Although impressive, Bryn only spends a brief moment looking at the carving of the dragon and the murals on the walls, knowing that his ability to perceive magic is finite. And so his attention quickly moves to the flow of magic. I will be able to come back and explore this area further later.
Seeing the magic flow through the water between the rubble of the collapsed hallway, he attempts to move the smaller rocks and any loose earth to make a path for himself so he doesn't have to step into the water to move closer. He will also attempt to use his spectral hand to lay some small rocks out to step on if he has made the water shallow enough for that to work.
He will not spend more than a couple of minutes though, before he needs to move on anyway. If his efforts have not caused anything worrying to appear in the water he will eventually move forward to the collapsed hallway to get a better look, regardless of if it means stepping into the water.
((Ignore the finer details in the upper part, I'm adapting a map from some module, so not all is 1:1.))
Bryn can move around small rocks and loose dirt to make a spot to stand in the water, such that he's not touching the water himself. He finds that, due to the floor's inclination, the water soon becomes deeper, and he can use this method to advance no longer, unless he intends to enter the water. In fact, where he stands now, the water is already deep enough to almost reach his knees, should he stand in it. Moving the earth around made a few small waves propagate through the pool, but the magic flow seems mostly undisturbed, except for the small traces which flow along with the waves.
From where he stands, Bryn cannot see much through the rocks. He'll need to get closer, and that will require him to step into the water. The water fills the collapsed hallway up to more than 5 feet above the floor. For that reason, Bryn cannot get all the way to the collapse without effectively swimming in the water (or walking in the deep water).
While standing there and before (or instead of) entering the water, Bryn can look back and see more into the adjacent room than he saw before. It seems to be mostly a wider part of the natural tunnels, but there's a small man-made structure there, mostly rectangular in shape and covered by a large mass of root-like plants. It seems a cave-in once demolished half of this construct, but about half of it still stands. (OOC: Unlike what you might notice in the map, there are no broken wooden furniture or wooden floors there, so ignore those details.)
(OOC: Since I wasn't sure if I made the point about the water's depth clear, I'll leave you to decide whether Bryn steps in or not.) If Bryn chooses to get closer to the collapse and try to look through the gaps between the rocks:
Bryn swims to the rocks. Once there, he finds that some of the gaps can be passed through, but he'll have to squeeze through, and it'll be tight. Leaving some of his gear behind might help. Through the gaps, however, Bryn can see that the collapse only occurred in this small area. Beyond it, he sees a wide room flooded by the water. It's hard to see many details, but the water there is full of even more of the root-like plants, which are particularly thick in there.
Bryn is reluctant to fully submerge in the water, knowing that with the weather outside being so cold, he might freeze. Not to mention the questions I will get.
And so when he notices the small man-made structure covered in roots in an adjacent room, he decides to investigate. That is the first thing the bandits will look at after all, when they break through.
Once again, he will utilise his spectral hand if necessary, to clear away roots and get a good look at it.
Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left. Investigation: 13+5=18
(OOC: Thanks for the clarification, he will avoid submerging for now)
Bryn finds the roots are too thick and strong to move with his spectral hand. Although the structure was demolished by the cave-in, it seems it had an interior part, which is now blocked off by vines instead of walls, where those have collapsed. Inside, Bryn can see the glitter of gold, but also a smaller, rectangular, box-like shape made of stone. A chest? A sarcophagus, maybe, but in either case, it has nothing covering it, yet Bryn cannot see anything inside from where he stands.
Suddenly, a strange sound fills the tunnel, echoing off its walls. "@%$&ð¦↓!" The loud voice is strange. It doesn't really sound like a living creature, but nonetheless, Bryn is sure it said something, some word. Unfortunately, whatever language it is, Bryn doesn't easily recognise it (you can roll a History check, if you're interested). After a moment, the voice repeats, but this time in a language Bryn understands. ["LEAVE!"] It says in Dwarvish. A moment after, Bryn can hear a rumbling sound, followed by the sound of wood cracking. Through the gaps between the vines, Bryn can see movement, something rising in the centre of the structure.
Bryn takes a step back and looks around when the voice sounds, curious as to who or what has caused it even as he tries to work out what it says. And then when it repeats in Dwarfish, he understand the word, but not the reason.
He notices the movement in the structure, and his eyes go wide even as he finds himself replying in Dwarvish, ["Who said that? Why should I leave?"].
He watches the movement carefully, making sure he has ample time to retreat if it looks like breaking through the vines.
History: 9+3=12 Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: So the structure is as big as shown on the map (15x3), but intact, and there is a chest or sarcophagus in the middle, person sized but Bryn can't see in it? Where is the gold he saw? Is there a level drop at all, or is it just a matter of peering through vines? When you said something rising, is that from the sarcophagus, or out of some hole?)
Bryn doesn't quite recognise the language. It reminds him of ancient Elven, but he's not familiar with the language enough to be certain.
The original structure was 15x25 feet, but a part of it was demolished by a partial cave-in. As such, the building that's intact is a trapezoid of the same form as on the map - 10x15x15 and the closing diagonal (in this case, consider the wooden floor up to the 'tear'). Vines, though resembling roots more than normal roots due to their thickness and lack of any leaves or flowers, have grown on the walls and also partially cover the opening, as if forming a wall to close off the ruined building. One can see through the vines and perhaps pass through some of the more spacious gaps between them.
At the centre of the building as it is now (2 squares up and one left from Bryn's position) is a sarcophagus, but a very plain one made of stone. It is open, its lid hidden behind it such that Bryn currently can't see it. There is some gold scattered around on the ground by the sarcophagus. Not a huge amount, but still enough to cover one's expenses for quite some time. And that's disregarding the possible value from its historical importance. The floor of the building is levelled with the ground outside, but the sarcophagus is on a pedestal, raising it high enough that, including its own walls, the ledge is tall enough that Bryn can see some of what's inside, but not all (i.e., he can't see the bottom without getting closer).
Out of the sarcophagus, what seems like a collection of vines rises. As the vines also partially covered the sarcophagus, it might at first seem like something is pushing them out of the way to get out. However, within moments, the mass of vines climbs out of the sarcophagus and takes form, and it is clear nothing is pushing it from below. Rather, Bryn sees a humanoid figure, as if entirely made of these root-like vines, climbing out of the stone sarcophagus and standing up on the ground. This... creature, it is shorter than Bryn but wider. It resembles a Dwarf, if those were made from roots and vines. And while there's nothing that looks like eyes in its face, the roots do form the shape of a face where that would be on a Dwarf, and it's facing sideways from Bryn.
The creature walks a few steps, moving away the vines that form the fourth wall of the building out of its way, after which they immediately return to their previous position. Then, it turns in its place, now facing Bryn. If it is the creature that spoke, and if it understood Bryn, it doesn't respond or speak again. It just starts walking in Bryn's direction, and there's no mistaking its intent to drive the intruder away.
Since Bryn specified that he is ready to react, and since the creature took a moment to get out of its sarcophagus and out of the 'room' he was in, Bryn may act first, in initiative.
Below is an illustration of the creature. I placed this in a spoiler to save space, but feel free to open it (both of you).
Just imagine this made of brown roots, rather than green vines, and resembling a Dwarf more than a Human.
Bryn looks at the creature with a mixture of curiosity and fear as it slides effortlessly through the vines blocking its exit. Ok, this is a bit precarious. No-one knows I am here and who knows what that thing is capable of!
He ducks back out of the way and retreats as far as he can back the way he came. "Ok, don't get your vines in a mess. Who are you? What is this place? Why do you guard it?", he calls out as he waits to see if it will follow him, prepared to dash further back the way he came if it does.
The Sergeant being here would be pretty handy right about now.
Bonus Action: Disengage Interact: Speech Movement: 30 feet out the south west exit and hugging the wall as far as his movement takes him Action: Ready - Dash back the way he came if the vine creature follows him around the corner Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: If the creature isn't in melee yet, he will forgo the disengage and instead hide when around the corner)
(OOC: I keep forgetting to mention, so I'll just state it first while I still remember. Sorry if this would have changed anything in Bryn's actions, this is the result of trying to post at a higher pace so Arren doesn't end up sleeping for over a whole real-life week.) Thanks to his magic-enhanced sight, Bryn can see magic flowing through all roots and vines in the area, and through the 'creature' in particular. With each movement, Bryn can see jolts of magic passing through its body, somewhat resembling small lightning bolts passing through the vines.
The creature starts walking towards Bryn. It is slow, much slower than Bryn, but it seems determined. Bryn's words seem to fall on deaf ears. As he sees the creature slowly approaching, he can (use his readied action and) flee from the place, if he wishes. As the creature's 'hands' are essentially just long vines, Bryn feels there's a good chance it might catch him even from a fair distance, and finds that investing a moment for a cautious retreat is probably the wiser course of action.
As Bryn is very fast and the creature is very slow, if Bryn flees the site and heads straight out the way he came, we can drop initiative. In this case, within a few seconds, Bryn will no longer see the creature, and after a few more seconds, no longer even hears its heavy steps. I didn't update the map, but if Bryn doesn't flee, then the creature finishes its turn just on the narrow exit to his southwest, while Bryn will be where he stood in #764 without using his reaction, or a little east of the fork in the tunnel if he did use his reaction to dash.
(OOC: I have an eye on speed as well so Arren isn't left hanging. Thanks for the additional information. With the creature, does the magic flow into it from other roots and vines, or is it now a group of isolated roots and vines?)
Seeing how slow the creature actually is, and unresponsive, Bryn decides to move back down the corridor and see if the tunnel heading north leads back to the sarcophagus. I need to get a coin or two before I leave.
If possible, he will look to use his spectral hand to retrieve a few coins and pocket them before bolting back to the tunnel he came in through. If he does manage to get there, he will scoop up his helmet and anything else left on this side and use whatever earth he can to block the tunnel behind him, either what he excavated before, or some from the back of the blockage on the other side.
(OOC: Let me know if we are still in initiative, but essentially Bryn will give the creature the runaround until he can grab some coins and bolt for the exit)
Bryn sees the creature appear and moves back down the tunnel the way he came, until he comes to the fork. There he hides and waits for sign that the creature still approaches, ready to move again. He briefly looks to the north, realising that this tunnel likely intersects with the room with the sarcophagus. I need to get a coin or two before I leave.
He keeps an eye and ear out both to the west and the north.
Reaction: Move back down the tunnel - up to 30ft Movement: Move to the intersection - up to 30ft Bonus Action: Hide Stealth: 15+6=21 Action: Ready - Dash - If the creature appears or sounds like it is approaching from the west, he will move at half speed up the tunnel leading north, remaining in stealth. If it somehow appears from the north, he will move west (unless there appear to be multiple creatures, in which case he heads east). - 15ft
(OOC: I am assuming the lantern can be covered or just the candle blown out as an interact. He will extinguish the light to hide)
Bryn hides and extinguishes his lantern just in time. If he peeks just past the corner, he can see the creature standing at the other end of the tunnel. Having lost sight of the intruder, it tries to listen for sound, but (rolls a nat 1 on its Search action) and cannot detect Bryn. After a moment, figuring the intruder must have fled the place, it turns around and starts walking back. In that moment, Bryn figures it is a good moment to move, if he wishes to.
(OOC: Turns out I can summon multiple "Bryns" and even assign them different colours! Black denotes where Bryn finished his turn. Red denotes where he can get to with 15 feet of movement with his reaction, if he goes north. The creature has turned around and currently faces north, so Bryn can confidently assume it is headed back that way.)
Bryn breathes a sigh of relief as the creature turns around, and takes the opportunity to sneak north, continuing until he reaches the corner. He stops and peeks around to see if the coast is clear whilst remaining hidden.
Assuming there is nothing worrying in view, and knowing the act of summoning his spectral hand will be noisy, he decides to mislead the creature. He creates the sound of footsteps from the southern entrance to the cave. Hopefully the creature will head that way and not block my escape.
He will use that noise to cover his summoning of his invisible spectral hand within the structure, using it to grab a handful of coins, which also turn invisible when held.
He then retreats slightly, just enough to not be invisible from the room, but not too far that his spectral hand is out of range.
Reaction: Dash 15ft into North tunnel as shown by red border Bryn Movement: 10ft North, enough to peek into the room with the structure, then go 5 ft into the room if all is clear. Action: Cast Minor Illusion of footsteps 30 ft away by southern exit to room Bonus Action: Cast Mage Hand 20 ft away in centre of structure, and collect coins, all invisible. Movement: 10ft back into tunnel, ending turn 5ft North of red border Byrn Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: These maps are working really well, thanks Firecat!)
The creature walks north, and Bryn spots them standing still for a moment, puzzled, when they reach the source of the noise but see nobody around. It stops again and surveys the area, but (it just can't roll higher than Bryn's check, so) it cannot find Bryn. "↑þ♥ï^!" It speaks again, though Bryn doesn't understand the word - only that it is different from the word previously spoken. Thanks to his magically-enhanced sight, Bryn sees a 'wave' of magic propagating through the roots nearby in response to the creature's word. Nothing else happens, however, at least at the moment.
Bryn, please roll a Sleight of Hand check, using your casting ability instead of Dexterity. Half that number (round down) - that is how many coins Bryn manages to take. Although they're not in his hand yet, he can see that the coins aren't magical in any way. If Bryn rolls a natural 1, please stop and wait for an update, as in this case, Bryn accidentally drops a coin and makes some noise, which draws the creature's attention. Otherwise, please add these coins to your sheet separately from your other gold, marking their different origin (although not hinting at their price, EP or PP are inexistent in this world, so you may use one of those, or any other method you find fitting).
If Bryn didn't roll a nat1 and chooses to flee from the place immediately (including having his spectral hand reach him on the way), we can drop out of initiative. Otherwise, please post Bryn's next turn, assuming he reaches the spot described in your last post, and the creature is just where the southern exit of the room is narrowest.
Bryn manages to collect 8 of the gold pieces with his invisible spectral hand, returning them to him and pocketing them separately from his regular coins. He then slips away back to the entrance of the tunnel. No sense in pushing my luck further.
His intention when back at the entrance, is to create a barrier of dirt that is shallower and more easily removed than it had been, but which looked the same. I also need to make sure it is not obvious that someone has messed with it.
From the dig site side, he will make sure no-one is around, and then stage it to look like he has spent a while digging. He will cast a critical eye over his efforts to ensure it doesn't look suspicious to himself before finally sitting down to rest and take a look at one of the coins he collected. He obviously ensures no equipment is left on the other side, and that he replaces his helmet.
If there is any writing on the coin he can't understand, and if the coast is still clear, he will ritually cast Comprehend Languages.
Bryn escapes the ancient tunnel and seals it behind him by moving around dirt again. As the earth he moves is already loose, it will be easier to dig through later, even by nonmagical means. If he wishes to make it even easier, Bryn can leave small volumes, packets of air, every few feet, so that there's less earth to move away later. It might seem strange to anyone digging through, so an alternative is to refill the path he made only partially, leaving a small gap between the loose earth and the rocky walls. Small enough that it can't be passed through, probably, but large enough that it amounts to a substantial amount of earth dirt that won't be dug out again later. (OOC: Those are my best ideas, but if you have a better one, feel free to detail it.)
The site is still empty when Bryn is done and satisfied with how things look, and there should still be plenty of time before sunrise. When he examines the coins, he finds that they are engraved with a simple outline of a dragon on one side and what looks like a pile of coins on the other. There is a writing, and Bryn can recognise the letters as Dwarvish. Although some look slightly different from what he knows, the language had barely changed over time thanks to the Dwarves' long lives, and so even after who knows how many years, Bryn can understand: ['One Dragon Hoard'].
Bryn sits and thinks about what One Dragon Hoard might refer to, and what that would have to do with the goddess Gaitha.
He takes one final look at the blocked tunnel which should now be easier to dig through, and the loose earth he left this side to account for his efforts at digging, and then heads back to the camp.
History: 12+3=15
(OOC: Whichever method is best. I thought of making it fewer feet deep, but he would need somewhere to leave the extra dirt that makes sense, so doing the plan of a little gap to the sides is fine. Ultimately, whatever you think suits his purpose better)
As far as Bryn can tell, the writing on the coin refers to the coin's name. After all, it portrays a dragon and its hoard. As far as Gaitha is concerned (that would be a Religion check), Bryn recalls a few legends about how Aleshi sent dragons to wreak havoc and how the destruction they caused enraged Gaitha, who, in turn, asked Tyr to send heroes to slay these dragons. This is not to say all dragons were always evil in legends, but they sure never were on great terms with Gaitha.
When Bryn returns to camp, the wind is still roaring outside, and the cold makes all guards bundle around the few bonfires scattered around, which by now have lost most of their intensity. Due to the scarcity of dry wood in this area, they try to conserve it, but it doesn't make them happy. If they hear him approaching, they'll momentarily raise their heads in alert, but once they recognise Bryn, they lower their eyes back to the fire.
When the sun finally rises, the wind still blows intensely, and temperatures have yet to rise. Grey clouds cover the sky like a blanket that, unfortunately, blocks most of the sun's warming light. At the moment, at the very least, it doesn't look like it's raining anywhere near the camp, so at least everyone is still dry. The cold weather makes the entire camp sluggish as nobody wishes to leave their warm and somewhat comfortable bedrolls. The first to get to work is Commandant Nattensbarn, who, with first light - that which makes it past the clouds, at least - locks herself in the carriage. She'll only stop to hear Bryn's report on whether he found anything during the night.
As others start to reluctantly crawl out of their beds and out of the tents to tend to today's chores, the camp is briefly brought to life. The cooks, who have caused quite a ruckus in doing so, serve everyone other than the soldiers hot oatmeal porridge as breakfast. It doesn't seem to be particularly tasty, judging by people's reaction to it, but it's warm and will keep them full until lunch, hopefully. Not long after, Walnuts returns after watching over the sick all night. He must have tranced during that time, as he doesn't seem particularly tired. If asked, he'll say the night passed in relative peace and that he only needed to bring water for an occasional patient who woke up during the night. He came to check on everyone, but intends to go back to helping Mydri in what he can while they're off to the dig site.
Once the workers have eaten, they split into hunters/gatherers and miners, and each heads to their assigned role. Along with Predak, the workers will head to the well to keep excavating. They do not wait for Arren or Bryn to join them before going, though of course they can join if they wish. A small group of the workers will split off and head up to the top of the well, to the site from which they raise the barrels full of dirt, rubble and anything else excavated below.
'Tace' explains to the Commandant that the blockage was too deep for him to clear during the night, especially but himself. He will then find a decent spot in the camp outside the tent, but possibly shielded from the wind by the tent.
He will then wait for the Sergeant and Lieutenant to appear, likely munching on some rations.
He gives them the same report, "The dirt was packed deep into the tunnel, too deep for me to break through during the night. Maybe with more hands we will find the end of it today. But sirs. Someone made a big effort to block that tunnel. Either someone inside did this to protect themselves from outsiders, in which case how would they hope to survive? Perhaps another way in? The alternative is that those outside blocked the tunnel. Why would they do that if not to protect themselves from something inside?".
Arrenwakes feeling fully rested, and only then realizes how exhausted he must have been: he doesn't even remember falling asleep. For a few moments he simply lies there, blinking at the dim light filtering into the tent and listening to the wind howl outside, which sounds anything but inviting. He lingers longer than he normally would—long for him, at least; only a couple of minutes, but unusual for someone accustomed to rising quickly.
When the Sergeant finally steps outside, the cold hits him immediately. He offers a quiet "Good morning" to those nearby, grimacing slightly at the word good as the wind cuts straight through his clothes. Then he spends a while stretching—something he does as a habit, but that today it feels especially necessary. Not only because his muscles are still sore from the previous day's work, but also because the movement helps warm a bit against the cold wind.
Arren listens with interest to the Corporal's report while eating breakfast from one of their rations. He gives an understanding nod when he explains he couldn't dig much alone. That was to be expected. It would have needed to be either a very thin barrier of dirt, or an exceptionally strong digger (or a miracle worker!) for a single man to break through overnight.
"Or perhaps someone wanted to store something valuable away from outsiders?" Arren adds with a small shrug. "Who knows. In any case, we'll find out soon enough. What I'm certain won't happen is that they stop digging out of fear of what might be uncovered."
He listens as Walnuts reports on the sick as well. "Glad to hear things stayed under control, sir. Let's hope it remains that way for the rest of the dig. If Mydri managed to rest, and with your help during the day, that part of the camp should remain stable."
Arren considers the dried cloths. "I was thinking of stopping by the infirmary before we head to the excavation. I can clean a few more pieces and leave them with the ones you washed last night. Then, during the lunch break or the afternoon, we can give them only to the workers who cough the most. They're the ones most likely to spread the illness. We can tie two cloths together so they can wear them without using their hands."
He adds, "I also have a few ideas about how the workers could organize themselves so that the number of ill doesn't increase much. Or at least, that's my hope. I want to run them by Predak."
If Walnuts agrees, Arren first stops by the infirmary tent, cleaning as many bandages as he can in the short time he has. He checks on Mydri as well if she is already there—hopefully finding her more rested after the night. Once that's done, he heads to the excavation site with the Corporal, or meets him there if he has already gone ahead. Upon arriving, Arren approaches Predak and, with proper deference to the foreman, shares his thoughts with the Elf before addressing the workers.
They don't have much options, so the idea is simple. During the morning, they can try to identify the workers who appear sicker—those coughing more often, even when not directly excavating. That group should be separated from the others and work only outside, pulling up the rubble and dirt the diggers bring out. This keeps them breathing fresher air and reduces close contact.
As for the diggers, they should rotate more frequently, and in smaller groups. For example: thirty minutes digging, thirty minutes pulling rubble, then switching again. That way fewer people are crowded in the pit at once, everyone gets regular breaks in the open air, and work continues steadily—someone will always be digging or hauling, except during short rest intervals.
The hunters and gatherers fall outside this system for now. They're outdoors and already far less likely to be packed together.
"This might help," Arren tells Predak. "It won't cure the sick, but it may keep their numbers from growing. And it shouldn't slow the excavation, which is what everyone wants, for one reason or another."
If Predak doesn't oppose, Arren gathers the workers and explains the measures. "I hope you'll comply," he finishes, "because this benefits all of us." Remembering how Mydri had covered her cough with the crook of her elbow, Arren reminds the men to adopt the same habit rather than coughing into the open.
Commandant Nattensbarn nods understandingly. She didn't really expect much beyond that, and in truth, she never intended for Bryn to work alone. She still thanks him for his effort briefly, before slipping into the carriage where the winds do not reach.
"You might be right. That blockage does sound strange, from your description." The Lieutenant offers, acknowledging Bryn's thoughts as sensible but not much beyond that. "But, well, even if you're right and something was sealed inside, wouldn't it have died by now? That is, it would run into the same problem as those who would seal themselves would." He amuses the thoughts, but he doesn't seem to take the idea that something lives there still seriously.
The Lieutenant still intends to help Mydri during the day, but he doesn't stop Arren from offering his aid as well. Arren would find Mydri in the tent, not too different from how she was when he first met her, though she does look a little more invigorated after the night's rest. At the time, she's feeding some of the ill the porridge that was served for breakfast. Most eat on their own, but a few are too weak and need her assistance even in that. If Arren wants to help her with washing the dirty 'bandages', she'll say she hasn't done so yet and does not reject his offer, but also insists she can also take care of it later, as she did during the last few days.
When they reach the excavation site, the workers start by clearing away the dirt that Bryn left excavated after his work during the morning. Bryn sees them doing that if he comes with them, and Arren only arrives after that's done. Arren would still notice some progress had been made before the workers arrived, which he could attribute to the Corporal's work. Finding a small gap on one side of the blockage, the workers now focus their efforts to expand this gap to be wide enough that people can walk through. It still takes a lot of work, but the work is progressing at a much faster rate than it did with the rubble and the rocks before, which were harder to work with than the soft dirt. Having seen how deep the blockage goes, Bryn thinks it's not impossible that they'd reach the other side by nightfall.
Predak will listen to Arren's ideas, but not all the way through. He stops Arren short halfway through, saying, "That sounds good enough. As long as it doesn't disrupt the workflow too much, do as you please." He then raises his voice momentarily, calling so all workers can hear: "The soldier here has a few ideas he hopes will keep you from falling ill. Listen to his ideas, and hopefully none of you ends up in that tent." The workers follow Arren's suggestions, changing roles occasionally from excavating to clearing away the dirt. When Arren notices someone coughing, some of them remember to cover their mouths with the crook of their elbows as he suggested, although most of them cover it with the palms of their hands, as they're used to doing.
Please roll a Constitution save, a Strength check and a Perception check. The same method for advantage\disadvantage from the other day still applies.
Listening to the Sergeant and Lieutenant give their theories about what is inside the tunnel, 'Tace'nods and shrugs.
"I guess my point is, we need to be prepared for anything, is all", he replies, and drops the subject. The Sergeant will notice that he takes his armour and weapons when he heads back up to the well though.
He does walk up with the others, making sure to get close to Predak so he can speak with the former miner.
"I worked a little through the night, just to get a head start on clearing the tunnel. I don't fancy going straight back in, so thought I would head up top for a little bit. I expect the weather will be worse up there, but at least the air will be fresh", he says, not expecting Predak to really care as long as he is working.
"Nohem didn't return last night then. Shame, it would be really good to get a look at one of those lodestones. Are you sure there is no-one else I can ask?", he asks of the elf.
He intends to work up top until the first break, so will be there when the Sergeant first arrives, and will meet up with him later. Neither of them have really explored up there, so he will take the opportunity to have a look around, as well as potentially getting to speak to different people.
Although impressive, Bryn only spends a brief moment looking at the carving of the dragon and the murals on the walls, knowing that his ability to perceive magic is finite. And so his attention quickly moves to the flow of magic. I will be able to come back and explore this area further later.
Seeing the magic flow through the water between the rubble of the collapsed hallway, he attempts to move the smaller rocks and any loose earth to make a path for himself so he doesn't have to step into the water to move closer. He will also attempt to use his spectral hand to lay some small rocks out to step on if he has made the water shallow enough for that to work.
He will not spend more than a couple of minutes though, before he needs to move on anyway. If his efforts have not caused anything worrying to appear in the water he will eventually move forward to the collapsed hallway to get a better look, regardless of if it means stepping into the water.
Concentration: Detect Magic
Bryn can move around small rocks and loose dirt to make a spot to stand in the water, such that he's not touching the water himself. He finds that, due to the floor's inclination, the water soon becomes deeper, and he can use this method to advance no longer, unless he intends to enter the water. In fact, where he stands now, the water is already deep enough to almost reach his knees, should he stand in it. Moving the earth around made a few small waves propagate through the pool, but the magic flow seems mostly undisturbed, except for the small traces which flow along with the waves.
From where he stands, Bryn cannot see much through the rocks. He'll need to get closer, and that will require him to step into the water. The water fills the collapsed hallway up to more than 5 feet above the floor. For that reason, Bryn cannot get all the way to the collapse without effectively swimming in the water (or walking in the deep water).
While standing there and before (or instead of) entering the water, Bryn can look back and see more into the adjacent room than he saw before. It seems to be mostly a wider part of the natural tunnels, but there's a small man-made structure there, mostly rectangular in shape and covered by a large mass of root-like plants. It seems a cave-in once demolished half of this construct, but about half of it still stands. (OOC: Unlike what you might notice in the map, there are no broken wooden furniture or wooden floors there, so ignore those details.)
(OOC: Since I wasn't sure if I made the point about the water's depth clear, I'll leave you to decide whether Bryn steps in or not.) If Bryn chooses to get closer to the collapse and try to look through the gaps between the rocks:
Bryn swims to the rocks. Once there, he finds that some of the gaps can be passed through, but he'll have to squeeze through, and it'll be tight. Leaving some of his gear behind might help. Through the gaps, however, Bryn can see that the collapse only occurred in this small area. Beyond it, he sees a wide room flooded by the water. It's hard to see many details, but the water there is full of even more of the root-like plants, which are particularly thick in there.
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn is reluctant to fully submerge in the water, knowing that with the weather outside being so cold, he might freeze. Not to mention the questions I will get.
And so when he notices the small man-made structure covered in roots in an adjacent room, he decides to investigate. That is the first thing the bandits will look at after all, when they break through.
Once again, he will utilise his spectral hand if necessary, to clear away roots and get a good look at it.
Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
Investigation: 13+5=18
(OOC: Thanks for the clarification, he will avoid submerging for now)
Bryn finds the roots are too thick and strong to move with his spectral hand. Although the structure was demolished by the cave-in, it seems it had an interior part, which is now blocked off by vines instead of walls, where those have collapsed. Inside, Bryn can see the glitter of gold, but also a smaller, rectangular, box-like shape made of stone. A chest? A sarcophagus, maybe, but in either case, it has nothing covering it, yet Bryn cannot see anything inside from where he stands.
Suddenly, a strange sound fills the tunnel, echoing off its walls. "@%$&ð¦↓!" The loud voice is strange. It doesn't really sound like a living creature, but nonetheless, Bryn is sure it said something, some word. Unfortunately, whatever language it is, Bryn doesn't easily recognise it (you can roll a History check, if you're interested). After a moment, the voice repeats, but this time in a language Bryn understands. ["LEAVE!"] It says in Dwarvish. A moment after, Bryn can hear a rumbling sound, followed by the sound of wood cracking. Through the gaps between the vines, Bryn can see movement, something rising in the centre of the structure.
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn takes a step back and looks around when the voice sounds, curious as to who or what has caused it even as he tries to work out what it says. And then when it repeats in Dwarfish, he understand the word, but not the reason.
He notices the movement in the structure, and his eyes go wide even as he finds himself replying in Dwarvish, ["Who said that? Why should I leave?"].
He watches the movement carefully, making sure he has ample time to retreat if it looks like breaking through the vines.
History: 9+3=12
Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: So the structure is as big as shown on the map (15x3), but intact, and there is a chest or sarcophagus in the middle, person sized but Bryn can't see in it? Where is the gold he saw? Is there a level drop at all, or is it just a matter of peering through vines? When you said something rising, is that from the sarcophagus, or out of some hole?)
Bryn doesn't quite recognise the language. It reminds him of ancient Elven, but he's not familiar with the language enough to be certain.
The original structure was 15x25 feet, but a part of it was demolished by a partial cave-in. As such, the building that's intact is a trapezoid of the same form as on the map - 10x15x15 and the closing diagonal (in this case, consider the wooden floor up to the 'tear'). Vines, though resembling roots more than normal roots due to their thickness and lack of any leaves or flowers, have grown on the walls and also partially cover the opening, as if forming a wall to close off the ruined building. One can see through the vines and perhaps pass through some of the more spacious gaps between them.
At the centre of the building as it is now (2 squares up and one left from Bryn's position) is a sarcophagus, but a very plain one made of stone. It is open, its lid hidden behind it such that Bryn currently can't see it. There is some gold scattered around on the ground by the sarcophagus. Not a huge amount, but still enough to cover one's expenses for quite some time. And that's disregarding the possible value from its historical importance. The floor of the building is levelled with the ground outside, but the sarcophagus is on a pedestal, raising it high enough that, including its own walls, the ledge is tall enough that Bryn can see some of what's inside, but not all (i.e., he can't see the bottom without getting closer).
Out of the sarcophagus, what seems like a collection of vines rises. As the vines also partially covered the sarcophagus, it might at first seem like something is pushing them out of the way to get out. However, within moments, the mass of vines climbs out of the sarcophagus and takes form, and it is clear nothing is pushing it from below. Rather, Bryn sees a humanoid figure, as if entirely made of these root-like vines, climbing out of the stone sarcophagus and standing up on the ground. This... creature, it is shorter than Bryn but wider. It resembles a Dwarf, if those were made from roots and vines. And while there's nothing that looks like eyes in its face, the roots do form the shape of a face where that would be on a Dwarf, and it's facing sideways from Bryn.
The creature walks a few steps, moving away the vines that form the fourth wall of the building out of its way, after which they immediately return to their previous position. Then, it turns in its place, now facing Bryn. If it is the creature that spoke, and if it understood Bryn, it doesn't respond or speak again. It just starts walking in Bryn's direction, and there's no mistaking its intent to drive the intruder away.
Since Bryn specified that he is ready to react, and since the creature took a moment to get out of its sarcophagus and out of the 'room' he was in, Bryn may act first, in initiative.
Below is an illustration of the creature. I placed this in a spoiler to save space, but feel free to open it (both of you).
Just imagine this made of brown roots, rather than green vines, and resembling a Dwarf more than a Human.
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn looks at the creature with a mixture of curiosity and fear as it slides effortlessly through the vines blocking its exit. Ok, this is a bit precarious. No-one knows I am here and who knows what that thing is capable of!
He ducks back out of the way and retreats as far as he can back the way he came. "Ok, don't get your vines in a mess. Who are you? What is this place? Why do you guard it?", he calls out as he waits to see if it will follow him, prepared to dash further back the way he came if it does.
The Sergeant being here would be pretty handy right about now.
Bonus Action: Disengage
Interact: Speech
Movement: 30 feet out the south west exit and hugging the wall as far as his movement takes him
Action: Ready - Dash back the way he came if the vine creature follows him around the corner
Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: If the creature isn't in melee yet, he will forgo the disengage and instead hide when around the corner)
(OOC: I keep forgetting to mention, so I'll just state it first while I still remember. Sorry if this would have changed anything in Bryn's actions, this is the result of trying to post at a higher pace so Arren doesn't end up sleeping for over a whole real-life week.) Thanks to his magic-enhanced sight, Bryn can see magic flowing through all roots and vines in the area, and through the 'creature' in particular. With each movement, Bryn can see jolts of magic passing through its body, somewhat resembling small lightning bolts passing through the vines.
The creature starts walking towards Bryn. It is slow, much slower than Bryn, but it seems determined. Bryn's words seem to fall on deaf ears. As he sees the creature slowly approaching, he can (use his readied action and) flee from the place, if he wishes. As the creature's 'hands' are essentially just long vines, Bryn feels there's a good chance it might catch him even from a fair distance, and finds that investing a moment for a cautious retreat is probably the wiser course of action.
As Bryn is very fast and the creature is very slow, if Bryn flees the site and heads straight out the way he came, we can drop initiative. In this case, within a few seconds, Bryn will no longer see the creature, and after a few more seconds, no longer even hears its heavy steps. I didn't update the map, but if Bryn doesn't flee, then the creature finishes its turn just on the narrow exit to his southwest, while Bryn will be where he stood in #764 without using his reaction, or a little east of the fork in the tunnel if he did use his reaction to dash.
Varielky | Werhann
(OOC: I have an eye on speed as well so Arren isn't left hanging. Thanks for the additional information. With the creature, does the magic flow into it from other roots and vines, or is it now a group of isolated roots and vines?)
Seeing how slow the creature actually is, and unresponsive, Bryn decides to move back down the corridor and see if the tunnel heading north leads back to the sarcophagus. I need to get a coin or two before I leave.
If possible, he will look to use his spectral hand to retrieve a few coins and pocket them before bolting back to the tunnel he came in through. If he does manage to get there, he will scoop up his helmet and anything else left on this side and use whatever earth he can to block the tunnel behind him, either what he excavated before, or some from the back of the blockage on the other side.
(OOC: Let me know if we are still in initiative, but essentially Bryn will give the creature the runaround until he can grab some coins and bolt for the exit)
Bryn sees the creature appear and moves back down the tunnel the way he came, until he comes to the fork. There he hides and waits for sign that the creature still approaches, ready to move again. He briefly looks to the north, realising that this tunnel likely intersects with the room with the sarcophagus. I need to get a coin or two before I leave.
He keeps an eye and ear out both to the west and the north.
Reaction: Move back down the tunnel - up to 30ft
Movement: Move to the intersection - up to 30ft
Bonus Action: Hide
Stealth: 15+6=21
Action: Ready - Dash - If the creature appears or sounds like it is approaching from the west, he will move at half speed up the tunnel leading north, remaining in stealth. If it somehow appears from the north, he will move west (unless there appear to be multiple creatures, in which case he heads east). - 15ft
(OOC: I am assuming the lantern can be covered or just the candle blown out as an interact. He will extinguish the light to hide)
Bryn hides and extinguishes his lantern just in time. If he peeks just past the corner, he can see the creature standing at the other end of the tunnel. Having lost sight of the intruder, it tries to listen for sound, but (rolls a nat 1 on its Search action) and cannot detect Bryn. After a moment, figuring the intruder must have fled the place, it turns around and starts walking back. In that moment, Bryn figures it is a good moment to move, if he wishes to.
(OOC: Turns out I can summon multiple "Bryns" and even assign them different colours! Black denotes where Bryn finished his turn. Red denotes where he can get to with 15 feet of movement with his reaction, if he goes north. The creature has turned around and currently faces north, so Bryn can confidently assume it is headed back that way.)
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn breathes a sigh of relief as the creature turns around, and takes the opportunity to sneak north, continuing until he reaches the corner. He stops and peeks around to see if the coast is clear whilst remaining hidden.
Assuming there is nothing worrying in view, and knowing the act of summoning his spectral hand will be noisy, he decides to mislead the creature. He creates the sound of footsteps from the southern entrance to the cave. Hopefully the creature will head that way and not block my escape.
He will use that noise to cover his summoning of his invisible spectral hand within the structure, using it to grab a handful of coins, which also turn invisible when held.
He then retreats slightly, just enough to not be invisible from the room, but not too far that his spectral hand is out of range.
Reaction: Dash 15ft into North tunnel as shown by red border Bryn
Movement: 10ft North, enough to peek into the room with the structure, then go 5 ft into the room if all is clear.
Action: Cast Minor Illusion of footsteps 30 ft away by southern exit to room
Bonus Action: Cast Mage Hand 20 ft away in centre of structure, and collect coins, all invisible.
Movement: 10ft back into tunnel, ending turn 5ft North of red border Byrn
Concentration: Detect Magic - not sure how long is left.
(OOC: These maps are working really well, thanks Firecat!)
The creature walks north, and Bryn spots them standing still for a moment, puzzled, when they reach the source of the noise but see nobody around. It stops again and surveys the area, but (it just can't roll higher than Bryn's check, so) it cannot find Bryn. "↑þ♥ï^!" It speaks again, though Bryn doesn't understand the word - only that it is different from the word previously spoken. Thanks to his magically-enhanced sight, Bryn sees a 'wave' of magic propagating through the roots nearby in response to the creature's word. Nothing else happens, however, at least at the moment.
Bryn, please roll a Sleight of Hand check, using your casting ability instead of Dexterity. Half that number (round down) - that is how many coins Bryn manages to take. Although they're not in his hand yet, he can see that the coins aren't magical in any way. If Bryn rolls a natural 1, please stop and wait for an update, as in this case, Bryn accidentally drops a coin and makes some noise, which draws the creature's attention. Otherwise, please add these coins to your sheet separately from your other gold, marking their different origin (although not hinting at their price, EP or PP are inexistent in this world, so you may use one of those, or any other method you find fitting).
If Bryn didn't roll a nat1 and chooses to flee from the place immediately (including having his spectral hand reach him on the way), we can drop out of initiative. Otherwise, please post Bryn's next turn, assuming he reaches the spot described in your last post, and the creature is just where the southern exit of the room is narrowest.
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn manages to collect 8 of the gold pieces with his invisible spectral hand, returning them to him and pocketing them separately from his regular coins. He then slips away back to the entrance of the tunnel. No sense in pushing my luck further.
His intention when back at the entrance, is to create a barrier of dirt that is shallower and more easily removed than it had been, but which looked the same. I also need to make sure it is not obvious that someone has messed with it.
From the dig site side, he will make sure no-one is around, and then stage it to look like he has spent a while digging. He will cast a critical eye over his efforts to ensure it doesn't look suspicious to himself before finally sitting down to rest and take a look at one of the coins he collected. He obviously ensures no equipment is left on the other side, and that he replaces his helmet.
If there is any writing on the coin he can't understand, and if the coast is still clear, he will ritually cast Comprehend Languages.
Sleight of Hand (Int): 10+7=17 (halved to 8)
Bryn escapes the ancient tunnel and seals it behind him by moving around dirt again. As the earth he moves is already loose, it will be easier to dig through later, even by nonmagical means. If he wishes to make it even easier, Bryn can leave small volumes, packets of air, every few feet, so that there's less earth to move away later. It might seem strange to anyone digging through, so an alternative is to refill the path he made only partially, leaving a small gap between the loose earth and the rocky walls. Small enough that it can't be passed through, probably, but large enough that it amounts to a substantial amount of earth dirt that won't be dug out again later. (OOC: Those are my best ideas, but if you have a better one, feel free to detail it.)
The site is still empty when Bryn is done and satisfied with how things look, and there should still be plenty of time before sunrise. When he examines the coins, he finds that they are engraved with a simple outline of a dragon on one side and what looks like a pile of coins on the other. There is a writing, and Bryn can recognise the letters as Dwarvish. Although some look slightly different from what he knows, the language had barely changed over time thanks to the Dwarves' long lives, and so even after who knows how many years, Bryn can understand: ['One Dragon Hoard'].
Varielky | Werhann
Bryn sits and thinks about what One Dragon Hoard might refer to, and what that would have to do with the goddess Gaitha.
He takes one final look at the blocked tunnel which should now be easier to dig through, and the loose earth he left this side to account for his efforts at digging, and then heads back to the camp.
History: 12+3=15
(OOC: Whichever method is best. I thought of making it fewer feet deep, but he would need somewhere to leave the extra dirt that makes sense, so doing the plan of a little gap to the sides is fine. Ultimately, whatever you think suits his purpose better)
As far as Bryn can tell, the writing on the coin refers to the coin's name. After all, it portrays a dragon and its hoard. As far as Gaitha is concerned (that would be a Religion check), Bryn recalls a few legends about how Aleshi sent dragons to wreak havoc and how the destruction they caused enraged Gaitha, who, in turn, asked Tyr to send heroes to slay these dragons. This is not to say all dragons were always evil in legends, but they sure never were on great terms with Gaitha.
When Bryn returns to camp, the wind is still roaring outside, and the cold makes all guards bundle around the few bonfires scattered around, which by now have lost most of their intensity. Due to the scarcity of dry wood in this area, they try to conserve it, but it doesn't make them happy. If they hear him approaching, they'll momentarily raise their heads in alert, but once they recognise Bryn, they lower their eyes back to the fire.
When the sun finally rises, the wind still blows intensely, and temperatures have yet to rise. Grey clouds cover the sky like a blanket that, unfortunately, blocks most of the sun's warming light. At the moment, at the very least, it doesn't look like it's raining anywhere near the camp, so at least everyone is still dry. The cold weather makes the entire camp sluggish as nobody wishes to leave their warm and somewhat comfortable bedrolls. The first to get to work is Commandant Nattensbarn, who, with first light - that which makes it past the clouds, at least - locks herself in the carriage. She'll only stop to hear Bryn's report on whether he found anything during the night.
As others start to reluctantly crawl out of their beds and out of the tents to tend to today's chores, the camp is briefly brought to life. The cooks, who have caused quite a ruckus in doing so, serve everyone other than the soldiers hot oatmeal porridge as breakfast. It doesn't seem to be particularly tasty, judging by people's reaction to it, but it's warm and will keep them full until lunch, hopefully. Not long after, Walnuts returns after watching over the sick all night. He must have tranced during that time, as he doesn't seem particularly tired. If asked, he'll say the night passed in relative peace and that he only needed to bring water for an occasional patient who woke up during the night. He came to check on everyone, but intends to go back to helping Mydri in what he can while they're off to the dig site.
Once the workers have eaten, they split into hunters/gatherers and miners, and each heads to their assigned role. Along with Predak, the workers will head to the well to keep excavating. They do not wait for Arren or Bryn to join them before going, though of course they can join if they wish. A small group of the workers will split off and head up to the top of the well, to the site from which they raise the barrels full of dirt, rubble and anything else excavated below.
Varielky | Werhann
'Tace' explains to the Commandant that the blockage was too deep for him to clear during the night, especially but himself. He will then find a decent spot in the camp outside the tent, but possibly shielded from the wind by the tent.
He will then wait for the Sergeant and Lieutenant to appear, likely munching on some rations.
He gives them the same report, "The dirt was packed deep into the tunnel, too deep for me to break through during the night. Maybe with more hands we will find the end of it today. But sirs. Someone made a big effort to block that tunnel. Either someone inside did this to protect themselves from outsiders, in which case how would they hope to survive? Perhaps another way in? The alternative is that those outside blocked the tunnel. Why would they do that if not to protect themselves from something inside?".
Arren wakes feeling fully rested, and only then realizes how exhausted he must have been: he doesn't even remember falling asleep. For a few moments he simply lies there, blinking at the dim light filtering into the tent and listening to the wind howl outside, which sounds anything but inviting. He lingers longer than he normally would—long for him, at least; only a couple of minutes, but unusual for someone accustomed to rising quickly.
When the Sergeant finally steps outside, the cold hits him immediately. He offers a quiet "Good morning" to those nearby, grimacing slightly at the word good as the wind cuts straight through his clothes. Then he spends a while stretching—something he does as a habit, but that today it feels especially necessary. Not only because his muscles are still sore from the previous day's work, but also because the movement helps warm a bit against the cold wind.
Arren listens with interest to the Corporal's report while eating breakfast from one of their rations. He gives an understanding nod when he explains he couldn't dig much alone. That was to be expected. It would have needed to be either a very thin barrier of dirt, or an exceptionally strong digger (or a miracle worker!) for a single man to break through overnight.
"Or perhaps someone wanted to store something valuable away from outsiders?" Arren adds with a small shrug. "Who knows. In any case, we'll find out soon enough. What I'm certain won't happen is that they stop digging out of fear of what might be uncovered."
He listens as Walnuts reports on the sick as well. "Glad to hear things stayed under control, sir. Let's hope it remains that way for the rest of the dig. If Mydri managed to rest, and with your help during the day, that part of the camp should remain stable."
Arren considers the dried cloths. "I was thinking of stopping by the infirmary before we head to the excavation. I can clean a few more pieces and leave them with the ones you washed last night. Then, during the lunch break or the afternoon, we can give them only to the workers who cough the most. They're the ones most likely to spread the illness. We can tie two cloths together so they can wear them without using their hands."
He adds, "I also have a few ideas about how the workers could organize themselves so that the number of ill doesn't increase much. Or at least, that's my hope. I want to run them by Predak."
If Walnuts agrees, Arren first stops by the infirmary tent, cleaning as many bandages as he can in the short time he has. He checks on Mydri as well if she is already there—hopefully finding her more rested after the night. Once that's done, he heads to the excavation site with the Corporal, or meets him there if he has already gone ahead. Upon arriving, Arren approaches Predak and, with proper deference to the foreman, shares his thoughts with the Elf before addressing the workers.
They don't have much options, so the idea is simple. During the morning, they can try to identify the workers who appear sicker—those coughing more often, even when not directly excavating. That group should be separated from the others and work only outside, pulling up the rubble and dirt the diggers bring out. This keeps them breathing fresher air and reduces close contact.
As for the diggers, they should rotate more frequently, and in smaller groups. For example: thirty minutes digging, thirty minutes pulling rubble, then switching again. That way fewer people are crowded in the pit at once, everyone gets regular breaks in the open air, and work continues steadily—someone will always be digging or hauling, except during short rest intervals.
The hunters and gatherers fall outside this system for now. They're outdoors and already far less likely to be packed together.
"This might help," Arren tells Predak. "It won't cure the sick, but it may keep their numbers from growing. And it shouldn't slow the excavation, which is what everyone wants, for one reason or another."
If Predak doesn't oppose, Arren gathers the workers and explains the measures. "I hope you'll comply," he finishes, "because this benefits all of us." Remembering how Mydri had covered her cough with the crook of her elbow, Arren reminds the men to adopt the same habit rather than coughing into the open.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Commandant Nattensbarn nods understandingly. She didn't really expect much beyond that, and in truth, she never intended for Bryn to work alone. She still thanks him for his effort briefly, before slipping into the carriage where the winds do not reach.
"You might be right. That blockage does sound strange, from your description." The Lieutenant offers, acknowledging Bryn's thoughts as sensible but not much beyond that. "But, well, even if you're right and something was sealed inside, wouldn't it have died by now? That is, it would run into the same problem as those who would seal themselves would." He amuses the thoughts, but he doesn't seem to take the idea that something lives there still seriously.
The Lieutenant still intends to help Mydri during the day, but he doesn't stop Arren from offering his aid as well. Arren would find Mydri in the tent, not too different from how she was when he first met her, though she does look a little more invigorated after the night's rest. At the time, she's feeding some of the ill the porridge that was served for breakfast. Most eat on their own, but a few are too weak and need her assistance even in that. If Arren wants to help her with washing the dirty 'bandages', she'll say she hasn't done so yet and does not reject his offer, but also insists she can also take care of it later, as she did during the last few days.
When they reach the excavation site, the workers start by clearing away the dirt that Bryn left excavated after his work during the morning. Bryn sees them doing that if he comes with them, and Arren only arrives after that's done. Arren would still notice some progress had been made before the workers arrived, which he could attribute to the Corporal's work. Finding a small gap on one side of the blockage, the workers now focus their efforts to expand this gap to be wide enough that people can walk through. It still takes a lot of work, but the work is progressing at a much faster rate than it did with the rubble and the rocks before, which were harder to work with than the soft dirt. Having seen how deep the blockage goes, Bryn thinks it's not impossible that they'd reach the other side by nightfall.
Predak will listen to Arren's ideas, but not all the way through. He stops Arren short halfway through, saying, "That sounds good enough. As long as it doesn't disrupt the workflow too much, do as you please." He then raises his voice momentarily, calling so all workers can hear: "The soldier here has a few ideas he hopes will keep you from falling ill. Listen to his ideas, and hopefully none of you ends up in that tent." The workers follow Arren's suggestions, changing roles occasionally from excavating to clearing away the dirt. When Arren notices someone coughing, some of them remember to cover their mouths with the crook of their elbows as he suggested, although most of them cover it with the palms of their hands, as they're used to doing.
Please roll a Constitution save, a Strength check and a Perception check. The same method for advantage\disadvantage from the other day still applies.
Varielky | Werhann
Listening to the Sergeant and Lieutenant give their theories about what is inside the tunnel, 'Tace' nods and shrugs.
"I guess my point is, we need to be prepared for anything, is all", he replies, and drops the subject. The Sergeant will notice that he takes his armour and weapons when he heads back up to the well though.
He does walk up with the others, making sure to get close to Predak so he can speak with the former miner.
"I worked a little through the night, just to get a head start on clearing the tunnel. I don't fancy going straight back in, so thought I would head up top for a little bit. I expect the weather will be worse up there, but at least the air will be fresh", he says, not expecting Predak to really care as long as he is working.
"Nohem didn't return last night then. Shame, it would be really good to get a look at one of those lodestones. Are you sure there is no-one else I can ask?", he asks of the elf.
He intends to work up top until the first break, so will be there when the Sergeant first arrives, and will meet up with him later. Neither of them have really explored up there, so he will take the opportunity to have a look around, as well as potentially getting to speak to different people.
Constitution Save: 10+2=12
Strength: 8+1=9
Perception: 10+5=15