O brave new world, that has such people in't!

Mallus wrote:

"Bit old for ward, wouldn't you say?" says Yatagan in a friendly, conversational way totally at odds with the surroundings.

Star throws a glance Yatagan's way, but doesn't reply. Though her expression is fairly calm, if stern, there's a little set to the mouth and eyes in the candlelight which makes him think she's one among the many in the Port who don't take kindly to dragonborn.

Rolzup wrote:

Vox trails along behind the others, listneing
with half an ear as he runs his fingers across walls, tables, and other
flat surfaces.

"Have there been any deaths here?" he asks abruptly. "The Veil feels somewhat thinner than usual."

Star looks a little surprised for a moment and then shakes her head. "Nobody has died here in a long time. Until recently, as you were told." There is no indication that she's lying, but Vox gets the distinct impression that this place is a little closer to the Shadowfell than should be. His preternatural hearing picks up the faintest of whispers. And though there are no discernible words, he picks up anger. And anguish. There is a leak to the Other Side, he thinks, either within the house or somewhere close by.

gridley wrote:

"But surely, if egress is all he desired, Pit would have left through the front gate," says Odanais, feigning obliviousness to the eccentricity of his surroundings. "I mean... it's not as though you and he are being held against your will?"

Mallus wrote:

"Why can't you just leave? What, precisely, is the nature of your --and Pit's-- relationship with Madame Glossop?"

Star replies, addressing her response to Odanais, not Yatagan, "Not quite, but there are reasons besides walls and gates to stay. Even if you want to go." She seems about to say more, hesitates for a second, and then says, in a flatter tone, "Pit has no real skills, so he couldn't make a living outside this house. His only job here was to be my fiance and eventually marry me. I believe that's not really a marketable commodity. Especially if you look like he does. He ... looks younger than he is. Was. More like a young boy, as you said. As Miss Glossop wanted him to be. Just like she wanted me to be ... me."

Again Star hesitates, as if about to say more, but then looks up as you reach the bottom of the staircase. Her expression hardens as she gazes at the front door and she says, harshly, "There you are. You can go now," before turning to head back upstairs.

3 hours and no posts? What, did everyone suddenly start working?

"Hard times indeed," Vox muses, watching Star ascend the stairs.

"So," he continues brightly, turning to the others, "What do you think we haven't been told about? Family curse, place built on an old graveyard, perhaps? Really, the possibilities are endless!"

Whistling, he walks out the front door and peers about for some sight of this myserious pit.

"If we're going in," Vox suggests absently, "We might want to let those we left behind know where we are and what we're doing. I can deal with that, if you like."

For a moment Yatagan thinks the better of speaking. That moment passes.

shilsen wrote:

"Pit has no real skills, so he couldn't make a living outside this house. His only job here was to be my fiance and eventually marry me. I believe that's not really a marketable commodity.

"That's Pit. What about you?"

Quote :

Just like she wanted me to be ... me."

He briefly considers asking Star was she wants to be, then decides against it. Affecting the most authoritative tone he can, Yatagan says, "If you want our help leaving this place, ask for it before out business with Pit is concluded."

Rolzup wrote:

"What do you think we haven't been told about?

"For one thing, Star isn't simply upset. She's angry and frustrated over Pit's disappearance."

Mallus wrote:

"That's Pit. What about you?"

Star shoots him another sharp look and then says firmly, "My skills are none of your concern."

Quote :

He briefly considers asking Star was she wants
to be, then decides against it. Affecting the most authoritative tone
he can, Yatagan says, "If you want our help leaving this place, ask for
it before out business with Pit is concluded."

There's no response at first from Star, other than a coolly appraising look. Then she says, noncomitally, "All right."

Rolzup wrote:

Whistling, he walks out the front door and peers about for some sight of this myserious pit.

There's no sign of a pit in the front garden, but the guards, who walk over to join the group when they see them emerge, explain that it's in the back garden and lead them there.

The back garden is even more overgrown than the one in front, more jungle than garden, and the hole is some distance in, hidden from the house by trees and shrubbery. It is about six feet wide and looks like the ground simply caved in. Looking in reveals a fairly sheer pit descending into darkness. There is a faint, but clear, stench of decay coming from below.

One of the guards says, "The old bat made poor Laurell go down to check on Pit, since we heard him yell and found this. She called up that it went down thirty feet and there was a tunnel and some blood, and that was it. And when she didn't come back, Miss Glossop wouldn't let the rest of us check. And then sent those dwarves down there, and they never came back either." She throws the house a glare and then spits. "You guys planning to go down too? And if so, you have any family you want to tell?"

Vox is pretty sure that the sense he had of the Veil being thinner here is due to this place. Whether it actually has an opening to the Shadowfell below or not he can't say, but if not, there is certainly some leakage. And this, as far as he knows, is a location which is not known to the Bureaucracy.

"Well, that's interesting." Vox drops to one knee, examining the opening of the pit. "Never quite seen the like...."

(Arcana: 13, Religion: 22 to make a guess as to the nature of this rift, which shall henceforth be classified as a 'Vox Point')

The member 'Rolzup' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 4, 13

Odanais takes a long look down the hole, lets out a little whistle to show how impressed he is with it, and then turns right around and says to the guard, "I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Odanais Dare. What's your name?"

Once finding that out (or even if he doesn't), he has a few questions for her.

"You know, our little agency might be in the market to employ some guards soon. To keep an eye on our... hmmm... treasure. Can I ask how you ended up in the guard business? Are you freelance or do you work strictly for Mrs. Havisham up there?"

"Also, I couldn't help but notice that the staff here are all women. Is that just a quirk of the old lady upstairs? Or is there something more going on?"

"What did you you think of the missing Pit? It sounds like he was pretty much the only buck around a lot of does. Was that a problem for anyone?"

Rolzup wrote:

"Well, that's interesting." Vox drops to one knee, examining the opening of the pit. "Never quite seen the like...."

(Arcana: 13, Religion: 22 to make a guess as to the nature of this rift, which shall henceforth be classified as a 'Vox Point')

OOC: Vox point, eh? Nice

IC: Rifts between the mortal world and the Other Side are uncommon, but not unknown. With the two worlds existing, metaphysically and otherwise, in essentially the same space, it's not that surprising that sometimes one (invariably the Other Side) bleeds through into the other. The causes can be many, ranging from an arcane practitioner on the mortal side achieving far too powerful a (usually necromantic) ritual to the release of so much life/death energy at one place that the dying, in passing through, literally rip a hole through the fabric of mortal reality. The latter situation occurred more than once at some of the great battles which ended the World Before. Some theorize that the Grave of Arms, for example, is one such spot.

The results of such rifts or tears is manifold too. Sometimes there is only faint seepage from the Other Side, creating a particularly dark and shadowy spot, where people passing by will feel a momentary chill and a sense of unexplained unease. Sometimes pools of dark energy will form, warping objects in the area and leading to spontaneous animating of the dead into mindless undead. And on the very rare occasions there is an actual, constant rip between the worlds, where even one without skill or magical art can step from the world of the living to the Other Side. And, of course, other things can step in the opposite direction, walking a world which they were not meant to.

Within the boundaries of the Port, the Eternal Bureaucracy keeps a close eye on such spots and closes the worst ones from the Other Side. Unlicensed undead activity, after all, leads to excess paperwork. Some fear-mongers say that the Bureaucracy also lets some of the weaker spots linger and remain so that those on the mortal side are always reminded of their existence, and so that these locations might be used by their members. The Bureaucracy, of course, insists that these are lies spread by the gullible and feeble-minded.

gridley wrote:

Odanais takes a long look down the hole, lets out a little whistle to show how impressed he is with it, and then turns right around and says to the guard, "I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Odanais Dare. What's your name?"

"Huh?" The guard is momentarily surprised and then says, "Oh, I'm Talia. This is Sal and Jess. Nice to meet you."

Quote :

Once finding that out (or even if he doesn't), he has a few questions for her.

"You know, our little agency might be in the market to employ some guards soon. To keep an eye on our... hmmm... treasure. Can I ask how you ended up in the guard business? Are you freelance or do you work strictly for Mrs. Havisham up there?"

OOC: I see a Dickensian slip

IC: "Family business, mostly. Dad did it. Grandmom did it. You know how it is. And not exactly freelance. I work for the Stentorian Guard. The agency sent me up here. All of us." Odanais recalls that many of the mansions in the Sway use the Guard, which is located in the district. They're known for quiet efficiency, hence the name ("Stentorian, only when you need us to be"), and provide guards of all races.

Talia looks at Odanais speculatively. "If you're hiring, let us know. This is a good gig, with decent pay and next to no work, but it's boring." She frowns and indicates the hole. "And we aren't paid enough for this shit! Laurell was a good kid and look what happened to her!"

Quote :

"Also, I couldn't help but notice that the staff here are all women. Is that just a quirk of the old lady upstairs? Or is there something more going on?"

Talia grimaces. "Yeah, that's all hers. Miss Glossop isn't that keen on men." She glances around the group. "Doesn't mind having them do the running around for her, but she doesn't like having them around permanently. Except for Pit."

Quote :

"What did you you think of the missing Pit? It sounds like he was pretty much the only buck around a lot of does. Was that a problem for anyone?"

Talia chuckles at this and the other guards do too. "No way. Miss Glossop would cut his balls off, pardon me, if he tried anything funny. So'd Star, I think, for all her 'I don't give a damn' attitude to him. And personally, I'd never touch that little runt even if he wasn't a client. He wasn't a bad guy. A little depressing, maybe. But, and it may not be his fault, there was just something creepy about how he looked. He was too big to be a halfling, but something like that was going on. We've only worked here a couple years, but Jess says she's seen him at least 5 years before," she says, and the other woman corroborates it, "And he never looked any older or bigger. Weird. Ain't natural."

shilsen wrote:

"If you're hiring, let us know. This is a good gig, with decent pay and next to no work, but it's boring." She frowns and indicates the hole. "And we aren't paid enough for this shit!"

"I'll do that. Working for us would probably never get boring and at the very least, it would be a new sort of shit."

Quote :

"He was too big to be a halfling, but something like that was going on. We've only worked here a couple years, but Jess says she's seen him at least 5 years before," she says, and the other woman corroborates it, "And he never looked any older or bigger. Weird. Ain't natural."

"It sounds as though this mysterious rift of ours has been playing roughly with Pit's body long before he disappeared into it. More than likely, his mind also."

Odanais nods to her. "Thank you, Talia. You've been a tremendous help."

gridley wrote:

"I'll do that. Working for us would probably never get boring and at the very least, it would be a new sort of shit."

"It sounds as though this mysterious rift of ours has been playing roughly with Pit's body long before he disappeared into it. More than likely, his mind also."

Odanais nods to her. "Thank you, Talia. You've been a tremendous help."

The women chuckle at the comment about the new sort of shit, and when Odanais thanks her, Talia says, "No problem. Are you planning to go down there right now, or later after you make preparations? I hope you guys don't get yourselves killed," she says seriously, though with half a smile, "Since it might ruin our new job prospects and all."

gridley wrote:

... it would be a new sort of shit."

"Holy shit, as a matter of fact" chuckles Yatagan.

shilsen wrote:

"No problem. Are you planning to go down there right now, or later after you make preparations?

"No time like the present. Can you secure a few strong ropes? Mr. Dare, some light if you please." Yatagan takes a deep breath and exhales a prayer to the new Trinity: the God in the Box, Treasure, and Himself.

Mallus wrote:

"No time like the present. Can you secure a few strong ropes? Mr. Dare, some light if you please." Yatagan takes a deep breath and exhales a prayer to the new Trinity: the God in the Box, Treasure, and Himself.

"Sure," says Talia. The three guards leave and return a little later with some long coils of rope. "Here you go. Since there are four of you," says one, "I suggest going down there in pairs. Whatever's in there, I'd hate for it to catch me alone. Or at all."


OOC: So, since it seems you guys are going down there, what's the order of descent? And any details you think are relevant. As for lighting, since you guys have adventurer's kits, you have sunrods in there. They provide a LOT of light.

Mallus wrote:

Mr. Dare, some light if you please."

"Yes, of course." Odanais paints a pig-shaped blur of mystic light across Yatagan's breastplate. "May this porcine beacon guide us safely through the darkness."

shilsen wrote:

"Since there are four of you," says one, "I suggest going down there in pairs. Whatever's in there, I'd hate for it to catch me alone. Or at all."

"Wise," says Odanais, "very wise. I'd propose Sir Yatagan and Mr. Cadavaris take the lead, weapons drawn, with myself and Ms. Pindar backing them up with spells and arrows from a short distance behind." He pauses, then smiles nervously. "That is assuming everyone approves?"

gridley wrote:

Odanais paints a pig-shaped blur of mystic light across Yatagan's breastplate. "May this porcine beacon guide us safely through the darkness."

"Thus Treasure will lead us to treasure. Well done!"

shilsen wrote:

"That is assuming everyone approves?"

"Sound counsel, as always, Mr. Dare". Yatagan commands his armor to assume a shape more conducive to spelunking and the ancient Dragonborn mechanisms within whir to noisy, halting, yet ultimately successful, life.

OOC: Yatagan is now at AC 22, speed 6, armor penalty -2

"Give me a five count, Mr. Cadaveris, if you would. I'll check if the bottom is free of foes." With that Yatagan grabs hold of a rope and plunges into the now pig-lit darkness.

OOC: Athletics to rappel down the rope - 5+3+2+1-2+18 = 27

Once safely(?) at the bottom, Yatagan will have a look around while restoring his armor to a form more conducive to not being clawed to death by undead.

The member 'Mallus' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 18

Vox nods, a little impatiently. "Fine, fine. But let me take the lead by a little; I'll scout ahead, and let Master Yatigan here draw any attention to himself, with his clattering and crashing about."

OOC: How does light work, exactly? From the reading, it would seem that you've got either dim light or bright light, period -- the spell providing the latter. Ideally, Vox would move far enough ahead that there would be enough enough light for him to see with his low-light vision, but enough shdows for him to be all stealthy.

Rolzup wrote:

Ideally, Vox would move far enough ahead that there would be enough enough light for him to see with his low-light vision, but enough shdows for him to be all stealthy.

OOC: Interesting... our team has heard of this "stealth" but as with "diplomacy" have never given it much of a try.

Once Yatagan has revealed the bottom is clear --by crashing down on any potential enemies-- he'll yield the vanguard to Vox, trying to keep him just in of range of his light.

Rolzup wrote:

OOC: How does light work, exactly? From the reading, it would seem that you've got either dim light or bright light, period -- the spell providing the latter.

Pretty much. That's one thing I dislike and am considering house ruling. Simple way to do it would be that any light source provides 50% bright light and 50% dim light. So the Light cantrip, for example, would provide 5 squares bright and 5 squares dim. A sunrod, which has way too large a radius of bright light (20 squares!) as written, would do 10 of each. Thoughts?

Quote :

Ideally, Vox would move far enough ahead that there would be enough
enough light for him to see with his low-light vision, but enough
shdows for him to be all stealthy.

Sounds good. And away we go.

Since this might take a while, I started another thread called "Into the Pit" for it. Pop across there and post, please.

shilsen wrote:

Pretty much. That's one thing I dislike and am considering house ruling. Simple way to do it would be that any light source provides 50% bright light and 50% dim light. So the Light cantrip, for example, would provide 5 squares bright and 5 squares dim. A sunrod, which has way too large a radius of bright light (20 squares!) as written, would do 10 of each. Thoughts?

That sounds like an excellent house rule to me.

gridley wrote:

That sounds like an excellent house rule to me.

Cool. Anyone have any objections?

I don't even really know what the difference is, so it's fine by me..