(SRF) Aspiration's Beginning

[Eric Zephlaer]

Brock is not stupid, far from it, but he has little patience and is not good at analyzing a situation for a best course of action that is not straight forward, so he defers to Garin in such situations. Garin suggests that the party start at the top of the pyramid. “We have not gone to the top, but we should start there. If no entrance exists there, we can come back to the mid level. It is highly likely that there will be further exploration from the lowest level and we do not want to miss anything.”

OOC: 71, 83

Jay nods at Belaria, indicating that he is in agreement with Garin. Belaria gestures and responds, “That makes perfect sense. Let us climb to the top and work our way down.”

OOC: 62, 74

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Chilling. Day 13.
The top of the pyramid has a stone canopy covering its flat peak. There is a square opening in the flat top about a stride in distance on each side. The is also the remains of what was probably a wooden sacrifice alter spanning the opening. The passage of time has severely damaged the structure, but it appears to have been originally made from cypress wood, which is very resistance to water. The wood is stained, very dark, and moss has grown all over its surfaces.

It is of no consequence to move this structure aside, and indentions are noticed inside the hole, which can be used to descend into the darkness below. The Yahdram were not known to make blood sacrifice, giving further evidence that this ruin is even older. Since the party has already decided to start at the top, it is a simple matter for Brock to climb down using the indentions. The descent is only about three strides and ends in a hall. There is a gigantic metal bowl directly in the center of the opening above. It is darkly stained like it had once been used to capture the spilled blood. The hall opens in two opposing directions, but it is too dark to determine anything else. Everything smells of mold.

Spoiler: Character Data

Brock: full wellness
Garindell: full wellness
Belaria: full wellness
Gaio Verde: full wellness
Brenda: full wellness

Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each

Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}

Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Garin takes a rock, causes it to glow, and drops it into the opening. Brock retrieves the rock and tosses it down one of the halls, so he can see. Brock shakes his head and frowns at himself for not having thought of it first. He illuminates his own stone and tosses it in the other direction. He then describes what he sees. “You might as well come on down. Let us get started.”

OOC: 74, 86

Belaria lowers herself down before anyone else can. She illuminates her own stone and uses the light to examine the bowl. Gaio gestures for the other two to preceed him, and he climbs down last. “We should pick a direction and take it. We should not try to split up to cover more ground because we do not know what dangers this place might hold.”

OOC: 65, 77

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Chilling. Day 13.
Once he tosses the rocks, Brock sees that there is nothing to distinguish one hall from the other. They appear to be identical, each is straight and ends in a descending set of stairs. Using the aid of her own light, Belaria can confirm the original suspicion. The bowl was definitely used to catch most of the spilled blood. Stains upon the floor indicate that it did not catch everything. Droplet and splash stains along each all show that the bowl had been carried in both directions for whatever use there had been for the blood.

Brock flips a coin and chooses a direction. The sounds of the party’s movement echoes in the hall, despite the attempt to move quietly. The ceiling of the hall appears to be moving, which is rather unnerving until Belaria holds up her light stone and sees that it is bats. It is a good environment for the creatures, but the colony is small and not much for guano has accumulated on the floor. Even the small amount of guano explains the residual smell of blood, which otherwise made no sense.

The stairs descend into another hallway, running perpendicular to the descent. Again, the stains on the floor indicate that the blood bowl had been carried in both directions. Retrieving the light stone, Brock again flips a coin and tosses the stone in the chosen direction. There is an opening toward the interior at about the midpoint of the hall, which continues on then turn at a right angle, obviously toward the interior.

Spoiler: Character Data

Brock: full wellness
Garindell: full wellness
Belaria: full wellness
Gaio Verde: full wellness
Brenda: full wellness

Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each

Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}

Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Brock shrugs his shoulders. There seems to be no consequence of decision at this point. “Let us check this first opening, here.”

With no decension in the ranks, no one else has any better option. Belaria waves her hand. “Lead on.”

OOC: 68, 80

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Chilling. Day 13.

Spoiler: Wariness

Brock: 14(perception) + 25(clarity) + 68(d100) = 107
174 - 107 = 67
Garindell: 26(observation) + 24 + 68 = 118
174 - 118 = 56
Belaria: 24 + 23 + 68 = 115
174 - 115 = 59
Gaio: 24 + 25 + 68 = 117
174 - 117 = 57
Brenda: 23 + 20 + 75 = 118
174 - 118 = 56

Spiders: 50(conceal) + 50(skin) + 74(d100) = 174

Spoiler: Physical Assault

Spiders: 80(finesse) + 74(d100) = 154

Brock: 23(readiness) + 14(speed) + 25(analysis) + 80(d100) = 142
154 + 67 - 142 = 79% * 2 = 2
Garindell: 16 + 25 + 23 + 80 = 144
154 + 56 - 144 = 66% * 2 = 1
Belaria: 19 + 23 + 22 + 80 = 144
154 + 59 - 144 = 69% * 2 = 1
Gaio: 19 + 23 + 23 + 80 = 145
154 + 57 - 145 = 66% * 2 = 1
Brenda: 22 + 22 + 19 + 75 = 128
154 + 56 - 128 = 82% * 2 = 2

Spoiler: Venom

Spiders: 80(dose) + 74(d100) = 154

Brock: 24(conditioning) + 27(fury) + 80(d100) = 131
154 - 131 = 23% * 10 = 2
Garindell: 16 + 24 + 80 = 120
154 - 120 = 34% * 10 = 3
Belaria: 22 + 22 + 80 = 124
154 - 124 = 30% * 10 = 3
Gaio: 19 + 25 + 80 = 124
154 - 124 = 30% * 10 = 3
Brenda: 24 + 22 + 75 = 121
154 - 121 = 33% * 10 = 3

Moving down the hall it is noticed that there are very narrow slits in the outer wall. These seem to have been manufactured to allow for the movement of air and to provide some minor illumination. By chance the party had moved north then west. As it is early in the day, the Daylight would be on the other side of the pyramid, which explained the lack of benefit from the slits.

Retrieving the light stone, the party takes the opening back into the interior, which is not another hall but the entrance to an interior room. With the light projected from the stones that Brock and Belaria are carrying, very little can be seen of the room, but the initial examination becomes irrelevant when spiders that now occupy the room launch themselves at party members. Spiders make no distinction based upon the size of a target, only whether or not it is alive. Spiders of this size mostly feed upon warm blooded creatures.

Everyone finds himself or herself bodily attached to a venomous spider with its fangs embedded in bare flesh and injecting that venom.

Spoiler: Character Data

Brock: Body: 10 - 2 = 8, hurt. Strength: 4 - 2 = 2, weakened.
Garindell: Body: 10 - 1 = 9 - 1 = 8, hurt. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1, weakened.
Belaria: Body: 10 - 1 = 9 - 1 = 8, hurt. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1, weakened.
Gaio Verde: Body: 10 - 1 = 9 - 1 = 8, hurt. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1, weakened.
Brenda: Body: 10 - 2 = 8, hurt. Strength: 3 - 3 = 0, weakened.

Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each

Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}

Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Abandoning any form of skillful retaliation, everyone simply wants to get rid of spiders. The only difference in tactics is between strength and momentum, but everyone grabs ahold of the spider and tries to throw it away, hopfully smalling it into a wall or the ground. Brock exclaims, “What in the name of the Nine Hells!?”

Brenda spits out a curse in Maldrog. Belaria voices her distaste. “I hate spiders!”

OOC: 71, 83

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Chilling. Day 13.

Spoiler: Reaction

Brock: 23(readiness) + 15(speed) + 25(clarity) + 71(d100) = 134
Garindell: 17 + 25 + 24 + 71 = 137
Belaria: 19 + 23 + 23 + 71 = 136
Gaio: 19 + 24 + 25 + 71 = 139
Brenda: 21 + 22 + 20 + 75 = 138
Spiders: 80 + 77 = 157

Spoiler: Speed

Brock: 500 - 134 = 366
Garindell: 500 - 137 = 363
Belaria: 500 - 136 = 364
Gaio: 500 - 139 = 361
Brenda: 500 - 138 = 362
Spiders: 500 - 157 = 343

Spoiler: Physical Assault

Brock: 26(throw) + 15(accuracy) + 27(fury) + 71(d100) = 139
Garindell: 18 + 25 + 24 + 71 = 138
Belaria: 19(whirl) + 23 + 23(clarity) + 71 = 136
Gaio: 19 + 24 + 25 + 71 = 139
Brenda: 23(throw) + 22 + 22(fury) + 75 = 142
Spiders: 80(finesse) + 77(d100) = 157

Brock: 23(readiness) + 14(speed) + 25(analysis) + 71(d100) = 133
257 - 133 = 124 - 14(kilter) = 110% * 2 = 2
Garindell: 16 + 25 + 23 + 71 = 135
257 - 135 = 122 - 25 = 97% * 2 = 2
Belaria: 19 + 23 + 22 + 71 = 135
257 - 135 = 122 - 23 = 99% * 2 = 2
Gaio: 19 + 23 + 23 + 71 = 136
257 - 136 - 121 - 23 = 98% * 2 = 2
Brenda: 22 + 22 + 19 + 75 = 128
257 - 128 = 129% * 2 = 3
Spiders: 80 + 77 = 157
239 - 157 = 82% * 1 = 1
238 - 157 = 81% * 1 = 1
236 - 157 = 79% * 1 = 1
239 - 157 = 82% * 1 = 1
242 - 157 = 85% * 1 = 1

Spoiler: Venom

Spiders: 80(dose) + 74(d100) = 154

Brock: 24(conditioning) + 27(fury) + 83(d100) = 134
154 - 134 = 20% * 10 = 2
Garindell: 16 + 24 + 83 = 123
154 - 123 = 31% * 10 = 3
Belaria: 22 + 22 + 83 = 127
154 - 127 = 27% * 10 = 3
Gaio: 19 + 25 + 83 = 127
154 - 134 = 20% * 10 = 2
Brenda: 24 + 22 + 75 = 121
154 - 121 = 33% * 10 = 3

Spoiler: Mystical Assault

Brock: 17(bending) + 27(shove) + 83(d100) = 127
Garindell: 31 + 23(flash) + 83 = 137
Belaria: 28 + 23(toxicity) + 83 = 134
Gaio: 26 + 25 + 83 = 134
Brenda: 25 + 22(push) + 83 = 130

Spiders: 30 + 77 = 107
127 - 107 = 20% * 1 = 1
137 - 107 = 30% * 6 = 2
134 - 107 = 27% * 6 = 2
134 - 107 = 27% * 6 = 2
130 - 107 = 23% * 1 = 1

The spiders continue to press their fangs, and the venom continues to weaken the five youths. Everyone is significantly weakened and injured. Fortunately, everyone is still able to remove the spider and kill it. Though it will not reverse the harm already sustained, Belaria and Gaio can not only negate the venom within themselves, they can negate it in everyone else as well by touching them and using the same manipulation.

Spoiler: Character Data

Brock: Body: 8 - 2 = 6, hurt. Strength: 2 - 2 = 0, weakened.
Garindell: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 3 = 3, injured. Strength: -1 - 3 = -4, weakened.
Belaria: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 3 = 3, injured. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1 - 3 = -4, weakened.
Gaio Verde: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 2 = 4, injured. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1 - 2 = -3, weakened.
Brenda: Body: 8 - 3 = 5 - 3 = 2, injured. Strength: 3 - 3 = 0 - 3 = -3, weakened.

Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each

Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}

Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Brock, using his glowing stone to provide an opportunity to see, marches over to begin stomping on the bodies of each of the spiders; or at least, he wants to do so. He feels like he cannot lift his feet. “Belaria or Jay, help. I am getting weaker.”

Garin sinks to his knees on the floor. “It is the venom. I feel the same.”

Instinctively realizing that they have the talent to rectify the situation, Belaria and Jay each alter chemical waylines to negate the venom coursing through their veins then go to each of the others, in turn. Belaria confirms, “Yes, yes we can. one of us will be right there. We should then stomp these things then tends to the wounds. We do not want to risk one of these blood sucking arachnids suddenly waking and jumping on one of us, again.”

OOC: 74, 86

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Chilling. Day 13.
It is simply a matter of laying hands on the others for Belaria and Gaio to negate the venom, but in the few seconds necessary to do so, Garindell and Brenda both become paralyzed, though they remain conscious. Afterward, Brock remains healthier than the others and immediately begins stomping on the spiders as he had desired. Though everyone still needs physical aid, another exit is noticed within the room that leads farther into the interior. It also appears that this room has been occupied by spiders for quite some time. Only a female hunting spider can make silk, and there appears to be an egg casing attached to the ceiling in one corner of the room. Additionally, there is another indication that the structure did not belong to the Yahdram is the construction material. Now that the party has spent several minutes on and inside the structure, it looks like the head sized stones are actually sun dried bricks. Yahdram construction is smooth stone, individual bricks cannot be recognized from the mass.

Spoiler: Character Data

Brock: Body: 8 - 2 = 6, hurt. Strength: 2 - 2 = 0, weakened.
Garindell: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 3 = 3, injured. Strength: -1 - 3 = -4, weakened.
Belaria: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 3 = 3, injured. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1 - 3 = -4, weakened.
Gaio Verde: Body: 8 - 2 = 6 - 2 = 4, injured. Strength: 2 - 3 = -1 - 2 = -3, weakened.
Brenda: Body: 8 - 3 = 5 - 3 = 2, injured. Strength: 3 - 3 = 0 - 3 = -3, weakened.

Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each

Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}

Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.