Season 1 - Episode 6: The Bandit Caves

[JoeCarr28]

***MAP UPDATED***

"Yeah, we should check the stables, let me peek to the North and South first..." says Tannen in a whisper.

Tannen peeks into the crossroads to look cautiously up the north and south passageways. He'll also attempt to hush the party (a finger held up to his lips) and listen for any tell-tale sounds coming from either direction (or the 'stable').

Peering to the North, Tannen sees that a tunnel continues for about 40' before ending at a closed wooden door.

To the South, a tunnel stretches for about 70' before ending at an east-west T-junction. However, Tannen can also see a passage branching off the right (west) about 30' to the South, as well as a door in the left-hand (east) side of the tunnel about 50' to the South.


Doughbert: HP 5/5. No '0' level spells remaining today.
Hiker: HP 9/9.
Karl: HP 8/8.
Nivek: HP 7/7. 2 '0' level spells remaining today.
Paladin: HP 3/4.
Tannen: HP 9/9.
~4.10 pm, 28th day of Harvestide.

[SmootRK]

I'm still shaking the rust off those parts of my brain.

My initial thought would be to have our Halfling friends check the two noted doors for noise (and the corridors for sentries) whilst someone else watches the rear (Hiker's a more reliable shot... I think). We may want to consider checking the stable area as well - it may be a decent fallback if we want to get out of the hallway. Then again, if we spook any animals, we'll have set off one hell of an alarm system.

Check for visible sentries, have someone peer deeper into the stables if the hall is clear, have the sneaksy halflings check the doors for signs of life, and plan from there.

Karl, however, is not likely to come up with this...

OOC: Sound Plans

Nivek motions to our halfling boys and whispers, "Can you boys scout this stable area and those passages nearby?" Motioning now to Karl, "Keep watch over them from this corner," while guiding him to the proper position. "If they need help, shoot and we will then move to help them. Hopefully, we can figure out how many bandits lair here."

[Hywaywolf]

Doughbert mumbles, "get in the back, come up front ... make up your mind why don't you." He'll then scoot up to the front look both directions then turn back to look at the group. "Well I don't see any reason to go scampering off in either of those two directions by myself with yall safe back here, but I'll go across and check out the stables."

With that, he will look both ways again to make sure the way is clear then move as silently as possible up to the gate to the stables and take a better look.

[Iain_IF]

Paladin sneaks very quietly up to the northern door, carefully prodding with his short bow in front of him in case there is a tarpaulin-covered pit. Once there, he'll listen at the door.

[JoeCarr28]

Doughbert mumbles, "get in the back, come up front ... make up your mind why don't you." He'll then scoot up to the front look both directions then turn back to look at the group. "Well I don't see any reason to go scampering off in either of those two directions by myself with yall safe back here, but I'll go across and check out the stables."

With that, he will look both ways again to make sure the way is clear then move as silently as possible up to the gate to the stables and take a better look.

Doughbert scurries up to the gate, climbs a couple of rungs for a better view, and peers cautiously inside the makeshift stables. The cave is about 30' (E-W) x 60' (N-S). Along the west-hand side of the stables wooden fencing has been used to create six evenly-sized stalls, each with their own gate. The east side consists of a common walkway allowing access to each of the stalls. All the stalls are currently empty, although the sights and smells indicate that they are regularly used, most likely for horses or ponies.

Paladin sneaks very quietly up to the northern door, carefully prodding with his short bow in front of him in case there is a tarpaulin-covered pit. Once there, he'll listen at the door.

Paladin makes it safely to the northerly door and listens carefully. [Rolls]. He can hear no noise coming from within the room.


Doughbert: HP 5/5. No '0' level spells remaining today.
Hiker: HP 9/9.
Karl: HP 8/8.
Nivek: HP 7/7. 2 '0' level spells remaining today.
Paladin: HP 3/4.
Tannen: HP 9/9.
~4.20 pm, 28th day of Harvestide.

[Iain_IF]

Paladin rubs a finger in his ear to remove the earwax and listens again. Assuming all is still quiet, he turns back to the others and gives them the halfling salute.

[Hywaywolf]

Doughbert takes a look up at the ceiling and around the walls. Does he see any doors or trap doors in the ceiling or floor which would lead to a tack room or hay storage? He will also listen for any noise, perhaps a sleeping groom snoring softly or a woman captive working at her bonds.

[Birthright]

Tannen quietly advances up the northern tunnel to provide back-up for Paladin, indicating for the others to stay put at the intersection while the halfling checks out the door.

[*map updated here*]

[JoeCarr28]

Paladin rubs a finger in his ear to remove the earwax and listens again. Assuming all is still quiet, he turns back to the others and gives them the halfling salute.

With freshly-cleansed orifices, Paladin listens at the northerly door once more. [Rolls]. Again, silence from within.

Doughbert takes a look up at the ceiling and around the walls. Does he see any doors or trap doors in the ceiling or floor which would lead to a tack room or hay storage? He will also listen for any noise, perhaps a sleeping groom snoring softly or a woman captive working at her bonds.

Just like the bandits' common room earlier, the "stables" are essentially a cave that has beeen repurposed. The walls, ceiling and floor are all the natural stone of the cavern. The only man-made alterations that Doughbert can see are the wooden fences and gates that create the stalls. Listening [rolls], he cannot hear any sounds coming from within the stables

(Regarding Tannen's map - it's now clear to Doughbert that the westerly passage about 30' to the south is likely to be a second entrance to the stable cave. If you shift the stable cave about 20' south on the map, you'll be about right).


Doughbert: HP 5/5. No '0' level spells remaining today.
Hiker: HP 9/9.
Karl: HP 8/8.
Nivek: HP 7/7. 2 '0' level spells remaining today.
Paladin: HP 3/4.
Tannen: HP 9/9.
~4.30 pm, 28th day of Harvestide.

[_Silveredged]

Hiker stands uneasily, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He doesn't like being cooped up inside these dank, dark places. He likes the outside parts of the world where there is fresh air and sky. Periodically he tenses his grip on his shortbow and then relaxes. With his other hand he idly fingers the feathers on the nock of the arrow.

Somewhere far away there's a deer nibbling at some fresh growth in a copse of trees near a burbling brook. In that brook a few fish swim upstream, waiting to be caught...

Back at home, Hiker's father sits down to meat with his wife and remaining children. He smiles briefly; he's had a good day in the field and no one has aggravated him with foolishness to set his nerves on edge. His wife spoons a large helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate, covering a slab of pork steak, both of which is drowned in...

Back in the tunnel, Hiker stands in line with his fellows as they explore the cave in search of dear Miss Alma. Along with some drool, a mumbled word falls from Hiker's lips...

"Gravy..."