Chapter 1- Untitled due to spoilers...(But really its called One Last Job)

[BlackHat]

Sutter had started to run but hesitated when he saw one of the other prisoners produce a marked card. He took a step back toward the building, as if considering helping them, before the drow slammed the door shut and moments later the building seemed to explode! Shocked, he staggered backwards a few more steps before turning and continuing to flee with his companions. "Nowhere is safe! The buildings explode! We've got to get back to the caves!" Sutter was hissing, as though trying to keep his voice low but too animated to be doing a very good job of it.

[herastor]

Istria Mare

HP: 19/27 | Spell Slots1st: 2/4
2nd: 1/3

---

The explosion was not something Istria was prepared for. The same nerves that frayed for Sutter had her on edge as well. Escaping faster was now the only choice.

 

"I can examine her once we're clear of this place. I'd rather now use my spells on the child blindly. That'd hardly do us any good."

 

OOC

She drops her concentration spell to keep up. If an enemy pursuer comes within sixty feet of her, she'll use an action to cast sacred flame.

 

[Butchern]

"Run now. Examine later."

Olive slung her bow over one shoulder with the hand that wasn't dragging the girl behind her. Then, with surprising strength (and an audible groan), she hoisted the girl off the ground and over her other shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Olive, with the girl, began following along after the others as fast as she could toward freedom.

[SirLoganofGilead]

With the child slung over her shoulder, Olive can move faster, but still not at the pace of the rest of the group. The group is still able to make it across the bridge and to the elevator without any obvious pursuers. There is still a loud confusion from the area of the building as people are shouting out. The girl finally seems to break from her shock and begins to cry, loudly.

[matt_s]

Glanton for all the facade of professionalism and resolve was surprisingly unnerved by something as simple as a crying child.

In a whisper, he says, Much of the peril may be behind us, but there are still hazards ahead in the darkness. When cries ring out in such a place, what they draw is not like moths to a flame but wolves to a deer. We can give her food and water, see if that helps, and perhaps words of comfort as well.

If none object, I will work the mechanism on this elevator and begin to bring us to the surface. We will have a measure of time on the lift to see how she is doing as well.

He will retrieve a few small foodstuffs that he has in possession and offer her those and a drink of water from a canteen.

[BlackHat]

Sutter mumbled some agreement, "... ah, yes... just the thing to calm a young girl's nerves..." Sparing a moment to go through his pack, he produces a small bit of dark resin - almost like a melted candy, although not colorful or appealling - that he offers the child. "Remember not to swallow it all at once, child."

OOC

Since he is out of spell slots, the best Sutter can do is offer one of his Chef's "treats" which, if eaten, would grant two temporary hit points to the girl.

 

[herastor]

Istria Mare

HP: 19/27 | Spell Slots1st: 2/4
2nd: 1/3

---

Istria thought for a moment and it seemed fairly obvious that they needed quiet to escape. She tapped Glanton's shoulder and brought up her shield.

 

"If silence is desired, I can provide. But it can be as much detriment as boon in this case. We won't hear shouts of alarm or pursuit."

 

OOC

She drops her concentration spell to keep up. If an enemy pursuer comes within sixty feet of her, she'll use an action to cast sacred flame.

 

[Butchern]

Olive plopped the girl down in the middle of the elevator and readied her bow once again.

On 12/29/2023 at 10:33 AM, matt_s said:

If none object, I will work the mechanism on this elevator and begin to bring us to the surface.

"Do it," Olive said as she scanned the darkness behind them for approaching enemies.

[matt_s]

Glanton said not a word. It was not as if Olive's words did not dignify a response. They did. Just not a verbal one. With some difficulty in remembering or more like it guesswork outright he pulled what levers needed pulling and turned such wheels that needed turning and waited for the platform to rise.

He held his bow in one hand and kept the other free, to fetch arrow from quiver or else to prod the machinations to the purpose he had in mind.

Then he spoke,

I am not one for dealing well with children. But I say this to you. You are heading back to the surface and far away from that prison. There is food and water for you now. If you wish none, that is alright. If you have wounds that you would like tended, we can tend them. But that can wait as well. Are you doing alright? Again, if you wish to speak not at all, I have no quarrel with that. All in due time...

[SirLoganofGilead]

The girl looked at the offering...for a long moment before taking some water and rejecting the other two. Her crying shifted to stifled sobs, and her eyes darted from person to person as she continued to look extremely uncomfortable. You reach the top of the make-shift elevator just fine without incident, but just as you all get off, the elevator begins to descend back down.

[matt_s]

Oughta stop that. I don't think any of us are much for brute force. I can give this a try though.

Quickly, Glanton retrieved the coil of rope from his pack and fed it into the mechanism. He doubted it would prove fatal to the machinery. Slow it down? Maybe. Hopefully. Time would tell the tale.

I'll take the rearguard. I can see farthest in the dark and even a wild shot from my bow will give our enemies reason to pause and reconsider their pursuit. Whoever has the girl should be in the center to keep her safe. In the vanguard, maybe Istria? That choice I leave to the party.

[BlackHat]

Sutter examined the mechanisms as he quickly produced a ceramic gallon jug from his back. "A little acid might help loosen things," he spared a moment to trace a few of the runes on the jug, uncork it, and pour 8 ounces of acid onto the machinery before giving it a good kick before he left with the others - but the elevator continued to rumble down the shaft and Sutter seemed to limp along a bit more than before.

OOC

Let's have Sutter try the strength check even though he's weak. He will also use his alchemy jug to produce a little acid but mostly just for color.

 

Edited January 3 by BlackHat (see edit history)

[herastor]

Istria Mare

HP: 19/27 | Spell Slots1st: 2/4
2nd: 1/3

---

"Of course," Istria nodded at Glanton and knelt towards the little girl, "Now we're almost through the scariest part of this Alessandria. Don't worry about bravery right now. We'll be brave for you. We're almost home."

 

Giving her a final pat on the head, Istria took her position and started towards their rope up.

 

OOC

If an enemy pursuer comes within sixty feet of her, she'll use an action to cast sacred flame.

 

[Butchern]

"Up you go," Olive said as she stooped down to offer to carry the girl on her back. She looked over her shoulder. "You can ride or you can walk, but if you can't keep up, I'll carry you."

[SirLoganofGilead]

Sutter is not able to disable the elevator. You don't wait for the historically long wait for the thing to go down and back up and instead take off back into the tunnels you arrived from. The journey seems to take forever and you are 85% sure you hear things behind you catching up to you. No matter how the girl attempts to keep up, you continuously feel she is holding you back. The tunnels seem to take even more time than they did on the way down. Eventually, you come across a set of stairs, they appear to be similar to the ones you arrived on.