3 - 068: The Third Piece

[K Man]

Krysta, Caelith, Hero, Garor, Newt, Girud, Galdren and Callian - [So the Consensus is going with the current?] [Spot Checks, all failures]

The boats are sucked along, down the length corridor, their speed becoming near dangerous. More than once they bump against each other, nudging and catching on the stone walls around you.

The hallway seem to be infinite, with no turns or twists, but at this rate of speed, you'll surely hit something soon...

!!!!

Suddenly and without warning, the boats begin to fall, like leaves from a tree. You realize, seconds after you should, that the hallway, the water...everything was an illusions, designed to lure hapless adventurers down this tunnel.

[Ref Saves, all successes] As you tumble down, through the shaft falling from you boat and twisting about in the cramped quarters, you eventually slam into more water at the base of the shaft...hard.

[Damage Roll = 30, 1/2=15, less is evasion or similar ability.] The boats tumble atop you, knocking you about and sheer drop into this shaft was enough to pummel your bodies...

Looking up, the shaft is at least eighty feet above you, if not more and the water below feels as though it's being sucked out from beneath you...

[I'll need swim mods and actions everyone...don't forget armor penalties. You're in the Upper left section of the DemonWing's Below Deck] map, right above where is says "---Illusion---". Let me know if you cannot see the map.]
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Yuri and Romar - With but a bit of focused thought, the words on the tablet unfold and lay out, becoming very clear to Yuri. They state, in the clear tongue of the angels;

[glow=gold,1,300]One seeking the hidden city must learn penance, patience and the meaning of virtue.
Let not anything but your feet lead you there, and remain steadfast in your journey.
Vigilance shall be rewarded, sloth shall be punished.
[/glow]

Now that you have read...or more importantly, understood the sign, something appears deeper in the chasm. About a hundred yards or more ahead of you, you spot a pair of statues...at least they aren't moving so you assume they are statues...

You stand ready to spur your mounts forward.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

[VemuKhaham]

When Yuri translates the script for him, Romar quickly concludes that it wouldn't be wise to ignore this 'warning'. First, he is relieved that the existance of the Hidden City has just been proven, but then he speaks his advice, if Yuri didn't conclude the same already.

"anyting but your feet... It must mean that if we are to continue through this chasm to visit the city, then we'd better step of our horses and travel further on foot. It might slow us down, but if we are to believe this sign then we had better comply."

He dismounts his horse and then notices the statues.

"What are those? Let's go there to investigate; I'm sure it's got something to do with the same people that wrote these lines."

He will hurry to go there, still carefully and on his guard, unless Yuri does something different.

[GeneralMHB]

Yuri dismounts from Sindri and explains the text to Romar. He gives Sindri a silent order.

Make your way back to the Giant's cave and await my return.

[glow=green,1,000]IF you return....[/glow]

I will, have faith my friend. In what higher power I do not know. I start to dought Vecna now that I have reached this destination.

Turning to Romar, he gives a simple suggestion.

My mount returns to the Giant's cave and will be told to come back when we have done our business here. I suggest Huna does the same. Stay the course and have patience. I fear this may be our longest walk ever. And make haste at once!

With the last sentence spoken, Yuri sprints in the direction of the statues, having faith that no harm will come to him.

(OOC: Movement 40 ft btw. I'm flying, lol )

[VemuKhaham]

Romar accepts Yuri's idea and commands Húna to do the same and follow Sindri to the giant's cave. He then follows Yuri, but warns him to be cautious if he must be so hasty. Romar watches his back.

[BluSpecs]

Swim check -3

Dammit!

Garor Enlarges himself (domain ability) to try to get out of the water quicker or stand up if possible.

He then set to the task of trying to help and floundering companions

[Jevva]

Swim check -1.

Galdren surfaces from the water, sputtering and aching from the force of impact on the water. He frantically looks around, sees his similarly floundering companions, and tries to swim to shore.

[Hero]

Swim check -6. Ouch

[BTW everyone, you double your armor check panalty for swim checks.]

Hero will try to get back to the boat. She knows she'll be of no help to anyone in her armor.

[Fangor the Fierce]

As the fall begins, Krysta immediately reaches out for anything to hold onto. the walls, slimy and wet, afford no solid edge to stop her fall. Mordrock also follows suit, trying to bounce off the walls, so to speak.

Luckily as they hit the water, both Krysta and Mordrock make sure to impact the water fluidly, and get out of the way of the others crashing down. Luckily, they escape any real harm, but are now in the water, trying to stay afloat.

Krysta -1 to swim check, Mordrock -2 to swim check

No damage taken, as both have Evasion. (Ring of Evasion for Krysta, Class Feat for Mordrock)

[Wizard]

Caelith had been quietly running over the details of the frog statue in his mind, trying to remember anything---anything---about it that he hadn't previously remembered. So it had taken him a moment to notice that the boat---and he and his companions with it---were falling through the seemingly liquid water.

But not two moments.

At ten feet down, his eyes twitched and his stomach rolled, rebelling at gravity's apparent decision not to come to work today.

At twenty feet feet, he realized what was happening.

At thirty feet, his hand started to move, and his vocal cords began to vibrate.

At forty feet, he was no longer worried.

At fifty feet down, he was thanking the gods that he'd prepared feather fall that morning.

"I guess I didn't need another shocking grasp today..." he says with a grin.