THE HEROES OF DYVERS CHAPTER 7: CLARE'S ERRAND

[Aust Thale]

Respen:
Awakening before everyone else, Respen meditates and studies his spellbook. He reflects on the compulsions placed on him. First by Clare Dame, and then by the Sphinx.
A long trip from Enllaves. Respen thinks on all of his decisions, and more importantly, the interruptions as a result of those decisions. In his youth, they would have been described as impetuous. Now he’d endangered too many. His fate was likely sealed, but perhaps he could sort out his comrades.

When everyone is awake and deciding their path, he steps toward one of the doors, and speaks aloud, “NORTH.”

 

[Waynan]

"Good as any direction, I guess." Tam says.

 

[MacConnell]

Lathir stretches before he stands. He adjusts his equipment and checks his supplies, looking around at the others as if unsure of total recognition. “I feel as if I have slept for several moons, and my memory seems to have some holes. I must trust to my instincts and the Great Lady whom I serve to accommodate for the loss. All of this manufactured stone is a bit out of my element, but I will serve as best I can.”

OOC: random d20: 13

 

[Waynan]

Tam looks around at the party, "It's funny, but I must agree with you, Lathir. Does anyone really know what time it is?"
Tam is suddenly concerned. It seems like it's been days instead of hours while they slept. Surely not, and yet...

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

OOC: I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to get organized with this. IRL issues just keep comin' at me, non-stop. But I am not giving up!

Opening the north door reveals a 20-foot wide, 10-foot high, cut stone hallway, with smooth walls and floors, which seem to be covered in a light dusting of moss. The hallway is very damp, and the musty smell is almost overpowering, a rank, rotten smell, something like the combination of dead, rotting flesh, and fresh feces. The hallway stretches beyond the limit of even the best humanoid Darkvision (more than 120 feet!) in a straight line. The hallway is NOT lit, and is pitch black, the party's light sources failing to illume past about 30 feet. The only reason you know that it stretches as far as it does is because of Darkvision, and/or any spells the lot of you might have. You have no idea if this hallway is trapped, but at least it seems to be empty, quiet, and un-occupied, save a few crawly insects which infest the moss.

Everyone: What do you do?

 

[Waynan]

"What died in here?"
Tam asks as he pinches his nose with thumb and index finger.

 

[MacConnell]

Lathir shakes his head. "I will say more than one thing. I almost suspect something like a bear or even a larger reptile can enter here from another location and is using the dank hole as a lair." He takes a simple piece of cloth from a pouch and ties it around his face in hopes of reducing the stinch.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Spoiler: For Lathir's Eyes Only

Your portfolio allows you to identify this phenomenon by sight, no roll needed.

Upon closer inspection, you notice a magical aura on the moss; the stench is artificial and illusionary, and once you realize that it's an illusion, the smell dissipates. The insects are real, but they are not of this plane. They are summoned here, and are native to the plane of Shadow. They have energy-draining properties, attacking in the form of a swarm, although for the moment, they are not acting aggressively.