The group spent more time in the room then they wanted given the awful odor, but clearly the room had some sacrificial purpose.  But who was sacrificing, to whom and when all seemed to remain a mystery.  Eventually the group decided to move out.  

All that was left were the natural tunnels and eventually it was decided by coin flip that the tunnel at the Y would be the right choice.  Very quickly the tunnel split and then split and then split again.  It seemed that the tunnels circled around in a maze like connection of tunnels.   But it wasn't certain because the group turned back multiple times.  These tunnels were natural and the dwarf Gerdar's natural affinity for stone caused him to several times call the group to a halt before they crossed a portion of the tunnel that appeared unsafe.  The others could not see anything, but the dwarf pointed out cracks and other flaws in the stone.  The ceiling wasn't collapsing, but it appeared to him that it wouldn't take much to make it do so.  

But after several times adjusting their path they would bump up against another questionable patch of tunnel.  Eventually it became obvious that there would be no way forward that did not include crossing a danger zone.  Even more concerning, the elf Hornet twice thought he had seen some form of movement beyond the danger zones.  It was hard to tell what it might have been, in fact he wasn't completely sure he had even seen anything.  But if he had it was . . . perhaps a very large serpent?  Maybe?  Or maybe it was nothing.  

Map Coming.

 

 

There are 4 "X" marks for where Gerdar believes the tunnel is dangerous.

"Does this feel like someone does not want us going deeper?", Gerdar pondered, stroking his beard, "With this thing about every potential new passage is dangerous - I'd say the tunnels themselves hate us but I'm usually loved by tunnels. But were the goblinoids smart enough to leave the place in such state or is there something else in play..."

"Does this feel like someone does not want us going deeper?", Gerdar pondered, stroking his beard, "With this thing about every potential new passage is dangerous - I'd say the tunnels themselves hate us but I'm usually loved by tunnels. But were the goblinoids smart enough to leave the place in such state or is there something else in play..."

Looking up as Gerdar revealed his thoughts, Fenris himself thought the dwarf could be on to something.

"As we are in no hurry, allow me to investigate to see if the area before us could be somehow made to be crossed."

(Using my investigation, my passive is a 19, I'll attempt to give the closet X area to us a a more in depth look to see if we could possibly firm it up for us to cross)

Fenris takes a close look at the weak rock with the help of Gerdar.  (Assuming since he is a dwarf.)  The problem was that it was hard to tell how high the fissures and cracks went.  You might be able to brace it a bit - if you had materials.  Wood is potentially available in the form of doors, tables and such on the other side of the water room.  But even then it is impossible to know the exent to which a collapse could occur. 

So . . . 

It would take an hour at a minimum, maybe two, to brace any one area with an X.  This is due to the fact that you would have to fetch the materials and then somehow build braces - when none of you presumably brought carpentry tools.  So it is slow, but it can be done. 

Doing so would significantly lessen the chance of a collapse but it is impossible to guarantee it without a much longer work time.  Take a full day and you would be confident that it would not collapse.  It is also possible that if a collapse does happen the bracing will make it less severe.  Having a dwarf helps, but it is hard to tell the extent of the problem without taking more time.  

(FYI, this was based on the second X from the left based on a random dice roll.  At a glance you think the other areas would be similar but without taking the time to actively investigate each one individually you don't know.)  

Seeing the area before him was clearly not steady for a mass transit across, the half elf went to his newly found backpack retrieving his 50' of rope 2 pitons and a hammer. Looking to the dwarf Gerdar, the Half-Elf handed him one end of the rope, a piton, and the hammer.

"Good sir I fear I do not have the strength to firmly intrench this piton into the wall, would you do so at least on this end? I will attempt to reach the other side and do the same and make sure to hold it as the next of us after me attempts the same." (Assuming Gerdar fastons the piton and rope)

With the first of the two pitons firmly embedded in the wall, Fenris thanked the dwarf, then dropping everything of weight, (including armor) but his two daggers and retrieving the hammer from the dwarf, made his way onto the unstable area and attempted to cross to the other side.

(OK if I get to the other side I'll do the best I can with a STR of 8 to hammer the piton into the wall and create a rope bridge over the unsteady area.)

 

The group stood around and discussed several options for getting across the risky areas.  All seemed to agree that they wanted to cross but were unsure what to do.  Building some sort of support would be slow.  Shape Water needed water to be present.  There did not seem to be a quick solution. 

               Eventually the newest member of the group, Fenris Kaine, suggested a rope could be nailed into the wall – it wouldn’t prevent a collapse but perhaps it would guide people in the event of dust and disaster.  He handed the piton to Gerdar and the dwarf looked for a safe place to anchor it a little ways back from what appeared to be the weak area.  He was nervous that the sound of the pounding would trigger a collapse, so all stood back.   But aside from a little dust streaming down, nothing happened. 

               With that Fenris took the other end of the rope and carefully and as quietly as possible crossed the area that seemed dangerous.  Step by step he went, with the sound of his heart seeming loud enough to trigger a collapse.  But again, nothing happened.  He reached the other side.  (This is the second X from the left based on the same roll that had you investigate that one earlier.)

               Reaching the other side Fenris moved 15’ further into the tunnel to try and get some distance from the danger zone.  Tying the rope to a second piton he started trying to quietly pound it into the rock wall.   But rock doesn’t pound easily, and the sound of the hammer echoed up and down the tunnel causing everyone to cringe with each swing.  On the fifth swing a little dust trickled from the ceiling. Fenris paused and watched the dust fall.  As he did so he looked back toward the group and saw Gerdar on the far side of the tunnel.   The dwarf’s eves suddenly got big, and he seemed to gesture for Fenris to turn around.  Thaoran was grabbing an arrow.

               Spinning around the half-elf saw a creature literally emerging from the wall of the tunnel about 10’ beyond him.  It looked like a massive snake but had a head that was almost human – if humans had a cobra style hood and massive fangs.  But those fangs were not the immediate problem for Fenris.  Instead, the creature seemed to call out and a bolt of lightning flashed from it directly at Fenris.  He slammed into the wall next to him to try and dodge that blast but still felt some of the flash as it went by.  (Save made for ½ damage – 10HP)  The bolt lashed past him and on down the passage.  Had the tunnel been straight it is possible that everyone in the party might have been struck, but as most were down one of the side tunnels only Gerdar was in position to feel the blast.  (Also saved, -10 HP) 

               But the wall of the tunnel was not so lucky and took the full brunt of the blast.  With a loud crack the bolt struck the side of the tunnel with significant force and chunks of rock flew from the point of impact.  With a sudden “CRACK” a portion of the ceiling in the intersection let loose and came crashing to the floor of the tunnel and dust filled the air. 

 

Overview

The entire group is down the tunnel that goes down from the X.  

Fenris – you are 10’ away from the creature.  Behind you the ceiling has collapsed, and dust fills the air.  That dust is also filling the space you are in and making visibility near you difficult as well.  You can still see the creature as it is large and farther from the collapse, but you are at least partially concealed by dust.

The group – All you see is a wall of dust – and that dust is swirling around you as well.  You can see each other, but not well.  From the amount of rock that came down you don’t think the hallway is blocked but it is impossible to tell for sure.

Gerdar was chosen to be in position to get hit because as the dwarf who had been examining the walls and helping with the pitons it made sense that he would have the forward position.

Uthal makes haste toward the dust cloud. In an attempt to lay eyes on Gerdar, Fenris or both. He searches for them both. (OOC: I may follow through with an action depending on if and what he sees.)

~What the…? As Fenris quickly came back to his senses, his body crackling in electric pain, he realized that the worm like creature had hit him with a lightening bolt. Armed only with his daggers and without wearing armor he found himself happy he was not just a Rogue. He quickly readied the cantrip of Booming Blade, casting it on one of his two daggers and quickly attacked…….

(OK after my two weapon/booming blade attack I’ll move 15’ft away and using the bonus action gained from Cunning Action will attempt to Hide using the dust to possibly gain Advantage for my next attack.)

Seeing that Gerdar is ok, Uthal continues cautiously into the airborn dust cloud. 
OOC: I am not entirely sure of Uthal's exact position. But from where he is in relation to the wall of the tunnel wall, he will find it and carefully make his way toward the rubble and search for any gaps or throughfare. Using his hands to feel his way if he can't see. Only looking and feeling around. Not gonna pick up or move any obstructions.

Dust! %&*@ing dust!!!! Oh how she loathed the filthy stuff. In truth she didn't know which upset her more, the sight of the naga or the billowing cloud of dust. A reasonable person would surely find the very real and very threatening naga to be the most terrifying matter at hand, but Soledad wasn't exactly reasonable, especially when it came to filthy nast wretched dust. Here she stood, covered in an ever-accumulating cloud of dust that clung to her. OH HOW THE NAGA WOULD PAY FOR THIS... but of course before the creatures blood would be flowing in rivers they'd have to see it. 

To that end, the naga's lighting bolt summoned dust cloud might just prove a boon to their work. In answer, magic crackled at the witch's fingetips and she sent it flying toward where she had last seen the naga. Floating motes of light appeared and began to dance through the air revealing sihlouettes hidden by the dust with their light.

((OOC: Cast Dancing Lights, targeting area where the naga had been before the dust cloud.))

Thäoran drew his bow, nocked an arrow and held his ground, hoping that Soledad's spell would reveal the naga's form in the dust.

((OOC: If its form is revealed, he'll shoot at it))

Gerdar cursed in dwarvish in the cloud, then made his way towards where he had seen the creature, gripping his greataxe. "I've chopped bloody maggots bigger than ye!"

 

(If I can get into maylay I would like to shorten the snek. Smite if it's a crit cuz the ancestors don't like being surprised by sneks.)

               Soledad, furious at the dust swirling everywhere, wanted to see what was happening in front and cast the dancing lights to add a 4 torches to the mix.  (DM Ruling:  You can only cast Dancing Lights on a site that you can see.  You can not see all the way through the dust – so thus the spell can only  be cast at the middle of the crossing.  You can move dancing lights, but if you move them beyond your field of vision they will disappear.)  The torches popped into existence in the middle of the rubble field.  At this point they didn’t help illuminate the naga, but they did make negotiating the dust and rubble easier.

               Thaoran knocked an arrow ready to shoot but had nothing to shoot at.

               Uthal moved forward and was relieved to find Gerdar shouting something about “sneks” and moved on into the rubble.  Gerdar also moved forward.  The tunnel had piles of what had once been the ceiling everywhere making it difficult terrain to cross.  Movement was slow.  The two made it to almost (but not quite) the middle of the crossing and rubble filled area.

               Suddenly from forward in the tunnel a loud booming peal of rolling thunder rolled down the passageway.  The dwarf Gerdar had just enough time to utter another curse about “sneks” before another chunk of the ceiling let loose and came crashing down.  Lit by Soledad’s lights it was obvious that this second collapse was not as bad as the first, but it added more rubble to the floor and more dust to the air.  Some of it also landed on top of Gerdar and Uthal who had moved forward into the crossing.  (-8hp each)  All of you are getting a lungful of dust and are coughing and gasping.  

(The above post is for everyone in the party other than Fenris.  Since none of the rest of the party can see what is happening on the far side of the dust at the moment, he will be getting his information in a personal message.)

 

Overview

Femris is on the far side of the dust, condition unknown.

Uthal and Gerdar are in the rubble zone.

Soledad and Thaoran are on the far side of the rubble and dust from the Naga and Fenris.

Hornet is MIA.

Relieved to find Gerdar ok, "We must find a way through!" Uthal decides, despite the dangers to find a way through to Fenris. He searches around with his hands and anything he can see through the dust. Going deeper into the rubble to find a way through.