Kara followed, with Preston taking the rear. The trapdoor was left open in case they needed to flee immediately.

With the curvature of the stairwell and the niter on the steps, Kara took care not to slip, lest she cause them all to go tumbling down, and cautioned the others to watch their step as well.

As Derry reached about fifteen foot down the stairwell he was warned by Kara to look down and saw a step below slick with slime.

OOC Is it just a niter-slicked step from "The Cask of Amontillado" or something worse?

The slime appears harmless besides the fact that it may cause Derry to slip and fall down the stairs.

Mindful of the niter that has accrued on the stonework, Derry continues his descent. Derry, as a dwarf, has always thought that he had been mindful of such matters but, clearly, his mindfulness isn't as manifest as he had thought it to be.

Wary of the slime covered step the party carefully made their way down the steps. The stairwell ran for thirty foot from the trapdoor above. The steps ended in the centre of an octagonal room, thirty foot by thirty foot. Long corridors ended in darkness to the north, east, south and west. The corridors were all ten foot wide and ten foot in height.

Strands of cobwebs swayed lazily in errant dungeon draughts. The faint smell of chemicals was mixed with must and mildew.

OOC

FRONT
Derry
Devin, Preston
Kara
Wyndham
BACK

Day 17. Time: 9:20am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

"This is a lot more than a cellar," Devin said quietly as he held up his torch to see better.

"Pick a direction?" he proposed to the dwarf.

Kara's thoughts about the slime were similarly wary, that it might be some sort of monstrous ooze, and she was going to offer to pass the torch or an oil flask up. But the dwarf assured them it was harmless, so she just took care with footing as they continued. But she started to take more care looking around and up in case this was some trick to lull them into a false sense of security before the real ooze came out.

Reaching the octagonal room, she took stock of the dimensions. Sh was a bit concerned about the cobwebs and had Preston watch them for spiders, just in case.

When Devin spoke of directions, she held up a finger. "If they are all the same, it does not really matter. But let us first see if there is anything we can determine about the room and the directions. We have a lot of ways to try and gather information first, and caution matters."

Turning to Windham and Derry, assuming they have the keenest senses, she said, "Can you hear anything at all down any of the corridors?"

She also went to each of the corridors and sniffed, trying to see if the chemical smell was stronger at any one of them. "If we can tell where the scent is most prominent, that would be my recommendation, since it might indicate a wizard's laboratory, and we did well in that last laboratory with the books."

She also suggested, "Plus, the stairwell is curved. Devin and I can go up a slight bit around a bend, and Derry can use his infravision to see if he can perceive any rooms, doors, status, signs, or other features down the four exits. Because of the bend, we would not have to go too far away if there is trouble."

Finally, having previously mentioned that the tower might still be in use instead of sealed like she had first assumed, she also examined the floor, and asked if anyone was a skilled tracker. Were there any tracks or other record of travel down any of corridors anyone could see? Or was it dust free?

"And we should also give this room a proper search. Not knowing if the tower is occupied or unoccupied, there might be some hidden treasure or feature here as well."


(ooc)
Kara was kind of tagging along on what she saw as Fiene's quest in Stonehell proper, but she is quite invested in the tower, and sees it as much more personal a quest. Consequently, she is clearly giving things a lot more thought as we go! Hopefully her caution is not too overwhelming for anyone! ^_^
This message was last edited by the player at 00:03, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Derry's pretty sure that each direction will lead to trouble, for trouble was their business even if it made reliably short work of them.

Derry follows the new pit boss's instructions to the letter.

"Sounds good to me, boss," say Wyndham as he takes a few steps into the northern corridor before holding still and listening intently. If he hears nothing of interest he'll make his way clockwise to each corridor and give each a listen.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:00, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Whilst the others hid halfway up the stairs the pair of Derry and Wyndham lurked below in the darkness.

Wyndham using what senses he could in the darkness smelt rotting manure to the north, a stronger odour of chemicals to the south and nothing peculiar to the east or west.

Derry his infravision becoming keener as the darkness returned to the dungeon and he could see much further.

To the north he saw a doorway twenty foot to the east, the corridor then carried onward fifty foot before turning east,

To the east and west the corridor carried onward beyond his sight.

To the south he saw openings thirty foot to the east and fifty foot to the west, the corridor carried onwards to the south.

The dungeon was ill kempt with cobwebs strewn about, however the stone flagstones gave little away to whether others have recently travelled this way.

OOC

Day 17. Time: 9:30am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Rejoining the others after the investigation has been completed, she asked in confirmation, "So, nothing east or west, dung to the north, and chemicals to the south?" With that, she then she speculated on a few things.

"No layer of dust on the cobblestones definitely suggests this place is being used regularly, rather than being newly unsealed. So it is probable looting has already occurred here. On the bright side, my sleep spell is effective on bandits and orcs, rather than on golems and undead, so that gives us a potent weapon as we continue."

She frowned, "As for the manure- perhaps a privy, or a small farming area for something that does not need sun, like mushrooms, for the inhabitants to eat? Hmm. Did anyone encounter any valuable or dangerous fungus in Stonehell?"

Continuing, "I would suggest we follow the chemical scent south and hope for another laboratory that has not been looted. The scent is a good sign something of that sort is still present, or at least that there are reagents and supplies we might salvage and sell."

Then, with a shrug, she added, "Fingers crossed that it is not some airborne poison."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Derry would have stomped straight for the privy or mushroom yard or whatever it was that reeked of shit. There were already knee deep in it, so why not make it official?

Instead, he nods to the boss lady and leads the others twenty feet to the south, lets his eyes readjust, and peers down the eastern corridor.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

From the back of the marching order Wyndham stage whispers up to Derry: "Don't forget to keep an eye out for traps 'n flagstone triggers!"

Kara added to that with, "And up as well. Cobwebs do not just form out of nothing. Given all the other bugs we saw in Stonehell, it is a good bet that spiders are about."

"Do you want to go on ahead to get out of the torch light?" Devin asked the dwarf quietly from right behind him.  Right behind him holding a lit torch.

Derry headed south. The turned to the east abruptly ended at a door five foot in. The wooden door was closed. The south the corridor continued onwards into darkness. On the west side twenty foot further along there was an opening to the west.

At the rear Wyndham’s keen senses heard following them and he was sure it was very close, within twenty foot. Looking back everyone agreed that something was there but was unsure what it was. It appeared more like a trick of the light than any obvious change in the dungeon. The glint of the torchlight reflecting off an invisible surface.

OOC

Day 17. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 2 turns
Devins torch 2 turns

To Derry this is one more in a long line of troubling developments which could only mean more trouble. He sighs. Lugubriously, he retrieves his wineskin, approaches the presence, and attempts to splash it with burgundy.

"That, my friend, is a sad waste of fine spirits," says Wyndham, waggling a flask of oil. "If our transparent trespasser isn't interested in a toddy, I recommend something more flaming."

OOC
Wyndham prepares to light a flask of oil to throw at the unseen creature.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Wed 12 Jan 2022.

Kara retreated down the south behind the others to put some distance between herself and the semi-invisible thing. The east would leave her trapped, unless the door was opened, and without knowing what was there, she did not want to open the door in case more trouble was right behind it. Preston with her in case something approached from the south.

She then took out an oil flask as well. "If it still approaches, perhaps we can pour the oil on the floor in front of it and set it alight, rather than risk an errant throw?"

Devin also kept going south with his torch to stay in front of their female companion.  He had no idea what the others were looking at or what they were on about.  There wasn't anything behind them that he could see.

Whatever unknown monster lurked behind them, none of the party had heard any footsteps. Derry dashed toward it and splashed the corridor with wine. Wyndham stood ready with his oil as Kara, Preston and Devin retreated south. As Derry went north, both torches went south and the dwarf was plunged into darkness.

The dwarf heard the wine strike against a soft surface but in the darkness could not see what effect it had if any. Then he felt the impact of something soft and squishy push against him, fortunately for now he was able to keep it at bay with his shield.

OOC I’ve assumed that Kara and Preston are the furthest away as Devin will be moving slower. With their movement south it will plunge Derry into darkness.

The monster missed its attack against Derry. Next round please!

Day 17. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Cloudy and dry. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20’

Light
Kara’s torch 2 turns
Devins torch 2 turns

With Devin inexplicably going south despite everyone clearly focusing on a problem to the north, Kara has Preston move back ahead of her, since Devin could now be the one to worry about anything coming from the south.

She hands Preston the oil flask, with instructions to throw it at the target if the unknown creature was set afire, and she takes out another one herself.


(ooc)
I was not clear enough in my post. Kara is not going that far south and was not continuing to go south. When I said behind the others, that was it, the total distance she was going. She moved just to get to the other side of the group so she is not in the melee range, since that is the last place a mage should be. But she definitely is not abandoning anyone or leaving them in the dark. She is only planning on fleeing if we all do so.

Her comment about pouring the oil out was to Wyndham, so she has to be somewhat close to them. Again, I was not clear on that. My statement about the oil was right after Wyndham had been talking about it, so it was clear in my mind she was talking to him, but looking back it is easy to see how this was not clear either.

So, she was behind Derry and Wyndham (leaving neither in the dark), and had Preston behind her in case things came from the south. (But having Preston move up ahead of her this post).

Devin would actually be the furthest away, since he went south further than she did (he said he was trying to stay ahead of her).

I will try to be more clear!
This message was last edited by the player at 08:55, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

OOC -- Assuming Kara and Devin are still close enough with their light sources

"Derry! Quit playing with that thing so I can light it up!" shouts Wyndham.

With some torchlight from Kara's torch Derry watched as his wine hit an invisible wall and splashed across it. The wine stained wall moved south, trying to engulf the dwarf.

OOC I'll add more info if needed after everyone's declared.