You hear the rats scurrying away. But then the noises stop suddenly with a shriek accompanied by a mechanical whirring coming from behind the wall. Now just silence.
"um.... ah.... " Xa is nervously squirming after hearing ^ THAT ^ sound. "Rest sounds good. That gives Varja time to see if an Alchemist is available AND CLOSE BY -and- Yatari more time to recover."
Xa flits over and lands on top of a barrel, "Speak with Animals is a great idea Grawdor, though, like Varja said, they may not be happy with us after burning their friends."
Xa keeps looking around as if expecting another wave of attacks, "Varja has a good point. What DO rats eat? And, with those eight we saw, they would have needed a BUNCH of food. Have they been raiding OTHER cellars?"
Xa eyes the largest person in the group and then goes to stand in front of the wall excavation. "Do you think everyone can fit inside AND be able to do more than walk or crawl?"
PERCEPTION (to make certain nothing is waiting to spring out of the tunnel at Xa ) 17
INVESTIGATION (to peer in and see if we all can fit to travel inside) 7
Ok just catching up on all this. Everyone mark off a Short Rest.
To Xa - You have a quick look into the hallway beyond the hole, which is absolutely big enough for everyone to fit into. You can see a dusty stone corridor, its floor lying around a foot below that of the cellar where you stand.Over to the left you can see the start of a staircase buried in collapsed masonry, earth and rubble that block the way completely. To the right the passage heads around a corner, but on the wall you can just make out what appears to be writing in a clear gold script.
To Varja - As you leave the cellar Glowkindle is coming down the stairs from the second level. “Where are you going? Please don’t be long, I need this dealt with today. I can’t afford to lose another day of trading.” Unfortunately Preston is just a small village. You ask around and the closest alchemist is in the town of Hochoch at least a day’s travel away. You return to the others as they complete their short rest.
"Sorry for taking so long, everyone; however, I got bad news. The closest Alchemist is a day's travel away. Do any of you want to try anything with the rat organs? I would say use them as bait to lure them to us, but I'm afraid it might lure in too many for us to handle." Varja said to everyone, placing down the skinned temporary bag to hold the rat organs.
Xa will do a quick 'sneak and peek' and come back to tell what he has seen. The corridor. The blocked staircase. The golden writing he could not make out in his hurry to come back.
You have a quick look into the hallway beyond the hole, which is absolutely big enough for everyone to fit into. You can see a dusty stone corridor, its floor lying around a foot below that of the cellar where you stand. Over to the left you can see the start of a staircase buried in collapsed masonry, earth and rubble that block the way completely. To the right the passage heads around a corner, but on the wall you can just make out what appears to be writing in a clear gold script.
Xa looks at the returning Varja. "Too bad about the alchemist. Guess we can just toss the guts for 'bait'? Next -- follow to the right and read the gold words and see what is around the corner? If we hit a deadend, I would like to see if we can clear that staircase."
"I think Glowkindle is going to insist we clear every last rat out we can find or we won't get paid. :( "
"Golden words?", Yatari asked while standing right behind Xa.
Perception check: 12
(If that's enough) Tatari would either try to translate it or she would sketch the words on one of her blank letters she pulls out of her robe to see if anyone can read it
Xa spins around at Yatari's voice right behind him. "Geez, 'Ri." He watches as Yatari pulls out a letter from her robes. "Isn't that one of those letters from that fella in Triboar who took a shine to you?" Xa smirks and slowly steps away.
As you all approach the golden writing on the wall it appears to be shining slightly, even in complete darkness. It reads:
"Dawn breaks with stirring air, As sun shines down on new day fair” "Midday blaze bakes earth and grass, The farmer waits for heat to pass” "Evening cool brings water, wine, Drink and laughter passing time” "Night sees shining, roaring fire, as wood and coals burn on the pyre"
The passageway continues to the left and ends with two doorways, one heading left and the other straight on. In front of them is a long section of floor covered in a mosaic that depicts a rural scene. It shows the sun, the sky, a hillside and a river. There are four 5 ft. ‘panels’, each showing the scene at a different time of day.
Two halves of a Giant Rat perfectly cut lie on the river section of the second and third panels. The other rat scrambles through the doorway straight ahead.
Think carefully about how you’d like to proceed. The mosaic floor is below.
Xa spins around at Yatari's voice right behind him. "Geez, 'Ri." He watches as Yatari pulls out a letter from her robes. "Isn't that one of those letters from that fella in Triboar who took a shine to you?" Xa smirks and slowly steps away.
"No, this one is from the one I took a shine to in Everlund", Yatari jokes.
Yatari picks up a pebble and tosses it on to the mosaic panel.
If the roll is high enough can it be that the whole group is around 15ft or more away from the panels and I'm hoping the pebble lands on the second one.
Yatari picks up a pebble and tosses it on to the mosaic panel.
If the roll is high enough can it be that the whole group is around 15ft or more away from the panels and I'm hoping the pebble lands on the second one.
The pebble doesn’t quite make it to the second panel. But bounces off the first panel, then off the second, then rolls over the third and comes to sit on the fourth. Nothing happens, the pebble just sits there just past the dissected rat.
"um.... ah.... " Xa is nervously squirming after hearing ^ THAT ^ sound. "Rest sounds good. That gives Varja time to see if an Alchemist is available AND CLOSE BY -and- Yatari more time to recover."
Xa flits over and lands on top of a barrel, "Speak with Animals is a great idea Grawdor, though, like Varja said, they may not be happy with us after burning their friends."
Xa keeps looking around as if expecting another wave of attacks, "Varja has a good point. What DO rats eat? And, with those eight we saw, they would have needed a BUNCH of food. Have they been raiding OTHER cellars?"
Xa eyes the largest person in the group and then goes to stand in front of the wall excavation. "Do you think everyone can fit inside AND be able to do more than walk or crawl?"
PERCEPTION (to make certain nothing is waiting to spring out of the tunnel at Xa ) 17
INVESTIGATION (to peer in and see if we all can fit to travel inside) 7
Investigation Check (Find a local Alchemist): 9
If pass: Perception Check (Figuring out the market price): 20
If fail: Return to the others.
If pass: Persuasion Check (Bargain for a lower price in either making with the rat organs or selling it for a higher price): 16
If fail: I take whatever gold for the rat organs (2 sets) and return with the others.
*Oh, I really hope the 9 is enough to find a local Alchemist...*
Ok just catching up on all this. Everyone mark off a Short Rest.
To Xa - You have a quick look into the hallway beyond the hole, which is absolutely big enough for everyone to fit into. You can see a dusty stone corridor, its floor lying around a foot below that of the cellar where you stand.Over to the left you can see the start of a staircase buried in collapsed masonry, earth and rubble that block the way completely. To the right the passage heads around a corner, but on the wall you can just make out what appears to be writing in a clear gold script.
To Varja - As you leave the cellar Glowkindle is coming down the stairs from the second level. “Where are you going? Please don’t be long, I need this dealt with today. I can’t afford to lose another day of trading.” Unfortunately Preston is just a small village. You ask around and the closest alchemist is in the town of Hochoch at least a day’s travel away. You return to the others as they complete their short rest.
"Sorry for taking so long, everyone; however, I got bad news. The closest Alchemist is a day's travel away. Do any of you want to try anything with the rat organs? I would say use them as bait to lure them to us, but I'm afraid it might lure in too many for us to handle." Varja said to everyone, placing down the skinned temporary bag to hold the rat organs.
Xa will do a quick 'sneak and peek' and come back to tell what he has seen. The corridor. The blocked staircase. The golden writing he could not make out in his hurry to come back.
Xa looks at the returning Varja. "Too bad about the alchemist. Guess we can just toss the guts for 'bait'? Next -- follow to the right and read the gold words and see what is around the corner? If we hit a deadend, I would like to see if we can clear that staircase."
"I think Glowkindle is going to insist we clear every last rat out we can find or we won't get paid. :( "
"Golden words?", Yatari asked while standing right behind Xa.
Perception check: 12
(If that's enough) Tatari would either try to translate it or she would sketch the words on one of her blank letters she pulls out of her robe to see if anyone can read it
Xa spins around at Yatari's voice right behind him. "Geez, 'Ri."
He watches as Yatari pulls out a letter from her robes. "Isn't that one of those letters from that fella in Triboar who took a shine to you?" Xa smirks and slowly steps away.
As you all approach the golden writing on the wall it appears to be shining slightly, even in complete darkness. It reads:
"Dawn breaks with stirring air, As sun shines down on new day fair”
"Midday blaze bakes earth and grass, The farmer waits for heat to pass”
"Evening cool brings water, wine, Drink and laughter passing time”
"Night sees shining, roaring fire, as wood and coals burn on the pyre"
The passageway continues to the left and ends with two doorways, one heading left and the other straight on. In front of them is a long section of floor covered in a mosaic that depicts a rural scene. It shows the sun, the sky, a hillside and a river. There are four 5 ft. ‘panels’, each showing the scene at a different time of day.
Two halves of a Giant Rat perfectly cut lie on the river section of the second and third panels. The other rat scrambles through the doorway straight ahead.
Think carefully about how you’d like to proceed. The mosaic floor is below.
"No, this one is from the one I took a shine to in Everlund", Yatari jokes.
Yatari picks up a pebble and tosses it on to the mosaic panel.
If the roll is high enough can it be that the whole group is around 15ft or more away from the panels and I'm hoping the pebble lands on the second one.
Strength check: 3
NOOOOOOO!!!!
The pebble doesn’t quite make it to the second panel. But bounces off the first panel, then off the second, then rolls over the third and comes to sit on the fourth. Nothing happens, the pebble just sits there just past the dissected rat.
Yatari looks around for some other clues.
Investigation: 5
Varja also looks around for clues.
Investigation Check: 13
The only clues you find is the writing on the wall. The pebbles scatter over the mosaic in a similar pattern. Nothing happens.