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[Sir Knight]

grab one vile vial and follow the others

I can see this being fun.

Also, the first two people said that they would extinguish lanterns, so I'm presuming that you will be doing the same.  The exception would be Overseer (FallacyofUrist), of course, coming up from behind in just a moment.

Also also, I'm back!  It'll just take me awhile to do things.  Fiddling around with the best display method for glows in the dark, kinda like the meeting with ugly mugs only not.

[ziizo]

I will leave the lantern behind with the wheelbarrows.

[Sir Knight]

Previous -- Next

Spoiler: Observation?  Observation (click to show/hide)

Result: 6, Fail by succeeding!
Result: 1, Fail terribly!
Result: 1, Fail terribly!
Result: 2, Fail!
Result: 2, Fail!
Result: 6, Fail by succeeding!
Result: 4, Succeed!

Sometimes I keep rolling down the group for the same phenomenon until I get a person who succeeds in detecting it.  Or at least somebody who THINKS they've done so.  If you keep with the failing, results get interesting . . .

One by one, exiles deal with lanterns and creep towards the turn.  You can barely make out the spaces ahead, but there's enough of the magenta light that you can see a broad cavern.  In the middle rises a building built by (human?) hands: it is like the Halfway House in that regard, but in far worse repair.  Some walls are rough stone, some were built with sheets of shale and then partway torn down again.  There is movement within . . .



Light filters through cracks in the northern wall.  What are they doing in there?  Combat drills?  Dwain quietly points out a repeated metal banging.

By its light, and that reflected off of the near cavern face, you see an incongruity: art carved into the building's wall.  But it's not just one piece: others had been carved too, then defaced.

You cannot see beyond it.  But beyond, yes, you can hear many voices.  Alyssa Alpine confirms that it is one at once and then others in response.  Such harsh voices.  Is it debate?  Instruction?  Yeah, John still thinks it's a chant.

Limited light filters through the near side, and around the edges you see two figures at a pair of tables.  They wear tunics and hoods, and their backs are half-turned to you.  In the stark relief provided by this lighting, you can see their facial features.

You realize the contrast.  These . . . "people" . . . you would describe as the hungriest you have ever seen.  And it's not just for food, it's a whole attitude, a whole being; a "lean and hungry look," here.  But in the one hoarding wastrel you met this morning, there was an extra quality: a sense of focus, control.  These lack that.

Instead they seem to watch something just out of sight with impatience or nervousness or antsy boredom.  They do not vocalize.

And Overseer just came up behind you.  Can tell it's you folks here because of the wheelbarrow pile.  Oh, and the fact that you've inevitably been marching into the dark metaphorical waters of death and corruption.

John (ziizo), I put one vile vial into your hand for the moment.  Swapping out for the lantern, which is the ASCII object you'll see on the map.

[FallacyofUrist]

"Into the lair of the filth." Mind sense. Can I tell that things are getting more oppressing?

[ziizo]

"oh look there, carvings. Now stay behind me I am going to do something stupid"

Make noise. If the wastrels get close drink the vile vial and puke fire on them.

[Starver]

*Le sigh*

Not behind, but to the side... If the noise doesn't do anything, forward and get a better view. If it does... Ask again.

[Rautherdir]

Grab John and pull him back, preventing him from making noise.

"No. We're outnumbered. Get back to the wheelbarrows, try to get a defensive barricade up in case things go south.
 Me and Dwain will try and get a better estimate of how many and how organized they are."

Sneak forward, figure out what it is the wastrels are so entranced by.

[Starver]

((Image in my my mind of the ending to The Italian Job (original version!), where everyone shuffles forwards. Not that I think we shouldn't do that, in this totally different situation, just an OOC mental connection that I needed to share...  ))

((PS, I highly recommend The Italian Job (1969), if you haven't seen it, and I'm sure I really haven't spoilered it in any significant way!))

[ziizo]

"fine"

obey Alyssa orders and go back to the wheelbarrows.
Pick second vial.

[Dustan Hache]

Grab John and pull him back, preventing him from making noise.

"No. We're outnumbered. Get back to the wheelbarrows, try to get a defensive barricade up in case things go south.
 Me and Dwain will try and get a better estimate of how many and how organized they are."

Sneak forward, figure out what it is the wastrels are so entranced by.

go with him, and be ready to slash some necks. Leave my shield and chainmail at my barrow so I don't make as much noise.

[Sir Knight]

Okay, I have various actions for the lot of you, including some back-and-forth.  It looks like the following people are advancing all stealthy-like at this time:

Dwain (Starver)
Alyssa Alpine (Rautherdir)
Dustan (Dustan Hache)

Correct?  If that's wrong, let me know, so I do only the required stealth checks or other rolls.

[Starver]

If I need to, I'll take a flank of this furtive phalanx. But I want to see what's going on. Defensive attitude. Take note, and be wary, of odd feelings that start to come my way.

[Sir Knight]

Urgh . . . I'm realizing that, since there's blackness all over the map, I don't know if you three people think you're going "east" or "south" from the twilit threshold.  Or what.

What's your understanding?

[Starver]

Well, there's a wall-corner, near the two h guys and their tables. This may or may not be wall-linked to the corner a couple of spots NE, but shrouded in darkness/no LOS, that has its wall to the east appatently dismantled.

That indicates to me either a continuation of wall between the two (keeping the poor light in) or an obstruction betwixt us and that stretch of no-wall/wall. Possibly both.

So I'd head SW to establish this, but more-south if forced to a) feel my way round, and skirt, any intermediate obscuring feature,  and b) end up peaking round the corner+wall over the shoulders of the tabled hs.  Cautious of the unveiling south, though.

The alternative is the more easterly route to peek around the corner to the NE of that (with similar but opoosite skirting/caution of the blind-spot) over and through the rubble gap before continuation of the wall that has the face-carving. That might be more in their line-of-(infra?)sight. I can imagine that someone with more(/any) experience of carvings might be attracted to that. Not for me, for now, though, unfortunately.

(What reveals as we move forward might be critical, naturally.)

[Sir Knight]

So I'd head SW to establish this, but more-south if forced to a) feel my way round, and skirt, any intermediate obscuring feature,  and b) end up peaking round the corner+wall over the shoulders of the tabled hs.

Okay, I'm going to go with this unless I'm told otherwise by either of the other two players on the prowl.

Just a brief pause to give them a chance to interrupt.  Then I'll post, since I have the main content all finished.