PrP Tunnel Trek

[Circe]

Narrator:
Everyone notices that the air is less dry, for lack of a better description, as they venture down the tunnel. Could Circe get to use her toy?


Unbeknownst by the Fairests, but knownst to Liam, was the recently killed rat that the ladies walked past. Liam is paying better attention, perhaps from watching where the wheel barrel is going.


The rat was hollowed out though the probable predator may not be that large. Which way had the dead rat come from? That wasn't so clear.


Liam can make a Wits plus Survival roll to discern more details about the rat's killing.

Circe and Seraphina cannot unless Liam tells them about it.


Circe:
"That means I get last dibs then?" She looks to Seraphina, "Good fer me."


Her sweeping head light doesn't spot aught of interest as she leads the way, hand on her hip. Well, hip holster, Summer habits. It is fairly easy to notice that the stains aren't as present from her last trip in the tunnels.


She wrinkles her nose. The air? Was it less dusty or moister? Good signs for her investment at least.

[Liam Gelt]

Liam stops just short of the deceased rodent, looking over it with a sad but curious expression. "Hey guys, you see that? It's one of the rats."

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-07 23:44:55	Liam Gelt rolls 4 to Examine Rat Corpse (Wits + Survival) (10 Again)	8, 2, 9, 3	2 successes

Liam thinks he's got a good idea of the rat's cause of death. "I don't think the rats would be eating each other. Not unless they were short on food." And Liam had been making sure that wasn't the case. "Some other critter down here, maybe?" He looks to Circe and Sera. "Have either of you seen any footprints or droppings down here that weren't rat-related?" ​Could there be Hedge Beasts down here? Was there an errant Hedge Gate that opened up since they'd been exploring?

[Seraphina]

Was she surprised the air was less dry? Not really. She didn’t know much about tunnels, caves and all that, but seemed moisture would pool at certain depths. Maybe. That sounded good.

“Save the best for last?” she teases to the Summer with a wink. Working with Circe was always fun, you didn’t have to always be serious.

Pausing, she turns to look at what Liam was pointing out, her nose wrinkling.

Eww.

“Were you able to figure what their food source was?” cause, maybe they were eating each other. But she does start to look around the ground, looking for any prints, human or animal. Though nothing stands out to her. “Do you think it would be an animal that would hurt us?” asking Liam, concerned.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-08 10:55:15	Seraphina rolls 4 to Tracks?(Wits+Surv) (10 Again)	2, 4, 3, 2	failure

[Circe]

Circe spins back around, one leg stretched out in a mockery of a ballerina turn. She walks back to see the dead rat. "I'd assume shit or trash getting dumped down here is what the rats eat," which was wasn't wrong about as she explained her knowledge with, "Animal Planet." As for the question for Liam, she shakes her head as she stares at the dead rat. "Nope. On the plus side, most predators Iron Side know ta stay the cazzo away from humans," she kneels down to look at the rat closer, "And we've been active in the gallery with no signs. So, probably not a hob beastie."

That was one positive. Mundane threats could be more easily contained and dealt with. If they didn't find the predator, then poison traps maybe? She looks from the corpse inspection to Liam, the pied piper. Maybe a hard sell there.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-08 17:59:21	Circe rolls 5 to Wits + Survival (10 Again)	4, 4, 9, 6, 5	1 success

Narration:
The Lost have all traveled in the Thorns, so all have a little basic knowledge of the wild that they all realize. The disembowelment of the rat means the predator in question was hungry enough to do so, but too small or weak to have eaten the rat whole.

Seraphina is fairly certain that a constrictor snake didn't do this. Those crush things. Circe is sure it was killed by the neck wound it seems to have. There is most blood on that fur section. Excluding the missing belly.


Liam knows this, and much more. Liam can tell that the rat was killed running towards the South, whence the Lost had come, due to an old blood stain. The kill was the bite to the neck, yet it is not a big bite. Bigger than another rat, yes as Liam knows rats. Then size different won't be too great though from what Liam can see. The wound is too small to have come from even a common sized dog.

[Liam Gelt]

Liam's bark-clad face wrinkles in concern. "Looks like he was running away from where we're going further in. As for what did this...doesn't look like the predator was too much bigger than the little guy." Or gal. Liam's still got some ways to go before he can tell boy and girl rats apart from glancing at corpses. "Most animals won't eat each other unless there's no other food source, and I've been feeding them and using my Glamour to sustain them on occasion." ​Had he been making them too dependent on him?

"Maybe a cat or a snake did this?" Wasn't there a catlike Lost at the Park a while back? I don't know any reptiles here in Sacramento. "I'll keep an eye out as we keep going down the tunnel. Maybe I can go between you and Circe?" He looks almost apologetically to Sera. He hopes not to offend his Sovereign, but he'd feel awful if she was in harm's way.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-09 22:40:12	Liam Gelt rolls 5 to Keep Alert (Wits + Compsoure) (10 Again)	8, 7, 2, 2, 7	1 success

However the group decides to move forward, Liam keeps his ears and nose focused on any sounds or smells of scurrying or slithering things.

[Seraphina]

There was a shrug when Circe reveals her source of knowledge, explanation worked for Sera.

Well, there was some comfort in it not being a snake. She wasn’t particularly found of them, but wasn’t like, terrified of them.

She looked to Liam, impressed with what he’s shared. “That’s good info to know. And if you’re right, and the predator isn’t much bigger then the rat, then I think we’ll be good.” More on alert, but able to handle it.

Shaking her head, “No, not a snake, they, like, constrict what they eat. And eat it whole if memory serves me right.” Cause some of that was general knowledge.

“Sure, that works for me.” Not offended by the request at all. It made sense in her mind. Hanging back slightly to allow him to proceed ahead of her.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-10 11:23:32	Seraphina rolls 5 to Keeping an eye open(Wits+Comp)-1 Clarity (10 Again)	6, 5, 3, 6, 9	1 success

[Circe]

"So, a cat or snake?" Circe scoffs, "Something we can just kick aside without worry if it ain't rabid." The Summer had no fear of such a mundane threat. As for the offer of changing order, that Circe doesn't object to. Not much of a concern with things as is. She'd probably go for the knife or even a tool instead of wasting a bullet if the cat wasn't foaming at the mouth and came at them.


"Okay, but watch the upper areas too." She warns, "Some snakes can climb and unlike me," she knocks on her helmet, "You two could end up as a budget Medusa."


With order set, Circe takes the lead again though with her hand on her pistol, holster unstrapped. Just because it might be a cat or snake, doesn't mean it was mundane. She'd met talking dogs after all.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-10 21:43:33	Circe rolls 6 to Perception (10 Again)	6, 3, 8, 8, 4, 9	3 successes

Narration:
Despite Circe's warnings, she is wrong. The ceiling also is not really good for hanging, crawling, or slithering of ambush predators in this area. Maybe that will change up ahead.


There is not too much to see for Liam or Seraphina. There are a few trails in the dusty floor, small ones. They could notice them now as they'd been looking. Nothing much bigger than the rat trails, so Liam seemed to be right about the size.

Circe however will note somethings. Her ears aren't for show, she can hear skittering sounds are distant up ahead. Rats or their predator? The other thing she spots is that they are on a minor downward slope as they proceed. The Lost come to an alcove on what should be the East side of the tunnel. Do the Lost wish to investigate the alcove or keep searching?

[Liam Gelt]

Liam nods as he walks, satisfied that there are no creepy crawly threats. "So, any ideas on what we'll be using the big community space for in the future?" He recalls that Sera and Circe had discussed such a thing on their last deep dive into the Under-Funderland.

The alcove pricks Liam's interest, and he briefly sets the wheelbarrow down while making sure to warn Sera. "Watch your step, Sera. I'm going to check out this alcove."

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-12 23:53:41	Liam Gelt rolls 5 to Examine the Alcove: Focus Animal Signs (Wits + Composure) (10 Again)	3, 3, 5, 3, 7	failure

So far there isn't anything that catches his eye, though his first glance is at the alcove's ceiling to avoid any snakes or...

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-12 23:57:46	Liam Gelt rolls 3 to Obscure Mythological Critter Reference (Int + Occult) (10 Again)	8, 10, 10, 10, 2, 7	4 successes

"You guys ever heard of drop-bears? I read they're like giant koalas that will divebomb you from trees." He looks a bit sheepish for bringing it up. "Of course, we're underground, and we probably won't see any Hedgebeasts down here. But it just got me thinking. This alcove might be a nice place for a park bench or something like it. A little rest-stop." All his renovations on the Spring Hollow have him thinking of everything but the present, it seems.

equipment

Hiking Clothes w/ Heavy Boots; Backpack; First-Aid Kit; 2-3 Goblin Fruits; Blanket; Battery-Powered Lamp; Protein Bars (8); Canteen (water; x2); Smartphone

[Seraphina]

Didn’t she just say it wasn’t a snake? Or maybe it was more valid coming from Liam?

Whatever.

She wasn’t worried about a snake or a cat.

The Nix stops when Circe stops. One always pays attention to when a Summer stops.

“What’s up?” she asks in a whisper. You know, in case.

Spotting the slope, she takes a peek, but doesn’t move yet.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-13 09:30:20	Seraphina rolls 5 to Taking a peek(Wits+Comp)-1 Clarity (10 Again)	7, 9, 7, 8, 7	2 successes

To Liam, “We’ve discussed a few ideas, but I want to know what the Freehold as a whole want. I think everyone should get a say.” It as only fair. If they asked their Courts to help, their Courts should get a say. “I think once we have a better map of what we have to work with, we’ll be able to work on ideas.” While she still liked the idea of a hospital type area, she knows the Spring Hollow would work just as well. Once they expanded a bit more and it would be safer.

Then a nod to Liam as he told her to watch her step.

At the mention of drop bears, her own eyes look up, “I’m gonna pass on having some bear drop on my head.” Mostly joking, but also a bit serious.

“Now that’s a good idea Liam. Maybe have some coolers or something setup with water and some basics?” water was always good.

[Circe]

"Yeah," she nods with Seraphina's answer to Liam. She isn't looking his way though, instead sweeping with her eyes, and head light, around the alcove.

5 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-13 10:34:48	Circe rolls 6 to Perception (10 Again)	4, 9, 8, 10, 9, 7, 9	5 successes

"We're doing the first step," she agrees, "Can't decide what ta do with something ya don't know about." As everyone had somewhat different ideas. Fall back, rally point, escape route, storage, party place. It was really a matter of what would fit to a degree. She turns when Liam enters the alcove, sweeping with her own eyes and light as well. "Not much point if it can't be secured or has more flooding dangers that ain't been fixed yet."


Drop bears? "Huh," she let's out a small laugh, "I thought that Aussie Lost I met in the Bay was bullshitting me. So, drop bears are real then? Guess spiked helmets must be really popular in Australia's Hedge."


As for the rest stop option, that seemed viable to her. She looks around the room, "Depending on how thick the walls are, could even cut down," she giggles, "a spot. Rocking idea."


"Apparently Liam, a benchmark is such a rocking idea they did it back in the 30s," noises however causes her to stop punning, ears twitch as she looks to the stone bench.


Narration:
Two things are plainly obvious to all the Lost. Liam wasn't the only one to think of a bench, someone has cut one out of stone in this alcove, along with a cut in stone box. Probably for ice and beer. Second, the smell of rot.


Liam doesn't notice any animal signs in the room, perhaps too distracted thinking of Australiain mythological / Hedgebeast predators. Seraphina notices that there are a few additional rat corpses near the stone bench. Circe will notice the sound of something hissing stone bench, and the sound of claws against stone.


They found the predator in question.


The Lost may try to investigate, or they can roll Initiative if they wish to enter combat with the predator in question.