The Summit Road Campaign Thread

The Cave

Liira gives a brief snort. "And I'd say the same thing to Vishal. Right now, getting better and helping save them is doing much better at comforting me than reassuring pats."

"R-right, well, um, y-you sh-should be f-fully r-recovered b-by to-tomotrow. Th-though I'd ur-urge you t-to be c-careful. P-Popping stitches w-would b-be bad." 

Taran looks around the cave (ooc: How big is it anyways, I never got around to asking) "I-I sh-should p-probably make l-lunch. W-we need t-to keep your s-strength up."

Vishal nods and says, “Okay. Now go continue you’re day like it’s normal. Don’t give anyone a reason to be suspicious of you.” 

The Cave

"I'll be careful," Liira agrees with a nod.

OOC: The cave is a fair size, probably fifty feet at its widest point. The depth is unknown, as about seventy feet into the cave, it narrows to a small tunnel that stretches back into unknown area.

Scouting the Kintam

"Yes sir." Hama dips into a brief bow and moves away.

The Cave

Taran looks towards the back of the cave.

"I-I w-want to sc-scout the b-back, s-see if th-there is anything u-useful further in." He finally says, "H-hopefully n-nothing happens while I'm g-gone, th-this seems to b-be a secure a-area."

With that Taran gathers his equipment and heads deeper into the cave system to investigate.

Checks in case they are needed

OOC: The cave system is pitch black. Unless you're involving torches or other forms of light, any Perceptions involving sight are at disadvantage. If you choose to make an ordinary Perception involving a sense that isn't sight, the DCs to learn things will be increased by 5 unless it's a non-sight based thing (i.e. "do I smell gas?"). I'll inform you if that affects any other checks you choose to make as well.

As Taran moves through the caves, he hears dripping noises and echoes. The caves seem unpopulated...for now.

OOC: Roll another Perception so we can account for that disadvantage, and then I'll tell you what you see...or don't see.

(OOC: Fair enough, if Taran doesn't suspect anything is living in the cave after blindly exploring for a little bit, he will briefly light a torch to confirm.)

Perception the second: 5

The Cave

Taran makes it about ten feet before running straight into a wall and taking 3 bludgeoning damage from the collision.

Grumbling internally about going slower next time, Taran stops to listen for anything that might have heard him. Assuming he hears nothing, he'll pull out one of his torches and unravel the end a bit. Dropping a drop of Alchemist fire on the end, he backs away and waits for the light to reveal something while hopefully remaining hidden

OOC: Okay Chaos, gimme another Stealth and another Perception-no disadv this time.

Stealth: 19

Perception: 19

The dark walls of the cave stare back at you, the sound of the torch being lit echoing down the tunnel. You manage to turn invisible, though, apparently.

Taran waits a few moments, seeing if any creatures are attracted to the light. He will take the time to see if there are other passages in the cave, or any other obvious features in the area (Passive 14 on perception for that sort of stuff)

After that, he will slowly and cautiously make his way to the torch, and pick it up.

Silence continues to persist in the cave. There is a large side passage to the right. After a few minutes, nothing has appeared or been heard.

Taran stalked over to his torch and picked it up, debating about his next course of action.

He hated bringing a lit torch with him in a new area, it was too easily spotted and would make it easy to ambush him, even for relatively dumb predators. However, being unable to see could pose its own dangers, and if he encountered something which could see him while he was blinded, it could be over before he knew it.

In the end, his fears of being an easy target won out, as he wrapped the torch end to douse it. He waited a few moments to let his eyes adjust to the darkness before slipping towards the tunnel he had seen. He would keep his ears sharp, listening for any signs of something approaching him, or moving in the darkness as he slowly made his way down the tunnel, careful of the placement of his feet and using the wall to guide him forward.

Perception for audio: 8

Disadvantage for visuals: 19

The tunnel is still quiet, the pitch blackness pressing in on Taran. As he moves through the tunnel, he sees nothing new, although he manages to avoid running into any more walls. Eventually, he comes out into an area that seems to be a cave, the tunnel walls dropping away from beside him.

Taran will quietly sit at the cave entrance for a few moments, listening. Then he will unspool part if the torch again, tossing the main part out a little ways into the cavern (freezing and listening again in case the clatter of wood causes a response) then backing into the wall as best he can to hide and lighting the torch. 

Stealth: 24

Perception: 9

Screeches echo through the cavern as a flock of bats are disturbed by the sudden light.

The cave appears to be a dead end, a pool of water taking up the back half. The dry part is occupied by stalagmites and small hollows, with lichen growing on some rocks.

You have probably been exploring for an hour at this point.

Taran waits a few moments to see if anything other than bats is disturbed by the light. Then he will pick up the torch and begin cautiously exploring the room, knowing that some creatures prefer to disguise themselves as stalagmites or pools of water. He would toss pebbles at things before approaching.

The discovery of a pool was a welcome sight, since it provided a source of fresh water if things were to spiral into a siege situation with the Kintam. 

Edit: Investigation: 20

Taran finds nothing of interest in the cave.

OOC: Whenever you decide to head back to Liira and Caelius, give me a Survival.