Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[fromage67]

Lars picks up Hope, his rat familiar, and says to him, "You'll have to stay here and guard our back." Lars tries to find a dry spot for him.

Lars removes armor and gear, keeping only his dagger and rope, which he loops around his torso. He also brings his thieve's tools which are hidden below his belt.

Lars holds up his potion of water breathing and asks, "I think these are good at least for a few hours, right? Arnir? Kirio?"

He then holds his breath and gulps the foul, bitter mixture. "Yuck! So? Who else is coming? Is it just me and the squid?"

 

[digimattic]

GM: For everyone but Hrimr, you will need to hold your breath in order to swim underwater. You can do so for a number of rounds equal to twice your constitution score. You'd also have to make swim checks to move through the water (at half your speed). From the top of the stairs to the entrance to the shaft is 60 feet. You're not under pressure or anything, so I'm fine with you taking 10 on the swim checks, but remember your armor check penalties and weight. Alternatively, quaffing a potion of water breathing pretty much just gets rid of all of that: no need to hold your breath and you could crawl along the floor or walls or whatever to avoid swimming since breathing isn't an issue. Water breathing potions last for a minimum of 10 hours.

 

[Gregor]

GM: Whoops! I accidentally posted from Arnir's account. I'm out in BC visiting Arnir and Bannock.

 

[Bannock]

Bannock grouses as he is still turned off by the idea of plunging into an incredibly deep underwater hole that leads to some unknown doom.

"Why dun one of you go and 'ave a gander at what's on the other end before the whole group dives into that pit?"

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr beckons with his tentacles. He can't speak as he is effectively a squid. He grabs the rope at Lars' side and indicates that he should grab the rope as he points at it with one of his free tentacles.

OOC: Hrimr will drag Lars to the top of the shaft where the pulley is. He will then swim down to the 'surface' at the bottom of the shaft and make a perception check.

 

[Gregor]

Hrimr, you swim back down the stairs to the lower level and head back towards the shaft. You swim down the shaft, following the rope, all the way to the bottom and the source of the flickering orange and red light.

GM: I'll assume you've pulled Lars along, who had no trouble breathing in the water due to him taking the potion. I'll also assume that he'll be able to generally see what you do. If Lars isn't coming, he can post as much.

The water at the bottom of the shaft is quite hot, almost like a freshly poured bath. The water ends at a weird surface below you which is obviously kept in place through some form of magic. Though the surface of water distorts what you can see beyond, it is quite clear that a very large cavern of stone opens up below you - the floor is maybe 10 feet below the surface. Because of the shaft and your angle, it is hard to see everything, but you can also spot that the light is coming from a deep trench of flowing magma that cuts across the cavern. The rope leading down the shaft is connected to a metal hook which rests on the stone floor, indicating that it, the rope and the pulley above are some kind of hoisting device.

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr drags Lars through the water back up the shaft and up to where the party is waiting at the surface. He waits for Lars to tell the party what he has seen at the bottom of the shaft.

 

[fromage67]

Before Hrimr pulls Lars up, Lars tries poking a finger and a hand through the surface.

 

[Gregor]

Lars, your hand and finger are able to pass through the surface. You feel the very warm air from the cavern below.

 

[fromage67]

Lars kicks and swims back up the shaft, following the dim slimy shape of Hrimr.

When he reaches the surface, he gets used to breathing air again before saying, "All right, the water ends above a large cavern." He decribes the strange force field holding back the water.

Lars leaves the water and starts putting his armor back on. "You guys coming?"

OOC: How far is it to the floor of the lava cavern? Can Lars ties his rope to the iron bolt and let everybody climb down to the floor?