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Post by Spwack on Dec 3, 2021 16:43:02 GMT
fifthdragonYou're back across the bridge, past the shattered remnants of the skeletons. Before you, you can see a faint shimmer in the darkness beyond your torchlight, and... you think you might be able to hear a faint voice coming from ahead? It's not saying anything, it's like someone pronouncing a hyphen "-" with no words either side. Weird. What do you do?
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 3, 2021 17:59:14 GMT
Excellent - firstly, as a bit of an aside, how woody is St. Seymour and would it be possible to carve a 10-foot pole, that adventurer's friend, out of a piece of him, or a piece lying in the bog? If so, I'd like to have done so.
Pops pulls out his subtle violin, checking the tuning and waxing the bow, and begins to play. Its a haunting slow melody that sounds like rotting turnips and blood on the kitchen table. Blade and Porter stay back, and Pops ventures forwards. How good is sight beyond torchlight- dim and difficult, or completely impractical? If I'm invisible and holding a torch, is the torch and its light invisible too or can I will-o-wisp it?
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Post by Spwack on Dec 4, 2021 6:25:44 GMT
St. Seymour, not very woody. It would be difficult to cure a sturdy staff out of the green plant material. However, Sergeant Toughmuffins frequenty has 10-foot-poles for sale, for a very reasonable price.
What a fascinating sound! Your sight would be dimmed, if you've got a torch behind you, but not entirely gone. However, more challenging is the fact that you'd need to hold a torch in one hand, and play your violin with two, and you don't exactly have a spare hand.
I think holding a torch would illuminate the area even if you are invisible, even if the source can't be seen.
With all that done, looking ahead, you start to see something moving in the darkness, long streamers of red-purple-green-blue light that shift and shimmer in no breeze that you can feel. What do you do?
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 4, 2021 20:27:15 GMT
If Sgt. Toughmuffins has 10ft poles for sale, could I have spoken to him before we left? I'm willing to trade one of my past as a Warlord, specifically the stories of how I met Blade and pressed them into service, in exchange for the pole.
If I can do so, then I'll back up, stop playing, take a torch in one hand and the pole in the other and brush at the streamers to see if they are horrid feeding-tentacles from sort of ceiling-beast.
If I can't then I'll have Porter toss a forearm sized piece of plant matter from the Saint into the tendrils.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 6, 2021 12:55:51 GMT
The Sergeant, and all vending machines, are sadly only able to give physical products away for coin, even if they wished otherwise.
Porter tosses a chunk of green into the streamers. They don't react, and the plant matter seems unharmed as well. You can feel the "-" sound get a little louder though, and perhaps a sense of... awareness?
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 6, 2021 18:19:21 GMT
"Hello- I can hear your silence! Who is there? May we approach safely?"
Porter retreats into the previous room again, ever the coward, and Blade stands behind and to the left of Pops, bardiche ready. Pops has his violin in his case and his front foot planted, but his back light and bouncing, ready for a roundhouse if necessary.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 7, 2021 14:20:08 GMT
There is no response, but the rippling light vibrates as you call out. Nobody is there, except you two, and this eldritch pattern etched in the blackness beyond your torchlight. You realise, the light is paying attention to you.
" . . . "
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 7, 2021 23:00:50 GMT
I don't feel like fucking with this until I have more information or living test subjects other than my followers, so the three back off from that room, into the central cave, and east towards the train(?) clattering. Same setup, Porter stays in the big cave and Blade and Pops watch each other's backs, prepared for violence.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 8, 2021 15:10:37 GMT
Heading east, you can see nifty contraption: Two metal chains with regular rungs, one sliding upwards, the other down. It would be a bit awkward if you were carrying something bulky or missing limbs, but this looks like a great way to either travel upwards or down below further. There's no other exits to this room.
You also remember vaguely seeing this marked on a map back in Cell Block Zero. Both directions have been explored, and they lead to Floor +1 and Floor -1 respectively.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 9, 2021 4:31:47 GMT
Ah, I see. Ok so in the cave, there is the West, which is curtains and strange silent multicolored light. South is the river which we can't cross currently. To the east are the chains up and down. Is there also a North-East that is marked with scorches? If there is I'd like to investigate that, otherwise I'd like to investigate the unexplored path leading from the room with One-Hit Wonder in it.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 9, 2021 14:01:23 GMT
Correct, correct, and correct. The North-East tunnel is a narrow chamber, you'd have to crawl downhill to get into it. It smells like burned spiderwebs, and when I saw scorched, I mean roasted. Looks like somebody wasn't a fan of whatever was down there, and used a large amount of oil and fire to remove it, and anything else besides.
Heading back to CB0, you travel east. Immediately, you come to a crossroads. To the south is One-Hit Wonders ("Hey", it calls down to you) which you can travel past further, to the north is a massive staircase leading down, a long way down in fact, and further east is a cave-in. It's been partially cleared at some point, and there's an incredibly narrow crawlspace to get through if you want to take a stab at it.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 9, 2021 20:42:05 GMT
Pops and the two amigos check out the burned room, Pops going ahead of Blade and feet-first for some emergency kicking, and keeping an eye on the ceiling for any potential spiders. He figures someone's probably already cleared out the worst of the infestation with their pyromania.
If I can run simultaneous explorations, I'd also like to take a swing at kicking some of the cave in, carefully and starting from the top, to break apart rocks enough to open it up more. I'm fine if I break the crawlspace for now, I don't trust it.
EmJr5H_a1-20 Strength, +11-20
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Post by Spwack on Dec 11, 2021 4:42:17 GMT
You poke around in the hole for a while, and get nothing but sooty for your trouble. It doesn't seem like it leads anywhere, just a deep crevice in the rock basically.
((Yes you can, so long as it transfers over in a way that makes sense, which in this case, it does))
You kick and stomp around for a while, and manage to... get even dustier. Your Warboots would definitely be a useful tool for clearing away the rubble and smashing the bigger blocks up to take it away, but by themselves, it doesn't help all that much except to mush up and around the rubble.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 11, 2021 8:10:43 GMT
In the room with One-Hit Wonder (who I will say hello to politely, but as I have no money nor potions we cannot speak of much) the floor 0 map has a south-east exit marked but not filled in- what's down that way?
If I ask the Sergeant their recommendation for both the iron bars south of the Saint and the cave-in, do they have any recommendations?
Am I being too cautious exploring only the first floor?
Also, have I heard of any boats of draggable size I could bring to the river south of the cave?
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Post by Spwack on Dec 12, 2021 8:16:49 GMT
Sergeant: "Well private, you ain't dead, so that's a solid start. Most of this place has been pretty thoroughly cleared out, it's always worth-while being cautious, but around these parts, it's rather easy to hear something coming, and see if it they've got a torch as well. So long as you're path of retreat is open, you should be ok around these parts. Even Floor +1 or -1 have been pretty well mapped out by either Phykalla, or poor Andsaca, rest his soul.
"Hmm, cave-in is tricky business. Maybe try and get some dwarves or them lizard-kobolds in to help you out? Hard to move that much stone by hand without the whole thing coming down on top of you."
From the area with the metal bars, you heard some loud clanging and banging and the sound of rocks cracking recently. ((A player got it open in another thread.))
"What ya needing to drag a boat for? I heard that Andsaca got his hands on some kind of weird ship a while back, but he's dead now. Maybe his son might know, that worm that's been around here."
One-Hit: "Hey dude, what's crackalackin? How you finding this place?"
Heading south-east from One-Hit turns slightly and leads to a stone balcony jutting out over an abyss. Waving your torch around, you can just barely see that this is a perfectly square pit leading up and plummeting down further than you can see. In the centre of the "room" is a square pillar ascending from the darkness, with a stone bridge floating parallel to it. You can't reach them from here, but you can see three more balconies, each leading north, east, and south, with you standing on the west balcony right now.
From the depths, a dry, rumbling voice issues forth: "Password, please."
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 12, 2021 17:10:38 GMT
Pops looks around for the source of the voice. "Um, is it password? Who's there?"
(I'll thank and say goodbye to the vending machines and let them know I'm going to try exploring some other floors.)
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Post by Spwack on Dec 13, 2021 0:26:06 GMT
The Sergeant is very impressed with you. "Good going private! Now remember, down for treasure, up for freedom! CHARGE!"
"It is indeed," says the voice, sounding just the tiniest bit peeved (but not at you, just the world in general). The bridge floats up silently to join the balcony you are standing on to the central pillar "and which way shall you be going?"
"It's me. The Bridge."
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 13, 2021 0:30:58 GMT
"I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised that worked. Nice to meet you, I suppose. You didn't choose that password did you?
What are my options for exits downwards from here? Perhaps -1 or -2."
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Post by Spwack on Dec 13, 2021 3:44:57 GMT
"Nice to meet you as well. I'm the Bridge. And no... sigh no I didn't." You've never heard an architectural feature sound quite so disheartened with it's lot in life.
"You might have some difficulty getting to Floor -2 directly, unless you know a portal code. And have access to a portal, of course. But Floor -1 is easy enough, just take those stairs back there."
((You went past a set while walking to One-Hit Wonders, I was briefly looking at the wrong version of the map [whoops]))
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 13, 2021 4:21:41 GMT
"Ah, well then what magnificent places can you take me to? And do you have any leads on the portals you've mentioned?"
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Post by wingilbear on Dec 13, 2021 4:54:22 GMT
Sorry to intrude but would you like a much more detailed map of the area to be provided? I have offered it to players in the past but no one has yet to take me up on it; preferring their own discovery.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 13, 2021 6:30:10 GMT
I absolutely would! I've been checking the unfilled in bits to explore , and have been curious about how to update the maps with what i find.
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Post by wingilbear on Dec 13, 2021 8:23:32 GMT
You make a copy of the coggle which then allows you to edit and then we upload the new one.
Just try to do it every once in a while not after every room.
Hyper map is up. It has portal codes on it but not nicely so I will work on that next.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 13, 2021 13:07:52 GMT
((Everyone has their own method of making maps, which is both clunky and charming in equal measure. There's a whole lot of player notes as well that I might try and transcribe across.))
Bridge: "You know, nobody has ever asked me that before. These four balconies are what they request mostly, just North, South, East, West, day in, day out. Tell me travellers, are you brave? I think I can show you something at least a little bit magnificent. Not a lot, just a little."
"There is a portal, near here, but not. I've heard other delvers talking of it, if you take the minecart to the West of your abode, you'll be close by to one. But be warned, using a portal unprepared can be fatal."
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 13, 2021 23:35:09 GMT
OK so from the Hyper Map I have questions:
Past St seymour is the room with dripping water and then the small tunnel with metal grates i could not kick down. On the hyper map that is listed as a ? ? ?, but you said earlier that it's been opened by someone else. The only other thing I can find of someone breaking bars since then was the Demon's cage- is that the same thing? was there a demon on the other side of those bars?
The take one improve one machine: how large are its intakes? Could i fit, say, a Blade and a Porter? or my two boots?
"Yes, Bridge, I'm feeling adventurous today- please, show me your at-least-slightly magnificent option. Can you tell me anything about it as well?"
If this can be done at the same time: I'd like to go to the minecart room with the Prof and Lady, take the cart up to +1, into the Goblin-smell room, then tall room, then portal, then put in portal code 632 and visit Ted the Bullet Machine and ask if they want to be moved to a more convenient location in Cell Block 0 with the other vending machines. Actually, while I'm at it I'd also ask One-Hit Wonder if they want to be moved to a more convenient location so they can chat with the other vendors. At any point in this (goblin room, portal, etc) interrupt me if something happens thats interesting or dangerous.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 14, 2021 9:47:45 GMT
((That's because I messed up! You're correct, that ??? area near the dripping water has not been opened, the demon cage is open, and those two are definitely different))
Machine: You could fit a whole person in there, if they curled up. Not two people though.
One-Hit: "Nah man, I'm chill here. Just vibing. The Sarge is a bit of a square, and the Prof is a bit of a nerd. Come by and chat any time you want though!"
Ted the Bullet Machine is Very Large, the size of a small building, filling up an entire chamber. ((At some point I'll give you a full "text tour" of that area, because something else is happening right now))
Bridge: "Better yet, I'll just show you." The Bridge beckons you all off the balcony towards the central pillar, but before you can reach it, suddenly pushes up and drops away, leaving you in free-fall! you're plummeting, wind streaming, the Bridge laughing uproariously as it spins away to the side, and Porter is screaming his little lungs out. Before you can even react, the Bridge has done a full revolution around the pillar, falling at the same rate as you, slides under your flailing feet and brings you to a gentle stop within sight of the floor of the square abyss.
Grey, mouldering bones and assorted detritus litter the floor. The Bridge hasn't stopped laughing with delight. Porter is clinging to the stones, shaking like a leaf.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 14, 2021 18:40:48 GMT
Pop is crouched, weight on hands and legs free and barely touching the ground, a battle position. His eyes dart to either side looking for threats, before he takes a breath and relaxes. Blade is quickly getting to her feet and likewise spooked.
"Ah," Pops says. "I'm sorry, Bridge, I would normally have enjoyed that, but the surprise left me unable to. I will return later and, if you don't mind, experience that again, in a better sort of mind for it. Don't mind Porter, he is a coward by nature and easily frightened. Get up, and I hope you didn't drop anything."
Whats the room we are in like? Any exits? Are the bones close enough together I would be concerned about reanimation?
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Post by Spwack on Dec 15, 2021 9:11:35 GMT
"That's ok, I would never have put you in any danger. And you're welcome, it's fun ha ha! Any time, any time."
Porter gets up, sullenness and a hint of anger replacing fear.
The empty space the Bridge crosses is exactly square all the way down, including this area at the base. The bones look too useless for any self-respecting necromancer to try and mess around with, you'd be more at risk of catching some mundane disease.
There are no visible exits, but there is a much larger pile of grey filth over in the north-west corner if you're interested in digging around.
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Post by fifthdragon on Dec 15, 2021 18:36:26 GMT
Cloth covering over mouth, Pops asks Blade for her bardiche and pokes through the larger pile looking for anything. So this is the pit the Bridge covers, and these are the people who fell?
Anything we find I'll give to Porter. Not as a verbal apology and not because Pops feels bad, obviously, that would be Weakness. But Porter doesn't have anything to defend themselves. If we don't find anything interesting, I'll give him the blowdart gun.
Will small talk with Bridge a little more, then ask if we could have a ride back up to where we started, tell Porter he can step off if he'd like, then ask Bridge to drop us again and try to enjoy it this time.
After that, we say goodbye, then head to One-Hit Wonder, north to the stairway, down to -1, past the dwarven fault, to the Blade Staircase (tell me if thats something we should talk about navigating), then to the junction in front of the dragon's cave. Blade and Porter will wait outside and Pops looks to see if there's a Dragon there, and if not, Subtle Violin comes out, he starts playing (it sounds like rushing wind and starlight) and investigates what exits from the chamber he can make out.
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Post by Spwack on Dec 16, 2021 2:37:34 GMT
"Are you going to clean it afterwards?" she deadpans.
Prod prod... prod.... You don't find any items of interest, but you're pretty sure there's a hatch under all this garbage and corpse remains.
Porter accepts the blowdart gun, holding it like he doesn't know exactly what to do with it.
((The Blade Staircase is absolutely something you need to worry about navigating, but we will get to that shortly))
((By the way, Bridge has dropped you a very long way down, to Floor -1 or even Floor -2))
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