Brother Loran sees both lines wrapping around a stone about 2-3 yards back. Clearly, it's a single line, secured to the cart at both ends, and wrapped around the rock to hold it fast. Whomever did this would be able to release the cart rather quickly.

A thought crossed his mind; is the cart's mule in there with them?

Fost grew restless, this was leading nowhere and none of them seemed to want to take the responsibility for whatever action they did take in the end.
He whipped out his large sword, grabbed his shield and approached the ropes.
"Let's see what they are made of.", he warned his friends, waited a bit for them to realize that he would now cut off the rope and thus let down the uncanny door and attack.

Then he slahed apar the ropes and immediately followed inside, shield raised high, intent to attack who ever faced them.

rolled 14 using 3d6+3 (4 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {4}, 3, 4.  DEX (Initiative)


This message was last edited by the player at 10:37, Thu 26 Nov 2020.

just before Fost cut the rope Brother Loran ran a quick calculation through his mind and made sure that the others were out of the way and that Fost was cutting the rope from a position that meant none of them got hit by the cart as it swung open

At Fost's notice, Richard nocked an arrow then drew back his bow, ready to fire.

14:43, Today: Richard rolled 15 using 3d6+3 (3 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 6, 3.  initiative.

Well then, it's time to do this. Grabbing his staff, he waited for Fost's command to head deeper into the cave.

10:34, Today: Mikhail Loren rolled 16 using 3d6+2 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 6, 2.  Initiative.

The group gathers near the cart, ensuring they’re clear of its expected path once the ropes are cut. Fost hacks at the ropes, striking and severely fraying one, and then decides to slice on the taught line. The first one flies apart, each end recoiling in the opposite direction.

Fost cuts the second one, and it comes apart cleanly. The cart falls away from the opening, its momentum tipping it onto its wheels, where it rolls for a yard before coming to rest.

From within the opening, the men hear a whispered expletive echo through. “They found us!” another voice says. “The damned darkspawn found us!”
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Tue 01 Dec 2020.

"Wait, Darkspawn??" Richard questioned nervously, suddenly looking around as if expecting them to suddenly appear out of the ground.  "What do you mean, Darkspawn?"

Fost was just as perplexed as Richard.

"No Darkspawn. Release the boy unharmed right now or you will wish it actually were just Darkspawn!", he shouted menacingly while moving to the side to not present a target to any ranged combattants.

Unintelligible whispers echo through the caves, then the second voice says, "Yeah, about that. We ran into a nest of spiders in here, and only barely got through, so we're stuck where we are. You'll need to take care of them if you want us out."

Fost looked incredulously at Richard, his mouth forming: What?

Richard looks to Fost, then raises his shoulders and hands in the universal gesture of 'I have no idea either...'

Then turning to the cave, he answers, "Spiders then, is it?  We'll see what we can do to get you out of there as quickly as possible."  Then, as if for further confirmation, "Who are you?  And how many of you are trapped in there?"  Some questions can be saved until later.

"There's three of us," the first voice says. After a pause, it adds, "And the boy."

"It bodes well for you that you mentioned that.  Can we hear from the boy that he's all right?" Richard answers, "We are coming in, be ready for us."  Then, almost as remembering an important detail, "I may have purchased a small number of torches before we left, but my archery precluded me from holding one during combat."

OOC: I don't think I've ever encountered Darkspawn before and I'm fairly certain I don't know they're (mostly) incapable of speech.