Axel replies not taking his eyes from the room, not even bothering to look towards Tybalt or the offered torch.  "Because I'm not going in there until I know it is safe, and I can't cast my spell holding it anyway.  It's your torch and you're covered in armour so why don't you take it into them.  Even I know shooting arrows into a room full of men is a bad idea."  He holds up his flint and steel.  "Here let me light it for you."

Apologies but by way of explanation AC 10 HP 4. 

Brian pointedly asked Axel, "Can you cover us? What miracles can you perform currently?"

"I would rather have some reason to be grateful to you, and to everyone else. I would expect the same from me, for that is why a few men together are stronger than the same on their own. As for myself," he touched his holy symbol, a pewter seed, "the Lady has blessed me with the ability to remove injury,"

He continued speaking as he prepared a large flail for combat, "and the strength to prevent injury."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:01, Mon 20 Apr 2020.

"Honestly, it doesn't seem so bad. An untidy hole with no care for appearances probably means we've found some dwarves.  If they've built this, it will stand until the end of time, and in all those years, they will never give a thought to adding some statues or a mural."   Zuru looks around dismissively.  "If there spider webs, it probably means no one is here, so it should be safe.  I can go ahead and take a look if you'd like.  Which way looks better?  I'd guess, but if I were a lucky man, I'd have no gambling debts, and would probably be enjoying a warm beer and a cool lass right about now"

He looks vaguely back in the direction they had come from, down at his club, and sighs

Tybalt shouldered his bow, lit the torch and drew his sword, looking obviously less familiar with this weapon that the bow, which was simply an extension of his body.

"Ready?" he asked before putting torch to web then stepping back so as not to ignite anything of import on his person.

The cobwebs take a moment to catch fire, and when they do, the process is slower than you expected.  They burn slowly, and produce a thick, black smoke that forces you outside to avoid choking.  Based on the rate they're going, you estimate that they'll probably take an hour or two to burn away completely.  The question is whether you're willing to wait that long.

Retreating to the Axel's position, Hrothgar claps the man on his back.

"But here you stand inhaling great gouts of air, man. Alive! Confine your bed-wetting past--to the past."

Not beholden to any particular schedule or master, Hrothgar observes the progress of the flames. They would have to have some time to do their work.

Axel almost stumbles with Hrothgar's backslap.  "I don't recall any bedwetting Hrothgar, don't project."

With Tybalt having set flames to the webs and the thick choking smoke causing them to retreat from the room as it billowed out into the switchback Axel had time to address Brian's question.



"With respect, I don't perform miracles, period," he says, "but if I'm not put in harms way when better armed and armoured men are about, then you will have reason enough to thank me when I drop ferocious creatures that might be set on attacking us into slumber in the blink of an eye."



"Men together are only stronger when they act intelligently and play to their strengths, not when the weakest is sent to the front to hold the light because he apparently doesn't have anything better to do than be a beacon and you think he needs to do something to ingratiate himself to you."

Axel didn't make his point with any malice and thinking the conversation was at an end he turns his attention to the situation to hand.

"Possibly it's a couple of hours to the top, our initial destination, or we could wait for the flames to clear the webs with the probability of having to sleep down here for the evening," he says as he glances at the flames still thickly smoking.  "The smoke billowing out will also be funneling into the corridors behind and potentially our sleep may be broken by smoke weakened creatures trying to escape through this chamber.  Shall we vote on whether we stay to investigate the chambers beyond further once the flames are spent knowing we have a further uncertain night down here or carry on up to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the city above?"

Not too surprisingly Axel continues, "I vote for the climb."

Sil'qian laughs at the gnome's jest, "Indeed, Zuru. It is a rare dwarf that looks beyond what is practical."

The elf takes in Axel's verbal sparring with Brian and Hrothgar but adds nothing. He watched the stairs going down and up for any sign of movement.


"I vote we stay. These webs look to have kept out any trespassers for some time. We may discover an entrance to the dungeons that has been long forgotten. Or perhaps a treasure trove."

"No one said anything about you going first Axel. Clearly Silk will go first for he's the legendary visual blessings of his people. Naturally I would follow to help spot tracks and so forth, followed by Hrothgar then yourself, Zuru and Brian bringing up the rear. Just carry the torch unless you can summon holy light to guide our way..." There was an edge in the Walker's voice though he kept his speech level and civil.

"I'm surprised those cobwebs are burning so slowly, but I'm of a mind to finish our ascent and plan for a return upon the morn, we may well spot other points of interest. I do hate leaving this cavern unexplored at our backs, but we're in - from all accounts - a dangerous land... best we establish our base camp and then return."

It pained him to say this, but his experiences as a tracker and scout were hard to put aside.


OOC: Speak up if you disagree with Tybalt's proposed marching order...

Zuru thinks.  “I'd like to follow Silk.  Easier to see"


OOC: he is a rogue with dark vision...

Walker considered for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, that makes more sense. In fact, I'll take up the rear. I'm much more comfortable with my bow, and I can obscure our tracks and watch arrears if need be."

Marching Order (update): Silk, Zuru, Hrothgar, Axel, Brian, Tybalt

Axel grabs the torch a little like a spoilt child, with nothing further to complain about, ........ at the moment.

Brian listens to Alex with a blank expression. After the latter took up the light, Brain noted, "Do not worry. I have your back now. You will provide us great utility when you deem right; I trust you. But for now, this is how you can help."

The webs burned endlessly, and the air got stuffier by the minute. The cleric briefly considered setting camp here, but it seemed irresponsible the very next moment. He listened to the sides provided by Sil'qian and Tybalt. He stared at the webs for a while, then lowered his head to look at the pieces of door strewn inside in the corridor. Inside. He looked up, and spoke louder than before.

"The true question is, who else is here? They broke the door in, but did not bother to deal with the cobwebs. Impatient adventurers, or mindless beasts? Either way, they must be upwards further, since we did not meet them coming from below."

"Both your points are agreeable to me, but with the added risk I perceive, we might be better off holding fort here, to give the unknown entities time enough to move on or to approach. Any conflict that befalls on the steps outside may lead to unfortunate doom."

OOC: I am tentatively okay with the march order.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," Hrothgar offers.

"Four to continue, two to climb, so it looks like we stay," Axel says a little resigned but not otherwise complaining about what he deems a fair vote.

To Brian he replies, "I'd feel better if you had my front Brian since less things trying to kill me are likely to come from the back.  Be prepared to be plunged into darkness if I need to cast the slumber spell quickly.  Even the elves eyesight will take a few moments to recover from that, but so to any enemies I suppose."

"You do not seem to have considered that the break in was not a recent event and the cobwebs came afterwards Brian.  To my mind cobwebs would be a small distraction to something that could shatter rock."

"The only thing the webs indicate to me is that somewhere there are spiders, and they're probably poisonous.  Do you have anything to save me from that?"

As Axel's last question and earlier conversation might indicate, he seems more focused on his own safety than anything else.

Though it does take a good two hours, the smoke and flames eventually die down, allowing you to explore the interior.  The two sides extend both forward and back relative to the entryway, giving the structure a sort of "H" shape.  Some of what was inside is burned away, but it at least appears that the webs didn't cover everything.  You see the rotting remains of bed frames in the right branch, while the left is mostly empty save for a skeleton.  Its shape suggests that it was once a dwarf, an idea supported by the fact that it's wearing chain mail and clutching a warhammer in one bony hand.  A rotting pouch rests beside its waist, and on its feet is a pair of burgundy-colored leather boots with blue-tooled designs.  They look to be in remarkably good condition compared to everything else.

Sil'qian is surprised, as the flames die down, that a large spider or two did not exit the conflagration.

Drawing his longsword, he advances slowly, carefully scanning the ceiling for the spider he expected to see.

HIs eyes widen at the sight of the skeleton, "It appears we may be rewarded! Those boots must be ensorcelled to remain in such fine condition when the wearer is in such poor condition. Ware though, I have heard stories of skeletons that walk like the living."

Stepping carefully toward the skeleton, Sil'qian will attack with his longsword. But he slips on a scrap of web and his swing goes wild!

---

20:14, Today: Sil'qian Nightwind rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  longsword attack.
The curse of the dice roller strikes again!

Luckily, attacking an unmoving target is a simple affair.

Sil smashes the dwarf skull with his longsword.  The skeleton doesn't react to this insult.

Sil'qian eyes dart furtively around the room, embarrassed at his uncontrolled sword swing...even if it did accomplish the task.

He pokes at the rotting pouch with the tip of his sword, still being overly cautious.

Nodding to the elf, Brian added, "Those boots are certainly blessed to be so healthy even in such an environment. My own two boots are more worn than these, thank the stairs." He let out a small chuckle. Still maintaining the line, he leaned to the side to get a better look at the form of the skeleton, and its strange equipment.

"Who could this man be, certainly a warrior and possibly a smith? What lead to his demise in this odd location? And what do we-" His words were cut off by the noise of the skull being smashed to bits. Brian turned slowly and corrected his posture.
"Thank you for your caution, Sil'qian."

"Boots might be cursed, that's why he died." Axel offers as a suggestion.  He looks at the dwarven skeleton, but quickly loses interest.  "He's been dead so long even his kin have probably forgotten about him.  That's encouraging at least.  It's even less likely we will find anything hostile here."

Intentionally or not, Sil's blade tears a hole in the pouch, spilling two objects onto the ground: an oblong green stone, carved with runes, and a vial of light blue powder laced with sparkling motes.

"This may be a good sign.  The first person we met did nothing to harm us.  If this continues, Arden Vul will pose no threat"

Zuru picks up the warhammer, grunting a bit.

"A bit too heavy for my tastes"


His eyes widen a bit when he sees the stone
This message was last edited by the player at 12:18, Wed 22 Apr 2020.

Looking around their current environment and seeing the sun is setting Axel makes a few suggestions.

"It's not going to be smart to attempt those treacherous steps in the fading light, so we better make sure this place is secure before the light disappears for the evening and take stock of what we have so we can begin working as a group rather than just individuals travelling together.

I have plenty of oil and a lamp we can use if we are stationary for a small amount of light.  I don't think there's not enough debris about to make a fire that will last the evening, so perhaps the half humans with the night sight can stand watch into the evening and early morning while we humans can do the hours either side.

We might not have found all the chambers in this complex yet so let's search the walls and floors for secret or concealed doorways to make sure we have no unwelcome surprise in the evening before we settle down for the night.  We can collect whatever burnable debris there is about to see if we have enough fuel to light a fire as we search."

For all his bitching and whining once Axel is safe his focus is on what the group needs to do together to survive.  True to his words he pulls out the lamp and lights it before he begins scanning the walls with his eyes and hands looking for anything secret or concealed.

The half-orc proprietor speculates, "Dehydration--after he found himself webbed in with no means to escape." He adjusts an imaginary pair of spectacles to accentuate his inspector bonafides.

"Let us find out, then, Mr. Axel. I have heard such tales myself but they usually involve an endless dance." With a few purposeful strides, he arrives at the skeleton and tries on the unfortunate soul's footwear.