(020) Exploring the South-East Stair

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
It takes a few minutes to build the little kitchen fire up sufficiently, and then Highbough pours the entire contents of his water-skin into the least filthy pot he can find (a crude, bronze saucepan, almost completely blackened with wear and soot).

This takes another 10 minutes to bring to a boil, before the few herbs Highbough are thrown in and simmered so that he can create the desired steam tent...

The old Elf brings the simmering pot out into the mess hall where Desmond is first to go under, and then after he has inhaled all he can stand, Gustave does likewise...

Both agree that Highbough's concoction eases the suffering of their lungs somewhat, and continue to inhale the fumes in the steamhood, each taking his turn for a few minutes at a time...

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
Between one of the tenting sessions, Desmond clears his throat and says, "Thanks... Highbough... *cough* *cough* *cough*"

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

The trap door ... opens safely.

A narrow wooden stair leading down into the cellar is revealed. It is all dark below...

Wibert shines a torch into the cellar to see what is inside.
"I need food to cook", to talks out loud to nobody. He then looks around to see who is about and asks them to help him get some food to cook up.

OOC: What does Wibert remember is down the cellar?
Who are all the characters in the kitchen (not in thread 19), I seem to have lost track?

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

Wibert shines a torch into the cellar to see what is inside.
"I need food to cook", to talks out loud to nobody. He then looks around to see who is about and asks them to help him get some food to cook up.

Wibert fishes another torch from his backpack, and then ignites it in the fire which Highbough established in the hearth.

This done, he casts his red-yellow light over the cellar stair and sees that it only descends 15 or 20ft down to a crowded stone store room. There is a nasty smell down below... like rotten vegetables.

OOC: What does Wibert remember is down the cellar?

That is was an untidy, and ill supplied store room. It seemed to go much further back into the shadows, but it was never lit, and he never ventured beyond light from the trapdoor to the kitchen.

Who are all the characters in the kitchen (not in thread 19), I seem to have lost track?

Wibert is in the kitchen. Highbough is moving around between the kitchen and the mess hall, next door. Gustave and Desmond are feeling ill in the mess hall, next door.
Andaros is quietly keeping an eye on the courtyard from the mess hall doorway.

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:
"Hey guys, I will just pop down this cellar to get some food for lunch", says Wibert.

Wibert will hop down into the cellar, moving slowly looking for any traps he does not want to set off, like wires or things hanging on the edge. Once down he will have a little explore and throw up any food that he is able to use.
Next still been careful for any traps Wibert will look further back into the shadows to see what is beyond in the cellar.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough studies the discharge from his patients' lungs for color and viscosity. "It appears the poisoning is acute and not degenerative. I expect you will make a full recovery, in time."

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
Desmond cocks an eye up at Highbough from his hunched seated position and says, "Mmmmm... thanks for the encouragement."

He offers a weak smile before sticking his head back under the blanket.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

"Hey guys, I will just pop down this cellar to get some food for lunch", says Wibert.

Wibert will hop down into the cellar, moving slowly looking for any traps he does not want to set off, like wires or things hanging on the edge. Once down he will have a little explore and throw up any food that he is able to use.
Next still been careful for any traps Wibert will look further back into the shadows to see what is beyond in the cellar.

Wibert descends half a flight of creaky wooden stairs into the musty cellar. There sure is a pong in here...

His torch light sputters and complains as he casts it about, and three or four fat looking rats scurry away from his approach. The cellar is even messier than he remembered... it's more or less an old passage way, roughly 10 feet wide with an arched brick ceiling. There are little alcoves along the walls at 20ft intervals, no doubt where torches used to be fitted. But now the place is a shambles with empty crates, boxes and other junk.

He pokes about a little, and finds a few create of vegetables -- cabbages, potatoes, onions and the like. The most of it is rotten, for sure, but perhaps just a few handfuls of the least rotted might be edible. Wibert isn't very impressed with the state of the so called "kitchen". It's more like a dungeon, he reflects. Look here, this alcove up the back even has chains and manacles hanging from the wall!

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
After a quarter hour or so under the steam hood, Gustave and Desmond are both feeling much more like themselves. Highbough suspects that a good night's rest will do them better again.

(1d6; Gustave=3, Desmond=6)

Gustave now has 4 of 9 hit points, and Desmond 7 of 9. Both are up to half strength, dexterity and constitution.

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:
Gustave grins at Desmond as they suck the last of the vapours under the blanket, "Dont take this the wrong way, but this reminds me of a time I spent under a curtain with the wife of Lord Tuppitts of Kloon Manor, while the west wing was on fire and the Lord's men searched in vain for his missing spouse", he says, apparently regaining some of his usual spark.
"I must admit that that particular evening left me with a similar feeling of ennui", he adds with still-heavy eyes, before grinning again in clearly enjoyable remeniscence, "but one that was much more agreeably arrived at."