Bands of Power - Game thread

Berith carries the torch further into the room and as she walks towards the two chests, she suddenly find that the floor beneath her foot provides no support and she suddenly drops forwards flailing wildly and grabbing at the flagstones that seem to avoid her grasp...

Borgo, as you follow behind Berith she suddenly falls through the floor as if it's not there. You instinctively lunge forwards and grab her cloak with one hand, and then two as you are pulled roughly to the ground with your head and arms dragged... THROUGH the insubtantial floor!! A quick thought flashes through your head, "Illusion!!", before Berith's grunts and exertions focus your attention back to your current plight.

Berith lands heavily against the side of the pit... No! A steeply slanted ramp! ...as something jerks at her neck. Grabbing instinctively at it she finds her cloak now firmly clenched in both hands and above her, Borgo looking down while holding the other end. The slope is polished and slick and her boots find little purchase. He briefly halted your initial fall, but not your descent. You continue to slide downwards, pulling the little Goblin with you. It is now, as the light fades behind you, that you think about the torch.

Borgo, you strain with gritted teeth, trying to hold onto Berith's cloak and watch the torch roll and slide down, down and down and then drops from view. You can still see a soft glow some distance down the ramp where an exit must be.

The rest of the group sees Berith head towards the chests with Borgo in tow. As she drew close to them, she suddenly dropped out of sight as Borgo leaped out and grabbed at something, possibly her cloak. The Goblin was slammed to the ground and pulled into the floor itself!! He's quickly dissappearing from sight and you don't know if you'll be able to reach him before he dissappears and not before you are left in darkness as the light quickly fades, leaving you all entombed in a black embrace.

Okay Berith and Borgo, you have the briefest time to try something before you both slide to your possible doom. The torch is gone as is the light.

Berith, you can try to halt your slide somehow. Perhaps your surely damp hands will find some kind of purchase against the polished stones?! Or perhaps letting go of your only lifeline will hasten your slide?! Or can you think of some other way to slow your slide as your boots find little purchase. You can roll Str or Dex against DC15 to slow your descent and perhaps give others a change to help. If you can think something else, choose a stat to roll against.

Borgo, you are too small and weak to stop and pull Berith up yourself. You could simply let her go and save yourself? Or your can you somehow manage some other means of saving Berith. Choose a stat to roll based on what you try if you intent to slow or perhaps even halt her fall. DC15.

Thak, Elspaeth, you are both left in darkness near the entrance to the room. You could both make your way to where Borgo is. It happened only a moment ago and his position remains fresh in your mind... straight ahead from where each of you are about 10 and 15 feet respectively. Though you'll have to take the last 5' carefully lest you possibly fall through the false floor in the darkness yourselves. You know the careful way will see your mates dissappear.

Lattremond stands transfixed in surprise, but will follow the lead on any others who direct him.

Feel free to fire ideas at me or discuss in the OOC thread before you post.

Oops, I forgot to say that Borgo and Berith can see that this steep chute is about 10' wide and 10' across abutting the far wall of the room. Even the chests must be illusory as you noticed nothing above you but the ceiling before the light faded.

[color="coral"]I suppose that would depend upon if he kept it tied to his pack somewhere. Perhaps the tires are loosely stitched so items can be forcibly wrenched free in just such an eventuality?
Indeed the surface of the chute is plainly too even, but the flag stones of the rooms floor present an opportunity for some small hope.

Narrate your actions and give me a Str roll s as you attempt to slow your slide.


To the rest, please don’t wait for a result. Please post what you intend to try and roll. Success will likely depend on combined actions at the critical moment.[/coral]

I suppose that would depend upon if he kept it tied to his pack somewhere. Perhaps the tires are loosely stitched so items can be forcibly wrenched free in just such an eventuality?
Indeed the surface of the chute is plainly too even, but the flag stones of the rooms floor present an opportunity for some small hope.

Narrate your actions and give me a Str roll s as you attempt to slow your slide.


To the rest, please don’t wait for a result. Please post what you intend to try and roll. Success will likely depend on combined actions at the critical moment.

Berith, frantic with the knowledge that her life literally hangs in the balance, releases her cloak with one hand and grabs the thing which most means safety in her mind; her sword. The effort is awkward but the adrenaline and fear in her veins gives her arm incredible strength. She strikes sparks from the stone once, and again, before she slips further down and clutches her sword to her side lest she loose that like the torch.

Borgo's grip on Berith's cloak slips as soon as he lets go with one hand and he barely maintains his grip on that tail end. He can feel the fabric cutting in and his hand as Berith twists and flails in futility. He knows those fine and dextrous fingers will soon fail him. He was not made for feats of strength but he could try... Borgo curses as his waist is pulled over the edge. They are both going down. He begins to prepare himself the the landing which must come when pain blossoms in his knee. Sweet, sweet pain as something grabs his leg...

Thak, body acting almost before he can register what has happened, lungs out and across the distance to grab Borgo's ankle just before it dissapears over the edge. He can hear the little Goblin cry out in pain, but it's a small price to pay for your life.

Borgo's relief is as large as it is brief. Berith's cloak slips from his grasp and she's gone. He can't even see her, just a dark lump retreating towards the faint light below.

Her passage does disturb the air in the chute. Borgo and Thak almost gag as air from below washes across thier faces, roiling up thick and heavy with an overpowering acrid stench redolent with earthy fecal notes. Was there perhaps a dull thud that follows? A faint sound like a groan? You feel a second hand grip your leg, and you now definitely hear a murmuring from far below and the soft sound immediately brings on the beginnings of a headache.

Okay. Hmmmm. Berith has been lost down the chute.

Borgo hangs by his ankle at the top of the chute with Thak holding on tight (not injured, just flavor). The little Goblin should prove little trouble for him to pull back up.

Elspeath is rummaging in her pack for her lantern, and she'll be able to retreive and light it. It's dark and she needs to be quick so give me a DC12 Wisdom check to get it done ASAP.

Lattremond is prepping the rope to throw when he can see.

What is it you will do with one of your party separated?

Berith, dear Berith. Your fate will be determined in another thread. ...and currently by your lonesome self.

The room is bathed in glorious light as Elspaeth lights and lifts her lantern. You see Thak gripping Borgo's leg which dissappears into the floor at the knee.

Lattremond rushes forwards and drops the coiled rope to the ground as he kneels near Thak and carefully reaches out and down into the floor to help Thak pull the hapless Goblin up. Once the Borgo is over the edge and safe, he reluctantly lowers his head down for a look. He can see the dull glow of what must be Berith's torch. Sitting up, he tells you that the top of the chute appears to be about 10' square and points out the extent of it.

You can all smell that acrid tang biting your nostrils. It is thick in the air around the opening to the chute.

In this brief moment you can hear it in Berith's voice. She sounds glib but it's there. Fear.

You have all heard this before, whether beneath the battle cries of those cut off and surrounded, shouting in bravely in the face of certain doom, behind the jokes of a fellow conspirator pricked by a hidden needle and far from aid. Where every you have heard it, you know time is very very short.

It has been a handful of second since Berith slipped away and you gained you light and retrieved him. You haven't know Berith your whole lives, but you've know her long enough to tell she is or is about to be in dire extremis.