Kestrel says, "I think we should head back to the site for a quick cleanup--remove the pillar, get the ceramic tiles, chat with locals to see if anyone knows where Arthur & co. headed."
Kestrel asks, "Anyone want to come?"
[oneshot] Lydia asks, "anyone else coming tonight?"
Lydia says (to Kestrel), "Certainly."
Erich says, "that would be fine"
[oneshot] GM says, "Unfortunately not, although Dana will be joining us next time."
Kestrel says (to GM), "Then we do that thing."
GM says, "You find the second entrance without much trouble, and get the pillar out of the way."
GM says, "The doors seem a bit less fluid in their movement now, perhaps as a result of the stress that was put on them last time."
Kestrel swings the doors open and shut a few times to get things moving again.
Kestrel swings the doors open and shut a few times to get things moving again.
GM says, "After closing the door with the tiles, you notice that the humming and glowing that attended them before is absent."
Lydia says, "hm."
Erich inspects the doors for surface damage.
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "ILAbaby ;-)"
Lydia tries touching the tiles again.
GM says (to Lydia), "The humming begins again, at the low pitch, and they start to glow."
Lydia says, "oops."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I bet we wore out the battery."
GM says, "As before, the pitch gradually increases as you watch."
Erich says, "no lasting harm, then"
Kestrel asks (of Lydia), "Do they come out?"
GM says, "Eventually, the door slides open again."
Lydia says, "Well, they're in there kind of tight."
Kestrel tugs experimentally on them.
GM says (to Kestrel), "With the door open, they're inaccessible."
Erich attempts to slide his thumbnail under one of them.
Kestrel closes the door first, of course.
GM says (to Kestrel, Erich), "As you touch them, the door opens again. It's too quick for you to pry them out."
Lydia says, "We can put the pillar in the south door to keep this from opening on us."
Lydia says, "-- like that"
Lydia starts rolling the broken piece to the south end.
Kestrel says, "Or just hold the door open."
Kestrel opens the south door.
Erich says, "here"
Erich steps into the open doorway and braces himself.
Erich says, "hopefully I will not be turned into jam"
Erich says, "as I doubt I would be very tasty."
Lydia tries to get a grip on the black piece on top.
GM says (to Lydia), "Finesse."
GM says, "As you touch the tiles, the door starts to shudder, as it tries to open."
[7thsea] Lydia rolls 3k3: 10+5 9 1 | 25
GM says (to Erich), "Meanwhile, your door tries to close. Brawn."
[7thsea] GM rolls 5k5: 2 9 2 7 5 | 25
[7thsea] Erich rolls 4k4: 1 3 2 5 | 11
[oneshot] Erich exclaims, "!"
Kestrel grabs the door.
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 2k2: 1 2 | 3
GM asks (of Erich), "Would you care to roll Footwork?"
[oneshot] Erich says, "i should have eaten my wheat-type morning cereal"
[7thsea] Erich rolls 5k3: 5 3 2 10+4 7 | 26
GM says (to Lydia), "You get a good grip, and probably would have managed to get it out, but the door was yanked out of your hands."
GM says (to Erich), "And meanwhile, you are able to jump out of the way just in time."
Kestrel says, "Lets try again."
Erich shrugs. "I was bested by a door."
Kestrel opens the south door again.
Erich takes his place once more.
Lydia says, "maybe that pillar would be a good idea after all."
[oneshot] GM asks, "Do you want to assume you keep trying and eventually get them out?"
[oneshot] Erich asks, "and miss the chance to roll all 2's and 3's for my brawn?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Oh, let's roll."
Kestrel helps with the door.
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 2k2: 2 6 | 8
[oneshot] GM says, "Go for it."
Lydia says, "well, okay..."
[7thsea] Erich rolls 4k4: 8 5 7 9 | 29
[7thsea] GM rolls 5k5: 4 1 3 8 3 | 19
Lydia tries it again.
Erich says (to Lydia), "I have a good feeling about this attempt."
[7thsea] Lydia rolls 3k3: 7 8 7 | 22
GM says (to Lydia), "The top one slips out into your waiting hands, and the door immediately goes quiet."
Lydia exclaims, "Got it!"
Kestrel exclaims, "Excellent!"
GM says (to Erich), "Although you feel a momentary push, it passes almost immediately."
Erich steps out of the door and rolls his head and stretches his arms behind him. "much better."
Kestrel looks around the south room for signs of the floor Arthur stole.
Lydia collects the other two, now that the door doesn't move.
Erich wanders into the next room.
GM says (to Kestrel), "In the 'entry' room you find only an apple core, perhaps left from someone's rations."
Kestrel dumps the core.
GM says (to Lydia), "They give you little to no difficulty."
Kestrel asks, "Well, shall we go?"
Erich says, "I do hope arthur and his band did no additional vandalism in their rage."
Erich says, "or perhaps that a suit of armor skewered him."
Lydia Let's take a look to the west. Maybe they left our marble.
Lydia says, "["]"
Kestrel waits until we're all in the opening room, opens the west door, looks around.
Erich agrees.
GM says, "It is largely as you left it. There are rather more footprints inthe dust than before, of course. The recess is empty and even apepars dry; there is no marble."
Kestrel, wary of more armor appearing, pokes his head in the north room just to be thorough, and then the east room too.
GM says (to Kestrel), "Likewise."
Kestrel says, "Alright, this place is empty. Let's head back to town."
Erich calls out (to Kestrel), "Anything?"
Kestrel says (to Erich), "Nope."
Lydia says, "We can explore the caves outside this, ah, place for a bit."
Erich says, "a shame."
Kestrel says (to Lydia), "Oh, that's true."
Kestrel says, "Sure, while we're here, and not carrying around precious artifacts..."
Erich says (to Kestrel), "you never did get a chance to go swimming, and there's that stream we found."
Kestrel grins.
Kestrel says, "I'm still dusty from the trip. A swim would do me good."
Lydia asks, "you want to go back north?"
Kestrel says, "No, let's circle around, so we don't have to futz with the tiles."
Kestrel exits to the south.
Erich says, "out we go."
Erich leaves, fitting action to words.
GM says, "You find your way to the sheer rock face that you climbed down to get in here. The really tall one."
Kestrel looks. "Oh, uh, I forgot about this.
GM says, "Luckily, someone decided to be kind and left a rope."
Kestrel tugs experimentally on the rope.
Erich gives the rope a few experimental tugs.
[oneshot] Erich says, "heh"
GM says, "It appears secure. The end of the rope is tied around a rock, which in turn is wrapped in paper."
Kestrel asks, "Eh? A note?"
Kestrel unwraps the paper from the rock.
Lydia asks, "Is this the one we used?"
Lydia says, "Oh.. I guess not."
[oneshot] Erich says, "all we need is 'knife'"
[oneshot] Kestrel exclaims, "Yay!"
GM says (to Kestrel), "It appears to be in a language you're not overly familiar with."
Erich glances at the paper.
Kestrel hands it to the others.
Lydia takes a look.
GM says (to Lydia), "It's possible that it might be your rope. It doesn't ahve any particular identifying features."
GM says, "Between you, you identify the language as Thean."
Erich says, "Arthur studied at the same school as Jemmy."
Kestrel says (to Lydia), "Come to think of it, we never did figure out how Arthur & co. got down here in the first place. You'd have thought we'd notice their rope on the way down."
Erich says, "wonder if this is meant for him."
Lydia says, "Maybe they actually came in after us."
Kestrel says (to Lydia), "Also possible."
Kestrel says, "Well, might as well try."
Kestrel scales the rope, calling to Erich to catch him if he falls.
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 4k3: 1 8 7 8 | 23
Lydia checks the note to see if anything looks like 'Arthur' or 'Jemmy'.
Erich says (to Kestrel), "I trust that, should you fall, you will do somersaults the entire way down and then land on your feet."
Kestrel exclaims (at Erich), "I'm a bird, not a cat!"
GM says (to Lydia), "In fact, you do notice Jemmy's name in it, and Arthur's in the signature."
Erich waits for Kestrel to reach the top, then reads far over Lydia's shoulder.
Lydia says, "ah, yes. Arthur signed it."
Kestrel reaches the top, checks the rope to be sure it's secure, then invites everyone else to come up.
Erich says (to Lydia), "After you -- ladies second."
GM says (to Kestrel), "Sorry, typed '...Kestrel'."
Lydia says (to Erich), "Well, I wasn't going to volunteer to catch you..."
[7thsea] Lydia rolls 4k3: 5 9 4 4 | 18
GM says, "But yes, it's a long, slow climb. It takes quite a while to reach the tope, but you eventually do."
GM says, "The top, that is."
[7thsea] Erich rolls 6k3: 2 4 10+10+4 7 2 4 | 35
GM says, "Erich manages to do it a bit faster than the others, though."
Kestrel pulls up the rope behind Erich, unties it, puts it in his pack. On a whim, he pockets the rock, too.
Erich says, "these climbs are getting easier"
Erich says, "must be the fresh air and exercise."
Kestrel grins.
Kestrel says, "All right, back to that entrance again."
GM says, "You find your way out of this cave, wander the hillside for a few moments, and find your way back around to the crevice you entered by a little while ago."
Kestrel asks, "My turn to swim, eh?"
Erich says, "in case the passageway narrows further"
Kestrel says, "Let's see if I just have to wade."
Kestrel rolls up his loose-fitting trousers to above his knees, ties a rope to his waist, gives the other end to Erich.
Kestrel says, "Just in case I get pulled away. Slow current here, but you never know."
Kestrel wades in.
Erich wraps the end of the rope around his waist and starts paying out slack
GM says, "The water, which runs from north to south, isn't too deep here -- you could crawl on your hands and knees with your head still above the surface."
GM says, "And in fact, with the way the cave lowers, that's what you'll have to do to follow the stream very far in either direction."
Kestrel re-emerges.
Kestrel says, "Well, time for pantsless adventuring."
Kestrel takes off his pants (but not his undergarments), rolls up his sleeves, ties his shirt so it's close-fitting instead of its normal bagginess.
Kestrel re-enters the stream, crawls.
Lydia turns away for a bit.
Kestrel left his pack, but kept his knife.
[interludes] GM has added Kestrel to the channel.
[interludes] GM asks, "WHich way?"
Erich says (to Lydia), "be sure to shout if more armor appears."
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "There's more than one?"
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "There's more than one?"
[interludes] GM says, "The stream goes from north to south."
Lydia says, "heh. right."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Uh, upstream."
[interludes] GM says, "OK. The stream widens and becomes more shallower in this direction, and the ground slopes upward."
[interludes] Kestrel keeps on going.
[interludes] GM says, "You hear water splashing, and it gets louder further north."
[interludes] Kestrel slows, but continues.
[interludes] GM says, "After a bit, you emerge into a 'room', or so you judge by the change in acoustics. The splashing noise is much louder here, and the water is pooled around your feet."
[interludes] Kestrel stands, gets his bearings.
[interludes] Kestrel also tries to work out where the splashing is coming from.
Erich asks, "what are your plans after we finish wrapping up here?"
[interludes] GM says, "The water is running out of the room to the south, where you entered from. The splashing seems to be coming from directly north of you. The ceiling, as far as you can tell, is not too far above you, although you can't reach it with your hands."
[oneshot] GM asks (of Erich), "OOC to me, or IC to Lydia?"
[interludes] Kestrel pokes upwards with his knife.
[oneshot] Erich says, "IC to Lydia"
[interludes] GM says (to Kestrel), "You only feel air immediately above you."
Lydia says, "mine? Well."
[interludes] Kestrel also feels around in the pool for foreign objects, feels around the walls, then continues north.
[interludes] Kestrel says, "aka >SEARCH ROOM"
Lydia says, "I'll just relax and enjoy myself until the next job."
Erich asks, "you plan on continuing work with the adventurer's guild?"
Erich says, "you do seem well-suited for it, I'll admit."
Lydia says, "maybe get one of those 'novels'"
[interludes] GM says, "You plot out a room that's roughly roundish, around six feet in radius; the splashing noise is coming from the middle of the room."
Lydia says, "Oh yes, these jobs are so exciting."
[interludes] Kestrel returns to the middle, holds out his hands expecting to feel a waterfall.
[interludes] GM says, "As you step under it, you feel the pleasant sensation of a miniature waterfall coming directly down on you."
[interludes] Kestrel gets his head wet, shakes his hair.
[interludes] Kestrel kicks around in the pool a bit more looking for lost stuff, then returns.
[interludes] GM says (to Kestrel), "You kick a pile of small objects near the middle of the pool, under the flow."
[interludes] Kestrel picks up one of the objects.
[interludes] GM says, "It feels like a small metal disk."
[interludes] Kestrel . o O ( Huh, that's interesting. )
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "Like a coin, or bigger?"
[interludes] GM says, "About coin-sized."
Kestrel smiles, collects the discs.
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Also, ILAC ;-)"
[interludes] GM says, "You gather about a dozen of them, scattered about."
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "I assume nothing else?"
[interludes] GM says, "Nope."
[interludes] GM says, "I mean, right."
Kestrel re-emerges from the north part of the stream.
Kestrel says, "It went up a ways to a round room fed by a waterfall into its center."
GM says (to Kestrel), "As you come out of the water, you notice that you're freezing."
Kestrel says, "And I found these."
GM says, "Kestrel holds out a handful of pence."
Kestrel exclaims, "They're lucky!"
Kestrel grins.
Kestrel says, "And now for the south..."
Kestrel asks, "Uh, but I'm pretty cold. Let me warm up a bit. Unless anyone else wants to go?"
Erich says, "I'm willing to take a turn."
[interludes] GM has removed Kestrel from the channel.
Kestrel says, "We should let the lady take a turn, since she hasn't gotten to go swimming yet."
Kestrel grins.
Lydia says, "well. Maybe some other time."
Kestrel says, "As you wish."
Kestrel doesn't bother untying the rope, but re-dons his pants, wrings out his now-wet shirt.
Kestrel says (to Erich), "In you go."
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "Do 7thsea pence have dates stamped on 'em?"
Erich disrobes, sighing a bit.
[oneshot] GM says, "No, but that doesn't look like Elaine's face."
Erich says, "here."
Kestrel idly sorts through his pence, looking at the faces stamped on 'em.
Erich hands the rope to Kestrel, leaving it tied about his waist.
Erich wades into the stream and heads south.
[interludes] GM has added Erich to the channel.
[interludes] Erich says, "aha"
[interludes] GM says (to Erich), "It gets dark quickly. As you follow the current, the water level seems to go down a bit; perhaps from water escaping through cracks in the stone."
[interludes] Erich says, "I'll keep going, though carefully."
[interludes] GM says, "The passage narrows further in, bringing the level back up. At the same time, the ceiling gets lower, only leaving you a few inches of air."
[interludes] GM says, "While it's not too narrow to pass, you don't have room to turn around if you keep going, although backpeddling is still an option."
[interludes] GM says, "(Pedalling, ITIM)"
[interludes] Erich says, "On I go, though I will stop if backing up is on the verge of being not an option."
[interludes] GM says, "The sides and ceiling continue to creep inwards; you reach a point where you have to turn on your side in order to have room. The entire passage is sloping downward, and the current is increasing. You reach the point where you have to duck under the water to continue any further."
[interludes] Erich asks, "If I reach out ahead of me, can I feel it opening up at all?"
[interludes] GM says, "For the forefeelable future, it seems to keep on about the same. You need to hang onto the sides if you don't want to be pulled ahead with the current at this point, though."
[interludes] Erich says, "Right. Back I go, pushing against the walls of the passageway for more leverage."
[interludes] GM says, "OK. It's difficult going, backwards and against the current, but you eventually get back to where you can turn around (albeit with difficulty), and from there it's easy enough to get back to the others."
Lydia says (to Kestrel), "Wonder how long those coins were there."
GM says, "Erich emerges, quite wet."
Erich says, "I have had little luck."
Lydia looks at some coin-faces.
Kestrel says (to Lydia), "Well, some of them since before Elaine, at least."
Erich says, "the passageway began narrowing alarmingly, and sloping down to boot."
GM says (to Erich), "You notice that it's colder to stand here sopping wet than it actually was to be in the water."
[oneshot] Lydia asks, "History+Wits?"
Kestrel says, "Though I have no idea how long even she has been monarch here."
Erich shivers some as he redresses.
Kestrel asks, "Luck? Of what kind?"
Erich says, "There might be something further in, but someone much smaller than I would need to attempt it."
[oneshot] GM says, "Um. *I* don't know how long there were there."
GM says (to Kestrel), "You actually do recognize a couple Elaines in there, and a few are too corroded to make out."
Erich says, "and would likely end up underwater and having to fight the current to return."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "You can decree--you're the GM."
Kestrel frowns.
[oneshot] GM says, "Oh, fine History+Wits if you like."
[7thsea] Lydia rolls 3k2: 1 3 5 | 8
Kestrel says, "It seems likely that it'd end up at a grate."
Kestrel asks, "Did you find anything else?"
[oneshot] GM says (to Lydia), "You're not sure if these coins ahve been minted yet."
Erich says, "no."
Kestrel says, "Well, hey, I'm already wet."
[oneshot] Kestrel chuckles.
Erich says, "tug thrice on the line if you need me to start pulling you back."
[interludes] GM has removed Erich from the channel.
[interludes] GM has added Kestrel to the channel.
Kestrel asks, "Would it be helpful if you went partway with me?"
Erich raises his eyebrows. "There is an interesting idea.
Kestrel asks, "Or is this the best spot to pull from?"
Erich says, "I think I will have the best purchase here."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "GM call for this, I assume."
Erich says, "and less chance of both of us being pulled by the current."
[oneshot] GM asks, "Do you want to roll to hear my answer?"
Kestrel says, "OK. I'll tug once when I'm holding my breath, twice when I get my breath back. So count, if I don't tug at all after pulling once, pull me back anyway. I'd say I can hold my breath..."
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "How long?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "(resolve 2)"
[oneshot] GM says, "I *think* I said 20 seconds * Resolve."
Kestrel says, "Maybe half a minute."
Kestrel says, "So, pull me back after three tugs, or after half a minute after one tug."
Erich nods.
Kestrel re-doffs his pants, keeps his shirt and knife again, and crawls downstream.
[interludes] GM says, "It gets dark quickly. As you follow the current, the water level seems to go down a bit; perhaps from water escaping through cracks in the stone."
[interludes] Kestrel continues.
[interludes] GM says, "The passage narrows further in, bringing the depth back up. At the same time, the ceiling gets lower, only leaving you a few inches of air."
[interludes] Kestrel continues further.
[interludes] GM says, "The sides and ceiling continue to creep inwards. While it's not too narrow to pass, you no longer have room to turn around if you keep going, although backpedalling is still an option."
Erich waits for any tugs.
[interludes] Kestrel reorients himself, goes in feet-first.
[interludes] GM says, "The entire passage is sloping downward, and the current is increasing. You will shortly the point where you have to duck under the water to continue any further."
[interludes] GM says, "Shortly reach, I mean."
GM says (to Erich), "You feel a moment of slack before it goes back to normal tautness."
[interludes] GM says, "Your head is at the last of the air; at your feet, the passage is getting even narrower."
[interludes] Kestrel . o O ( This is dumb. )
[interludes] Kestrel tugs once, takes a deep breath, goes down feet first.
[interludes] Kestrel says, "(On my front)"
[interludes] Kestrel says, "(so, like, crawling backwards)"
[interludes] GM says, "It gets progressively narrower, to the point where you need to go in sidewise, with one foot above the other rather than side-by-side."
[interludes] Kestrel . o O ( This is really dumb. )
[interludes] Kestrel continues a bit more.
[interludes] GM says, "(For reference, which foot's on top?)"
Kestrel left. So I can push off the bottom with my stronger right foot.
[interludes] Kestrel says, "left. So I can push off the bottom with my stronger right foot."
Kestrel tugs once on the line.
[interludes] GM says, "The further you go, the stronger the current gets. You begin to feel slightly like a cork in a bottle when the passage seems to split."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "I'm counting, also."
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "Up/down? Or right/left?"
[interludes] GM says, "About ten-fifteen seconds so far."
[interludes] GM says, "Up-down."
[interludes] Kestrel takes the upper passage.
Erich starts counting.
[interludes] GM says, "you barely fit into the upper passage; it seems to have slightly less current than the lower one. The passage twists as you continue, such that it grows horizontal again."
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "Any air yet?"
Erich keeps counting.
[interludes] GM says, "No. Although when your hands reach the split, you find that the lower passage feels like it probably wouldn't ahve been big enough to enter anyway."
GM says, "Twenty to twenty-five or so, so far."
[interludes] GM asks, "Still going?"
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "At 40 seconds, I start taking one wound/20 sec?"
Dan_Wood hollers, "PLOVER HAS A NEW KERNEL. Anyone who has a reason why I shouldn't reboot it in ten minutes had better chirp up."
[interludes] GM says, "Yeah, sounds good."
[interludes] Kestrel keeps on going another five seconds.
[Crows-Nest] Lydia exclaims, "did you hear that? there's a crazy old man in the caves!"
[interludes] GM says, "Around when your head gets to the split, your feet find some loose rocks partly in the way."
[interludes] Kestrel kicks 'em.
[interludes] GM says, "You kick out into air."
[interludes] Kestrel emerges as quickly as possible.
[interludes] GM says, "Although the space seems very small to pass through."
Kestrel tugs twice on the rope.
[interludes] GM says, "Finesse."
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 3k3: 5 1 2 | 8
[interludes] GM says, "You seem to get stuck. Your legs don't quite get through."
Erich says, "hm. was it 'two for breath, three for pull me back' or 'two for pull me back, three for breath', I wonder."
[interludes] Kestrel asks, "Can I try again?"
[interludes] GM says, "And the current is making it hard to pull back out again."
[interludes] GM asks (of Kestrel), "Are you forcing your way in, or trying to get back?"
Lydia says, "Two meant he has air."
[interludes] GM says, "Also, you're up to around thirty to thirty-five seconds so far."
[Crows-Nest] Erich says (to Lydia), "just playing to the transcript. :)"
[Crows-Nest] Erich says, "since of course Kestrel cannot hear me."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "I want to know if it's possible to roll again to try to make it to the air."
GM says, "It would be around thirty to thirty-five, if you're still counting."
[interludes] GM says (to Kestrel), "Yes, but it's a Brawn, since you're stuck."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "OK."
Erich says (to GM), "Actually, I have trouble with numbers above 'seven', so it's all moot."
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 2k2: 9 10+2 | 21
[interludes] Kestrel exclaims, "Yes!"
[interludes] Kestrel says, "(I assume)"
[interludes] GM says, "OK, you're unstuck. And a Finesse to not get stuck again."
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 3k3: 3 6 10+6 | 25
[interludes] Kestrel exclaims, "Double yes!"
[Crows-Nest] Erich says, "He's rolling. That's good, I hope."
[interludes] GM exclaims, "ANd you tumble out into an above-ground streambed!"
GM says, "You feel a sudden strong tug."
[interludes] Kestrel gasps, just as his lungs seemed ready to collapse.
[interludes] Kestrel looks around.
[interludes] GM says, "The sky below is spinning as water runs over your face."
Erich braces himself and starts counting again. From zero, mind you.
Erich also begins taking up the slack, if any.
[interludes] Kestrel rolls onto the bank, still panting.
[interludes] Kestrel . o O ( Yup. that was dumb. )
[interludes] GM says (to Kestrel), "You feel Erich pull the rope taut."
[interludes] GM says, "Meanwhile, you slowly gather that you're safely in air again. There's grass below you, and trees grow nearby."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "When I have my wits about me, I tug twice on the rope again."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Let's see how quick that is ;-)"
[7thsea] Kestrel rolls 3k3: 7 8 2 | 17
[interludes] GM says, "It seems to be another part of the same hillside. As you look back tot he stream, you wonder how you managed to fit through that little hole that the water is flowing out of."
[interludes] Kestrel shakes his head.
Kestrel tugs twice on the rope.
GM says (to Erich), "After around fifteen to twenty seconds, there are two tugs."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Then I untie myself, go back around to the main entrance."
[interludes] GM says, "OK. It takes a little searching, since you're light-headed, not to mention unfamiliar with where this stream comes out."
GM says, "A minute passes."
[interludes] GM asks, "Main entrance, or secondary entrance?"
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Cave entrance where everyone is."
GM says, "Another minute passes."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Tell them the rope's slack."
Erich frowns.
Erich says, "I am tempted to speed his return."
GM says, "Although you don't notice any pull on the rope anymore."
[interludes] GM says, "After two or three minutes, you find the small crevice leading down, which now seems a huge and expansive cave entrance."
[interludes] Kestrel says, "Heh."
GM says, "In fact, it seems to have gone completely slack."
Erich begins reeling in the rope
[interludes] Kestrel enters, calling down for people.
GM says, "You hear something to the west."
GM says, "The rope gives no resistence."
Erich pulls the rest of the rope in.
Lydia asks, "What was that?"
Lydia says, "I'll go check it out."
Lydia moves cautiously away.
[interludes] Kestrel keeps calling. "Lydia! Erich! I'm over here!"
Erich checks the end of the rope to see if it was cut or frayed.
GM says, "It sounds like 'Lydia! Erich! I'm over here!'"
GM says (to Lydia), "You arrive in time to see Kestrel climbing down from the entrance to the north."
Erich follows Lydia, nonchalantly tying the end of the rope into a loop which might even resemble a noose, if one were to look closely.
[interludes] GM has removed Kestrel from the channel.
Kestrel exclaims (at Lydia), "There you are!"
GM says, "Kestrel is about as wet as he could possibly be."
Erich says, "aha, Kestrel."
Kestrel says, "So we now have successfully charted an underground stream from where it falls into the dank cavern to where it emerges once again from a hillside."
Erich eyes Kestrel's neck speculatively and reduces the size of his loop of rope.
GM says (to Kestrel), "It seems a bit cold down here, as you leave the sunshine for the underground caves again."
Lydia says, "But no bars? Hmm."
Kestrel asks, "Did someone bring me my pants?"
Kestrel says, "Well, at one point the stream split, but I couldn't fit down the lower passageway."
Erich asks, "did someone warn us that he would not be needing the rope anymore?"
Kestrel says (to Kestrel), "Right, like I was going to let you pull me back through *that* again."
Kestrel asks, "I pulled twice, right?"
Erich says, "yes."
Lydia says (to Kestrel), "You should have pulled three times after tying it to something else."
Kestrel says, "I could have pulled five times, the universal signal for 'I'm coming back around the other way" I suppose."
Erich growls and thrusts the rope into Kestrel's hands before returning to the stream.
Kestrel says (to Erich), "There's nothing left to explore there! I'm getting some warmth."
Kestrel climbs back up.
Erich shouts to Kestrel, "I think your pants are going to explore the small passageway!"
Kestrel takes off his shirt. "Send this with it!"
Kestrel tosses it vaguely at the entrance.
Kestrel luxuriates in the sunlight.
Erich climbs back up into the sunlight. With Kestrel's pants, even.
GM says, "The sunlight is warm, particularly to those of you who are still wet."
Kestrel says (to Erich), "Thanks. And sorry about making you guys worried."
Erich says, "well. no good way you could have let us know, in hindsight."
Erich says, "since we never set up a number of tugs for 'help I have bashed my head against the wall and am now unconscious'"
Kestrel says, "That was what the one tug and thirty seconds was for."
Kestrel says, "And I almost needed it."
Kestrel shudders at the memory.
Erich nods. "You did seem to be cutting it close."
Erich asks, "anything notable about the stream other than where it exited?"
Kestrel says, "The stream exited from a *very* small hole."
Kestrel says, "No, nothing in particular, except that tiny passageway down."
Kestrel says, "I got stuck coming out, and had to kick my way free. I don't think I've ever kicked that hard in my life."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "8 was getting stuck, 21 on a 2k2 was kicking free ;-)"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Then 25 to wriggle out again."
[oneshot] Erich says, "heh"
[oneshot] Kestrel says (to GM), "I'm interested in what the TNs were."
[oneshot] GM says, "For informative purposes, both of those were TN 20s."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Yowza."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I'm amazed."
[oneshot] GM was expecting it to be Erich trying that Brawn roll, after a few more seconds had passed.
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I would have sacrificed both my drama dice at that point, actually."
[oneshot] GM says, "Although for Erich's information, I should note that Kestrel had *already* signalled that he had air, *before* he managed to get more than his feet through."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I was about to pull three times, yeah ;-)"
[oneshot] Erich says, "That would have been painful, I imagine."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I had kicked through to air, not realizing it would be difficult to get through."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "(I went backwards to facilitate the return, since I couldn't turn around)"
Kestrel lays out his shirt and acoutrements to dry, dries out himself on the hillside.
GM says, "After a while, you do manage to become warm and dry, although it's such a nice day, it really doesn't feel like that long."
[oneshot] Kestrel says (to GM), "Next time, activate my 'Cowardly' already so I don't try those stupid things ;-)"
[oneshot] GM smirks. "You want to get ten hero points for something that'll go and save your life?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "asks innocently "Is that bad?""
[oneshot] GM says, "Hee."
Lydia asks, "well, shall we head back to town?"
Kestrel reluctantly gets dressed again, resolving to never again confine himself to small quarters underwater.
Kestrel says (to Lydia), "Sounds good to me."
[oneshot] GM asks, "Is there a background for phobias?"
Erich says, "yes"
[oneshot] Kestrel exclaims (at GM), "That's exactly what I was thinking!"
[oneshot] Erich says, "excellent"
GM says, "A pleasant walk later, you reach the town."
[oneshot] GM says, "I'd be willing to allow it."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I think I'll take it when I get the XP ;-)"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Unless you want to give it to me for cheap."
[oneshot] GM says, "Normal price, I think. Since I didn't force you into that situation."
[oneshot] Kestrel nods.
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "3, right?"
[oneshot] GM says, "Right."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "gotcha."
GM says, "Yup, it's a town alright."
Kestrel says, "I'm spent. I'll meet you guys at the coach, if you want to ask around about Arthur."
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "Anyone?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "We do have the note, so we could just head back if we wanted."
[oneshot] Erich says, "Sorry, was AFK for a moment."
[oneshot] Erich asks, "any taverns around?"
[oneshot] GM says, "Sure."
Erich says, "give me a few minutes. I'll see if anyone in the local tavern saw them."
Lydia asks (of Erich), "Want me to come with you?"
Erich says, "yes, please."
[oneshot] Whizzard has joined the channel.
Erich heads for the tavern.
GM says, "It's full of locals, taking a break from their usual toil."
Lydia goes to the bar and orders a small rum.
Erich joins Lydia, and when the bartender comes over, beckons him closer.
GM says (to Lydia), "You're served a translucent glass with a finger of rum at the bottom."
Bartender asks (of Erich), "Uh-huh?"
Erich says, "we're looking for...friends of ours. Passed through here a little while ago."
Erich says, "they were exploring some nearby caves. led by a short man, name of Arthur."
Bartender asks, "That Dershon feller?"
Erich says, "I was wondering if they'd stopped in here."
Bartender nods. "Ayup."
Erich says, "good"
Erich asks, "are they still around?"
Lydia asks, "ah. They find anything interesting in the caves?"
Bartender shakes his head, to Erich. "Nope."
Bartender asks (of Lydia), "Caves?"
Bartender asks, "Izzat where they were?"
Lydia asks, "They didn't talk about it, huh?"
Bartender shrugs. "Nope."
Lydia says, "well I hope they at least all came back out."
Erich says, "do you know how long ago they left, and where they were headed? I'd hate to have missed them completely."
Bartender says, "Dunno."
Bartender says (to Erich), "Oh, couple days, mebbe."
Bartender looks around, slowly lifts a hand. "'Bout... thataway."
[oneshot] Bartender says, "That being roughly north."
Bartender says, "Bit of a hurry."
Erich asks, "you know anyone else around here who might know more about where they were going?"
Bartender says (to Erich), "Dunno. Blake, mebbe."
Bartender motions again, to a man on the other side of the room.
Erich says, "thanks," and leaves some money on the bar.
Bartender says, "Sure."
Erich takes a look at Blake.
Lydia pays for the rum.
GM says, "Blake appears drunk."
GM says, "And quite happy about it, too."
Erich walks over to Blake. "hello."
Lydia joins Erich and takes a seat.
Blake waves hugely. "Halloo!"
Blake asks, "How are yez?"
Blake noisily slurps his ale.
Erich asks, "doing fine. yourself?"
Lydia says, "fine, thank you."
Blake asks, "Fantashtic. Wanna drunk?"
Blake waves his mug in the air. "Barterden! Two more! And another for me! And one for you!" He manages to spill most of it in the process.
Erich says, "bartender said you might be able to help us find our friends. Arthur and his gang."
Blake's eyes wobble as he tries to focus on Erich. "You mean them guys wot came through t'other day wit' all der money an' rock an' schtuff?"
Blake says, "Great guys. All of 'em. Even de gals. Great guyssh."
Erich says, "that sounds like them."
Lydia asks, "ah, so they did find something. Did they show it to you?"
Blake says, "Nah, nah, nah. But they <hic> they had to <hic> they had to load it onna <hic> ... what was I shayin'? Onna my wagon, yeah. Big rocks. Real big."
GM says, "The bartender brings over a round, and Blake sets in with gusto."
Erich asks, "paid a lot for the wagon, did they?"
Lydia shakes her head "no" to the bartender.
Lydia asks, "what did they want with real big rocks, I wonder?"
GM grins, waving a gold coin in the air, dropping it, frantically scrambling on the floor to grab it, and returning to his seat.
GM exclaims, "And four more jush like it!"
[oneshot] Lydia says, "which have already been spent on booze"
Erich says, "know where they were going with your wagon? we were hoping to meet up with them here."
Blake concentrates. "Errr... Uhhh..."
[oneshot] Gm says, "Remember, this is a world where a silver will get you more than sixty pints of ale."
[oneshot] Lydia says, "yeah, well it's been a few days."
Blake asks, "What was the queshtion again?"
Lydia asks, "Do you know where they took the wagon? And the big rocks?"
Blake says, "Oh! North. I think."
Blake says, "Inna hurry, too. Big hurry."
Blake says, "Dinn't think you gould ket four horses on tha' wagon."
Erich asks, "did they say where they were going?"
Blake asks, "Uhr... north?"
Erich smiles wearily.
Erich says, "north in a wagon in a hurry."
Blake asks, "Did you chust ask me that?"
Erich says, "I had hoped for the name of a town"
Lydia takes a sip of the rum.
Blake stares into his drink.
Blake belches.
Blake says, "Shorry. I can't even remember the name o' this one, right yet thish moment..."
Erich says, "that Arthur always did keep quiet about his business."
Lydia says (to Blake), "Well, thank you anyhow."
Blake slowly starts to slip out of his chair.
Blake exclaims, "Don't mention it!"
Blake disappears under the table.
Erich says, "enjoy your wealth. with luck, you'll keep it for more than three hours."
Erich says (to Lydia), "I think that's about it, then."
Lydia says, "It would seem so."
Erich walks out of the tavern and back to the coach.
Lydia leaves the rest of the rum behind.
Erich raps on the side of the coach. "you awake, Kestrel?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Heh. Just walked back to the computer."
Kestrel starts.
Kestrel gasps, breathes deeply.
Kestrel says, "Uh, yeah."
Erich asks, "dreaming of lovely subterranean swims?"
Kestrel says, "Uh, yes. As a matter of fact."
Lydia says, "Oh dear."
Kestrel asks, "Any information?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "AFK just a bit more, then back."
Erich says, "the bartender and a man named Blake had seen Arthur and the others."
Lydia points. "North. That's about it."
Erich says, "all the bartender knew was they'd gone north."
Erich says, "They had bought Blake's wagon for a number of gold pieces."
Erich says, "so Blake has spent the time since being drunk, near as I can tell."
Erich says, "he too knows they went north, but not much more than that."
Erich shrugs. "The trail here is cold. If we want, we can try to pick up the sign of wagon wheels north of town."
Lydia says, "I'd rather just go back. We can show the note to Jemmy."
Kestrel says, "Sounds OK to me."
Erich says, "and to me."
Erich says, "though I would have enjoyed getting to taunt Arthur some."
Kestrel asks, "I take it they needed the wagon for the floor they stole?"
Lydia says, "that's what it sounded like, yes."
Erich says, "'big rocks', I believe Blake said."
Kestrel says, "Mmmm. Hope it doesn't turn out they're valuable."
Kestrel says, "Some crazy noble wanting to pave his polo grounds, or some such."
Erich says, "'walk where the ancients trod'"
Erich gets into the coach. It groans a bit.
Kestrel says, "Maybe we can sell them the information about how to put them back together again. I'm sure they neglected to write that down."
Kestrel says, "And at least these are worth a few guilders."
Kestrel holds up the ceramic tiles.
Lydia asks, "They couldn't have taken all of them, could they?"
Kestrel asks (of Lydia), "Who knows?"
Kestrel says, "We'd need the white marble to find out, or to find his buyer, of course."
GM says, "On your journey back, the sun sets."
GM says, "It will be late evening by the time you return to Cardican."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "OK."
Erich says, "since they were in such a hurry, perhaps one of the stones slipped and crushed Arthur's leg."
Erich grins nastily.
[oneshot] GM asks, "Are you doing anything else in this segment, or should I zip ahead to the new story?"
[oneshot] Erich says, "I'm done."
[oneshot] Lydia says, "nope. besides talking to Jemmy and the Society in the morning."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I'd like to be part of the research team studying the crystal/bowl, but that's it, I think."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Oh, right, and translating that note."
GM says, "When you go to the society in the morning, you find out that Jemmy was shipped out the previous afternoon, around while you were drying off in the sunshine."
GM says, "Something about a training grounds off east somewhere."
Kestrel finds someone else to translate the note and take it to Jemmy.
Erich says, "pity. all the muffins he will miss."
GM says (to Kestrel), "There are plenty of scholars around. One of them manages to give you this:"
[oneshot] Lydia imagines Jemmy packed in a crate, filled with muffins for padding and sustenance.
[oneshot] Erich exclaims, "Ha!"
GM | Well, well. What did you get yourself into, Jemmy? GM | I do hope you didn't fall prey to any fiendish GM | traps -- it'd be quite unfortunate if we didn't GM | get to finish our wager. We'll leave your rope
[oneshot] Kestrel exclaims, "Hee!"
GM | behind; anything else would be quite unfair, don't GM | you agree? Ta-ta. I'm sure will run into each other GM | again sometime. GM | -Arthur d'Echine-
Kestrel says, "Well, they clearly think they have a lot of money in those stones."
GM says, "With regards to being on the research team, they're a bit nervous about letting you in there without you being a society member, particularly without Jemmy here to vouch for you."
Kestrel sends it on to Jemmy, along with a note explaining what we found out about him going.
Kestrel tries to be charming.
Kestrel also points out that he was on the team that discovered the artifact to begin with.
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "What do i roll for charm?"
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "Oh! And do we get rep points?"
Lydia asks, "There's a Thean word for 'ta-ta'?"
[oneshot] GM says, "Let's just call this one by fiat."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "OK."
[oneshot] GM says, "Mmm, forgot about reputation..."
[oneshot] Erich says, "Kestrel gets a reputation for 'willing to swim into small, enclosed spaces'."
GM says (to Kestrel), "A very nice old man by the name of Banther promises to keep you updated, and says he's very sorry, but can't really bend the rules."
Kestrel sighs, says OK, explains again what he'd figured out so far.
[oneshot] GM says, "I'd say three reputation for anyone in the first story, for clearing the town of bandits, and one for this last one, since you were underground most of the time."
GM says (to Kestrel), "He looks please, and the twinkle in his eye suggests that he may be following a few of those leads already."
GM asks, "So, moving on?"
Kestrel says, "Yup."
Lydia says, "[were the tiles worth much?]"
GM says, "At this point, maybe the better part of a week had passed since the first trip out to the ruins."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "Oh, right."
[Crows-Nest] Erich says (to Lydia), "depends on whether they were 'E' or 'Q' tiles."
[Crows-Nest] Erich says, "The latter are worth more."
[oneshot] GM says (to Lydia), "Oh, let me check."
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "As a potential method of opening other such ruins, I'd say they'd be worth more than just as tiles qua tiles."
[oneshot] GM says, "Sixty shillings, as tiles qua tiles."
[oneshot] GM says, "If they serve a valuable purpose in the future, that will be considered then."
[oneshot] Kestrel nods.
[oneshot] Kestrel asks, "How much does that make per person, at this point?"
[oneshot] Kestrel says, "I haven't been keeping track at all."
[oneshot] Erich says, "nor I."
[oneshot] Erich says, "(this is what GMs are for)"
[oneshot] Erich says, "(I say in a statement which will undoubtedly come back to haunt me)"
[oneshot] GM says, "From that story, or from the beginning? It's different depending on which parts you were in."
[oneshot] (from Kestrel) GM says "You haven't been keeping track? 10 shillings each."
[oneshot] GM says (to Erich), "Yeah, seems you lost all your money in a poker game."
[oneshot] Erich asks, "but won it back when I started ripping off arms?"
[oneshot] GM says, "Oh, right."
[oneshot] GM asks, "So that's 165 each from the last story, I think. There were four of you, right?"
[oneshot] GM says, "Eight pounds, five shillings."
[oneshot] Kestrel looks it up. 150 each so far, plus 60/4 = 165 a person.