Anakis skips down the stairs and hops into the boat, "This'll be a nicer trip across the river than before. At least this time I can sit comfortably. Let's get out of the city and go exploring!"
As you come down the stairs to the level of the boat landing, Anakis, you can see with your vision the now familiar sight of the tunnel continuing on the other side of the river and terminating in an archway after another thirty feet. Beyond the archway is what looks to be a small room, and you can see its opposite wall another twenty feet past the archway.
As you, Nicolas, and Tarek arrive on the far shore of the river (Torrent will have to wait for the second boat), the magical torch's illumination penetrates farther down the tunnel, and you can see that the archway, while constructed from stone like the rest of the tunnel, is carved in an ornate style that doesn't seem typical of the buildings that you've seen in the city above. The room appears bare except for a pedestal in its center which holds a plaque of some sort which is too far away for you to read.
The boatman points in the direction of the archway. "That way lie the catacombs," he says. He peers into the darkness nervously and pushes off quickly, eager to return to the other side once you have disembarked.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Anakis jumps out of the boat and peers towards the room and at the pedestal that the boatman points towards. "Ooh, what's that?!" She runs towards it, then stops after 10ft or so and looks around to see if there's any danger (Perception: 19). Once she's happy that she thinks there's nothing else in the area, such as traps or creatures, she'll run over to the pedestal to investigate it (Investigation: 11).
Assuming Anakis gives the all-clear, Nicolas approaches and holds up the torch to get a better look at the archway. He thinks back to the various styles of maps and documents that have come across his desk in the hopes of placing the distinctive style.
You don't notice anything dangerous, Anakis, just the sound of condensation dripping from the ceiling and landing on the spongy soil of the river bank. As you approach the pedestal, you can see an arched ten foot wide passageway to the right, exiting from the room. Your investigation of the pedestal reveals that it's of stone, carved in a familiar style. It supports a plaque that lays flat, also of stone, on which the following message is engraved:
BEYOND THIS ARCHWAY IS THE ENTRANCE OF THE CATACOMBS OF THE UNDERCITY OF EKUEPOOL. BY DECREE OF THE COUNCIL, BOTH CITIZEN AND NON-CITIZEN ALIKE ARE FORBIDDEN FROM GOING FURTHER, UPON PAIN OF DEATH.
The air is still in the small room and smells dank and moldy.
Looking at the archway in full light, Nicolas, the style of ornamentation reminds you of some manuscripts you've seen that date back to the earliest days of the city, many of which document the efforts of the city founders to bring civilization to the bog.
Meanwhile, the small white boat has returned across the river, and the boatman is urging Ash and Aluzira to join Torrent in coming aboard. "The current is stronger already," he says. "I can barely fight it as it is, and I don't want to spend the day on the opposite bank waiting for the storm to die down. No, thank you! Now are you coming or not?"
"Yes, of course!" Aluzira says quickly hopping onto the boat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you wait," She says with and apologetic smile. Then adds, "If the current becomes to much stronger I could try lending a hand, though I've never steered a boat before." As she is speaking, her hand twitches as if to fidget with her dagger.
"Pain of death? But that's only if we go in without permission, right?" Anakis looks towards the archway leading deeper. "I mean, they TOLD us to come down here." Then a thought strikes her, "But what if the pain of death is from whatever is inside the catacombs? Like it's not the council that says YOU MUST DIE, but something... down there?"
She walks over to the passageway to the right, absent-mindedly giving Custard a scrap of food as she looks deep into the darkness, before turning around quickly to look at Tarek. "Can we go see what's down there soon? They said there'd be treasure!"
You can see that the passageway continues straight on to the limit of your darkvision, but that about halfway along there is a wide opening on the right.
The boat ferries the rest of the group across. "That way," says the boatman, indicating the archway at the end of the tunnel, which is now illuminated by Nicolas's torchlight.
The passageway into the undercity is only ten feet wide, so, if you're going in, this would be a good time to decide on a marching order for the party.
Ash grimaces "Careful where you step. If no-one comes down here, the stonework is probably fragile. We cant have it collapsing on us. Also, we should leave a trail, lest we get lost"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I could be sneaky," Anakis says to Tarek, "Do you want me to go ahead to see if I can see things? I can see a long way in the dark, but I do sometimes miss things," she looks at her feet, a little embarrassed at this last statement.
Nicolas steps away from the arches and toward Anakis. "The little one could be right about the death warning. This arch likely dates back to the earliest founding of the city when they were first trying to tame the bog. If there is a chance that there are things even older than that down here, we should certainly be on our guard." Lacking in darkvision and not having a good way to leave a trail, Nicolas will try to position himself toward the middle of the group as a marching order forms.
(OOC - has the rest of the party joined us now or are they still travelling across the river?)
Anakis nods in response to Tarek. Then thinking about the comment from the newcomer, Nicholas, about leaving a trail, she looks through her backpack. "Food is silly to leave as a trail," she says to herself as she pulls out some of her rations, but then finding her small knife, she pulls it out, "This will do. I don't want to blunt my nice dagger." With that, she takes the small knife and moves over to one of the sides of the archway opening and scores a mark into it as best she can. "A trail," she says proudly, turning back to show the others.
Yes, the rest of the party has crossed over the river to all be on the same side, including Ash, who is the one that suggested leaving a trail. Aluzira and Torrent can certainly have joined you as well.
Assuming you all gather to discuss your plan, think about what, if any, activities you intend to undertake as you travel, other than keeping watch for hidden monsters, like Anakis's making sure to mark the way with her knife. I would consider that something that would consume her activity while traveling and risks her becoming surprised if a hidden monster attacks the party. The trade-off is that it would give you advantage on any check made to navigate your way back to the entrance.
Using stealth while traveling requires a slow pace, but you can perform activities (like watching for danger or searching for secret doors) at the same time. I'll assume you're all traveling at a slow pace if Anakis is being stealthy. Anyone who wants to use stealth can go ahead and make a Dexterity (Stealth) check when you start traveling which is in effect until you stop trying to be stealthy. Let me know when you want to make any adjustments to your travel pace.
It sounds like the discussion so far is that Anakis will join Tarek up front, so she can see and scout ahead, and that Nicolas will fall in behind them in the middle rank. The hallway in front of you is wide enough for two to walk comfortably side by side, three if you're squeezing somewhat. Do I have that right, and where would the rest of you like to fit in?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sure. Tarek is going to attempt to stealth up front with Anakis. Wish him luck. (Stealth: 0). He's going to check for traps along the way while Anakis marks the way. (Perception: 5 or Investigation: 12, whichever is needed).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Anakis skips down the stairs and hops into the boat, "This'll be a nicer trip across the river than before. At least this time I can sit comfortably. Let's get out of the city and go exploring!"
"Yeah, kid, I'll need ya ta tell me what that was all about at some point. I'm glad it all worked out, though. Come, let's go on this first crossing."
Salazar - Human Warlock of the Fiend (1) - The Lucarcian Incident
Shepherd Torrent Brallern Water Genasi Druid (1) - Ekuepool
Celeste Belle - Air Genasi Mutant Blood Hunter (1) - Old West
DM for A Waterdhavian Heist
As you come down the stairs to the level of the boat landing, Anakis, you can see with your vision the now familiar sight of the tunnel continuing on the other side of the river and terminating in an archway after another thirty feet. Beyond the archway is what looks to be a small room, and you can see its opposite wall another twenty feet past the archway.
As you, Nicolas, and Tarek arrive on the far shore of the river (Torrent will have to wait for the second boat), the magical torch's illumination penetrates farther down the tunnel, and you can see that the archway, while constructed from stone like the rest of the tunnel, is carved in an ornate style that doesn't seem typical of the buildings that you've seen in the city above. The room appears bare except for a pedestal in its center which holds a plaque of some sort which is too far away for you to read.
The boatman points in the direction of the archway. "That way lie the catacombs," he says. He peers into the darkness nervously and pushes off quickly, eager to return to the other side once you have disembarked.
Anakis jumps out of the boat and peers towards the room and at the pedestal that the boatman points towards. "Ooh, what's that?!" She runs towards it, then stops after 10ft or so and looks around to see if there's any danger (Perception: 19). Once she's happy that she thinks there's nothing else in the area, such as traps or creatures, she'll run over to the pedestal to investigate it (Investigation: 11).
Assuming Anakis gives the all-clear, Nicolas approaches and holds up the torch to get a better look at the archway. He thinks back to the various styles of maps and documents that have come across his desk in the hopes of placing the distinctive style.
You don't notice anything dangerous, Anakis, just the sound of condensation dripping from the ceiling and landing on the spongy soil of the river bank. As you approach the pedestal, you can see an arched ten foot wide passageway to the right, exiting from the room. Your investigation of the pedestal reveals that it's of stone, carved in a familiar style. It supports a plaque that lays flat, also of stone, on which the following message is engraved:
BEYOND THIS ARCHWAY IS THE ENTRANCE OF THE CATACOMBS OF THE UNDERCITY OF EKUEPOOL. BY DECREE OF THE COUNCIL, BOTH CITIZEN AND NON-CITIZEN ALIKE ARE FORBIDDEN FROM GOING FURTHER, UPON PAIN OF DEATH.
The air is still in the small room and smells dank and moldy.
Looking at the archway in full light, Nicolas, the style of ornamentation reminds you of some manuscripts you've seen that date back to the earliest days of the city, many of which document the efforts of the city founders to bring civilization to the bog.
Meanwhile, the small white boat has returned across the river, and the boatman is urging Ash and Aluzira to join Torrent in coming aboard. "The current is stronger already," he says. "I can barely fight it as it is, and I don't want to spend the day on the opposite bank waiting for the storm to die down. No, thank you! Now are you coming or not?"
"Pain of death?" Tarek repeats after reading the engraved sign out loud. "Are we sure we want to do this?"
"Yes, of course!" Aluzira says quickly hopping onto the boat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you wait," She says with and apologetic smile. Then adds, "If the current becomes to much stronger I could try lending a hand, though I've never steered a boat before." As she is speaking, her hand twitches as if to fidget with her dagger.
Ash is following the group "I think we have to."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Pain of death? But that's only if we go in without permission, right?" Anakis looks towards the archway leading deeper. "I mean, they TOLD us to come down here." Then a thought strikes her, "But what if the pain of death is from whatever is inside the catacombs? Like it's not the council that says YOU MUST DIE, but something... down there?"
She walks over to the passageway to the right, absent-mindedly giving Custard a scrap of food as she looks deep into the darkness, before turning around quickly to look at Tarek. "Can we go see what's down there soon? They said there'd be treasure!"
You can see that the passageway continues straight on to the limit of your darkvision, but that about halfway along there is a wide opening on the right.
The boat ferries the rest of the group across. "That way," says the boatman, indicating the archway at the end of the tunnel, which is now illuminated by Nicolas's torchlight.
The passageway into the undercity is only ten feet wide, so, if you're going in, this would be a good time to decide on a marching order for the party.
"Yes, that does make sense," Tarek replies to Anakis. "I'm fine with whoever wants to lead our way into the catacombs. I might just do it myself."
Ash grimaces "Careful where you step. If no-one comes down here, the stonework is probably fragile. We cant have it collapsing on us. Also, we should leave a trail, lest we get lost"
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I could be sneaky," Anakis says to Tarek, "Do you want me to go ahead to see if I can see things? I can see a long way in the dark, but I do sometimes miss things," she looks at her feet, a little embarrassed at this last statement.
Nicolas steps away from the arches and toward Anakis. "The little one could be right about the death warning. This arch likely dates back to the earliest founding of the city when they were first trying to tame the bog. If there is a chance that there are things even older than that down here, we should certainly be on our guard." Lacking in darkvision and not having a good way to leave a trail, Nicolas will try to position himself toward the middle of the group as a marching order forms.
"Yes, I think it would be wise for you to be our eyes," responding to Anakis.
(OOC - has the rest of the party joined us now or are they still travelling across the river?)
Anakis nods in response to Tarek. Then thinking about the comment from the newcomer, Nicholas, about leaving a trail, she looks through her backpack. "Food is silly to leave as a trail," she says to herself as she pulls out some of her rations, but then finding her small knife, she pulls it out, "This will do. I don't want to blunt my nice dagger." With that, she takes the small knife and moves over to one of the sides of the archway opening and scores a mark into it as best she can. "A trail," she says proudly, turning back to show the others.
Nicolas chuckles and gives a small applause to Anakis’s “trail”.
Yes, the rest of the party has crossed over the river to all be on the same side, including Ash, who is the one that suggested leaving a trail. Aluzira and Torrent can certainly have joined you as well.
Assuming you all gather to discuss your plan, think about what, if any, activities you intend to undertake as you travel, other than keeping watch for hidden monsters, like Anakis's making sure to mark the way with her knife. I would consider that something that would consume her activity while traveling and risks her becoming surprised if a hidden monster attacks the party. The trade-off is that it would give you advantage on any check made to navigate your way back to the entrance.
Using stealth while traveling requires a slow pace, but you can perform activities (like watching for danger or searching for secret doors) at the same time. I'll assume you're all traveling at a slow pace if Anakis is being stealthy. Anyone who wants to use stealth can go ahead and make a Dexterity (Stealth) check when you start traveling which is in effect until you stop trying to be stealthy. Let me know when you want to make any adjustments to your travel pace.
It sounds like the discussion so far is that Anakis will join Tarek up front, so she can see and scout ahead, and that Nicolas will fall in behind them in the middle rank. The hallway in front of you is wide enough for two to walk comfortably side by side, three if you're squeezing somewhat. Do I have that right, and where would the rest of you like to fit in?
Sure. Tarek is going to attempt to stealth up front with Anakis. Wish him luck. (Stealth: 0). He's going to check for traps along the way while Anakis marks the way. (Perception: 5 or Investigation: 12, whichever is needed).