Dwimmermount IC:

[Imperialus]

As you draw closer to the bodies the smell quickly becomes apparent. They have obviously been here for a while. The man appears to be clad in a coat of plates over chainmail while the woman is wearing a chain halburk. The halburk might be salvageable, as there are just a few small tears in the links where arrows found their mark, but the brestplate worn by the man has a large gash through the chest where something heavy like an axe smashed through crushing his ribs in the process. A shattered shield by the woman's body shows what was once a holy icon of Typhon. You suspect that these are likely some of the missing members of Typhon's Fists who got separated from the rest of the party and either got lost and wandered here or were driven back. If that's the case they may have been laying here for a week or more.

Examining the arrows you see that they are fairly crudely made. It seems that they have been constructed out of pieces of metal that have been filed to a point and the fletching looks to be made of leather.

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

"Ooof! Never mind! Not going near that filth!"

 

[Jimmy Disco T]

"These poor souls... so close to escape, and they may not even have realised..." Jimi says under his breath. He gently closes the eyes of the unfortunate adventurers and stands up.

"It would appear that these two were part of Typhon's Fists." he says, holding up a fragment of the sundered shield for all to see.

"They have been here for some time, but whatever manner of beast or foul creature has slain them may well still be lurking nearby. I would advise caution as we move forward."

[OOC: Unless anyone else has anything they want to do, shall we press onward in the same marching order?]

 

[Imperialus]

Creeping forward over the bodies which don't have any apparent treasure, though Klyman, it occurs to you that a reward might be possible if you were to return them for a proper burial, you enter a twisting natural corridor that goes east about 20 feet before branching in two different directions.

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

Considering that he might turn the bodies of the fallen over to their relatives himself to pocket the gold, Klyman soon dismisses the idea as involving entirely too much work for him to do on his own, "Say, you know, we should collect these bodies on our first trip out, because their relatives might pay some reward for the proof of their demise."

 

[Jimmy Disco T]

Jimi nods in agreement, "Yes, indeed. It's only proper that the bodies be returned for a proper burial. Although I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable profiting from their demise..."

Sensing an uncomfortable silence at the suggestion of refusing a monetary reward, he quickly changes the subject.

"Ah, it seems the passage ahead splits into two. Midgrim, Gargrim - you're the experts here. Which way should we go? Which path will take us deeper into the mountain?"

 

[Imperialus]

In natural caverns like this even the Dwarves have a tough time guessing at which cavern might go where... It seems logical though that the cavern to your left would likely lead back towards the edge of the mountain so if your goal is to travel deeper the right hand passage would likely make more sense.

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

'Oh, that's no bother, Jimi, we'll just divide the corpse-recovery fee between those of us with the stomach for it, no shame in that. Damn me for a Gnome if I can tell anything about these tunnels, except that they are bloody dark!"

 

[Piston Honda]

“Right hand passage should take us deeper.”

He looked to Midgrim, addressing him. Gargrim certainly didn’t want to have them lost already. “I think.”

 

[Imperialus]

Continuing down the tunnel you discover that it opens into a large natural cavern with a beam of sunlight emanating from a hole in the ceiling. The light seems to be almost centered on a small pool of water at the far end. At the sight of the pool you hear a sharp intake of breath from Climent, "The moon pool! This is amazing!" He begins to rush forward before realizing that it is perhaps not the safest course of action before pausing and moving towards the pool with greater care pulling a number of flasks from his pack and filling them from the pool. "If you have the means, you should fill whatever containers you have. Alchemists and sorcerers will pay good coin for this water."

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

'What are the properties of this moon pool's water? inquires Klyman Sylar even as he is reaching for his waterskin.

 

[Imperialus]

Climant pauses for a moment as though trying to figure out how to explain it... "Well, it is true water. It will not boil, freeze, evaporate or any of the other traditional properties of water. It also... "dissolves" arcane energy so at the very least it is a near ideal reagent for potion making. However the moon pool, if this is indeed what we have found also absorbs lunar emissions from Ioun. This gives it other properties depending on the phase of the moon during which it was 'harvested'. I am not perfectly clear on what these properties other than that they will affect the spellcasting abilities of those who imbibe it."

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

"I can't normally cast spells. Are you saying that if I harvest this water during the right phase of the moon that drinking it could give me that power?"

 

[Jimmy Disco T]

Jimi approaches the pool cautiously.

"Fascinating... so these waters have the power to augment one's own magical powers?" he asks, kneeling down next to the water's edge.

Seemingly hypnotized by the surface of the pool, he slowly dips his hand into the waters before holding it above his head - allowing a few drops of the water to fall into his open mouth, curious as to how this magical moon-water might taste.

 

[Binder Fred]

"Water?" is Midgrim's obviously disbelieving comment about the whole thing. You won't find HIM drinking that stuff!

As for the rest... "Five says he turns into a goat," he discretely proposes to Klyman and/or Gargrim, watching the water drop towards the acolyte's mouth with something like resigned fascination...


Question: Is there any dwarven lore re the 'moon pool', Imperialus? And how big is that hole with the sunlight? Big enough for somebody to climb up and out?

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar

"I wouldn't take that bet even at odds of 30 to 1, Midgrim!"

 

[Imperialus]

"I can't normally cast spells. Are you saying that if I harvest this water during the right phase of the moon that drinking it could give me that power?"

"I don't know. Little is known about it, and oftentimes the accounts are contradictory. Every account I have heard of refers to someone already skilled in the magical arts however."

Seemingly hypnotized by the surface of the pool, he slowly dips his hand into the waters before holding it above his head - allowing a few drops of the water to fall into his open mouth, curious as to how this magical moon-water might taste.

It tastes pretty much just like water. A bit of sour taste, but that may just be from the rocks around the spring.

Question: Is there any dwarven lore re the 'moon pool', Imperialus? And how big is that hole with the sunlight? Big enough for somebody to climb up and out?

No, there is no lore regarding the moon pool that you know of. Most dwarves reactions to it are pretty much like yours, in that they just want to leave it the hell alone. As for the hole, Yeah, you suspect that it would be big enough for a human to fit through. Of course, it is 30 feet above the floor, but it should be possible.

 

[Jimmy Disco T]

Perhaps a touch disappointed that he doesn't feel magical energy flooding through his mind from the few drops he has imbibed, Jimi begins filling his waterskin with the moon-water.

He looks around the area for any signs of recent activity or movements. "I wonder if Typhon's Fists came through here... would they have known of the pool's importance?" he asks aloud.

 

[Binder Fred]

"No goat then," grunts an equally disappointed dwarf. Ah well. He too turns his attention towards the rest of the room...

"That shaft up there looks big'nough ta fit a half-starving fellow, if there's need," he notes, idly working out in his head where it would come out to surface relative the entrance they just took, for future reference.

"I wonder if Typhon's Fists came through here... would they have known of the pool's importance?" he asks aloud.

"Good thought, priest," agrees Midgrim with a back-slap that would have been fine if Jimi was wearing dwarven armor. "They didn't find much 'cept heaping helpings of trouble, way I hear it, so we might want ta go where they DIDN'T!"

OOC: Midgrim goes to investigate/listen/look down the right exit, looking for tracks in the dust and/or blood trails as he goes.

 

[Piston Honda]

Gargrim maintained his distance from the Moon Pool. Not so much being dismissive as concerned about the effects of the water within. As he sees Midgrim investigating the right exit, he takes the opportunity to get back to work and helps to check it out.