Seldom Spring

"One more question, hermit" Maldorn says suggesting he is not quite ready to follow the orc just yet. "If we were not to happen upon you, what were you planning on doing? Sit here until another group of adventurers strolled by?"

"I guess if we gotta go in anyway.." Anafrey would reply to Ebokk with a shrug. 

"Thrakk, my friends here might be very direct, but they ask good questions. I think we could help you, which is a sign of trust from us. You've been answering our questions, which is a sign of trust from you. Let's all get on the same page, and we can help each other make things right. We're trying to help our friend, and we've heard some very vague tall tales about this cave. Any legends of what's down there that we should know about? And really, now's not the time for us to hold back any key pieces of information," Erric says, almost as a rhythmic, singsong accompaniment to the music pulsing out of his lute.

(Has it been a minute? Is the orc charmed via enthralling performance, or is he just still preliminarily persuaded from that first roll? :) )

OOC: He's enthralled.

The orc turns its eyes on Maldorn. "I have been praying for help to come along. You are, in fact, an answer to my prayers." Looking back at Erric, the orc listens and then replies, "There are dangers. I was almost caught by an ogre. I had to hide for a while to escape it. There are also some annoying beings, but they are more of a nuisance than a danger."

“I hope you are ready to fight for your gods then, Thorax. A party of six is stronger than one of five.” Maldorn says with an air of certainty.

(OOC: are we assuming that the target of enthralling performance never knows there's anything hinky going on? This post suggests they never know, and the text of the ability never confirms what happens when they fail their saving throw.)

"How did you get to the Underdark when you were a member of the tribe? Did the thing that took your mind for a while call you from in there? That sounds really difficult. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Thrakk. It's not your fault. We have some experience ourselves, struggling against powerful entities that try to make us do things. But we've found a way, just as you have, to survive. We do it through helping and supporting each other. Traveling into caves with each other on the hope that we can win control of our own minds. Being honest with each other. I'm being honest with you, Thrakk, I really am. I hope you're being honest with me. If we go in, together, will you warn us of dangers and stand with us against threats? We'll help you against these grimlocks, if you help us look for something that might help our friend win back control. Just like you did."

Erric's musical patter has shifted into a calming, flowing outro. Like the end of the 11th song of a 90s indie britpop album. He's grinning. Ebokk, Maldorn, Jambiya, and Anafrey can probably see waves of arcane energy flow from Erric's words straight into Thrakk's ears. 

Maldorn nudges Jambiya while pointing at Erric and whispers: "Could he always do that? Has he ever done that to me?" 

OOC: The feature/trait doesn't say they ever know, whereas charm person clearly says they know once the spell wears off, so I'm going to rule they don't know. I'm going to treat it as a kind of inebriation, where the enthralled is surprised they did what they did while enthralled, but will chalk it up to temporary bad judgement. The more they can connect these periods of bad judgement to your playing, the more informed they will become. Like someone swearing off alcohol because of bad choices they make while under the influence, if you do this to someone often enough, don't be surprised if they start sticking their fingers in their ears anytime you start playing your lute around them. And, just like with Maldorn, when someone sees you do this to someone else, the information is gathered more quickly.

Thrakk turns his lazy gaze on Maldorn and then back on Erric. "I wanted to explore the Underdark, so I left my tribe to see what I could find. That is when my mind was captured. Thank you for being willing to help me." Thrakk stands as the last of Erric's notes die away. As the orc looks around at the others, he seems momentarily confused, but then the look passes. "Are you ready to enter?"

"Lead the way, Trunk." Maldorn agrees.

The ranger lights up one of his torches before going in.

"Let's go," Jambiya says, as she falls in line behind the bigs and our new companion.

Anafrey would toss her long braided hair back over her shoulder before following behind her companions. She would leave an arrow notched and ready to fire at a moments notice. 

OOC: Mobius, feel free to rewind and catch us up on anything that happened prior to entering the cave.

The orc leads the group into the cave. Almost immediately, the floor angles downward. Luckily, even though the floor is slightly damp, the rock is rough enough that traversing it is not difficult. The light gradually diminishes, but the cave opening is big enough that even as the group reaches the end of the 30-foot tunnel, those without dark vision can still see well enough, though everyone is casting long shadows.

At the end of the 30-foot initial tunnel, the floor levels out, and the tunnel opens into a broad cavern with three exits on the far wall. There are more skeletons here, and filth everywhere, but nothing of obvious value or interest.

OOC: Just a quick reminder that Maldorn lit a torch.

The ranger asks in a much less confrontational tone this time: "So, which one of these three pathways did you come through, Mr. Guide?"

OOC: Also, what does it smell like in this cave?

OOC: Thanks for the reminder.

Maldorn, you sniff and wrinkle your nose. It smells musty and pungent.

Thrakk puts a finger to his lips in the universal symbol for keep quiet. "The way down is through there," he says in a hushed tone of voice, moving his finger to point straight ahead. "The chief's kitchen is through there," he says, moving his finger to point to the left opening. "That way," he says, pointing to the right opening, "is another way to the surface."

Jambiya wrinkles her nose, and shudders a bit. "I don't want to visit an orc's kitchen, thank you," she whispers.

OOC > Your characters will recall one of Dirk's favorite stories is about how he and Brunthor originally found baby Jambiya "in an orc's cookpot."

(OOC: fine with entering the cave -- Erric's music would slowly fade away as he gets used to his new ability. He would shift his music into a ritual casting of unseen servant and introduce Thrakk to Jack, offering to Maldorn that Jack could carry the torch to give the ranger two hands.)

"So tell me more about the grimlocks -- are they big? Small? Loud? Quiet? What do they look like?" Erric finishes speaking as they enter, noticing the call for quiet. He looks around as well as he can for anything hidden in the first cavern. (Perception: 15)

He'll duck his head into the chief's kitchen quickly to see if there's anything of note, making sure they're not leaving anything at their backs before proceeding, and also sparing Jambiya from having to look. (Perception: 10)

"What's down there, and how long does it take, friend Thrakk?"

While Maldorn waits for Erric's report on peeking into two of the three possible passages, he hands over his torch for Jack to carry it instead. "Thank you, Zach. I am most effective if I can use my bow."

To Jambiya, Maldorn will offer a knowing and calming smile and a pat on the shoulder following the mention of an orc's cooking pot.

Thrakk doesn't seem surprised by Jack, and doesn't act the least bit impressed. As they enter the cave, and Erric asks about grimlocks, the orc responds, "Grimlocks are bigger than you, but ..." he looks at Maldorn, "a little shorter than him, but heavier. They tend to be quiet."

Erric, looking around the first cavern, you easily identify by Jack's torch large footprints crossing the area in all directions. You also see a single set of bootprints leading towards the surface. While the bootprints clearly belong to Thrakk, you assume the large footprints below to the ogre.

As Erric moves away from the first tunnel, Thrakk follows. But when he understands Erric is heading toward the kitchen, the orc makes a noise to get the halfling's attention. When Erric looks, Thrakk asks in a loud whisper, "Where are you going?" He motions toward the center opening. "This way."

Erric tells him that he wants to quickly see if there's anything of note and to make sure they're not leaving anything at their backs before proceeding.

Thrakk furrows his brow, but waves the group over to the left opening. "You see anything, you run," Thrakk advises him. They wait at the tunnel entrance while Erric enters the left tunnel.

OOC: Does Jack go with you, Erric? Looking in, it looks to be a 30-foot tunnel that turns to the left at the end.

Jack definitely precedes Erric down there hall - this is a scouting mission, and if there is something dangerous he would rather know about it now rather than later. He goes to signal Jack to move, turning to see if anyone in the party stops him. If not, he has Jack move down the tunnel with the torch. He follows slowly behind. Does he smell or hear anything?

Maldorn warns: "Wait, Erric... Pack's torch might give your position away, should you run into the orc cook. Maybe you can send him in without a torch and ask him later to tell you what he saw? Is that how that spell works?"