Long Live the Queen (all groups) [Boddynock judging] Completed

[thegreyman]

"If we do send any scouts inside, the rest of us should be ready either at the entrances or just inside to reinforce them in case anything goes wrong." Dorrin states. "Also, do the tunnels inside branch very often Hans? If so, everyone with chalk should make sure we mark the tunnels that lead outside, and to mark tunnels we've explored. It would be very counterproductive for our party to accidentally start exploring the cleaned out areas."

 

[Phoenix8008]

"I think we should send scouts down tonight and take a look at the beginning of the mine without engaging the Ants, just to learn the layout of the area we will start in"

"I would disagree with sending scouts Nura. If the tunnels were too dangerous for a party of three to attempt, then sending single or even doubled scouts seems possibly unwise." Saithnar say between puffs on his pipe. "Especially since we can not ensure that the ants would not engage our scouts. I would prefer to just assemble the two teams in the morning and scout as we go. Safety in numbers, you know."

"If so, everyone with chalk should make sure we mark the tunnels that lead outside, and to mark tunnels we've explored. It would be very counterproductive for our party to accidentally start exploring the cleaned out areas."

"Indeed, Dorrin. Your idea of using chalk to mark the ways out and the places we've been matches my own. Which is why I purchased enough chalk for everyone to have a piece back at the store by the Inn. Here, pass these around." he says while handing the other 10 pieces of chalk around till everyone has one. "There. Now if we all use it to draw arrows on the walls back towards the entrance when we reach any junction, even in a fighting retreat we should be able to escape without getting lost. Also, if we leave a mark or two in any chamber we pass through, it shall mark that one of the teams has been there already in case the other team crosses paths with the first."

OOC: Purchased 11 pieces of chalk at the general store for 11cp. Don't worry about paying my back for them, please. Also, while the above IC reasons are true for not sending scouts out first, I'm also against it for meta-game reasons. It'll eat up a few more days as the scouts are picked, then go in the mines some, then get a description of what they see, then come back to the group and report/repeat what they saw, then the main groups finally going into the mines and getting started. I'd rather skip steps 1-4 and get onto step 5 of the teams going down into the mines and adventuring.

 

[Dargon]

Ooc: I agree completely with the meta gaming point, but it is a matter of knowledge for Nura.

"I would disagree with sending scouts Nura. If the tunnels were too dangerous for a party of three to attempt, then sending single or even doubled scouts seems possibly unwise."

As she take the piece of chalk
"I know some of us are better at moving around, and go undetected, one thing is fighting another thing is scouting. Information is the most powerful weapon you can wield. You want to rush into the unknown? It will be as good an idea, as a campfire in a library. However if they do not think they can do it then... "

 

[Ximix]

Ximix has been atypically quiet through the journey, every place we stop he seeks out anthills and performs experiments, noting his findings in a journal. He seeks out as many types of ants and environments as he can, making sure to keep careful observation of their unique reactions. The rest of his time is spent with his nose in a book or meditating on the knowledge he has learned.

He does not avoid conversation or contact, he simply does not initiate it.
As the wagons arrive at the mine site he begins helping unpack. The Elf always has one eye on the dark shafts leading into the stone.
When the debate over sending scouts emerges Ximix stops and listens to both arguments.
At a lull he interjects his opinion. "Nura I agree with your point. However look around you. Night is soon upon us, there are many here who cannot see in darkness. If my observations are correct the ants will be less and less active as the day cools. However they will have sentries at the entrances and will rouse fairly quickly once that sentry is disturbed. The ants seem to communicate quickly, perhaps with clicks of their mandibles or other means, regardless my experiments lead me to believe that we do not want to give them reason to come out unless we are ready for a full battle.

[sblock=Ximix Spells]Orisons (4)
Guidance, Guidance (+1 on one ATK, ST, or Skill), Light, Light (20 mins)

First Tier (3 +1 Domain)
Bless, Bless (2 Min), Shield of Faith (2 Min)
Domain:Knowledge: Detect Secret Doors (2 Min)[/sblock]

 

[Dargon]

"Nura I agree with your point. However look around you. Night is soon upon us, there are many here who cannot see in darkness. If my observations are correct the ants will be less and less active as the day cools. However they will have sentries at the entrances and will rouse fairly quickly once that sentry is disturbed. The ants seem to communicate quickly, perhaps with clicks of their mandibles or other means, regardless my experiments lead me to believe that we do not want to give them reason to come out unless we are ready for a full battle."

"I think it is smell, not sound, have you seen how they follow the same trail. Hmm it did not cross my mind that they might come out to investigate further if they bumped in to a scout or even.... smelled one.” Even through she has admittet it might not be the best idea she have that aditude of a child that have been denied a wish. She picks up her spellbook and starts to go through her selection of spells.

 

[KriticalFailure]

After unpacking Munchins sets up his bedroll a little further away from the main group. Upon completing his task, he stolls a ways further from the group, no out of earshot but just far enough to give himself the illusion of being alone. The monk lies down on the hard and comforting ground and gazes at the sky, the pitch black of the heavens above swallowing him up. As the conversation near the camp escalates he listens in, agreeing mentally with Ximix's view. After a while he tunes out of the conversation and resumes his star gazing, deciding to let his company work out the kinks for he needed to prepare himself for the day ahead. For this reason he had been sober, unusually, for the past two days in order to clear his mind and focus on his training.

 

[Amaury]

Not getting any reply from his team, Jallembo just buys two oil flasks for himself at the cost of 6sp.

During the journey he tries to get to know Hans a bit better and seems interested to
understand the various rates of ore at the different stages of the production and refining
process, what stones attract most money, how they get valued, etc..

Arrived at the canyon, Jallembo jumps off the wagon and says: "For once I agree
against scouting.. Better go in strength.. Scouts will simply... scout tomorrow ahead of their
group and retreat if endangered.. But first, let's explore our camp base.."

He walks cautiously towards the old windmill drawing his rapier. Arrived 10 feet from it, he
listens for suspect noises then walks around it looking for entrances and details that could
explain its poor state.

If the structure looks sound enough and nothing suspect is heard, he will venture inside.

OOC: Listen w/o mods (1d20=13)

 

[Robichaud]

Jamilee accepts the piece of charcoal with a.. smile, or something passably close to it. "I was thinking charcoal, myself. But this works. Thank you." It's the first "thank you" that has passed her lips in several days. "As for what we need t'do now, hnh.. keep a low profile. No roaming watches, no visible fires, no noises, no smells. Don't know about sending scouts out into the surroundings now, but I'm sure we shouldn't send anyone out into the mines. Now, or at all." She twists her face up a little further. "Don't think there'll be a lot of places to hide or skulk down there, if you take into account those critters can likely get around in the utter dark down there just fine. Krindorf could do it. Maybe. But I wouldn't send him in on his own. When we go, we should hit 'em with full force."

After a moment's thought, she adds, "In the morning, I'd like for someone to help me gather some blockade.. stuff, for the third entrance. Planks, timbers. Bushels of wood, maybe some oil. In case some ants try'n break through, fire might give them some pause."

After that, she simply shrugs, and ambles over towards Jallembo, who seems to be approaching the building with extreme caution - something which makes her smirk, but in a slightly less sarcastic way than usual.

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Ah' can see very well in a dark tunnel. Damn! Ah' grew up in one!" the dwarf says. "Although, Ah'm not a big runner"

 

[B4cchus]

Hans intervenes with the ongoing discussion wheter to send in a scouting party right now "People! poeple. Hold your horses for a second. We're not going to stir up those ants right now. We've had a long day of travel behind us and this darkness isn't very favorable for us. Let's just settle down for the night and keep an eye out for any ants that might decide to take an evening stroll. I believe these things aren't that active during the night so I am not very concirned that they'll come swarming down on us during the night.
We have those crossbows there trimmed at the two main exits so if any of them comes out we'll have a nice little welcome for them.
Let's all take out things into the building here and have good night's rest."

Jallembo: the windmill isn't a building but a skeletal frame, like this