"You're right. I shouldn't tell the small giants there aren't sharks when there might still be sharks. There is another passage out of the cave room and it leads to a corner and I don't know what is around the corner. So I'd better go and look in case it is more sharks."
Alora is about to head off when she hears Anomen's comment about the minitaurs.
"Only a coward would suggest something like that. A real paladin wouldn't even have thought of it."
With that Alora heads back to the cave and down the passage. She goes very carefully, trying to move silently, and when she gets to the corner she uses her mirror to look round to see if there is anything there.
"Only a coward would suggest something like that. A real paladin wouldn't even have thought of it."
OOC: Ohhhhh man, shots fired!
"Oh, me too!" Aerie was about to bound after her when she stopped mid-step and turned back to the rest of her party. "I-I mean, we should follow her and keep exploring. Yes?"
"Yes, oh Omni-present Authority Figure," Jaheira groaned. They had placed Aerie in charge, so she would follow the will of the group, but not without a little resistance. After all, the balance had to be maintained at all costs.
You follow the southern path and come to a conjunction of paths, each twisting off into different directions. One leads northeast, one northwest, southeast and southwest, south and west. (all these are general directions, so read them as direction (ish).
Sense of direction has never been one of Alora's strong points so she's not too sure where she is headed. Unless someone voices a desire to go another way she is going to head northwest.
The Northwestern corridor leads back to the stalactite/stalagmite room after 40'. 20' from the center of the "star", there is a second corridor to the south that looks very familiar, the one that leads back to the room with the beer taps.
"It seems that we have gone in circles," Jaheira muttered to Khalid. This was quieter than her usual grumbling, as direction (especially out of doors) was not her strongest point, and she didn't want this to be a widely known fact.
Unless anyone wants to fight the ropeless ropers in the stalactite room (OOC: Presumably we could take them out with missile weapons?) Alora will head to the northeast, checking for traps as she goes.
The northeast passage leads to a rectangular room, approximately 40' by 80'. The room is mostly featureless, except for a small stream winding its way through the center and a small (3') round) boulder floating near one wall. Occasionally the stream widens into a small pool, but continues to flow quite steadily through the room. Other than a few patches of lichen that Jaheira identifies as harmless, and one that glows with a muted pink light (also essentially harmless, unless you should eat it), there is nothing else to be seen in this room.
It does have a second exit to the southwest(ish). In fact, it's short enough that you can identify it as being part of the "star" of passageways. The one to the southeast from near the center of the star. The only passages you haven't tried from the star are the ones directly south and southwest (from where you first entered).
Jaheira leans to sniff the water, mostly to assess if it is fresh (and natural). "Often, underwater streams confound excavators by leaking into their unnatural delvings." She felt very self-righteous about that fact, as she firmly upheld the idea that nature would always work to reclaim what had been taken from her.
Alora will study the boulder. Is there anything unusual about it? Would it be possible for a big strong, Minsc-shaped person to pick it up? If it is possible to pick it up or roll it over Alora would like to know if there is anything under it.
If there is nothing interesting about the boulder Alora will head down the southern passageway. She will check for traps as normal, listen and use her mirror if she comes to a sharp bend in the tunnel.
The water is somewhat mineral-tasting, but otherwise fresh and good. It appears to flow from an opening in the wall, under the level of the water. The opening is dark and too small to crawl through, even for Alora. It flows from the general north to the south.
The boulder is floating about 5' off the ground, so it's obviously not very heavy.
The pebble impacts the boulder with the sound of one rock hitting another rock. Slowly, the boulder rotates in midair. Someone has drawn a crude eye on it in what looks like charcoal. The one eye and the drawing make it look very… surprised, somehow.
Alora is perplexed. She cautiously goes closer. She will be careful not to get under it to make sure it can't fall on her. If she can reach she will give it a little tap with the hammer she uses to drive in iron spikes. Does it sound hollow? (OOC: She is trying to work out if it really is a big lump of rock or whether it just looks like a big lump of rock)
She now has to know what is inside. However, she is also very nervous about what she may find.
For once Alora is going to ask for the advice of the others:
"I'm going to stand as far away as I can and then shoot my sling at the rock to see if it will shatter. Then we can see what is inside it. But I think you should all stand back - especially you Arkanis - because I don't seem to be a very good shot."
If no one tells her not to, Alora will start firing slingshot at the rock.
OOC: if she doesnt heed my warning, Anomen will brace for the thing to explode behind Minsc, but will attempt to make it look like he isn't cowering in fear, but doing something else, such as readjusting his grip on his shield.
Alora puts her sling down. "You think it might explode?" For once Anomen might have a point. Alora sort of feels that this boulder could be a trap designed specifically for inquisitive people like her. She doesn't think any good will come of trying to break into it but she desperately wants to know what it is there for.
"I've got an idea, why don't we go and find someone who might know what it is. If we find Culum's dad he should know because he works here. Let's go and look for him."
Alora heads down the southern passage in the hope of finding an answer.
OOC: I'm busy all weekend. By the way. Shoulda mentioned that. >.>;;
Although Aerie is also curious about the rock, she's not nearly fool enough to not heed Anomen's warning. Even if it wasn't doomed to explode, they still had no idea what could be inside. So she says a few agreeing words and follows Alora to help look for Culum's dad.
Comments
We shouldn't kill them now while they are subdued just in case?
Aerie secretly hoped she was wrong, because she most certainly did not relish the idea of fighting more of the frightening Land Sharks.
Alora is about to head off when she hears Anomen's comment about the minitaurs.
"Only a coward would suggest something like that. A real paladin wouldn't even have thought of it."
With that Alora heads back to the cave and down the passage. She goes very carefully, trying to move silently, and when she gets to the corner she uses her mirror to look round to see if there is anything there.
"Oh, me too!" Aerie was about to bound after her when she stopped mid-step and turned back to the rest of her party. "I-I mean, we should follow her and keep exploring. Yes?"
It does have a second exit to the southwest(ish). In fact, it's short enough that you can identify it as being part of the "star" of passageways. The one to the southeast from near the center of the star. The only passages you haven't tried from the star are the ones directly south and southwest (from where you first entered).
If there is nothing interesting about the boulder Alora will head down the southern passageway. She will check for traps as normal, listen and use her mirror if she comes to a sharp bend in the tunnel.
The boulder is floating about 5' off the ground, so it's obviously not very heavy.
"Jaheira, when you have finished telling us about underground streams can you tell us what you know about floating boulders?"
Alora is careful not to get too close to the boulder. Maybe it is a boulder beholder?
Alora is going to toss a pebble at it and see if it seems to be made of rock.
"He did that," she says, pointing to Anomen.
"Are you a talking floating boulder or just the regular floating, rotating kind?"
The thing does not answer.
She now has to know what is inside. However, she is also very nervous about what she may find.
For once Alora is going to ask for the advice of the others:
"I'm going to stand as far away as I can and then shoot my sling at the rock to see if it will shatter. Then we can see what is inside it. But I think you should all stand back - especially you Arkanis - because I don't seem to be a very good shot."
If no one tells her not to, Alora will start firing slingshot at the rock.
It is obviously harmless in its current state. LEAVE it like that.
Your actions might make it explode killing us all.
"I've got an idea, why don't we go and find someone who might know what it is. If we find Culum's dad he should know because he works here. Let's go and look for him."
Alora heads down the southern passage in the hope of finding an answer.
Although Aerie is also curious about the rock, she's not nearly fool enough to not heed Anomen's warning. Even if it wasn't doomed to explode, they still had no idea what could be inside. So she says a few agreeing words and follows Alora to help look for Culum's dad.