[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

[Dekana]

"One pit per day is enough for me, I think." Castile says wryly.

While resting after the battle, she can't help but watch Noriaki as he holds the sword like it were a part of himself. She remarks, "And I was always told that strength comes from the warrior spirit, not from steel..."

OOC: Spend 2 surges to get to full hp. 7/13 surges remain.

 

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí taps out a gentle rhythm on her drum, and quietly hums the tune of a familiar comic song.

OOC: Spend 1 surge to get back up to full, 7/8 left. By the way, folks, don't forget Song of Rest which gets anyone who spends at least one surge 4 extra HP regained

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki takes a deep breath, and flashes Takahaan a smile that nearly distracts from the blood running down his bare arm. A trickle runs over his hand and down the blade of his sword, which seems to hum with newfound power. "Well," he says, "Lets find out, shall we?"

Noriaki closes his eyes and holds his sword horizontally, running a hand along the flat of the blade. He flinches slightly, and sighs. Lowering the blade, he says sadly, "This sword does not yet have a name. Its spirit awakened in the heat of battle, and it has known only blood, pain, and a fleeting glimpse of glory." He flicks the blade to get the blood off, then sheaths it. "Perhaps in days to come, it will find itself enough to have a name."

 

[GROMkill]

The dragonborn, now realizing the blood trickling down his friend's arm, responds. "Noriaki. Please, listen to the bard's soothing song and rest a moment before we continue. It takes a hero's spirit to ignore the sharp pain of a wound, but only a fool ignores the seeping blood of a true injury."

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki shrugs, and tugs on the shoulder of his robe in an attempt to hide the blood. "It's nothing. The beast just barely scratched me." he says cheerfully.

[sblock]Spending 3 surges to get back to full. 5/8 remaining.[/sblock]

 

[GROMkill]

Takahaan snorts, finding humor in his human friend's stoicism. "Fine. But you might not want to get in that well-water with open wounds. Who knows what strange creatures lurk, waiting for the scent of blood."

Peering back into the well, he calls down to Kane. "Kane! What have you found?"

 

[Mewness]

Kane dives down into the water. It is so murky that he can see almost nothing, and is forced to feel his way along the side of the shaft. He senses no magic, but is able to tell that the shaft is not completely straight. Instead, about ten or fifteen feet below the surface of the water, the shaft hooks, and Kane feels a tunnel leading off to the side. He is unable to see how far the tunnel extends because of the murk.

Out of breath, Kane returns to the surface of the water.

GM: Swimming into the side tunnel will take another Athletics and Endurance check from whoever wants to attempt it. You've no idea how difficult it will be, as the visibility is so limited.

 

[GROMkill]

Takahaan sees Kane's head come up, gasping for air, but safe. Hastily, he unties his rope from the wooden plug, bundling it up into a small pile. Gripping it, he hops down into the well, making sure not to land on his new friend. Kicking hard with his feet, he stays afloat and begins unraveling the rope.

"Kane. Tie this rope around your waist. I will feed you slack as you dive into the tunnel. When you need to come back, tug on the rope and begin surfacing, and I will pull you up as fast as I can." He hands Kane one end of the rope to tie around himself, while the dragonborn keeps the other end tightly wrapped around his hands.

"I will give you a launch if you go underwater and put your feet against the soles of my boots. You ready?"

[sblock=Mechanics]
Athletics Aid Another: 1d20+9=15 Success. Kane gets +2 to his Athletics roll.
Endurance Aid Another: 1d20+6=9 Failure.[/sblock]

 

[jbear]

"C-can't see n-nothing. L-light d-don't help. T-tunnel t-turns. C-can't tell how far. I'll t-try again."

Kane nods listening to Takahaan's plan and following his instructions. When the rope is tied he climbs up onto the warlord's feet and leaps into the water. Concentrating on the dive a little too much Kane forgets to take as big a breath as needed. Stubbornly he swims on in the darkness using the wall as guidance.

OOC: So I need to roll athletics and endurance twice? Am I right in thinking ENdurance 13 is a fail? Meaning rolling again is pointless? Can I spend a Healing Surge ignoring the burning lungs and roll again?

 

[Pentius]

As the blood runs down Noriaki's arm, the crack of thunder is heard. Nearby, as though it sounded out in each listener's ears. As it peals, Noriaki falls unconscious, slumping to the ground in a heap.

To the onlookers, Noriaki is unmoving. But what he sees is not the same. Noriaki sees a vast expanse of rocky wasteland, thunder cracking overhead. He stands, bringing himself to his feet warily. Before him, a figure stands proud. It is a woman, jadian of blood, her silver hair flowing in the wind. If Noriaki were a woman, surely he would look like this. Looking upon her, Noriaki sees her sword, the exact same as his own, and his mind is filled with information.

"Your name," he calls to her, "Your name is Arashi Tenken. And I am your master, Noriaki Matsumoto!"

The woman lets out a brief, contemptful chuckle. "There is no way that a mere child such as yourself could be my master."

Noriaki stiffens, his hand flying to his sword hilt. "Are you serious? Have you forgotten about me?"

Noriaki shakes and struggles, as he thrashes on the ground...