Sands of the South - Game Thread

As I see the ants, my mouth twists into a large smile. I pull one of the legs of the slain ant out of my pack and show it to the group of ants, trying to intimidate them into leaving us be. I throw it to the ground and step slowly back into the shelter. "30 ants await a fight, Bubble Wench, how long will this enclosure last?"

Tolr'ax wrote:As I see the ants, my mouth twists into a large smile. I pull one of the legs of the slain ant out of my pack and show it to the group of ants, trying to intimidate them into leaving us be. I throw it to the ground and step slowly back into the shelter. "30 ants await a fight, Bubble Wench, how long will this enclosure last?"

She stares at you, face impassive, but there is something in her eyes. "That was unwise, master goliath. Our greatest asset was secrecy, and you just gave it away. We are strangers here, they are not. We might have just given them all the knowledge they need to close in on us from all sides."

About the time she finishes, you can hear dull thuds on the "wall" of the magical shell. Not quite like the sound of fists on a wooden table, but an odd wooshing twist to the sound. There are many such not-thuds.

"We had hours. Now we may not have even one if they can get to us from another angle." She shakes her head, and looks to the others. "You must now hurry; I still cannot leave or they will flood in - thanks to this fool's invitation, but you must find a way out."

"You've got to be joking!" I glare at Tolr'ax and turn around to make haste deeper into the cave, I light my lantern and immediately begin looking for a path or entrance that could lead elsewhere, feeling the walls for clues.

"We will not die this way, no need for you little ones to worry." I reach out the bubble with just my hand and grab blindly at the enemy on the other side and pull them into the bubble as hard as I can, hoping to crush them against the magical surface.

"Tolr'ax!!! Stop making things worse!!!!!" I yell as I follow Jamros into the cave to search for a way to make hope of the situation.

"Air Kicker, focus on hitting your target and not what Tolr'ax is doing. These ants are weak, we slaughtered their friends easily. They will die the same if we must fight them. They have numbers.....but we have Tolr'ax."

"Bubble Wench, our shelter...can we attack from the inside out?"

"If your itching for a fight then I'll gladly take a shot, but I'll miss. I guarantee it!" yelling in a sarcastic tone wondering if Tolr'ax even gets sarcasm. "But if there is a fight I will joyously join you!

I will start jogging towards the others into the cave "A'mryl, Jamros and myself will go find us a way out. You 3 protect her" point to what's her name "and the barrier. And mayhap don't invite them inside barbarian"

"I agree to this, Olo. Jamros, lead the way. I will stay close behind while you check for traps or holes. Olo, stay close to me, my friend." *I cast cantrip dancing lights into the depths to help lead out way*

Olo wrote:I will start jogging towards the others into the cave "A'mryl, Jamros and myself will go find us a way out. You 3 protect her" point to what's her name "and the barrier. And mayhap don't invite them inside barbarian"

"HAHA The only way they are coming in is if they are in pieces" I ready my greatsword and gesture it towards Olo, implying that I will hack the ants with it.

Tolr'ax wrote:"We will not die this way, no need for you little ones to worry." I reach out the bubble with just my hand and grab blindly at the enemy on the other side and pull them into the bubble as hard as I can, hoping to crush them against the magical surface.

You flail your arm blindly into the void. Pain rips through your hand. Take 3 damage for your effort, and be thankful no fingers were severed. Dumbass.

Tolr'ax wrote:"Bubble Wench, our shelter...can we attack from the inside out?"

"I'd rather you didn't. And from the look of your hand, perhaps you shouldn't try." She is not pleased by your antics, so sayeth her tone.

Dook wrote:"Tolr'ax!!! Stop making things worse!!!!!" I yell as I follow Jamros into the cave to search for a way to make hope of the situation.

Dook wrote:"If your itching for a fight then I'll gladly take a shot, but I'll miss. I guarantee it!" yelling in a sarcastic tone wondering if Tolr'ax even gets sarcasm. "But if there is a fight I will joyously join you!

Are you venturing into the cave, or standing with Tolr'ax?

Jamros Mageblood wrote:"You've got to be joking!" I glare at Tolr'ax and turn around to make haste deeper into the cave, I light my lantern and immediately begin looking for a path or entrance that could lead elsewhere, feeling the walls for clues.

Olo wrote:I will start jogging towards the others into the cave "A'mryl, Jamros and myself will go find us a way out. You 3 protect her" point to what's her name "and the barrier. And mayhap don't invite them inside barbarian"

A'mryl wrote:"I agree to this, Olo. Jamros, lead the way. I will stay close behind while you check for traps or holes. Olo, stay close to me, my friend." *I cast cantrip dancing lights into the depths to help lead out way*

The previously darkened interior fills with light spilling from the orbs you create in the distance. The chamber immediately inside the entrance widens out considerably in all directions, the ceiling arching perhaps 20 feet above even the goliath's head. The walls closest to the entrance are rough-hewn stone flanking a sandy floor, scattered around are a few larger rocky formations, but nothing that might be considered a boulder. It is, honestly, quite pleasant. Out of the heat and under an immense amount of stone, the temperature is down-right cool, the sands soft. Cozy.

Perhaps 200 feet into the cavern, the walls narrow down to a gigantic slab that does not quite match the rest of the stone. This one is smoothed and decorated with carvings. Of what, at this distance, you do not know. Merely that this stone slab is not natural.

I look to Olo and A'mryl, "I wish we could have rested here a bit, sadly we lack time for recovery, cover me, something is odd about that wall." I walk over to the slab, I lay my hand on the markings and hold my lantern closely to them to study their meaning, and if it's any language I can decifer. (Dungeon Delver for any secrets or traps) and (Elvish, Primordial, or Thieves Cant are my languages)

Dook wrote:"Tolr'ax!!! Stop making things worse!!!!!" I yell as I follow Jamros into the cave to search for a way to make hope of the situation.

Dook wrote:"If your itching for a fight then I'll gladly take a shot, but I'll miss. I guarantee it!" yelling in a sarcastic tone wondering if Tolr'ax even gets sarcasm. "But if there is a fight I will joyously join you!

Are you venturing into the cave, or standing with Tolr'ax?



Standing with Tolr'ax

I look towards Oridrys with a smile as I lean against the Cavern Wall. I cast my gaze upon Taryn, " Hey Taryn, do you have any fighting experience? It would be beneficial if and when things go south."

"Jamros, if it is a language you can not decipher, let me know. There is a possibility I will be fluent in the language"

Jamros Mageblood wrote:I look to Olo and A'mryl, "I wish we could have rested here a bit, sadly we lack time for recovery, cover me, something is odd about that wall." I walk over to the slab, I lay my hand on the markings and hold my lantern closely to them to study their meaning, and if it's any language I can decifer. (Dungeon Delver for any secrets or traps) and (Elvish, Primordial, or Thieves Cant are my languages)

There are no traps, of that you are sure!  Upon closer inspection, you notice that the languages upon each edge of the slab are different. It is not a square, either, as your lantern illuminates the edges, but a hexagon. Six sides, six different languages. You notice several pieces of the scripts, but they seem strange. One edge resembles Primordial, and another resembles Elvish, and other languages you can't pretend to understand. And, of course, there's Common. But even it doesn't make any sense. It says only, "I am the remnant of something just dead."

In the center of the door is the same Elvish-style script with the same strangeness as the other Elvish script. It is merely a number 3. That's all.

Dook wrote:I look towards Oridrys with a smile as I lean against the Cavern Wall. I cast my gaze upon Taryn, " Hey Taryn, do you have any fighting experience? It would be beneficial if and when things go south."

Taryn merely shakes his head and mutters something about never needing to.

"Do you have a plan, Air Kicker? Or you, Ant Cooker? Bubble Wench? Or even you, Young One?" I have a look of general concern on my stony face. "Tolr'ax is willing to fight these creatures if need be. I am sure we would win, but in the conditions of the storm and dessert, survival will be harder than that on the mountains."

I look at my sword, bug guts hardening on the blade, "......I set out on this journey to help my people, and learn...a thing we Goliaths do not do easily or often. I will let you decide the next move." I look at the others and start cleaning the sword. "I have made too many mistakes already."

I pull out a pickle and take a bite.

*seeing Jamros read the slab has raised my curiosity. I walk to it and inspect the stone, seeing if in can decipher any of the markings* (precept? Intel? Check)

A'mryl wrote:*seeing Jamros read the slab has raised my curiosity. I walk to it and inspect the stone, seeing if in can decipher any of the markings* (precept? Intel? Check)

Languages known?

Common, undercommon, gnomish, elvish, abyssal, sylvan.

"Astounding.." I look back to the others, "A'mryl, Olo, is there anything you could determine from this, I am the remnant of something just dead" I repeat is confusion. "A grave perhaps? Or is this a riddle..either way we must figure out what this hides." I place my palm along the Elven 3 in the center. "This is our first clue, but I don't understand."

A'mryl wrote:Common, undercommon, gnomish, elvish, abyssal, sylvan.

The common, obviously, stands out to you, as does the Elvish - both with the odd twists unusual for the Common & Elvish scripts you're use to - but also the Undercommon. This script, however, is clear and devoid of the oddities in the rest of the languages you see.

Its an echo. Something we need to repeat. At least 3 times.

"Something needs repeating? Wait..I wonder.." I look into the wide open of the cavern, "I hope I don't sound like a fool for this," after this I yell the words I remember Taryn quoting, "We Rise, Ever Higher!" I repeat this 3 times and look towards the wall.

A'mryl wrote:Its an echo. Something we need to repeat. At least 3 times.

At the word "echo" the words in Common glow brightly.

Jamros Mageblood wrote:"Something needs repeating? Wait..I wonder.." I look into the wide open of the cavern, "I hope I don't sound like a fool for this," after this I yell the words I remember Taryn quoting, "We Rise, Ever Higher!" I repeat this 3 times and look towards the wall.

The words rebound around you. Nothing happens. Except Taryn and Oridrys staring at you oddly.