The Heart of Darkness... [Main Game Thread]

[Nocturno]

Van will stay outside, leaving the investigations to the investigators.

[TristenC]

===
if everyone agrees to be at the West entrance that's fine but if someone is going to examine it please describe in what way they are doing so. Standing at the entrance and looking inside isn't going to tell you much that you don't already know.

The mound is 60 feet high, as described in the initial post for this thread and a few others. The entrances are 60 ft from an edge, and at least 240 feet between them [map below for scale]

And umber Hulk can burrow through 90 ft per round but polymorphing into a creature does not convey its mode of "special movement" [per the spell description] that information may be of limited value. I would call burrowing through solid Stone special. The sides of the passages are clearly Stone.

[counterkid]

Zafron pulls out his 10 foot pool and wants to pock around inside the West entrance without going in. Can he do so?

[TristenC]

[he certainly can]

From the entrance tunnel Zafron pokes his pole against the floor in spots in a arc. The stone makes a solid cracking sound as he taps the floor and walls just inside. Even putting his weight on the floor causes no change. It would seem tthe first few feet st least are safe for physical progress.

[Nocturno]

" I wouldn't touch that, even with a 10' pole" Quips Van.

[BishGada]

"Bryce, please lead slowly toward the door. Faldair, be close to him. All the others, two steps back and scan the walls for hidden levers, lose stones or hidden walls. Be careful as some traps might be triggered when two people are standing at specific places or a very large weight upon." Galan commands and follows his suggestion by scanning the walls and floor. "Once we scan all the corridor to the entrance and the doors we should go to the eastern entrance as well." he adds.

===============================================================================================
(OOC: Hidden doors detection - [1d6] = 4
How does Dig spell work on stone (if at all?) or Stone to something? I saw disintegrate has small effect for digging....
)

[counterkid]

Zafron says: "Easy there Galan. I haven't survived this long by just walking in. I agree that my brother Bryce should go first but he should check for traps. Tabbi can go with him an check at the same time. I like to be extra careful in dungeons. Especially one of these types."
Zafron will not enter until Bryce or Tabbi say it is clear. Once he is in he will stand in the entrance on the first square on east to let the other in.

OCC: Tristen: As a dwarf Zafron has the ability to detect stonework traps, pits, sliding/shifting walls slopes. When would I roll for these checks? I have to say that Zafron is doing this specifically or do you roll in the background and if he finds something you left me know.

"Bryce, when you go in first scan the floor, the walls and the ceiling and tell us what you see."

Tabbi says: "I will go in after Bryce. We can should try to detect traps." She will enter once Bryce says it's safe. She will attempt to detect traps in the section in the 10 foot section in front of where they entered.
[1d100] = 76

OCC: Tristen: The squares represent 5'? So the hallway is 10' wide by 30' long?

[TristenC]

===
squares are 10 ft
hexes (overlaid on the squares) are 5 ft
The hall is 20 ft wide and 60 ft long

if there is any doubt, medium sized creature tokens on the map are designed to be about 5 ft diameter. small sized (Tabby and Zafron) are half that.

checking for traps is supposed to be a hidden roll but it's fine for now (i dont mind for this group but i have had groups that try to use the knowledge they rolled poorly in-character). if you want to check stonework or for traps or the like just announce where the character is looking and make the roll.

Bish:
the dig spell does not work on stone. The spell description clearly states "dig spell enables the caster to excavate 125 cubic feet of earth, sand, or mud per round (i.e., a cubic hole 5 feet on a side)"

also, actively searching for hidden doors requires you to Touch the surfaces. elves have a minor chance to detect concealed doors (but not secret doors) by passing within 10 feet... but you would still have to walk down the hall for that.

[BishGada]

==========================================
(OOC: OK. I assumed we do scan the walls and floor by actually moving down the hall, after Bryce Faldair and Tabby.)

[Nocturno]

"This is my favourite part. I get to stand here taking a nap, while they are poking about. Typically finding empty air and cold stones."

"Pick up any new jokes in camp Sorril? Oh no?"

[Squirrellord]

With a long suffering sigh at Zafron's instructions, Bryce rolls his eyes and checks his bag and then curses. Turning to his brother he says "Don't say it!" With a sigh he continues "I seem to have forgotten my pole, mind lending your brother yours?" he asks, hand extended.
Provided Zafron shares, Bryce will move into the hall and proceed to visually inspect and then physically probe the floor and ceiling (if he can reach) (he is small) each time he steps forward. "Now is not the time for speed" he remarks quietly.
He is not looking for hidden doors, more just being thorough and slow giving him time to see if anything feels off.

The intent is to move to the door at the end of the hall if nothing is triggered or noticed.

--OOC-- Feel free to roll checking for traps for me Tristen, visually inspecting floor and walls and briefly probing as he goes.

[TristenC]

Tabby checks the entrance area for traps (the first row of squares, 10x20) and gives the all clear for those. Bryce moves in, inspecting and poking the walls and floor with a 10 ft pole (Tabby can loan him hers). Cobwebs everywhere obscure the surfaces a bit, but the pole passes easily through them to tak, tak solidly against the walls. The ceiling, however, is beyond reach of the Dwarf-wielded pole, a canopy of cobwebs 15 ft above obscuring it completely.

Faldair and Galan follow down the hall, scanning the walls

====
Bryce and Tabby are able to clear the first 20 feet into the hall so far, what next for them and what is everyone else doing?

and the West hall is 20x30 total, i dont know why i said 20x60 before, i ust have been looking at the East entrance. This is the West entrance.

[BishGada]

"Lets clear all the way to the doors and inspect the doors as well. Then to the eastern entrance." Galan says with a hint of amusement.

[counterkid]

OCC: Why is Zafron so small compared to his brothers on the map. He is a dwarf. Aren`t all Dwarfs small in 2nd edition DD?

At this point Zafron will move to the entrance but will not enter. We will be prepared for any spiders that might come down from the ceiling.

"Anybody interested in burning the webs on the ceiling?"

[TristenC]

=====
the cutoff is 4 ft. Technically Van and Bryce are medium creatures. Zafron was made exactly 4' so he could take advantage of a certain magic item for small sized characters; thus the token difference. the monstrous manual lists them as "Small to Medium"

[Edit: Bryce should have been the small one, not Zafron. Egads, I shrank the wrong Mondoon!!! ... what would their mother say?!?!]