The Leavings of the City

[Eclecticon]

Following the lead of the Longspear, the companions move gingerly forward, the cracked bones grinding and crumbling beneath their feet.  All their eyes scan the detritus and pallid growths that carpet the hollow's floor, seeking the treasures of which rumour drew them here. 


Let's do some Search rolls.  The TN is 18, mostly due to the poor light.  I'll also chuck in a roll for Essylt, since she has as much reason as any of you to want to find your treasure and be on her way south. 

Arbogast

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

Esgalwen

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 3, total 7

Essylt

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 2, total 3

Grimbeorn

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 1, total 2

Hathcyn

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

[Eclecticon]

No straight-up successes, but both Esgalwen and Arbogast are within striking distance if they want to burn a Hope point.  Doug, my mind's not made up yet so I'll throw the option to you first. 

[Eclecticon]

Doug has gone dark, but Arbogast will drop a Hope point on it. Post to follow.

[tomcat]

Not dark, just busy today with my basement flooding due to the rain and previous snow melt.

I can burn a but I prefer Arbogast doing it since he can get his back. I can't even use a Fellowship point, so I will leave it for Arbogast.

Sorry for the delay.

[Eclecticon]

With a hiss of indrawn breath, Arbogast steps abruptly forward, seizing a sizeable gem from among a knot of osseous debris and sending several pallid tendrils withdrawing into the earth.  For a brief moment, he holds it forth in his hand.  Though its colour is difficult to determine in the flickering gloom, the light of the thistle-torches makes it sparkle and gleam. 

Then, Esgalwen cries out, her eyes huge in the dimness.  "Look, and ware!"  As she points, tendrils all across the floor of the hollow are withdrawing, and a rattling, soft at first but growing steadily louder, accompanies a new trembling among the shattered bones.  Arbogast, his fist clenching around the company's newfound prize, stumbles as his footing is upset.  As the company make ready their weapons and unsling their shields, Essylt backs away, blindly seeking the upward passage but unwilling to turn from what takes place before her.  She lets out a moan of despair as, from beneath the mass of churning bone, large segmented legs rise to grip and lift out a pallid, almost translucent, bulk that is neither crustacean nor worm nor fungus, but some baleful admixture of the three. 

Then, before the nightmare thing before the fellowship can be beheld in its fullness, a powerful gust of stale air runs through the hollow from some place unknowably below.  The thistle-torches, already guttering, give out completely and Essylt's moan rises into a terrified keening as the fellowship is plunged into darkness. 

[Eclecticon]

Sorry, everyone.  It took a while, but I hope the forthcoming events will be worth it. 

Battle rolls for the forthcoming fight.  Anyone who fails will be surprised and lose the first round. 

Arbogast

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 5d6 : 2, 3, 5, 3, 4, total 17

Esgalwen

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5

Essylt

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 1, total 4

Grimbeorn

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 2, 6, total 9

Hathcyn

1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 5, 6, total 15

[Eclecticon]

Keep those  -s coming - we've just triggered another Eye revelation, making the fight worse than it was already going to be. 

Matt, if you're back, let me know if you want to spend Hope on Grimbeorn's roll to get him into the action this round.  Otherwise, he and Esgalwen are too shocked to do much.  Hathcyn, on the other hand, is good to go ().

[Telcontar]

"Without hope, without light, to Battle!"

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Yup, spend it 

[Eclecticon]

Duly spent.