Zanben finds that this tunnel connects with many already explored.

"Hey guys, up the stairs we go?"

Imbert nods in response.

Gwen covers Zanben from the base of the stairs and sends Ripley up after him.

The group moves up the tunnel and comes to a t intersection. To the West the tunnel disappears into the darkness with branching portions and the East portion opens up into a cavern.

Imbert looks for tracks indicating a direction.

OoC:  Roll(1d20)+4:  10,+4  Total:14 - Survival for tracks

Imbert sees that relatively fresh tracks lead from both directions.

Zanben sneaks to P19 to get eyes around that corner.  Also keeping his eyes out for any enemies.

[OOC] Stealth 1D20+8=16
Perception 1D20+6=16

A wide rift fills the eastern half of this cavern. A stream pours out of the west wall, then tumbles down into the rift and flows out again to the north. Several ropes are secured to iron stakes along on the western edge of the rift, leading down to the chasm floor.

In the Northern section of the cavern tools lay about and the earth has been dug into. You do not see a point where anything was removed but it does look like the site was abandoned quickly the way things are scattered about.

Gwen joins Zanben in the cavern and flies Ripley from one end to the other. She peers at the climbing gear and tools, trying to gauge their age and purpose.

[OoC]: Ripley's Perception: 19. Gwen's Investigate: 24. Were these brought by the Spider's party, or left from the mining operation? Does the cavern rise again on the other side?

22:39, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Investigation.
22:38, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 19,4 using 1d20+3,1d20+3.  Ripley's Perception.

Gwen peers at climbing gear. It looks new compared to the other stuff in the cavern. She surmises that it is used to climb up and down in the two tiered cavern. The mining equipment scattered about in the northern section looks to be new as well.

Based on spatial reasoning and the evidence at hard, can Gwen infer what they were up to? Trying to connect to another passage?

Zanben walks to N25 to check how deep the western wall of the rift is.  He then makes his way to M23 where he crosses the stream and sneaks his way over to H21 to see what's over there.

[OOC] Stealth 1D20+8=9 nat 1
Perception 1D20+6=11

Gwen deduces they were looking for something. She gets a faint tingle as if something magical is here among the rubble.

Zanben looks down the rift and see the floor 20 feet below. He then makes his way across the stream and sneaks up to where stairs leading up. He sees the floor in the hallway he is looking is finished compared to the rest of the areas he has been in.

Gwen raises a hand which then shimmers briefly, turns ethereal, and detaches from her arm. It drifts across the cavern and digs into the rubble. Ripley keeps watch from a ledge above as the party investigates. Gwen asks the Spectator, "Did you ever see what was happening up here, or who was doing it."

[OoC]: Mage Hand. If more digging is called for, Unseen Servant is an option, but if a cantrip does the job she'll save the slot. I'm assuming this was all the Spider's work... but maybe there have been other delvers around?

Inside your head you hear, "I know not what transpired in this region. I was summoned to guard the Forge of Spells."

Gwen's Mage hand digs for a while and then digs some more. After a while it comes up with a pair of gauntlets that shimmer and gleam as if new.

Zanben turns, "Hey guys, do you want to push up the stairs, or go down and check out the rift first?"

"Let's press on and see if we can catch our target.  We can always come back and search more thoroughly later."

Zanebn comes upon another stair way and the hall leads away and opens into a room at the end. There is also a door in the hall leading North.

Zanben attempts to press further quietly to I11.

[OOC] Stealth 1D20+8= 11

Six cracked marble pillars line the walls of this hall, at the north end of which stands a nine-foot-tall statue of a dwarf seated on a throne, a mighty stone warhammer across his lap. Large emeralds gleam in the statue's eyes.

The dust and debris covering the floor has been swept to one side, and a campsite of sorts now spreads in front of the statue. Half a dozen bedrolls and packs are neatly arranged around a rough-built fire pit. A wooden table stands on the west side of the room between two pillars.

As he is looking about the room he is caught off guard as four giant Spiders drop off the ceiling and Surprise Zanben.

OOC: Give me initiative and actions. Zanben is surprised and unable to take an action.


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:17, Fri 26 Feb 2021.

Jaskier's blood-shot eyes narrow with contempt at the abominable spiders and he scowls "I f**cking hate spiders" and sprints forward (to J12) and skids to a halt loosing a crossbow bolt at the spider just ahead.

Initiative Roll : 1d20+4 = 24
Attack Roll : 1d8+3 = 9

Imbert lines up a shot

OoC; Roll(1d20)+3:  15,+3  Total:18 - Initiative

Action:
Roll(1d20)+8:  1,+8  Total:9 - Crossbow attack

[OOC] Initiative 1D20+7=13

15:28, Today: Gwyndolyn Glyphwyrd rolled 20 using 1d20+7 ((13)).