thuryl:
Okay, uh, while we wait for everyone to get something to drink, anyone want to recap?
Phulax:
We reached the test of Sliros. We met some live, friendly goblins, Phulax made them go away, we released our rival party, ran away from statues, cooperated for Mariona, and bickered.
thuryl:
That works.
Begin.
Lephista:
(Someone remind me what the writing on the wall said.)
thuryl:
"ALL VISITORS PLEASE REPORT TO RECEPTION IN NORTHEAST."
Phulax:
"Northeast, huh?"
Meredith:
"Reception? That's kind of odd for a test of the gods."
Lephista:
"Didn't the hint book say something about risk and danger in this one?"
Meredith:
"Yes."
Jarrox:
I look back at the others, "You all coming?"
thuryl:
Phulax enters an open area to the northeast. Several large round glass tables sit in the middle of the room, having withstood the ravages of time surprisingly well.
Phulax:
"Come on, Baxa," I call. "We've got to stick together!"
Siana:
"I wonder what kind of mortal peril we're going to be put in THIS time."
Phulax:
I examine the table more closely.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 1
Phulax:
...
THAT bodes well.
Jarrox:
"Whatever the peril I don't think we should split up in here, at least too much."
thuryl:
While the glass table has withstood 600 years of neglect, it doesn't withstand Phulax's clumsiness. He trips over a loose floor tile and crashes headfirst through the table, cutting himself on shards of broken glass.
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 3 hit points.***
Dyen:
I examine one of the smaller glass shell-thingies.
Phulax:
"Oops."
Lephista:
I jump. "Sweet Mariona, are you all right?"
thuryl:
The smaller objects appear to be chairs.
Phulax:
"Not really," I grimace.
Meredith:
"Phulax, your grace and composure never fail to impress me."
Phulax:
I try to get the glass out my cuts and bind them (FA).
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 7
Phulax:
***Phulax is healed and gains 1 hit points.***
thuryl:
Phulax manages to ease the pain of his wounds.
Phulax:
"So, yeah, be careful with the large glass objects. They are, in fact, breakable."
Meredith:
I examine the gate to the north.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 10
Dyen:
Do I have gloves?
thuryl:
I don't think so. Do you need gloves?
Jarrox:
"So um... what are we reporting here for?"
Phulax:
Nature: what is the thing I see to the west?
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 10
Phulax:
I gesture for those behind me to halt.
Dyen:
I was thinking of making gauntlets with razor-sharp glass.
Phulax:
"Shhhhh."
Jarrox:
I sit in a chair.
Phulax:
...
thuryl:
Meredith examines the green stone barrier to the north. Like every other wall around here, it's covered in runes. If it's a door, there's no obvious handle, hinge or way to open it. It seems to have been constructed in a hurry, though, and isn't very thick: a team of strong workers with sledgehammers could probably knock it down in a few hours.
Meredith:
Can I read the runes?
thuryl:
Phulax looks over into the northwestern chamber. At the edge of his light he can see a strange, vaguely worm-like creature, about three or four feet long. Its attention seems to be turned toward something to its north. An odour of rotting plant matter wafts from the room, overpowering even the pungent chemical smells that pervade the area.
Phulax:
I move back quietly and whisper to the others what I saw.
"Guys, there some tentacle creatures and strange smells ahead. Let's not annoy them if we can help it."
I try to explore down to the southern corridor.
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Meredith examines the runes on the green barrier. They seem to indicate that something is being sealed off by it.
Meredith:
Something dangerous, or does it not say (or do I need to make another roll?)
thuryl:
(You'd have to roll again to catch the fine details.)
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 4
Meredith:
eh
Phulax:
Is that a machine that I see before me? (Perception)
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 17
Meredith:
(yay macbeth reference)
thuryl:
Meredith can't tell for sure what's being sealed, or whether the sealed thing is on this side of the barrier or the other side.
Jarrox:
"Well I guess we are splitting up anyways," I mutter to myself.
thuryl:
Phulax heads to a small, cramped room in the southeast of the area. He finds a large pile of loose cables and sections of metal piping of various shapes and sizes, along with a selection of wrenches and other tools.
Phulax:
"Bunch of tools here."
Meredith:
"Hey, watch it."
Siana:
"What's this? Anything valuable in there?"
Phulax:
"I don't know. I'm no artificer. Have a look." I step out of the way.
Lephista:
I start gathering tools. "Some of this could be handy later."
Meredith:
Artifice roll: what is this thing?
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 2
thuryl:
Hirst, Ilestro, Siana and Baxa start searching around in the pile of spare parts.
Meredith:
(just stop me rolling guys. any time)
thuryl:
Meredith is pretty sure she's looking at a pile of spare parts.
Phulax:
(Hey! At least you won't break the table by looking at it!)
Jarrox:
I look at the thing to the right of me to get an idea of what it is.
Lephista:
I make sure to get a wrench, and one each of whatever other tools are here.
Ilestro:
"Huh. Nothing but old pipes and crude tools. Worthless!"
Phulax:
I have an idea and wander back to the north.
thuryl:
Jarrox searches around the reception area and finds some kind of metal cabinet tipped over in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, Lephista grabs a toolbox.
Phulax:
"Jarrox, why are you standing on your head?" I whisper.
Dyen:
All loaded up.
Jarrox:
"What do you mean I'm standing on my head? I'm just walking different then you."
Baxa:
"There's gotta be SOMETHING important in here, right? You guys go on, we'll keep searching."
Phulax:
I move toward Jarrox, gingerly avoiding any contact with the tables.
Lephista:
What are these things I've found?
Jarrox:
I rummage through the cabinet.
Meredith:
"It's fine, Baxa, I'll wait with you. Don't want you struggling to lift something, huh?"
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 5
Meredith:
"Though it looks like spare parts to me."
thuryl:
Lephista walks into the southwestern room and finds a set of large pipes leading into the northern wall. Each pipe has a wheel connected to it, all painted different colours: one red, one blue, one green.
Lephista:
I listen. Is anything flowing through them now?
thuryl:
Roll Perception if you want.
Phulax:
I join Jarrox in examing the cabinet.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 13
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Jarrox manages to get the cabinet open, and finds that it's full of rotting old papers. Between the damage and the ancient dialect they're written in, he can't make much sense of them.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 4
thuryl:
Phulax has a little more luck, and manages to retrieve some of the less-damaged papers. He doesn't understand them very well either, but they seem to be reports on the status of whatever was going on here.
thuryl:
Lephista doesn't hear anything flowing through the pipes.
Jarrox:
"I could start a fire with these papers. Want to see some fire, Phulax?"
Phulax:
"Not yet, Jarrox. Maybe in a bit."
I toddle off with the papers.
Jarrox:
I pull out my flint and steel, "Just say the word."
Phulax:
"Meredith, do you know what these are?"
I pass her the papers.
Lephista:
I look north. Can I see whatever it is those tentacle-things are looking at?
Dyen:
I'm going to turn the green valve.
Phulax:
"You've got mad reading skillz, after all."
thuryl:
Lephista will have to get closer in to get a good view of the room. Which may, of course, attract the creatures' attention.
Meredith:
I'll look over the papers. Any idea whats going on with them?
Lephista:
I cautiously creep forward.
Any better from here?
thuryl:
Dyen turns the green valve. The sound of rushing liquid fills the pipes for a few seconds.
Jarrox:
I look around me to see if anyone is watching, then do one last check to make sure that there is just paper in the cabinet.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 20
Phulax:
...
(Jarrox is absolutely sure there is paper in the cabinet)
thuryl:
Jarrox finds a small hip flask of whiskey hidden behind some papers in the bottom drawer of the cabinet.
Meredith:
(haha.)
Phulax:
Hahahaha!
Jarrox:
I take a swig from my hip flask.
"Now time to see some fire." I start striking the steel against the flint over the papers.
Phulax:
...not good.
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Meredith examines the papers Phulax has brought her. As Phulax suspected, they're reports on the status of some kind of research that was going on here. Roll to find anything specific.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 11
thuryl:
The most recently-dated reports Meredith can find, from a little over 600 years ago, mention a damaged "reagent conduit" that was in need of repair, and an experiment that was sealed away in the northern testing chamber for being "too successful".
thuryl:
Lephista, roll Stealth to get closer to the creatures and look at what they're doing without disturbing them.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 4
thuryl:
Oh boy.
Lephista stomps on into the room and sees the creatures crowded around a pool of some kind of purplish liquid, which is emitting a faint cloud of vapour into the room. A heavily decomposed goblin corpse is lying in the pool, and the creatures appear to be feeding on it. As Lephista enters, the creatures turn their attention away from the pool and the corpse, and toward Lephista.
thuryl:
Begin combat.
Dyen:
(I can move five spaces, right?)
(Assuming it's our turn.)
thuryl:
Yep. Party's turn first.
Lephista:
I retreat back into the southern hall, and cast a smoke screen where I was just standing.
Phulax:
Phulax continues to watch Meredith read the papers, blissfully unaware of what's happening several rooms away.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 18
Lephista:
"Guys, problem!"
Meredith:
"Oh, what did Jarrox do now... Come on. The papers aren't terribly important. Just don't go through the sealed passageway to the north."
thuryl:
A cloud of dark smoke fills the air in front of Lephista, blocking view of the passage she retreated into.
Dyen:
(What exactly do these tentacle creatures look like?)
Meredith:
I pocket the papers and head towards Lephista's shout.
Dyen:
I cast Fated Strike, if it will carry over into my next turn.
thuryl:
Well, they're greenish, and look kind of like a cross between a very large earthworm and some kind of carnivorous plant.
Dyen:
(Basically one long tube?)
thuryl:
You could cast Fated Strike and have it to use next turn, or you could ready an action to attack any worms that approach you this turn. Your choice.
Phulax:
I too head in the general direction of Leph's cry.
thuryl:
Most of the body is one long tube, but at one end it branches off into a series of... tentacles? roots? Extensions.
Lephista:
(Dude, back off until the group is reunited. Don't charge in.)
thuryl:
Okay, has everyone moved?
Phulax:
"At least it's not my fault, whatever it is..." I mutter.
Dyen:
The first worm that attacks me, I will grab and smash into the wall next to me.
Roll now?
thuryl:
Sure.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 9
Dyen:
(Nur.)
thuryl:
OK. Enemy turn.
Dyen:
(Yay diversion!)
thuryl:
Apparently unfazed by the smokescreen, one of the worms crawls over to approach Lephista. It lunges into the air and latches onto her shoulder with the tentacled end of its body, and Lephista feels something gnawing on her.
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 3 hit points.***
thuryl:
Dyen tries to grab one of the worms that approaches him, but the slippery creature barely manages to evade his grasp. He is swarmed by the things, and two manage to latch onto him and start trying to eat his legs.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 4 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Phulax:
I keep running toward the noise of fighting.
Dyen:
I cast Fated Strike and try and smash both of the worms latched onto me.
Roll once or twice?
Lephista:
I attack the one in front of me with my axe.
Meredith:
"...I swear to god, I wish he'd fallen off that ladder back on the surface and broken his neck..."
Dyen:
Or three times, now that I think of it?
thuryl:
OK. Remember, you can double-move if you're not taking any other action in a round.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 10
Jarrox:
(Can I hear the fighting?)
Phulax:
Oh.
thuryl:
Two rolls, Dyen. One for Fated Strike, one for the attack. Also, if you're attacking two enemies there's a penalty to hit unless you use Stamina.
Phulax:
(double-moved, then)
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 19
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 18
thuryl:
Jarrox: Well, there's a lot of yelling going on.
Dyen:
"Need some help over here!"
Jarrox:
I tuck my flint and steel away and draw my axe and ready my shield. "What's going on Phulax?"
thuryl:
Dyen manages to grab one of the worms assailing him and smash it into another. Both of their bodies rupture wide open, oozing greenish fluid. They twitch, spasm and stop moving.
Phulax:
"I don't know. It sounds like Lephista and Dyen picked a fight with the wormy creatures I saw earlier."
Jarrox:
"Soul sucking leeches? I don't like the sound of those."
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Lephista has similar success in chopping up her own worm. She manages to dislodge it, although it's not quite dead yet.
Enemy turn.
Meredith:
(haha, jarrox)
thuryl:
Lephista's worm, enraged by her attack, lunges at her again and manages to bite into her left forearm.
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 2 hit points.***
thuryl:
Meanwhile, even more worms swarm Dyen, attacking him from all sides and overwhelming him. Two latch onto his neck, while a third grabs his side.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 9 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Dyen:
"HELP! NOW!"
Meredith:
"Leph, what are you doing?"
Dyen:
Fated Strike and do a sweeping kick at the two most northerly worms.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 3
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 8
Phulax:
I move forward to finally see what is happening.
Jarrox:
"Hold your yapper and I'll get there as fast as my stubby legs will carry me!"
Lephista:
"What does it look like I'm doing?" I attack again, and if it dies, I step forward into the square it was occupying.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 13
thuryl:
Dyen flails at the worms latched onto his body, but fails to dislodge or injure them.
Meredith:
"It looks like you're murdering a new form of life before it's been properly documented. Can't you people do anything right?"
thuryl:
Lephista stomps on the worm in front of her, crushing it underfoot and grinding its body into the floor.
Phulax:
(Can I use Can't Stop the Rock to teleport Dyen away and leave the critters behind?)
thuryl:
(Hmm... sure, why not.)
Phulax:
Can't stop the rock (or the Dyen): warp him behind us, leaving all his critter friends there.
thuryl:
Dyen is teleported safely behind Phulax. The worms attached to him drop to the floor, looking about as nonplussed as horrifying mutant worms can ever look.
Is that everyone?
Phulax:
LOL.
Lephista:
I think so.
thuryl:
OK. Enemy turn.
thuryl:
Phulax's incantation seems to have attracted the worms' attention. They hurl themselves at him, and one manages to latch on to each of his arms.
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 5 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Phulax:
"Argh!"
Phulax:
(Can I try to shake them off and still do something else?)
thuryl:
(Yeah, shaking them off will use your move action for the turn, though.)
Phulax:
...
That won't work.
Hmm...
thuryl:
Well, you could shake them off and move away, but then you couldn't attack or cast a spell.
Phulax:
Cry out "Jarrox, can you get these things off me?"
Jarrox:
I charge "6" and hack at it with my axe.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 19
Lephista:
I summon an eagle, and order it to attack the worms.
thuryl:
Jarrox neatly beheads the worm... or he removes the bit of it that bites people, anyway. It dies.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 11
Phulax:
Okay, first I try to remove the worm that bit me (Strength).
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 15
thuryl:
Lephista successfully summons a medium-sized eagle, which flies over to worry the worms but fails to grab any of them in its talons.
Phulax shakes off both of the worms attached to him.
Dyen:
I'll cast Glimpse of Oblivion on the southern worm.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 17
thuryl:
It's hard to tell what horrible mutant worms are thinking about, but Dyen's spell seems to have had some effect. The worm's movements begin to slow down and become less coordinated.
Phulax:
I then cast teleport on one of the glass chairs behind me, and move it...to a spot in the air several feet above the worm that attacked me.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 9
Phulax:
"Time for some interior decorating! Extreme lab makeover!"
thuryl:
Phulax's projectile chair strikes a glancing blow to one of the worms, crushing several of its tentacles. It makes a kind of gurgly screeching hissing noise.
Is that everyone?
Meredith:
yeah, i think so.
thuryl:
OK. Enemy turn.
Phulax evades two of the worms, but one of them manages to latch back on to his lower leg and bite into it.
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 2 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Meredith:
I inspect the room. Do any of the runes say anything interesting?
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
Jarrox:
I charge "4" and hack it up too.
Lephista:
Is ordering the eagle to continue attacking a free action?
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 1
Phulax:
...I'm dying here and you go inspect runes???
thuryl:
Meredith isn't sure of the exact meaning of these runes, but they seem to represent danger or uncertainty.
(Lephista - yes)
Dyen:
I. . . suppose I cast Glimpse of Oblivion again.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 6
Dyen:
Bottom one again, by the way.
Meredith:
(I was too far away to attack this round, anyway, and what am I gonna do? Attack with my sharp tongue?)
thuryl:
Dyen fails to further sadden the worm.
Lephista:
I order it to keep attacking. Then I charge forward with my axe and hack into worm 1.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 17
Meredith:
(I mean I could've shot my extremely unstable and dangerous firearm at them, whilst you were stood right next to them)
Dyen:
(Where do they keep the emo teenaged worms? I should be more useful against those.)
thuryl:
Jarrox, charging at his enemy, trips over a chair that somebody left lying around and falls face-first onto the floor.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 2 hit points.***
thuryl:
Lephista successfully bisects another worm with her axe, while her eagle once again tries and fails to grab one of the worms.
Meredith:
"Oh hey, the runes in this room say something like "danger." Best to be careful!"
thuryl:
That everyone?
Phulax:
I try to teleport myself west, putting my comrades between me and the worms, and leaving behind the one attached to me.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 11
thuryl:
Phulax successfully teleports away from the worms.
Enemy turn.
Dyen:
(Oh, come on. You have 16 hp! I have 4!)
Phulax:
But I LIKE having HP (unlike you)
Dyen:
(. . . please don't murder me.)
thuryl:
The worms fall upon Jarrox's prone form and start trying to devour him, although thankfully they have difficulty finding gaps in his armour and only manage to chew on him a bit.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 1 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Meredith:
"Haven't you killed them yet? Really?"
Jarrox:
I drop my axe and try to kill one of the worms like the klingon from "the search for spock."
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 20
Phulax:
...
Meredith:
(good description, man)
Lephista:
I tell my eagle to attack the wounded worm, then hack into the unharmed worm.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 5
Jarrox:
(I didn't know how else to describe it.)
thuryl:
(I haven't seen that movie, but I'll try to come up with a description that won't disappoint.)
Jarrox drops his axe, grabs one of the worms in both hands, raises it high above his head and uses it like a hammer to pound the other worm until they've both stopped moving.
End combat.
thuryl:
Jarrox, Lephista, Phulax and Dyen, I'm going to need saving throws from all of you.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 14
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 9
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 9
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 12
thuryl:
Phulax and Dyen are both starting to feel weak and nauseous, and begin to notice a burning sensation around the wounds they received from the worms.
Phulax:
I hurry over and, still bleeing myself and trying not to throw up, start trying to take care of Dyen (FA).
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 12
Dyen:
***Dyen is healed and gains 6 hit points.***
thuryl:
Phulax manages to ease Dyen's external wounds somewhat, although he still feels quite unwell.
Phulax:
I sit down. "Someone want to take a look at my worm bites? I don't feel soooo... good."
Lephista:
I perform First Aid on Phulax.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 20
Phulax:
...
(THANK YOU!)
Lephista:
(Heh.)
Dyen:
I sit down and lean back against the wall, focusing on ignoring the pain and nausea.
Jarrox:
"So, here are all of us. Where are the others?"
thuryl:
Lephista manages to expertly cut open the wound and draw out the venom before bandaging him up. Phulax quickly begins to feel much better.
Phulax:
***Phulax is healed and gains 8 hit points.***
Meredith:
"Messing about with some bits of piping and such. Which is probably important piping and such, actually. I read some papers, and there's some kind of conduit that needs repairing, or more likely, replacing."
thuryl:
(Lephista also still has one curing potion in her inventory, if you want to use it on Dyen now. Of course, you could also save it for later.)
Phulax:
I stand and give a bow of thanks to Lephista.
Dyen:
"Deep breaths. . ."
Lephista:
(Could I try extracting the venom from Dyen with FA, like with Phulax?)
thuryl:
(One First Aid per user per combat.)
Phulax:
Nature: can I come up with any way to help with the poison?
Lephista:
Alright, hand Dyen the curing potion.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 3
Meredith:
I'll add my nature-knowledge to Phulax's
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
thuryl:
These worms aren't like anything Phulax remembers seeing before. He's not sure how to treat any venom they might have.
Phulax:
(My what experts we are)
Jarrox:
I poke the goblin with my axe and then look at the purple goop. (Nature)
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 2
thuryl:
Meredith is similarly stumped.
Dyen:
I drink the potion a little bit at a time.
Phulax:
I look at Dyen with concern.
"How are you feeling now?"
Lephista:
I examine the body. Anything useful on it, or anything notable about it?
(Roll?)
thuryl:
Jarrox walks over to the pile of purplish liquid. It's still emitting an opaque, smoky purple vapour, and it seems to be where the smell of rotting plant matter is coming from. Jarrox manages to get a whiff of the vapour while he's examining it and backs away, nauseated.
thuryl:
Lephista - sure, roll.
Dyen:
(How am I feeling now, DM?)
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 6
thuryl:
Dyen drinks the curing potion, and begins to feel much better.
Dyen:
"Much better."
Meredith:
"Okay, so I think I have to be the bearer of potentially bad news, people."
Dyen:
"But still at least half dead."
thuryl:
Lephista examines the body. Most of its flesh seems to have been eaten, probably by the worm things. There's nothing of any value left on it.
Phulax:
"Oh good! Well, sort of."
Jarrox:
I dip my axe in the goop.
Dyen:
I groan and get up.
Phulax:
"Yes, Meredith?"
"No point in putting off until tomorrow the bad news we can hear today."
I manage a half-smile.
thuryl:
The blade of Jarrox's axe is now coated in purplish ooze and smells like a swamp. It's probably a good thing Jarrox is wearing gauntlets, because the substance is dripping all over the place.
Jarrox:
I try to shake off the dripping bits but not all of it.
Meredith:
"So, I can't immediately see a way down from this level, apart from to the north, through what is I'm guessing, from what I read, some kind of testing area.
Meredith:
"Unfortunately, there's some experiment sealed up in there that was locked up because it was "too successful". Direct quote. Judging from what we just fought, I can't see that going well."
Phulax:
"Huh. Know about those gears and wheels and such over yonder?" I gesture to the southwest.
Meredith:
"Just getting to that. The alternative is monkeying around with those pipes, but I don't immediately see how they are going to help."
Phulax:
"Remember, all these things are tests; there's got to be a trick to it."
Dyen:
"I will ask Fate."
Meredith:
"I know. We need knowledge, power, and the ability to take risks."
Dyen:
I cast Feeling the Way on these valves.
Lephista:
"Hey, what happened to the other party?"
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 2
Meredith:
"They're still to the south, messing about with some piping we might end up needing."
thuryl:
As you all talk, Lephista's eagle blinks out of existence, back to wherever it is that summoned monsters come from.
Phulax:
I cast Le Couran's Spyglass... to see on the other side of the barrier just north of me.
Dyen:
(All of my spells are useless. :| )
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 2
Phulax:
... all my rolls are useless.
Meredith:
I look around for advice from my PCs.
thuryl:
Phulax catches a brief glimpse of something purplish before the scrying portal snaps shut.
Meredith:
(oh, i forgot, all my companions are useless)
thuryl:
Dyen is pretty sure the valves are important, but can't tell quite how.
Jarrox:
(Jarrox is the most useful when he feels like it)
Phulax:
"I think maybe there's more of that purple ooze Jarrox is playing with. Couldn't tell what else."
"Oh well, let's go play with the knobs."
Dyen:
"Well, if I am not meant to know, then I am not meant to know."
I turn the blue valve.
Meredith:
"Okay. I'll take a look and see if I can see which bit is broken."
Lephista:
While the others talk, I dissect the worms for alchemical reagents.
Phulax:
"Oh wait, another cabinet."
Cabinet check:
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 9
thuryl:
Dyen turns the blue valve. Once again, he hears the rush of liquid in the pipes for a few seconds.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 19
Jarrox:
I walk over to the door and stand at the ready, swaying a little from all the booze.
thuryl:
Lephista manages to distill 1 water reagent from whatever vital fluid fills the worms' bodies.
Meredith:
I inspect the pipes here for any signs of missing or broken ones.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 13
Jarrox:
"Oh, a chair." I sit down.
Phulax:
(The chair!)
Dyen:
I turn the red valve.
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Phulax searches through the cabinets and finds more old papers, these ones seeming to detail the records of past experiments.
Phulax:
(Dyen has certainly mastered the ability to take risks)
Lephista:
I examine the purple goop. Could it be useful for alchemy at all?
thuryl:
Meredith examines the network of pipes and notices a small hole in one section of pipe to the west.
Lephista examines the purple ooze. Roll it, Lephista.
Phulax:
I collect the papers and tote them to my scholarly comrades. "Meredith!"
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Dyen turns the red valve. For the third time, he hears rushing liquid in the pipes.
Phulax:
"Where are you?"
"Oh, there. Here. Read."
Meredith:
"Here! Busy! One of these pipes has a hole. See?"
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 20
Phulax:
"I think it's about the experiments here, but the language is otherwise too obscure for me."
Dyen:
I examine the green wall in front of me.
Jarrox:
"So Dyen, nice job on holding off the worms till I got there."
Phulax:
"I'll go look for a replacement. Maybe we can fix it." I look carefully at the hole-y pipe then wander to the junk room."
thuryl:
Lephista examines the pool of ooze carefully. It's not any substance she's seen before, but judging by the way the worms were reacting to it and a few simple tests she performs, it seems to have had some kind of growth-enhancing effect on them.
Phulax:
Perception: a pipe to replace the broken one.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 18
Meredith:
(simple tests like sticking her fingers in it?)
thuryl:
Phulax finds a pipe that matches the broken section in size and shape.
Lephista:
Fascinating. "Anybody got a container?"
thuryl:
(I was thinking more of sticking bits of worm in it.)
Phulax:
I take the pipe and go back to Meredith.
Dyen:
"Ugh. I try."
Meredith:
Okay.   Anyway, I read the papers Phulax gave me a moment ago. Anything that looks important?
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 11
Phulax:
"Okey-day, problem half-solved! New pipe for you!"
thuryl:
Lephista has a few empty vials left over from used potions, if she needs containers. She can rinse them out with some of her water supply and reuse them.
Lephista:
I was totally about to do that. GMTA, Lilith.
Anyway, yeah, I do that.
thuryl:
Meredith examines the papers. Sure enough, they seem to be records of experiments that went on here. The experiments seemed to have involved attempts to enhance plant growth.
Lephista:
"So, guys, it turns out this purple stuff is a growth-enhancer. That means that whatever is north of here, it's going to be big."
thuryl:
Meredith notices several memos that seem to be of particular interest:
Phulax:
"Maybe if we fix the pipes we can ungrow it or something."
thuryl:
* After use of mixing apparatus, please flush pipes with W to neutralise residual reagents
* Note to all staff: please do not allow unmixed R, G or B to come in contact with organic matter if you care about its continued existence. Safety begins with you!
* Further experiments needed to confirm thermal stability of Y. Use with caution. Treat as potentially explosive until further directed.
* Large volumes of C may produce dangerous amounts of heat on exposure to air. Clean up spills promptly!
* Don't mess with M. Seriously, just don't. It's not worth it.
Phulax:
"Ooooh. That sounds very happy! Lucky I found this."
thuryl:
That seems to be most of the relevant information she can find.
Meredith:
"How many valves are there? Also, were the other group still down there, Phulax?"
Lephista:
"R, G, and B. Red, Green, and Blue?"
Meredith:
Also, I'll replace the broken pipe. Can I take 10?
thuryl:
Sure. It's not a difficult task, since there doesn't seem to be anything flowing through the pipe right now.
Meredith uses the tools from the southeastern room to disconnect the broken section of pipe and replace it with a shiny new section. Actually, it's not so much shiny and new as old and slightly rusty, but it seems solid enough.
Dyen:
I'm going to turn the western small valve.
Meredith:
"That must be "W", to clear the pipes."
Phulax:
"But what is C, Y, and M?"
thuryl:
Do you mean the one on the far west, labelled Large Valve and connected to a thick pipe, or the one just to the east of it, labelled Small Valve and connected to a thin spout?
Meredith:
"Well, I'm clearly M, since you should all know by now not to mess with me."
Phulax:
Phulax chuckles. "Clever."
thuryl:
Dyen? Waiting on you for clarification here.
Dyen:
Oh, whoops, thought they were both small valves.
Yeah, the big one.
thuryl:
Okay. Dyen turns the valve until it's fully open. More fluid rushes through the pipes, and they vibrate slightly. The sound takes longer to die down this time.
Phulax:
"Oooh! I wonder if Y, C, and M, refer to specific combinations of the other three."
Lephista:
"Hmm, interesting."
Dyen:
I'll turn off Red.
thuryl:
Dyen closes the red valve.
The sounds of liquid rushing out and draining away emanate from the apparatus to the north.
Dyen:
I turn the small valve.
Phulax:
"I we could make some of this for C, and then produce some Y..."
thuryl:
Dyen turns the small valve, and a thin stream of blue-green liquid begins to pour out of the spout below it, forming a little pool on the floor.
Phulax:
I back away.
Dyen:
I turn it off.
Meredith:
"That's cyan, right?"
Lephista:
"I know what you're thinking, but what would that make M and Y?"
Meredith:
"And I guess that makes the purple stuff magenta."
Lephista:
". . . okay, what about Y?"
Jarrox:
I try out a that hip flask again while I sit in my nice chair.
Meredith:
"...yeah, I got nothing."
thuryl:
Jarrox continues to drink.
Phulax:
"There a purple pipe?"
Lephista:
"I guess we could mix them and see what color they come out."
"I mean, a green substance and a red one *could* look yellow when mixed. Weird stuff happens in alchemy."
Dyen:
"Do we know which one we want?"
Meredith:
"Or it could be brown, or "yucky"."
Phulax:
(So we've got four faucets, and one big valve, right?)
Lephista:
"Hey, if this stuff is C, shouldn't we clean up the spill promptly, like the notes said?"
Dyen:
"Got a rag?"
thuryl:
(Well, you've got the three coloured valves in the east, the one big valve in the west, and the small outlet valve, also in the west.)
Phulax:
But does anything come out of the colored valves?
Lephista:
I hand Dyen a cloth bandage from my first aid kit. "Here you go."
thuryl:
No, the coloured valves don't seem to have any kind of outlet. They connect into the floor and the northern wall.
Phulax:
I turn on the green and blue valves.
thuryl:
Those were the ones that were already on.
Phulax:
(They were?)
thuryl:
Yes.
Dyen turned all three on, and then turned red off.
Phulax:
I turn them all off.
thuryl:
OK.
Jarrox:
I pull out my shovel from my pack and start using it to chip away at the gate to pass the time.
Dyen:
I toss the bandage on the spill and shuffle it around with my foot.
Phulax:
Run the big valve.
thuryl:
Dyen cleans up the spill. He notices that the liquid feels oddly warm.
The large valve is still on too.
Phulax:
...
LOL.
I leave it alone for a bit.
Then I turn it off.
thuryl:
You know what, I'm going to give them facing arrows. Up is on, down is off.
Phulax:
Everything should be off now.
Dyen:
"Can I see those notes, Meredith?"
Phulax:
"Oooh, brainstorm, guys!"
"I bet this is the flusher valve."
"And this is the faucet."
Lephista:
We knew that already. :P
thuryl:
OK. Phulax turns off the large valve. He hears fluid draining from the pipes for a few seconds.
Meredith:
I give Dyen the notes.
Lephista:
I turn on red and blue.
thuryl:
Lephista opens the red and blue valves.
Dyen:
"Hang on. I have an idea."
Meredith:
"Now turn the smaller release valve."
Lephista:
Then I open the small valve.
Dyen:
(What are these walls made of?)
thuryl:
Dyen examines the walls. They seem to be made of some kind of stone.
Phulax:
So what's happening now?
thuryl:
Lephista opens the small outlet valve. She hears a brief hiss of air escaping from the spout, but no liquid comes out.
Lephista:
Huh, interesting. I turn everything off again.
Meredith:
"Another burst pipe? Did you remember to flush the pipes after last time?"
thuryl:
Lephista closes all the valves.
Dyen:
"Does anyone have a container?"
Lephista:
"I bet the mixture needs water for a base."
Phulax:
Turn big valve.
thuryl:
Phulax opens the large valve.
Phulax:
Then hit Green and blue.
thuryl:
Phulax opens the green and blue valves, and hears liquid rushing through the pipes.
Lephista:
"Wait, we're already seen that one."
Meredith:
"We've done those two."
Lephista:
"It's C."
Phulax:
"But we need some of it."
Dyen:
"Do we really want an explosive?"
Lephista:
"It's not explosive, just exothermic."
Meredith:
"Well, that one just got hot. Y was the explosive."
Phulax:
Open small valve, catch it in my empty stamina potion bottle.
Dyen:
"The Y is explosive."
Lephista:
"POSSIBLY explosive."
Dyen:
"I think that this might be a better choice."
"It was quite warm when I mopped up that little bit."
Lephista:
"We can't just pour some Y in a bottle, throw it, and hope our enemies explode."
thuryl:
Phulax soon finds himself with a bottle full of blue-green liquid.
Phulax:
"We need it all if we're going to do anything cool like blow up the nasty worms."
Phulax:
Turn off small valve.
Then Green and blue valves.
Meredith:
"So you want to turn the walls into lava? Because that's what hot rock becomes."
Dyen:
"I was thinking more clear the blocked passage."
Phulax:
"Duh."
thuryl:
With the bottle filled, Phulax closes the valve. The liquid stops flowing.
Jarrox:
I keep chipping away at the gate.
Phulax:
"Dyen, give me that curing potion bottle you had."
Meredith:
"Okay, can we now, in the name of science, create the exploding mixture?"
thuryl:
Jarrox digs away at the green wall, managing to scratch some of the runes off its surface.
Dyen:
I hand Phulax the bottle.
Phulax:
"That's what I want to do!"
Phulax:
"So, should we try green and red, or blue and red?"
Dyen:
"I really think we should use the cyan to get through the wall, and save a bottle of the explosive for whatever's on the other side."
Lephista:
"We think Y is probably red and green."
"POSSIBLE explosive, Dyen."
Phulax:
"We need both!"
Phulax:
"The explosive one needs heat! C gives heat!"
"You have to use both together."
Lephista:
"POSSIBLE EXPLOSIVE."
Meredith:
"Huh. Phulax may be right."
"I mean, it won't hurt to take one of each."
Phulax:
I hit Red and Green.
Phulax:
Then open small valve and catch it in the bottle.
thuryl:
Sure enough, Phulax finds himself with a bottle full of cheerful lemon-yellow liquid.
Phulax:
Off goes the small valve.
Lephista:
"If you're going to mix the two to create some kind of delayed-action bomb, we really should test it before we try it in combat."
Phulax:
"I've got an idea for that."
Phulax:
Turn off the other two also.
Dyen:
"Yes, after the wall melts, whatever's through there comes after us, we throw the yellow on the probably still-molten rock, and then use water to cool it off."
thuryl:
Phulax turns off the coloured valves.
Phulax:
I go to the barrier.
thuryl:
Phulax is now standing at the barrier, watching Jarrox scrape at it with a shovel.
Phulax:
"Jarrox, you'd better move away from the barrier. I going to do something that might be... possibly explosive."
Meredith:
"This is going to end oh-so-badly."
Lephista:
"Hmm. Well, it's a plan, but what makes you think the cyan will dissolve stone?"
Dyen:
"Melt. Not dissolve."
Lephista:
"Okay, melt. Does it get hot enough?"
Dyen:
"Can't hurt to find out."
Jarrox:
"Err, what?"
I step back.
Phulax:
I open vial Y and set it carefully on the ground.
Lephista:
"Wait, wait. Everyone get into battle positions or something first."
Dyen:
"Worst case, we coat the wall in C and have to throw Y on it to blow it up anyways."
Jarrox:
I shove my shovel back in my pack and ready my axe and shield.
Lephista:
"If the monster on the other side is going to come screaming through, we need to get the thrower in position and so forth."
thuryl:
Phulax places the vial of yellow liquid on the ground in front of the wall.
Phulax:
Then I spend a stamina to teleport it, very carefully, a very short distance, to the ground right on the other side of the stone barrier.
Dyen:
"Hirst, we're going to try and blow through a wall. Just so you know."
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 20
Lephista:
(Who has the bottle of Yellow?)
Phulax:
"If the explosion is on the other side, it might kill something bad as well as clear the barrier."
thuryl:
(Well, whoever's on the other side of the wall does, now.)
Phulax:
The bottle of yellow has left the building.
thuryl:
Phulax teleports the vial over to the other side of the barrier. He's pretty sure it's right up against the wall on the other side, and it doesn't take as much effort as he thought it would. (No Stamina spent.)
Jarrox:
"Should I get behind something?"
Phulax:
I move a little further away. I open the bottle of C to the air, and spend a stamina to teleport it to the air above where I put Y, so that it falls together, exposed to air.
Lephista:
"Probably wise."
Hirst:
"Wait, you're going to blow through a wall? Have you been making explosives over there?"
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 12
Dyen:
"I would, Jarrox."
Phulax:
"This is fun!"
"In a dangerous way."
Dyen:
"I wouldn't stand there, Hirst."
Meredith:
"Explosive. Just one."
Dyen:
"Get over here, if you please."
Jarrox:
I peek around the corner at the gate.
thuryl:
Hirst moves to what he judges to be a safe distance.
Jarrox:
"So why are we hiding from the gate?"
thuryl:
Phulax opens the vial of cyan liquid and teleports it to the other side of the wall. You think you hear a faint clink of glass.
Meredith:
"We're making it explode, Jarrox."
Phulax:
" 'Possibly'."
Phulax waits hopefully for C to heat up and make Y explode.
Lephista:
"How is this an improvement over just knocking the barrier down?"
thuryl:
Okay. Is anyone doing anything, or are you just standing around the corner and waiting?
Lephista:
I'm just waiting.
Meredith:
"You know, I still think just chucking Y at the barrier would've worked."
"And have been more satisfying."
Jarrox:
I keep peeking around the corner looking at the gate. "Make it explode how?"
Dyen:
"My idea now?"
thuryl:
A deafening explosion rocks the building, sending shards of rock from the green wall, and glass from the chair Phulax left in front of the wall, flying down the corridor. Jarrox, make a saving throw.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 5
Phulax:
(Forgot about the chair...)
Jarrox:
(I'm blind)
Dyen:
I double over and smack my hands over my ears.
thuryl:
Jarrox is caught on the cheekbone by a flying shard of rock, bloodying his face.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 2 hit points.***
Lephista:
(Phulax: great demolitionist, or greatest demolitionist?)
Jarrox:
"Grrahh!"
Phulax:
"Oh no! Jarrox! This was supposed to be safer than 'chucking it at the wall'. Sorry!"
Lephista:
I draw my axe and round the corner.
thuryl:
On the bright side, the wall is now an easily-climbed-over pile of rubble.
Meredith:
"Well, you certainly removed that blockade Phulax."
Jarrox:
I charge as well.
Phulax:
I try to clean up Jarrox's face.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 9
thuryl:
hang on everyone
no more movesies
Lephista:
Okay.
thuryl:
Phulax manages to make Jarrox's wound look a bit better, but he doesn't recover any HP.
Phulax:
"Sorry about that."
thuryl:
On the other side of the broken wall, the floor is covered in the same purple ooze you saw in the northwestern chamber. The air is thick with purplish vapour. Undaunted, Lephista and Dyen walk straight through it.
Phulax:
(Thuryl, you didn't take away stamina for the second teleport)
thuryl:
(Oh, Phulax. So honest.)
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 1 stamina.***
Meredith:
(we're about to face a boss. now is not the time to be honest!!)
thuryl:
As Lephista and Dyen continue down the corridor, it opens into a wide chamber.
Phulax:
(Yes, but we have an explosive, and someone who can teleport it... do we really need to charge the boss?)
thuryl:
A wide hole has been dug into the floor in the middle of the room. Occupying the hole is a writhing mass of giant... worms? Vines? Fungal filaments? Whatever they are, several stalks turn to point in your direction as you approach, and a few of the strange creatures you saw earlier push their way out of the centre of the mass and begin to crawl toward you.
Phulax:
(Too late, obviously)
thuryl:
Party turn.
Dyen:
(Do we have another one?)
Lephista:
"Back off!"
Phulax:
"Let's use the chemicals, guys!"
I run back to Valve Central.
Lephista:
"I'll hold them here!"
Dyen:
"Hurry!"
Lephista:
I summon an eagle again and send it forward to attack.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 18
Meredith:
"We didn't make a spare? Are you idiots?"
Jarrox:
I charge in yelling and screaming, axe ready to hack up some Soul Sucking Leeches.
Dyen:
I get ready to kick the first worm that comes close.
Phulax:
"Hey, I figured out how to almost safely blow stuff up! I'm trying as hard as I can!"
thuryl:
Lephista summons a mighty eagle, which rushes forward and tears apart one of the worms with its talons.
Dyen, I'll need an attack roll for your readied action.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 4
thuryl:
OK. Anyone else doing anything?
Lephista:
(I think nobody else is doing anything.)
thuryl:
OK. Enemy turn.
The giant mass grabs the eagle in one of its tentacles, and pulls it into the centre of its form and out of sight. A series of unsavory crunching and squishing sounds ensue.
Phulax:
(Ick! Poor birdy!)
thuryl:
Meanwhile, the small worms approach, and one of them gets close enough to gnaw on Lephista's leg.
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 1 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Dyen:
Let's smash the one in front of me into the wall.
Jarrox:
I charge past Lep and hack.
Dyen:
Fated Strike.
Phulax:
I chug a stamina potion.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 13
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 3
Dyen:
And the attack.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 4
Phulax:
And dump out a waterskin (one of the two I'm carrying).
And run five spaces.
Lephista:
I attack #7.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 17
thuryl:
Jarrox squeezes past Lephista, but can't move fast enough to get a good swing at the worms. Meanwhile, Dyen kicks out at another worm, but fails to hit it. Phulax continues to run.
Phulax:
***Phulax gains 3 stamina.***
thuryl:
Lephista succeeds in chopping one of the worms in half lengthwise.
Meredith:
I'm going to pull my gun and shoot at the central beast.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 8
Dyen:
("This gun sucks!")
Meredith:
("It does better than your foot.")
thuryl:
Even when firing through an active melee, shooting at the beast is a bit like shooting at the broad side of a barn. The shot finds its mark somewhere in the central mass, which shudders slightly.
Enemy turn.
Dyen:
(Reference failure.  )
thuryl:
More worms crawl out of the central mass, while the ones already present swarm over Jarrox, nipping at any piece of exposed flesh.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 3 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Jarrox:
Choppy, choppy "#10."
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 1
Dyen:
Punch the one in front of me.
Lephista:
"Jarrox, back off!"
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 9
Lephista:
...too late.
Phulax:
(How much concoction brewing can I do in a turn?)
thuryl:
(Phulax, you can move over and turn any or all of the valves on either side, but not both sides, in one turn.)
Phulax:
Turn Green and Blue.
thuryl:
Jarrox takes a wild swing at the worms, but in the close quarters manages to nick Dyen's arm instead.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 2 hit points.***
Phulax:
"If those guys didn't insist on rushing in..."
thuryl:
Phulax opens the green and blue valves, while Dyen punches down into his worm, bruising it.
Lephista:
I cast Succor on Dyen.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 11
thuryl:
Lephista mutters a magical incantation, and Dyen's wounds begin to close.
Dyen:
***Dyen is healed and gains 7 hit points.***
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
(Meredith?)
Meredith:
Can I get past to stab at one of the worms?
thuryl:
Yeah, but you'll only be able to move 2 squares due to the restricted space you're squeezing through.
Also, you'll take an attack of opportunity from one of the worms.
Meredith:
I'll just shoot again at the main beast, then
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
thuryl:
Meredith fires into the main tentacled mass again. She's now down to her last bullet.
Enemy turn.
Dyen barely manages to duck out of the way of two worms' attacks, while Jarrox fends off one but manages to get another stuck to his arm just above the elbow.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 3 hit points.***
thuryl:
You see more movement from within the centre of the tentacled beast.
thuryl:
Party turn.
Jarrox:
I ignore the one on my arm and chop the others.
Lephista:
(Okay, for real this time, back up. There's no reason to get attacked by four of them instead of two.)
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 12
Phulax:
Go open small valve, fill one of my containers with C.
thuryl:
Jarrox, are you attacking from where you are, or are you backing up as Lephista suggests?
Lephista:
He can move after he attacks, right?
thuryl:
(Hmm, sure.)
(Only one space if he wants to avoid AoOs, though.)
Lephista:
That's all he needs.
thuryl:
Phulax phills another phlask with cyan liquid.
Jarrox:
From where I am
Lephista:
(If you get roughed up unnecessarily, I'm not spending stamina to heal you.)
Phulax:
"IF SOMEONE WANTED TO HELP ME, WE COULD BLOW IT UP FASTER!!" I shout at the top of my lungs. "BAXA, HIRST, MEREDITH, WHOEVER!!!"
thuryl:
So Jarrox, just for confirmation: you're not moving back after your attack?
Hirst:
"What's going on over here?"
Jarrox:
Err, Jarrox is drunk and fighting Soul Sucking Leeches. He ain't moving, even after hes dead.
Phulax:
"We're fighting a huge monster worm beast that is blocking the path; we can't go any further at all until we kill it."
thuryl:
Suit yourself. Jarrox manages to cut deeply into the worm that Dyen wounded, finishing it off.
Phulax:
"The proper mix of this liquids can blow stuff up. The fast we make the mix and get it onto the beast, the sooner we can go further in this complex."
Hirst:
"So what do you want me to do, then?"
Phulax:
"If you want to help, turn off that blue valve, and open the red one."
Hirst:
"Fine. I'll get over there as soon as I can."
Dyen:
I'm going to do a spinning kick and see how many of these worms I can take out. Is moving forward one space provoking attacks of opportunity?
thuryl:
Nope, one space is fine. Are you going to spend any Stamina on the attack?
Phulax:
(LOL!!!)
Lephista:
(Gods damn it, why are you both trying to get swarmed?)
Dyen:
Yeah, three.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 16
Phulax:
(Neither Jarrox nor Dyen has a record of... playing it safe.)
thuryl:
With an almighty kick, Dyen sends worms flying away in all directions, striking lifelessly against the floor and walls across the room.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 3 stamina.***
Jarrox:
(Dyen is so cool.)
Lephista:
Well, fine. If y'all wanna be stupid, let's be stupid.
Phulax:
(Jarrox WOULD say that)
...
Lephista:
I chop at the huge monster.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 7
Meredith:
"What in Tanann's name are you doing, Lephista?!"
thuryl:
Lephista manages to hack off the end of one of the beast's tentacles. A dark gum-like fluid oozes out of the wound.
Phulax:
(Gumby!)
(It must have eaten Gumby!)
Lephista:
"Grar! It bleeds, we can kill it!"
Dyen:
(I was just gonna fall back, but okay.)
thuryl:
Meredith?
Lephista:
(Yeesh, NOW you tell me.)
Jarrox:
"I can kill anything, I drink over its dead body too." I call out.
Meredith:
I attack with my rapier.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 16
thuryl:
(The beast, or the worm?)
Meredith:
Oh, i didn't see the worm, so the beast. Sorry.
Phulax:
"I can't understand why they'd rather fight. Blowing stuff up is so much safer," I murmur.
thuryl:
No problem. Meredith ducks under the writhing tentacles and stabs deep into the beast's centre of mass, before ducking back to relative safety.
Enemy turn.
Dyen:
(Is this thing in some sort of pit, or is it just laying there?)
thuryl:
(Pit, but it's big enough that it extends out of it.)
The worm attached to Jarrox continues to gnaw on his arm.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 3 hit points.***
thuryl:
Meanwhile, the beast extends its tentacles, trying to grab hold of Lephista and Meredith. Lephista ducks out of the way just in time, but Meredith is grabbed around her midsection and held up in the air.
Party turn.
Jarrox:
I grab the worm with my shield hand and bash its head against the wall, Klingon style.
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 19
thuryl:
Jarrox successfully beats the worm to death against the wall.
Meredith:
I strike at the tentacle holding me.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 5
Lephista:
I try to chop off the tentacle that's holding Meredith.
thuryl:
Meredith hacks and stabs at the tentacle, but finds it difficult to actually reach anything from her current position.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 9
Dyen:
(How high up is Meredith?)
Phulax:
(Are Hirst or the others going to do anything to help me?)
Meredith:
(man, the only reason i moved forward is because i assumed my dex would save me from being hit.  )
thuryl:
(Uh, let's say her feet are 2 metres or so above ground. You could probably grab her if you reached up and jumped. But wait for me to resolve Lephista's action first.)
Dyen:
(And how thick is the tentacle?)
thuryl:
(About as big around as your arm.)
thuryl:
Lephista hacks at the tentacle with somewhat more success. She doesn't quite cut all the way through it, but she manages to wound it deeply enough to make it release Meredith, who is dropped unceremoniously to the ground. Meredith, saving throw.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 5
thuryl:
Phulax sees Hirst running toward the valves and setting them so the red and green ones are open and the blue one is closed, as instructed.
Phulax:
(Is Y coming out now?)
thuryl:
(Yes.)
Phulax:
I fill my second container with Y, and then turn off the small valve.
thuryl:
Meredith falls roughly to the floor and breaks her fall poorly, suffering some bruises.
Phulax:
"Switch those off now."
I head toward the fighting.
Meredith:
*** Meredith loses 1 hit points.***
Dyen:
I cast Glimpse of Oblivion on the Colony.
Spend 1 Stamina.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 18
Phulax:
(LOL. The worms see how dark their lives are)
thuryl:
Phulax runs back toward the party with vials full of cyan and yellow mixtures.
Lephista:
("Oh my god, we're *horrifying*")
thuryl:
Maybe it's just your imagination, but after Dyen finishes his spell, the monstrous mass seems to shudder, and its movements appear to slow down slightly.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 1 stamina.***
Dyen:
(I am a very depressing monk.)
thuryl:
Is that everyone?
Phulax:
(We now have a depressed giant worm colony! Woohoo!)
Lephista:
Jarrox?
thuryl:
He killed a worm.
Lephista:
Oh. Then yeah.
thuryl:
Yeah, that's everyone, then.
OK. Enemy turn.
Dyen and Meredith easily avoid the beast's slow-moving tentacles as they try to reach out for them. Meanwhile, however, even more worms crawl out of the centre of the creature's body.
Party turn.
Dyen:
Kick the worm to my northeast back into the pit from whence it came.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 7
Dyen:
Oh, wait, can I add a Fated Strike to that?
thuryl:
...
fine
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 5
Lephista:
Axe #16.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 13
Dyen:
(Not much difference, sorry. Forgot I didn't move.)
thuryl:
Dyen kicks at the worm, but the fast-moving little creature dodges out of the way.
Meredith:
Skewer #19
Phulax:
I just run toward the fighting more.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 16
thuryl:
Lephista, however, successfully cuts one of the worms in half.
Jarrox:
I charge the three worms and do a swinging axe choppy on them all. (1 stamina)
thuryl:
Meredith's blade pierces right through another one, which quickly stops moving.
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 3
thuryl:
Jarrox swings his axe with great strength. Unfortunately, the blade passes about a foot above the top of both worms' heads.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
Enemy turn.
Jarrox just manages to avoid the grasp of the beast's tentacles, but Dyen and Meredith are both grabbed and held up in the air. Meanwhile, Jarrox has his own problems: one of the worms has latched on to his leg. Fortunately, the other worm seems to misidentify its sibling as food, and latches on in turn to the worm that's latched on to Jarrox.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 1 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Phulax:
I get within sight of the beast.
Dyen:
I try to wriggle out of its grasp.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 9
Phulax:
I open both my vials, and spend two stamina to teleport them onto the colony.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 19
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 2 stamina.***
Phulax:
"Get clear, guys! Boom time soon!"
Lephista:
"What? You idiot!" I try to free Meredith again.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 14
Jarrox:
I cut "18" with my axe.
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 8
thuryl:
Even from this distance, Phulax manages to successfully teleport the small vials with great precision. Cyan liquid spills over the beast's body, and the vial of yellow liquid sits right in the middle of the pool.
Dyen struggles, but can't quite break free of the tentacles.
Lephista:
"Everybody get out of here!"
thuryl:
Lephista manages to cut Meredith free, slicing the offending tentacle clean off. Meredith, saving throw again.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 9
thuryl:
Meredith doesn't exactly land softly, but she manages to avoid any real injury.
Meredith:
Can I act?
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Jarrox manages to shake off the worm that was attacking him and cut it in half.
thuryl:
(Yes.)
Meredith:
Once I land I jump up and attempt to free Dyen by cutting the tentacle holding him.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 8
thuryl:
Meredith's rapier just nicks the tentacle's rubbery skin. It quivers slightly, but doesn't let go of Dyen.
Enemy turn.
The surviving worm turns to Jarrox and latches on to a lightly-armoured spot at the back of his knee, biting deeply into his leg.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 3 hit points.***
Jarrox:
"Owwww!" I fall down.
thuryl:
The main mass of tentacles quivers and shudders. Waves of convulsive movement pass through its form. If you didn't know better, you'd say it was in pain. It doesn't manage to draw Dyen in any closer this round.
Party turn.
Phulax:
(Who is held by tentacles?)
thuryl:
Only Dyen.
Phulax:
Stamina
To teleport Dyen back to me.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 2
Phulax:
...
Jarrox:
I grab at the worm on my knee like my life depends on it. (Oh, it does.)
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 12
Dyen:
I attempt to push myself out of the tentacle's grasp.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 19
thuryl:
Phulax strains mightily, but from this distance he can't quite get a fix on Dyen to teleport him.
Lephista:
"Get out of the room before it explodes!"
thuryl:
Fortunately, Dyen manages to slip free on his own and land on the floor with catlike grace.
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
Jarrox grabs the worm attached to him, pulls it off him and throws it to the ground. It's still moving, but it seems injured.
Dyen:
(I can't move, can I?)
thuryl:
(Since you rolled so well, you can still move this round.)
Lephista:
If I run for it, will the big thing get an AoO on me?
thuryl:
It can make an AoO if you take more than one step away, yes.
Dyen:
(Oh, shit, Jarrox is almost dead.)
Lephista:
Okay, I'll back up one step and cast Succor on Jarrox.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 16
Meredith:
(oh, so i moved 5 spaces. i guess it gets an attack on me)
thuryl:
Lephista backs carefully away from the beast as she casts her spell, and Jarrox fills with renewed vigour.
Jarrox:
***Jarrox is healed and gains 10 hit points.***
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
As Meredith flees from the beast, it takes a swipe at her with a large, club-like tentacle, hitting her hard in the back.
Meredith:
*** Meredith loses 5 hit points.***
thuryl:
Is that everyone?
Lephista:
I think so.
thuryl:
Enemy turn.
The wounded worm tries to make its way back toward Jarrox, but its injuries are too severe. It only manages to tear itself apart with its own struggles.
Dyen:
(. . . someone rolled a 1.)
thuryl:
Meanwhile, the central beast shakes and flails around wildly with its tentacles, striking Jarrox, Lephista and Dyen.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 4 hit points.***
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 4 hit points.***
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 4 hit points.***
thuryl:
Party turn.
Phulax:
"Who should I teleport??"
Lephista:
"Jarrox!"
Phulax:
Teleport Jarrox.
Dyen:
"Jarrox, get back!"
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 6
thuryl:
Phulax just barely manages to teleport Jarrox a short distance. It should be slightly easier for him to escape being hit by the tentacles if he runs now.
Jarrox:
"I'm going to kill you and then eat you...you big worm!" I struggle on the floor.
Phulax:
"Fly, you fool!"
thuryl:
You... struggle on the floor?
Meredith:
"Jarrox! Look at this gold I've found! I need your help carrying it!"
Phulax:
LOL @ Thuryl!
Jarrox:
(I'm fully loaded with heave armor and gear, I doubt that I can get up very fast.)
thuryl:
Lephista and Dyen turn their backs and flee from the tentacled monstrosity, taking some more hits from its flailing limbs as they go.
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 4 hit points.***
Phulax:
"Great, Jarrox, great. Always thinking with your stomach!"
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 3 hit points.***
Phulax:
(Imagine I teleported Jarrox onto his feet)
Jarrox:
(But if I can then I flying dragon, crouching dragon it out of there.)
thuryl:
So Jarrox is in fact trying to get away as fast as he can, however fast or slow that may be?
Jarrox:
(Yeah, Jarrox doesn't want to die. He's got so much to live for.)
thuryl:
Fine. Jarrox scrambles away from the beast. He just feels the end of a small tentacle slap harmlessly against his helmet as he gets to his feet and runs.
thuryl:
Enemy turn.
Dyen:
"What happened to the explosives?"
Phulax:
"Good things come to those who wait."
thuryl:
A final wave of convulsions wracks the body of the bizarre, mutated creature. Glowing steam rises from its form, and it pounds the floor helplessly with its tentacles as the chemicals poured onto it do their work. An instant later, the chamber is filled with an overwhelming display of light and sound, as warped flesh and stone debris flies around in all directions.
thuryl:
Saving throws from Dyen, Lephista and Jarrox, please.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 9
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 3
Jarrox:
(Come on big numbers)
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 10
Phulax:
(Bigger than anyone else)
thuryl:
Lephista is knocked off her feet by the shockwave of the blast and flung back into the pool of noxious purplish liquid on the floor, while Dyen and Jarrox maintain their footing but are pummeled by high-velocity debris.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 4 hit points.***
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 1 hit points.***
Lephista:
*** Lephista loses 12 hit points.***
Jarrox:
(That's a big hole.)
thuryl:
When the dust settles, all that remains of the great beast is still-twitching fragments of tentacles, strewn all across the room and down the hallway.
thuryl:
End combat.
Lephista:
"Oh gods, that hurt." FA on myself.
Phulax:
(Who should I heal?)
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 13
Dyen:
I cough weakly, do a little half turn and fall against the wall, clutching my poor, poor body and grimacing.
Phulax:
"It worked!!!"
Jarrox:
"Now I'll drink to that." I take a hit from my new hip flask.
thuryl:
I'll need additional saving throws from Jarrox and Lephista now, by the way.
Lephista:
"That is why I told you idiots to stay back."
Dyen:
"*cough... wheeze*"
* Jarrox rolls: d20 => 15
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 17
thuryl:
Jarrox and Lephista examine their wounds carefully. Fortunately, the worms seem not to have injected a dangerous amount of venom into either of them. Lephista manages to clean and bind some of her more serious injuries.
Lephista:
***Lephista is healed and gains 6 hit points.***
Phulax:
If no one objects, I tend to Jarrox's wounds then.
Jarrox:
I allow it.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 9
Jarrox:
***Jarrox is healed and gains 5 hit points.***
thuryl:
Phulax treats Jarrox's wounds and manages to stop the bleeding from his various bites and scratches.
Phulax:
Since I'm arbitrarily not allowed to treat Dyen too, I hand him a healing potion.
Dyen:
I sip it weakly.
Jarrox:
"Anyone tired?" I look at Dyen, "Like him?"
thuryl:
Dyen feels somewhat more alive after drinking the potion.
Dyen:
***Dyen is healed and gains 6 hit points.***
Phulax:
I look around the pit room.
Lephista:
I harvest some more water reagents from the newly dead worms.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 6
Meredith:
"Nice of you all to turn up now."
Phulax:
I look at the big hole.
Dyen:
"Ugh. Fat lot of help you guys were. So much for testing your willingness to take risks."
thuryl:
Lephista is still getting the hang of this whole alchemy thing, but there are enough various body parts lying around that she succeeds in harvesting 1 Earth and 1 Water reagent anyway.
Dyen:
I get to my feet and stretch, then stumble onwards.
Phulax:
"A willingness to take risks is not the same as a deathwish, Dyen."
Dyen:
(That was at the other party.)
(You guys were good.)
Phulax:
(Oh)
Siana:
"Why would we need to help, when you did such a great job on your own?"
Dyen:
I climb up the crater.
Phulax:
"Give Hirst some credit, he did help with the explosive."
...UP a crater?
Jarrox:
(Does the hole in the floor have a bottom?)
Dyen:
(There's a rim.)
Dyen:
(Goes up, then there's the hole.)
Phulax:
(Aha!)
Lephista:
"I swear to the gods, Siana, now is not the time."
Dyen:
(Outside of the crater, if you prefer)
thuryl:
Phulax examines the pit in the middle of the room. Now that the beast has been disposed of, he can see that near the bottom of the pit is a tunnel leading deeper into the earth to the north.
Phulax:
"Hark, a tunnel! Let's get digging!"
Ilestro:
"You know, you're all looking pretty beat up right now. I'm just saying."
Jarrox:
"Mind if I take a breather?" No? Good." I walk into the room and sit down.
Lephista:
"Yeah, we are. You guys should watch while we all rest."
Meredith:
"Well, only those that are tested get to make wishes. You guys still owe the temple a test, since you ducked out this one."
Siana:
"Hah. Why do we have to play by the rules of some long-dead priests who didn't want anyone getting their hands on the source of their power?"
Dyen:
"If that's what they wanted, they would have wished for it."
Siana:
"You know what I think? I think we'll let you go on ahead and clear out any more dangers along the way, and then we'll follow after you. No sense risking our own necks."
Lephista:
"Okay. We'll go when we're good and ready, then."
Lephista:
I yawn loudly, stretch my arms, and sit down next to Jarrox.
Dyen:
"Suit yourselves. We'll see who the trials like better."
Ilestro:
"You're not seriously thinking of resting HERE, are you? Just look at the place! It's filthy!"
Phulax:
"Yeah, guys, I don't really think this is the best spot to stop..."
Dyen:
"They're here for a reason, and that reason is not to reward cowardice."
I lay down on the slope of the crater.
Meredith:
"Everywhere will be filthy. This temple is centuries old."
Dyen:
"Never knew that rubble and ruined flesh could be so comfortable."
Jarrox:
"Have you looked at yourself, or any of us? We aint clear by a long shot. And you've got some blood on you there Cutie."
Meredith:
I find a clearish spot and sit down.
Jarrox:
(Adventure strike!)
Phulax:
"Umm... you all do remember how evil Turtle King is probably chasing us right now?"
Hirst:
"So this is how it's going to be, is it? We just all sit here until somebody finally decides to go on ahead?"
Phulax:
"This isn't the time to stop and smelll the daisies... if there any daisies to smell."
Dyen:
"We're willing to go ahead before you, Hirst."
Lephista:
"He'll probably screw up the Sliros test. You know, being an evil monarch and all."
Jarrox:
"I'll make him into soup, or he'll blow up. Have any more of that booms stuff?"
Dyen:
"But I'd like to pick the shrapnel out of me first."
Phulax:
"I must say, I find it moderately hilarious that you all were so eager to be ahead of us at first, and suddenly you prefer that WE go first." I chuckle.
Siana:
"Hirst! What do you think they're trying to get us to do? Is this yet another of their tricks?"
Dyen:
"I, personally, don't want you to do anything. You may go or stay as you wish, I intend to go when I feel ready."
Phulax:
"We just about killed ourselves fighting a huge monster to trick you? What could we possibly be trying to do???"
Lephista:
"Guys, I'm worried. The world is out of tilt, or something. Jarrox just had a good idea."
Dyen:
"That's not bad, actually."
thuryl:
Hirst looks troubled.
Dyen:
"But I think it would be better to just leave the cyan tap on."
Jarrox:
I pull out my two healing potions and stamina potion and drink them all together.
Dyen:
"Never mind, actually. The tests probably reset themselves."
"Or else the way would be clear already."
Hirst:
"What you said before, about the ability to receive a miracle depending on one's success in the tests... do you truly believe that?"
thuryl:
Jarrox feels much better.
Jarrox:
***Jarrox is healed and gains 12 hit points.***
Jarrox:
***Jarrox gains 3 stamina.***
Meredith:
"We were told that only the worthy would be rewarded. Seems fair that the King was telling the truth on that."
Phulax:
"Well, the tests must be here for something, after all."
Dyen:
"Yes. They are not arbitrary, sadistic games."
Jarrox:
"So, who wants to make some boom stuff with these bottles?"
Siana:
"This is ridiculous. If we get through the tests, however we do it, isn't that the same as passing them?"
Dyen:
"They are tests. And one must pass them, not pass them by."
Phulax:
I take two of the bottles.
(Witty, Dyen!)
Meredith:
"Siana, were you tested on this level?"
Jarrox:
I hand them over and then follow Phulax.
Phulax:
(Without dragging my dude all around, I go fill one bottle with C and one with Y and then come back).
Jarrox:
(I watch, and fill the one bottle I have too.)
Siana:
"Well, we succeeded pretty well at getting you guys to do all the work, didn't we?"
"Isn't that an important skill too?"
Dyen:
"In life, yes."
Hirst:
"Siana, enough!"
Dyen:
"In the eyes of the gods?"
"Perhaps less so."
Meredith:
"Think about the last couple of tests. You think after the whole "working together" crap with Mariona the gods wanted you to take a backseat?"
Hirst:
"If there's even a chance that what they say is true... then trying to evade the tests may be more dangerous than trying to complete them. We must do what we still can to prove ourselves."
Dyen:
"I would appreciate it, Hirst."
Ilestro:
"Haven't you noticed all those dead goblins lying around yet? Trying to evade the tests wasn't what got them killed."
Phulax:
(So I now have one bottle of C, and one of Y, stowed away; which substance did Jarrox get? I wish we'd tried M too)
Jarrox:
(I got M then?)
Dyen:
"Did I say it was the safest way to the end?"
"It isn't. But it is the only way that you'll get a wish."
thuryl:
(By my count the party's got, uh, 6 empty bottles between you, so just give me a shopping list of what you want to fill them with and I'll consider it done.)
Dyen:
(You guys can always go check it out.)
(I want one bottle of C, please)
Jarrox:
(I'll take a M and some Purple goop too.)
Meredith:
(m is purple)
Lephista:
(I'd like to save a couple for making potions.)
Dyen:
(And one of plain G)
thuryl:
The M and the purple goo do in fact seem to be the same thing: at least, in terms of appearance and odour they're identical.
Phulax:
(So none for explosives, then?)
Lephista:
(Also, I already have some M.)
Jarrox:
(I take two purple.)
Phulax:
(Then I don't take any of the bottles so you all can get the stuff you want)
thuryl:
Dyen dispenses a bottle's worth of green liquid. It has a faint, unpleasant smell, like stale fish.
Dyen:
(Why don't we get the bases? We can always mix it ourselves.)
Lephista:
(The bases are dangerous, but if you don't mind carrying them, okay)
Dyen:
(The others aren't?
Phulax:
(So people ordered 1 c, 2 m/purple, and two bottles saved for potions; that leaves 1 left if someone wants it)
thuryl:
The rest of you notice that Jarrox has collapsed to the floor and seems to be going into convulsions. An empty bottle is in his hand, with traces of purple liquid at the bottom and around the rim.
Phulax:
...
thuryl:
(3:06:38 PM) rowenoct27: I drink one of the purple bottles. I just didn't want everyone to know what a dumb thing I did.
thuryl:
For posterity.
Phulax:
"Oh Jarrox."
Meredith:
hahahaha
Dyen:
"Oh, shit."
Meredith:
dude.
Jarrox:
(Posterity? I thought it was a growth goop. Crap.)
Lephista:
First Aid to induce vomiting:
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 19
Baxa:
"... is your friend okay over there?"
Phulax:
I get back.
Lephista:
"Stand back, give me room!"
Meredith:
Satisfied that it's only Jarrox, I sit back down to rest.  
thuryl:
Lephista wastes no time in shoving a finger down Jarrox's throat, forcing him to vomit up the purple formula. He gradually regains consciousness, looking somewhat the worse for wear.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 5 hit points.***
Siana:
"... did he just do what I think he just did?"
Phulax:
"Yes."
I sigh.
Siana:
"How have you idiots survived this long?"
Jarrox:
"Did I grow any?" I mumble with some puple stuff on my chin.
Dyen:
"Fortune favors the bold."
Meredith:
"Probably because none of us are giant stuck up cows, Siana."
Phulax:
...
(Ouch)
Lephista:
I take Jarrox's now-empty bottle, wash it out, and use it to make a healing salve.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 13
Lephista:
(Catfight! :P)
thuryl:
Lephista successfully prepares a healing salve.
Phulax:
(Do we, in fact, have any empty bottles left, O DM?)
Siana:
"WHAT did you just call me?"
Jarrox:
I empty out the other purple bottle on the floor. "Nasty tasting too."
Meredith:
"If your wit were as sharp as your tongue, I might feel the need to continue this conversation, but your constant bitching is growing tiresome."
thuryl:
(As of now, you have one cyan formula, one green formula, one healing salve, and three empty bottles. I think.)
Phulax:
I get for myself a Cyan and Yellow.
Jarrox:
What makes a bomb?
Phulax:
(Those two)
thuryl:
OK. Two cyan, one yellow, one green, one healing, one empty.
Phulax:
Give the last empty to our alchemist.
Lephista:
(Why do we have a green? For throwing acid at people?)
Siana:
"Well, I've had more than enough of you, too!"
Jarrox:
"Sweet. Think I can put the cyan and yellow in the same bottle?"
thuryl:
(Dyen wanted a green.)
Lephista:
(I know, I was asking Dyen. :P)
thuryl:
Jarrox, are you going to attempt to mix the cyan and the yellow or is that an idle question?
Phulax:
"No, we've filled them all. I've these two, Jarrox and all the others are used."
Lephista:
"Careful, Siana. This could be a trick."
Dyen:
(For drinking later. )
Jarrox:
(Question.)
Meredith:
"Then shut up and go find your precious miracle. Maybe you WILL find that end to the eternal PMS you're suffering."
Phulax:
...
Siana:
"Oh, I see how it is. You're trying to piss us off so much that we can't take it any more and move on ahead of you, aren't you? Well, it won't work!"
Dyen:
"Meredith, please. It's pointless, and even if you get to her, you're only harming us all."
Hirst:
"Siana! Let it go! Believe it or not, there are more important things in the world than your pride!"
Lephista:
"Or maybe that's what she wants you to think."
Phulax:
"None of this will help anything, you know."
Meredith:
"No, I genuinely can't stand you. Not the others, they're a bit paranoid but bearable. But you are insufferable!"
Phulax:
"Yo! I am going into this tunnel! Is anyone coming?"
Jarrox:
I sip some of the hip flask to get the taste of the purple goop out of my mouth.
Hirst:
Hirst looks at Siana and Ilestro in disgust as he begins walking toward the tunnel. "I won't waste any more time here. If you don't want to keep going without a healer, you'll follow."
Phulax:
"Come on, my peeps!"
I enter the tunnel, vigilantly.
Jarrox:
"I'll go with you Hirst, I like you."
I hurry over to Hirst.
Meredith:
"Never ever call me that, Phulax!"
Phulax:
"Baxa!" I call. "You know you can trust me!"
Lephista:
"I thought we agreed to rest first!" I get up wearily.
Hirst:
"You can all rest if you want. But I'm going. Now."
Dyen:
"It's clear that certain members of our parties will not allow that."
Phulax:
I keep walking. "Remember the Turtle King! He's coming to get us."
Meredith:
"No, I think we agreed to rest after freeing them from the goblins, and then carrying them through this task. And yet somehow we're still the bad guys here."
thuryl:
The other members of the rival party get up and follow Hirst, although Siana and Ilestro do so with obvious reluctance.
Jarrox:
"Well, blow him up, or he'll drink that purple stuff."
thuryl:
Hirst and his party continue further down the tunnel. Phulax, are you going to keep following them? Is anyone else?
Dyen:
I am, yeah.
Phulax:
I was leading them! I'm not following them!
Meredith:
Yeah, I'm going to keep up with them.
Lephista:
Me too.
Jarrox:
I follow Hirst.
thuryl:
Okay.
You all continue walking down the dark tunnel, with walls roughly dug out of earth and stone. Hirst and his party travel alongside you in uncomfortable silence as you venture deeper into the earth, and closer to the great prize at the heart of the City of Hope.
End session.