In the northeastern part of Katto, less than a day's walk from the sea lies a small mountain named Tus. It used to be all covered with vegetation - shrubbery and wild grass, with just a few small trees near its top. While the sight remains the same from most directions, its southern side is adorned with a big grey wall, encircling a group of buildings most commonly known together as the Tus Prison.
The population of Tus Prison is primarily comprised of low-life scum from several cities, villages, and other groups of buildings where people live that happen to be in its proximity. People who stole bread, used counterfeit currency, got a little too drunk and punched someone a little too hard, or tried escaping the prison, thus prolonging their short stay in it. These men and women eat and sleep at scheduled times, and other than that, are free to walk in designated areas of Tus Prison as they please so that each can find the most comfortable spot to spend the best years of their lives waiting. Waiting for the next meal, the curfew at night, for the bathroom stall's smell to become bearable, or for their release from this boring place. Maybe, if they're optimistic, for the committee to gather and listen to why they are innocent and how they, unlike all other prisoners, are telling the truth.
It's been eight days since a prisoner disappeared from Tus Prison, and the guards still can't figure out how. It is as if they were eaten up by the ground itself. It's not the first breakout from this prison, but there are usually signs and traces left. Even the hounds just stalked the prison grounds for a while and found no lead. Ever since then, prisoners are watched more closely and are given less time and space to sit and wait in. Some of them were questioned, even multiple times, but it doesn't seem like anyone knew anything - or is willing to tell.
But today, the guards seem especially strict, and there seem to be more of them stationed by the prisoners and in the watch towers. The prisoners are also taken occasionally. Some for more questioning, and some to clean the prison grounds. It isn't unusual for prisoners to clean the prison, but not on this day of the week, not so many, not since this early in the morning, and, most importantly, not under such a strict inspection and criticism over every missed spot, or spot that one passed a mere two times over, and not the whole necessary three.
One of those prisoners, a Human whose reason for being here is stealing bread (he didn't do that, of course, or was framed, or it's some misunderstanding. No prisoner is ever guilty, we all know that), has been mopping the floor for over two hours now, and his back aches. He hasn't given the guards too much trouble so far, so he knows they're not making him work out of spite. Well, probably.
A guard calls, and the guard supervising his work turns away to answer—a chance to stand up and stretch his back. The guard is facing away, but he's armed, and the prisoner is not, and besides, there are many others around. Even if the three prisoners knock him out while his back faces them, they won't get anywhere. Especially not today. The prisoner tries to listen to the guards' conversation. Are they finally finished here? The guard turns back. "Did I tell you to stop?" He shouts, and the Human bends down again to resume mopping. A few more exchanges between the guards before finally, the awaited order.
"Alright, place the mops in the corner over there, then stand against the wall." The guard orders, and the prisoners obey. "Faster!" He shouts. But even with all that haste, the prisoners stand against the wall for over a minute before another guard shows up.
"You three, with me." He calls quietly yet firmly. Unlike the previous one, this one doesn't need to raise his voice to show authority. The prisoners follow, wondering why some guards shout all the time while others never do, and why the quiet one wears his helmet over his face. They'd seen him before, after all, they all resided in the same enclosed space, and it always seemed strange. They go down to ground level, then out to the courtyard, but the guard doesn't stop there. He turns around once to make sure the three keep following him and keeps walking into another building. Past the corner, across the hall. Finally, he stops in front of a door the prisoners know all too well. It's the questioning room. They've all been there before, and at least once since that prisoner disappeared.
Another guard shows up. While the quiet one takes each prisoner in turn into the room for questioning, the other one keeps watch over the other too. First, the Human with the aching back goes in. Then, after a while, the Halfling with the missing eye. Lastly, the Elf is taken in. He hears, just as he's led inside, how the other guard is taking the other two prisoners away to the courtyard already. Lucky them, they got to go early, so now they could wait in their favorite spots earlier.
The quiet guard leads the Elf into the questioning room, around the table, and then indicates the chair, although needlessly. The Elf sits down. The quiet guard takes a few steps back but remains behind the Elf. Across the table sits a Gnome, dressed in the military's uniform. It's the Elf's third time seeing this Gnome since he arrived in this prison. He was always the one questioning prisoners. His rank was higher than that of the other guards but lower than the warden's. Unlike always, however, the Elf notices that the Gnome looks nervous. He's sweating slightly, he's fidgety, playing with the pencil he uses to take notes - although he rarely does.
Just then, the Elf notices something new. On the other side of the room, right next to the door, they seemed to have placed a small wooden table that wasn't there in his previous visits to this room. Behind that table sits a woman, also wearing the military's uniform, her rank seems to be higher than that of the Gnome, and two men stand next to her - one on either side. So the Elf thinks, anyway, he's not too familiar with all those symbols. She's pale, skinny, and slightly short - for a Human. She has dark hair collected into one braid and a face that looks stern and tired. Very tired. On the table in front of her are ordered a few papers and an inkwell, and she's already writing with a feather, but the Elf cannot see any details from where he sits. There is also one red apple that she seems to have taken exactly one bite of, then placed at the far corner of the table, uninterested in the rest.
One of the men, a Drow, wears the military uniform over light leather armor. His rank seems to be the same as the Gnome. He doesn't carry many weapons, but they are special, ones unlike any the Elf saw in the past. He's heard of them, however. Guns. Strange Meyen devices similar to bows in that they attack from a distance, but unlike bows, they produce a thundering sound when used and shoot small metallic balls. It was the arrival of those devices to Dite during the Meyen-Pohjan war that tipped the scales and allowed the Meyen empire to conquer half of Pohja of the time. Nonetheless, they're still not widely used over the cheaper and simpler-to-maintain bows and crossbows.
The other man, the last person in the room, wears a heavy-looking chain-mail and over it, the military uniform. He is a Half-Elf. The prisoner Elf saw very few of them in his life, they are somewhat rare. He carries the classic sword and shield combo, and a bunch of other weapons too. Both men simply stand there, and appear to be waiting.
"Ehem," the Gnome clears his throat, "let's get started. Please state your name, the nation you were born in, and the crime for which you serve your time in Tus Prison." Standard questions.
The Elf enters the room tentatively, his head slightly bowed, his deep black hair not quite long enough to cover his eyes. It had obviously been roughly cut since coming to Tus Prison, probably numerous times, and was likely to be cut again soon by the length. As he walks around the table to the familiar chair, his bare chin rises slightly and his hazel eyes flick up every so often to take in his surroundings, briefly focusing on the different aspects of the room. He is about average height for an Elf, shorter than most humans, and his black and white fleece prison uniform is a little baggy, hiding his physique. It is unclear whether this was always the case, or if he has lost weight during his months imprisoned.
He has already clocked the Gnome, and his nervousness, as well as the table with three vague outlines of figures around it by the time he is sat down. Once sat, he follows a similar pattern, his chin slightly lowered, his eyes subtly flicking every so often to take in more detail. His hands are placed on the table in front of him, his fingers intertwined and his thumbs rubbing together somewhat nervously. An action he hopes draws attention away from his further surveillance of the room.
Finally, something interesting is happening. The thought enters his mind, followed by another. I can't imagine this being a good thing though. Whoever the prisoner that escaped was must have been important. How did he manage to get out so cleanly?
He notes the tiredness of the ranking officer, she's been at this a while, and to no avail I'd wager. He clocks the unfamiliar weapon, the gun, held by the Drow. And the Half-Elf in their heavy armour and shield, with an array of weapons. She must be important to have bodyguards like that, and to need them in here.
His thoughts are brought back to the Gnome as he starts to ask the familiar questions. He knows better than to give drawn out answers at this point, but he does so all the same, because it is what a simple scribe would do.
"My name....my name is Otis. Otis Orsfayne. I was born...born in Levicka. I committed no crime. I...I am a victim. They weren't my counterfeit coins. They...I...was tricked. It was the Watch...or Guard...whatever you call them...they asked to check my coins. They said...he said...he was looking for counterfeit coins. He said...all foreigners were checked. My coins...my coins were real...I would never...", he says stutteringly before falling silent as if defeated.
He was describing a scam he had used himself many times, hoping that would make it more believable. He would dress up and pretend to be a member of the Watch or City Guard. Ask newcomers to the city he happened to be in to show him their coins, so he could check for counterfeits. He would confirm all was well and hand them back, only they weren't the same coins. He would switch them with his own counterfeit coins.
The Half-Elf stands straight, right hand resting on the hilt of his longsword, in a semi-relaxed position that nonetheless could very easily turn in a combat stance if needed be. A serious gesture is drawn upon his face as he calmly gazes upon the room.
Arren al-Nasrid has the sharp, angular features, pointed ears, and fluid grace of his elven heritage. Yet his human blood asserts itself as well, giving him a more solid, well-built frame than most elves and a stature slightly taller than theirs. His movements retain an effortless elegance, but there is a grounded strength to him that sets him apart. Some of his raven hair falls across his brow, well-kept yet slightly tousled. But what stands out most is his golden-tanned skin, mirroring the desert sands of his native Etana. Piercing green eyes contrast strikingly against his darker complexion, and across his cheekbones, intricate white-lined tattoos trace delicate patterns—a sight not uncommon to those native to the desertic region of Dito.
Sergeant al-Nasrid's face bears the marks of a life spent in combat. A thin, long scar crosses his left eye, parting the intricate tattoo on his cheekbone, while another runs across the right side of his mouth—testaments to his years of military service
Arren's eyes dart from the prisoner who has just left to the Gnome, noticing his nervousness, surely caused by the presence of Commandant Nattensbarn in the room. He can’t help but notice the red apple beside her, as well. Once again, a single bite. He frowns ever so slightly, glancing at the Drow, wondering if he’s noticed it too. They should speak with her about this, someday. Nothing good can come of a body as tired as hers.
This line of thought is interrupted as a new prisoner is escorted in—an Elf, this time. He looks nervous, submissive, no different from the others they've interrogated. His story, when he speaks, mirrors those of the others: nothing to shed light on the escaped one. No matter. Arren doesn't doubt the Commandant will uncover the truth—she always does, and this time will be no different.
Arren eyes the newcomer with curiosity. He would have expected him to be a little less doubtful, considering he's been asked these same questions multiple times already. Is he so scared that even telling his name causes hesitation? (Insight check: Starting strong with a 7:D)
The questioning continues for a couple of minutes. Ordinary questions that receive ordinary answers. Nothing that raises suspicion. Where was the prisoner during the night of the escape? In his cell, of course. Did he speak with the escapee before? Maybe, he doesn't quite remember. If one didn't know better, they could assume all prisoners practiced for this questioning together, preparing answers to predetermined questions.
Arren notices that Commandant Nattensbarn has two notes open. On one, almost a clean sheet, only a few remarks regarding things the prisoners have said so far. Her handwriting is small, though, and without leaning closer he won't see exactly what is written down. The other, on which she is writing at a nearly constant rate, is a report about anything else she's seen so far. She usually only gets to file a report about what they're inspecting a few days later, if not over a week. She was summoned here with utmost urgency, leaving her planned schedule behind, though, and so she wants to be done here as soon as possible. Arren has heard her saying it more times than he can count during the last week while traveling to this prison.
Arren then notices Lieutenant Tireur - nicknamed 'Walnuts' as Arren learned from his former peers, though he has no idea why - trying to draw his attention. They both know better than to speak above the Commandant, but they can try to speak inaudibly and decipher the other's lips' movement and other small gestures. Walnuts tries to indicate something. The prisoner? No, behind him. The quiet guard? Walnuts nods. He moves his lips slowly, in an exaggerated manner, to be sure each consonant and vowel is understood correctly, even without his voice carrying them over. 'Lieu Kai?' Doesn't make sense. Walnuts repeats. 'New guy?'. He nods.
Arren knows they've been searching for a new guy for a while, to prepare for Walnuts' retirement. Maybe he's studying the guard across the room curiously, but there's not much to see, as he's mostly covered by either armor or clothes. Even his helmet is on, which seems strange when in front of high-ranking officers, but Commandant Nattensbarn didn't say anything, so maybe he got some permission. He's a Corporal, which is one rank higher than most standard guards here, but not special in any way. He seemed about the same height as the Elf being questioned now, and that's about all Arren could tell. Maybe he's an Elf, too.
"Lieutenant, may I?" Arren snaps back to reality, he wasn't listening to the questioning, and he didn't to expect to hear the Commandant's voice. She cleans her small feather pen and closes her inkwell. The Gnome turns around surprised, but then stands up, salutes and pulls the chair back for Commandant Nattensbarn to sit in, then walks back to the stand near the wall, not too far from Arren himself.
Even back in Levicka, Staidear was a mostly unfamiliar name among the common folk. Some, those with a little connection to the noble class like merchants, might say they might have heard of it but don't exactly remember where or when. 'Otis' even made sure this name wasn't widely known outside of Levicka - to his disappointment. Thus, stating he was sent here by the Staidear family to write about the sights in other nations for their frail grandparent who can no longer walk himself, has never caused 'Otis' any problems. The woman writing in the back looked at him exactly once since he entered and seemed uninterested since, so 'Otis' knew he made a mistake the moment she raised her head to look at him, just when he told his usual story, just when he mentioned that name. Even without knowing the woman, he feels drawing her attention to him won't end well.
The woman takes the Gnome's seat. Only then, 'Otis' realizes the Gnome has been standing on the chair the entire time, as the chair was not fitted to his short stature. "Please, can you elaborate on your relationship with the Staidear family?" The woman asks. She speaks Common with a heavy Meyen accent, one that almost surely indicates she was born in Mey and emigrated overseas later in life. "How long have you been in their service? How much do you know of their family history? Have you ever heard of Breithe Staidear?" She asks her questions consecutively, without giving 'Otis' any time to answer. Only once she's done, she attentively waits for him to answer all her questions. All others in the room seem to be intrigued by this development, and all eyes rest on 'Otis', waiting for his responses.
Unless he tells the truth, please also include a Deception roll in your response.
'Otis' answered the Gnome's questions in a practiced manner, having been playing this role for months now. He had even allowed his mind to drift to thoughts of the apple sat mostly untouched on the other table. Although they didn't starve the prisoners in Tus Prison, as that would be counterproductive to the work they require of them, they also did not feed them particularly well.
As the female officer replaces the Gnome in the interrogator's chair, he becomes curious. When she repeats the name Staidear his mind becomes fully alert. Gone are thoughts of the juicy apple.
He opens his mouth to answer her first question, but does not interject as she rattles off three more questions in quick succession. The mention of the name Breithe most concerning.
I need to tread carefully, but how does she know that name? , he thinks.
"Right...yes...let me see", he says nervously, acting as though trying to recall the first question. "Relationship?", he then repeats, the tone questioning but obviously rhetorical. "Only business. Yes, just business. There was an advert....it was on the noticeboard...I always wanted to travel", he says looking down at the table, frequently glancing up at the officer across from him, but not holding her gaze.
"I could not afford...it was a great opportunity. This is the first...I mean...I was not in their service before. I had not heard of them before...they are not a well known family. The old man...he was called Cillian...I never met a Breithe", he replies.
"Perhaps...maybe...if I knew more context...", he adds with a meek shrug.
Arrendoesn't lean in to try to peek at the Commandant's notes, initially (ooc: unless there is no risk being caught, because she might have left them behind when she moved to the Gnome's table). He did so only once, almost five years ago, when he had been working with her for only a few days, and learned his lesson when he was caught in the act. For a small woman in stature, Commandant Nattenbarn could exercise an enormous anger, and Arren had learned to tread carefully around her.
Lieutenant Tireur caught his attention quickly. Arren often wondered why the others called him Walnuts. Perhaps he would ask him directly one day—probably five minutes before his retirement, and no sooner. Once the half-elf understood his intentions, he eyed the guard in the helmet intently (Perception: nat 20. Total 23), wondering what on the face of Dite had piqued the Drow's interest. The guard's stance was surely perfect, and he carried himself with confidence, but that was about everything Arren could notice that would differentiate that guard from the rest they had seen so far. But then again, who was he to doubt the Lieutenant? He had certainly shown good judgment in selecting the Half-elf for the Commandant's security force. It wasn't as if he had said this to Arren aloud, but even if he hadn't, it was clear the Drow trusted him.
The voice of Commandant Miyako Nattenbarn made Arren focus his green eyes on the questioning again. Breithe Staidear? He had never heard that name before. Why was it important? Could it be related to the escaped prisoner? Or was it simply that the Commandant knew the family this Elf had supposedly been working for? Arren had no idea and decided to simply keep paying attention.
From time to time, his gaze drifted to the guard in the helmet. Why was his face covered? Perhaps he should call it out, but he didn't want to interrupt the questioning. Not yet. He could always ask directly after they had finished with all the prisoners waiting to be questioned.
Arren knows that anything Commandant Nattensbarn writes in his presence is one he may see. If his security classification isn't high enough to view the contents of it, he wouldn't even see the paper/scroll it's written on. Nonetheless, the Commandant doesn't like it when people lean over her head to read what she's writing. So, while she's there, Arren knows better and keeps his distance. Once she goes to take the Gnome's seat, leaving the papers behind, however, Arren can freely read anything there.
When Arren leans to read the notes, he sees more or less what he expected to see. One, a detailed list of all the faults of the prison and how to fix them and avoid them in the future. From how easily their carriage entered the prison without proper search, and how anyone could disguise as her to get inside - to the fact that over a dozen prisoners are cleaning the halls yet the latrine's reek can be smelled from a great distance. The other, with only a few notes about the prisoners that were questioned so far, has no information of value. It seems the Commandant started writing it, then realized she could use her time more effectively working on the report about the prison.
When Arren leans to read the notes, just after the Commandant leaves the table, Walnuts mistakingly thinks Arren leans so they can whisper in his ear, and leans closer to do so. "The guard back there, he's been selected to join us. Order came from above. We weren't supposed to get here before spring, but now that we're here anyway, we'll take him along when we leave." Commandant Nattensbarn is about to start her questioning, and so Walnuts stands straight again and the two of you know your chance to whisper is over. (Bryn saw this exchange, but couldn't hear anything.)
Focusing on the guard, Arren manages to catch his eyes. The guard notices the two of you are talking about him, and he can more or less guess why. He makes a small gesture, a wave of his wrist. 'Hello'. Despite standing across the dim-lit room, Arren can see his ears are pointy but not dark. An Elf, but not a Drow. A natural guess would be a Wood Elf, but Arren can't be certain. Like all guards, he carries with him a single [equipment]Bat;baton[/equipment] (baton, in case the tooltip fails).
Meanwhile, Commandant Nattensbarn is quickly losing interest in the prisoner. His drawn-out answers get on her nerves, and she starts tapping her fingers on the table mindlessly. Nonetheless, she doesn't interrupt him and waits until he finishes. The second he's done and not a moment later, the Commandant stands up. "We're done here, this one knows nothing of value."
As if in response, Commandant Nattensbarn's red apple, only bitten once, falls on the floor. It was standing just on the corner of the table, but neither Arren nor Walnuts touched the table. A little confused, Walnuts bends over to pick it up, murmuring to himself "Now she definitely won't eat another bite," and at the same time, Arren notices the ink in the Commandant's inkwell is shaking, though only lightly.
Before anyone can say another word, the floor begins to shake violently, and you feel like standing (or sitting) on a rug being pulled from beneath. To avoid falling over, all those standing instinctively crouch down and perhaps lean on one arm, and Bryn holds his chair tightly. The inkwell falls over and shatters on the floor. The whole thing lasts a mere few seconds. You feel the quakes get weaker and believe it is over when another quake starts, more violent than the previous. Commandant Nattensbarn crawls under the table and shouts to you all "Get under something! Protect your heads!" Not a moment too soon either, as you see a small piece of the ceiling dropping from above, crashing on the floor. But before anyone can react, you hear a
Crack!
And there is no floor beneath you. You fall down, and the world goes dark.
Bryn wakes up coughing. There's still dust in the air, he can only guess he was unconscious for a short while. His whole body hurts, and upon checking, he's heavily bruised, but nothing worse than that (he receives 6 points of bludgeoning damage). He's in what appears to be a cave of some sort, dug directly into the mountain. Behind him is a pile of wreckage. Stone, concrete and wooden splinters. It reaches the top of the cave, through which Bryn can only assume he fell, and it seems like the hole in the floor is now sealed by the debris, so climbing back up is impossible.
Looking around, Bryn sees the quiet guard's body lying on the ground motionless, not far from him. Perhaps ironically, his helmet seems to have fallen off and rolled a few feet away from him, and a heavy-looking piece of the floor rests against his bloodied head. Even without getting a closer look, Bryn can tell he is a Wood Elf. Other than that, he appears to be alone, and the cave is only open on one side, turning away after a few steps. Hopefully to the outside, or he may be trapped.
Across the pile of debris, Arren is shaken awake by Walnuts. The Drow holds one arm with the other. It seems to be broken, but not anything that wouldn't heal eventually. "Come on, we must find the Commandant and find a way out!" He urges. He helps Arren up on his feet, though Arren is barely hurt (take 4 points of bludgeoning damage). Like Bryn, who hears the Lieutenant's words from across the debris pile, they seem to be in a cave that stretches on in only one direction. You take one look at the pile of debris. If the commandant is buried under there, it is too late for her. You don't see any signs suggesting as such, however, so there's still some hope.
"Gaitha’s stones!"Arrengroans as he wakes up. "What the hell was that?"He stands up quickly, barely feeling any pain at all despite the fall.
His first instinct is to look for the Commandant. His eyes widen as he stares at the pile of debris, thoughts racing. "She can't be down there. She can't… gods…" There’s no obvious sign of her, so he can only hope she fell somewhere else—hopefully unharmed, or with only light wounds.
His second thought is for his Lieutenant. At least he seems to be all right despite the broken arm. The Half-Elf hastily tears a piece of his uniform, fashioning a sling to support the injured arm. If they’re going to get out of this, the Lieutenant will need to make use of his good arm and this should help.
Once that is settled, Arren takes stock of the situation. The Commandant is missing. So is the helmeted guard. And the Elf they had been interrogating. He calls out, though not too loudly, wary of causing another collapse. "Can anyone hear me?"If there’s no reply, he nods to the Lieutenant. "Yes, let's go. The Commandant should be fine. She's resourceful." A pause, and worry flickers across his face as if he doesn’t quite believe his own words."But she was already a bit weak, and tired....", he thinks, remembering the unfinished apple.
Arren's lips press into a thin line as he starts walking.
Bryn's keen elvish vision cuts through the darkness, but not completely, and the dust in the air makes it even more difficult to see. But as soon as he realises he is alone with the corpse of the helmeted guard, his mind starts calculating. The pain is still there, but he suppresses it as best he can, because whatever just happened is an opportunity.
He hears the voices from beyond the pile of debris, but remains silent, coughing into his sleeve if he must to muffle the sound.
He moves across to the fallen guard.Can't do anything to help the poor soul now, but he might be able to help me.
He searches the body of the Wood Elf, checking pockets and pouches, and examining his armour to see if it might fit. All the while trying to ignore the pain flaring in his muscles. If the armour will fit, a bit of dust should disguise the difference in skin tone, and he always wore the helmet. Perhaps if the tunnel leads out it would be enough to get away. And if they thought Otis dead, it would be a clean getaway too. Now, what was this guy's name?
Investigation: 10+5=15
(OOC: Is the helmeted guard about Bryn's height? Does Bryn know his name? Is there anything in his pockets? What sort of armour is he wearing? Lots of questions :-) )
"Oh, thanks." Walnuts can't hide the pain, but it seems the makeshift sling helps a little. He's breathing a little heavily, trying to focus on that instead of the pain. "I just hope our exit isn't blocked off, else we can only hope there are those up there that can dig us out soon. We won't be of use to anybody if we're trapped underground."
The cave seems to stretch straight for a short while before you reach a junction. On the right, there is a slope going down, not too steeply, and then the cave continues. Similarly, on the left, there is a steep incline - though not so steep as to be difficult to climb - and again the cave continues (see image at the bottom). "I can't say I like this." Walnuts declares, half to himself. "I never heard of caverns here below this prison - though I'm not too familiar with it either - but if this is a large cave system, I'd rather not get lost here. Sand, what do you think? We could cover more ground if we split - maybe find the commandant if we're lucky, but there's a greater risk of one of us getting lost."
Meanwhile, Bryn searches the guard's body, finding his baton (bat), a pair of manacles (with keys), and his armor. It doesn't seem like the guard was prepared to go anywhere he'd need anything other than those items, carried by any guard. Fortunately, however, he believes the guard's standard Leather Armor would fit him, and should more or less cover his prisoner's uniform, at least to anyone not closely inspecting him. Of course, he can strip the guard of his clothes and take them, instead, but the shirt is stained with blood. The helmet can cover his face, too, but once again, anyone who knows either the guard or Bryn could tell with a close look.
Speaking of a close look, now that Bryn inspects the body, he notices a large ugly scar running across the guard's face. While some might take pride in such a sign, you can sympathize and understand why he'd want to keep it covered, too. Unfortunately, he doesn't wear a name tag or anything of the sort, and Bryn does not remember hearing his name.
((The small, non-uniformly sized letters represent your characters by first letter (and Walnuts, too). The grey messy area is the impassable pile of debris. Ignore the half-visible grid. The caves are about two meters (~6'6" I believe) wide, on average.))
Arrenstops short and looks at both paths at the junction, pondering what to do. As he does, he gives Walnuts a sidelong glance. He doesn't like his heavy breathing one bit. What if he collapses while on his own? What if they run into an enemy while separated? The Half-Elf gives a single shake of his head.
"You're right that we could cover more ground, but we'd also double our chances of getting lost. I'd rather backtrack our steps than risk separating and having one of us lost forever. Let's trust the Commandant, yes? She's smart and not helpless. I think she'd yell at us if she found out we'd risked separating for her sake."
Sand—Arren had grown attached to that nickname over the years—looks again at the two paths and says, "We take the one that brings us closer to the surface. If the Commandant passed through here before us, that's the path she would have taken."(OOC: Speaking of that, are there any footprints or other marks on the ground? Perception: 16+3)
He unsheathes his longsword, adding, "I'll leave a mark on the ground. Just in case we have to backtrack. Or in case the Commandant comes this way later."
Arren traces an arrow in the dirt, indicating that they followed the left path. Then he adds a "W" and an "S"—the Commandant never called them by their nicknames, but she knew them well enough.
Bryn thinks for a moment, before discarding the idea of wearing all the Wood Elf's clothes, making a face at the thought of wearing something so saturated with blood. Yeah, that's not going to happen! Perhaps it will be useful in the future though. He also discards the idea of a clean getaway. There is no way I can make the corpse appear like me, even with my prisoner uniform.
The good news is that the armour will fit, and although he always tries to avoid a fight, he is not unfamiliar with the feel of leather armour. He quickly strips the corpse of its outerwear, putting on the armour, trousers and boots. He rolls the shirt in the dust to try and dry the blood as much as possible, before folding it up to take, the dusty blood hidden. He leaves the helmet on the floor for the moment. His own trousers, he puts on the corpse so the Wood Elf maintains some dignity when found.
The other good news is that clearing away this amount of debris will take time that he can hopefully use to good effect. If the tunnel leads him outside. If this doesn't lead outside, I am either going to die of thirst, or be recaptured. Either way, I have time to explore.
Before gathering the manacles and the bat, he takes out the small knife from under the sole of his shoe. He cuts a few bits of fleece away from the hem of his prison trousers, now on the Wood Elf. Just tiny pieces that he can keep to hand. He had hidden his magical abilities from everyone at the prison, but he would need them if he is going to get away with this, and fleece is an important component.
He then grabs the bat and checks the weight. This probably won't be as useful as my knife, but it is needed for the costume to work. He grabs the manacles for the same reason.
Finally ready, he takes one last look at the Wood Elf's body. "Sorry, I wish I could have been more respectful. I hope you find your way to whatever afterlife pleases you", he whispers before donning the helm.
And then he turns and creeps off down the tunnel, listening intently for sounds that he is not alone.
What are these tunnels? Who made them? Are they even man made?
"I bet she would." Walnuts chuckles. "She'd also complain if we took too long to find her, she's not one you can satisfy this easily."
Arren climbs the incline without much struggle. Walnuts walks a little slower, taking extra care not to slip down, but it doesn't look like he needs any help. "I wonder if these caves have anything to do with the escaped prisoner." He ponders out loud. "I don't believe they'd build a prison on top of such a thing, or that they simply missed its existence. Either way, I think the Commandant will have many others to yell at in the coming week."
A little past the incline, you reach another junction. This time, there are three paths excluding that through which you just came. "I imagine this one connects to the path we didn't take earlier," Walnuts remarks about the path to your right. "I could be wrong of course, but they seem to be heading more or less in the same direction. As for the other two... This one leads deeper underground again," he points to the path in front "so if we're to follow the same logic as before, I guess we should go left." He waits for Arren to lead the way though. "Unless you have a better idea. I gotta say, navigating caverns isn't my best quality."
On the ground, Arren now spots several different footprints, surely belonging to different creatures. A few, three or four of them, belong to some Humanoid creature. Wearing shoes, no doubt. One of them is smaller than the rest. Most likely a Halfling or a Goblin, but it could also be a child. The others are larger and could belong to any of the larger races. Another set of prints is much larger and definitely not Humanoid. Some large animal it seems, one that walks on four. While the Humanoid footprints seem to have walked here several times, in all directions, the large animal has passed here fewer times, from the left path to the right one and back. You can't tell which direction is the last it took.
Bryn spends a couple of minutes taking the dead guard's gear, but nothing else happens during that time. He hears the two soldiers who walked on the other side of the debris pile walking away and their voices getting weaker and less clear until eventually he cannot hear them anymore.
After walking for a short while, occasionally walking down a short slope, Bryn reaches a junction. To his right, the tunnel stays leveled and bends away, and peeking deeper down the path reveals an incline leading up (I now realize I didn't cut the map well, so it's not visible over there. Also, despite what it might look like, there is no path leading forward). On his left, the path immediately leads into a slope leading deeper underground.
If Bryn wants to determine how the caves were made, he may roll either an Arcana or a Nature check. The answer may differ depending on which check you choose.
((Did Arren change his color? I'm certain it was brown before.))
Bryn stops briefly at the junction, contemplating the origin of the tunnels before thinking through the choice ahead.
I haven't gone far enough to get beyond the prison wall, so if the path leads up it likely leads back into the prison. That might be where I end up having to go, but better to check if I can get beyond the walls first.
That logic dictates he should take the path that leads deeper underground, and so he starts to make his way along the left hand path. Travelling as quickly, yet quietly as he can, and remaining vigilant to any noise or light up ahead.
(OOC: As he can dash using his Cunning Action, I am hoping he can make decent time whilst being stealthy. I have rolled stealth above in case needed, obviously ignore if not. What is the light situation at the moment?)
Arren exhales sharply through his nose—a quiet acknowledgment rather than a laugh. "She's not,"he says, his voice low but certain. "But I have to say, I like working for her. If the rest of the commanders were half as hardworking as Commandant Nattenbarn is, things would go differently. If only she took better care of herself." The Half-Elf shakes his head.
His gaze lingers for a moment before he straightens, glancing toward their path ahead. When the Drow shares his thoughts on the caverns, Arren considers the thought for a moment. "It would explain how the prisoner vanished as if the earth had swallowed them. Quite literally. I wonder if they found an entrance...I can't imagine what happened to us is common here, or we would have been warned."
As he speaks, the Etanan wonders whether these caverns were man-made and if they are recent. Of course, he is no expert in geology, but he looks around, trying to spot lengthy stalactites and stalagmites that might give him a clue—or if the walls follow an orderly pattern rather than nature’s more chaotic constructs. (Nature: 19+1)
Taking a closer look at the footprints, Arren turns to his Lieutenant. "Do we know anything about the prisoner? Were they a halfling or a goblin, perhaps? Or any of the other smaller species."He gestures toward that particular set of footprints. He also checks whether any of the prints associated to larger species are noticeably smaller, wondering if they might belong to someone of a smaller stature such as the Commandant.
"Look,"he says, pointing. "A four-legged big animal came through here—fewer times than the humanoids. That must mean they were lost and circled a few times, while the creature didn’t. It must have been following them. I pity them if it found them."
Standing up again, he tells Walnuts, "Have your weapons ready in case we come across the animal. And yes, I'd say it's best to keep following the same logic. Let's take the left path."
Once again, Arren marks the path they have followed with an arrow, an "S" and a "W".
((Moving stealthily halves your movement. Dashing doubles it. The net result is normal movement but stealthily. The area is all dark, or dimly lit for those with Darkvision. A reminder, characters have a disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight when in dim light (or darkness that turns into dim light for darkvisioned characters) and can only see in shades of gray. There is no need to retcon previous checks if you forgot about that, though. I'll remind you if it's important.))
The slope leads deeper underground, but not by much. It ends in yet another fork. On the left, the path goes straight for the most part. Bryn thinks he sees the beginning of an incline, but it is at the very end of what he can see, even with his enhanced sight in the dark. On the right, the path immediately turns to the left. Bryn hears faint voices from the left path for a moment, but they're gone before he can make out anything.
Studying the cave formation, Bryn is fairly certain it was made with magic. He had seen mentions of such magic in the past, people capable of moving small amounts of earth at a time. The main giveaway is exactly that. The cave looks like perfect cubes of earth were removed from it, one by one. By the looks of it, the cubes weren't very large - two or three feet wide at most - and so, Bryn thinks it must have taken a long time. Moreover, whoever did this certainly had magical abilities, but not ones that exceeded even his own - even if the effect was not one he could produce himself.
"A Human, I think. Levickan, and old, for a Human." The Drow answers. "I don't remember how old exactly, but his hair was already gray is what they said." He thinks for a moment, trying to recall more. "Caught stealing something, nothing grand if he ended up here I reckon. The Commandant said they were 'incompetent fools' - " he tries to mimic how she says it, though not very well "for letting a Levickan remain in such a low-security prison. No person without ulterior motives comes here all the way from Levicka and then gets caught stealing something without great value. She said if I could prove he wasn't a spy she'd let me treat her to a full meal. But there are politics involved, and the Levickans wouldn't let it pass if they discovered we were treating their citizens unfairly, so here we are."
Arren can't make out anything special about the prints, other than what he saw before. (OOC: Also, in case I wasn't clear in my description, the Commandant is a little short but not in an extraordinary way. Consider something around 150-155 cm tall (~5 feet I think). It's shorter than the average, but far from special. Similarly, shoe size might be around 35-33(Europe) which is definitely small, but again not very strange. Consider that Elves are naturally shorter on average too, and their feet are smaller in proportion, so that might just be the average shoe size for an Elf.)
Walnuts hold on to one of his firearms. You know he'll have a hard time reloading it with only a single hand, but one shot is sometimes all it takes, and it produces a loud noise that might scare away an animal or call for backup. He also has a scimitar, but he's usually holding it in the other hand, now broken. "If things come to it, keep it away from me if you can, I'll find a chance to shoot it down clean. Big animal or not, it doesn't need to suffer before it dies. Or, better yet, maybe we can scare it off."
Taking the left route, you walk for a little longer than you did previously, climbing another short incline on the way before you reach another fork in the road. To your left, you see a large pile of debris which you can only assume is the same one you woke up next to - hopefully from the other side. There is nobody nor anything near it. On your right, you can see a path that goes around a hard rock and then, not far beyond it, another spot where multiple paths meet. You now notice a new set of footprints on the ground, and they appear to have been made just recently. They cross from the path coming from the left to the one going to the right. "These could belong to the Commandant, I think they're roughly the same size," Walnuts remarks in a whisper, "but let's keep quiet. If the animal you spotted is still here, we better not alert it to our location."
Arren is sure these caves are not natural. Strange cubic shapes appear in all of the walls, sharp corners, and a fairly even width throughout all the paths they took. He's never seen a tool that digs like that, either. The ground beneath them is loose, and his boot sinks a little into it, leaving clear footprints just like those Arren spotted earlier. However, he notices that an occasional harder rock or area with dense ground is strangely untouched, breaking the cubic shapes dug into the wall, and often forcing the path away from it. These appear at nearly every turn the paths take, like a wall that must be circled.
Also, please include a Perception check in your next post (not relying on sight, so no disadvantage is needed).
((Now that I look at it, doesn't the map remind you of texas?))
This time, when Lieutenant Tireur tries to mimic the Commandant saying her famous "incompetent fools,"Arrencan't help but grin. If the Half-Elf got a gold coin for every time she said those two words, well, he could happily get himself a nice piece of magical armor.
Then, he nods at the piece of information regarding the escaped prisoner, silently agreeing with the Commandant. A spy, surely. Arren wondered if they were still alive—and if they could be trapped. But that was secondary now. First, find the Commandant. Second, get out of this place. Third, locate any survivors, prisoners or otherwise.
"Will do," Arren says when Walnuts tells him to keep the beast away from him, should they encounter it. Keeping close to their targets while the Lieutenant attacked from afar was their usual tactic, and probably one of the reasons he had been selected among a bunch of other recruits. He was good with a variety of weapons, but he excelled at close range, and was built to withstand injuries that would make others crumble.
Sergeant al-Nasrid is relieved when they don't find any remains on the other side of the debris. When they spot a set of footprints emerging from that side and leading into the right-hand path of the new junction, he nods in agreement with his Lieutenant. The chances that they belong to the Commandant are high.
As they move to follow the tracks—once again making the same marks—he finds himself puzzling over the tunnels. The walls seem to have been carved out in precise cubic sections, as if pieces were neatly removed rather than broken away. He looks for any sign of how this was done but finds nothing. He's about to change the subject and dare ask Walnut about his nickname when he remembers the Drow hads told him to stay quiet, lest they attract the beast. Perhaps later.
Bryn contemplates the magical nature of the tunnels as he makes his way stealthily along the tunnel, I wonder if I can duplicate the effects? Perhaps I will focus on this during my next trance.
When he comes to the junction he stops for a moment to concentrate on the sound he barely heard, but it has slipped from his earshot. I don't like my chances of anyone I come across down here being friendly.
With that thought in mind, he turns to the right, moving in the same cautious but fast manner he has been using.
(OOC: Hoping as he hasn't broken stealth he doesn't need to re-roll, but shout if he does have to make repeated checks as he moves along)
Bryn walks for a while until he gets to a tall step. A ledge, really. It is about as high as he is, and there are plenty of spots to place his legs on, so climbing it shouldn't be too difficult. When he starts climbing the ledge, looking up, Bryn notices an area in the cave's 'ceiling' that looks different than the rest. Rather than small cubic bits taken out one by one, there is an entire large cube, larger than those around, that sticks out of the ceiling a little lower than the rest. It almost looks like a square cork, plugging some hole in the ceiling.
At the end of this path, Bryn reaches a junction with three paths. To his left (our right when looking at the map), a steep slope going deeper into the tunnel. The path on his right leads to another slope leading down, though not as steep. Looking straight ahead, the path goes in a straight line for about as far as Bryn can see in the dark. Bryn does not notice Arren's markings, but with a successful DC 14 Perception check (with a disadvantage due to the darkness), he may notice the same footprints Arren noticed in the same spot, with Arren and Walnuts' footsteps in addition.
Arren and Walnuts follow the footsteps they assumed were the Commandant's in silence (I assumed, through the next junction as well). They seem to be sticking to the wall as one who cannot see might do, only further strengthening your belief that they belong to her. After climbing one steep incline, you first notice that the wall across from you has a trace of light on it. Neither of you says it, but you both think, it might mean the exit is close.
The next thing you notice, almost immediately after, is the body lying on the ground right next to the wall. It is Commandant Nattensbarn, and she appears to be unhurt. Walnuts rushes to her, as does Arren. "She's asleep." Walnuts determines, relief apparent in his voice. Her chest barely rises and falls with her slow, quiet deep breaths, but from close up it is noticeable.
What both Arren and Lieutenant Tireur failed to notice, however, is that the pile of rubble in the alcove to their left is no pile of rubble at all. A low growl gives you only a moment's warning, and Arren instinctively turns around with his shield already in hand, ready to block, and he does so just in time to protect himself from the powerful paw of a large bear. The bear's weight, great enough to crush most people, Arren manages to shift away from him and remain standing. What Arren doesn't anticipate is the bear biting his side at the same time.
The bear hits Arren with 23 to hit, dealing a total of 6 piercing damage.
"Sand!" Lieutenant Tireur exclaims in surprise. Then, once he sees that Arren has mostly withstood the attack, he calls: "Keep it away from the Commandant, I'll try to shoot it down!"
You are all standing (or lying unconscious) within 5' of each other. See the map below for a schematic reference ('Be' stands for Bear, N stands for Nattensbarn). From where you stand you don't really see the areas of the new areas of the map (where the arrow is nor where the cave becomes narrow), but I added them as Arren would see them if he moves in that direction. The light comes from where the arrow is - the exit of this cave. The narrow passage is just wide enough for a person to squeeze through. In case it is relevant, consider the grid on the map to be ~10' per square. You are in initiative, and it is your turn. The Lieutenant will act after Arren, and the Commandant is currently unconscious.
Bryn also hears Tireur's voice when he calls aloud, though only faintly. Any incline/slope on the way (whenever there are stripes on the ground) is considered difficult terrain. I don't think Bryn will reach the rest in one turn so it doesn't matter if he acts before or after Arren, but he'll still move as if in initiative as far as distance goes.
Bryn squints at the area in the ceiling that appears like a plug of some sort. Perhaps this is where they entered the cave system, plugging the entrance once done. No this looks more like it has been plugged from this side, meaning this would be where they breached the surface. Possibly to effect a rescue.
With that thought in mind, he decides to look for evidence of where they might have gone afterwards, spotting the footprints, lots of them. Different sizes and perhaps even an animal.Whatever is going on here, these footprints lead the way. And if I am right that the prisoner escape was done through the ceiling here, that must be the way out.
It is then that he hears the distant call out from Lieutenant Tireur, not that he knows it was him who did the calling. The escapees perhaps coming across the guards. Or whatever the animal is. Either way, best to know what is down here, and if I can help and ingratiate myself...
He rushes off towards the sound, not worrying too much about being silent any more, if there is a scuffle happening it will drown out his own noise.
Movement: 30ft towards the sound Action: Dash another 30 ft towards the sound Bonus Action: Cunning Action Dash yet another 30 ft towards the sound
(OOC: I assumed from the description that the plug was inserted from underneath to block the escape hole. Let me know if that assumption is wrong)
Chapter 1: An Earthshaking Beginning
In the northeastern part of Katto, less than a day's walk from the sea lies a small mountain named Tus. It used to be all covered with vegetation - shrubbery and wild grass, with just a few small trees near its top. While the sight remains the same from most directions, its southern side is adorned with a big grey wall, encircling a group of buildings most commonly known together as the Tus Prison.
The population of Tus Prison is primarily comprised of low-life scum from several cities, villages, and other groups of buildings where people live that happen to be in its proximity. People who stole bread, used counterfeit currency, got a little too drunk and punched someone a little too hard, or tried escaping the prison, thus prolonging their short stay in it. These men and women eat and sleep at scheduled times, and other than that, are free to walk in designated areas of Tus Prison as they please so that each can find the most comfortable spot to spend the best years of their lives waiting. Waiting for the next meal, the curfew at night, for the bathroom stall's smell to become bearable, or for their release from this boring place. Maybe, if they're optimistic, for the committee to gather and listen to why they are innocent and how they, unlike all other prisoners, are telling the truth.
It's been eight days since a prisoner disappeared from Tus Prison, and the guards still can't figure out how. It is as if they were eaten up by the ground itself. It's not the first breakout from this prison, but there are usually signs and traces left. Even the hounds just stalked the prison grounds for a while and found no lead. Ever since then, prisoners are watched more closely and are given less time and space to sit and wait in. Some of them were questioned, even multiple times, but it doesn't seem like anyone knew anything - or is willing to tell.
But today, the guards seem especially strict, and there seem to be more of them stationed by the prisoners and in the watch towers. The prisoners are also taken occasionally. Some for more questioning, and some to clean the prison grounds. It isn't unusual for prisoners to clean the prison, but not on this day of the week, not so many, not since this early in the morning, and, most importantly, not under such a strict inspection and criticism over every missed spot, or spot that one passed a mere two times over, and not the whole necessary three.
One of those prisoners, a Human whose reason for being here is stealing bread (he didn't do that, of course, or was framed, or it's some misunderstanding. No prisoner is ever guilty, we all know that), has been mopping the floor for over two hours now, and his back aches. He hasn't given the guards too much trouble so far, so he knows they're not making him work out of spite. Well, probably.
A guard calls, and the guard supervising his work turns away to answer—a chance to stand up and stretch his back. The guard is facing away, but he's armed, and the prisoner is not, and besides, there are many others around. Even if the three prisoners knock him out while his back faces them, they won't get anywhere. Especially not today. The prisoner tries to listen to the guards' conversation. Are they finally finished here? The guard turns back. "Did I tell you to stop?" He shouts, and the Human bends down again to resume mopping. A few more exchanges between the guards before finally, the awaited order.
"Alright, place the mops in the corner over there, then stand against the wall." The guard orders, and the prisoners obey. "Faster!" He shouts. But even with all that haste, the prisoners stand against the wall for over a minute before another guard shows up.
"You three, with me." He calls quietly yet firmly. Unlike the previous one, this one doesn't need to raise his voice to show authority. The prisoners follow, wondering why some guards shout all the time while others never do, and why the quiet one wears his helmet over his face. They'd seen him before, after all, they all resided in the same enclosed space, and it always seemed strange. They go down to ground level, then out to the courtyard, but the guard doesn't stop there. He turns around once to make sure the three keep following him and keeps walking into another building. Past the corner, across the hall. Finally, he stops in front of a door the prisoners know all too well. It's the questioning room. They've all been there before, and at least once since that prisoner disappeared.
Another guard shows up. While the quiet one takes each prisoner in turn into the room for questioning, the other one keeps watch over the other too. First, the Human with the aching back goes in. Then, after a while, the Halfling with the missing eye. Lastly, the Elf is taken in. He hears, just as he's led inside, how the other guard is taking the other two prisoners away to the courtyard already. Lucky them, they got to go early, so now they could wait in their favorite spots earlier.
The quiet guard leads the Elf into the questioning room, around the table, and then indicates the chair, although needlessly. The Elf sits down. The quiet guard takes a few steps back but remains behind the Elf. Across the table sits a Gnome, dressed in the military's uniform. It's the Elf's third time seeing this Gnome since he arrived in this prison. He was always the one questioning prisoners. His rank was higher than that of the other guards but lower than the warden's. Unlike always, however, the Elf notices that the Gnome looks nervous. He's sweating slightly, he's fidgety, playing with the pencil he uses to take notes - although he rarely does.
Just then, the Elf notices something new. On the other side of the room, right next to the door, they seemed to have placed a small wooden table that wasn't there in his previous visits to this room. Behind that table sits a woman, also wearing the military's uniform, her rank seems to be higher than that of the Gnome, and two men stand next to her - one on either side. So the Elf thinks, anyway, he's not too familiar with all those symbols. She's pale, skinny, and slightly short - for a Human. She has dark hair collected into one braid and a face that looks stern and tired. Very tired. On the table in front of her are ordered a few papers and an inkwell, and she's already writing with a feather, but the Elf cannot see any details from where he sits. There is also one red apple that she seems to have taken exactly one bite of, then placed at the far corner of the table, uninterested in the rest.
One of the men, a Drow, wears the military uniform over light leather armor. His rank seems to be the same as the Gnome. He doesn't carry many weapons, but they are special, ones unlike any the Elf saw in the past. He's heard of them, however. Guns. Strange Meyen devices similar to bows in that they attack from a distance, but unlike bows, they produce a thundering sound when used and shoot small metallic balls. It was the arrival of those devices to Dite during the Meyen-Pohjan war that tipped the scales and allowed the Meyen empire to conquer half of Pohja of the time. Nonetheless, they're still not widely used over the cheaper and simpler-to-maintain bows and crossbows.
The other man, the last person in the room, wears a heavy-looking chain-mail and over it, the military uniform. He is a Half-Elf. The prisoner Elf saw very few of them in his life, they are somewhat rare. He carries the classic sword and shield combo, and a bunch of other weapons too. Both men simply stand there, and appear to be waiting.
"Ehem," the Gnome clears his throat, "let's get started. Please state your name, the nation you were born in, and the crime for which you serve your time in Tus Prison." Standard questions.
Varielky
The Elf enters the room tentatively, his head slightly bowed, his deep black hair not quite long enough to cover his eyes. It had obviously been roughly cut since coming to Tus Prison, probably numerous times, and was likely to be cut again soon by the length. As he walks around the table to the familiar chair, his bare chin rises slightly and his hazel eyes flick up every so often to take in his surroundings, briefly focusing on the different aspects of the room. He is about average height for an Elf, shorter than most humans, and his black and white fleece prison uniform is a little baggy, hiding his physique. It is unclear whether this was always the case, or if he has lost weight during his months imprisoned.
He has already clocked the Gnome, and his nervousness, as well as the table with three vague outlines of figures around it by the time he is sat down. Once sat, he follows a similar pattern, his chin slightly lowered, his eyes subtly flicking every so often to take in more detail. His hands are placed on the table in front of him, his fingers intertwined and his thumbs rubbing together somewhat nervously. An action he hopes draws attention away from his further surveillance of the room.
Finally, something interesting is happening. The thought enters his mind, followed by another. I can't imagine this being a good thing though. Whoever the prisoner that escaped was must have been important. How did he manage to get out so cleanly?
He notes the tiredness of the ranking officer, she's been at this a while, and to no avail I'd wager. He clocks the unfamiliar weapon, the gun, held by the Drow. And the Half-Elf in their heavy armour and shield, with an array of weapons. She must be important to have bodyguards like that, and to need them in here.
His thoughts are brought back to the Gnome as he starts to ask the familiar questions. He knows better than to give drawn out answers at this point, but he does so all the same, because it is what a simple scribe would do.
"My name....my name is Otis. Otis Orsfayne. I was born...born in Levicka. I committed no crime. I...I am a victim. They weren't my counterfeit coins. They...I...was tricked. It was the Watch...or Guard...whatever you call them...they asked to check my coins. They said...he said...he was looking for counterfeit coins. He said...all foreigners were checked. My coins...my coins were real...I would never...", he says stutteringly before falling silent as if defeated.
He was describing a scam he had used himself many times, hoping that would make it more believable. He would dress up and pretend to be a member of the Watch or City Guard. Ask newcomers to the city he happened to be in to show him their coins, so he could check for counterfeits. He would confirm all was well and hand them back, only they weren't the same coins. He would switch them with his own counterfeit coins.
The Half-Elf stands straight, right hand resting on the hilt of his longsword, in a semi-relaxed position that nonetheless could very easily turn in a combat stance if needed be. A serious gesture is drawn upon his face as he calmly gazes upon the room.
Arren al-Nasrid has the sharp, angular features, pointed ears, and fluid grace of his elven heritage. Yet his human blood asserts itself as well, giving him a more solid, well-built frame than most elves and a stature slightly taller than theirs. His movements retain an effortless elegance, but there is a grounded strength to him that sets him apart. Some of his raven hair falls across his brow, well-kept yet slightly tousled. But what stands out most is his golden-tanned skin, mirroring the desert sands of his native Etana. Piercing green eyes contrast strikingly against his darker complexion, and across his cheekbones, intricate white-lined tattoos trace delicate patterns—a sight not uncommon to those native to the desertic region of Dito.
Sergeant al-Nasrid's face bears the marks of a life spent in combat. A thin, long scar crosses his left eye, parting the intricate tattoo on his cheekbone, while another runs across the right side of his mouth—testaments to his years of military service
Art by lanaluu.art
Arren's eyes dart from the prisoner who has just left to the Gnome, noticing his nervousness, surely caused by the presence of Commandant Nattensbarn in the room. He can’t help but notice the red apple beside her, as well. Once again, a single bite. He frowns ever so slightly, glancing at the Drow, wondering if he’s noticed it too. They should speak with her about this, someday. Nothing good can come of a body as tired as hers.
This line of thought is interrupted as a new prisoner is escorted in—an Elf, this time. He looks nervous, submissive, no different from the others they've interrogated. His story, when he speaks, mirrors those of the others: nothing to shed light on the escaped one. No matter. Arren doesn't doubt the Commandant will uncover the truth—she always does, and this time will be no different.
Arren eyes the newcomer with curiosity. He would have expected him to be a little less doubtful, considering he's been asked these same questions multiple times already. Is he so scared that even telling his name causes hesitation? (Insight check: Starting strong with a 7 :D)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
The questioning continues for a couple of minutes. Ordinary questions that receive ordinary answers. Nothing that raises suspicion. Where was the prisoner during the night of the escape? In his cell, of course. Did he speak with the escapee before? Maybe, he doesn't quite remember. If one didn't know better, they could assume all prisoners practiced for this questioning together, preparing answers to predetermined questions.
Arren notices that Commandant Nattensbarn has two notes open. On one, almost a clean sheet, only a few remarks regarding things the prisoners have said so far. Her handwriting is small, though, and without leaning closer he won't see exactly what is written down. The other, on which she is writing at a nearly constant rate, is a report about anything else she's seen so far. She usually only gets to file a report about what they're inspecting a few days later, if not over a week. She was summoned here with utmost urgency, leaving her planned schedule behind, though, and so she wants to be done here as soon as possible. Arren has heard her saying it more times than he can count during the last week while traveling to this prison.
Arren then notices Lieutenant Tireur - nicknamed 'Walnuts' as Arren learned from his former peers, though he has no idea why - trying to draw his attention. They both know better than to speak above the Commandant, but they can try to speak inaudibly and decipher the other's lips' movement and other small gestures. Walnuts tries to indicate something. The prisoner? No, behind him. The quiet guard? Walnuts nods. He moves his lips slowly, in an exaggerated manner, to be sure each consonant and vowel is understood correctly, even without his voice carrying them over. 'Lieu Kai?' Doesn't make sense. Walnuts repeats. 'New guy?'. He nods.
Arren knows they've been searching for a new guy for a while, to prepare for Walnuts' retirement. Maybe he's studying the guard across the room curiously, but there's not much to see, as he's mostly covered by either armor or clothes. Even his helmet is on, which seems strange when in front of high-ranking officers, but Commandant Nattensbarn didn't say anything, so maybe he got some permission. He's a Corporal, which is one rank higher than most standard guards here, but not special in any way. He seemed about the same height as the Elf being questioned now, and that's about all Arren could tell. Maybe he's an Elf, too.
"Lieutenant, may I?" Arren snaps back to reality, he wasn't listening to the questioning, and he didn't to expect to hear the Commandant's voice. She cleans her small feather pen and closes her inkwell. The Gnome turns around surprised, but then stands up, salutes and pulls the chair back for Commandant Nattensbarn to sit in, then walks back to the stand near the wall, not too far from Arren himself.
Even back in Levicka, Staidear was a mostly unfamiliar name among the common folk. Some, those with a little connection to the noble class like merchants, might say they might have heard of it but don't exactly remember where or when. 'Otis' even made sure this name wasn't widely known outside of Levicka - to his disappointment. Thus, stating he was sent here by the Staidear family to write about the sights in other nations for their frail grandparent who can no longer walk himself, has never caused 'Otis' any problems. The woman writing in the back looked at him exactly once since he entered and seemed uninterested since, so 'Otis' knew he made a mistake the moment she raised her head to look at him, just when he told his usual story, just when he mentioned that name. Even without knowing the woman, he feels drawing her attention to him won't end well.
The woman takes the Gnome's seat. Only then, 'Otis' realizes the Gnome has been standing on the chair the entire time, as the chair was not fitted to his short stature. "Please, can you elaborate on your relationship with the Staidear family?" The woman asks. She speaks Common with a heavy Meyen accent, one that almost surely indicates she was born in Mey and emigrated overseas later in life. "How long have you been in their service? How much do you know of their family history? Have you ever heard of Breithe Staidear?" She asks her questions consecutively, without giving 'Otis' any time to answer. Only once she's done, she attentively waits for him to answer all her questions. All others in the room seem to be intrigued by this development, and all eyes rest on 'Otis', waiting for his responses.
Unless he tells the truth, please also include a Deception roll in your response.
Varielky
'Otis' answered the Gnome's questions in a practiced manner, having been playing this role for months now. He had even allowed his mind to drift to thoughts of the apple sat mostly untouched on the other table. Although they didn't starve the prisoners in Tus Prison, as that would be counterproductive to the work they require of them, they also did not feed them particularly well.
As the female officer replaces the Gnome in the interrogator's chair, he becomes curious. When she repeats the name Staidear his mind becomes fully alert. Gone are thoughts of the juicy apple.
He opens his mouth to answer her first question, but does not interject as she rattles off three more questions in quick succession. The mention of the name Breithe most concerning.
I need to tread carefully, but how does she know that name? , he thinks.
"Right...yes...let me see", he says nervously, acting as though trying to recall the first question. "Relationship?", he then repeats, the tone questioning but obviously rhetorical. "Only business. Yes, just business. There was an advert....it was on the noticeboard...I always wanted to travel", he says looking down at the table, frequently glancing up at the officer across from him, but not holding her gaze.
"I could not afford...it was a great opportunity. This is the first...I mean...I was not in their service before. I had not heard of them before...they are not a well known family. The old man...he was called Cillian...I never met a Breithe", he replies.
"Perhaps...maybe...if I knew more context...", he adds with a meek shrug.
Deception: 18+6=24
(OOC: Hope rolling in campaign log is ok)
Arren doesn't lean in to try to peek at the Commandant's notes, initially (ooc: unless there is no risk being caught, because she might have left them behind when she moved to the Gnome's table). He did so only once, almost five years ago, when he had been working with her for only a few days, and learned his lesson when he was caught in the act. For a small woman in stature, Commandant Nattenbarn could exercise an enormous anger, and Arren had learned to tread carefully around her.
Lieutenant Tireur caught his attention quickly. Arren often wondered why the others called him Walnuts. Perhaps he would ask him directly one day—probably five minutes before his retirement, and no sooner. Once the half-elf understood his intentions, he eyed the guard in the helmet intently (Perception: nat 20. Total 23), wondering what on the face of Dite had piqued the Drow's interest. The guard's stance was surely perfect, and he carried himself with confidence, but that was about everything Arren could notice that would differentiate that guard from the rest they had seen so far. But then again, who was he to doubt the Lieutenant? He had certainly shown good judgment in selecting the Half-elf for the Commandant's security force. It wasn't as if he had said this to Arren aloud, but even if he hadn't, it was clear the Drow trusted him.
The voice of Commandant Miyako Nattenbarn made Arren focus his green eyes on the questioning again. Breithe Staidear? He had never heard that name before. Why was it important? Could it be related to the escaped prisoner? Or was it simply that the Commandant knew the family this Elf had supposedly been working for? Arren had no idea and decided to simply keep paying attention.
From time to time, his gaze drifted to the guard in the helmet. Why was his face covered? Perhaps he should call it out, but he didn't want to interrupt the questioning. Not yet. He could always ask directly after they had finished with all the prisoners waiting to be questioned.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Arren knows that anything Commandant Nattensbarn writes in his presence is one he may see. If his security classification isn't high enough to view the contents of it, he wouldn't even see the paper/scroll it's written on. Nonetheless, the Commandant doesn't like it when people lean over her head to read what she's writing. So, while she's there, Arren knows better and keeps his distance. Once she goes to take the Gnome's seat, leaving the papers behind, however, Arren can freely read anything there.
When Arren leans to read the notes, he sees more or less what he expected to see. One, a detailed list of all the faults of the prison and how to fix them and avoid them in the future. From how easily their carriage entered the prison without proper search, and how anyone could disguise as her to get inside - to the fact that over a dozen prisoners are cleaning the halls yet the latrine's reek can be smelled from a great distance. The other, with only a few notes about the prisoners that were questioned so far, has no information of value. It seems the Commandant started writing it, then realized she could use her time more effectively working on the report about the prison.
When Arren leans to read the notes, just after the Commandant leaves the table, Walnuts mistakingly thinks Arren leans so they can whisper in his ear, and leans closer to do so. "The guard back there, he's been selected to join us. Order came from above. We weren't supposed to get here before spring, but now that we're here anyway, we'll take him along when we leave." Commandant Nattensbarn is about to start her questioning, and so Walnuts stands straight again and the two of you know your chance to whisper is over. (Bryn saw this exchange, but couldn't hear anything.)
Focusing on the guard, Arren manages to catch his eyes. The guard notices the two of you are talking about him, and he can more or less guess why. He makes a small gesture, a wave of his wrist. 'Hello'. Despite standing across the dim-lit room, Arren can see his ears are pointy but not dark. An Elf, but not a Drow. A natural guess would be a Wood Elf, but Arren can't be certain. Like all guards, he carries with him a single [equipment]Bat;baton[/equipment] (baton, in case the tooltip fails).
Meanwhile, Commandant Nattensbarn is quickly losing interest in the prisoner. His drawn-out answers get on her nerves, and she starts tapping her fingers on the table mindlessly. Nonetheless, she doesn't interrupt him and waits until he finishes. The second he's done and not a moment later, the Commandant stands up. "We're done here, this one knows nothing of value."
As if in response, Commandant Nattensbarn's red apple, only bitten once, falls on the floor. It was standing just on the corner of the table, but neither Arren nor Walnuts touched the table. A little confused, Walnuts bends over to pick it up, murmuring to himself "Now she definitely won't eat another bite," and at the same time, Arren notices the ink in the Commandant's inkwell is shaking, though only lightly.
Before anyone can say another word, the floor begins to shake violently, and you feel like standing (or sitting) on a rug being pulled from beneath. To avoid falling over, all those standing instinctively crouch down and perhaps lean on one arm, and Bryn holds his chair tightly. The inkwell falls over and shatters on the floor. The whole thing lasts a mere few seconds. You feel the quakes get weaker and believe it is over when another quake starts, more violent than the previous. Commandant Nattensbarn crawls under the table and shouts to you all "Get under something! Protect your heads!" Not a moment too soon either, as you see a small piece of the ceiling dropping from above, crashing on the floor. But before anyone can react, you hear a
Crack!
And there is no floor beneath you. You fall down, and the world goes dark.
Bryn wakes up coughing. There's still dust in the air, he can only guess he was unconscious for a short while. His whole body hurts, and upon checking, he's heavily bruised, but nothing worse than that (he receives 6 points of bludgeoning damage). He's in what appears to be a cave of some sort, dug directly into the mountain. Behind him is a pile of wreckage. Stone, concrete and wooden splinters. It reaches the top of the cave, through which Bryn can only assume he fell, and it seems like the hole in the floor is now sealed by the debris, so climbing back up is impossible.
Looking around, Bryn sees the quiet guard's body lying on the ground motionless, not far from him. Perhaps ironically, his helmet seems to have fallen off and rolled a few feet away from him, and a heavy-looking piece of the floor rests against his bloodied head. Even without getting a closer look, Bryn can tell he is a Wood Elf. Other than that, he appears to be alone, and the cave is only open on one side, turning away after a few steps. Hopefully to the outside, or he may be trapped.
Across the pile of debris, Arren is shaken awake by Walnuts. The Drow holds one arm with the other. It seems to be broken, but not anything that wouldn't heal eventually. "Come on, we must find the Commandant and find a way out!" He urges. He helps Arren up on his feet, though Arren is barely hurt (take 4 points of bludgeoning damage). Like Bryn, who hears the Lieutenant's words from across the debris pile, they seem to be in a cave that stretches on in only one direction. You take one look at the pile of debris. If the commandant is buried under there, it is too late for her. You don't see any signs suggesting as such, however, so there's still some hope.
Varielky
"Gaitha’s stones!" Arren groans as he wakes up. "What the hell was that?" He stands up quickly, barely feeling any pain at all despite the fall.
His first instinct is to look for the Commandant. His eyes widen as he stares at the pile of debris, thoughts racing. "She can't be down there. She can't… gods…" There’s no obvious sign of her, so he can only hope she fell somewhere else—hopefully unharmed, or with only light wounds.
His second thought is for his Lieutenant. At least he seems to be all right despite the broken arm. The Half-Elf hastily tears a piece of his uniform, fashioning a sling to support the injured arm. If they’re going to get out of this, the Lieutenant will need to make use of his good arm and this should help.
Once that is settled, Arren takes stock of the situation. The Commandant is missing. So is the helmeted guard. And the Elf they had been interrogating. He calls out, though not too loudly, wary of causing another collapse. "Can anyone hear me?" If there’s no reply, he nods to the Lieutenant. "Yes, let's go. The Commandant should be fine. She's resourceful." A pause, and worry flickers across his face as if he doesn’t quite believe his own words. "But she was already a bit weak, and tired....", he thinks, remembering the unfinished apple.
Arren's lips press into a thin line as he starts walking.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Bryn's keen elvish vision cuts through the darkness, but not completely, and the dust in the air makes it even more difficult to see. But as soon as he realises he is alone with the corpse of the helmeted guard, his mind starts calculating. The pain is still there, but he suppresses it as best he can, because whatever just happened is an opportunity.
He hears the voices from beyond the pile of debris, but remains silent, coughing into his sleeve if he must to muffle the sound.
He moves across to the fallen guard.Can't do anything to help the poor soul now, but he might be able to help me.
He searches the body of the Wood Elf, checking pockets and pouches, and examining his armour to see if it might fit. All the while trying to ignore the pain flaring in his muscles. If the armour will fit, a bit of dust should disguise the difference in skin tone, and he always wore the helmet. Perhaps if the tunnel leads out it would be enough to get away. And if they thought Otis dead, it would be a clean getaway too. Now, what was this guy's name?
Investigation: 10+5=15
(OOC: Is the helmeted guard about Bryn's height? Does Bryn know his name? Is there anything in his pockets? What sort of armour is he wearing? Lots of questions :-) )
"Oh, thanks." Walnuts can't hide the pain, but it seems the makeshift sling helps a little. He's breathing a little heavily, trying to focus on that instead of the pain. "I just hope our exit isn't blocked off, else we can only hope there are those up there that can dig us out soon. We won't be of use to anybody if we're trapped underground."
The cave seems to stretch straight for a short while before you reach a junction. On the right, there is a slope going down, not too steeply, and then the cave continues. Similarly, on the left, there is a steep incline - though not so steep as to be difficult to climb - and again the cave continues (see image at the bottom). "I can't say I like this." Walnuts declares, half to himself. "I never heard of caverns here below this prison - though I'm not too familiar with it either - but if this is a large cave system, I'd rather not get lost here. Sand, what do you think? We could cover more ground if we split - maybe find the commandant if we're lucky, but there's a greater risk of one of us getting lost."
Meanwhile, Bryn searches the guard's body, finding his baton (bat), a pair of manacles (with keys), and his armor. It doesn't seem like the guard was prepared to go anywhere he'd need anything other than those items, carried by any guard. Fortunately, however, he believes the guard's standard Leather Armor would fit him, and should more or less cover his prisoner's uniform, at least to anyone not closely inspecting him. Of course, he can strip the guard of his clothes and take them, instead, but the shirt is stained with blood. The helmet can cover his face, too, but once again, anyone who knows either the guard or Bryn could tell with a close look.
Speaking of a close look, now that Bryn inspects the body, he notices a large ugly scar running across the guard's face. While some might take pride in such a sign, you can sympathize and understand why he'd want to keep it covered, too. Unfortunately, he doesn't wear a name tag or anything of the sort, and Bryn does not remember hearing his name.
((The small, non-uniformly sized letters represent your characters by first letter (and Walnuts, too). The grey messy area is the impassable pile of debris. Ignore the half-visible grid. The caves are about two meters (~6'6" I believe) wide, on average.))
Varielky
Arren stops short and looks at both paths at the junction, pondering what to do. As he does, he gives Walnuts a sidelong glance. He doesn't like his heavy breathing one bit. What if he collapses while on his own? What if they run into an enemy while separated? The Half-Elf gives a single shake of his head.
"You're right that we could cover more ground, but we'd also double our chances of getting lost. I'd rather backtrack our steps than risk separating and having one of us lost forever. Let's trust the Commandant, yes? She's smart and not helpless. I think she'd yell at us if she found out we'd risked separating for her sake."
Sand—Arren had grown attached to that nickname over the years—looks again at the two paths and says, "We take the one that brings us closer to the surface. If the Commandant passed through here before us, that's the path she would have taken." (OOC: Speaking of that, are there any footprints or other marks on the ground? Perception: 16+3)
He unsheathes his longsword, adding, "I'll leave a mark on the ground. Just in case we have to backtrack. Or in case the Commandant comes this way later."
Arren traces an arrow in the dirt, indicating that they followed the left path. Then he adds a "W" and an "S"—the Commandant never called them by their nicknames, but she knew them well enough.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
The good news is that the armour will fit, and although he always tries to avoid a fight, he is not unfamiliar with the feel of leather armour. He quickly strips the corpse of its outerwear, putting on the armour, trousers and boots. He rolls the shirt in the dust to try and dry the blood as much as possible, before folding it up to take, the dusty blood hidden. He leaves the helmet on the floor for the moment. His own trousers, he puts on the corpse so the Wood Elf maintains some dignity when found.
The other good news is that clearing away this amount of debris will take time that he can hopefully use to good effect. If the tunnel leads him outside. If this doesn't lead outside, I am either going to die of thirst, or be recaptured. Either way, I have time to explore.
Before gathering the manacles and the bat, he takes out the small knife from under the sole of his shoe. He cuts a few bits of fleece away from the hem of his prison trousers, now on the Wood Elf. Just tiny pieces that he can keep to hand. He had hidden his magical abilities from everyone at the prison, but he would need them if he is going to get away with this, and fleece is an important component.
He then grabs the bat and checks the weight. This probably won't be as useful as my knife, but it is needed for the costume to work. He grabs the manacles for the same reason.
Finally ready, he takes one last look at the Wood Elf's body. "Sorry, I wish I could have been more respectful. I hope you find your way to whatever afterlife pleases you", he whispers before donning the helm.
And then he turns and creeps off down the tunnel, listening intently for sounds that he is not alone.
What are these tunnels? Who made them? Are they even man made?
"I bet she would." Walnuts chuckles. "She'd also complain if we took too long to find her, she's not one you can satisfy this easily."
Arren climbs the incline without much struggle. Walnuts walks a little slower, taking extra care not to slip down, but it doesn't look like he needs any help. "I wonder if these caves have anything to do with the escaped prisoner." He ponders out loud. "I don't believe they'd build a prison on top of such a thing, or that they simply missed its existence. Either way, I think the Commandant will have many others to yell at in the coming week."
A little past the incline, you reach another junction. This time, there are three paths excluding that through which you just came. "I imagine this one connects to the path we didn't take earlier," Walnuts remarks about the path to your right. "I could be wrong of course, but they seem to be heading more or less in the same direction. As for the other two... This one leads deeper underground again," he points to the path in front "so if we're to follow the same logic as before, I guess we should go left." He waits for Arren to lead the way though. "Unless you have a better idea. I gotta say, navigating caverns isn't my best quality."
On the ground, Arren now spots several different footprints, surely belonging to different creatures. A few, three or four of them, belong to some Humanoid creature. Wearing shoes, no doubt. One of them is smaller than the rest. Most likely a Halfling or a Goblin, but it could also be a child. The others are larger and could belong to any of the larger races. Another set of prints is much larger and definitely not Humanoid. Some large animal it seems, one that walks on four. While the Humanoid footprints seem to have walked here several times, in all directions, the large animal has passed here fewer times, from the left path to the right one and back. You can't tell which direction is the last it took.
Bryn spends a couple of minutes taking the dead guard's gear, but nothing else happens during that time. He hears the two soldiers who walked on the other side of the debris pile walking away and their voices getting weaker and less clear until eventually he cannot hear them anymore.
After walking for a short while, occasionally walking down a short slope, Bryn reaches a junction. To his right, the tunnel stays leveled and bends away, and peeking deeper down the path reveals an incline leading up (I now realize I didn't cut the map well, so it's not visible over there. Also, despite what it might look like, there is no path leading forward). On his left, the path immediately leads into a slope leading deeper underground.
If Bryn wants to determine how the caves were made, he may roll either an Arcana or a Nature check. The answer may differ depending on which check you choose.
((Did Arren change his color? I'm certain it was brown before.))
Varielky
Bryn stops briefly at the junction, contemplating the origin of the tunnels before thinking through the choice ahead.
I haven't gone far enough to get beyond the prison wall, so if the path leads up it likely leads back into the prison. That might be where I end up having to go, but better to check if I can get beyond the walls first.
That logic dictates he should take the path that leads deeper underground, and so he starts to make his way along the left hand path. Travelling as quickly, yet quietly as he can, and remaining vigilant to any noise or light up ahead.
Arcana: 14+5=19
Stealth: 17+6=23
Passive Perception: 15
(OOC: As he can dash using his Cunning Action, I am hoping he can make decent time whilst being stealthy. I have rolled stealth above in case needed, obviously ignore if not. What is the light situation at the moment?)
Arren exhales sharply through his nose—a quiet acknowledgment rather than a laugh. "She's not," he says, his voice low but certain. "But I have to say, I like working for her. If the rest of the commanders were half as hardworking as Commandant Nattenbarn is, things would go differently. If only she took better care of herself." The Half-Elf shakes his head.
His gaze lingers for a moment before he straightens, glancing toward their path ahead. When the Drow shares his thoughts on the caverns, Arren considers the thought for a moment. "It would explain how the prisoner vanished as if the earth had swallowed them. Quite literally. I wonder if they found an entrance...I can't imagine what happened to us is common here, or we would have been warned."
As he speaks, the Etanan wonders whether these caverns were man-made and if they are recent. Of course, he is no expert in geology, but he looks around, trying to spot lengthy stalactites and stalagmites that might give him a clue—or if the walls follow an orderly pattern rather than nature’s more chaotic constructs. (Nature: 19+1)
Taking a closer look at the footprints, Arren turns to his Lieutenant. "Do we know anything about the prisoner? Were they a halfling or a goblin, perhaps? Or any of the other smaller species." He gestures toward that particular set of footprints. He also checks whether any of the prints associated to larger species are noticeably smaller, wondering if they might belong to someone of a smaller stature such as the Commandant.
"Look," he says, pointing. "A four-legged big animal came through here—fewer times than the humanoids. That must mean they were lost and circled a few times, while the creature didn’t. It must have been following them. I pity them if it found them."
Standing up again, he tells Walnuts, "Have your weapons ready in case we come across the animal. And yes, I'd say it's best to keep following the same logic. Let's take the left path."
Once again, Arren marks the path they have followed with an arrow, an "S" and a "W".
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
((Moving stealthily halves your movement. Dashing doubles it. The net result is normal movement but stealthily. The area is all dark, or dimly lit for those with Darkvision. A reminder, characters have a disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight when in dim light (or darkness that turns into dim light for darkvisioned characters) and can only see in shades of gray. There is no need to retcon previous checks if you forgot about that, though. I'll remind you if it's important.))
The slope leads deeper underground, but not by much. It ends in yet another fork. On the left, the path goes straight for the most part. Bryn thinks he sees the beginning of an incline, but it is at the very end of what he can see, even with his enhanced sight in the dark. On the right, the path immediately turns to the left. Bryn hears faint voices from the left path for a moment, but they're gone before he can make out anything.
Studying the cave formation, Bryn is fairly certain it was made with magic. He had seen mentions of such magic in the past, people capable of moving small amounts of earth at a time. The main giveaway is exactly that. The cave looks like perfect cubes of earth were removed from it, one by one. By the looks of it, the cubes weren't very large - two or three feet wide at most - and so, Bryn thinks it must have taken a long time. Moreover, whoever did this certainly had magical abilities, but not ones that exceeded even his own - even if the effect was not one he could produce himself.
"A Human, I think. Levickan, and old, for a Human." The Drow answers. "I don't remember how old exactly, but his hair was already gray is what they said." He thinks for a moment, trying to recall more. "Caught stealing something, nothing grand if he ended up here I reckon. The Commandant said they were 'incompetent fools' - " he tries to mimic how she says it, though not very well "for letting a Levickan remain in such a low-security prison. No person without ulterior motives comes here all the way from Levicka and then gets caught stealing something without great value. She said if I could prove he wasn't a spy she'd let me treat her to a full meal. But there are politics involved, and the Levickans wouldn't let it pass if they discovered we were treating their citizens unfairly, so here we are."
Arren can't make out anything special about the prints, other than what he saw before. (OOC: Also, in case I wasn't clear in my description, the Commandant is a little short but not in an extraordinary way. Consider something around 150-155 cm tall (~5 feet I think). It's shorter than the average, but far from special. Similarly, shoe size might be around 35-33(Europe) which is definitely small, but again not very strange. Consider that Elves are naturally shorter on average too, and their feet are smaller in proportion, so that might just be the average shoe size for an Elf.)
Walnuts hold on to one of his firearms. You know he'll have a hard time reloading it with only a single hand, but one shot is sometimes all it takes, and it produces a loud noise that might scare away an animal or call for backup. He also has a scimitar, but he's usually holding it in the other hand, now broken. "If things come to it, keep it away from me if you can, I'll find a chance to shoot it down clean. Big animal or not, it doesn't need to suffer before it dies. Or, better yet, maybe we can scare it off."
Taking the left route, you walk for a little longer than you did previously, climbing another short incline on the way before you reach another fork in the road. To your left, you see a large pile of debris which you can only assume is the same one you woke up next to - hopefully from the other side. There is nobody nor anything near it. On your right, you can see a path that goes around a hard rock and then, not far beyond it, another spot where multiple paths meet. You now notice a new set of footprints on the ground, and they appear to have been made just recently. They cross from the path coming from the left to the one going to the right. "These could belong to the Commandant, I think they're roughly the same size," Walnuts remarks in a whisper, "but let's keep quiet. If the animal you spotted is still here, we better not alert it to our location."
Arren is sure these caves are not natural. Strange cubic shapes appear in all of the walls, sharp corners, and a fairly even width throughout all the paths they took. He's never seen a tool that digs like that, either. The ground beneath them is loose, and his boot sinks a little into it, leaving clear footprints just like those Arren spotted earlier. However, he notices that an occasional harder rock or area with dense ground is strangely untouched, breaking the cubic shapes dug into the wall, and often forcing the path away from it. These appear at nearly every turn the paths take, like a wall that must be circled.
Also, please include a Perception check in your next post (not relying on sight, so no disadvantage is needed).
((Now that I look at it, doesn't the map remind you of texas?))
Varielky
This time, when Lieutenant Tireur tries to mimic the Commandant saying her famous "incompetent fools," Arren can't help but grin. If the Half-Elf got a gold coin for every time she said those two words, well, he could happily get himself a nice piece of magical armor.
Then, he nods at the piece of information regarding the escaped prisoner, silently agreeing with the Commandant. A spy, surely. Arren wondered if they were still alive—and if they could be trapped. But that was secondary now. First, find the Commandant. Second, get out of this place. Third, locate any survivors, prisoners or otherwise.
"Will do," Arren says when Walnuts tells him to keep the beast away from him, should they encounter it. Keeping close to their targets while the Lieutenant attacked from afar was their usual tactic, and probably one of the reasons he had been selected among a bunch of other recruits. He was good with a variety of weapons, but he excelled at close range, and was built to withstand injuries that would make others crumble.
Sergeant al-Nasrid is relieved when they don't find any remains on the other side of the debris. When they spot a set of footprints emerging from that side and leading into the right-hand path of the new junction, he nods in agreement with his Lieutenant. The chances that they belong to the Commandant are high.
As they move to follow the tracks—once again making the same marks—he finds himself puzzling over the tunnels. The walls seem to have been carved out in precise cubic sections, as if pieces were neatly removed rather than broken away. He looks for any sign of how this was done but finds nothing. He's about to change the subject and dare ask Walnut about his nickname when he remembers the Drow hads told him to stay quiet, lest they attract the beast. Perhaps later.
(Perception: Not great ... 7+3)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
When he comes to the junction he stops for a moment to concentrate on the sound he barely heard, but it has slipped from his earshot. I don't like my chances of anyone I come across down here being friendly.
With that thought in mind, he turns to the right, moving in the same cautious but fast manner he has been using.
(OOC: Hoping as he hasn't broken stealth he doesn't need to re-roll, but shout if he does have to make repeated checks as he moves along)
Bryn walks for a while until he gets to a tall step. A ledge, really. It is about as high as he is, and there are plenty of spots to place his legs on, so climbing it shouldn't be too difficult. When he starts climbing the ledge, looking up, Bryn notices an area in the cave's 'ceiling' that looks different than the rest. Rather than small cubic bits taken out one by one, there is an entire large cube, larger than those around, that sticks out of the ceiling a little lower than the rest. It almost looks like a square cork, plugging some hole in the ceiling.
At the end of this path, Bryn reaches a junction with three paths. To his left (our right when looking at the map), a steep slope going deeper into the tunnel. The path on his right leads to another slope leading down, though not as steep. Looking straight ahead, the path goes in a straight line for about as far as Bryn can see in the dark. Bryn does not notice Arren's markings, but with a successful DC 14 Perception check (with a disadvantage due to the darkness), he may notice the same footprints Arren noticed in the same spot, with Arren and Walnuts' footsteps in addition.
Arren and Walnuts follow the footsteps they assumed were the Commandant's in silence (I assumed, through the next junction as well). They seem to be sticking to the wall as one who cannot see might do, only further strengthening your belief that they belong to her. After climbing one steep incline, you first notice that the wall across from you has a trace of light on it. Neither of you says it, but you both think, it might mean the exit is close.
The next thing you notice, almost immediately after, is the body lying on the ground right next to the wall. It is Commandant Nattensbarn, and she appears to be unhurt. Walnuts rushes to her, as does Arren. "She's asleep." Walnuts determines, relief apparent in his voice. Her chest barely rises and falls with her slow, quiet deep breaths, but from close up it is noticeable.
What both Arren and Lieutenant Tireur failed to notice, however, is that the pile of rubble in the alcove to their left is no pile of rubble at all. A low growl gives you only a moment's warning, and Arren instinctively turns around with his shield already in hand, ready to block, and he does so just in time to protect himself from the powerful paw of a large bear. The bear's weight, great enough to crush most people, Arren manages to shift away from him and remain standing. What Arren doesn't anticipate is the bear biting his side at the same time.
The bear hits Arren with 23 to hit, dealing a total of 6 piercing damage.
"Sand!" Lieutenant Tireur exclaims in surprise. Then, once he sees that Arren has mostly withstood the attack, he calls: "Keep it away from the Commandant, I'll try to shoot it down!"
You are all standing (or lying unconscious) within 5' of each other. See the map below for a schematic reference ('Be' stands for Bear, N stands for Nattensbarn). From where you stand you don't really see the areas of the new areas of the map (where the arrow is nor where the cave becomes narrow), but I added them as Arren would see them if he moves in that direction. The light comes from where the arrow is - the exit of this cave. The narrow passage is just wide enough for a person to squeeze through. In case it is relevant, consider the grid on the map to be ~10' per square. You are in initiative, and it is your turn. The Lieutenant will act after Arren, and the Commandant is currently unconscious.
Bryn also hears Tireur's voice when he calls aloud, though only faintly. Any incline/slope on the way (whenever there are stripes on the ground) is considered difficult terrain. I don't think Bryn will reach the rest in one turn so it doesn't matter if he acts before or after Arren, but he'll still move as if in initiative as far as distance goes.
Varielky
13)+5=16 (success)Bryn squints at the area in the ceiling that appears like a plug of some sort. Perhaps this is where they entered the cave system, plugging the entrance once done. No this looks more like it has been plugged from this side, meaning this would be where they breached the surface. Possibly to effect a rescue.
With that thought in mind, he decides to look for evidence of where they might have gone afterwards, spotting the footprints, lots of them. Different sizes and perhaps even an animal. Whatever is going on here, these footprints lead the way. And if I am right that the prisoner escape was done through the ceiling here, that must be the way out.
It is then that he hears the distant call out from Lieutenant Tireur, not that he knows it was him who did the calling. The escapees perhaps coming across the guards. Or whatever the animal is. Either way, best to know what is down here, and if I can help and ingratiate myself...
He rushes off towards the sound, not worrying too much about being silent any more, if there is a scuffle happening it will drown out his own noise.
Movement: 30ft towards the sound
Action: Dash another 30 ft towards the sound
Bonus Action: Cunning Action Dash yet another 30 ft towards the sound
(OOC: I assumed from the description that the plug was inserted from underneath to block the escape hole. Let me know if that assumption is wrong)