Chapter 02: The Great Cavern

[Popit]

"Spittle splatters on floor. Interesting." To Ursula, "lets put your theory into practice".  Presto presents his waterskin to the party and is about to pour a little of its contents on the rope.  Unsure of the outcome, he pauses more for dramatic effect than giving the others the opportunity to stop him.

[Rolf]

Boris shrugs.  "Let us try it then.  If it works, it does not mean we must climb on the instant.  We can let the others rest while we ponder the mysteries of this rope.  I mean, this water."  He looks around curiously.  "And have we finished searching the rest of this cave already?"

[amosias]

After thoroughly wetting the rope with the waterskin (which contains both regular and tainted water thanks to the Stirge's corpse), Presto watches the rope begin to slowly untwist and float upwards, one end still anchored to the ground.

[OOC: cavern has been thoroughly examined -- the exits are as seen on the map]

[Popit]

"That's definitely more interesting than spittle"

[Rolf]

Boris glances briefly at Presto - then takes a longer look, this time eyeing him keenly from head to toe.  His brow furrows as he estimates the content of the waterskin...and then he turns his measuring gaze upon the halfling nearby...

[Popit]

"Thirsty, Boris?" Presto asks as he extends his half empty waterskin.

[maskmanjoe]

Eren watches as Boris and Presto experiment on the rope and watched as the it rose after being splashed. The magical properties of this tainted water continues to worry him. "The pool now too is tainted," he mutters.

To the rest he says, "I will need to take some rest and I believe some of us will want to as well. Those of us wounded would be best to stay close together."

[OOC: For now, I'd like Eren to stay put and recover his HP]

[ysigne]

Gregor watches as the rope snakes toward the ceiling. If that is the ceiling. He moves near the other members of the party and settles down on the floor.

"I will stay to watch over the wounded, and try to pray for some spells as well. As for the others, I think it would be a good idea to scout the other two openings before we try to tackle that rope."

[OOC: Going for Cure Light wounds again]

[amosias]

[OOC: last chance for declarations! Unless someone posts otherwise, I'll assume that...

1. most party members will rest up (eat, drink, go back to the Ogre's cave for the fire -- which doesn't seem to be shrinking);
2. some party members will further examine the cave without leaving it and therefore risking themselves;
3. some sort of watch detail will be done so people can sleep;
4. party members will be watchful for anything coming out of the mysterious exits from the cave;
5. spellcasters will be focusing on learning their spells.

... and then we can fast-time to the next scene.]

[zhenxiao]

Blackjack sits down to get some rest knowing full well that eventually someone is going to ask him to scale the weird floating rope.

[Rolf]

Deciding that the injured party members are at risk, Boris circles the area very closely around them, keeping a watchful eye on all approaches...including the hole in the ceiling.

[maskmanjoe]

Eren tries to find a dry spot a good distance from the pool to lower his pack and sit. He then lifts his hand from his neck to check if the wound has stopped bleeding. He replaces it once again to keep it from getting infected. He then pulls out his spell book and leafs through it with his free hand...

[OOC: I'd also like Eren to re-memorize the Detect Magic spell]

[Popit]

Presto emulates the rest of the crew and decides to stay by the pool.  Before settling down and laying is personal beddings, he dutifully begins the tedious process of studying his previously spent sleep spell.

[amosias]

And so the small band of adventurers warily settles down to rest and recover their strength.

Ursula, complaining of light-headedness goes to sleep first after consuming her rations.

There are some small attempts at conversation near the ogre's fire as occasional checks reveal that the foreboding mist maintains its baleful vigil at the cave entrance as the minutes stretch into hours...