Derry leads the disparate group to the room his kinfolk had been studying so intently. What had befallen them? He should have gone straight there after he had recovered from the cannibal blood bath. Before entering the chamber, he will attempt to prevent the one-way door from closing with a spike in the right place as a blocker. His dwarf know-how should amount for something.

The party led by Derry and Ermengard headed south and took the turn to the east. Derry and Ermengard reached the next junction and prepared to turn south again as there was a cracking sound behind them as Teodore fell into the pit trap. On the edge Fiene managed not to fall in.

Separated from the rest of the party Derry and Ermengard had no light source with them. The remainder of the party were on the other side of the pit with an injured Teodore at the bottom.

OOC Teodore fell in the pit trap and took 1 point of damage.

Day: 11. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Sunny, dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil and torches
Fiene: 2 Turn - lit
Holden: 2 Turn - lit

Kara thought they knew where they were going, so was taken by surprise by the pit trap. But perhaps it was possible they just never tripped it before- after all, an armored dwarf had just walked across it safely- so it was possible they simply never knew.

When able to act, she rushed to the edge of the pit, ready for spellcasting, in case there was some guardian monster lurking blow to attack Theodore. Seeing none, and seeing his injuries appeared very slight, she relaxed a bit.

As most of her wealth and equipment was now in the hands of the snake cultists, she did not have a rope. "Has anyone got rope?" she asked. "If not, we can perhaps use a pole for him to grab onto and try to pull to safety. Are you all right down there?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:49, Sun 05 Sept 2021.

Having not been paying attention to where they were, Devin was also surprised that the pit had been covered once more.  He looked to see if the spikes they'd driven into the wall to help them across the narrow ledge were still there.

"Easy does it, comrade," Derry calls, as he tosses a length of rope to Teodore and then helps hoist him back up and on to the right side of the pit. At the one-way door, he hands a spike to the fighting man and removes several more and his hammer from his pack.

"Open it up, now, and brace it there while I get to work," he instructs.

Teodore climbs out and opens the door when all are ready, in case there is unpleasantness on the other side.

An inspection of the wall by Devin revealed that the iron spikes had been removed. Holes in the walls remained where the spikes had been driven in.

Derry helped Teodore climb up from the pit.

OOC Teodore, Derry and Ermengard are now all on the opposite side of the pit.

"They spikes are gone," Devin pointed out.  "Someone is definitely checking in on this pit.

"Is someone trying to protect the one way door?"

Seeing as how the trap had allowed a few of them to cross, there must be a few solid boards in the pit they could use in conjunction with the narrow ledge to allow them to cross.  If this seemed feasible, they could lower someone down from the west side to hand them up for use.  Then pull the person up to the east side once the rest were across.

Derry looks back across the modest expanse of the pit to see who had remained on the other side.

Four, maybe, five figures. There was a new one among them, a neurasthenic magic lady. Already he had noted a certain critical cast to her otherwise pleasing features. It was not unusual for people born under a cruel star to have a captious nature. He could also see that the star had bequeathed her more than one gift as well.

He waited on the other side with his rope to help people up.

"It might be funny, if it wasn't the second time at the same pit." Fiene comments, as they plan a way across to the other side. "How did you cross it before?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Mon 06 Sept 2021.

"We could use the rope as a balance and block against falling, using the ledge to cross, with one person anchoring each side. Then the last person would just have to cross carefully."

If they agree to do so, then she will go first to test out the sturdiness of the ledge for the others. Her petite frame might would have an easier go of it.

"Alternately, we could lower people into the pit, walk over, and then climb back up, or be pulled up, if the ledge is not something one wishes to risk."


(ooc)


This is an amazing word! ^_^
This message was last edited by the player at 02:00, Tue 07 Sept 2021.

"Yes, I can help hold the rope on this side to help others balance as they cross. I have my own method of traversing when everyon else has made it."

As he has no rope or pole, Devin cooperates with whomever does have materials that will help them traverse the gap.

The magic-user gives a quick survey, peering at the party's backpacks.

"So...no one brought a rope?"

With a shrug, Derry sets about with rope, hammer, and spikes so others can traverse the pit.

OOC I'm fond of "captious" myself. My wife may even look it up one of these days.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Wed 08 Sept 2021.

As the others cross the pit, Teodore watches ahead for any threats.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 05:04, Thu 09 Sept 2021.

Once Derry had the spikes and rope in place, Kara would cross, staying as close to the wall as possible. Concerned over grip strength, she wrapped some slack about her arm to catch her should she fall, loosening and tightening as she went until clear.


(ooc)
Captious was familiar to me already, but it is another good word. Honestly, it should see much more use, given the way internet discussions and comment boards can become. ^_^;

Whilst Derry the dwarf busied himself with hammering in iron spikes and tying up the rope the others; Devin, Valerian, Fiene, Kara and Holden heard scratching and tapping sounds approaching from the north. Fiene's and Holden's light sources reached only thirty foot and nothing could be seen in that area.

OOC Ok we will now be entering combats rounds. Make your declarations.

Day: 11. Time: 9:50am. Weather: Sunny, dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil and torches
Fiene: 3 Turns - lit
Holden: 3 Turns - lit

While trying to pierce the darkness through sheer willpower, Devin kept his eyes in the direction of the noise as he shifted his shield onto his shield arm.  He then quietly stepped to interpose himself between whatever might come and the others.

Abandoning his work for now, Derry returns to the eastern side of the pit. He stows his tools and arrays himself for battle.

OOC How deep is the pit again?

Kara moved to the rear of the group on this side, both for protection, but also to be out of the way of the warriors moving forward. Once there, she pulled out her dagger, in case there was an opportunity to throw it without hitting the others.

"If they are sentient,  I will try to charm." Fiene says, dropping his pole to keep his hand free.   "Holden, see if that door to the east opens.  There was a skeleton in there, but it didn't seem to move. We may need to make a retreat."

ooc: Kara, there are no warriors on this side :(

a cleric, three MU and a porter...

"Oil may also be enough to keep them back, if they are animal and unfriendly."


(ooc)
Kara considers Devin a warrior (but not a fighter), due the armor and weapons.
But I did completely forget Holden was a porter, not a fighter, so mea culpa! Thank you for the correction! ^_^;
This message was last edited by the player at 09:49, Fri 10 Sept 2021.

In the darkness what approached was unknown. Devin positioned himself as the others hid behind the cleric. Holden ran to the door but the door stubbornly refused to yield.

Derry began climbing out of the other side of the pit. The three warriors were at the edges of the lantern light and darkness surrounded them.

To the north Devin heard the scratching and tip-tapping coming closer to him. Nothing came within the twenty-five feet of lantern light that spread out before him. He would estimate the sound was fifty feet ahead.



Declare your actions.

Derry will have started climbing and if he continues he'll be out of the pit this round.

Kara helped Derry up from the pit as best as she could. She was quite certain that helping him up would do them far more good than her throwing a dagger would, and a tapping scratch did not seem like something to use her spell on. It was best to save that for when the situation was dire, not just worrisome.