The tunnel turns out to be long and full of curves. Walking slowly, trying to be silent, it takes you almost a minute to reach a set of stairs that leads to the end of the tunnel. Near the end of it, you start to see light on the walls. Very dim at first, but it gets brighter and stronger as you keep walking. At this point, Don-Jon, who has been following you by keeping a hand on one of the walls and listening to the sounds coming off of your armours, can finally see well enough that he can leave the wall. Two more steps and the tunnel opens up to a room about 15' wide and 35' long. It would resemble a rectangle if the walls were completely straight and the corners weren't so round, but miners have to abide by the rock they quarry into. From the centre of the ceiling hangs an iron lantern with oil, shedding the light in the room. In the far corner of the room is a wooden door, closed. A single bedroll that doesn't smell very well lies against the wall to your left, and a pickaxe is lying on the floor a few feet away. An empty waterskin, lying on its side and its cap open is by the corner, next to the door. Into the wall to your right is a carving of two figures. Whoever made it clearly doesn't have a talent for stone carving, but you can make out two figures, one smaller than the other, the larger one with a face of a rat. The smaller figure holds a pickaxe that is piercing the taller creature's torso. Everything is quiet.
As he gets to the room Thenmer looks round, everything here seems surprisingly normal for a mine. He looks over the bedroll and the sleeping space, trying to see if the occupant would be a dwarf or a man. He speaks quietly
"Whoever lives here they are not gone for long, lantern oil needs refilling. We are not here for loot, perhaps we should move on"
He looks at the figure, is it a man killing a giant rat? Or perhaps a dwarf killing a rat the size of a man. How curious.
Dolgrim Follows the others with his weapon and shield prepared. He does not feel too comfortable in the mines and is easily startled by any sound or movement he hears. I am completely unaware of life in the mines. Could this be some form of a living quarters for the miners? Asks he quietly his friends.
"Miners got to live somewhere and I'd guess there is one living here. Or was. Hard to tell which, but there is oil in the lamp so I'd say they are still living here. What I don't know is if they had better barracks elsewhere that they're not using to avoid being the next ones in a lonely grave."
He has another look around to try to discern anything about who is living here
(History check to work something out, hopefully not a very high DC for an ex-miner 10 with another +2 if Stonecunning applies to working out if this was carved out as a living space or is just being adapted for the purpose)
Barthrum - I can't see the roll for some reason. Could you reroll it for me, or edit the post so it shows the roll (adding even a space at the end of a post often solves the problem)?
Thenmer looks around the room and can easily tell it's not where the miners usually sleep. It would seem strange if they slept in such an empty room, right on the floor. Besides, the usual stench left by a dozen of sweaty miners sleeping in a room is hardly felt.
At first, Barthrum hears nothing. He's about to leave the door, when he suddenly hears a faint noise. Listening more carefully, he manages to pick up the sound of... heavy breathing.
Knowing that his weapons are little use anyway Thenmer will stand unarmed, to present a less threatening figure should it be a fellow miner on the other side of the door.
Barthrum pulls the door open and walks inside. Almost immediately, he is attacked by four figures his height. Too slow to react, he can see four pickaxes swung towards his head. Everything feels slow as he realises the mistake.
"Stop!" A Dwarvish voice calls, and the pickaxes stop right before hitting. "It ain't a bloody rat! Move away!" The figures start to move away, and you can see five Dwarves. Four of them holding pickaxes - those who attacked - and one at the back, lying on a bedroll. Their arms don't look like a strong miner's though, but rather like a sick person's. In fact, they all look exhausted, and something of a beastial look on their faces. "That's a real surprise," one of the standing Dwarves says, "almost turned you into a wheel of cheese, full of holes. We didn't expect to see Dwarves here, ye know."
The room itself isn't large, but it there's another door to you right, and in front of you is a very short passage that leads to another room. On the floor of the room are four bedrolls, which seem to have been thrown into the room in a haste.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thenmer steps forward
"By my father's beard you look like you've had a rough time. Aye, we're dwarves and I was a miner for long enough and I've not seen such a sad sight as you looking weak and weary like this. Let me see what scant rations I've got and you tell us what's happened here"
He pulls out his cooks utensils and rummages in his bag, finding only one day's hard rations.
The Dwarves stare at the food, eyes wide. "Aye," one of them says, "we're not usually like this." You notice one of them is drooling. "But... we hadn't a thing to eat in some time now. See 'ol Fundar in the back? Can't stand anymore." One of them plumps down on the ground. "And barely can the rest of us. If you're planning to give us that thing you're holding, don't bother with the seasoning. We'd eat a rock if our teeth were capable of it."
Barthrum steps back and lets Thenmer do his thing. He will though use his Divine Sense ability to make sure this isn't something it doesn't look to be.
He asks over Thenmers shoulder, "Are you just hungry or actually sick? Why haven't you left?"
"Is there a difference? Hunger gnaws at us stronger than sickness. We wouldn't leave, however, and surrender our mine to these filthy rats." One of them says. Another turns to Thenmer. "You said you'vs worked in a mine, you probably understand. Especially after those rats killed the others who fought for the mine. We'd have wronged them if we left."
Thenmer looks, he has enough rations for three days. They won't go far with this many dwarves but any food is good to a starving mouth
"Right then, here have this pack of food and that should sort you out long enough for me to cook up something a bit more nourishing than cold trail rations. If we don't have much we have to make the best of what we've got"
He hands them one of his sets of rations, dried meats and other hardy but rather tasteless foods. Meanwhile he begins chopping the other two packs of food up to make them more palatable.
(There is a game mechanic benefit to this, a short rest with cooks utensils proficiency recovers more HP so I'm assuming it would help these miners recover slightly better than just the cold rations)
The ration you give out is almost instantly devoured. Just a fith of a ration isn't much for one person, but no-one conplains. "So, why are you four here? I'm grateful for the food, but we weren't expecting any visitors." One of them asks.
"Well, we weren't expecting rats either." Another remarks.
Barthrum will head in first, stealthily. Stealth check with disadvantage: 5
Thenmer will let Barthrum get a few feet ahead, not so far that he is out of sight in the gloom.
Then he will follow, he is not quiet by nature but nor is he trying to make much noise.
The tunnel turns out to be long and full of curves. Walking slowly, trying to be silent, it takes you almost a minute to reach a set of stairs that leads to the end of the tunnel. Near the end of it, you start to see light on the walls. Very dim at first, but it gets brighter and stronger as you keep walking. At this point, Don-Jon, who has been following you by keeping a hand on one of the walls and listening to the sounds coming off of your armours, can finally see well enough that he can leave the wall. Two more steps and the tunnel opens up to a room about 15' wide and 35' long. It would resemble a rectangle if the walls were completely straight and the corners weren't so round, but miners have to abide by the rock they quarry into.
From the centre of the ceiling hangs an iron lantern with oil, shedding the light in the room. In the far corner of the room is a wooden door, closed.
A single bedroll that doesn't smell very well lies against the wall to your left, and a pickaxe is lying on the floor a few feet away. An empty waterskin, lying on its side and its cap open is by the corner, next to the door. Into the wall to your right is a carving of two figures. Whoever made it clearly doesn't have a talent for stone carving, but you can make out two figures, one smaller than the other, the larger one with a face of a rat. The smaller figure holds a pickaxe that is piercing the taller creature's torso. Everything is quiet.
Varielky
As he gets to the room Thenmer looks round, everything here seems surprisingly normal for a mine. He looks over the bedroll and the sleeping space, trying to see if the occupant would be a dwarf or a man. He speaks quietly
"Whoever lives here they are not gone for long, lantern oil needs refilling. We are not here for loot, perhaps we should move on"
He looks at the figure, is it a man killing a giant rat? Or perhaps a dwarf killing a rat the size of a man. How curious.
Dolgrim Follows the others with his weapon and shield prepared. He does not feel too comfortable in the mines and is easily startled by any sound or movement he hears. I am completely unaware of life in the mines. Could this be some form of a living quarters for the miners? Asks he quietly his friends.
Themer looks around again and answers softly
"Miners got to live somewhere and I'd guess there is one living here. Or was. Hard to tell which, but there is oil in the lamp so I'd say they are still living here. What I don't know is if they had better barracks elsewhere that they're not using to avoid being the next ones in a lonely grave."
He has another look around to try to discern anything about who is living here
(History check to work something out, hopefully not a very high DC for an ex-miner 10 with another +2 if Stonecunning applies to working out if this was carved out as a living space or is just being adapted for the purpose)
Barthrum goes up to the wooden door and puts his ear against it (perception check: 13)
Barthrum - I can't see the roll for some reason. Could you reroll it for me, or edit the post so it shows the roll (adding even a space at the end of a post often solves the problem)?
Thenmer looks around the room and can easily tell it's not where the miners usually sleep. It would seem strange if they slept in such an empty room, right on the floor. Besides, the usual stench left by a dozen of sweaty miners sleeping in a room is hardly felt.
Varielky
(right.. it's 13.. added a space at the end)
At first, Barthrum hears nothing. He's about to leave the door, when he suddenly hears a faint noise. Listening more carefully, he manages to pick up the sound of... heavy breathing.
Varielky
Thenmer can't quite see to work out if Barthrum has heard anything. He raises his eyebrows questioningly
Barthrum notices Thenmer now and raises a finger to his lips, then points to the door. He will also try to gain the attention of the other two.
Once he understands that everyone is paying attention he will suddenly yank open the door to reveal whoever is behind it.
Knowing that his weapons are little use anyway Thenmer will stand unarmed, to present a less threatening figure should it be a fellow miner on the other side of the door.
Barthrum pulls the door open and walks inside. Almost immediately, he is attacked by four figures his height. Too slow to react, he can see four pickaxes swung towards his head. Everything feels slow as he realises the mistake.
"Stop!" A Dwarvish voice calls, and the pickaxes stop right before hitting. "It ain't a bloody rat! Move away!" The figures start to move away, and you can see five Dwarves. Four of them holding pickaxes - those who attacked - and one at the back, lying on a bedroll. Their arms don't look like a strong miner's though, but rather like a sick person's. In fact, they all look exhausted, and something of a beastial look on their faces. "That's a real surprise," one of the standing Dwarves says, "almost turned you into a wheel of cheese, full of holes. We didn't expect to see Dwarves here, ye know."
The room itself isn't large, but it there's another door to you right, and in front of you is a very short passage that leads to another room. On the floor of the room are four bedrolls, which seem to have been thrown into the room in a haste.
Varielky
Thenmer steps forward
"By my father's beard you look like you've had a rough time. Aye, we're dwarves and I was a miner for long enough and I've not seen such a sad sight as you looking weak and weary like this. Let me see what scant rations I've got and you tell us what's happened here"
He pulls out his cooks utensils and rummages in his bag, finding only one day's hard rations.
(Persuasion check? 18 )
The Dwarves stare at the food, eyes wide. "Aye," one of them says, "we're not usually like this." You notice one of them is drooling. "But... we hadn't a thing to eat in some time now. See 'ol Fundar in the back? Can't stand anymore." One of them plumps down on the ground. "And barely can the rest of us. If you're planning to give us that thing you're holding, don't bother with the seasoning. We'd eat a rock if our teeth were capable of it."
Varielky
Barthrum steps back and lets Thenmer do his thing. He will though use his Divine Sense ability to make sure this isn't something it doesn't look to be.
He asks over Thenmers shoulder, "Are you just hungry or actually sick? Why haven't you left?"
"Is there a difference? Hunger gnaws at us stronger than sickness. We wouldn't leave, however, and surrender our mine to these filthy rats." One of them says. Another turns to Thenmer. "You said you'vs worked in a mine, you probably understand. Especially after those rats killed the others who fought for the mine. We'd have wronged them if we left."
Varielky
Thenmer looks, he has enough rations for three days. They won't go far with this many dwarves but any food is good to a starving mouth
"Right then, here have this pack of food and that should sort you out long enough for me to cook up something a bit more nourishing than cold trail rations. If we don't have much we have to make the best of what we've got"
He hands them one of his sets of rations, dried meats and other hardy but rather tasteless foods. Meanwhile he begins chopping the other two packs of food up to make them more palatable.
(There is a game mechanic benefit to this, a short rest with cooks utensils proficiency recovers more HP so I'm assuming it would help these miners recover slightly better than just the cold rations)
The ration you give out is almost instantly devoured. Just a fith of a ration isn't much for one person, but no-one conplains. "So, why are you four here? I'm grateful for the food, but we weren't expecting any visitors." One of them asks.
"Well, we weren't expecting rats either." Another remarks.
Varielky