RED OAK: Return to the Pass of the Hounds

[Longman]

This looks like a natural underground river that could get up to about 15' deep at the most. Kilian does not know where the water has gone, but has previously raised the concern that it could flood at any time. But wherever the bulk of the water is going, it isn't here now.

As to the maps - you'd really have to work that out yourself. I have given Tiana a basic Int roll and she can't see this tunnel on the maps. In fact she can't really see how this entire complex fits with the other maps you have found.

You all descend / climb down into the tunnel by various means and continue southward for a fair while (500 feet) - the passage bends to the west and narrows, loses ceiling height, and also goes down a bit (drops about 20 feet.) You think at this point you are away from the castle mound, and heading towards the mountain to the south of the castle.

Tracking rolls indicate movement around here - it has gotten a bit muddier, and the scouts can see places where snake / worm like things have been moving around. In all likelihood there is more than one such creature.

You continue to see other signs of life too, and Kilian guesses the surface is not far above, maybe only 30 feet at this point, judging by the tree roots.

Then, an opening appears off to the right (west) side. It is about 8' from side to side and circular, and it looks pretty muddy and unstable. You are 60' away from it when you see it.

[Woe]

Can they tell if it is a home of our earthworm friends? More tracks, more poop, stuff like that?

First, tie Freya up to Kilian so she doesn't slip and slide into a trap. Next, Freya will scout ahead, closer to the opening. Everyone else will have bows out, and Tiana will have her web spell ready.

[Longman]

Track roll for Freya - yep. It's worm-ville. Or at least, one of several. The tracks go down the main tunnel past the opening, as well.

Freya gets to the mouth of the opening and the slimy residue removes all doubt that this is a worm hole. No particular indication that it goes to the surface, though.

Past the opening, she can just see 60 more feet of regular tunnel, continuing to move a bit westward. Kilian thinks you are now facing pretty much south-west, although it is hard to tell. If the river tunnel keeps losing height, it will eventually become impassable.

I'll state again that it is the morning of Thur Aug 28, and you came down on the morning of Tue 26th. That's 2 full days underground resting, and trying not to get eaten. A good wash has been hard to come by.

[Woe]

Several? Yikes! Retreat!

Seriously, one was bad enough. The party will head back (quietly, carefully, etc) and check out that northern passage.

[Longman]

Sigh. Dude you're nearly 4th level. Can't run way all the time.

Anyway....you retreat again, and this time explore north.

The passage way goes about 200 feet to the north and this time, it stops rather abruptly.

You can see what looks like an opening about 15' x 15' right at the and of the tunnel. It is full mud and wet leaves that are banked banked up vertically, and at a slight horizontal angle over the floor, and you can't understand why this wet debris do not fall down onto the floor.

Below that, you can see the place where a small trickle of water is bursting out of the rock and onto the floor. This water becomes the thing stream.

No real sign of any tracks up this end.

[Woe]

I'm not sure I understand. There's a 15'x15' hole at the end of the tunnel? And the mud walls are banked vertically, as if they are unnaturally formed? Now that sounds like an intriguing tunnel! It sounds a bit like a mud palisade to me, which is why I'm asking if I have that right.

We will probably explore further into the hole, but want to make sure I understand what I'm getting into. Safer or not, it sure appears safer than walking into a worm-infested wormville.

[Longman]

It is really weird and hard to understand at first. The mystery is solved when Abigall tells you that the whole 15x15 area in the back of the tunnel is magic, quite strong. It looks like some kind of invisible barrier has been positioned to block the flow of the river into the tunnel. Behind it, you can see banked up mud and leaves. There is quite likely to be water behind that.

Since the barrier was made, the water has found its own way through the rock, below the barrier. Kilian thinks the whole wall is relatively stable but he wouldn't recommend digging around in here.

[Woe]

Kilian wants to bash down the wall, clear out the worms, and see where the riverbed passage goes. He's in the minority.

Mysteries solved, they go back to the bridge. Remember that was always the plan? A few questions about the golem snipers. A map might be easier to explain this, but remember how some of the golems were firing through slits on the wall? Is it possible for the snipers to cover each other? Imagine if I had a grenade (just for explanation) and climbed up the wall planning on lobbing it in. Would the climber be exposed to sniper fire? And what do the holes look like? Are they balistraria or windows or platforms?

Here's what I'm planning depending on the answers -- mount shields in front of the arrow slits. While the snipers might eventually shoot through the shields, it would give a few rounds of cover. Or, their programming doesn't provide instructions what to do when the openings are covered, even better! Then, I'll mine the bridge -- wrap rope around it as tripwires. Once all of that is done, THEN I'll politely ask the golems to charge back over.

Oh, and they'll restore the barricade too.

Kilian is having a field day with setting up this ambush, and even Freya is willing to give him praise.

[Longman]

Nice tactics.

The sniper holes are about 1x1 foot wide and could probably not cover each other. If you managed to climb up the wall below them, you might be able to place shields or covers over the holes. This is a particularly smart plan seeing as the missiles they fire do not seem to do very much damage to inanimate stuff. But, how would you hold them in place?

Both times you have crossed the bridge, the trigger for the golems to activate has been crossing a spot about 3/4 of the way across. You do not know if the golems would respond if you climbed up beneath their sniper holes. Or, if they could fire downwards. From what you have seen, their arms have rather limited movement, so the best guess is that they could not fire out of the hole and directly downward.

Golems = dumbz.

Tripwires made with rope is a pretty easy task for Freya, Anna or Kilian - half an hour. Rebuilding the barricade would take about 2 hours.

The holes are balistraria. I had to look that up. My spell check wants to correct it as 'tribalism'.

[Woe]

But, how would you hold them in place?
I had two thoughts, rope and a mage hand. It doesn't have to withstand a battering ram, and even foiling by a few rounds would be good. I'd prefer rope if possible. Are there protrubances above and below the 'arrow slits' that would make good tie downs?