The Romance of the River Kingdoms

[Blackrat]

Three Flowers nods and takes the end of the rope. "You want to dive or shall I? If we just pull the rope through the ring and hold both ends we don't need to tie it. I'm not too good on making knots."

 

[The Rolling Man]

Jar'Thol, Salsham'ai shaman

Content with his exploration of the room, Jar'Thol returns to the relative safety of th staircase and sits down by Annika. "I hope that foul water didn't ruin to much of my stuff." He says while trying to dry up a bit.

 

[Redclaw]

A good idea, Xielt admits as he threads the rope through the ring and walks back to the dry area of the room with his end. Now, let's see what's underneath all this water.

 

[Walking Dad]

Ape

Aoe retreats to the dry place, too. Staff ready, he watches what happens.

 

[Blackrat]

Three Flowers takes the other end of the rope and walks next to Xielt. "All right. One, two, and pull..."

 

[Dr Simon]

[OOC: With 50 ft. of rope (the DM knows all...) doubled through the loop, the furthest Three Flower and Xielt could stand would be 25 ft., not quite enough to get safely on the steps. However, it might be enough...]

The Combined strength of Xielt and Three Flower is enough to pull up the stone cover, and the water begins to drain away with a loud slurping sound. The current quickly begins to pull on Xielt and Three Flower as the water gushes past them.

[sblock="Strength Check DC 12"]
Xielt roll 8 +2 = 10
Three Flower roll 14 +2 =16

Xielt takes 4 damage from battering.
[/sblock]

[sblock="Xielt"]
This now makes 0/8 Grace and 15/17 Health. The Grace points will come back 1/minute with rest but the Health return at 1/day of rest. So he's taken some actual, physical damage from this rather than simple heroic John McClane style battering.
[/sbock]

Three Flower keeps his footing but the tlaxu is again swept off his feet. He clings to his end of the silken rope as he is drawn towards the now widening whirlpool in the centre of the room...

[sblock="Strength Check DC 12"]
Xielt roll 12 +2 = 14
[/sblock]

Drenched, bruised, half-drowned, the tlaxu nevertheless keeps his grip as the water pours past him. Soon the room has drained almost completely with just a few puddles left in depressions of the uneven floor.

The floor is covered in dark grey, lifeless silt. Beneath the stone plug is a well-constructed shaft made of fitted stone blocks. Metal rungs are set into one side and lead down into darkness.

From below comes the sound of splashing, incoherent grunting and the occasional clatter of dull metal...

 

[Blackrat]

As the water finally drains away, Three Flowers drops his end of the rope and hurries to Xielt. He offers his hand in assistance for him to get up. "Well that was rougher than I thought it would be. Good we didn't pull it without the rope afterall."

 

[Walking Dad]

Ape

Ape also looks after the tlaxu. "Perhaps we should make a short rest. You seem battered. There is virtue in patience and in haste, as I already said." He says to Xielt.

 

[Dr Simon]

Content with his exploration of the room, Jar'Thol returns to the relative safety of th staircase and sits down by Annika. "I hope that foul water didn't ruin to much of my stuff." He says while trying to dry up a bit.

[sblock="Jar'Thol"]
The trail rations are a bit worse for wear, and the tindertwigs will need to dry before they can be used, but everything else seems to be okay.
[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Annika looks Jar'Thol over as he roots through his things, then up at the others.

"There's something down the hole. If we wait, we'll give them more time to prepare for us."