The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom (Game Thread II)

[Breila]

(ooc: I'll be away for the weekend, next post on Monday. I give a general idea of what Babushka plans to do so you can play without me)

While the others are gone, Babushka ties the staff to her backpack and readies it, with some of her attention towards the upper waterfall and the plant ladder. She'll join the others to explore the caverns, suggesting the same marching order as the day before (Locky, herself close behind, Jerrard and Shay at some distance with their lights) and keeping her sling ready.

[Jenara]

Locky chats away while the others dispose of the bodies, it appears the sleep has only served to give her things to talk about.

She covers the two humans with her hoopak, preparing to fire bullets if needed.

She too adopts the previous order, she heads out first, hoopak ready. Chatting to Bab about pointless things.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard tries to ignore the stories told by Locky as he disposes of the Podmans Body.

"I will cover the rear." he draws his bow, walking just behind Shay.

(ooc: I assume that we are going back to the 'breeding' cavern)

[Jenara]

Locky leads the party back to the Breeding chamber.

[JadedDM]

Using the aforementioned marching order, the party sets off again. They climb down the root ladder by the second waterfall, then head east again to the large pod chamber. It is as they left it. At least, if it has been disturbed, there is no sign of it. The pods are still empty, and the remains of the one they killed have not been moved.

There are two paths to follow now. The southeast one follows the stream. There is another, drier path, heading northeast.

[Jenara]

Locky produces a coin, flips a coin, smiles and heads south east paddling gently in the stream.

"Lets go this way." she says before anyone has a chance stop her.
---------------
Jerrard attempts to grab Locky before she darts away. "Damn that Kender!" He ushers the rest of the party onwards.

ooc: Problem with net.

[Breila]

Babushka had expected something like that, and since she doesn't mind which way they go, she grins as she follows Locky. She attempts to stay dry, though, and keeps her sling ready.


(ooc: reminds me of exploring Paris with my children when they were 4 and 2 years old, though that was less dangerous)

[JadedDM]

Holding his lantern aloft, Shay follows behind the other three. The tunnel following the stream seems quite long. After traveling through it for seventy feet do they finally reach a fork. The main tunnel continues south, along with the stream. However, to the west is a huge stone face carved into the wall. The carving's mouth is a hole that opens to a narrow tunnel beyond. The mouth's bottom lip is only three feet up the wall. Using Shay's lantern to look down it, it appears the tunnel within is quite narrow, a mere four feet wide, just enough for them to file through one at a time, if they wish.

"Well, definitely not a natural formation," Shay comments with a wry grin. "Should we check it out or keep following the stream?"

[Jenara]

Locky peers into the hole, her eyes flashing in excitement. "You know..." she mutters, smiling, "I could fit in there, and move about.. If you stay here.." its obvious what she's thinking.

[Breila]

"Locky, wait!" Babushka says quickly, her hand moving to Locky's collar, but not yet grabbing it. "We will check that, but let's think first. Maybe that mouth is magic or cursed and will close after the first of us is through, cutting us apart. Or worse still, it will close while we clamber through, munching us to death."

If it seems that Locky can be stopped for the time being, Babushka examines the stone face and the tunnel wall on either side closely, with her eyes only. She also peers into the tunnel as far as her infravision allows. Then she asks: "Could someone please take the staff off my backpack? I can afford to lose it, so maybe we should stick this through the hole first?"

[Jenara]

Locky stops and stares at Babushka, like a curious child that knows more than the grown up. "Really? I could use my hoopak, but... my father gave it to me, or whats it my Uncle, I forget." She rambles for a few seconds and then grabs the staff expertly. "I'll do that!".

She attempts to lift the staff before Jerrard grabs it from her...

[Jerrard]

Jerrard grabs the staff and very discreetly shifts Locky to the left, its rather subtle, but Bab would notice.

"Allow me, Locky, please scout the rest of the tunnels, but don't go too far. Shay, could you go with her? Babushka and I shall check out this mouth." He flashes a look at the Gnome, gesturing with his hand, it could almost be seen as a "Is that better?".

He then looks into the hole and places the staff in as deep as it can (assume 5"?) and waits to see what happens, his grip is very light so if it gets pulled, he can let go.

(OCC: Right Jerrard is away till Saturday, he is relaying his actions to me, and I'm posting them, may be a delay in posts, Jen)

[JadedDM]

"You sure about that?" Shay asks. "I have the only light source," he reminds the wizard, holding up his lantern to make the point.

Jerrard places the staff in the stone mouth, but nothing seems to happen as a result.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard frowns, "That is my mistake, Bab could you go with Locky, please make sure she doesnt run off?." He looks to Shay, "Shay, the torch please? In the hole."

[JadedDM]

Shay thrusts the lantern into the stone mouth, shining the light inside. The narrow tunnel inside seems to stretch to the west for about twenty feet, before curving to the south. Beyond that bend, they cannot see.

"Could be some animal's nest...but that stone mouth sure isn't natural. Maybe goblins or kobolds used to live here? Or maybe they still do," Shay speculates.