The air was alive with the symphony of evening in West Haven. Cobblestone streets, worn smooth by the passage of time, wound their way through the heart of the town, illuminated by the warm glow of lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. Amidst the bustle of the marketplace, where vendors hastily packed their wares for the night, the rhythmic clang of the blacksmith's hammer resonated like a heartbeat, echoing through the narrow alleys. Beyond the hustle and bustle, the scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the savory aroma of roasting meats, drawing weary travelers and locals alike to the welcoming embrace of the tavern.
Yet beneath the surface of this idyllic scene lingered whispers of untold secrets and hidden truths. Promises of wealth and glory. Adventure.
The town's sturdy stone keep, silhouetted against the fading light of dusk, stood as a silent sentinel, its weathered walls bearing witness to the trophies, trials and tribulations of generations past. Within its shadowy embrace, tales of valor and treachery intermingled, woven into the fabric of West Haven's storied history.
For Dorn, a stalwart paladin of Tyr, the journey to West Haven had been one of duty and honor, a quest to uphold the virtues of justice and righteousness in a world plagued by darkness. Accompanied by his trio of loyal retainers, he arrived in West Haven with a sense of purpose, his unwavering devotion to his deity guiding his every step.
Calim, one of the local blacksmiths, had spent years toiling tirelessly at his forge, his hands still calloused from years of labor. Beneath the facade of a simple craftsman lay a dark secret, a burden he carried with him like a weight upon his soul. Afraid of what might be revealed should the truth come to light, Calim buried himself in his work, seeking solace in the rhythmic clang of metal against metal. But even that time was coming to an end ... soon he would have to set his tools down and return to the life of an adventurer.
Kneecap, a dwarven sailor, had found himself embroiled in a failed coup that had left him fleeing for his life. Haunted by the specter of betrayal and deceit, he sought refuge in the sanctuary of West Haven, hoping to remake his fortunes and leave his troubled past behind him once and for all.
And then there was Volneer, a half-elven sorcerer, whose magic had brought nothing but chaos wherever he roamed. Cursed by his own power, he journeyed to West Haven in search of answers, hoping to find a way to tame the wild magic that coursed within his veins.
Night fell and the stars began to twinkle overhead, casting their gentle light upon the town, the four strangers stood at the threshold of a new beginning, their destinies intertwined in the tangled web of fate. For in the shadows of West Haven, where secrets lurked and darkness reigned, the true journey had only just begun.
OOC — We're live, gang! Feel free to introduce your character (and please describe them a bit so the other players can get a feel for them).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Quaint..." Dorn mumbles under his breath, apparently being accustomed to a particular standard of living.As he gazes out into the town enveloped by twilight, he makes a remark to his squire: "Do not go far from me Aria". And I'll go ahead and make a perception Check 21 to better understand where we're oriented, and what everyone in my immediate area is doing. (noting shopkeepers are packing up for the day) did all four PCs meet at the entrance of the town at the same time? is there an apparent Inn in sight?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Looking around, Volneer stands out like a sore thumb among the people of the city. He's wearing a dirty, brown cloak with the hood drawn up, carrying a long wooden staff in one hand. Noticing the general look of the people, he casts Prestidigitation to clean up his clothes a little bit. His short brown beard somewhat disguises his elvin ancestry, but he stands tall and thin. Walking through the crowd, he heads to the outskirts of town and begins to set up camp, setting down his hunting trap in the woods and climbing a tree to look around. Perception check 16 to look for threats.
After weeks at sea with nothing but fish and watered down ale, Kneecap dove into his mutton and bread like a shark in a feeding frenzy. While he knew little about elves in general, he was very much enjoying this elven wine he was drinking.
He ignored the strange looks he was getting from the other patrons of the tavern. Sure, his father’s chainmail was a bit too large for him, but he would grow into it. Sure, one of his eyes was completely white, pupil and iris included, but that probably wasn’t too uncommon, was it? As he fidgeted with his holy symbol, which he had carved himself from the bones of a whale, he was quite aware of how little he knew about the world.
With his plate empty, he muttered a quick prayer, “Marthammor, guide me to adventure!” and he scanned the room, looking for a friendly face.
Perception w/Guidance for a friendly face, or anything worse! 12
The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, and a faint rumbling began to echo throughout the streets and alleys of the town. At first, it was barely noticeable, dismissed as nothing more than the usual sounds of a bustling city. However, as the minutes passed, the rumbling grew louder and more pronounced, causing windows to rattle and doors to creak on their hinges.
At the edge of town, a crowd began to gather, drawn by the strange and ominous noise. People whispered fearfully to one another, their voices tinged with anxiety and uncertainty. Some clutched their children tightly, while others gripped weapons with white-knuckled hands.
Dorn was just about to walk into the inn that Aria had pointed out to him. Meanwhile, Kneecap was just finishing a plate inside the very same building.
Finally, from his treetop vantage point just at the edge of town, Volneer notices that a few large trees in the neighboring forest have begun to lurch and sway. One had even fallen! This was the source of the terrible rumbling ... and something in these overgrown woods was toppling these huge hardwoods as if they were nothing more than children's playthings.
OOC — You all hear what is going on. Volneer can hear and see what is going on. Pardon the railroad, but with your next round of posts — after whatever reaction/investigation you would like to propose — assume that you will all be in the same place at the edge of town and can see and hear what the other PCs are doing.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"What is going on down there?" Volneer mumbled to himself as he swung down from the tree. Walking over to the edge of the tree, he is going to ready a fire bolt on the first thing to burst from the trees. 7 for initiative.
Dorn slightly stumbles on the slight quake beneath his feat, catching himself on the doorway of the Inn. "Is this a... typical occurrence in this land?" he ponders, before looking around to see the surprise and fear in the eyes of the townsfolk. Confident that there's a problem that needs dealt with, he ushers his retainers into the Inn, saying "Grimbold, take Lyra inside and wait for me. Aria, you're with me escudera. but stay behind me unless I say so."
Dorn and Aria begin walking in the direction of the noise, eventually out to the edge of town; walking calmly, eyes scanning amongst the chaos, prepared.
Once Dorn reaches the edge of town, I'll go ahead and make another perception to try and catch the first signs of what is causing this rumble. 9
Kneecap looks at his holy symbol and mutters, “Well that didn’t take long!” Smiling and grabbing his Warhammer, he gets up from his table, channels a small bit of his divine power and casts Taumaturgy, increasing the volume of his voice. “STEP ASIDE PLEASE, I NEED TO INVESTIGATE THOSE SOUNDS”.
As he gets to the door, he makes room for a male dwarf and female halfling to enter the inn, then exits himself. As he approaches the crowd gathered at the edge of town, he notices he’s been following a tall human man since the inn. The same human that had been talking to the dwarf and halfling who entered the inn.
“I better keep an eye on that one” Kneecap thinks, staring at the human’s chain mail and rapier, “what kind of fool would leave the comfort of an inn to willing move towards the sound of obvious danger?”. Kneecap is unfamiliar with the concept of irony.
He scans the crowd, spots a mother holding a child, and stands in front of the pair, shield and hammer at the ready.
As he waits for the source of the sound to reveal itself, Kneecap notices a man, perhaps an elf, perhaps both, standing over near the woods. The man leans on a staff, looking weak. “It seems like half this town is in need of my protection” he thinks, ready to cast a Sanctuary spell on the man if he falls over, too weak to stand.
As the unsettling rumbling echoes through the town of West Haven, Calim feels a shiver run down his spine. Sensing the urgency of the situation, he pushes himself up from his seat, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.
The rhythmic clang of his hammer still reverberates in his ears as he steps out into the cool evening air. The bustling sounds of the marketplace have been replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by the distant sounds of chaos emanating from the edge of town.
With a heavy sigh, Calim's gaze drifts towards the source of the commotion. In the dim twilight, he can just make out the swaying trees and the fallen trunk in the neighboring forest. Instinctively, his hand tightens around the handle of his hammer, his knuckles turning white with resolve.
Ignoring the whispers of doubt that linger in the back of his mind, Calim strides purposefully towards the edge of town, his footsteps echoing in the empty streets. With each passing moment, the urgency of the situation weighs heavily upon him, driving him forward with a sense of purpose that he thought he had lost long ago.
As he nears the outskirts of West Haven, Calim can feel the weight of his past bearing down on him like a heavy burden. But in this moment, he knows that he must set aside his doubts and fears, for there are lives at stake, and he is determined to prove himself worthy of facing whatever lurks within the depths of the forest.
Calim readies an attack, pulling out the sword his daughter crafted for him. Shield strapped to his back, he holds the hilt with both hands, surprised at his own lack of hesitation. He is ready. He maybe has been ready for years.
___
I'll throw a roll for Perception too: 8 And, just to be in the mix...anticipating an Initiative Roll: 19
Four heroes, one with a squire in tow, assembled themselves in front of the townsfolk that had gathered at the edge of the forest. Peering into the woods ... the quintet saw nothing obvious in the way of threats.
Making their way past some of the dense underbrush that denoted the end of the village and the beginning of the woods, the group got a better look at what was going on and saw that a large sinkhole had opened up. Big enough to swallow a good sized cottage.
A few of the fallen trees lay tipped - roots exposed - into the yawning chasm. Their broad, sturdy trunks rand down at an incline and disappeared into the darkness beyond.
The group was still many tens of feet away, but from the current vantage point ... the sinkhole looked like it had exposed a small cave system. The cause of the sinkhole was decidedly unnatural, mainly because in the darkness below ... the tell tale flicker of distant torchlight could be seen, and this was accompanied by eerie chanting.
19 - Calim. Melee attack readied, wielding 2-h (Calim declared two actions, Ready and the Perception check. I ruled that the Ready action took precedence in this situation)
7 - Volneer. Firebolt readied. Concentrating.
TBD - Kneecap (please be cautious with the use of the word 'ready' with regard to spells. From the context of the post, it wasn't entirely clear that you meant 'I will Ready a casting of Sanctuary' so I ruled that Kneecap did not take this action. If he had readied the spell ... it's as good as casting it.)
TBD - Dorn
We will begin tracking things round-by-round from here on out, and it is a now a new round.
For the folks that have not done so, please include an initiative roll with your next post.
As Dorn is focussed in, listening and watching for what may come, he senses a strange few collecting behind him. He turns his head slightly, to glance at those behind him and sees that the dwarf has just cast some sort of spell; and calls out to him: "Stout-kin! are you familiar with this anomaly?" He directs his gaze back to the expansive view of wilderness beyond the town. "What should we be ready for?!"
All those who hear and take note of Dorn and Aria take note of the following: Dorn is a fairly shorter individual, and has black hair, and a finely sculpted mustache/chin-strap combo. Aria is short and young, and has dirty brown hair. Dorn speaks with a dialect not common in this region, you may or may not recognize it is Tethyrian. He and Aria both are clad in a leather/chainmail combination with gold accents. Dorn, in addition to the chainmail has a soft leather vest that has a house symbol of a stag embossed into it. he wears a long chain with an emblem resembling a balanced scale, atop a hammer; you may or may not know this is the symbol of the God Tyr.
*** This post was written prior to seeing the DM post, and was meant to take place before appearing at the cavern (Sorry), and can be taken as Dorn speaking soft enough that it was not perceived by the group, and noticing no response, he ventured forward with the group.
With a deliberate pace, Calim passes Dorn and his squire, his gaze sweeping over the ominous chasm ahead. Every muscle in his body is taut with anticipation as he takes in the scene before him. His head swivels from side to side, scanning the surroundings with an intensity that borders on obsession.
"You know, noble stranger," Calim's voice carries a hint of urgency, his words punctuated by the rhythmic thud of his heart, "when the iron glows hot...you strike."As he speaks, his gaze drifts to the middle distance, beyond the party, beyond the hole, back in time to something unspoken.
His eyes lock onto Dorn's, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. In that fleeting moment, he senses a shared a bond forged in the crucible of impending danger. Then, with a determined nod, Calim pushes forward into the darkness below.
Each step is calculated, his senses on high alert as he descends into the depths of the sinkhole. Every sound, every shadow, is scrutinized with unwavering focus. His progress is slow but deliberate.
Calim remains readied, sword drawn, eyes flitting back and forth.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
INITIATIVE:19
Peering into this Cavernous darkness, thoughts fill Dorn's mind of what could lie in the depths below when he gets snapped back to reality by a voice calling out to him: "You know, noble stranger... When the iron glows hot, you strike". in a moment of confusion and glancing between the three strangers accompanying him and Aria, he ponders: "Was he talking to... me?" which was confirmed with a decidedly firm nod, and in response, an awkwardly preformed return nod by Dorn. as this blacksmith passes Dorn toward the descending chaos, Dorn follows him with his gaze, which then passes to Aria with eyebrows raised. "This guy is intense..." He smirked. "Stay ten paces behind me escudera. and prepare to dodge anything that comes your way." Dorn will make a swift attempt to catch up to Calim, afraid to appear inferior in front of aria.
As he approaches Calim's side, Dorn is light on his feet and Readies the dodge action in the event of an attack. DEX save if needed: 19
The air was alive with the symphony of evening in West Haven. Cobblestone streets, worn smooth by the passage of time, wound their way through the heart of the town, illuminated by the warm glow of lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. Amidst the bustle of the marketplace, where vendors hastily packed their wares for the night, the rhythmic clang of the blacksmith's hammer resonated like a heartbeat, echoing through the narrow alleys. Beyond the hustle and bustle, the scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the savory aroma of roasting meats, drawing weary travelers and locals alike to the welcoming embrace of the tavern.
Yet beneath the surface of this idyllic scene lingered whispers of untold secrets and hidden truths. Promises of wealth and glory. Adventure.
The town's sturdy stone keep, silhouetted against the fading light of dusk, stood as a silent sentinel, its weathered walls bearing witness to the trophies, trials and tribulations of generations past. Within its shadowy embrace, tales of valor and treachery intermingled, woven into the fabric of West Haven's storied history.
For Dorn, a stalwart paladin of Tyr, the journey to West Haven had been one of duty and honor, a quest to uphold the virtues of justice and righteousness in a world plagued by darkness. Accompanied by his trio of loyal retainers, he arrived in West Haven with a sense of purpose, his unwavering devotion to his deity guiding his every step.
Calim, one of the local blacksmiths, had spent years toiling tirelessly at his forge, his hands still calloused from years of labor. Beneath the facade of a simple craftsman lay a dark secret, a burden he carried with him like a weight upon his soul. Afraid of what might be revealed should the truth come to light, Calim buried himself in his work, seeking solace in the rhythmic clang of metal against metal. But even that time was coming to an end ... soon he would have to set his tools down and return to the life of an adventurer.
Kneecap, a dwarven sailor, had found himself embroiled in a failed coup that had left him fleeing for his life. Haunted by the specter of betrayal and deceit, he sought refuge in the sanctuary of West Haven, hoping to remake his fortunes and leave his troubled past behind him once and for all.
And then there was Volneer, a half-elven sorcerer, whose magic had brought nothing but chaos wherever he roamed. Cursed by his own power, he journeyed to West Haven in search of answers, hoping to find a way to tame the wild magic that coursed within his veins.
Night fell and the stars began to twinkle overhead, casting their gentle light upon the town, the four strangers stood at the threshold of a new beginning, their destinies intertwined in the tangled web of fate. For in the shadows of West Haven, where secrets lurked and darkness reigned, the true journey had only just begun.
OOC — We're live, gang! Feel free to introduce your character (and please describe them a bit so the other players can get a feel for them).
"Quaint..." Dorn mumbles under his breath, apparently being accustomed to a particular standard of living.As he gazes out into the town enveloped by twilight, he makes a remark to his squire: "Do not go far from me Aria". And I'll go ahead and make a perception Check 21 to better understand where we're oriented, and what everyone in my immediate area is doing. (noting shopkeepers are packing up for the day) did all four PCs meet at the entrance of the town at the same time? is there an apparent Inn in sight?
Nat 1 for the first roll looking good 😎
Looking around, Volneer stands out like a sore thumb among the people of the city. He's wearing a dirty, brown cloak with the hood drawn up, carrying a long wooden staff in one hand. Noticing the general look of the people, he casts Prestidigitation to clean up his clothes a little bit. His short brown beard somewhat disguises his elvin ancestry, but he stands tall and thin. Walking through the crowd, he heads to the outskirts of town and begins to set up camp, setting down his hunting trap in the woods and climbing a tree to look around. Perception check 16 to look for threats.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Nat 20 for me, really looking good.
OOC Also for the perception it is also to see anything out of place
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
After weeks at sea with nothing but fish and watered down ale, Kneecap dove into his mutton and bread like a shark in a feeding frenzy. While he knew little about elves in general, he was very much enjoying this elven wine he was drinking.
He ignored the strange looks he was getting from the other patrons of the tavern. Sure, his father’s chainmail was a bit too large for him, but he would grow into it. Sure, one of his eyes was completely white, pupil and iris included, but that probably wasn’t too uncommon, was it? As he fidgeted with his holy symbol, which he had carved himself from the bones of a whale, he was quite aware of how little he knew about the world.
With his plate empty, he muttered a quick prayer, “Marthammor, guide me to adventure!” and he scanned the room, looking for a friendly face.
Perception w/Guidance for a friendly face, or anything worse! 12
The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, and a faint rumbling began to echo throughout the streets and alleys of the town. At first, it was barely noticeable, dismissed as nothing more than the usual sounds of a bustling city. However, as the minutes passed, the rumbling grew louder and more pronounced, causing windows to rattle and doors to creak on their hinges.
At the edge of town, a crowd began to gather, drawn by the strange and ominous noise. People whispered fearfully to one another, their voices tinged with anxiety and uncertainty. Some clutched their children tightly, while others gripped weapons with white-knuckled hands.
Dorn was just about to walk into the inn that Aria had pointed out to him. Meanwhile, Kneecap was just finishing a plate inside the very same building.
Finally, from his treetop vantage point just at the edge of town, Volneer notices that a few large trees in the neighboring forest have begun to lurch and sway. One had even fallen! This was the source of the terrible rumbling ... and something in these overgrown woods was toppling these huge hardwoods as if they were nothing more than children's playthings.
OOC — You all hear what is going on. Volneer can hear and see what is going on. Pardon the railroad, but with your next round of posts — after whatever reaction/investigation you would like to propose — assume that you will all be in the same place at the edge of town and can see and hear what the other PCs are doing.
"What is going on down there?" Volneer mumbled to himself as he swung down from the tree. Walking over to the edge of the tree, he is going to ready a fire bolt on the first thing to burst from the trees. 7 for initiative.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Dorn slightly stumbles on the slight quake beneath his feat, catching himself on the doorway of the Inn. "Is this a... typical occurrence in this land?" he ponders, before looking around to see the surprise and fear in the eyes of the townsfolk. Confident that there's a problem that needs dealt with, he ushers his retainers into the Inn, saying "Grimbold, take Lyra inside and wait for me. Aria, you're with me escudera. but stay behind me unless I say so."
Dorn and Aria begin walking in the direction of the noise, eventually out to the edge of town; walking calmly, eyes scanning amongst the chaos, prepared.
Once Dorn reaches the edge of town, I'll go ahead and make another perception to try and catch the first signs of what is causing this rumble. 9
Kneecap looks at his holy symbol and mutters, “Well that didn’t take long!” Smiling and grabbing his Warhammer, he gets up from his table, channels a small bit of his divine power and casts Taumaturgy, increasing the volume of his voice. “STEP ASIDE PLEASE, I NEED TO INVESTIGATE THOSE SOUNDS”.
As he gets to the door, he makes room for a male dwarf and female halfling to enter the inn, then exits himself. As he approaches the crowd gathered at the edge of town, he notices he’s been following a tall human man since the inn. The same human that had been talking to the dwarf and halfling who entered the inn.
“I better keep an eye on that one” Kneecap thinks, staring at the human’s chain mail and rapier, “what kind of fool would leave the comfort of an inn to willing move towards the sound of obvious danger?”. Kneecap is unfamiliar with the concept of irony.
He scans the crowd, spots a mother holding a child, and stands in front of the pair, shield and hammer at the ready.
Does he notice a weak-looking man in a robe with a staff standing fifteen feet from the woods?
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
As he waits for the source of the sound to reveal itself, Kneecap notices a man, perhaps an elf, perhaps both, standing over near the woods. The man leans on a staff, looking weak. “It seems like half this town is in need of my protection” he thinks, ready to cast a Sanctuary spell on the man if he falls over, too weak to stand.
As the unsettling rumbling echoes through the town of West Haven, Calim feels a shiver run down his spine. Sensing the urgency of the situation, he pushes himself up from his seat, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.
The rhythmic clang of his hammer still reverberates in his ears as he steps out into the cool evening air. The bustling sounds of the marketplace have been replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by the distant sounds of chaos emanating from the edge of town.
With a heavy sigh, Calim's gaze drifts towards the source of the commotion. In the dim twilight, he can just make out the swaying trees and the fallen trunk in the neighboring forest. Instinctively, his hand tightens around the handle of his hammer, his knuckles turning white with resolve.
Ignoring the whispers of doubt that linger in the back of his mind, Calim strides purposefully towards the edge of town, his footsteps echoing in the empty streets. With each passing moment, the urgency of the situation weighs heavily upon him, driving him forward with a sense of purpose that he thought he had lost long ago.
As he nears the outskirts of West Haven, Calim can feel the weight of his past bearing down on him like a heavy burden. But in this moment, he knows that he must set aside his doubts and fears, for there are lives at stake, and he is determined to prove himself worthy of facing whatever lurks within the depths of the forest.
Calim readies an attack, pulling out the sword his daughter crafted for him. Shield strapped to his back, he holds the hilt with both hands, surprised at his own lack of hesitation. He is ready. He maybe has been ready for years.
___
I'll throw a roll for Perception too: 8
And, just to be in the mix...anticipating an Initiative Roll: 19
Four heroes, one with a squire in tow, assembled themselves in front of the townsfolk that had gathered at the edge of the forest. Peering into the woods ... the quintet saw nothing obvious in the way of threats.
Making their way past some of the dense underbrush that denoted the end of the village and the beginning of the woods, the group got a better look at what was going on and saw that a large sinkhole had opened up. Big enough to swallow a good sized cottage.
A few of the fallen trees lay tipped - roots exposed - into the yawning chasm. Their broad, sturdy trunks rand down at an incline and disappeared into the darkness beyond.
The group was still many tens of feet away, but from the current vantage point ... the sinkhole looked like it had exposed a small cave system. The cause of the sinkhole was decidedly unnatural, mainly because in the darkness below ... the tell tale flicker of distant torchlight could be seen, and this was accompanied by eerie chanting.
OOC — Now with 100% more Map!
Eerie chanting in a newly created sinkhole can not be a good thing. Kneecap prepares himself.
initiative roll: 9
As Dorn is focussed in, listening and watching for what may come, he senses a strange few collecting behind him. He turns his head slightly, to glance at those behind him and sees that the dwarf has just cast some sort of spell; and calls out to him: "Stout-kin! are you familiar with this anomaly?" He directs his gaze back to the expansive view of wilderness beyond the town. "What should we be ready for?!"
All those who hear and take note of Dorn and Aria take note of the following:
Dorn is a fairly shorter individual, and has black hair, and a finely sculpted mustache/chin-strap combo. Aria is short and young, and has dirty brown hair.
Dorn speaks with a dialect not common in this region, you may or may not recognize it is Tethyrian.
He and Aria both are clad in a leather/chainmail combination with gold accents. Dorn, in addition to the chainmail has a soft leather vest that has a house symbol of a stag embossed into it. he wears a long chain with an emblem resembling a balanced scale, atop a hammer; you may or may not know this is the symbol of the God Tyr.
*** This post was written prior to seeing the DM post, and was meant to take place before appearing at the cavern (Sorry), and can be taken as Dorn speaking soft enough that it was not perceived by the group, and noticing no response, he ventured forward with the group.
With a deliberate pace, Calim passes Dorn and his squire, his gaze sweeping over the ominous chasm ahead. Every muscle in his body is taut with anticipation as he takes in the scene before him. His head swivels from side to side, scanning the surroundings with an intensity that borders on obsession.
"You know, noble stranger," Calim's voice carries a hint of urgency, his words punctuated by the rhythmic thud of his heart, "when the iron glows hot...you strike." As he speaks, his gaze drifts to the middle distance, beyond the party, beyond the hole, back in time to something unspoken.
His eyes lock onto Dorn's, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. In that fleeting moment, he senses a shared a bond forged in the crucible of impending danger. Then, with a determined nod, Calim pushes forward into the darkness below.
Each step is calculated, his senses on high alert as he descends into the depths of the sinkhole. Every sound, every shadow, is scrutinized with unwavering focus. His progress is slow but deliberate.
Calim remains readied, sword drawn, eyes flitting back and forth.
OOC - oh, if it's not clear...the action that I am readying is an attack from my greatsword and the trigger is anything attacking me.
INITIATIVE: 19
Peering into this Cavernous darkness, thoughts fill Dorn's mind of what could lie in the depths below when he gets snapped back to reality by a voice calling out to him: "You know, noble stranger... When the iron glows hot, you strike". in a moment of confusion and glancing between the three strangers accompanying him and Aria, he ponders: "Was he talking to... me?" which was confirmed with a decidedly firm nod, and in response, an awkwardly preformed return nod by Dorn. as this blacksmith passes Dorn toward the descending chaos, Dorn follows him with his gaze, which then passes to Aria with eyebrows raised. "This guy is intense..." He smirked. "Stay ten paces behind me escudera. and prepare to dodge anything that comes your way."
Dorn will make a swift attempt to catch up to Calim, afraid to appear inferior in front of aria.
As he approaches Calim's side, Dorn is light on his feet and Readies the dodge action in the event of an attack. DEX save if needed: 19
OOC: If volneer moves forward, can he see the torch generating the torchlight
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-