xibalba ♔ sublime | like a heartbeat | in its own beat

[everyredcent]

Heartbeat - Gazelle Twin 

WHO || Christos, Risa, Gaz, Ella, Katniss, Dante  [closed] 
WHAT || The Knights explore several drow raids stemming from a series of caverns in Belize
WHERE || Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre, Belize 
WHEN || March (date TBD)
HOW || Actionspam (single thread)

[ Travel to the Mountain Nature Reserve goes smoothly, and as promised, a woman who works for the park meets them and escorts them within as 'researchers', guiding them towards the area near the cavern entrances.  She speaks very fluent English and makes it clear that she's willing to put her job at risk getting them in there if it means putting a halt to these attacks before waiting for it to get cleared through red tape with the authorities.  She stops them at the cave mouth, nodding at the entrance. ]

From here, you must swim inside of the cave, and then wade up the river within for about a kilometer before you will reach dry ground.  The caverns stretch within for another few kilometers.  Will you be alright from here?

Comments

[sorceresslite]

[ ella's spot and listen are both shit, which is most likely due to her focus being on casting false life on herself for 15 temporary hit points for 8 hours. just in case. ]

[everyredcent]

[ the small river enters into a wider cavern, hitting dry land ahead. it is gaz, however, who notices that the river continues to flow around a rock formation hidden in shadow to the left, and as they float farther past, she cranes her neck back and sees a section of cavern wall that looks to have been recently removed, leading into a dry tunnel, where rubble still lies at its mouth. the others oblivious to it, christos continues to steer the boat towards the back of the cavern. he ignores gaz's comment entirely as he peers ahead. ]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ With a wisdom check of 16, Gaz manages to remember Christos' name as she waves her arm to get his attention. ]

Christos, stop. Over there.

[ And she points out the removed section of wall. ]

[anthophobia]

[At the sound of someone directing Christos somewhere, Katniss' own sight is drawn in that direction as she looks to where the woman is pointing.]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella turns and follows where gaz is pointing and still sees nothing??? ella's life istg. so now her head is whipping back and forth like what's there, what's this, what's happening? ]

[buttholy]

[he also has low-light vision, so that with his high spot probably get his attention real good after gaz points it out.]

It looks like a tunnel.

[just in case christos was going to ignore gaz :') ]

[everyredcent]

[ christos turns the boat around to approach that way. ] ... A rather fresh tunnel, at that. [ he pulls it up to the bit of shore there, and as they disembark, they can see that the tunnel slopes precipitously into the depths ]

[anthophobia]

[Katniss jumps onto the shore, making her way closer to the tunnel to see if she can see anything as they move closer.]

We'll have to be careful. It looks steep.

[everyredcent]

[ characters can either make a balance or climb check to head down - balance allows them to move full speed - but they can only try one or another ] Take your time. We don't need to fall into something's waiting lap.

[anthophobia]

[Even if she could try to go her full movement speed, Katniss still takes Christos' suggestion and moves slowly as she goes first(?), trying to step carefully down the tunnel (balance 16).]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz follows, taking her time so she can try to spot and/or track any footprints. (climb 16, survival 14 with the 'track' feat) ]

[buttholy]

[dante is actually knows how to climb so that what he's doing. he only did okay-ish tho oh well. (climb 16) ]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella ruins this parade of 16s with a balance check of 10. huffs. st patrick slithers along by himself like bye bitch haha (balance 21). ]

1/2

[layonhands]

[ even a 10 is enough! which is good because that's what risa gets too, stepping gingerly down the tunnel, keeping one hand on the wall ]

[everyredcent]

[ with a 23 balance, christos easily moves ahead of the others as they head down, and gaz notices light footsteps in the dirt heading in both directions - up and down. there are multiple pairs, suggesting they aren't the first group to move through here recently. the tunnel ends abruptly in a wall of hewn granite that looks rather out of place among these natural tunnels. a hole gapes in the floor right in front of the wall, and a large iron ring is set securely into the floor a couple of feet from the lip of the hole. it's completely dark down that hole, but a rope is tied to the ring and dangles into it. ]

[sorceresslite]

Creepy. [ ella peers down the hole into, you know, darkness. and sees more darkness. cool. so she casts dancing lights. four pale green will-o'-the-wisps shaped lights flutter over the hole before drifting down it while ella watches to see if they'll reach the bottom. (range is 180 ft.) ]

[anthophobia]

[Katniss' shoulders tense because magic is weird and she'll probably never entirely get used to it, even if she appreciates being able to see.

She distracts herself by taking a look around, now that they're not completely plunged into darkness at the bottom of the tunnel (spot 16, listen 17).]

[layonhands]

[ the wisps float down for about ten feet, illuminating rock with green light on all sides, before they move into a cavern of some kind below, its floor another ten foot drop. katniss is sure that she hears some movement down there, but they can't see anything more. ]

[anthophobia]

[At the sound of the noise she looks to the others, tapping her ear before pointing down into the cavern. No doubt whatever is down there will see the lights, but they shouldn't give away anything else if they can help it.

As she continues to move, her hands reach for her bow and an arrow, in case whatever she hears is dangerous.]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz (silently) points out the tracks she spotted, then draws her swords, also ready for danger. ]

[everyredcent]

[ christos goes stark still, watching and waiting... but nothing else stirs, and the movement below stops. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella halts the lights, but doesn't draw them back, looking back at christos like WELL WHAT NOW?? ]

[everyredcent]

[ gdi. he isn't pleased about this but it is what it is. he moves against the stone wall, crouching there and gestures for them all to do the same.

gonna have to fucking wait. ]

[buttholy]

[dante crouches with christos. what a fun mission his has been so far. :'| ]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz is not good at waiting quietly, so it's a good thing she rolled well and got an (unnatural) 20 on her move silently check to go crouch with Christos and Dante. ]