HYPERBOREA » The Scorched Sanctuary

Iron Ranger · 5/27/2020 6:54 pm

Eirvit wrote:
Gundrabu very carefully and gingerly takes down the hide backpack.

[Basically, he hopes to avoid springing a trap, though if it uses pressure from the pack on the stick, he’s probably screwed.]

Suddenly emboldened, Gundrabu enters the space and plucks the hide backpack from the branch's thin twig. It's heavy.

Eirvit · 5/28/2020 9:08 am

Lowering the bag carefully to the cavern floor, Gundrabu whispers, “Kondor, bring the light nearer. There is something inside.”

Gundrabu looks for straps, etc., by which to open the pack. And does so, given the opportunity.

Iron Ranger · 5/28/2020 10:37 am

The string tie is loose and the bag opens easily.

The bag is full of tightly packed items.
Gundrabu can see without the aid of Kondor's lamp items on top:

3 torches bundled (vertically packed)
1 Charcoal stick (loose)
5 rolls of parchment (vertically packed)
1 hourglass (laterally packed)

Eirvit · 5/28/2020 10:50 am

“This should be of some use, Kondor.”

Gundrabu carefully unpacks the top items. He makes sure to keep the hourglass lateral.

“I wonder if these scrolls are inscribed with blessings,” he mutters.

Gundrabu investigates what more—if anything—is in the pack.

Iron Ranger · 5/28/2020 11:11 am

Eirvit wrote:
“This should be of some use, Kondor.”

Gundrabu carefully unpacks the top items. He makes sure to keep the hourglass lateral.

“I wonder if these scrolls are inscribed with blessings,” he mutters.

Gundrabu investigates what more—if anything—is in the pack.

Gundrabu carefully places the top items on the leaves and needles on the floor at his feet and roots deeper through the bag where he finds:

1 wrapped leather pouch (makes metal clicking noises within)
1 piece of chalk (unused)
4 bandages (unused)
1 vial of thick black liquid (full)
1 quill (clean)
50' of silk rope (coiled)
1 waterskin (empty)
1 charcoal stick (heavily used nub)
1 red gem (fist-sized)

Gundrabu's winter furs are beginning to stifle him in this heat from the mound.

Eirvit · 5/28/2020 1:34 pm

As Gundrabu carefully repacks everything just as it was, he says,

“The air in here grows close for one of my constitution, Kondor. If you wish to remain here or investigate more, perhaps I will watch at the chamber mouth, where the chill is more agreeable.”

Iron Ranger · 5/28/2020 2:09 pm

Eirvit wrote:
“
“I wonder if these scrolls are inscribed with blessings,” he mutters.

[ Just a wonder? ]

Eirvit · 5/28/2020 5:40 pm

Gundrabu, though hot and uncomfortable as he repacks, glances more carefully at the scrolls, while he has the full benefit of Kondor’s light.

Iron Ranger · 5/28/2020 6:00 pm

Kondor has yet to come closer with the light, and Gundrabu wonders if he should look now while the barbarian is fixated on that mound or wait for the full light?

Eirvit · 5/29/2020 8:49 am

He sees what he can make out, anyway, in the half light.

Iron Ranger · 5/29/2020 9:44 am

Unravelling each of the 4 scrolls reveals a dark ink stamped sun icon at the top - the mark of Helios.
In the half light, there seems to be a dried, milky-clear substance coating the pages...

Eirvit · 5/29/2020 10:48 am

Gundrabu ravels them both as they were and replaces them in their positions in the pack before retreating to cooler air.

Iron Ranger · 5/29/2020 10:58 am

Gundrabu collects the backpack and readies to head back to the tunnel which leads out.
[Please add backpack load to Encumbrance.]
[We need to wait for Kondor's d12 roll here.]

fireinthedust · 5/29/2020 11:17 am

ooc: sorry

d12: 1!

Iron Ranger · 5/29/2020 12:28 pm

1!

While Gundrabu is packing up the backpack, Kondor notices an orange glow within the needles and leaves of the mound.

fireinthedust · 5/29/2020 1:23 pm

Kondor alerts Gundrabu with a "psst!" and points tot he orange glow's source.

The barbarian gets closer, uses the tip of his sword to shift the leaves and needles out of the way. He is sure it is some sorcery the monstrous beast men have put to use, but is cautious as he gets closer in case it be something else; perhaps a trap of some sort.

ooc: btw, the "setting the mound up to keep the fire going" was my assumption there's some trick to fires so that even a small coal is left burning when the beast men return. I saw a documentary that some societies had someone spend the entire day feeding a flame so it doesn't go out. In a stone age culture that would be important because fire wasn't automatic and took time to create. I don't know said trick but was hoping maybe Kondor did? If there is one?

Iron Ranger · 5/29/2020 1:57 pm

{Sadly, this is not the aforementioned fire trick. This appears more as loads of leaves and needles from outside washed down the slanted floor into a heap.]

Kondor moves the needles aside with his sword and discovers the long branch is wedged into a 2 foot long crack in the rock floor. The cavity below glows warm orange and heat pours through the jagged slit.

fireinthedust · 5/29/2020 3:12 pm

Iron Ranger wrote:
{Sadly, this is not the aforementioned fire trick. This appears more as loads of leaves and needles from outside washed down the slanted floor into a heap.]

Kondor moves the needles aside with his sword and discovers the long branch is wedged into a 2 foot long crack in the rock floor. The cavity below glows warm orange and heat pours through the jagged slit.

Like... lava sort of heat? Looking through the jagged slit, to see the source of the light.
I'm guessing lava, due to the sulphur smell earlier.

Eirvit · 5/29/2020 3:49 pm

Iron Ranger wrote:
Gundrabu collects the backpack and readies to head back to the tunnel which leads out.
[Please add backpack load to Encumbrance.]
[We need to wait for Kondor's d12 roll here.]

I expect Gundrabu holds the pack in his hands and sets it down near his feet whenever he is not moving. But we’ll factor it if Gundrabu ever is running with it or fighting with it (for some inconceivable reason).

Iron Ranger · 5/29/2020 8:43 pm

Eirvit wrote:
Iron Ranger wrote:
Gundrabu collects the backpack and readies to head back to the tunnel which leads out.
[Please add backpack load to Encumbrance.]
[We need to wait for Kondor's d12 roll here.]
I expect Gundrabu holds the pack in his hands and sets it down near his feet whenever he is not moving. But we’ll factor it if Gundrabu ever is running with it or fighting with it (for some inconceivable reason).

Fair enough, but I'm going to tab it up all the same, because it may just slow down the snow trudging too.