Underground Explorers

[Anatole]

Anatole follows behind at first, letting Jasper, Circe and the rest stream out in front of him.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-06-09 19:28:53	Anatole to examine the stones rolls 4 to Intelligence + Investigation -1 penalty for obscurity (10 Again)	3, 2, 3, 9	1 success

As the group head down the passage and slow to a crawl, and then a stop, he muscles his way forward. Upon seeing the stones, his first though is that of boundary markers and gets an itch to explore. Holding his nerve for the moment, he gives an enquiring look toward Kane Harlow who appears to be checking out the structural integrity of the tunnel before them.

Assuming Kane gives the nod, Anatole will move forward to examine the stone piles more closely.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-06-09 19:28:53	Anatole to examine the stones rolls 4 to Intelligence + Investigation -1 penalty for obscurity (10 Again)	5, 6, 7, 9	1 success

Origins Circe Assuming Anatole is allowed to reach the stones, he will use Investigation skill: he is trying to discern the nature of the pile - whether it is just a random fall of rocks, detritus that has been cleared into a safe space, or has any actual behind it

[Circe]

Narration:
All of the Lost find that debris at the edge of the light is spilling out of an alcove. And alcove that can easily be seen as having suffered a total collapse. It is impassible. The tunnel continues East quite a long ways, but there is naught to be seen at the edge of their lights. They will have to proceed to see more.


Kane, Sonja Wu, and Jasper notice something optically significant. The ceiling has a section of black rock that makes it look taller than it actually is, not paint but seeming soot perhaps? It is an optical illusion broken by the dust and spider webs that these 3 have noticed with the skilled Perception checks, giving them the chance to duck.

The other changelings leading the way?


BONK!


The helmets were a good choice, preventing physical injury. Pride might have a lot more damage.


Anatole 's keen stonework study leads to an important discovery of the stones. Some of those stones were from pillars that were load bearing. His investigation into the stone piles past the old doorway show a solid mass filling it in, with hints of concrete present. Anatole's can conclude the detritus pile in the room is likely sign that whatever room or route was once present has been filled in completely by prior construction above.


Jasper 's sharp nose picks up a scent, but it is not near here. It seems to be wafting towards them, on a very weak draft. It is a damp, moldy scent. Such as mold or fungus that grow near fresh water. As Sir Ian McKellen put it, when in doubt follow you nose. There may be another entrance somewhere down this tunnel.

ooc: The Beast's have extra senses, yes, but the scent Jasper got isn't near, that much is clear. But Jasper rolled quite high, so hint hint. And yes, the penatly was for the black rock.

---
Circe:


"ciò che il blu divampa. Oh," Circe reaches up and smacks the stone a few times. "Okay. If somebody painted this intentionally," she scowls in thought. Then, well, Circe is going to Circe, she smiles widely, "I hafta give 'em props. That is hilarious Home Alone level fuckery."


Circe will look around at everyone to see if anybody had trouble with it. Oh, some had less trouble then her? She was going to ignore that fact thank you very much. Oh hey there is an offshoot! That is totally caved in.


"Well, that way," she points at the doorway filled with rocks, "Looks fucked," Anatole however is examining it in detail. So she asks him, "Or am I as wrong about it as I was about the ceiling?" she jerks her thumb to the West where she'd bonke dher head.

[Leonard Kingsley]

Leonard would follow behind everyone the light on his head would be illuminated, and do his best to keep up, he would look ahead to the best of his ability.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-06-11 04:08:01	Perception (Wits+Composure) -1 penalty rolls 4 to do something insignificant (10 Again)	5, 1, 7, 5	failure

Leonard wasn't used to the dark, that much was clear as day, he would bump along, making small scrapes against his shoes as they slid along the ground, he would bonk his head thankfully he was wearing a helmet.

Leonard would ask "Miss Circe, what do you think may be down here, if you had to make a bet?" He was just curious sense this was his first excursion to a deep well of intrigue. Thought that could just be the books he used to read.

Leonard would wait to see Anatole decision on the matter going forward.

[Circe]

Circe:
Looking to Leonard Circe stops heading down the tunnel, turning her back to the unknown. She inhales deep lyfrom her nose. "From the lack of smell, not shit like the other tunnel," she laughs as she points back whence they came. "Probably more rock, dust, and rubble. Maybe rats and roaches," Circe honestly didn't expect much to be down here.

"I mean," she holds up her left hand with her fingers crossed, "Maybe another bootlegger stash. A set of pristine Tommy Guns is unlikely though," she sighs and those looking at her will note her ears have drooped in disappointment.

Dreams are good, but realism is practical. "I think we're going away from the river, so hopefully no more flooding, right?"

[Kane Harlow]

Dodging the ceiling, Kane waited as people inspected the collapsed section of tunnel. He smirks at Circe's joke but otherwise remains silent. It wouldn't last long though, as Kane looks back down the traversable section of tunnel. He looks back to Anatole and Circe, then back down the tunnel. One would be there when they doubled back, one was an unanswered question.

Without a word, the Crimson Knight slowly begins inching down the hallway. He isn't taking off yet, but he is clearly eager to continue and only willing to wait for so long.

[Sonnie Wu]

Side tunnel is a clear no go, so time to focus on... wait, is the ceiling higher than she thought?

No, she could see the cobwebs. Was it painted? Negatory, seemed to be muck or soot or something. Time to stoop!

Sonnie tried not to laugh when some of the others managed to Wile E. Coyote themselves on the trick ceiling. She tried, honest. "Meep meep!"

Bootlegger tunnels? Her ears perked up, "Oooooo, you think we'll find some moonshine?" Sonnie's whole attitude so far had been one of a kid going on a school field trip, rather than an explorer on a dangerous operation. But Circe and Anatole probably knew the Monkey didn't take much of anything seriously... on the outside.

"Away from the river is good. I left my floaties at home."

[Jasper]

The Coyote's ears wilt back slightly under the helmet as he sees the sloping ceiling and he grumbles to himself as he has to stoop down even more. He can't help but bark out a small laugh at the Meep Meep from his fellow Beast.

He twitches his nose again and nods. "No shit, no, thankfully, but I don't know if we're for certain going away from the river.. I smell something moist up ahead. Mold or a shroom or somethin'. I don't think it's exactly near, but it's up this way we're headin'."

As he's walking, he slips his lighter out of his pocket to flick it once with a rather practiced motion, flicking a small flame to light. He continues to walk as he pinches the flame with his fingers and a bit of his will and the fire grows up along his arm and across his back and shoulders, lighting the Beast in a shimmer of warm fire. He closes the Zippo and pockets it again as he continues down the hallway with the others. "Wait... You think there's gas down here?" he asks, suddenly wary of what he just did, the flame flickering slightly with his emotions.

Armor of Element's Fury (3 successes)

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-06-13 22:41:34	Jasper rolls 6 to Armor of Element's Fury (10 Again)	2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 10, 5, 3, 5	3 successes

[Anatole]

Anatole huffs.

"Bah! Cave in. I'd watch the ... <sigh> ceiling. Maybe we keep tabs on the structure of the tunnels going forward."

The chatter bubbles around him, which he ignores for the most part. He makes a smile and prepares to head down the tunnel like Kane.

He pauses, turns to Jasper:

"Damp? Thanks for the heads up. Gas? Nah. We'd smell it by now."

He forges ahead toward the other elemental, Kane.

[Circe]

Circe:
"Thanks Anatole good warning," she moves up to his shoulder to look at the rubble, "I say we right this way off and keep going. Can brick it up or something later. Support timbers are a later too." That is what they did in all the mines in movies. The concept wasn't hard for even Circe to grasp.


"Doubtful," Circe says, "Ya can wine about the lack of booze in the old tavern. I think the bottles are still good." Everything online said the darkness and temperature of that little cellar were perfect for wine storage. She'd not removed/sold all of them.


And things got brighter now did they now? She looks to the source, "Uh, really hoping no gas up ahead." Methane comes from sewers, right? Hopefully the skin suit would help if they did run into it. And the goblin fruit. Hopefully everyone had goblin fruit if they did with Jasper in the lead.


"Mold? Yeah," she nods, "We found shrooms growing on a dead rat a, uh, hmm." Circe walks towards the unknown, "Looong while back. More makes sense."


She's no objection to continuing forward.
---
Narration:


Jasper's choice to shroud himself in flame has one grand affect. The tunnel is now much more visible. If something had tried to sneak up on the Lost's peripheral vision, it would no longer have any advantage in doing so. Jasper's concerns about gas are something he would have smelled with his excellent nose.


The flame's light does wonders for exploring the tunnel. Like previous tunnels, there are holes in the walls that would have held sconces or bars for hanging lanterns. These are obvious in the light and quite empty of anything. The ceiling? Oh just fine. There are mare dark spots of shallow light in the ceiling, making it again look taller than it is.

The Lost can try to deduce the cause for this, using Intelligence with Academic, Craft, or Survival if they so wish.



A few alcoves are passed, usually parallel to each other. Not rooms, nooks and niches that likely functioned akin to a turn off on a highway. Probably to have empty carts moved aside whilst full carts passed them by.


This continues for at least the length of a football field, mayhaps more. Then the Lost find anything noteworthy: another tunnel! This one going south. They've two paths to take now. If you want to know more, you may attempt a Perception or Wits plus Survival Roll to note details of note. Sonnie and Jasper still have their Beast's Keen Senses Contract active.

[Anatole]

I believe that Leonard Kingsley Leham is leaving. Circe Apologies if I am jumping ahead and dropping into my old ST habits. Next up should be Xander Kane Harlow