Into the Volturnian Desert

[Terl Obar]

"Well, I'm all for less hot," Dalmar chimes in. "I think I've lost 5 kilos already and am getting a little flabby."

[rattraveller]

Although it may not be of much use, Grekka tries her vibration sensing antenna to see which path gives off the best vibe. (Yes I said it)

[Once Far Off]

OOC:

Although it may not be of much use, Grekka tries her vibration sensing antenna to see which path gives off the best vibe. (Yes I said it)

[jedion357]

OOC: This is one of my least favorite parts of Crash on Volturnus since its a linear dungeon crawl artificially mapped to fit an 8X11 sheet of paper- not to mention the magma monster which feels more like it belongs in D&D. I was of a mind to just delete the whole cavern crawl from the adventure but then thought about the premise that brought us altogether playing this campaign- run through of the classic campaign. So I didn't arbitrarily cut the caves, though the chances of the magma monster making an appearance are slim and less then slim. I dont want to do a slogging dungeon crawl but then once we're past this module you dont really find that sort of script in a SF module.

So... you have a choice of path inspired by the dungeon crawl; Hot or cold, this is not linear with a right or wrong path its simply a choice.

EDIT: Oh yeah, thankyou Once Far Off for posting that a pic that was great. I wonder if the retro clothing store in Cambridge has bell bottoms for vrusk, they might be an ideal gift for Gekka on Founders Day.

[Once Far Off]

OOC: No worries here on the crawl. I'm more concerned about surviving the quickdeath on the other side!!!

Since I skipped the crawl when I ran Volturnus for my kids, I can't remember what was there exactly, but I vote cold.

@RT - that joke definitely deserved a Picard Facepalm

[jedion357]

OOC: I actually was recruited to play Picard in college in my late 20s because I was going bald and was a big Star Trek fan they figured I'd do a good job so the Picard face palm was great. But who knew our vrusk was so groovy.

[Once Far Off]

OOC: Lol. Just don't get assimilated. BTW - my 9yo and I have started watching STNG from the beginning together. It's cool seeing him get into Trek. It almost makes up for the horrible acting in the first two seasons.

[Shadow Shack]

Gideon chimes in to agree with what others have said so far. "I'm from an arctic climate, the less hot the better. I for one have had enough of this heat."

Meanwhile he will take some initial reading of the cave walls with his GeoScanner and log them in his journal.

[corkman]

OOC: I think I can do without the dungeon crawl

[jedion357]

With two votes for the potentially cooler path the team trooped in that direction.

Within hours the team reached a cavern of fungal growth. There was plenty of sings of recent harvesting of the 2-3 meter tall fungoid stalks. Calling a halt for a brief rest Gideon scanned the fungoid stalks and concluded the ul mor youth that passed this way prior must have harvested them to build something. With no way to really guess why the team trudged on. Down another passage They begin to hear the sound of water dripping and lapping at a shore.

Near the entrance to a large cavern with a large underground lake they find a dead ul-mor run through with a stone tipped spear and his normal compliment of weapons missing. Kahn stoops and runs a scan, no signs of life. Running his hand over the feather and bone ornaments he says, "I think this is one of the youth from the tribe that took us in, these feathers and ornaments look familiar but he had a metal tipped spear with him the last time I saw him."

With a discrete hiss for attention Rigel and Kriss inform the team there is movement and noise 40m away near the shore of the lake but that all went silent suddenly.

Everyone masks their flashlights and ready's a weapon of choice but as everyone is thinking "what next", a bundle of glowing fungi is tossed into their midst and an old looking ul-mor rides up suddenly on a loper. He's armed with all metal weapons (which is old since warriors in the tribe that took you in only have one prized metal weapon apiece). He halts staring at the team.

Gideon, who had invested some time and energy into studying ul-mor sign language makes a one handed hand sign that is a close approximation of what he's come to recognize as a greeting that leads to telepathic communication by touching. The old looking ul-mor raises his two leveled spears to a non threatening position then dismounts and approaches Gideon.

When telepathic contact is initiated he says, "Sky demons? Have you come to Throm the Banished to learn the secret of the One?"

Kriss and Rigel decide their is no immediate threat of violence from the old ul-mor and cast their flash light beams around and spot two wet spots of pink and blue liquid that have smears leading to the water's edge directly across from the tunnel's opening. Toward where the noise had first come from they cast their lights and spot three lopers, one lets out a baying hiss.

Dalmar surreptitiously examines the old ul-mor's metal weapons and determines that they are much like the ones they knew that Grod had forged for the ul-mor of their tribe if not the very ones.

[Terl Obar]

"Somehow I don't think this guy is exactly friendly," Dalmar whispers to those near him without attracting the attention of the Ul-mor talking with Gideon.

[rattraveller]

OOC just a question, How do you whisper without attracting attention while in a telepathic link?

[jedion357]

OOC just a question, How do you whisper without attracting attention while in a telepathic link?

Only Gideon is in telepathic touch contact. The Ul-mor can hear verbal and potentially detected the vibrations of Dal Mar's whisper but is not likely to understand them.

[Shadow Shack]

Gideon offers a friendly smile during the telepathic link, and responds "We were on our way to be initiated into a tribal acceptance ritual. From the description it sounds like some sort of intensive trial but there aren't many details. We were separated from the rest of the tribe and are trying to find our way back."

He pauses and finishes with "I am not familiar with who 'the One' is, but I am sure that any information you may have would be most useful."

[Once Far Off]

OOC: We still on?

[corkman]

OOC: Sorry, I have been away on vacation and now back

[jedion357]

ooc: Sorry guys I had a whole post to explain my tardiness that I wrote before going to work for a 12 hr shift today and it seems i failed to actually post it.
At any rate my oldest had surgery on her hand and has been sand bagging for everyone to do everything for her and Dad's a bit of a softy. She's fine but I've been distracted with her needs this week. My shift kept getting extended and some of that was the boss asking a personal favor so I'm bushed. Normally I would have had a turn advnace in on Friday so you all would have the week end to consider your response but I will get it done tomorrow or Monday.

[jedion357]

Gideon offers a friendly smile during the telepathic link, and responds "We were on our way to be initiated into a tribal acceptance ritual. From the description it sounds like some sort of intensive trial but there aren't many details. We were separated from the rest of the tribe and are trying to find our way back."

He pauses and finishes with "I am not familiar with who 'the One' is, but I am sure that any information you may have would be most useful."

The ul-mor reacts strongly and at mention of the tribal acceptance ritual, several of his limbs flail about in agitation. "NO!" He shouts at Gideon in the telepathic link, the volume of the shout in telepathy is stunning for Gideon. "NO, no, no you don't want to join one of the tribes, they only cast you out if you break some rule. That is no good for you. I've learned the secret of the One, its out there on the island it bonds with you and make you part of the one. I'm going back, I have a raft you can come too. You'll see the One will bond with you. The tribes refuse to see, the others," [when he says others he makes a unconscious gesture with a limb in the direction of other lopers and Gideon gets a glimpse of a memory in the telepathic link of this ul-mor approaching a group of young ul-mor building a raft] "the other wouldn't listen. But you, you sky demons, you listen, you'll understand the nature of the one.Come to the island and see." He breaks contact and lopes the loper a few meters toward the raft and other lopers.

Kahn looks at Gideon and asks, "What's he say, what's going on?"

[Once Far Off]

Rigel is all ears. "So what was that all about?"

[jedion357]

Rigel is all ears. "So what was that all about?"

We can probably assume Gedion relayed the essence of his conversation.