A Wet Cavern

Continued From A Front Storeroom

Summary

The staves are removed revealing a sharp slope down to a cave filled with standing water. Embla begins to scramble down the slope and Lothar gives the barrels a more thorough inspection.

Original Page

The DM: The removal of the shafts quickly reveals, as Engelhart suspected, a sharp drop. It is not as severe as a precipice, but it is about 70-degrees. And as the shafts will testify as they're pulled out, the area beyond is damp; the shafts on the far side are slicked with water, as is the slope.

The roof of the cavern is even with the top of the storeroom chamber that you occupy. The ceiling is 7 feet above the floor of the storeroom. Shining the lantern over the edge gets some benefit form the wet ceiling, which reflects on the scene below. The floor of the storeroom is about 20 feet above the bottom of the cave (the bottom that you can see).

The cave floor is filled with free standing water. The cavern's size is perhaps 30 feet across, at the ceiling ~ however, across from where you are, there is a slot about twenty feet wide, the roof of which is about ten feet above the waterline.

There seem to be a number of rocks that emerge above the surface of the water, but the water itself is black in color and you have no way to determine how deep it is. There is moss growing on the lower walls.

You don't see anything moving.

Water Cave Cross Section As always, 5 feet per hex

Embla: Hrm. Do we have any rope? Mine is with the donkeys...

Pandred: Could stack the barrels if it's not deep, assuming they're sound.

Or we could boost someone up. Ten feet isn't all that bad.

The DM: You're twenty feet above the surface of the water. I'll add a diagram to the post above. Give me a few moments.

Embla: Let's see how deep it is, first. Are there any good'sized rocks about?

The DM: I've updated the above, to show a cross-section of the cave.

There are no free stones around.

Embla: Hrm. Why don't we drop the goat bladder?

Engelhart: Agreed, but we must empty it first.

That ought to give us some assured flotation!

Engelhart: On second thought, looking at the diagram... this seems untacklable without additional equipment. How are we to get out should the place prove a dead end?

I look into the barrels, since it hasn't yet been done in detail.

The DM: Well, I said the slope was 70 degrees, so though it is steep, it can be climbed. Embla's sure-footedness, for sure, can scramble up this slope. I tried to draw the slope to show it's irregular, but apparently I made that bulge a little too sharp. Please don't hold me to the picture, but to my words.

Embla: Then I hand the lantern off, remove my pack and start to climb down.

The DM: Understand. Who gets the lantern?

While Embla is climbing down, I'd like to hear from others what you're doing. There's just enough room for one person to stand in an attack position at the top.

Pandred, I've added an ability to your Balance knowledge page on the wiki.

Engelhart: Ok, I'll stand guard then, as Embla descends.

Engelhart: I also get the lantern, naturally.

Pandred: Hah, I want to involve myself more, but that 5 hp keeps holding me back!

I can only hope my new Balancing act doesn't become relevant.

Lothar: I crack open the top of a barrel while Embla is descending.

Engelhart: I ready my sling and prop the maul on the wall.

I also drop the shield and hammer, to get my AP back at four.

The DM: The next post is up.

Continued on Embla Moves to the Water