This is not your grave

[masterfrog]

Darrian is a bit wary of climbing up the chimney of an old forge, even if the various group members could fit. For one, Ka'lion is the only one who could probably actually climb it. As well, it seems unlikely the wolf would be able to make it out that way.

"Barbarian, you may attempt going up the chimney, which is quite blocked, and would be a struggle even once clear, however I prefer my feet on the ground," Darrian calls to him after investigating the chimney.

"But, as I can see you are eyeing it, elf, delving into the mines may be an option worth considering. You see this here?" Darrian points to the blade, then picks it up, "This is a reason on its own to venture into the deep. Gromril, a rare ore of great value, and it seems these dwarves had found some for mining here... Since we have few other options, perhaps this is the stone that tips the scale?"

Darrian hopes the elf will follow his suggestion, but makes all attempts to appear helpful, and not the salesman he has just become.

[sageaqua]

"I told you so." says Kal'ion, "We now get to die because you didn't honor your word." Ka'lion is looking at the grill thinking he could pull the others up after he climbs out and at the wolf they had agreed would say with the mule. He is not angry at the parties leader so much as annoyed that because the party's leader broke his word he was going to need to leave the wolf behind to die. Ka'lion had known from the beginning this would happen. Oh not that they'd face the undead, but he knew they'd find themselves cut off somehow. He pulls his sling to test the rocks behind the grill. The last thing he needs is for it to collapse on top of him. "Get clear guys. I'm going to hit that grill and see if that's a trap, waiting to fall on top of us or if I can get the way out to clear it's self.
I'll pull everyone else up after I get out with a rope." as Kalion trys to find some cover to to the side of the chimney. The forge might work but can it be moved?

[at]

Ka'lion strikes and pulls at the grill with little effect - the thick metal is set deep into the chimney sides, Dwarven craftsmanship. It would take a hammer, chisel, and time to free it or extraordinary physical strength.

The grate seems to have been intended to keep intruders out, indeed their may be a second further up the chimney and the metal banding that remains of the doors to the forge look sturdy indeed though the wood has long since rotted away.

As the grill is exampled Darrian notices something he had earlier overlooked - it was not ordinary iron but a dwarven alloy proofed against rust ... and yet it was rusted.

[masterfrog]

Darrian shares his odd findings, wondering if anyone might know how this could be. He also ponders on it himself.

[dice=20] + 8 = 12 knowledge arcana[rand=13757670950144533569905511103570587240131711587312668803983833641]

[harknail]

Vadania shrugs and admits, "I don't know much about metals, just that the swamp is good at rusting them, but not as much so as the mountains. I've heard that you can't carry metal across those without it being destroyed."

Changing subjects, "We need to get out of here. The chimney isn't going to work. Darrian, you're suggesting the mines. I don't know anything about dwarven mines, would there be another way out there? If not we need to open the barricaded entrance before the skeletons reach it."

[at]

Dec 12, 2012 14:26:11 GMT -5 masterfrog said:

Darrian shares his odd findings, wondering if anyone might know how this could be.

Darrian has heard rumours of the Rust Dwarves of the mountains here, old legends and stories that they had been cursed somehow though he'd never given them much stock.

Though he was not a miner Darrian does recall one thing of note - the entrance that Ka'lion fell into on the far side of the valley.



(also - happy birthday Harknail)

[masterfrog]

Darrian can tell the elf will catch his bluff on the mines being a good option, so he switches tactics, "The mines may provide an exit, but the chances of that are less likely. The barricaded exit would be our best bet. But, let us not forget the small treasure we have found here."

Darrian waves the dagger, then tucks it in his belt. "I aim to return here later, and could use help from any wishing to follow. There is more Gromril here, I can feel it."

[harknail]

"I fear that it may be some time before we can return, there are many skeletons coming this way."

Before making a decision, Nokomis surveys the area one last time, looking for any signs (I.E. Bat droppings) that the Bats made it this far.

[sageaqua]

"I prefer our chances with the skeletons to hoping a barrier is pass able that we have yet to see. If we can somehow keep the skeletons fighting while trapped in the water. We may have an advantage. I didn't follow you down here for treasure. I followed you down in hopes to evade the undead and to get out. But that looks like that path is a dead end to me." said Ka'lion

[at]

There is no sign of the bats here, though the shallow flowing water throughout the complex may have concealed or washed away such signs.

The entrance to the complex is easy enough to find - just follow the source of the water - it is a tunnel that has been deliberately collapsed but water flows through the rubble in several places. With suitable levers the rock and debris could be dislodged but Darrain confirms that the blocked entrance is indeed below the level of the valley floor.

[sageaqua]

"How high is the ceiling do you think?" asks Kalion

[at]

The ceiling is a little under 6 feet, fairly consistently throughout the entire complex with the exception of the forge and what appear to be storerooms.

[sageaqua]

"Let's check the store rooms. They might have something useful. But as far as I can see the only space with room to fight is near the forge. I can't swing a sword or an ax anywhere else we have been down here." says Ka'lion, "Swinging an ax side to side is a very good way to lose your leg."

[at]

The contents of the other rooms have long since rotted or been washed away, though it would seem likely that the dwarves took much of value with them - even the tools of the forge were gone, the gromril blade found amongst the ashes.

Madaline, who has been watching the tunnel with her lantern, appears to annonce that light can be seen glinting off the distant weapons of the skeletons. Their progress is slow but steady and there seems little that can be used to block their path save materials from one of the other barricades - there is only time to try and clear one route however.

[sageaqua]

"We could hide in one of the storage rooms and hope they miss us? I don't think skeletons are intelligent. We might let them pass us and try to get out down stream." says Ka'lion

[harknail]

Just to be clear, what possible routes do we have to clear? Aren't they between us and the barricaded entrance yet?

[at]

Dec 15, 2012 19:13:40 GMT -5 harknail said:

Just to be clear, what possible routes do we have to clear? Aren't they between us and the barricaded entrance yet?

The skeletons are still struggling up the tunnel and won't get to you for some time - though exactly how long is impossible to say.

Besides the tunnel there are three possible exists - the grated and collapsed forge chimney, the barricaded entrance to the mines, and the collapsed entrance where the water is coming from.

[sageaqua]

We have another route out we can let the skeletons pass and go down stream. Or we can stand and fight. They are not my first choice but that is what Ka'lions going to do if the party decides to leave an area where he can fight. Using an ax side to side in the real world is known to be dangerous and using a ax in the water should always be a last choice.
Decide whatever you like but I'm not coming with you. I can stand and fight here if I have to. My best option is the chimney or hiding and heading down stream after the skeletons pass. I'm going to try the chimney. The barricade for all we know is full of undead on the other side and we'd end up trapped in between two undead armies and we could be walking into the lizard folk and taking the skeletons to them and I wont rest easy knowing I put my life ahead of their children's. Killing in self defense is one thing -killing for coin is another.

[harknail]

Vadania thinks quickly, though she depends more on wisdom than book learning. "Darrian, you said that entrance that the water is leaking though was beneath the level of the valley. That means it's not an exit but a flooded tunnel, maybe even the one that Ka'lion fell into."

Vadania thought some more, before asking, "Darrian, you seem to be good when tunnels and such, if we opened a little of the barricade, so the water came though faster, would it flow down the tunnel with the skeletons, or would it come this way too? I'm thinking if we speed up the water a bit more, it might slow the skeletons even more, if not stop them completely. That would give more time to try the other exits."

[sageaqua]

"You don't want to go out though tunnel I fell into. Without help you'd have no way to climb out of it and there was nothing I could of done short of a living ladder if everyone else had been down there to." said Ka'lion