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Post by Spwack on Jan 11, 2022 14:25:32 GMT
"Heading out again I see." says the Professor. "Good luck with the research! I eagerly await your findings."
Piling back into the minecart, you go careening back up the steep slope, dragged by some unseen mechanism below the tracks. You fly along at a significant clip, before the tunnel pops you out again onto a narrow bridge. The bridge heads east, spanning an indomitable black abyss like starless night sky. The cart clackety-clacks across the void, with large struts jutting up from deep below every so often. You can occasionally see specks of light down, far below, but you have no way of knowing what is down there. You also see an island of light at the top of some kind of pillar or tower, small figures scurrying about carrying lanterns.
The cart is caught at the far end of the bridge by a large set of brakes that slows it down and pulls it into a holding track. The far "station" has a similar looking lever to get back, and two exits back into the dungeon-proper, one south-west, the other south-east.
"Hey, boss," says Porter. "Did we miss our stop? I don't remember coming this way before, and I didn't see any other tracks except this way."
Blade is looking thoughtful. She sees you looking, and shakes her head, staring intently out into the dark space.
What do you do?
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Post by fifthdragon on Jan 12, 2022 19:14:19 GMT
"Porter, I have a potentially important job for you- We have no idea how these tracks work, and they seem to lead to different places even without branches. Would you ride the rails back and forth to the station and keep track of what you find? Blade and I would explore these tunnels here, so you'd be on your own."
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Post by Spwack on Jan 14, 2022 7:43:49 GMT
"Um. Sure! I can do that. Just pull the lever, reach the stop, and then go back again. Sure. Bye for now then, I guess." he pulls the lever, and goes shooting off back into the darkness.
Blade takes a sniff of the south-east passage. "Goblins down that way."
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Post by fifthdragon on Jan 14, 2022 9:15:48 GMT
"Want to have some fun with them, or try talking first? I don't know who's under who's protection down here, so I'm willing to entertain nonlethal suggestions." We head south-east as we discuss.
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Post by Spwack on Jan 17, 2022 5:48:43 GMT
Heading south-east, the hallway practically falls into a large cave that has been, for no better word, vandalised. Stalactites have been smashed through and thrown about, the walls daubed in charcoal and strange fluids in vile, badly spelled insults, and the whole place reeks like a forgotten distillery. You can see see an exit to the south, and hear soft yet vibrant voices talking amongst themselves, laughter occasionally breaking out. But, to your east: A hole in the stone, grimy and beshadowed, toothsome and grinning in the dark. A Goblin Lair. Blade takes one look at that, then turns to you. "Boss, if you go down there, I'm not sure I'll be able to keep you safe. Or myself. Could be fine, could be that these are the funny goblins, the type that play funny tricks. Could be. Might not be though."
((Rule for lairs: You'll definitely be encountering goblins, and lots of them. Mapping is no longer required, or possible, you're just "in the lair". Circumstances might change rapidly. You've been warned))
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Post by fifthdragon on Jan 21, 2022 5:12:22 GMT
"I'll not risk our lives on uncertain gains, then." Lets head southwest instead. Lair sounds spooky. I'll come back with more people later, hopefully.
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Post by Spwack on Jan 23, 2022 6:59:54 GMT
((Just to clarify, you are going south from your current location, not going back to the track and then south-west from there? If the latter, let me know.))
Leaving the entrance to the goblin lair behind, you feel your lungs and nose cry out with gratitude. Scrambling up, you are standing on slate tiled floor, recently swept by the look of it. Heading down the short corridor, you come to a wide crossroad (crosshalls?):
- To the west, a rusty iron ladder leading downwards, further down than you can see. - Straight south, a gently undulating purple glow. - East, a right-hand turn and the smell of blood. - ...Upwards? The sound of voices speaking quietly, occasionally a chortle of laughter and the clink of crockery. You can see a ledge of some kind up there, as well as a rope tied around a balcony. It's looped up, out of easy reach from down here.
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Post by fifthdragon on Jan 23, 2022 15:26:52 GMT
Pops shouts out "Ho! Anyone up there? Mind tossing the rope down?" to the voices up at the ledge, and if ignored heads further south to explore the purple glow.
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Post by Spwack on Jan 24, 2022 4:50:13 GMT
((And so, two delves collide! We will continue in the other thread))
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Post by Spwack on Feb 6, 2022 6:35:03 GMT
Clambering down from the tea-party, you head north and quickly find Porter. He is sitting next to the minecart on his backpack, talking with a kobold wearing a greasy set of overalls. "Oh! Milord! Come meet Befrezel, they know all about the tracks around these parts. They saw me going back 'n forth and pulled me into their stop."
Befrezel laughs. "And ye porter 'ere thought we was gonna eat him! Ha! As if. Barely good for stew!" Porter laughs as well at the 'joke'.
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Post by fifthdragon on Feb 7, 2022 7:05:14 GMT
"Ah, good, you're safe. Befrezel, I just spoke with your Empress. We'll be adventuring on floor +5 soon- if you're interested in joining us, perhaps scouting more locations for track, she's sending a kobold scout party with us and you could join if so inclined. Porter, come with me, I need you to eat something for me."
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Post by Spwack on Feb 7, 2022 14:54:10 GMT
"Oh? Quite the delve. No thanks, I'm just an 'umble h-engineer dont'cha know? No doubt you'll be taking my cousin though, Helnelya. Scout-Captain, and does all the dealing with you fleshies."
"What? What? Floor +5? Isn't that like, insanely dangerous?" says Porter, then something clicks. "Eat something for you? What does that mean?" "Yeah boss," says Blade, with a slightly mutinous smile. She knows exactly what she is doing. "What does that mean?"
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Post by fifthdragon on Feb 9, 2022 8:34:49 GMT
"Yes the floor is dangerous, but we'll have a contingent of scouts and the blessing of a rather powerful figure down here. The bowl I will have you eat is that blessing and it will save your life if it becomes necessary. Blade has already seen it and will be eating it with you. It is a gift from the Queen of Worms and it is, unsurprisingly, worms. Have your arguments here where you will not offend the Queen, and get it over with, so that we can move."
Pops adopts a pose that suggests that he is listening but unconvinced in preparation for Porter's loud complaints.
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Post by Spwack on Feb 10, 2022 6:01:32 GMT
"I... what? Powerful figure? Bowl of worms? Save my- Blade, come on, surely you don't mean to- !"
Porter weaves around for a bit, struggling with their words and trying to get a grips on the situation. "I thought I was the one having a crazy meeting down in the dungeon with Befrezel, but what in the Seven Hells have you been doing!?"
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Post by fifthdragon on Feb 10, 2022 18:45:14 GMT
"I need you to eat a bowl of magic worms with Blade. The powerful figure is the Queen of Worms, something like a god down here. The bowl of worms gives her the ability to use her magic on you. The magic she would use is to save your life if you would die. Yes, both of you will be doing this. I encountered a tea party between a number of very powerful women of this dungeon, the Kobold Empress, the Queen of Worms, the Lady (the painting you've met in the room adjacent to the starting cells), and another adventurer. Don't swear."
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Post by Spwack on Feb 11, 2022 8:51:16 GMT
"Ok. Ok. Alright. So, me and Blade. Magic worms. Not dying. Tea party. Gods. Empress. Ok."
"..."
"Hey, why is it just me and Blade wots eating the worms?"
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Post by fifthdragon on Feb 11, 2022 18:27:22 GMT
"I did not ask the favor for myself. I thought it greedy to extend a favor given by this being. I can ask her to, if you think it is wise and would comfort you. I will not deny the usefulness of the boon." Pops turns and begins walking. "It seems you are done complaining. Let's continue, it is not far."
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Post by Spwack on Feb 13, 2022 8:18:28 GMT
Porter follows along, mostly on instinct. "Alright. Alright. Worms. It just seemed strange that you got the two of us to do it, but not yourself. You lead from the front boss. 'Swhat I like about you."
As you near the entrance to the tea-party, the stone seems to bubble for a moment. Then out of it comes a pillar of black worms, bearing atop it a stone bowl. The worm eggs within glimmer in the torchlight, like they are fully ready to burst into life at a moment's notice.
The voice of the Worm Queen echoes through all your heads: "With my regards. My boon will rest quiescent within you until it is needed. When it activates, be mindful you stay still as it takes ahold."
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Post by fifthdragon on Feb 15, 2022 9:17:44 GMT
"Thank you, Queen. Your boon is greatly appreciated." Once that's eaten, I'm happy to return to CB0, tell the Professor the kobolds have engineers who run the tracks and I've met their Empress recently, and the Lady knows more, and get ready for the Empress to send us off to +5.
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Post by Spwack on Feb 16, 2022 12:08:43 GMT
The worm eggs are... surprisingly easy to eat? Salty as anything, but not particularly unpleasant once you get used to the slipperiness. Porter still seems a little green around the gills on the way back, but Blade scoffs. "Grow up boy, once you've been on either side of a siege you'll find yourself happy eating anything that doesn't run away too fast!"
Professor: "Intriguing, very intriguing. I'll have to ask them if they built the things, or if they know who did. Such a structure is quite a feat of architecture, let alone having it see regular use."
It could be a little while until the scout crew is ready. Is there anything you want to do in CB0 while you wait? Perhaps some questions for the tremendously tall lady you saw at the party? ((Also, we will swap to that thread. Well done!))
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