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

[Gregor]

"A cavern of magma beneath an ocean-filled prison?" asks Torrent with a wry smile, "I always see the most interesting places with you boys." Torrent quaffs one of the water breathing potions, checks her equipment and descends under the water to join Hrimr. She waits for the other party members beneath the surface, reveling in the magic that allows her to breathe the very essence of her God Istishia.

GM: In terms of the shaft, perhaps I am not being clear. The shaft runs straight down, as if it were a hole in the floor of one of the rooms underwater. Above the shaft is a pulley that has been fastened to the ceiling. A rope is strung through the pulley and runs all the way down to the bottom of the shaft - protruding through the strange magically held back surface and resting on the floor of the cavern. The end of the rope on the floor of the cavern is connected to a hook. The distance between the end of the water and the floor of the cavern is about 10ft. So, you can all use the rope that is already there.

 

[Bannock]

After realizing that going down is inevitable, Bannock reluctantly chokes down a potion of water breathing. Then, as if immediately forgetting that he can now breath underwater, he holds his nose and closes his eyes and jumps into the shaft after Torrent. His armor causes him to sink rapidly until he bumps into Torrent and Lars midway down the shaft. At that point, he opens his eyes to the stinging brine and gropes for the rope and the walls of the shaft. In doing so, he lets go of his glaive, which plummets downward like a missile through the water until it passes through the portal below and clangs on the stone in the cavern, sending echoes up the shaft.

Still holding his breath, he starts to panic and tries to scramble back upward for a few moments until he can hold his lungs no more and he inhales a mighty breath of lukewarm and somewhat salty water. The feeling is incredibly surreal and uncomfortable. Yet, rather than convulsing in pain, he feels a familiar relief. He takes another breath, and steadies himself, realizing that he isn't actually dying. He descends the rest of the way by sliding down the pulley rope.

 

[Gregor]

Torrent watches Bannock plummet like a stone and then flail wildly in panic. She stifles a giggle and leans out over the shaft, preparing to hold the rope and use it as a guide down towards the portal.

GM: Bannock, are you going to go all the way down to the floor of the cavern, where your glaive fell?

GM: Alright, so Bannock swam down to the room with the shaft and hopped down. Torrent is at the top, preparing to go down and I assume Lars and Hrimr are there as well (they can correct me if I am wrong). Arnir and Kirio, what are you up to?

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio takes a potion, drinks it and then follows Torrent...

 

[fromage67]

Lars turns to his rat familiar and asks, "Want to come? It is about 100 feet underwater. We have no potion for you however." If the rat agrees, Lars brings him along.

Lars takes his sword down with him, but figures the crossbow wouldn't take too well to getting soaked, so he reluctantly leaves it above. He then plunges after the others, excited by the feeling of swimming freely under water. The only problem is the sharp pain in his ears.

At the bottom of the shaft, Lars spots Bannock below and lets himself down the rope after him.

 

[Gregor]

GM: So has anyone actually climbed down to the floor of the cavern?

[sblock="for Lars'"]Hope informs you that he has no need to eat, sleep or breathe and is happy to journey under the water with you.[/sblock]

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr in his squid like form swims down the shaft to the 'surface' of the water. Just as he is about to break the surface he grabs the rope, turns himself back into a dwarf, and pulls himself into the cavern. He waves up for the rest of the party to follow him down.

 

[fromage67]

GM: So has anyone actually climbed down to the floor of the cavern?

OOC: The way I read it, Bannock, Lars and now Hrimr are descending the rope into the cavern.

 

[Gregor]

GM: Thanks Lars, though it seems that Hrimr is now standing on the stone floor of the cavern, waving you and Bannock down. Torrent is right behind you two, followed by Kirio. Only Arnir's position is currently unknown.

 

[Gregor]

Hrimr, you climb down the rope to the floor of the cavern. You feel strange as you pass through the portal of water, almost as if you slipped through an invisible sheet of fine gauze. It is mildly unsettling. The air in the chamber is very hot, causing your sopping clothes to immediately begin to steam. Above you, you can see the shimmering pane of water that leads up into the shaft and the forms of Lars and Bannock as they descend towards you.

A river of lava cuts the chamber in two. The source of the lava is visible down the south tunnel – a massive warding circle etched into the stone walls, its runes glowing with intense heat. It looks solid, but somehow flames are visible beyond it, and a slow flow of lava seeps out from the edge of the ring, as if it were a seal holding back the heat of the Elemental Plane of Fire. A 30 foot long stone bridge arcs over the river of magma, connecting the two halves of the chamber and leading to an iron door set in the far wall (across the bridge).

The air is hazy with heat and steam, and the faint rumbling of liquid stone churning through unseen tunnels fills the space with power. The ceiling is mostly 10 ft. high, though the magma flow is ten feet below the main level of the floor.

At your feet, a set of runes begin to glow a bright shimmering green. They pulse once and a loud shrieking tone rips through the air, echoing off the cavern walls. Those in the water above hear the waves of sound move up through the shaft.

Hrimr, you realize you may have set off some kind of alarm.

GM: I will put up a map. Everyone can post 3 rounds worth of actions they would like to take (casting spells, moving around, etc.) in order to prepare. I'll roll initiative, but you don't need to act in order for your 3 rounds. The initiative count will begin after everyone has taken their 3 rounds worth of actions. Currently Hrimr is standing on the floor of the cavern, Lars and Bannock are on the rope, probably about 5-10 feet above the portal of water (so still in the water), Torrent and Kirio are another 5-10 feet above that. Arnir, feel free to say where you are before you take your 3 rounds worth of actions. If you quaffed a potion and are with Kirio and Torrent, just let me know. Otherwise, you're back upstairs, about 160 feet away (including the depth of the shaft) from the rest of the party.

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Initiative

1 – Arnir
2 – DM #1
3 - Lars
4 - DM #4
5 - Hrimr
6 - DM #7
7 – DM #3
8 - Kirio
9 – DM #9 (D)
10 - Bannock
11 – DM #6
12 – Torrent
13 – DM #5
14 – DM #8
15 – DM #2

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