PrP: Down in the Dirt

[Circe]

The Lost have returned to the four way intersection on their trip to the Western half of their tunnels. To the north, lights reflect off the white paint on the dead-end. East is the path that leads to a eel filled fishing hole. And to the West? Well, who know what is there past the stone walls and dirt floor.


The Summer Queen was well prepared for past dangers. And no wheelbarrow as this was for exploration, not engineering. They could come back for that if need be. Hopefully Seraphina won't have issue with taking things lighter this time.

On Circe

Metal helmet WWII [2/2] with light. Hedgespun Lorica, snake gaiters, leather vambraces, and denim trousers. Knife. Hedgespun Multitool and lanyard. Hedgespun Glasses. Flashlight baton. Colt with suppressor with 1 clips snake shot, 1 riot, 2 regular. Extra ammo 20 regular. Ear plugs with lanyards. 3 small chemical break lights. Hip holster, smart phone, compass, and a updated badly drawn map. Hiker's vest with 2 water bottles, 4 meal bars. Cheap flashlight. 3 flasks of healing fruit juice.

[Seraphina]

Why was the Nix always signing up to help with this? Cause she saw promise in the tunnels. Well, if they could get them cleaned and, well, functional.

Her outfit was pretty much the same as before, black khaki pants, boots that laced to her knees and a black tank top. A messenger bag was slung over her shoulder, and her long hair was piled on top of her head in a bun. Which of course highlighted her ears and gills, but, leaving her hair down would cause a whole new list of problems. Plus, she did not want to try and get dirt, mud and whatever else out of her hair.

Spotting the Summer Queen, "Hey!" looking around, "Just us?" she asks, "Girls day in the tunnels!" laughing.

Sera has bottled water(2), trail mix, notebook and pencil, research, first aid kit, two flashlights, two headlamps, handheld GPS, pair of sturdy gloves, dagger on hip, compass, maps from the historical society as well as hand drawn maps, cell phone on vibrate

[Circe]

"Heyoo!" She greets the Spring Queen, "Liam was busy!" She waves her arms wide in emphasis. And has to adjust the pocketed vest that is badly stretched over her armored chest. "Razza, frazza. Ahem, and hey! It ain't like we met any serious, well, any serious hazards on land."


Which was true if one did not count the cesspool as land. "Fingers crossed, no additional poop patrols, oh ho ho ho!" Circe points her left hand down the last tunnel, to the West, of the Northern spur that they'd yet to search, "Shall we see if this thing leads ta old timey treasures?" What kind of treasure would it be? "Maybe gold? Inflammable booze? Or flammable booze?"

[Seraphina]

“Oh, well, more fun for us then! A girls trip into the darkened tunnels below Funderland!” that smelled like shit and was certainly not her idea of a fun time. “Even if we did, pretty sure the two of us could handle it.” They were not completely helpless here.

Nodding, “Fingers crossed, but, nothing we can’t handle.” They were not wilting flowers. “And bring on the treasures! I’m partial to gold myself.” A wink to the other Fairest.

[Circe]

Narration:
The Fairest and confident duo head West from the intersection. There are the occasional vermin tunnels in the rocks, but nothing they could explore. Not unless Sonja's been teaching transformations. And bestial battle given the rats and roaches. A notable thing appears, very obviously, after 20 minutes of walking. It is a rusted, decayed ladder leading up to an equally rusted metal tube.


Roll Perception to notice additional details quickly. Otherwise, minutes must be taken to investigate.
---
Circe:
Circe's light shine through the dark. Her ears pick up scuttling sounds. Not rats and not snakes. She was familiar with the former and was pretty sure the latter didn't make those kinds of noises. Probably roaches? Hopefully a LOT of roaches and not giant roaches. The latter would mean either gate or Hollywood toxic waste. Both bad.


"Dusty down here," she chimes as she kicks away a rock. It clinks on something, metallic. Oh, well that was easy to spot. Circe looks upwards, "Well, that's a start, ain't it Sera? Discovery!"

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-07-19 20:51:32	Circe rolls 5 to Perception - Clarity (10 Again)	1, 7, 4, 5, 4	failure

[Seraphina]

Remembering said vermin was why Sera was glad for the lace up leather boots.

Adjusting her headlamp, she nods, “We must be the first human…ish…things to walk down here in a while. Think some fans will help get rid of the dust?” she asks, or a good cleaning.

Stopping at the metallic sound, she looks up as well, “Huh.” Sapphires tracing the ladder and tube it led up to. “Maybe. Though not sure how strong it’ll be with all that decay and rust.” Not really wanting to be the one to test its strength. Not that either one of them weighed a lot, just, rust…and decay. “Think it’s worth exploring? If so, I can try a Contract and see if I can make it, well, safer.” Maybe newer.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-07-20 19:41:59	Seraphina rolls 5 to Perception? (Wits+Comp)-1 Clarity (10 Again)	5, 9, 2, 10, 2, 3	2 successes

[Circe]

Narration:
The two Fairests examine their surroundings and the ladder. Circe takes note of how damaged and old it is. Cheap metals clearly. Not singular, it looks like it was poorly welded together and not all the same metal even. She doesn't notice something elsewhere.


Seraphina however does something much more useful. Whilst Circe is only looking at the metal, Seraphina looks up. Into the hole it leads to. Said whole is blocked. There is some construction debris but that isn't the most important thing her light shines upon. The important thing?


That would be the concrete holding all the debris in place. Likely whatever building this hole lead up to was demolished and filled in before new construction.


Circe:
"Could be, but the dust would hafta go somewhere else eventually," she considers the option. It could be better to use a vacuum she thinks. Or, "Maybe a leaf blower and bag it at the end?"


Circe eyes the outside tube. Very rusty indeed, "We might need a tetanus shot after," then kneels down to check the ladder up close, "I think this is cheap shit too. Or poor patch job?" She scoffs and gripes at the poor quality of work in her opinion. Circe takes out her multitool and taps parts of the ladder, "Patched from start maybe even? I wouldn't have trusted this shit ladder when it was new."


To her ear, it is different metal. She splutters when some flakes fall down on her face and she has to wipe it clean, "Ugh. Tin and iron and other cheap shit fer sure."

[Seraphina]

“Hmmmm,” mutters the Spring as she thinks, “Oh! That could be an idea! Or maybe we could work out a rig of pipes or something that spits the dust outside? Or too complicated?” might be too complicated.

Watching Circe and listening, she looks up, studying the hole at the top.

Pointing, “Not sure we’d get far even if I managed to make the ladder safe.” Seems like a waste of Glamour of they couldn’t get into the pipe. “Maybe it’s under an important part of the park or something? Cause I don’t think we’re moving concrete.” Not without Liam here. Wait, could he move concrete?

Nudging the ladder with the toe of her boot, “If we end up clearing this place out, we might want to reinforce whatever is blocking that hole, and get rid of the ladder. Or make it one whole concrete pillar.” A shrug. “But it would be nice to know what is beyond it, which part of the park.”

[Circe]

Circe:
"Pipes is doable, hmm." She hums in thought whilst studying the ladder, "Like in that underground muppet show I guess. But keeping it covert would be a pain." Circe smiles as she thinks up a simple solution instead, "Or just a big fumigation type hose going ta the basement tunnels."


Looking up at Seraphina's declaration of ladder futility, the elfin Fairest simply says, "Oh." Her ears droop and the darkness helps hide the blush of her failing to notice the hole was plugged because she was looking the wrong damn way. Then the Summer frowns. Circe does some math. They were probably at the Western edge of the park, hopefully not under any big rides.


Hopefully not under the zoo. They didn't need that kind of problem. Then Circe blinks and scoffs, "We can work out the math and geography later. Can't do it down here. She points to the ladder, "Later, can do pipes and a frame ta go with the concrete ta reinforce it. Even if it ain't under anything, everyone likes getting reinforcements, ask any general, oh ho ho ho!"


Getting away from the ladder, Circe dusts herself off some more. Then looks down the tunnel.


"Indeed! Let us see how far this goes ta the next thing," she nods in agreement with Seraphina. And onwards they go.


Narration:
The answer to how far is measured in time at a little over an hour of walking in the tunnels, only the occasional aggressive cockroach daring to bar their paths. Their next discovery? Another ladder, though this one was mostly in the side of the tunnel rather than free standing. It is best described as being inside a stalactite of concrete, fully covered. Whatever is above was much more professionally filled in.


If it wasn't for the rusty tube in the roof, and the concrete stalactite, they'd not have known it used to be a ladder.


As they examine it, there is a unpleasant crunchy noise behind them. Coming from some rats feasting upon cockroaches in a corner.


At the far end of their lights, Circe and Seraphina will see that the tunnel is taking a turn to the North.

[Seraphina]

A slight frown, “Yeah, I suppose keeping things covert is kinda important.” But this was way out of her expertise, “Might be something to brain storm with the others. Cause lets be honest here, I have no clue what I’m talking about.” Laughing.

Nodding as she looked to the ladder again, “I can get the ladder pretty safe, well, I think, to get someone up there. But we might want something as backup just in case. Though I can take care of broken bones if we need.” Not that she was advocating for it, cause that hurt. But she could mend bones if needed. Smirking as she takes out her notebook, writing a few things in it, “So that can be something else to look into, reinforcing it.” Better safe than sorry.

Notebook put away, “Lets go!” eager to get moving again.

Cockroaches were not her favorite, but they were easy enough to avoid.

“Huh.” Looking at the stalactite of concrete. “Seems like this is becoming a more popular sight, these placed with concrete filled in holes. Wonder what they were filling them in for?” she wonders out loud, eyes studying the ladder and whatever was above it.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-07-24 15:22:49	Seraphina rolls 5 to Perception? (Wits+Comp)-1 Clarity (10 Again)	4, 9, 8, 4, 9	3 successes