Chapter 02: The Great Cavern

[amosias]

The concealed cavern passage leads into a wide, vaulted chamber that opens almost 60 feet above the you. Stalactites and stalagmites dot the chamber, almost turning it into a series of smaller rooms. A small pool of water in the center of the room is shallow but broad. The walls and rock formations here are particularly wet. They glisten by the light of Presto's candle, and the torch and roaring bonfire behind him.

[OOC: I'm gonna start putting markers on the map from time to time to confirm location.]

[maskmanjoe]

Eren moves to wards the rear of the cave and towards the opening Presto found. "Take the shield," he called out to Boris without looking back. "It may be of more use held by one of us than left there, lest we loose it like the rope." He then follows the mage through the passage...

[OOC: Is my detect magic still in effect? If yes, what do I see]

[Popit]

ooc: if the inner cavern is well lit enough by the torch and the bonfire then Presto puts off his candle and returns it to his pack; otherwise, he intends to make a candle chain by sticking five candles on the wall or outcropping with roughly twenty feet distance between each candle to illuminate the interior.  The path he intends would be a counter clockwise direction keeping close to the wall.

Does Presto see anything unusual as he is about to take his first step entering the inner cave?

"Curious. If everyone is ready, I, for one would be most interested to see where this path takes us." 

[Pointyman2000]

Portia puts away her bow, and draws her sword.  She also pulls out a second torch from her pack and lights it before joining Presto.  "I'm with you." the Halfling said, "I'd rather take my chances here than in the fog."

[Rolf]

Pragmatic (and miserly) as a packrat, Boris slings his own shield across his back, deciding he can leave it behind if he gets too burdened later on.  He wipes down the new shield briefly but thoroughly, with a polisher's cloth from his backpack, then fastens it to his left arm. 

He then takes position at the rear of the party, keeping careful watch over everyone he can see, and casting quick glances behind after every few steps.

[amosias]

Ursula Moonthorn moves up to Presto, saying, "I'll stand beside you. Unless you have any spells left, you won't be able to fight much with that candle in hand. I still have a Sleep spell up my sleeve. Of course, if we run into anything that's tougher than an ogre, it won't do much..."

[amosias]

[OOC: sorry, Eren gets one glimpse of the entire area before the detect magic ends]


Eren is treated to a complex and awesome sight: the interplay of mundane and magically-infused water. Much of what is magical and tainted is dripping up from the floor to the ceiling, and it seems there are two small areas of concentration near the pool of mundane water near the center of the room.

As your sight flickers out, you are greeted by a largely cool view of the cavern, slightly blurred by the torchlight and heat from the bonfire.

[ysigne]

Gregor moves into position at the left side of the group, shield up against the gloom created by the dim lights. He traces his eyes from what could be seen of the walls, to the pool of water in the middle.

"I normally welcome the sight of water, but considering how the puddles in the ogre's lair were behaving, we should prepare for anything."

Gregor sweeps a look at the rest of the party, and jerks a little at seeing Boris test the heft of the ogre's shield. "And let us know if you feel anything... strange from that shield."

[Popit]

"Your assistance is greatly appreciated, Ursula.  Perhaps you can lay the candles while I ready my dagger."

OOC: GM, is there anything being illuminated by the candle as Presto and Ursula circumnavigate?

[Rolf]

Boris looks inquiringly at Gregor, then nods. "Of course I will," he says agreeably.  "I find any bleeding pustules or unexplained sores, I tell you right away," while vigorously scratching his left arm behind the shield.  He chuckles upon seeing Gregor's expression and reveals his plate-mailed forearm.  "I will be serious now,"  he says, though a twitch at the corner of his mouth suggests he will do nothing of the sort.

[zhenxiao]

Blackjack rummages through his sack to find one of his own candles.  Upon finally producing said item, he quickly lights it off of one of the already lit candles and cautiously glances toward the ceiling to see if anything might be hiding up there to jump on him.

ooc-I'd like to wander carefully over to the puddle to examine it more closely.

[amosias]

[OOC: Hello, I need to clarify declarations of people based on the prior posts before I process things -- what you discover and the sequence in which it's discovered will be impacted.

My understanding is that there is a group of four who will "circumnavigate the cave", which means I will need to know if you go clockwise or counter-clockwise. Those characters are (from left to right) Gregor, Presto, Ursula, and Portia.

Meanwhile, Blackjack has opted to wander alone towards the center of the cave where the pool of water is, carefully peering upwards to make sure nothing is going to jump him from above.

Boris has decided to act as rear guard, which is difficult considering the party has kind of split up (by the way, the 'squares' in this map are 5 feet by 5 feet), so I assume he's staying near the exit back to the ogre's cave -- presumably along with Hagar, who hasn't declared an action yet -- ready to run to the aid of anyone who runs into trouble first.

Also, in the meantime, each character please roll 5 1d6's on the dice log: not a total but individual rolls. This is the way we determine if hidden things are spotted.]

[zhenxiao]

ooc - correct on Blackjack's part.

[Popit]

ooc: my roll is 1, 5, 6, 3, 2.  My character is following Ursula as they agreed that Ursula will be planting the lit candles handed by Presto while he readies his dagger.  Presto will be circumnavigating in a counterclockwise direction.

[Rolf]

OOC: my roll is 1, 3, 3, 4, 5. 

And on second thought, instead of hanging back, I will follow Blackjack to the center of the cave.  From there, I think I should have fairly good line of sight to everyone else, in case they get in trouble, and will be ready to back Blackjack if anything happens to him. 

I'm keeping a close eye/overwatch or whatever you call it, on every member of the party - if they step out of line of sight, I will remember what direction they headed and who they were with, including Hagar.