A Tunnels and Trolls PBP (Play By Posting) Adventure
Chapter 5: Sewer
Looking up toward the rooftop Kopfy cups his hands and says "Come on down Taran and join us."
Taran makes one last HotVision(TM) scan of the streets visible from his perch on the roof before he descends to join the crew at the sewer grate. Given the close quarters the tunnel descent is likely to be, he secures his crossbow and attachment, closes the hood on his quiver, and falls into rank besides his brother. They exchange a glance of determination before descending.
"No use posting a sentry on the surface, seeing as they're all down the sewer, eh?" Taran muses. "Then again, one of 'em was up top with me so we shouldn't discount the fact that others are still topside."
484 - Kopfy - 4/21/00 3:42 pm
Kopfy looks at Michael of the Midnight Magics, and smiles (a bit weak from the spell casting), "Our fearless leader could use some magical back-up just in case he gets in trouble, Mikey."
485 - lamia_best - 4/21/00 9:37 pm
[[OFC - Laimia_Best stepping in for Misfitsprite until she returns, with information from our esteemed GM.]]
[[Lilac]] With my small silver inlaid ivory staff in hand I smack Shipy across the ear with it. He flinches slightly and I notice him giving me a hard stare. "What? It’s a light stick... I had to hit it against something. It worked didn’t?" I can’t help but notice Shipy rubbing his ear.
Holding up my staff it fills this area of the sewer with soft light. With the light I see Shipy and I are standing in oddly shaped (18 by 18 foot) sewer union (shaped like a T), with three different tunnels going different directions. All three tunnels are 8 feet and 5 feet wide with two inch deep standing water in them. All three look exactly the same. Even the slightest noise echoes down the sewers. The metal rungs go 20 feet up to the open sewer grate.
Shipy is carefully not to stand under the metal rungs. Pushing my silver hair behind one ear Shipy and I wait for the others in silence.
*Sewer entrance | | | | | |_____________ |* ____________ | | | | | |
486 - khara_khang - 4/21/00 9:48 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Kopfy]] looks at Michael of the Midnight Magicks, and smiles
(a bit weak from the spell casting), "Our fearless leader could use some magical back-up just in case he gets in trouble, Mikey."
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] looks at Kopfy and smiles in return. "Yeah he could..."
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amLooks like I'm Sara now, because this flies in the face of everything posted for him up until now. While Shippo does tend to need my rescue over and over, I've clearly identified him as my lackwitted assistant ages ago. I don't play along with his delusions of grandeur, and don't think the others should encourage him either- it's likely to make the hobbit overestimate himself (quite an easy task, actually) and get himself killed. Help is too hard to find, and MMM is certainly too grounded in reality. ;P
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 am
Not to mention the wooden cutout at the beginning of the adventure- `You must be THIS HIGH to be party leader.'
I sure showed them goblins who was who didn’t I?"
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amNo, he didn't. If I was going to show them who I was, I would've used the business cards. Sigh.
Michael climbs down into the sewer avoiding the trapped rung.
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amThe sewer? Blech. I'm a long way from Vegas.
487 - khara_khang - 4/22/00 8:54 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
*Sewer entrance | | | | | |_____________ |* ____________ | | | | | |[[GM]] Minutes pass before everyone has climbed down into the sewer, standing together. With Lilac’s light you see all of you are standing in oddly shaped (18 by 18 foot) sewer union (shaped like a T), with three different tunnels going different directions. All three tunnels are 8 feet and 5 feet wide with two inch deep standing water in them. All three look exactly the same. Even the slightest noise echoes down the sewers.
[[Shipy]] "Lock and people! And be ready for anything. Jax.... you’re in front, Taran, your in the back. Jax, I’ll be right behind you. Everyone else is in the middle. If you think something might need checked for traps... let me do it please."
Standing in the center of the group the short hobbit (not much taller than most of the group’s waist) looks up at everyone noticing they are all staring at him and swallows hard. "You know... if’n you want that is. Pick a tunnel Jax, and we’ll follow."
[[Kopfy]] "Good job Shipo! Like I always said, you’d make someone a fine waiter some day," I say grinning widely.
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] "Waiter... I thought he was too short. They do have certain standards you know!"
488 - Kopfy - 4/23/00 3:32 am
[[Kopfy]] "Good job Shipo! Like I always said, you’d make someone a fine waiter some day," I say grinning widely.[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] "Waiter... I thought he was too short. They do have certain standards you know!"
I whisper to Michael of the Midnight Magicks, "That's why they made him a manager, no job skills and under qualified."
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amManager? Waiter? Ridiculous. Short order cook, or small fry cooker, would be my guess.
[[GM]] Minutes pass before everyone has climbed down into the sewer, standing together. With Lilac’s light you see all of you are standing in oddly shaped (18 by 18 foot) sewer union (shaped like a T), with three different tunnels going different directions. All three tunnels are 8 feet and 5 feet wide with two inch deep standing water in them. All three look exactly the same. Even the slightest noise echoes down the sewers.
Kopfy leans back for a second and uses his keen ork, excuse me orc, senses (His hearing, dammit not his smell). Does he hear the sound of anything beyond running water?
489 - khara_khang - 4/23/00 8:48 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
Kopfy leans back for a second and uses his keen ork, excuse me orc,senses (His hearing, dammit not his smell). Does he hear the sound of anything beyond running water?
[[Kopfy]] Coming from the passage straight ahead (not the right or left one) you hear the faintest rattling sound of a chain echoing up the sewer passage. You wonder if it is accidental or intentional. Looking to the one wall in this main sewer union you see three chalk scrawling’s on the wall. Understanding written goblin the first reads ‘You’ Moma’ sucks pond water’ a second message reads ‘The temple of the goblins mists sacrifices all’ a third chalk message reads ‘For a good time contact slimy.’
*Sewer entrance | | | | | |____________ |* ___________ Sound of the noise. | | | | | |[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Picking a card Michael looks at it and then looks at Kopfy. "Did you hear something Kopf...?" Pulling a small fist-sized round black ball from his from his pocket Michael waits until the pyramid shaped symbol comes to the surface inside the glass ball. When it surfaces it reads, ‘The outlook is good.’ Michael smiles as he puts it away.
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amKeen, I must've forgotten I had that magic object.
491 - jaxdracon - 4/24/00 12:43 pm
[[Shipy]]
"You know... if’n you want that is. Pick a tunnel Jax, and we’ll follow."[[Kopfy]]
Coming from the passage straight ahead (not the right or left one) you hear the faintest rattling sound of a chain echoing up the sewer passage. You wonder if it is accidental or intentional.
With little data to collect on a decision, Jax uses a lifeline: "Say, T, you've got a nose for trouble; which path smells best?"
Taran sloshes a bit near the graffiti-laden wall. In the wan light of Pnahk's enchanted mitre, Jax sees Taran aiming his sniffer down each passage. By the time his brother's sewer-water ripples reach Jax (under 60 seconds), he has his answer. "Straight ahead, bro. Neither left nor right. Up is right out."
Kopfy wades noisily past Shipy and taps Jax on his studded shoulder pad. "Just a minute ago, I heard some chain rattling that way, too."
Jax concurs, "Hmm. OK, then. Let's move straight ahead."
Michael queries, "Izzat your final answer?"
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amI don't want to query. I want to quip.
[...and thus began widespread usage of the word, 'quip'. -Editor]
Jax sighs, and notes, half to himself, that last time Taran exercised his sniffer, joining up with Lerotra'hh's agents, he got himself turned into a lizard.
"Lizard? Where?" Lilac chimes in with a spritely smack of the lips.
[[Jax proceeds cautiously, scimitar drawn, and notifies Shipy of anything looking suspicious.]]
492 - khara_khang - 4/24/00 2:54 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] << In the wan light of Pnahk's enchanted mitre>> Actually Pnahk is no longer with your group. He wandered off about the time the Goblin Mist moved in. Searching for his Mummy I think. The light source comes from Lilac’s tiny silver staff.
[[Jax]] With your scimitar drawn you proceed cautiously ahead. Shipy follows behind you, with Lilac on his shoulder, Kopfy behind him, Michael behind him, with Taran bringing up the rear. You walk steadily for a few uninterrupted minutes before you find a dead goblin in the center of the sewer passage. Rolling the naked goblin over with your foot you don’t see a mark on him. Pushing on his chest with your foot you suddenly realize the goblin drowned when greenish water erupts from his mouth.
Continuing on you come to a (20 by 20 foot) four-way sewer union (a crude map shown below). The floor of the room is covered with greenish water. Taking you [sic] sword you lean out and push it into the water, but don’t feel the bottom, so it’s at least waist deep or deeper. Shipy taps you on the back and you notice he is pointing at the ceiling. Hanging from the twenty foot high domed ceiling is a ten foot long length of chain with a circular ring on one end. Looking down each sewer passage (from your position) they all look the same. What do you do next?
* Dead Goblin ................| | ................| |.........< _Direction going ________| |__________ ________ _______*__ ................| | ................| | ................| |
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Sneezes, and it echo’s in the distance. Everyone looks at him harshly.
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amWhatever or wherever we are doing right now I yell `Gusundheit' very loudly, then thank myself. These people obviously have no manners.
[[Taran]] As you walk in the back of the group your keen ears hear a shuffling sound in the distance behind you. Every time you stop it stops. You do not see anything. What do you do?
493 - misfitsprite - 4/25/00 4:44 pm
Sitting on hobby's shoulder, I retrieve a small piece of cloth and hold it up to my nose. "Geesh, no wonder goblins smell so bad, they need to change their bath water once in awhile!"
Watching Taran, I notice he stops after every few steps he takes and cocks his head as if listening to something. Poking Hobby's neck, I sliently hand him the ligt [sic] stick to hold and flutter to perch on Taran's shoulder.
"Want me to check it out?" I ask.
494 - hobbit_king - 4/25/00 7:24 pm
[[Shipy]] Use to the over-eagerness of the sprite, I rub my neck and accept her tiny light stick. Holding it out above the green water filled room I notice the water moving in a circle ever so slightly. Startled I suddenly back into Kopfy, looking up and over my shoulder at the ork I call friend, and grin.
"Somethin' in there Kopfy, and I don't want to be bait! Remember, I have seven kids, a wife, two grandparents and a blind uncle to feed!"
[[Kopfy]] "You're single Shippo, and you live alone!"
[[Shipy]] "Sheesh! Don't you think I know that Kopfy," I whisper.
495 - jaxdracon - 4/26/00 8:27 am
Jax wipes his brow with a meaty fist. "Sheesh. There's always gotta be something in the water; first jellyfish, then a giant crocodile, and now this!" he mutters.
"Wazzat, Jax?" Shipy pipes.
"Oh, nothing," Jax responds, a bit embarrassed. "I just don't have much luck with water-filled rooms. Say, do the left and right corridors have floors? Maybe we could avoid this junction altogether by hopping over it. You or Kopfy check the left; I'll poke my sword down on the right, but don't step into the junction!"
As he wades toward the right corridor, Jax has a nagging suspicion about the ring suspended halfway up from the domed ceiling... DOMED ceiling.... Could this be the goblin's temple?
Kopfy seems to pick up on Jax's thoughts: "If we pull that ring, something bad will probably happen."
"Hmmm," Jax muses. Taran might be able to fire a bolt attached to some silk cord through the ring. But where would that get them?
"Oh I dunno, maybe if we pull the ring, all this yucky water will drain away," Michael of the MM offers optimistically,
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amYucky? Do people actually use that word? The water is clearly `icky'.
"My robes sure are getting soaked!"
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amThat's okay, due to the wonders of wash and wear.
497 - tarandracon - 4/26/00 10:43 am
Taran whispers to Lilac nonchalantly, so as not to arouse the suspicion of anyone in the group--or anyone following them. "I keep hearing some kind of echo from behind us. It stops when we do," he says.
[[ L1SR on Int (I use doubles roll over rule as KStA taught me): 3,3,3,5=14 + Int(9) = 23. Made it!]] Then, Taran shrewdly considers, "I suppose the echoing only could actually be our own sloshing, which is why it would stop when we stop, but then again, if I were following someone, I'd want to synchronize our steps to mask them."
Lilac looks at the orc and tilts her head. "I'm impressed. I thought all you had in that head of yours was tusk!" "And ear wax," she thinks to herself.
Taran continues, slightly blushing at the large tusk compliment: "What say a couple of us hang back around the corner of the intersection and see if anyone really is following us? Don't want to send you down there by your lonesome."
Lilac's eyes widen. "Then if someone is following us, we can 'blast 'em?'"
Taran nods. "Ajup. Or, we could skip straight to the blasting part and send a flamed bolt [[ one of Taran's seek enchanted bolts, although I'm not sure the enchantment works if he can't see who he's firing at--this was never specified by Ken ]] down back the hall in the direction of the dead guy." He jerks his right thumb behind him. "If someone is back there, we'd definitely hear them sloshing to get outta the way."
The unlikely plotters slosh to the rest of their group to discuss their machinations just in time to hear Michael and Jax's ponderings about draining the intersection's puddle.
498 - khara_khang - 4/26/00 10:52 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
<<For Jax>>
Climbing off into the green mucky water you find it to be about waist deep and very cold. Quickly you cross to the room toward the right sewer passage, keeping close to the wall. Just as you move to within reach of the passage a Water Weird raises up beside you, mimicking your face and body exactly. The creature appears to be made of solid water. The creature turns its head sideways and smiles at you.
You now realize what killed the goblin and why you hate rooms filled with water. You stand motionless looking face to face with the creature who doesn’t seem to be evil or angry at the moment. What do you do or say?
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] "I could freeze the water in the entire room solid," offers Michael whispering, "But then you would still be trapped."
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amHelpful AND considerate. Good thing they declined, that would have been a difficult trick to pull off, unless I've got some Ice-9 stored away next to the cat's cradle...
[[Shipy]] "Ask it where the 'Goblin Temple' is?" asks the hobbit, moving behind Kopfy for added protection.
[[GM]] The creature looks from you to Michael then to Shipy.
543 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:33 amI look at Shippo too. Obviously, the smell is coming from him, he's the one who fell in the trap.
499 - khara_khang - 4/26/00 11:46 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] <<Talk about double trouble! This happens at the same time Jax is dealing with the Water Weird below.>>
[[Lilac]] Raising her hands the tiny sprite casts a Dis-Spell on the sewer passage, still hovering above Taran. The corridor suddenly shimmers and then is instantly filled with spear toting goblins. Raising their spears they charge! You easily count twenty. What do you do?
[[Taran]] Magic has somehow brought these goblins to you. What do you do now?
500 - jaxdracon - 4/26/00 1:26 pm
"Whoa!" Jax freezes in mid-stride. "Hi there good fellow, and nice tusks! We don't mean to intrude; we're just looking for a 'Goblin Temple.' Any ideas where we could find one, and we'll be out of your way posthaste!"
Jax tries to hide his nervousness, and motions to Kopfy and the others to stay back.
501 - tarandracon - 4/26/00 1:48 pm
Back in the back behind the others, Taran grunts his frustration to Lilac. "This your doing, wizardess?" He double checks that his crossbow is loaded, aims, and fires at one of the incoming hoarde. [[ L0SR vs Dex: 2,2,1,3 = 7 + Dex(11) = 18. Kapoweee! ]] Knowing his magically enhanced aim to be true, he backs up a bit toward the others and reaches for another bolt to crank into his bow.
"Incoming!!!" he speaks nervously to the rest, not eager to startle the water creature, but quite eager to alert his brother and the crew of the situation down the sewer.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we could get this water thing to eat some more goblins?" he wonders aloud to Lilac....
502 - khara_khang - 4/26/00 3:25 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] - Lilac... as you delay in not answering the game continues onward. A simple 'I cast a spell' or do this or that would help.
[[Jax]] The Water Weird’s smile turns to that of a frown. Raising one arm up, which holds a water sword it points toward the left passage. "You go wrong way friend," it says in a bubbly orkish voice. Disappearing into the green water, the water around you boil as something grabs you from below, lifting you up almost out of the water (except for your ankles and shoes) and carries you across the room at high speed, releasing you into the left passage. Nervously surprised at the action you salute the Water Weird and it raises up (still looking exactly like you) and smiles.
[[Taran]] Your first shot passes straight through the chest of the closest goblin as he charges you, but doesn't seem to harm it. Having little time to react and no where to retreat the goblins charge en masse. With a perfect attack the first goblin stabs you in the right thigh (take 8 hits), as the barbed spear tip passes straight through the meaty part of your right leg. The goblin holds onto the spear which in turn holds you. Blood pours from the wound. You cry out in pain. There are five goblins facing you, with more behind them. It’s your turn, what do you do!
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Hearing the noise, Michael spins around and steps up beside. "Holy sheep sheerer... what’s going on Taran?"
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amI got someone's name correct?!? Amazing. But when did Taran become a religious worker of wool?
Raising his hands he prepares a spell.
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amI before e except after c, unless it sounds like a, as in neighbor and weigh.
[[Lilac]] What do you do?
504 - jaxdracon - 4/26/00 6:15 pm
Jax snaps a swift salute to the grinning doppelgänger in amazement. "Wow, thanks! What a trip, man! Hey, Taran, didya see---"
But Jax's astonishment quickly melts into worry when he hears both the twang of his brother's crossbow and his ensuing yelp, nearly squelched in the furious sloshings of many feet---goblin feet, he surmised. Suddenly, Jax connects the ripples, the dead goblin, and the mysterious living liquid.
Jax timidly readdresses his watery reflection. "Say, good sir, it sounds like my friends could use some help. Might I have permission to cross back through your domain again? I promise not to make too many waves, like those confounded goblins."
506 - khara_khang - 4/26/00 7:50 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Jax]] Asking passage back across the putrid water from the Water Weird, it motions at the water, and the water sets up like stone in a narrow walkway from the left sewer passage back to your original passage. "I will hold the crossing for a short time," bubbles the Water Weird, lowering back into the water. Quickly you race across the magical walkway and it holds firm.
507 - hobbit_king - 4/26/00 10:30 pm
[[Shipy The Cunning]] Caught between the Water Weird and the attacking goblins I stand paralyzed with fear (as only a hobbit can), not quite deciding what to do next.
Putting one hand in my mouth stops my chattering teeth. I never expected being party leader would be so hard!
508 - jaxdracon - 4/27/00 7:09 am
"Thank you again! Should only take a minute!" Jax replies over his shoulder, as he races across the frozen bridge.
Wading between Shipy, who appears to be fishing something out of his mouth, and Michael, who is revving up a spell with grandiose flourishes, Jax finally joins Taran and Lilac, now tackling the goblins face-to-face.
As he swings his EverSharp(TM) scimitar at the goblin who speared his brother, he hopes Michael has good aim, or that Kopfy beats him to the punch again using a *real* spell.
Lilac buzzes past, doppler-shifting her tinny voice, "What took you so long?"
509 - khara_khang - 4/27/00 8:29 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] With is hands raised Michael speaks several ancient words of power (Translated for the readers) "Mites and miters, thistles in the wind, send me some arrows to damage these little men!" With that dozens of arrows fly out of Michael’s finger tips passing harmlessly through all the goblins within the sewer passage.
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amBeats the heck out of me what that was, but I liked it.
[[Kopfy]] With a twist of his wrist and a single word of power the ork-sage/wizard casts a spell. All of the goblins within the corridor instantly disappear in a brilliant flash, like gunne powder being tossed on a lit torch. "Illusions... and powerful ones at that," explains Kopfy a few moments later. "I suspect they come from an item nearby... maybe the Goblin Temple itself."
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Clapping his hands together Michael says, "Worry not daring duo.... (patting both brothers on the back), I took care of all the goblins for you!"
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 am1) Don't applaud yourself. It's vulgar. 2) It looks weird to clap your hands together when back patting anyway.
Smiling widely and proud of his ability.
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amJustly so.
[[Taran]] Looking down at the once wicked wound you see it is now gone, as are the goblins. You still feel slightly stunned by the event.
[[Jax]] The moment you rushed up beside your brother and swung your EverSharp(TM) scimitar was the exact instant the goblins disappeared.
[[Shipy]] Pushing his way into the crowd the hobbit says, "Okay people, let’s get moving... the show it over! Chop, Chop, people!"
510 - jaxdracon - 4/27/00 9:13 am
Clapping his hands together Michael says, "Worry not daring duo.... (patting both brothers on the back), I took care of all the goblins for you!" Smiling widely and proud of his ability.
Jax beams back, "Right, then. Good show, Michael!" Then rolling his eyes and addressing Kopfy in a lower voice, "Thanks buddy, that would have been embarrassing!"
Turning to Taran, still stunned, Jax asks, "Shake it off, dude. You'll live, T."
"I---I KNEW it was an illusion!" Taran stammers.
Then Jax spoke to his comrades, "Everybody, Shipy's right, we've got to cross the Water Wierd's bridge---he can't hold it up for much longer! To the left!"
511 - misfitsprite - 4/27/00 4:09 pm
IC: I was amazed when the goblins disapear and Kopfy (I think was him) stated that they were illusions. "Wow" I think to myself "Wish I could do stuff like that. Think of all the neat stuff I could magik up."
Giggling softly to myself as visions of gaint [sic] sun-dried lizards dance in my head, I miss the conversation and am rudely gounced out of my day dream to find everyone heading over the Water Werid at a fast pace. Once on the other side, I fly over to Hobby, I land back on his shoulder.
In my sweetest little voice (as only a sprite can do =P ) I adress [sic] Hobby.
"Oh brave and couragous [sic] party leader, may I kindly have my light stick back now?"
512 - hobbit_king - 4/27/00 11:35 pm
[[Lilac]] "Oh brave and couragous party leader, may I kindly have my light stick back now?"
[[Shipy]] "Of course you can have your light stick back 'PRINCESS' Lilac!" Smiling I hand over her silver inlaid ivory staff as she lands lightly on my shoulder.
An image of beauty even in poor lighting with the wit of a carrage [sic] driver, I think to myself.
513 - khara_khang - 4/27/00 11:44 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Jax]] With everyone following behind you, all of you cross the magical (if not temporary) bridge created by the Water Weird. Cautiously you continue your advance down the left sewer passage. (Lilac speeds away and returns during this time, see next post) After traveling about 75 feet you see a fourway intersection up ahead. Suddenly Shipy jabs you in the back with his pudgy finger (as only a hobbit can).
[[Shipy]] "If’n you take one more step forward Jax you’re gone’a fall in a pit!" says Shipy, whispering from behind you. "Trust me big slayer... its there!"
[[Jax]] Looking down you see nothing but a normal sewer floor.