IndyPendant's Sunless Citadel

[Mithran]

After Heirmund translates for the others he steps forward and pokes at the vines with his staff and peers over into the hole.

 

[JimAde]

Jerek finally slings his bow over his back and advances to the hole as well. Looking down at Heirmund he says, "Yep. It's a hole." He shakes his head and smiles ruefully. "I guess I'll get started. Hey, maybe there's a tavern down there, what do you think?"

 

[jayaint]

A tavern... hmm. I'd settle for a sunny day and no little buggers trying to pierce me, slice me, or freeze me.

Ydyr moves to climb down 2nd, after Jerek.

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Lehko steps in front of Jerek, "Hold a moment." He reaches over to the side of the wall and indicates his wish to take one of the torches Durnn. Assuming he motions to go ahead, he'll take the torch and drop it down the hole before anyone ventures into the dark again.

 

[Voadam]

Jair turns to the gnome "Before we go down, Heirmund, ask him about "the Tree". Is it more of Belak's work, something connected with the branch creatures?"

 

[IndyPendant]

Jerek is already partway down the hole, with Ydyr just starting after him, when Heirmund translates Jair's question. They find that Durnn was being truthful about the climb at least; while the plants are unpleasant to the touch, almost slimey, they are at least as easy to climb as a knotted rope would have been--perhaps easier. And the sickly glow they give off, while horribly unnatural, is easily enough to see by.

Durnn smiles again--you're really coming to hate that grin--and says "Our bargain did not include information. Or light!" he adds, as Lehko moves to grab one. "You will leave us with only what you have brought here. And without the prisoners." Kuma silently moves to the edge of the pit, read to follow after Ydyr once there's room.

Durnn hesitates, then seems unable to restrain his glee in saying "I will tell you this: feeding the Gulthias Tree is the reason Belak has need of regular prisoners--and why we would have tried to take you alive had you been foolish enough to fight us. It would have been the worse fate. But you will find out soon enough about the Gulthias Tree!" He laughs. Menacingly. And the rest of his tribe laugh raucously with him. He raises his arm abruptly and, still smiling, asks "Tell me, Jair Feyfriend, how do you plan to get your animal down the pit? Will you sling it over your shoulder? Or can it climb like a monkey?"

 

[Shayuri]

Kuma grunts and peers down the pit.

"Maybe I can carry it under an arm, if I take it slowly, he muses. "I'm willing to try."

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

"How far down does it look? Maybe he can jump. In any case, Jerek should still have our block & tackle." Lehko raises a frustrated brow as Durnn denies him the torch. "I've always hated the dark. I'll have to make a note to buy some damned sunrods once we get to an actual city." He turns and goes to make down the vines after Jerek, or the nearest chance, hoping to provide a bit of backup for the rogue.

 

[JimAde]

Cursing and muttering under his breath, Jerek climbs back up past Lehko. As he does, he says, "Wait, let's deal with the dog. We brought this damn harness, might as well use it." As he reaches the top he looks at Terrek and his expression softens. "We can't leave you behind can we," he asks the dog, his voice rising and a smile creeping over his face. "No we can't," he continues in a singsong, "We can't leave the big woof-dog behind, no!" He scratches the immense hound behind the ears.

 

[IndyPendant]

It is a matter of moments for Jerek and Jair to set up the harness around Terrek, while Kuma waits to lower him down the pit. Lehko is already climbing down, and Jerek starts climbing again after him, once Terrek is safely harnessed. Heirmund decides to stay up top in case he needs to translate while Kuma, assisted by Jair, lowers Terrek down into the pit after Jerek.

Ydyr meanwhile, as the person now leading the climb downward, has come across a minor problem: the end of the pit. It was an 80-foot-deep climb, with little difficulty involved other than the occasional need to rest briefly, but now he's at the bottom--and the pit apparently opens into the ceiling of the room below. There is no wall to climb down to reach the floor.

There is more of that sickly violet light in the room below. The air here is damp, chilly, and redolent with the odors of loam and decay. A layer of earth, mixed with rotting vegetation and the remains of cave animals, covers what floor Ydyr can see beneath the pit. He can also hear the sounds of...shovelling?...from somewhere in the chamber below.

Ydyr reckons the ceiling here is no more than 10 feet high at most. If he carefully lowered himself so that he was hanging from the lowest vines, his feet dangling into the room, he figures he could let go and drop the remaining feet with minimal risk of injury, if any.

Lehko is approaching from above him, and while it is possible--if very awkward--for two people to position themselves side by side in this narrow pit, there would not be room for any more. Ydyr must decide what to do...