"Shall we save the revolution debate for when we get back to the surface?" she suggested in a whisper. "I say we go that way..." she points toward north, toward the coal face. She didn't want to go back through Ursa's chambers and they already knew there was at least 1 dwarf awake in the machine room that might "sound the alarm".
"Can you guide us through, Habek? I should probably hide the light away," she says, tucking her glowing holy symbol down under her tunic and armor.
(My thought is north, and then connect with western passage!)
"Can you guide us through, Habek? I should probably hide the light away," she says, tucking her glowing holy symbol down under her tunic and armor.
(My thought is north, and then connect with western passage!)
Pint simply scoffed at Fr Michael's ultimatum. "Do ye think this is all news to me? I've seen how the world is changing, I'm part of it too ye know? My choice was made a long time ago." What that choice was though, he doesn't say.
He nods to Galiena. "Aye, follow me. No one light any torches or magical lights it'll draw attention to us. If ye need to grab my shoulder or my hand or somethin'." The dwarf took the lead and began moving through the dark tunnel, letting his dwarven eyes guide him. He kept his Urgrosh still in its scabbard, since if a dwarf saw him with the weapon out they'd get suspicious that he was expecting trouble for sure.
He nods to Galiena. "Aye, follow me. No one light any torches or magical lights it'll draw attention to us. If ye need to grab my shoulder or my hand or somethin'." The dwarf took the lead and began moving through the dark tunnel, letting his dwarven eyes guide him. He kept his Urgrosh still in its scabbard, since if a dwarf saw him with the weapon out they'd get suspicious that he was expecting trouble for sure.
The party goes north, to the coal face. This is a rough tunnel, and the going is very difficult, with the two humans stooped and in the dark. However you don't meet any dwarves, you can still hear the fan being pedalled, however.
When you get to the coal face, the tunnel is slightly higher. However there are tools and bits of rock left around, which you trip over as you travel. Then barring your way to the west is what looks like a landfall. However there is a collapsed area to the south of it, where the pit props have been taken out (the coalface and the regular tunnels are propped at intervals by huge wooden beams). You might be able to get round it that way, but it probably means crawling. The alternative is to abandon your plan to go west and to go east.
"Imagine working here" says Fr Michael, "day in, day out. No wonder the dwarves revolted".
When you get to the coal face, the tunnel is slightly higher. However there are tools and bits of rock left around, which you trip over as you travel. Then barring your way to the west is what looks like a landfall. However there is a collapsed area to the south of it, where the pit props have been taken out (the coalface and the regular tunnels are propped at intervals by huge wooden beams). You might be able to get round it that way, but it probably means crawling. The alternative is to abandon your plan to go west and to go east.
"Imagine working here" says Fr Michael, "day in, day out. No wonder the dwarves revolted".
((Thanks for waiting on me!))
"Ow..." Galiena sucked in a breath as she bumped her head on a low spot on the tunnel roof. "It's dismal," she agreed with Fr Michael, "if it wasn't for Ursa murdering Grimley, this whole business might have some legitimacy. If Percival doesn't find some way to appease them, he's likely to be dealing with this whole situation again."
Once they investigate their options, she hesitates. Either option could get them in trouble. "I can't call upon Ulesh again until I've rested and prayed," she said, wanting to ensure Habek knew they could not fall back on that if they got into trouble. "I don't mind getting dirty by crawling, but what if we get stuck and have to come back anyway?" Though it certainly seemed like the option less likely to lead them right to the committee. "What do you think?"
"Ow..." Galiena sucked in a breath as she bumped her head on a low spot on the tunnel roof. "It's dismal," she agreed with Fr Michael, "if it wasn't for Ursa murdering Grimley, this whole business might have some legitimacy. If Percival doesn't find some way to appease them, he's likely to be dealing with this whole situation again."
Once they investigate their options, she hesitates. Either option could get them in trouble. "I can't call upon Ulesh again until I've rested and prayed," she said, wanting to ensure Habek knew they could not fall back on that if they got into trouble. "I don't mind getting dirty by crawling, but what if we get stuck and have to come back anyway?" Though it certainly seemed like the option less likely to lead them right to the committee. "What do you think?"
Pint offered no comment about the right these dwarves had to revolt. He seemed like a pretty opinionated dwarf, and he had probably had a few things to say about the subject, but like Galiena, he knew right now wasn't the time, nor the audience for it. First get to the surface, then he'll see what he can do about this rebellion.
"We have to press on." Said Pint and looked around for a discarded mattock or sledgehammer. "I know a thing or two about stonecutting, I can carve us a path if ye two won't fit. I'm more worried about getting ambushed while being prone."
"Donna really have a choice though. Let's go, I'll lead the way." Said the dwarf and laid down on his chest to commando crawl through the tunnel. He definitely had soldier training instead of mining.
"We have to press on." Said Pint and looked around for a discarded mattock or sledgehammer. "I know a thing or two about stonecutting, I can carve us a path if ye two won't fit. I'm more worried about getting ambushed while being prone."
"Donna really have a choice though. Let's go, I'll lead the way." Said the dwarf and laid down on his chest to commando crawl through the tunnel. He definitely had soldier training instead of mining.
The party crawls through the collapsed area to the south, past the obstruction caused by the fallen rocks. It is hard going, and your clothes and ripped and blackened with coal dust. The humans cannot see, and have to try to follow Pint, whose boots are in front of them as he crawls.
Eventually you get through. You are back at the coal face, and it is deserted. The coal face is rough and full of pick marks, where dwarves have hacked away at the seam. Then there are large tubs into which the coal is shovelled, some of them contain remnants of coal. Going further west, here is a cart half full of coal where the coal face joins the westernmost access passage, which has rails running down it.
Eventually you get through. You are back at the coal face, and it is deserted. The coal face is rough and full of pick marks, where dwarves have hacked away at the seam. Then there are large tubs into which the coal is shovelled, some of them contain remnants of coal. Going further west, here is a cart half full of coal where the coal face joins the westernmost access passage, which has rails running down it.
She breathed a sigh of relief when the committee wasn't there to meet them... then coughed a few times as some of the coal dust had made its way down her throat. It really was very unpleasant.
But at least moving forward, the going should be easier.... relatively, she'd still have to crouch and duck until they got back to the larger chamber near the bottom of the shaft, but at least she wouldn't have to crawl anymore, thankfully. "I think we can follow the rails out now... but if we're going to run into Kanyin and the others, it will likely be here..." she whispered.
Ulesh, watch over your children tonight, so that we may yet bring this conflict to a peaceful end, she prayed silently.
But at least moving forward, the going should be easier.... relatively, she'd still have to crouch and duck until they got back to the larger chamber near the bottom of the shaft, but at least she wouldn't have to crawl anymore, thankfully. "I think we can follow the rails out now... but if we're going to run into Kanyin and the others, it will likely be here..." she whispered.
Ulesh, watch over your children tonight, so that we may yet bring this conflict to a peaceful end, she prayed silently.
"Better to fight 'em 'ere and upright than back there with our faces to the ground." Muttered Pint who at this time had forgone the pretense of being stealthy. He discarded his unused mining pack and pulled out his Urgrosh. This close to the surface it would be obvious they were making a run for it and he didn't want to waste time drawing his weapon.
"Alright folks, let's get outta here. Double time."
"Alright folks, let's get outta here. Double time."
The party abandons stealth, and marches down the western access tunnel. The two humans have to bow their heads to avoid banging on the tunnel ceiling, or more likely on one of the horizontal beams which prop up the tunnel. After a short walk, you come to the entrance to the machine room. There's a set of points, and a stub railway track leads off into the machine room. There is light in the room from oil lamps, and you can hear the clicking and whirring of the fan being pedalled. Apart from that, everything seems quiet. The machines are silent.
((Malcolm, I apologize, cause I know you've described it a few times, but I must still have the layout wonky in my head ... I thought the whole point of crawling was to avoid the machine room. Any chance you could draw us a rough map... this 'Juls' player must be a little dense. 
Also, what's a "set of points"?))
"Oh no," the words were barely whispered as the cleric realized where they had come out. Galiena briefly closed her eyes in frustration with herself for losing her bearings in this wretched mine and took a deep breath. "How do we get past the fan pedaller without him raising the alarm?"
Also, what's a "set of points"?))"Oh no," the words were barely whispered as the cleric realized where they had come out. Galiena briefly closed her eyes in frustration with herself for losing her bearings in this wretched mine and took a deep breath. "How do we get past the fan pedaller without him raising the alarm?"
((Er, yeah, I also thought we were avoiding the machine room.))
((Technical glitches producing the map. Bear with me.))
The party halt, wondering how they have lost their bearings. It's not surprising, since Pint, to whom the layout is unfamiliar, is the only member who can see. Galiena's light is carefully hidden in her clerical robes. Points are railway junctions (you have to set the points to right or left to direct the carts). A set of points leads leftwards to the machine room, or rightwards to the track out of the mine. A soft light of oil lamps comes out of the machine room. There's the clicking of the fan as it is pedalled, apart from that, silence.
The party halt, wondering how they have lost their bearings. It's not surprising, since Pint, to whom the layout is unfamiliar, is the only member who can see. Galiena's light is carefully hidden in her clerical robes. Points are railway junctions (you have to set the points to right or left to direct the carts). A set of points leads leftwards to the machine room, or rightwards to the track out of the mine. A soft light of oil lamps comes out of the machine room. There's the clicking of the fan as it is pedalled, apart from that, silence.
((Ah! So we don't actually have to go through the machine room... great!))
"That should take us back to the shaft..." Galiena whispered, pointing toward the tracks on the right. But she hesitated, listening to only the sound of the fan being pedaled coming from the large room to their left. If that was where all, or at least most, of the dwarves were sleeping, shouldn't they hear... something? "Shouldn't they be snoring or something?" she asked, suddenly concerned they might be walking straight into a trap.
"That should take us back to the shaft..." Galiena whispered, pointing toward the tracks on the right. But she hesitated, listening to only the sound of the fan being pedaled coming from the large room to their left. If that was where all, or at least most, of the dwarves were sleeping, shouldn't they hear... something? "Shouldn't they be snoring or something?" she asked, suddenly concerned they might be walking straight into a trap.
It's quiet... too quiet.
Pint stops abruptly and his eyes widen. Galiena is right, having slept a lot in the barracks, Pint personally knows that fellow dwarves snore up a storm. If there is no noise like this then they must heading straight into an ambush.
He already has his Urgrosh out and ready to fight, but if he can help it he'd rather not let them get the drop on him and his companions.
"Galiena, make a light so ye and Fr Michael can see." He says, if they're already spotted then might as well let the humans have a fighting chance. They'll be useless trying to fight in the dark.
Pint stops abruptly and his eyes widen. Galiena is right, having slept a lot in the barracks, Pint personally knows that fellow dwarves snore up a storm. If there is no noise like this then they must heading straight into an ambush.
He already has his Urgrosh out and ready to fight, but if he can help it he'd rather not let them get the drop on him and his companions.
"Galiena, make a light so ye and Fr Michael can see." He says, if they're already spotted then might as well let the humans have a fighting chance. They'll be useless trying to fight in the dark.
rolled 1d20 and got 15
Perception roll to try and see traps or an ambush
Pint considers carefully, and decides that no dwarves, or at most one or two, can be sleeping in the machine room. They must have left. Which can only mean one thing.
As you wait, the pedalling stops, and you hear the dwarf dismounting the machine.
As you wait, the pedalling stops, and you hear the dwarf dismounting the machine.
Ursa must have woken while they'd navigated the mine...
Her heart rate quickened, but she drew out the lighted holy symbol from beneath her armor at Pint's prompting, half expecting to see the committee there watching them. She grasped the hammer in her right hand.
Her heart rate quickened, but she drew out the lighted holy symbol from beneath her armor at Pint's prompting, half expecting to see the committee there watching them. She grasped the hammer in her right hand.
The dwarf descends the mechanical fan.
"Ey up, Balin" he says, "there's something down that passageway. I swear I just saw a light".
"Run for it" says the other.
You hear the patter of dwarven feet going away from you.
"Ey up, Balin" he says, "there's something down that passageway. I swear I just saw a light".
"Run for it" says the other.
You hear the patter of dwarven feet going away from you.
Hearing the two dwarves talking to each other before running away from them made Pint pause.
No.. they wouldn't dare would they?
"Stand back." Pint ordered getting a very bad feeling.
He picked up a rock and threw it towards the entrance, half expecting to trigger some kind of trap that'd block the exit to the mines.
No.. they wouldn't dare would they?
"Stand back." Pint ordered getting a very bad feeling.
He picked up a rock and threw it towards the entrance, half expecting to trigger some kind of trap that'd block the exit to the mines.
((Holding my post until we see what happens with the rock!))
Pint throws a rock into the machine room. It clatters against a piece of mining machinery, then comes to rest on the floor. The two dwarves are running away to the east, as fast as their legs will carry them, going out of the machine room and towards the place Fr Michael was held captive. The fan isn't turning any longer, and the slight breeze has gone.
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