As the party rested at Fourtower Bridge for a day the weather turned wet and windy. The rain was not heavy but the winds were strong and whistled as they blew between the towers.

The adventurers gathered as others stayed safely warm and dry in their homes.

OOC Garrick and Devin are now recovered. Eglantine is still slightly wounded. Eadwynn and Preston are unhurt. Let us know who is going and who is staying at home.

Day 28. Time: 6:00am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Wyndham offers Gael 60gp to help offset expenses.

Off to the spa and then to try and unlock that door a little to its west.

Wyndham enquires about the cost of a towel.
/ooc  - Does W. have any inkling of what makes the amazing boots so amazing?

The rain did not let up all the way to Modnar’s cellar. Everyone was wet, besides Wyndham’s feet which stayed dry in his new very fine boots. The boots were well made, looked good and kept his feet dry, there didn’t seemed to be anything else a boot should do.

The road and forest were quiet and they reached the toppled wall and moss covered flagstone of Modnar’s cellar without any encounters.

OOC Day 28. Time: 9:00am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Sodden, Derry's relieved to finally reach the entrance to the cellar. Mindful of the slippery steps, he descends into the cellar and heads north with the others towards the quicksilver spa (west of Harry's antechamber).


Marching Order
Aylmer (t) -- Devin/Gael -- Derry/Wyndham (t) -- Bosley (pole)
t = torch
p = pole

Wyndham chortles in anticipation of his trip to the sauna. In the back of his mind, however, he can't ignore the nagging feeling that something will go terribly wrong before he gets there.

Devin was thoroughly soaked through by the time they'd reached the tower ruins.  It was not an auspicious beginning.  With wet boots, he was especially cautious on the slick stairs.

The rusty trapdoor opened to reveal the musty, dank cellar. With wet boots the slippery steps downward were tricky but with caution and taking their time everyone made their way to the cellar safely. The smell of long forgotten chemicals was faint amongst the stink of mildew.

The hallways north and then east were empty besides cobwebs and pools of stagnant water. The door to the north opened. The smell in the room was of urine and rot. Rats nests lined the walls and dropping were scattered around the room.

OOC Day 28. Time: 9:20am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Aylmer: Torch (2 turns)
Wyndham: Torch (2 turns)

<Updated>
Wyndham lights a torch and hands it to Bosley.
"Hey Bos, how about waving this at the rats?"
Wyndham lights two more torches for Derry and Devin.
"Let's see if we can clear out these rats!. Gael? Could you please keep an eye at our back?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:53, Sat 23 July 2022.

Torches lit and brandished, we'll advance into and out of the room, trying to ward off any rats should they emerge from their nests or other hiding places.

The party entered the rats nest and waved their lit torches about. The torchlight reached every corner of the room but no rat was spotted.

OOC Day 28. Time: 9:20am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Aylmer: Torch (2 turns)
Wyndham: Torch (2 turns)
Bosley: Torch (1 turn)
Derry: Torch (1 turn)
Devin: Torch (1 turn)

Ok, let's continue on to the spa. Despite our previous behavior, we're not here to exterminate all of the vermin.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Sun 24 July 2022.

Devin kept a sharp eye out for trouble as they marched.

They crossed the room without sight of a rat and entered the chamber to the west. The room was twenty foot by twenty foot. In the centre of the chamber was a simple stone well. The lip around the well was etched with eldritch runes.

A wooden ladder descended down one side of the well and into a quicksilver like liquid. A shimmering light was give out by the silvery liquid.

Wyndham stripped off his armour, attached himself to a rope and plunged into the well. The liquid was cool to the touch. Just below the surface the ladder ended and Wyndham had to swim into the liquid. He swam down until suddenly he fell out of the bottom of the well. He was in a room ten foot by ten foot. The ceiling rippled with the faintly glowing quicksilver. The rope tied to his waist slowed his fall and he was unharmed. There was a door to the south.

OOC Wyndham – Pick an ability score.

Wyndham makes his way to the southern door and opens it.
ooc - Constitution

In reply to Wyndham (msg # 10):

"Aye, I'll keep watch behind us" Gael will focus his attention behind and occasionally check the rear as they proceed through the dungeon. As Wyndham enters the pool, Gael dutifully guards the entrance to the chamber.

Wyndham stilled tied around the waist went to the south door and opened it. Beyond the door was in darkness. The only light the faint glow from the quicksilver above and behind him.

OOC Wyndham roll 3d6.

In reply to DM (msg # 18):
17:37, Today: Wyndham rolled 9 using 3d6.  mystery roll.

Devin held the rope loosely and waited for the man to reappear.  If the rope ran quickly, he'd try to slow it down and prevent it from running out.

OOC Wyndham's Constitution is now 9.

Wyndham returns to his point of entry in the room and gives the rope a couple of tugd

Feeling a couple of tugs on the rope, Devin begins to tentatively reel in the rope.

Devin is able to successfully pull a changed and different Wyndham back up the well.

Wyndham pulls himself weakly out of the well, looking pale and visibly less hale and hardy.
"Definitely... overated."
He dries himself as best he can then puts on his armor and boots.
"Okay, thanks again. Anyone else want a turn or are we out of this place?'

Derry demurs although in the back of his mind festers the eventual matter of further exploration via the spa.

"If you're not too demoralized, why don't you try your picks again at that door just yonder?"

OOC If Wyndam can't pick the lock, Derry will try to force the door and so on and so on.

Wyndham shrugs and says, brightly, "At least I have my devilish good looks!" /ooc - Cha 8
He gathers his picks to make another attempt at unlocking the door.

Devin was just happy that the other man didn't return limp and bloody at the end of the rope.

"Do you think this is the only level down there?" Devin asked, wondering if there were any stairs around.

OOC You can attempt to Pick Locks on the same lock once per level.

How about attempts to force the lock? I forget. If Derry can't, the two retainers can attempt to force it.

OOC How are you forcing the door open? A locked door is different from a stuck door. You can attempt to open a stuck door as often as you like.

I think we used Derry's crowbar the last time we attempted this.

The party travelled through the short and twisting corridor and came to the locked down. Derry attempted to the force the door open with his crowbar but was unsuccessful.

OOC Day 28. Time: 9:30am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Aylmer: Torch (3 turns)
Wyndham: Torch (3 turns)
Bosley: Torch (2 turn)
Derry: Torch (2 turn)
Devin: Torch (2 turn)

Accustomed to failure, Derry hands his crowbar to the new retainers and encourages them to test their might against that of the door's.

Both Bosley and Aylmer give it a go but the door would not open.

Wyndham shrugs.
"Maybe there's a key around here. Would anyone be surprised if the naked ape had it?"

Smirking, Derry says, "Let's go and see. He seems to turn up wherever we go."

Let's head back to the basement entrance but instead of going back all the way, take that western corridor that branches off the northern extension (west of the this locked door).

The hallways of Modnar’s cellar were dusty, dank and smelt faintly of chemicals. The corridor to the northwest was the same. In the torch light the corridor stretched out to the west and then into darkness. There was no turnings and no doors.

If there are no objects, we continue westward.

Led by Wyndham the party travelled one hundred and forty feet to the west before the corridor turned south and then twenty foot later turned west again. The western corridor carried on another twenty foot before it turned south again.

In the northern wall was a door. The door was ajar. From the slightly open door came no light or sound.

With their torchlight already giving away the giveaway, Wyndham heads over to the door to have peek inside.

Through the crack Wyndham spied into the room. Wyndham could only see one half of the room. He saw no other doors or exits. From the light of his torch shone the reflected light from a heap of spilled coins, in silver, electrum and gold. The coins were heaped up around the remains of two splintered chests.

Wyndham returns to his place at the back of the party.
"Looks like there are coins, and lots of 'em. Can't make out the rest of the room, though. Best be on our guard. Derry? You or one the hirelings want to open that door?"

Agreeably, Derry instructs Aylmer to reconnoiter the room.

         Gae Der

Bosley               Aylmer

         Dev Wyn

Aylmer carries a torch and taps ahead with a 10' pole.
Bosley carries a torch and a weapon.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:37, Sun 14 Aug 2022.

Devin readied his shield and hammer.  This much coin wouldn't go unguarded.

The door when opened revealed that the room was twenty foot by twenty foot with no other doors or exits. Against the northern wall were four splintered treasure chests. Their contents of silver, electrum and gold spilled out in a heap.

Aylmer went forward to poke and prod the flagstones.

OOC A 10’ pole is usually used two handed, it can be carried in one hand but to poke and prod things it really needs two hands. Is Aylmer trying to use it one handed and carry a torch?

No, he will rely on Wyn's torch for light.

Torches dowsed and weapons drawn the adventurers entered the small room in the hopes of easy treasure. Aylmer prodded forward with his pole as the others followed. The pole knocked on the flagstones with no adverse reaction then when he tapped against the treasure heaps it became alive! The irregular heaps reared up to reveal the scintillating scales of a coin worm. The worm’s scales made it appeared to be covered in treasure of silver, electrum and gold coins.

OOC The party not surprised. Declare your actions.

Day 28. Time: 9:40am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham: Torch (3 turns)
Bosley: Torch (2 turn)

It was true that Derry kept a hope for easy treasure kindled and that there had been easy treasure to be had before. This was not one of those times.

He hustles back out of the room, calling out for the last to leave to shut the door behind him.

Devin backed away to make room for the others retreating from the room.

OOC Just waiting for declaration from Gael.

Quicker that the beast, whatever it was the party retreated and closed the door.

OOC Party won Initiative. Went without Gael as they haven’t logged in for a while.

With all of them safely out of the room, Derry praises Aylmer for his bravery.

"We didn't come here to be lunch. We'll come back and fix that magical beast when we're good and ready."

What being ready would entail, he doesn't know. Perhaps, it would return to a dormant state, and they would be able to use fire and oil to their advantage as they had many times before.

Go down the southern corridor.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 15:36, Sat 03 Sept 2022.

Wyndham sighs in relief at having escaped the beast.
"Dodged an arrow with this one! Someone definitely would have taken a beating and we only just got here."
He proceeds with the others down the corridor.

"I'm more than happy to avoid fighting if we can help it," Devin added.  "Someone always ends up the worse for wear."

He was glad they'd decided to avoid being eaten and followed along.

The southern corridor headed south for fifty feet before turning east. The eastern corridor was fifty feet long, at thirty foot along another corridor headed north, at the end of the corridor was a door in the south wall.

OOC Day 28. Time: 9:50am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham: Torch (4 turns)
Bosley: Torch (3 turns)

Wyndham listens at the door for any sounds. If he hears none, he asks Aylmer to come ahead and open the door.
"You go ahead, Aylmer, while we light the way," he says of his and Bos' torches.

At the door Wyndham heard no sound and noticed nothing else besides it being a dusty old door.

The room beyond the door was forty foot by thirty foot. There were no other exits. In the room twenty casks lined the walls.

Into the room in marching order.

After the outfit gains the room, Derry shuts the door behind them. Then they begin a systematic search of the kegs unless one of them reeks of mold and decay. Derry and another man will get an idea of the average weight of a keg, and if any are heavier than they should be, that one will get extra attention.

The possibility that one of the kegs might serve as a hiding place for something small and useful does not escape Derry.

While Derry is examing the kegs, Wyndham searches around and behind them for lurking things and hidden passageways.

Devin remains by the door to keep an ear out for anyone coming in after them.

"Watch out for more pits," he adds quietly.  Someone always had to fall into a pit.  It just seemed to be part of their routine.

In good fortune no one fell down any pit traps or was injured by any other nefarious traps. That was where their good fortune ended. Derry found all of the twenty casks to be dusty and dry. Wyndham found the flagstone and walls to be plain and unremarkable. Devin heard nothing through the door and nothing tried to enter the room.

OOC Day 28. Time: 10:00am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham: Torch (5 turns)
Bosley: Torch (4 turns)

Assuming they had been able to look into the kegs to verify that they were empty, the outfit will head back to the main corridor and continue east (in marching order with the lead tapping the way).

Yes the casks are all empty.

Back to the main corridor and then continue east.

Wyndham scurries after Derry, torch in hand, struggling to keep up with the blistering pace.

At the end of other corridor the party discovered not a room but a circular shaft. The shaft which was twenty foot wide rose up thirty foot toward the surface. The ceiling was a pair of semi-circular hatches. At the bottom of the shaft was a wagon sized, barrel-shaped wood and steel capsule. The capsule rested atop an attached ring of short rod-like protrusions.

Are the rods like the spokes of a wheel (I.e flat) or are the rods upright, like stilts holding up the capsule.
If the former, can the capsule be rotated?

The rods are upright, there are twenty of them.

OOC Is Wyndham getting closer to examine it, is he touching it to try and rotate it?

In reply to DM (msg # 70):
Yes, Wyndham examines the capsule and rods, then sees if there is any way to turn or otherwise move it.

According to Derry's dwarfish eyes, this looks to be some type of open elevator for transport of fiendish alchemical materials from above to below.

"See if there is anything in there," he encourages the second-story man.

How far east did this passage run from the branch?

In reply to Derry the Dwarf (msg # 72):
"That's why they call you Derry 'the brains' something!" says Wyndham, over his shoulder.

While investigating the contraption, Wyndham attempts to climb up and peer into the capsule.

An examination of the rods led Wyndham to find that a length of black twine ran from the bottom each of the twenty rods, which was spliced together into one black cord. The black cord went out of the round room and back to the main corridor. The rods were immovable.

Wyndham found a single hatch which led into the barrel-shaped construction. Wyndham climbed up to peer into the cramped interior. Inside was a throne-like chair, bare shelves and closed cupboards.

Derry adopts a courtly tone. "Kind Modnar has abdicated his throne. As his only surviving heir, Ser Wyndham, albeit a cousin by way of an out-of-season assignation, you may assume his place."

We didn't notice the black cord on our way in? Where does it go?

Derry taps his fingers impatiently along the metal surface of the drum and bestows a questioning look upon Wyndham.

In reply to Derry the Dwarf (msg # 76):
"Uh..." says Wyndham, shaking himself from his reverie. "Right!"
With that, he scuttles down into the capsule, first peeking in the cupboards, then lowering himself majestically onto the thronechair.

The black cord when followed was tightly tucked into the crevice between wall and floor of the eastern side of the entrance corridor. It ended at the junction with the other corridor.

Wyndham climbed into the barrel. He found the cupboards bare and empty. The throne was a chair and he successfully sat down.

Wyndham scans around for any lever to push or pull. If he sees nothing, he'll shout out,"Nothing in here. What if you pull the line?"

"It's too secure for that to be the intended method," answers Derry. "It'll be just another thing to keep in the back of our heads as we continue to map out this place."

Assuming nothing more to be done here (for now), let's head all the way back to the room with the pit (north of our last encounter with the white ape), so Derry can deploy his ladder.

*Sounds good. Do you think the ape would be able to climb out of that pit?"

I was planning on feeding it more apples if it's still in that room.

Devin covered the door in case anything was following them.

Wyndham finds no levers inside the barrel. After the thief climbed out of the barrel and joined the others the party travelled back to the crossroads and the westward and southward again to where they had last met the white ape. As they opened the door the white ape, sat in its nest of bones and filth, gave out a great screech and beat its big fists against it chest.

OOC The ape is looking very angry.

Day 28. Time: 10:20am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Bosley: Torch (6 turns)

As gentle as a dove, Derry closes the door. "He's not admitting visitors today."

Back south and then around the corridor to the east.

"What?! You're not going to try the fruit? He's probably just hungry from being cooped up like that."

Derry shakes his head. "He's going to be too angry for any civilized behavior." Nonetheless, he leaves a bag of apples by the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:52, Thu 22 Sept 2022.

Wyndham shrugs and follows east.

"Is there anywhere we haven't looked, yet?" Devin asked.  He was all turned around underground and was relying on the dwarf's ability to navigate their way.

The door closed the screeches of the ape were muted as the party headed east. The party turned two corners before finding another door and a corridor heading north. Bosley’s torch began to flicker and burn away.



OOC Day 28. Time: 10:30am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
No light!

Hearing Bosely's torch begin to sputter, Wyndham lights one from his pack. He then pauses the party to have a listen at the door.

Yes, standard door routine, doors before corridors.

At the door Wyndham hears talking. The language he does not understand but he can tell that the yapping and grunting is from lots of different voices.

OOC Day 28. Time: 10:40am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham’s torch 1 turn.

"Sounds like lots of yippy voices. Kobolds, maybe? Might be good to keep going."

Wyndham takes a deep breath and quietly opens the door. With torch in hand, he surveys the room.

The door opened to reveal a room twenty foot by thirty foot. The room smelt faintly sweet. It was furnished with simple beds around the edges of the room, in the centre were sat eight kobolds. There was some red stains on the floor. On the far wall was hung a painting of a rotund, bald man wearing a toga. The kobolds all turned their heads toward the door when it opened and looked at Wyndham curiously.

"Hail friends! Well met and salutations. Would anyone happen to be the owner of a key for a particular door hereabouts? Or perhaps know how to turn a great wheel? If so, I'm sure some compensation would be in order."

Devin couldn't quite see who Wyndham was talking to, but hoped they'd be able to give them some good directions.  He wasn't too proud to stop and ask for directions.

The greeting from Wyndham was answered with more grunts and barking, the small doglike humanoids all began to stand up. Close by to all of them were various crude spears and axes, otherwise their fingers ended in claws. There was shaking of heads and pointing at Wyndham. The kobold’s language was intelligible to Wyndham however Derry heard and understood snatches of it through the door,

“Robber is back!”

“Robber has too many traps!”

“Don’t trust the robber!”

Out of sight, Derry feels chagrin at not having earlier recognized the inhabitants of the room as having been kobolds although he had suspected as much.

In his best rendition of their simple tongue, he barks authoritatively:

"Robber is dead!"

"No more traps. No more robber."

"New friend brings gifts!"

"Food and pretty things!"

Then he steps into better view.

Wyndham wisely lets Derry do the talking.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 12:18, Fri 30 Sept 2022.

Devin wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed Derry was trying to make friends with whomever was in the room.

The small kobolds all moved to stand closer together as Derry stepped into the fill the doorway with Wyndham. They yapped and whispered amongst themselves before one of them asked Derry “safe from traps now?” and another “gifts?”

Derry decides to distract them with the gifts before broaching the touchy subject of traps of which there could be, no doubt, any number of undiscovered ones.

"A silver coin for each of you!"

"A tasty meal for each of you!"

"Crunchy apples for everybody!"

"All from Kobold Friend Derry!"

Derry lays out 8 meals worth of rations. Assuming that goes well, he gives each of the kobolds a silver coin each. Lastly, he offers them apples.

My dog will eat apples...

Wyndham looks on, taking mental notes on Derry's diplomatic prowess. He winces slightly at the loss of the apples that he hoped could be used to coerce the ape.

The kobolds take the offered food, silver penny and apples. They let down their guard a little as they begin to sniff and chew at the rations.

“You friend” a few of the kobolds agreed with the dwarf.

“You kill robber?” one asks.

“You kill bugbears?” another asks.

Relaxed, Derry munches on an apple as the kobolds help themselves to the provender.

"Yes, friends killed bad man. Friends killed Harry the Robber. Harry robs no more. Harry was hard to kill."

"Friends found two bodies. Might be bugbears. Ape maybe killed them."

"We're looking for new friends. Happy to have met kobold friends."

"We're also looking for keys and a wand. Have new friends seen? What have new friends seen?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:57, Fri 30 Sept 2022.

As the kobolds chomp away on the apples, Wyndham's thoughts turn to darker matters, wondering about the pros and cons of poisoning the fruit. The ape would likely detect and not eat it. The kobolds? Probably worth more as living allies.

As Derry joined them in their impromptu feast the kobold’s mood relaxed and some of them returning to sitting on the floor.

“Stay away from apes and bugbears” the kobolds warned the dwarf. At the news of dead bugbears they yapped excitedly “bugbears dead?” they asked Derry and to each other “apes dead too?” they asked hopefully.

They all shook their heads at the question of keys and wands “we don’t need key or wand” they explained.

It is good to have kobold friends, Derry thinks, as he surveys the little yappers at their repast, for it saves the trouble of killing them.

He sadly informs them that the ape (apes?) yet lives but that he appreciates their warning.

Before departing, he'll ask them if they know of any "secrets" or "secret passages or doors."

Assuming that brings the conversation to a close, we'll head up the northern corridor and around the corner.

Does the painting appear to have any value? If so, Derry will offer to sell it and share some of the profits with the 8 of them.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Sat 01 Oct 2022.

The kobolds munched on the food and shook their heads as Derry’s final questions “no secret doors”, the painting looks old and mouldy. The kobolds returned to talking amongst themselves as the party left the small doglike people behind.

The corridor turned east then joined up with the corridor that led northward back to the stairs.

South and to the east, thank you.

Wyndham trundles along, lighting the way.

Devin felt like they were going in circles.

"Watch out for pits," he advised no one in particular.  They always seemed to fall into a pit when they least expected it.

The party went south and found that the corridor had a fork to the south which led to a dead end. The main corridor then turned north then east again. They found a door in the east wall of the corridor.



OOC Day 28. Time: 11:00am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham’s torch 3 turns.

We do the usual routine at the door. If there's no sound.Preston will open it up and have a look.

Listening at the door revealed nothing so after a pause Wyndham opened the door. The room was large too large for Wyndham’s torch to fully light the room however all could be seen. The ceiling glowed with a brilliance of soft light, similar to moonlight. The floor was covered dark gravel or sand. The walls were black with glittering specks reflecting the soft light from above.

The room was thirty foot wide to begin with but became wider after this, to what extent could not be seen from the doorway. The other side of the room was sixty foot away. On the far wall was a lever.

OOC Day 28. Time: 11:10am. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Light
Wyndham’s torch 4 turns.

Filled with his typical misgivings, Derry fetches a bunch of apples from his last bag and tosses all but one of them onto various spots of the gravel or sand-covered floor. Then he takes the famished Hazel out of his pack and tosses chucks her towards the middle of the chamber, so she can fill her belly, or in turn, fill the belly of another.

The tossing of the apples garnered no reaction from anything that might be somehow lurking or hidden in the fully lit up room. The rabbit Hazel when chucked in the room immediately began to scamper in circles. At the absence of any rabbit holes to escape down she eventually settled down and returned to munch on an apple.

Emboldened by Hazel's lack of death, Wyndham enters the room, stepping carefully past the munching bunny.
If nothing untoward happens, he makes his way to the lever to investigate.
If he finds no obvious use for the lever, he will secure one end of his rope to it and then play out the rope as he retreats back to the doorway.
With fevered eyes, Wyndham waits for affirmation from Derry before giving the rope a tug to engage the lever.

Before Wyndham pulls the lever, he retrieves his pet rabbit and returns to the doorway. Then he nods in cool affirmation of the rogue's intent.

The room was empty as Wyndham made his way to the lever. The floor of the whole chamber was covered in fine dark sand. There was nothing attached to the lever. Wyndham was unharmed by his exploration and safely attached the forty-eight foot of rope to the lever.

Derry retrieved the rabbit and left the large chamber. Wyndham walked away from the lever and was about twenty foot from the door when he ran out of rope.

Derry tosses a length of his own rope out to Wyndham to tie to his laughably inadequate one.

Derry had 50' of rope.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Wed 05 Oct 2022.

Wyndham ties Derry's rope to the end of his own and makes his way back 20' to the safety of the hallway.
He then carefully pulls the rope to engage the lever.

The extended rope allowed Wyndham to exit the room before he tugged on the room to pull the lever. Nothing the adventurers saw changed but a low hum was heard and felt in the air.

"Another mystery," Derry observes, adding it to the store of others. He fetches up a sample of the mineral carpet for closer examination, trusting to his store of geology.

Up the corridor and around the bend.

When Derry put his hand into the room it felt strangely weightless. When he picked up the gravel it too felt oddly light in his hand, also as he disturbed the ground more of the sand and gravel was lifted into the air to fall back downwards as if in slow motion.

Derry decided that some experimenting was in order. He tied the loose end of the rope around Hazel and launched the rabbit into the outer space within this subterranean space. Should she float as anticipated, he will bring her back down to earth by pulling on the rope and return her to his pack.

Then, he will look at Wyndham expectantly.

"You should be able to properly explore the chamber now, second-story man," he says with the faintest trace of menace, extending the rope to him.

"I wouldn't unduly jostle the end wrapped around the lever," he grins.

Up the corridor and around the bend.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:52, Thu 06 Oct 2022.

Hope dies in Wyndham's heart as he forces an unsteady hand to take the end of the rope. Tying it around his waist, he says to Derry:
"Feed out the line like your sending your only child down a well."
Wyndham steps into the room.

The bunny did not float, but Hazel’s fall to the ground was slow and gentle. When she hit the ground gravel and sand was disturbed which billowed up to slowly and gently fall again.

Wyndham re-entered the room tied to one end of the rope, the other end tied to the lever, with Derry holding a point sixty foot along one end. When he stepped in he immediately felt lighter.

OOC Temporary increase STR +3 and DEX -3, Wyndham is awkward and ungainly in the unaccustomed gravitational field.

Wyndham will make his way to the wall and scurry along it like a bug towards the lever. On the way, he'll scope out the area and ceiling looking for anything of interest.

"Is there anything near the ceiling that you could reach now?" Devin called into the room.  He stayed carefully outside its threshold.

Released from Derry’s rope the thief Wyndham was able to begin exploring the room further. He was just getting around to the corner of the room when a swooshing sound was heard and two doors slid open to reveal small chambers behind them. In the chambers were four spherical objects. One was motionless and sat on a shelf, the other three however floated into the air and began to move into the room. The objects were made from battered metal with rents and tears in their armour. Articulated limbs dangled from their undersides. These limbs were armed with swords, maces, flails and shields.



OOC Declare actions, make any appropriate rolls and then I’ll roll for Initiative for both sides.

Wyndham eyes bulge at the appearance of the metal spheres. By pushing off from the wall, he attempts to maneouvar to the lever and push/pull it the other way.

Derry barks out (not in the kobold tongue) a series of crisp commands before charging Pod#3.

"Aylmer, Bosley, bottle up the bots in the northern room!"

"Gael, should Wyndham fail, you pull the lever."

"Devin, with me!"

Derry misses.
Derry has AC3 with the -3 dex adjustment.
10:32, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 8,6 using d20+2,d8+2.  attack pod#3.

Devin fumbles the hammer from his belt and tried to keep up with the dwarf.  Movement in the room was disorienting and he concentrated on keeping his footing rather than swinging wildly under these unfamiliar circumstances.

With a leap off the wall Wyndham bounded to the other wall to push the lever upright again. There was a clunk of a mechanism resetting but nothing else changed.

Quick to try and control the situation Derry rushed in, followed by Aylmer, Bosley and Devin. Devin’s hammer smashed a dent into one of the pods but failed to destroy it. Despite the battered look of the floating objects their dangling weapons looked dangerous enough as they swung them aggressively at Derry and Aylmer, however no one was hit.



OOC Declare actions and make any appropriate rolls then I’ll roll for Initiative for both sides. If you don’t roll I’ll roll on your behalf for any attacks etc

Resolute, Derry swings again, cleaving another rent in the already sputtering bot.

Derry hits 6 dmg.
14:13, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 17,6 using d20+2,d8+2.  Derry attack.

Wyndham flies over to assist Aylmer and Bosley with pod2.
ooc - Could Wyndham get an attack in and would a backstab be possible?

Devin swung his hammer at the strange floating pot with weapons, but it didn't seem to do much good.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 6,1 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

In a leap and bound Wyndham moved across the length of the room to trap the pod in the small cupboard. Aylmer struck against the metal pod but his hammer did not dent it. The pod lashed back in retaliation with a blade and wounded the morbid cleric.

On the other side of the strangely lit and glittering chamber Derry cleaved a rent into the pod and it fell lifeless to the fall, slowly!



OOC Aylmer takes 1 point of damage. Wyndham is not able to reach the pod and attack in the same round. Back stab is only possible when the opponent is unaware of the thief.

Declare actions and make any appropriate rolls then I’ll roll for Initiative for both sides. If you don’t roll I’ll roll on your behalf for any attacks etc

Derry bounds across the chamber, trying to reach and bash in another bot.

Derry misses.
10:33, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 9,5 using d20+2,d8+2.  Attack Pod#2.

As Derry arrives in frothing dwarven warrior fashion, Wyndham moves back to give him room.

Devin followed up on the fallen pod to ensure it wasn't just a little injured.  It's not like he'd ever seen anything like these before.  Howe was he really sure it wouldn't just get back up if he didn't hit it again?

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 18,3 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

As Wyndham stepped backwards the sinister Bosley leapt forward with his sword and skewered a pod, smashing it to the floor with glee. Aylmer’s attack was ineffective and missed. Likewise the pods failed to breach the defences of the two men.

On the other side of the chamber Devin proceeded to smack further holes and dents into the metal carapace of the pod with his warhammer. As fragments of metal components and wires spilled from its body Devin spotted a glittering gem-like heart.



OOC Derry is not able to cross into fighting range this round. Only pod 1 remains floating.

Declare actions and make any appropriate rolls then I’ll roll for Initiative for both sides. If you don’t roll I’ll roll on your behalf for any attacks etc

Derry barks out another battlefield command, "Surround the last one!" before entering its cubby hole and landing a devastating blow.

Derry hits for 9 dmg.
10:03, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 18,9 using d20+2,d8+2.  Derry attack last pod.

Devin took aim to smash its heart with his hammer.  He wanted to make sure it wouldn't rise again.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 15,1 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

In response to Derry’s command the fighter Bosley moved in to surround the pod and stop it escaping the cupboard. The pod was bashed by the dwarf but did not fall, rather it swung viciously with its sword and struck a wound on the dwarf.

On the other side of the room Devin smashed the gem, his hammer hitting the gem and sending cracks throughout its crystalline structure.

OOC Derry takes 2hp of damage. Next round.

Smarting from the wicked cut, Derry's return strike glances off the still-battling bot.

"Devin," Derry calls out to the cleric, "Just remove the gem -- don't smash it."

Derry misses.
18:35, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 6,10 using d20+2,d8+2.  attack pod.

Wyndham goggles as Devin smashes the only prize gained from this trip to the cellar.
"Noooooooo!!", he shrieks unconsolably.

Expecting the dwarf was seeing the same thing in another of the creatures on the other side of the room, Devin reached in to  pull the cracked gem from the metal beast.

Surrounding the pod Aylmer, Bosley and Derry all attacked but none of managed to hit it.

Devin picked up the cracked gem. It was clear gem with many cracks in it.

OOC Next round.

Unsteady after having dodged what would have been a decisive blow, Derry lacks the strength to retaliate.

He still attempts to direct the flow of battle, calling for two more to fully surround the lone bot still battling.

Derry misses.
13:36, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 3,9 using d20+2,d8+2.  Another round.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:40, Fri 21 Oct 2022.

Pocketing the cracked gem, Devin moved quickly to help the others with the last floating ball of weapons.  If he could squeeze into an opening, he'd take a swing.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 12,2 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

Trapped in the corner the floating pod was assailed by Derry, Devin and Bosley but none were able to penetrate its steely hide. In contrast the pod hit Bosley with a devastating strike. The sadist fighter staggered but did not fall as he laughed in the face of death.

OOC Bosley was hit for 6 points of damage. Next round.

"Aylmer, get in here!" barks Derry as his sword bounces off the last bot's armor once again.

Derry misses.
09:30, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 4,10 using d20+2,d8+2.  Another Round.

"Don't give up!" Devin shouted as he pounded with his hammer, however ineffectually.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 11,2 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

Injured Bosley retired from the fight and Aylmer took their place. Weapons were swung but no damage was inflicted to either side.

OOC No hit anyone. Next round.

Nearly spent, Derry tries to hold out until the bell.

Derry misses.
10:25, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 5,9 using d20+2,d8+2.  Another round.

"This one's stronger than the last!" Devin shouted as his hammer bounced ineffectively off the side of it.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 3,4 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

Surrounded the floating pod continued to fight with Devin, Derry and Aylmer. Again none of the combatant were able to successful score any hits.

OOC Next round!

Resolutely, Derry swings again, feeling the shock and thud as his sword sunders more bot metal.

Derry hits AC 5 for 5 dmg.
08:53, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 14,5 using d20+2,d8+2.  Another Round.

"Try to confuse it with dance!" Devin shouted inspirationally as he attempted to jig and swing unsuccessfully.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 7,6 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

Metal plated the pod was resilient and stood up to the hacks and bashes from the adventurers.

OOC Next round!

This time, Derry's confident that he has overcome the bot's resilience as his sword pierces through one layer after another of obstructive metal.

Derry hits for 5 dmg
08:51, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 21,5 using d20+2,d8+2.  Another round.

Wyndham watches on with bated breath.

With a final smack Derry cleaved the metal pod and it floated slowly to the ground, coming to rest in the dark gravel on the ground.

OOC Combat over.

After a battle that had lasted minutes but seemed like it had lasted for weeks, an exhausted Derry sets about collecting the three gems and then with the others searches the two side chambers for anything of value. Should that transpire without interruption, he suggests they return to Fourtower. Maybe they can acquire some poison with which to dispatch the white ape. And Bosley does seem rather drippy. They should go back.

"Aye, let's head back." Wynsham helps with the search of the pod closets and pods. He provides a shoulder for Bosley to lean on as they head back to town.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 13:50, Sat 05 Nov 2022.

The two broken pods were opened up and the Derry found two whole gems. Devin had one cracked gem. Whilst Wyndham had a look around the room the low hum faltered and then stopped. The strange feeling of weightlessness also came to end.

With both Aylmer and Bosley wounded the party left the dungeon and began their journey back to town. The weather remained wet and windy. The forest offering them some protection against the wind, however it also hid many threats that lurked beneath its boughs.

No one saw, heard or smelt them approach until they were only forty yards away. In the undergrowth prowled four wolves.

OOC Day 28. Time: midday. Weather: Wet and windy. Vision: Cloudy. Movement: 20’

Wyndham springs into action and fires an arrow at the wolves but his missile goes wide.
18:14, Today: Wyndham rolled 7,3 using d20+2,d6 ((5,3)).

"Wolves!" Devin shouted, needlessly warning the others as he made to hammer the first that approached.

OOC: 12,6 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

"No, no, more fire," Derry expostulates. He proceeds to light one of his torches and wave it menacingly.

The wolves were keeping their distance but when Wyndham fired an arrow they growled aggressively.

OOC Party won Initiative. Derry roll a 1d4 to check if the dwarf can get his torch lit this round, successful on a 1.

Derry's stubby fingers proved to be stubbier than usual when he attempted to light his torch within sight of the four snarling wolves.

10:12, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 2 using 1d4.  torch check.

Wyndham changes tactics and throws his rations to the wolves, hoping an edible distraction will allow them to slip away.

Devin remained ready to hammer any of the wolves that approached.

OOC: Devin Harper rolled 3,5 using d20,d6.  Hammer time! Thaco 19.

The arrow fired at the wolves rather than scare them off antagonised them. Their hackles raised the wolves circled the adventurers, their wicked teeth gnashing. Bosley’s sword and Devin’s mace killed one of them as the other three attacked. Devin was only just able to deflect one of the wolves teeth with his shield. The smaller Derry wasn’t able to hold the wolves off and one bit down on the dwarf.

OOC Round 1 completed. Please make declarations for round 2. Wyndham and Devin you both seemed to have already made this, I will allow changes if you want to change tactics. Otherwise you can let them as they are.

Derry takes 4 points damage from the wolf bite.

Derry failed to light the torch, if he tries again this round his chance will improve to success on a 1 or 2 on a d4.

When Derry feels the wolf's fangs sink into him, he gives up on lighting a torch. He drops his unlit torch, draws his sword, and swings at one of the three wolves.

Derry misses.
21:18, Today: Derry the Dwarf rolled 2,6 using d20+1,d8+1.  R#2 attack a wolf.

Wyndham attacks the wolf on Derry with his short sword.
22:35, Today: Wyndham rolled 14,3 using d20-1,d6-1 ((15,4)).

"Just keep swinging!" Devin shouted to the others.

Successful attacks from Wyndham, Bosley and Aylmer killed one wolf and injured another. With two of the wolf pack dead the remainder sensed defeat and turned tail to flee.

OOC Combat is over unless you wish to pursue the 2 wolves.

Laboring heavily beneath his seeping wounds, Derry finds the energy to remind Wyndham that "sometimes things are further away than they appear to be."

Gather up the two wolf corpses (their pelts might have value) and continue back to Fourtower.

Wyndham shame-facedly secures the battered wolves to the ladder and helps carry it to town.

Devin helps how he can in carrying the wolves.

Sharing the load the party of five returned to Fourtower Bridge. It was late afternoon turning into evening as they crossed the bridge.

At the Moorland Magpie Inn Lorna was serving cheesecake and a tankard of bitter for four silver pieces. In one corner a sad looking dwarf maiden sipped at a tankard of bitter.

OOC 96xp each.

Continued at link to a message in this game