Lem is entirely fixated on the mechanism and barely explains to the others how it works, only inadvertently demonstrating the function and structure as he fidgets with it, not even looking at them. You get the sense that he would be a terrible teacher.
When it comes time to decide marching order, Lem steps back and gestures to the other more beefy members of the party. But when Yokini begins to try to go first, he very deliberately steps next to her in a “okay so we’re doing this” fashion. He runs at his remaining functioning eye to try to prepare it for darkvision. He unhooks a plain-looking army-issue battleaxe that has seen some wear, gently gripping it in a way that seems like he hopes he doesn’t have to use it.
“Look, even if you do go first, I’m still going to need some light. So unless you go thirty feet ahead of me, which is dumb in a trap-infested warren, it won’t help us that you can see in the dark.” Thistle tries to reason with the gnome. “And... if we’re all going together, we might as well either send the louts first, or send someone who can see to the traps.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Yokini places her hands on her hips as best she can holding her crossbow. "And what makes you think you're better at spotting traps than I am?" Now she raises her empty hand and waves a finger at Thistle, but it's a mothering gesture, and not really threatening. "I'll have you know that doctoring is all about looking at the details. And doctoring I'm good at."
Raddunth looks up at Zashier's legs dangling from the ceiling. "Hail, Zashier! You can come down from that rabbit hole now. Will you do it yourself, or do you want me to pull on your leg?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Before they start to move downstairs, Lem will look around the rest of the first floor for any interesting items, signs of captives being in there, markings, anything beyond the expected food fight detritus and kobold footsteps.
"Listen, Doc, I'm not saying you're not, you know, good at the details, but you all are a little... distracted. But," and she takes a small step back, "You all have been through a lot together, and I am not going to rock the boat now. I'll back you up, but I'm still going to need a light source."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem, as you look around the rest of the house, the worn floor shows signs of age, and also reveals something else to you. You notice other sized footprints and drag marks, humanoid shaped footprints, small and large. Its safe to assume you might have seen more, if every kobold that was eating hadnt made a mad dash for the secret door.
It took a few extra thumps and more swinging back and forth then he liked, but Zashier slips down easily enough on his own with an earthshaking thump. "No worries, no worries, I seem to have it all settled there, if I do say so myself, which I do. Otherwise, I would not say so." He said, brushing off the dust and picking out a few choice splinters in his arms. As he moved on to join the others, he pats Raddunth on the shoulder in mute thanks for the offer before, as it wasn't every day folk willing would risk life getting squash by 300 pounds of man butt.
He took a moment to watch Yokini and Thistle go back and forth, now from the most advantageous position that was being on the same level with them. Then after glancing between the duo and fireplace twice over before coming to a brilliant and most executive decision. He casually pulls out thus far bundled up axe, pockets its sheathing, and after taking one last deep breathe, marched his way over to at least start to enter it. The moment the axe head is completely submerged in the dark, it glows a dull orange light akin but not quite a miniature sun.
Zashier's Axe on the left:
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Thistle both sort of laughs and sighs as the big elephantine man begins climbing down the stairs. She shrugs her shoulders at Yokini and draws the long saber sheathed on her back. "Would the lady like to go first, to heal the lout when he triggers a trap?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Lem follows along behind Yokini, still not sure about going into combat with his old friend. "Drag marks over there, so be on the lookout for captives," Lem says, pointing to where he saw them.
He's trying to keep a sense of how the stairs are constructed as he goes, and also an eye out for where traps might be set, if he were setting traps for others.
I will assume that Raddunth is pulling up the rear. But feel free to correct that assumption. I will also assume that you are all attempting to be stealthy. again, feel free to correct me.
Group Stealth: 56.2
Zashier, taking the lead while the others are bickering, pulls a large axe from his back, and as he slowly enters the darkness, the axe head begins to glow. Behind Zashier is Yokini, her keen eyes darting around the large figure of the loxodon. Behind Yokini come Thistle, then Lem, and finally Raddunth. Thistle is also attempting to spot anything out of the ordinary as they descend into the unknown. Lem, with his history of stonework, understands the construction of the stairs more than any others, and is inspecting them as you walk, to see if he can discover any traps embedded into the stairs.
Slowly you walk on...step by step...slowly descending into the darkness. The steps are made of stone, and to either side of you, the walls are smoothed dirt and stone. These kobolds are expert tunnelers.
Thistle, the first thing you notice, before your brain even registers any traps, is that this tunnel seems awefully large for kobolds. They wouldnt need this kind of space to move around. You are not sure if this space was here from the previous owner, or if this is all new, from the kobolds.
Step...step....
Lem, you are fairly certain that these kobolds have made this tunnel larger. The stairs seem original, something built into the house, possibly leading to a secret cellar, but the space around, and the fade from stonework to dirt and wooden support make you think that the kobolds expanded the stairwell to a much larger size than their small frames require. As for traps, you cant determine much because of the other party members in front of you.
Step...step...
As you all descend, you begin to lose track of space and time. without the sun, you realize that underground, time sort-of stands still. You continue down, though you are not sure how far - 10 feet, a cut back, maybe another 10, another cut back. On either side there are a few random holes, much smaller, almost too small for any of you to fit in, except for maybe Yokini, and even for her it would be tight.
Step...step...
At the first cut back, Thistle puts a hand out to stop Yokini, who puts a hand out to stop Zashier before he steps down onto the landing. Thistle and Yokini, at about the same time, notice some small holes in the wall to their left that seem odd, though nothing has triggered yet. Lem shuffles forward a bit, and notices the stone work on the floor at the cutback seems oddly uneven, since the rest of the stairs seemed so even.
Lem, in hushed tones, you let the group know that there are several uneven stones on the landing that you think are pressure plates. You believe that the plate is the trigger, and the holes are the aftermath. The kobolds probably set it up this way so the leader of a party would step onto the plate, and whatever comes out of the hole would affect the party behind.
You are all on the stairs coming down (that the ones on the left). There are several stones on the landing that might trigger whatever is in the holes on the wall to your left. Do you try to go around and not step on the raised stones (dexterity), do you try to get closer and figure out how to disarm them (investigation & slight of hand), do you step back and throw something down to trigger the trap (ranged attack)...options, options...What do you do?
Thistle peers ahead, listening to Lem's description intently. "Well," she says is a quiet voice, "If the trigger causes something to happen on these stairs, we could rush the landing and let whatever happens, happen. I could jump to the next set of stairs, to make more room. Or, I have a set of tools, I can try to disarm it, maybe stuff the holes with cloth, or wedge the pressure plates? I did that some in my, um, my previous job."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem gets a bit closer to the holes and sniffs, trying to see if there's some clue about the material that might come out of them. He'll also look to see if he sees another passage beyond.
Perception: 4
Can we tell if the passage opens up at the bottom of the stairs below the landing? Or does it seem like there are more stairs?
"For all we know, they're waiting around the corner ready to pepper us with slingstones and arrows as soon as we're on the landing. I don't know how they operate. Idea: why don't we grab one of the tables upstairs, bring it down to here, and slide it down to the landing on its side. The weight would trigger any stair traps with us out of harm's way, and then give us some cover at the bottom. Thoughts?"
Lem's cadence becomes a lot clearer and flatter as he moves to this more familiar topic area.
"Oh, Lemmy, you're so smart," Yokini says with delight. "But do we have time for that? It's a long way back up. And who wants to carry a table all the way back down here? We could, everyone but Thistle girl, back up the stairs a bit and let her try to disable the trap. If she can't do it, maybe we do your table idea."
Peeking around the corner, you see the faint glow off of Zashier's axe, but beyond that, nothing. It fades to blackness, and more stairs. No eyes peeking out at you, no rustling noises...just quiet.
"That's silly," Yokini responds. "I don't need a light, so I should go first." She taps her temple. "Gnomes can see in the dark."
Lem is entirely fixated on the mechanism and barely explains to the others how it works, only inadvertently demonstrating the function and structure as he fidgets with it, not even looking at them. You get the sense that he would be a terrible teacher.
When it comes time to decide marching order, Lem steps back and gestures to the other more beefy members of the party. But when Yokini begins to try to go first, he very deliberately steps next to her in a “okay so we’re doing this” fashion. He runs at his remaining functioning eye to try to prepare it for darkvision. He unhooks a plain-looking army-issue battleaxe that has seen some wear, gently gripping it in a way that seems like he hopes he doesn’t have to use it.
“Look, even if you do go first, I’m still going to need some light. So unless you go thirty feet ahead of me, which is dumb in a trap-infested warren, it won’t help us that you can see in the dark.” Thistle tries to reason with the gnome. “And... if we’re all going together, we might as well either send the louts first, or send someone who can see to the traps.”
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Yokini places her hands on her hips as best she can holding her crossbow. "And what makes you think you're better at spotting traps than I am?" Now she raises her empty hand and waves a finger at Thistle, but it's a mothering gesture, and not really threatening. "I'll have you know that doctoring is all about looking at the details. And doctoring I'm good at."
Raddunth looks up at Zashier's legs dangling from the ceiling. "Hail, Zashier! You can come down from that rabbit hole now. Will you do it yourself, or do you want me to pull on your leg?"
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Before they start to move downstairs, Lem will look around the rest of the first floor for any interesting items, signs of captives being in there, markings, anything beyond the expected food fight detritus and kobold footsteps.
"Listen, Doc, I'm not saying you're not, you know, good at the details, but you all are a little... distracted. But," and she takes a small step back, "You all have been through a lot together, and I am not going to rock the boat now. I'll back you up, but I'm still going to need a light source."
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem, as you look around the rest of the house, the worn floor shows signs of age, and also reveals something else to you. You notice other sized footprints and drag marks, humanoid shaped footprints, small and large. Its safe to assume you might have seen more, if every kobold that was eating hadnt made a mad dash for the secret door.
It took a few extra thumps and more swinging back and forth then he liked, but Zashier slips down easily enough on his own with an earthshaking thump. "No worries, no worries, I seem to have it all settled there, if I do say so myself, which I do. Otherwise, I would not say so." He said, brushing off the dust and picking out a few choice splinters in his arms. As he moved on to join the others, he pats Raddunth on the shoulder in mute thanks for the offer before, as it wasn't every day folk willing would risk life getting squash by 300 pounds of man butt.
He took a moment to watch Yokini and Thistle go back and forth, now from the most advantageous position that was being on the same level with them. Then after glancing between the duo and fireplace twice over before coming to a brilliant and most executive decision. He casually pulls out thus far bundled up axe, pockets its sheathing, and after taking one last deep breathe, marched his way over to at least start to enter it. The moment the axe head is completely submerged in the dark, it glows a dull orange light akin but not quite a miniature sun.
Zashier's Axe on the left:
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Thistle both sort of laughs and sighs as the big elephantine man begins climbing down the stairs. She shrugs her shoulders at Yokini and draws the long saber sheathed on her back. "Would the lady like to go first, to heal the lout when he triggers a trap?"
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
"What?" Yokini asks, not having even noticed Zashier. She looks over at the descending loxodon and calls, "Hey!", before following him down.
Investigation for traps (looking for differences in the patterns around them): 15
Thistle will follow, also looking for traps, but using her eyes, not her brains. Still the chances of finding one not triggered by Zashier seems slim.
Perception: 14
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem follows along behind Yokini, still not sure about going into combat with his old friend. "Drag marks over there, so be on the lookout for captives," Lem says, pointing to where he saw them.
He's trying to keep a sense of how the stairs are constructed as he goes, and also an eye out for where traps might be set, if he were setting traps for others.
History (stonecunning): 11
Investigation: 25
I will assume that Raddunth is pulling up the rear. But feel free to correct that assumption. I will also assume that you are all attempting to be stealthy. again, feel free to correct me.
Group Stealth: 56.2
Zashier, taking the lead while the others are bickering, pulls a large axe from his back, and as he slowly enters the darkness, the axe head begins to glow. Behind Zashier is Yokini, her keen eyes darting around the large figure of the loxodon. Behind Yokini come Thistle, then Lem, and finally Raddunth. Thistle is also attempting to spot anything out of the ordinary as they descend into the unknown. Lem, with his history of stonework, understands the construction of the stairs more than any others, and is inspecting them as you walk, to see if he can discover any traps embedded into the stairs.
Slowly you walk on...step by step...slowly descending into the darkness. The steps are made of stone, and to either side of you, the walls are smoothed dirt and stone. These kobolds are expert tunnelers.
Thistle, the first thing you notice, before your brain even registers any traps, is that this tunnel seems awefully large for kobolds. They wouldnt need this kind of space to move around. You are not sure if this space was here from the previous owner, or if this is all new, from the kobolds.
Step...step....
Lem, you are fairly certain that these kobolds have made this tunnel larger. The stairs seem original, something built into the house, possibly leading to a secret cellar, but the space around, and the fade from stonework to dirt and wooden support make you think that the kobolds expanded the stairwell to a much larger size than their small frames require. As for traps, you cant determine much because of the other party members in front of you.
Step...step...
As you all descend, you begin to lose track of space and time. without the sun, you realize that underground, time sort-of stands still. You continue down, though you are not sure how far - 10 feet, a cut back, maybe another 10, another cut back. On either side there are a few random holes, much smaller, almost too small for any of you to fit in, except for maybe Yokini, and even for her it would be tight.
Step...step...
At the first cut back, Thistle puts a hand out to stop Yokini, who puts a hand out to stop Zashier before he steps down onto the landing. Thistle and Yokini, at about the same time, notice some small holes in the wall to their left that seem odd, though nothing has triggered yet. Lem shuffles forward a bit, and notices the stone work on the floor at the cutback seems oddly uneven, since the rest of the stairs seemed so even.
Lem, in hushed tones, you let the group know that there are several uneven stones on the landing that you think are pressure plates. You believe that the plate is the trigger, and the holes are the aftermath. The kobolds probably set it up this way so the leader of a party would step onto the plate, and whatever comes out of the hole would affect the party behind.
You are all on the stairs coming down (that the ones on the left). There are several stones on the landing that might trigger whatever is in the holes on the wall to your left. Do you try to go around and not step on the raised stones (dexterity), do you try to get closer and figure out how to disarm them (investigation & slight of hand), do you step back and throw something down to trigger the trap (ranged attack)...options, options...What do you do?
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Thistle peers ahead, listening to Lem's description intently. "Well," she says is a quiet voice, "If the trigger causes something to happen on these stairs, we could rush the landing and let whatever happens, happen. I could jump to the next set of stairs, to make more room. Or, I have a set of tools, I can try to disarm it, maybe stuff the holes with cloth, or wedge the pressure plates? I did that some in my, um, my previous job."
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Lem gets a bit closer to the holes and sniffs, trying to see if there's some clue about the material that might come out of them. He'll also look to see if he sees another passage beyond.
Perception: 4
Can we tell if the passage opens up at the bottom of the stairs below the landing? Or does it seem like there are more stairs?
"For all we know, they're waiting around the corner ready to pepper us with slingstones and arrows as soon as we're on the landing. I don't know how they operate. Idea: why don't we grab one of the tables upstairs, bring it down to here, and slide it down to the landing on its side. The weight would trigger any stair traps with us out of harm's way, and then give us some cover at the bottom. Thoughts?"
Lem's cadence becomes a lot clearer and flatter as he moves to this more familiar topic area.
From where you are, you cannot see where the next set of stairs leads.
"Oh, Lemmy, you're so smart," Yokini says with delight. "But do we have time for that? It's a long way back up. And who wants to carry a table all the way back down here? We could, everyone but Thistle girl, back up the stairs a bit and let her try to disable the trap. If she can't do it, maybe we do your table idea."
Thistle is going to navigate to the front, without stepping on the landing, and peek around the corner. Perception: 24
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Peeking around the corner, you see the faint glow off of Zashier's axe, but beyond that, nothing. It fades to blackness, and more stairs. No eyes peeking out at you, no rustling noises...just quiet.