(016) Of Knaves and Men

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Nidhogg and Koch work together to clean a column of dusty old crates aside to reveal a low, cramped passage beyond. It is almost tall enough for Nidhogg to walk upright, but Koch would certainly have to bend down to a crouch.

By the yellow torch-light, the dusty old passage appears littered with stones, pieces of old timber, and thick with cob-webs. The ground is muddy and uneven. Clearly, whatever this passage was, it has long been disused...

[waysoftheearth]

Professor P wrote:
KOCH

"Well Nidhogg, what think you? Is this long unused passageway be safe for travel?" KOCH pauses, and then questions to himself, uncertainly, " Perhaps it would be better to try to break through the trap door?"

[waysoftheearth]

Guest wrote:
"The trap door takes us to know foes and daylight, the crawl space to darkness and the unknown. Neither choice seems promising to me. BUT I say we give the crawlspace 300 yards and if it doesn't appear we are any closer to freedom we hack the trap door to bits."

[waysoftheearth]

Professor P wrote:
"OK, sounds like a plan to me, lead on."

KOCH picks up his shield and follows the dwarf into the crawlspace.

[waysoftheearth]

Professor P wrote:
As he enters the crawlspace, Koch closely examines the surfaces to try to determine how recently the crawlspace was last used and what it may have been used for.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Nidhogg, only has to lower his head slightly to enter the disused crawlway, and by careful placement of each foot, cautiously proceeds without disturbing much of the rubble.

Koch comes after, crouching down to proceed, with his yellow torch seemingly to blaze to a new, hot brightness in the confined space. The rubbish on the rough ground, and the cobwebs, the crawlway cannot have been traversed by Men for many years. Twenty, at least. What purpose it may have served remains obscure...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Now, ahead, Nidhogg smells a dampness upon the air and soon finds that the ground is becoming damp. Wet, even. He presses on, clearing the cobwebs ahead of himself with each step, and his ears begin to hint to him of echoes of dripping of water in the darkness.

The passage continues thus for a few score of yards, being here and there partially collapsed and ill-repaired, before eventually Nidhogg and Koch spy both a pale grey light ahead, and find themselves edging toward a natural looking cavern from whence the sound of dripping water can distinctly be heard.

The cavern is another dozen yards ahead. What to do?

[waysoftheearth]

Guest wrote:
"Koch I say we carry onward," Nidhogg whispers. "Does it seem to you that there is light ahead?" Nidhogg will attempt to stealthily progress toward the cavern.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Nidhogg sneaks ahead, his booted feet and ringmail coat making scarcely a sound that Koch can hear as he pries apart the film of old webs that cover the tunnel's entrance into the cavern...

(1d6)

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Nidhogg finds himself standing on the cusp of a large, irregular, natural cavern. The ceiling is dense with sheets of straw-thin stalegtites that conceal much of the lofty, conical roof, from whence a single shaft of pale grey light falls into the place.

The floor too is uneven and rocky with strangely liquid rock formations, but contained among them is a large, dark pool of water. An occasional drip falls from above into the pool with a distinct sound that echoes into the reaches of the cave.

There are too many dark shadows and rocky obstructions to fully gauge the extent of the place, but to Nidhogg it is a place of beauty -- living, growing rock. His sense is that it is at least three or four times bigger than the cellar...