>>931050
"Oh. Um, Hello. Any more of you back there?"

Eira's a little caught off guard by how frequently she seems to be running into new people- she didn't realize underground dungeons were so crowded!

>"If it's up to vote, gentle...beings, I suggest we seek the goblin settlement rather than some trapped secret side path."
Two votes for trying for the goblin settlement then, unless anyone else has a better idea.

>>931415
Lizzie opened it already, >>898311 and it's still empty.
>>931524
>trying for the goblin settlement
Former goblin leads you back out the way he came in. Left turn at the T intersection right outside the alcove door, down the hall past the two paths leading upward to the promenade. After 240 feet the 10' square hallway opens up into a perpendicular 20' square hall. The crimson fog is thinner here, and there's ankle-deep red liquid (neither water nor oil, perpetually the color of freshly spilled blood but too thin to be the real thing, same stuff as the fog) pooled all over the floor.

Left again, 170 feet, then an equally wide passage branches off to the left. After about a hundred feet, the lemur starts tapping random-seeming spots on the wall and listening for echoes, examining crevices and so on. "Okay, I remember on this part we had to go slow... didn't seem quite so long, though. Don't worry, we're almost there, I can smell dinner cooking. It was definitely the second passage along this wall here."

After another hundred and fifty feet, you come to an intersection. On the left wall, two narrow passages, six feet high and barely three feet wide, thirty feet apart. On the right wall, a rough-hewn borehole 8' in diameter facing the first narrow passage, and a finely carved and polished flight of stairs dressed in black marble with an intact wrought-iron handrail facing the second one. The oppressively high ceiling of the 20' wide hallway is concealed by a mass of blood-fog with occasional stormcloud-like turbulence, possibly concealing a hovering or climbing thing's cautious movements, but the hallway itself continues straight on for at least another hundred feet.

Lemur leads you into the second narrow passage, breaking into a run. After 40' it gradually transitions into a rougher, wider, and more circular path, twisting upward. There's a Y-shaped branch, which the former goblin regards as a good sign, and he eagerly follows the scent of roasted meat - but then is baffled by the unexpected presence of a 10' square vertical-pivot stone door.

Once you get the door open, the source of the meaty smell is clear. There's a 20' diameter circular room, two other doors equally spaced around the perimeter. Inside, there's no fog. Every surface is covered in black char, speckled with bone fragments or bits of gristle, even across the high domed ceiling, except for a small circle of pale gray ash in the exact center of the floor. Atop the ash, a single perfect white glove, palm facing up.

The lemur admits he may have made a wrong turn at some point.

rolled 4, 1, 2 = 7

---

>>931534
Any glowing glyphs or perceivable sources of what happened? If not, Mizer is going to take his shovel and try to reach in and scoop up the glove.

>>931568
The glove has three thick lines stitched on the back, parallel to the fingers: black nearest the pinky, gold in the middle, red near the thumb. Seems like it's sized to fit a slim elvenoid with unusually - though not freakishly - long fingers.

Backtracking to the 6-way intersection, the lemur speculates he may have missed a passage covered by some sliding wall, and heads into the other narrow passage... which, after about 90', leads down over a knee-high ledge >>890933 to the spot where Ivori fought vampires, and past that back to the throne. Four left turns brings you in a loop, who could have guessed?

>>931534
>>931599
>Can't find our way back to base

>>931005
>I'd start with some food, maybe a nice long nap inside something warm

"Seems to me like wandering around isn't doing us much luck, expect for getting to see all the things we're seeing and find all the gloves we're finding! Maybe we can give our new friend a chance to eat and rest? I think I would be nice, since they asked and all! Well, I think actually I asked and they answered maybe, so that would still be nice to respect too. Oh, except, if we're here, and it's dangerous, then we want to work on getting out I think, so maybe while anyone who wants to takes a break to rest, everyone else can work on making a pattern to explore and count out where we might be going wrong, and how to get there right instead? Like, to the places we want to go, instead of the ones we don't like being in!"

Lizzy gathers up her "cape" and offers a cozy mound of fabric for the Lemurloblin..., er, let's call him Lelin for now, unless JamesLeng has another name planned out? To cuddle up and share some bug-ball with her.

Sahara stares at the glove with envy. Maybe it's just a sour cursed gauntlet.

Ivori stares at the ashen room for thirty seconds, then decides it was too good to be true. Whatever this room is, only a moron would step inside. And the leader would send his dupes out to trigger the incinerator anyway.

rolled 6, 2, 5 = 13

---

>>931534
>The lemur admits he may have made a wrong turn at some point.
"It's okay, this is a labyrinth, after all."

>Every surface is covered in black char, speckled with bone fragments or bits of gristle, even across the high domed ceiling, except for a small circle of pale gray ash in the exact center of the floor. Atop the ash, a single perfect white glove, palm facing up.
So either a wizard blew someone up, the room is trapped, or the glove blew up its last wearer. (Or alternatively, the glove is some kind of artifact, and survived whatever destroyed the previous wearer).

>>931599
>The glove has three thick lines stitched on the back, parallel to the fingers: black nearest the pinky, gold in the middle, red near the thumb. Seems like it's sized to fit a slim elvenoid with unusually - though not freakishly - long fingers.
Maybe wearing the glove and pointing triggers different magical effects? Not really safe to experiment with thought, until we rule out the glove as cursed or trapped.

>>931623
>Maybe we can give our new friend a chance to eat and rest?
Eira muses with a frown "If the camp is nearby, it would be nice to find a safe place to rest".

If the Lelin is worn out (and the rest of the group isn't) they could always just hitch a ride.

Rolling for spot, any traces or evidence that suggest which way (one of) the goblin parties came from, when examining the circuit we just traveled? (Seems safe to assume the path doesn't lead through the burnt charnel room, since it wasn't familiar to Lelin).

>>931685
Footprints along the last part of the trail, leading from the flooded 20' square passage to where you all saw the goblin patrol enter the throne room, but you can't confidently trace them much further back than that.

Assuming you've all regrouped at the throne room, the loop presents a handy focal point for recapping the known map. Starting from the throne and proceeding clockwise:
1) intersection where Embri was drained by vampires, 10' wide perpendicular passage on the left leads past a side area smelling of rust and panic, over a small chasm and into a crypt. Other direction, to the right, was explored by Lizzitaur but she doesn't remember it very well.
2) Up a waist-high ledge and through a narrow (6' high, 3' wide) hallway leads to a six-way intersection. Options from there, continuing clockwise, are A) the path leading upward to that cave with the charred room (and before that a Y-split to more cave, which goblemur initially said was a dead end but probably isn't), B) a 20' wide hallway continuing at least a hundred feet into the unknown, C) neat and tidy stairs leading upward, or D) a rough-hewn borehole,
3) Following that 20' wide passage in the opposite direction, you come to a T-junction with a big pit trap in the middle of it. Easy enough to step around the corner since you had a semi-trained goblin guide to point it out for you. Wide passage to the left turns sharply after less than 50' but there might be some other route down in the corner, hard to tell through the fog.
4) Following the 20' wide passage right instead through ankle-deep blood-colored goo, it turns left just after the 10' square path pack toward the throne room splits off to the right.
5) Two different side passages both ultimately lead upward to a false 'outdoors' area haunted by some distant place and/or time. At least three unexplored exits from there: a concealed door in a cliff face, a partially collapsed hall at the opposite side of the promenade, and a route that can only be reached by an exertion of will to 'switch tracks' within a hypnagogic garden idyll. Possibly other archways can also function as portals, under the right conditions.
6) Back to the throne room at last, the hallway continues on, sloping slowly downwards. Sonar suggested a watery obstacle around the corner which has yet to be examined up close.

Ivori votes for 4 at the same time Sahara votes for 1.

Naturally, they begin glaring at each other.

>>931757
Two different ways to go from point 1, which is Sahara advocating?

>>931738
Eira is inclined toward 2c. Good constructions implies some kind of civilized intent.

>>931794
Lizzy, eyes somewhat glazed over as she shares her snacks, hears "there's signs of civilization, let's head that way!" and agrees that this sounds lovely.

>>931823
>>931794
Who's in front, and what sort of precautions are they taking against traps or ambushes while climbing the stairs?

Ivori will stick with Lizzy, Sahara will stick with Eira.

>>931827
Hopefully I didn't forget anyone:

Mixer
Eira
Sahara
Dr. Falkmin
Lizzy
Ivory
Green
Gale
Leadra

Mizer up front for lock picking and sonar, accompanied by Eira and Sahara for front line support since they're sticking together. Dr. Falkmin and Lizzy in the middle for non-combat roles, with Ivory sticking close to Lizzy, and Gale taking the rear with Leadra since Leadra can tank and I think Gale has a spear.

rolled 4, 1, 3 = 8

---

>>931837
I think that omits a few of the characters who lost their players (like Hive and Grave), but we probably shouldn't be too concerned about them.

Rolling for spot or awareness or what have you as we travel.

Normally 'Lian' would be hung ho about standing in the front, both because 'he' is a diplomat and because he seems to almost totally lack any reasonable fear of death, but since the char room he has been subdued and nervous, and accepts a place in the back of the group.

>>932062
Stairwell ascends 60', with a landing every ten feet, forming a zigzag shape from the side. Each of the four landings has a door, but they're sealed shut with some sort of dishwater-gray crystalline material - barely harder than balsawood, but there's a lot of it.

The fourth landing is strewn with caltrops. Fortunately, Mizer's echolocation spots them easily - rusty iron spikes would otherwise blend into the fog all too well.

Ten feet above and fifteen feet behind you (or twenty feet directly above, for those back on the third landing) a soft voice says "Hold still or I'll shoot. Who goes there?" in Humish.

rolled 3, 6, 2 = 11

---

Sahara is quick to respond. "Don't shoot, we're just explorers. We found ourselves in that hallway of portals. Which portal or exit do we use to get to the nearest safe town?"

Ivori prepares to quick-draw her bow without the guard noticing.

>>932611
"What are your names? Where are you from? Which weighs more, wet oak leaves or dry ironwood leaves?"
The figure seems to be elvenoid. Broad-brimmed hat, cloak wrapped around. Right knee and left foot on the edge of the landing, left elbow braced against left knee and one of the verticals supporting a railing, crossbow (with some sort of elaborate clockwork mechanism and a gravity-fed 10 shot magazine) pointed down at a 45-degree angle.

Ivori's in the middle of the group, and as such would need to aim straight up into the foggy darkness - an awkward position at best. The guard could be behind full cover relative to Ivori just by moving a few inches back. As it is, only the left hand, weapon, and front edge of the hat are clear targets, though some sort of trick shot off the railing is at least theoretically possible.

rolled 3, 1, 2 = 6

---

Holding still and not climbing any higher up the stairs seems a good idea, considering they have a weapon trained on us.

>What are your names?
"Greetings. I'm Eira, this is Mizer, Sahara, Dr. Falkmin, Lizzy..."

Eira continues down the marching order giving names, until she reaches the Lemur-goblin. "...and, oh, I'm sorry. I don't believe I got your name?"

>Where are you from?
Eira would answer this honestly (wherever the expedition set out from) except I'm not sure where that was, OOC. Did this group start in Passholdt or somewhere else?

>Which weighs more, wet oak leaves or dry ironwood leaves?
"Would that not depend on how many leaves you have? Do we have a botanist?"

>>932685
>>932769
Lizzy nods along as Eira introduces everyone. As we discuss what exactly should be disclosed about our origins- do we say the city we met in? Our hometown? The throne room we left from before ascending the stairs? Lizzy chimes in helpfully:
"I don't remember where I came from! I think though that some people don't like that! Are you going to be upset if I don't know where I'm from? Maybe I could lie and tell you I know exactly where I'm from but then that wouldn't be true! Do you have a favorite place you'd like us to be from?"
>"Would that not depend on how many leaves you have? Do we have a botanist?"
Or maybe, if you have a broken scale? Or one arm is stronger so two handfuls feel the same but then they're not? I'm wondering if this is a special trick riddle, or maybe something a special group of people should all know but others don't, so they can tell who their friends are right away? Maybe the answer isn't even about leaves and we have to say something unexpected that they want to hear! Maybe its also about where we're from, and if we're from a special place we can answer that question and the leaves question at the same time! Do you want us to tell you we're from a city where the leaves are heavier?"

TL;DR Lizzy is admitting her origins are a bit hazy, and wonders if that's a bad thing in eyes of the questioner. She also goes on about all the various answers that might be desirable regarding the question about leaves, insinuating it might be a trick question or a call and response.

rolled 3, 5, 6 = 14

---

>>932685
Gonna try to dazzle him with my thermal Lance! Mizer will quickly whisper something about closing your eyes to his party.

>>941886
The lance fails to ignite, but you're clearly waving something complicated around with hostile intent, so now, twang-thwup, you've got a crossbow bolt stuck in your shoulder.
>>932769
>I don't believe I got your name?
"Lieutenant Mezuryk. Still willing to parley, if you've got news or supplies from the surface, but if any of you come up any higher than that landing without being invited, or try anything else stupid, next shot goes in somebody's eye."

rolled 1, 3, 5 = 9

---

>>941888
Mizer let's the lance clatter to the floor. "We have news! What kind of news do you want? Just don't shoot me again!"

Alright, can I use echolocation to figure out what's behind him? Anymore crossbow assholes? Also Mizer will examine his wound and see how bad it'll interfere with flying.

>>941892
>What kind of news do you want?
"Anything about my... about the Fire Hawks Company."
>examine his wound
Doesn't seem to have hit the brachial artery, so unless it gets infected, you'll survive. Tendon connecting to the pectoral muscle has a notch in it, less than a third of the way through but that's more than enough to be a problem.
>and see how bad it'll interfere with flying.
Hard take-off from a standing start, especially with a load, you'll probably tear it, dislocating the whole joint and crippling the wing until you get surgery. Gliding or slowing a fall might be doable, but it'll feel like walking on a twisted ankle. Full recovery seems likely, but it'll definitely take at least a few days, and up to six months isn't out of the question... unless you can get some magical healing within the next hour or so.

>>941892
> can I use echolocation to figure out what's behind him?
Active scans at this point would get you shot again, and it's hard to concentrate anyway due to the pain. Doesn't sound like there's anybody else moving around or breathing up there, though.

rolled 1, 2, 4 = 7

---

Sahara is suddenly on guard at the sudden injury.

"Hey! Next time you want to fire a warning shot, aim for the leg! You could have killed Mizer!

Sahara asks the crew if they have any potions left; a clipped wing can end careers. She intentionally ignores Holly, though.

"Like I said, we found ourselves here, and now we want out. If your company is legally registered, your best bet is to leave this place with us and head to the nearest town, then to the nearest city, and talk to the guild unions for more information."

Ivori sheathes her bow. The archer is a good shot, but of trigger-happy judgement. All she needs do is calm him down and he'll be more open. Possibly to stabbing.

"If I ever heard of the Fire Hawks, I don't know where they are or what they're called now. But we could use a dead shot like you, and you're going to need extra eyes if you want to get out of this place without being ambushed. Trust me, I know."

rolled 2, 4, 2 = 8

---

>"Anything about my... about the Fire Hawks Company."
"They're set up on the surface, near that big gazebo temple. Last I heard."

>"... But we could use a dead shot like you ..."
"Seriously? If he's going to travel with us, I expect to at least be reimbursed for my injury. I may never fly again!"

rolled 4, 6, 5 = 15

---

>"Anything about my... about the Fire Hawks Company."
"Wasn't there some fuss about their archwizard reappearing in Passholdt around a month ago? He got turned in a lizard." Eira touches her own scales as she speaks, as if wondering why this would cause a scandal. "Sorry, I don't know more, I never was very good at keeping up with celebrity gossip."

rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16

---

>>941888
As everyone murmurs half-remembered gossip from Passholdt, Lizzy raises her voice, to better address the unseen assailant.

"We have a glove, with black stitching and a pretty red to gold to black pattern! If you want it, we could help you get news in the towns and you could help us get to the towns first! We could also trade eating and drinking and friendly hugs, only Mizer probably wants to trade punches, so unless that's something you like you should probably not go close to him!"

>>941930
>>942241
After you hand over the glove, Lt. Mezuryk, a perfectly normal living human, joins the party.
>>941908
>>941909
By way of apology, the lieutenant gives Mizer a potion of least true healing. Shoulder is still sore and swollen afterward, but there's nothing else wrong that a hearty meal and a good night's sleep won't fix. Tendon should be good as new.

Beyond the lieutenant's sniper nest is a heavily barricaded passage leading to the charred room where you found that glove.

rolled 1, 3, 1 = 5

---

>By way of apology
Mizer grudgingly accepts the lieutenant into the party.

>leading to the charred room where you found that glove.
"Seriously? What's the deal with this room, do you know anything Mezuryk?"

Is this passage at the top of the staircase, or just a branching path?

>>942395
>Is this passage at the top of the staircase, or just a branching path?
Top of the stairs. Mezuryk was peeking over the edge where another flight upward would have been. From the charred room you've essentially got two routes back down to the wider hallway, and two natural cavern pathways. The cave on the left, as you're coming from the stairwell, has a vaguely reptilian smell and is almost unnaturally quiet, while the one on the right through the third door has distant echoes of people talking - lots of people, like a busy marketplace, but probably at least a quarter-mile away - and an undertone that might be running water.
>rolled 1, 3, 1 = 5
Mezuryk is actually a vampire, and, even if not actively plotting to kill you all, at least very willing to given cause. The former-goblin lemur is more trustworthy, though far from absolutely so. Mezuryk does not yet realize that you know.

rolled 4, 2, 6 = 12

---

>>945968
Skip to the bottom of you want the short n sweet version.

Lizzy bounces in front of the new party member, grabbing his attention visually before asking if she can pull on his sleeve; apparently she feels it is important to do so since she wants to grab his attention, because she needs to ask him a question.
To anyone who points out the inanity of this course of action, she explains that tugging on sleeves is a good way to get someone's attention, but that you shouldn't touch without asking, especially not in a dangerous situation. There's a lot more elaboration on the various nuanced rules she's come to understand, but the end result has her pointing down the tunnel with voices.

"We want to get to the surface, and also to be safe, can we go down that tunnel to get help from other people who talk? I hear that when you need something you're supposed to ask, and it's easier to ask someone who understands things like what you're saying! And so, um, I think this would be a good choice to get us help. What do you think, is it safe?"

Lizzy asks the Lt if the tunnel with the voices is a good route to pick for finding help getting to the surface and to safety.

rolled 5, 1, 1 = 7

---

Sahara suddenly feels tired for some reason, as if the weight of a month without sunbeams has come crashing down on her. She leans on Eira and tries to focus on her ears for perception as she has lost motor control of her eyelids.

Ivori, for her part, remains suspicious of Mezuryk's sudden capitulation, but Lizzy will keep him distracted. Ivori studies Mezuryk closely for any details or weaknesses, just as she has done with everyone else in this party.

rolled 82 = 82

---

>>945983
Mezuryk doesn't think anything down here is really safe, but figures that's as a good a plan as any.

The indicated tunnel goes about 150' relatively straight, with a little twist to the left breaking line of sight to the last 20', then opens up into a natural-looking cave too large for torchlight to clearly reveal the far wall. At least two other exits on the left, and there's a cool breeze coming from a smaller (but still easily navigable) tunnel on the right, but the noise seems to be coming from straight ahead. Rolling for random encounter.

>>946312
> rolled 82 = 82
Blood-colored fog hangs low, swirling among the stalagmites, but as far as you can see the cave is otherwise unoccupied.

rolled 2, 3, 2 = 7

---

>>946313
Lets head for that tunnel with the voices then, checking for any fog being disturbed- areas where it's suspiciously displaced, absent, bunched up, moving abnormally, etc, while moving forwards.

rolled 3, 5, 2 = 10

---

"Careful. They live in the fog."

Ivori pricks her eyes and ears, waiting for the vampires to attack their party. Sahara's eyes dart open and begin glaring at any source of vampires she can find, including Ivori.

rolled 4, 5, 5 = 14

---

>>946312
Eira pauses once the group reaches the cave, closes her eyes, and cups a hand to her ear, concentrating on the noise ahead, trying to make it out.

Marching along, 80' across the cave, another 40' through an almost corkscrew-shaped tunnel, there's a Y intersection, market noise is coming from the branch on the left. Assuming you keep going that way, maybe 100' relatively straight, a 90-degree turn to the left, another hundred feet, and you're at the "marketplace."

First thing you notice is an abrupt, invisible shift in the air. Across the bouncary, it smells like freshly fried goat, with undertones of honey and herbs. Tunnel expands to twenty or thirty feet wide, a jumble of stone blocks forming 'countertops' between knee and chest height, depending on the depth of rubble in front. Elvenoid silhouettes coalesce out of the fog, maneuver around each other, stop to 'haggle' with equally vague figures standing behind slabs, and disperse again whenever you look directly at them. All the ambient speech is in a foreign tongue, while individual words are further obscured by unnaturally prolonged echoes.

The whole place is apparently a vaguely haunted caricature of a busy market, background without foreground.

rolled 6, 1, 2 = 9

---

Lizzy is facinated, and rushes from "stall" to stall, hoping to catch something real. Marketplaces are always so exciting!

My guess is that she is ultimately unable to find anything of interest, and that we should move on; where to, I, as a player, have little input. The labyrinthine quality of this labyrinth has got me kinda stumped. Maybe we can backtrack and try some of those other forks? I dunno if any of that is new ground or not.

rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12

---

Sahara explains the illusion and weird pitholes behind each 'stall' as best she can. She also has a feeling this place is meant to keep treasure hunters from examining any deeper, so she looks for more treasure while in the middle of the party now that she has a team keeping her from walking to her doom.

Ivori simply rolls her eyes and keeps her bow notched, on the lookout for an ambush. She uses her experience in ambushes to point out the best areas for cover and positioning.

rolled 14 = 14

---

>>946756
Lizzie is accused of petty theft and dragged off to face judgement by the local lord. Everyone else sees her wander away in a trance, through what looked like a solid wall near the far end of the "marketplace" cave, about 200' away. There's also a more natural-looking tunnel to the left of the secret passage.

Inside the lord's manor, Lizzie marches dutifully to the great hall and waits until...

>>947218
...she realizes those aren't courtiers and guards going through the motions of official business before her trial can begin; they're just elvenoid bodies, empty shells of meat dancing and ululating mindlessly.

Room you're in is thirty feet wide, sixty feet long, and the arched ceiling averages fifteen feet high. You entered through a 10' wide vertical-pivot stone door in the center of one of the shorter walls. There's a throne of some darker sort of rock, nearly as wide as the door and proportionately high, centered at the far end of the room. The throne has been empty for a long, long time. Two more doors flanking it, and a bas relief cityscape carved into the wall between them.

rolled 2, 6, 1 = 9

---

>>947219
Let me try to see if I've got a handle on the story thus far. The separated expedition group found stragglers reuniting the in the throne room we started in. Lizzy sat in it, turned into a minotaur, and then was eventually slain, before being brought back with a healing potion which unfortunately didn't help her severed tendons. After wandering around she's now been separated from the group and left in a different empty throne room. How's she doing for hunger, thirst, injuries, and rest? Have her rations of wine and dried meat been significantly reduced? Here's her starting inventory list:
Kindling
>Jug of Wine
Canvas, fashioned into a wedding train-esque cape given her relatively small stature
>Candles, shaped like waxy millipedes crawling around on her.
Dried bugs Meat, mixed with ghee and other additives to create a crumbly, greasy trail mix.
>A consumable magic light source, stylized to resemble a lightning bug. Striking it activates it, and the casing allows it to be stuck to things easily and covered if needed. Pinned to a cool pointed hat is preferable.
Coin Purse

If she doesn't need to rest, let's try and go back out the door she came through.

rolled 6, 5, 2 = 13

---

Sahara: "Well, that's new!"
Ivori: "Hmph."

Ivori quickly studies the wall Lizzy went through for traps and opening methods while Sahara takes a peek at the tunnel opening.

rolled 5, 3, 5 = 13

---

Lian will go to keep watch with his shoulder against the corner of the tunnel near the secret entrance, positioned to watch down the tunnel while keeping cover from it, occasionally glancing back into the room to keep an eye on his companions.

If a threat approaches he will move to interpose himself between it and his allies with a careless confidence despite not seeming very familiar with the spear.

Does Leandra's more monstrous instincts recognise anything in the red fog? Does it smell like blood?