Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
(038) The Concourse Catacomb « Thread Started on Apr 22, 2012, 4:24am »
Dugel, Wendel, and Mads. Your adventure begins...
Now.
"Thank you for coming, err, gentlemen," mutters the representative of the Traders' Concourse stiffly. He is apparently an irritable merchant, of sorts, and clearly his thanks amount to a formality rather than any sincere gratitude.
Behind him stand two thick-limbed guardians -- fighting men in the Concourse purple and white livery, but sell sword thugs without any shadow of doubt -- who each carry a quietly burning lantern, and the orange light cast by these illuminates the grimy, claustrophobic stone vault.
"I apologise for the rather unconventional circumstances," continues the Concourse man, smiling half-heartedly as he casts a bony hand about.
It truly is an eerie, and slightly frightening place to find yourselves in, and you have several times already questioned the wisdom of agreeing to this crackpot scheme. Still, and empty coin purse will drive a Man or Dwarf equally to desperate things...
"...but discretion is paramount in this matter, as I am sure you three, em, gentlemen, can appreciate." The Concourse man sniffs irritably, then indicates to one of his guards and the burly fellow hands his burning lantern over to the dark-cloaked fellow among you named Mads, who takes it silently and nods. He turns to look at each of in turn with a dubious eye, which each of you return in kind. You are an unlikely trio to be hired for any "official" business, that much is certain.
"The entrance to the catacombs is directly ahead, there," the Concourse Man continues, indicating the great dark arched doorway directly ahead. "My Men here, Meinhard and Gregor will await you at the top of this stair, and ensure that nobody else comes this way. Remember, all you need do for your hundred gold pieces is verify that the Old Vault remains sealed -- you must report to me the four numerals that are visible on the face of the lock. You should find the vault one level down, and some hundred yards or so ahead."
You remember now that the agent was specifically looking for Men who could read and figure... he was very insistent on that.
"But I warn you once more!" he shakes his bony finger at you, "These warrens have long been disused, and we suspect they may be inhabited by... various unfriendly sorts, best avoided." he sniffs again.
"Right then," he says, suddenly irritable again, "I shall be off. Good luck... gentlemen."
The Concourse Man and his two guards all turn about to tramp back up the steep, narrow stair which you recently descended in order to arrive at this place.
Before long, it is only the three of you. And the foreboding dark...
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #1 on Apr 22, 2012, 4:31am »
"A remarkable fellow, no doubt," mutter Mads to noone in particular.
He holds the lantern high to inspect the chamber more fully. There is the steep stair back up to the Concourse basements, behind you. The chamber at hand appears musty and long disused... it is mayhap 30ft wide and as deep. The ceiling is a good 12 to 15ft overhead.
Directly before you is a tall, central door-arch. To its left is another, and to its right is a third. All three arches loom over dark looking passages. The air is still and cool, and there is nothing beyond your "employer's" intelligence that recommends any one way over the others.
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #2 on Apr 22, 2012, 5:58pm »
Mads casts a wary eye down each of the passages in turn, aided somewhat by his lantern light, while Wendel coughs and scrawls his impromptu map. It looks something like this...
Joined: Apr 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 5
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #4 on Apr 27, 2012, 7:35am »
Hi all, have no fear I am here to assist. I may be small but you will find me invaluable to have along.
Me names Rufusthe quick to those who know me. He goes around and shakes everyone hand and smiles and gets to know everyones name. "Hello Dugel". "Hello Wendel". "Thanks once again Mads for the ride, you have been a good companion as ever", adds Rufus.
"Okay I'm in for the hundred gold pieces to verify that the Old Vault remains sealed" says Rufus.
What Wendel suggests is as good as any, let me go ahead and scout out down the left passage. You all follow with the light. Rufus gets up, standing over three feet tall, with dagger and hand axe in his hands and quickly moves into position...
As Rufus advances he will look out for traps, trip wires and alike to make sure he does not get in trouble, for he is no fool.
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #5 on Apr 28, 2012, 6:23pm »
By the steady light of the lantern, Rufus investigates the arch of the passageway to the left for any tripwire or other tomfoolery, but everything appears to quite normal for an ancient, disused subterranean passageway.
Thus, he proceeds to slip down the passageway as far as the lantern light will permit. Mads follows more cautiously, extending the reach of the light as he does so...
"Follow on, you pair," mutters Mads to Dugel the Dwarf and Wendel, who is busy coughing after completing his map. These damp dungeons are no good for the lungs, that much is assured.
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #6 on Apr 28, 2012, 6:26pm »
Ahead, the passage extends some 20 or so yards before Rufus reaches and intersection. To his right, and narrow stair descends steeply. to his Ahead, the passage continues on. To his left, another passage way veers off perpendicular to the first.
He can't see much in any direction, as the only light is with Mads and the other coming along behind him.
Joined: Apr 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 5
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #8 on Apr 28, 2012, 6:32pm »
Rufus will signal a stop and listen down this entrance to see if he can hear anything!
Then turning back and waiting for more light to arrive he says to the new troop, "Come on lets quickly have a look and get out of here and collect the coin, I want a drink tonight and a warm bed in the inn, not on the floor of a crypt with the cold dead...", laughs Rufus.
[Hinterlands] Rufus Brandystoe (the quick), Halfling, (Locksmith extraordinaire), Thief 1 [Moria] Lady Éohild (Noble of Rohan), Women, Fighter 3
nizrad Guest
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #9 on Apr 28, 2012, 11:39pm »
Wendel has both Eerie Lambent and the Sorcerous Fulmination memorized.
As Rufus ventures ahead Wendel lights his lamp and makes a quick sketch of the intersection, pauses for a moment to hack up a lump of flem he then hastily wipes his mouth and mutters "Stairs eh? Wonder if these are the ones our employer was implying. If thats the case shouldn't be to much further after that. I am however open to suggestions."
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #10 on May 1, 2012, 5:14am »
Rufus pokes his head over the stair well and gives a good long listen [1d6] as Wendel, Mads and Dugel the dwarf come up behind him... Wendel still busily preoccupied with inking out a sketch on paper.
The Halfling keen ears hear nothing more than the low moaning of restlessly moving air, and the distant clamour of far off echoes. Apparently these catacombs must extend for some ways underground.
Joined: Apr 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 5
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #12 on May 1, 2012, 8:18am »
Rufus says to his new crew, "Stay together and have your weapons ready for the first sign of trouble, for you never know.." he leaves his words hanging. "Lets go down, and find the Old Vault. I hope one of you can read so we can get the numbers off it?", adds Rufus.
Rufus will be just ahead of the others and will try to keep to the shadows and will search for traps as he goes, and will regularly stop and listen and look for anything that may surprise them down here.
He will first have a quick look down the passage the other side of the stairs about 10 feet.
Then if he doesn't see anything Rufus will move down back to the stairs below to locate the Old Vault.
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,216 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 195
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #13 on May 2, 2012, 5:39pm »
Without better light or further trespass, there is nothing much to see down the passage opposite the stair. Rufus shrugs and descends cautiously, going ahead of the others and keeping a careful eye out for tricks...
The stair seems to turn abruptly to the left several times during the descent, but eventually leads to another cool and dark chamber. Rufus can't yet see the extent of it, but there is a damp, foul smell in the air... as if vegetables have been left out to rot. And there is the sound of trickling water from farther off it in the dark.
Joined: Apr 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 12 Location: Melbourne, Australia Karma: 5
Re: (038) The Concourse Catacomb « Reply #14 on May 3, 2012, 7:21am »
"Quick bring down a light so I can see", says Rufus not wanting to be caught off guard in the dark. He will keep to the wall in the shadows to hide in shadows as best as possible at all times down here and now.
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