OOC: is the door actually up at the ceiling, or down on the floor as any normal door would be? I'm asking this, because we can see the door through the stalactites (which grow on the ceiling) and not through the stalagmites (which grow on the floor).
OOC: I'm pretty sure it is on the floor. I think even in a dungeon as weird as this one a door on the ceiling would have been worthy of note.
And with everything so topsy -turvy maybe stalactites and stalagmites are the other way round too. (I must admit I can ever remember which one is which)
OOC: I'd imagined it as a door in the wall, but that stalactites and stalagmites 'grew' or were placed, so that they block the view. It's an old dungeoneering adage, You can't see the door for the stalactites. It is less clumsy in Elvish, but I digress. Over the years, it was applied to other situations, until settling on 'you can't see the forest for the trees'.
"Agreed," Jaheira insisted, continuing her fickleness with respect to loyalty toward party members. She attributed this tendency to the party's lack of effective leadership, and, as a result, was plotting to instill a leader with far better sense. Such as herself, which was clearly the best choice; in time, the others would see this, as well.
She then decides to give up on trying to get to the door. "I'm going to see if there is another way in," she announces and heads off to the northern corridor.
Okay, I am assuming that, since no one has spoken up differently, everyone is following Alora. About 10' north of the Eastern passage leading to the Stalagmite and Stalactite room with the door, there is another offshoot into a passage leading West and South, which quickly turns south.
It doesn't take long for Alora to traverse the corridor, even as she checks for traps. It's sort of a J-shape, and at the end of it are four little… men. Alora thinks they'd kind of look like Giants, if they weren't, oh, about 5 feet tall. They don't like the sight of Alora, as three of them raise clubs menacingly in her direction. One of the man, bald , with his skin gray like Stone, sort of rolls his eyes to the ceiling.
"Chill out, Dudes," he says. "S'not a monster. S'a Halfling."
"She'll tell where we are!" says one with skin like ash and bright red hair.
"We chill *her* out!" says the one with blue skin and white hair.
The one with brownish skin just nods enthusiastically and doesn't say anything.
The stone-skinned one drops his head in his hands and shakes his head back and forth. "It's hell being the brains in this family," he says aloud to no one in particular. He pushes past his brothers and smiles at Alora. "I'm Rocky," he says with a nod. "These are my brothers, Aargh," He points to the red-haired one. "Glacus," he points to the blue-skinned one. "And Jethro." He nods at the brown-skinned one. "And you are?"
"Hey!" Aargh calls out, pointing at Jan. "There's another one!"
Rocky looks at Jan. "S'Gnome, idiot." He turns back to Jan and Alora. "I have to apologize for my brothers," he says. "They're not really well socialized."
"Hello Rocky," says Alora with a smile. "I'm Alora and I know what you mean, I'm the brains in my family too. That's my friend Jan and some of my other friends will be along soon. Don't worry they are very nice. Well most of them are anyway. What are you doing down here? Are you hiding from someone?"
"More of you?" Glaucus asks. The four brother exchange glances. "We didn't mean what we said, Miss Alora." Aargh says.
"We're hiding from the monsters," Rocky confides. "We're used to being big and tall and larger than most monsters. But now we're little and puny and weak." He looks around. "There used to be more of us. But we're the last ones."
"You don't look little and weak and puny to me. You look pretty big. And I wouldn't worry about monsters. We haven't really seen any yet. But I've got an idea, if you're scared of monsters why don't you come with us and we can protect you. I'm the leader of the party, we're called Alora's Marauders, and you can join if you like."
Okay, I am assuming that, since no one has spoken up differently, everyone is following Alora.
OOC: Only if by 'following', you mean 'traveling in the same direction'
Jaheira heard words from around the bend, and was surprised to see Alora among some stout, and rather tall, dwarves. At least, dwarves was the best way she could describe them. "And are these friends, or foes?" she queried. How strange they must appear to the strangers, with the horned ducks waddling amongst the bizarre collection of adventurers!
Rocky shrugs. "I have no idea. I was living my life like normal and one day, I woke up here and I was small, puny and weak. Not like I used to be."
The other three nod. "Same for us," seems to be the general consensus.
"And this place is full of monsters," Rocky goes on. "We had to hide after some of us died. We don't want to have to face them again. Especially those Sharks!"
He must mean Bulletes. They dig underground tunnels and are rumored to move within the deeps of the earth, just like sharks move within the deeps of the sea!
"We can show you the way out of the dungeon if you like. Because you can't just hide here. If a shark came round the corner you've got nowhere to run away to and nowhere to hide."
Rocky, have you seen anyone besides the monsters around here? We are on a rescue mission for someone who, against his better judgement, went down here all alone.
Comments
And with everything so topsy -turvy maybe stalactites and stalagmites are the other way round too. (I must admit I can ever remember which one is which)
It does not matter. Leave the door and latencies thos chaps father so he can stop pestering us.
OOC: ??? I think your spell check cast Domination on you, and mixed your words.
She then decides to give up on trying to get to the door. "I'm going to see if there is another way in," she announces and heads off to the northern corridor.
It does not matter. Leave the door and lets find this chaps father so he can stop pestering us.
"Chill out, Dudes," he says. "S'not a monster. S'a Halfling."
"She'll tell where we are!" says one with skin like ash and bright red hair.
"We chill *her* out!" says the one with blue skin and white hair.
The one with brownish skin just nods enthusiastically and doesn't say anything.
The stone-skinned one drops his head in his hands and shakes his head back and forth. "It's hell being the brains in this family," he says aloud to no one in particular. He pushes past his brothers and smiles at Alora. "I'm Rocky," he says with a nod. "These are my brothers, Aargh," He points to the red-haired one. "Glacus," he points to the blue-skinned one. "And Jethro." He nods at the brown-skinned one. "And you are?"
Rocky looks at Jan. "S'Gnome, idiot." He turns back to Jan and Alora. "I have to apologize for my brothers," he says. "They're not really well socialized."
"We're hiding from the monsters," Rocky confides. "We're used to being big and tall and larger than most monsters. But now we're little and puny and weak." He looks around. "There used to be more of us. But we're the last ones."
Jaheira heard words from around the bend, and was surprised to see Alora among some stout, and rather tall, dwarves. At least, dwarves was the best way she could describe them. "And are these friends, or foes?" she queried. How strange they must appear to the strangers, with the horned ducks waddling amongst the bizarre collection of adventurers!
Ah, more little people great. Did you ask them about he kids father?
The other three nod. "Same for us," seems to be the general consensus.
"And this place is full of monsters," Rocky goes on. "We had to hide after some of us died. We don't want to have to face them again. Especially those Sharks!"
(Cue Saturday Night Live "Land Shark!" video here.)
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/landshark/2832305