Dungeon Crawl

[BlueSlime]

When you began to fall, you had no idea how long the drop would be. It was so dark in the pit that you could not see the bottom, and you weren't really sure that there might not be spikes or sharp stones awaiting you, ready to puncture your body and send your soul straight beyond the Black Gates where Death awaits. Midway through the fall, you reached a state of acceptance, just in case you really were about to die. You remembered all the things about your life - well, at least all the things that were able to come to your mind in the short time you had left. Basic things.

Things like your name. What is your name? (A)

You're what some might call an adventurer. You have your own reasons for why you didn't just settle down, learn a trade, and start a family. Those don't readily occur to you quite at the moment, but you do recall that you're trained as a (B)

Spoiler

Please choose from:
Bard
Cleric
Druid
Fighter
Paladin
Ranger
Thief
Wizard

You would have had more time to consider your background, but it turns out it was a shorter drop than you had anticipated, and instead of a sharp, jagged, life-tearing surface you are instead greeted by a cold, wet, muck-filled surface that absorbs the impact of your fall with a loud *schlorp!*

You grunt and sit up, dripping with muck, feeling it seep beneath your clothes, dampening your body. Ugh. Fantastic, you think. Depending on what is in this sludge, death might have been preferable.

Two loud yalps signify the imminent arrival of your companions, and wisely you dive to the side, landing face first in some more muck, but avoiding being flattened by the two new arrivals. They rise from the sludge, sounding none the more happier about it than you were. You can barely make them out in the low light from above, but you're certain about who they are. They're adventurers like yourself, thrown into the very same situation you now find yourself in.

The one on the left is a (C) and the other one is a (D).

Spoiler

Choose a class for each from the same list as before. No duplicates. This isn't gonna be a party of clerics. I'm looking at you min maxers...

"This is a fine mess," says one of your companions, wiping the grime from his eyes.

"Not that fine," says the other one, scowling as she glances up at the source of the light, noting as you have that there doesn't seem to be any way to get back up to that level. "How the heck did we let this happen?"

Yeah... how did you? (E)

Spoiler

Give a suggestion as to why you are in this pit.

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CURRENT STATS

Ariel's Stats:

Spoiler

Ariel the Bard
Level 2
Next Level Exp: 4/9
Alignment: Good (Gain EXP when using your arcane art to aid someone else)
Race: Human (When first entering a civilized settlement, someone who respects the code of minstrels will offer you lodging.)
Appearance:

Spoiler

Attributes [modifiers]:

Str 8 [-1] (WEAK -1)
Dex 16 [+2]
Con 12 [+0]
Int 13 [+1]
Wis 9 [+0]
Cha 16 [+2]

Damage Die: d6
HP: 10/18
Armor: 0


Special Moves

Arcane Art - Roll Charisma to either heal an ally 1d8, add 1d4 to their next damage result, restore their mind from enchantment/fear, or increase the next aid bonus they receive to +2

Bardic Lore - When performing a lore check, use Charisma instead of Intelligence. Expertise in Dragon Lore gains a further +1 bonus. (Readers will be required to invent the Tale in which you heard this information.)

Charming and Open - When you speak frankly to someone, you may learn something about them, but they will in turn learn something about you. Things that can be learned: "Who do you serve?" "What do you wish I would do?" "How can I get you to _____?" "What are you really feeling right now?" "What do you desire?"

Well-Traveled - When returning to civilized settlement, you will know how it has changed in your absence.

Dragonsong - When you unleash a crazed musical performance, choose a target whose passions are enflamed by your dragonsong. You can choose to enflame their rage, greed, or lust. On a full success, they will immediately attack (or steal or molest, as appropriate) their nearest target (ally or not). On a partial success, they will still do this, but they will be invigorated by the song and receive a bonus for the rest of the scene.

Current bonds with your companions:

You sang stories of Hadrian long before you ever met him in person. He and the storied knights of Jorn are famed throughout the lands.

This is not your first adventure with Elise. You grew up near her during your childhood, and met her again in a major city. You have traveled with her as she was performing her novice duties for her priesthood.

Gear (Load 0/9)

You are currently holding nothing. (0 weight).

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A) donjon's first acceptable name spat up Ariel.
B) Bard.
C) Ranger.
D) Cleric.
E) Failed to notice a trap while exploring the ruins of an ancient temple of the Cleric's god that was abandoned for unknown reasons, but that no one ever comes out of when they go to investigate it.

 

[maxentius-septimus]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A: not sure female name Ariel works
B: Druid
C: Paladin
D:Cleric or theif

 

[MrMe]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

B. Cleric (holy virginity)
C. Paladin (stuck up virginity)
D. Bard (sluuuuuuuut)

 

[Cevrik777]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

Any name is fine in my book.

As for the protagonist's class... let's go wiiith...
B) Wizard. You're a wizard, Harry.

As for the rest, I'll back up Tass on this one:
C) Ranger
D) Cleric
E) "Story goes here"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A bard! Yep! That's you. Ariel the Bard. And no, that's not something anyone should be laughing at. You're not some jester with bells on your cap, or some pushover singer with no adventuring talent. Those are minstrels. They're a copper dime a dozen. You're a BARD, and bards are badass.

Yeah, you sing songs, you play music. But language and words, the use of harmony and cacophony, they can give a learned practitioner access to the oldest Arcane Art. And that's what you do. Your songs tap into the natural magic of the world. With well timed notes, you can heal wounds, inspire allies to great feats of strength and skill, or clear the mind of dark enchantments.

When you sing or play, reality listens, and if it likes your performance, it shifts in your favor. It's pretty bitchin', you're not gonna lie. BUT, even though you've been in this adventuring game a while, with a few minor quests under your belt that you've spun into some entertaining tales, you're still by no means a bard of legend. Maybe one day you will be. But if you do, you'll probably leave this part about falling on your face into black muck out of the song.

Being a Bard tends to suggest that you're quite nimble and charismatic. You pay a lot of attention to how you look and are graceful in your movements, even in combat. Bards are no strangers to fighting when need be, and you've been trained in the noble art of dueling. While these are your strengths, you do have one area of weakness.

You're not that... (A)

Spoiler

Strong (will affect encumbrance and combat skill when not fighting with a precise weapon)

Sturdy (Will lower total health and may limit singing special techniques)

Smart (You'll know less about the world and won't be very quick thinking.)

Wise (You're not the most perceptive of types, might be less resistant to magic.)

You don't let your abilities or your profession alone define you. There are many kinds of bards. Some sing their songs to guide and protect others, who take an active and brave stance against the evils of the world - many scoff at these types as being idealistic and woefully naive, but the greatest bards of legend acted like this. Most bards who are trained by the Great School consider the calling of your profession to be as a mediator of conflicts, singing songs of peace and using your blade as a last resort. There is a third type of bard - an agent of discord, an agitator who exposes the troubles of the land and motivates others to take decisive action to make change. Traditionalists and nobles see these bards as criminals, but the downtrodden might have a different opinion. Which path do you tred? (B)

Spoiler

Alignment:

Good - You use your powers to help others in need.
Neutral - You use your powers to avoid conflict or diffuse tension.
Chaotic - You stir others to significant, unplanned actions.

You start to walk around in the muck, which sucks at your leather boots, filling them with water and making it impossible to move quickly. You find your iconic bard's hat - a felt beret with what was a white plume sticking out of the side but is now a tattered and pitiful black feather. You decide that it's better not to bother putting it on your head and stuff it into your adventuring pack. You then set about fix your long hair, tucking it behind your (C) round/pointed ears.

Spoiler

Are you a human or an elf? Elf bards tend to know more about the ancient places of the world, while humans tend to be more accepted in civilization. Humanity is by far and away the majority. Elven civilization has withdrawn into the great woodlands for the most part, abandoning its old citadels to time and invaders.

Let's see, what else can you recall about your bardic upbringing? Oh yeah! All bards have a particular love of one genre of tales. It becomes an area of expertise for them and is often something that they build their own adventures off of. So what kind of nerd are you again? (D)

Spoiler

CHOOSE ONE:

You're a huge Spells and Magic geek. You love tales of wizards and sorcerer-kings and all the amazing arcane works that define the world. Hufflepuff on three!

You're a real sucker for the dead -- and the Undead too! This world is full of necromancy and those obsessed with understanding or defying the Black Gates of the Underworld. Liches, Vampires, Ghouls, Ghosts, and Zzzombies! Oh my!

Who needs tall tales when true history is so cool?! You're a devoted fan of the Grand Histories of the Known World. If it was a defining moment of civilization, you're like an encyclopedia.

You love animals, a real Beast-o-phile. The stranger and more unusual they are, the more you know about them. Dragons! Rust Monsters! The Jub Jub birds and voracious Bandersnatches! Soooo Awesome!

Angels and demons baby, and everything in between. You're a real scholar of the Planar Spheres. The forces of Good and Evil, Order and Chaos, are in an eternal struggle, and this world is their battleground. Fascinating!

Some other universe has fans of Batman and Wolverine... Well you have a tunic signed by THE Lord Knight Albrecht of Missengard - a living legend! And you know all about the legendary heroes going back to the founding of the Five Great Steadings! Excelsior!

Gods. I mean, it doesn't get any higher, right? These are the movers and shakers. Paladins dedicate their lives to these beings. Clerics draw their power from them. Wars are fought. Storms are weathered. Mothers are blessed with children. It's all thanks to these guys. And you know all about the pantheons, old and new.

"It's a bit better over here," Hadrian says, reaching over to you with his scaled gauntlet and taking your leather gloved hand in his own, pulling you to his side where the clinging mud is not so thick. He's a strong man, with slicked back blond hair, decked out in the vestments of his knightly order of Jorn, the Imperator of Law.

Elise, a Seeker Cleric of Zerica, whispers a rote blessing of illumination upon her mace and lifts it out in front of her like a glowing torch. The light brightens up the mud pit, which appears to be a man-made chamber, with stone brick walls and on the north end of the room, there appears to be an lone exit.

"It was a trap set for non-members of the southern temple of Zerica," she said.

"Not much of a trap," you respond. "A soft landing, and there's a way out."

Elise gives you a sympathetic look. "Zerica is the Goddess of Knowledge and Hidden Things, and her followers keep their secrets well guarded. Only the worthy will ascend again. We are now on the level of trials and this is only the beginning. Beyond that door will be many deadly traps and lairs where creatures are left free to roam. Somewhere, there will be an exit to the inner sanctum above."

"Ah hah," you say. "And that's where we'll find --" (E)

Spoiler

What are you here to find? A person? An object? Information? Describe them/it.

OOC: Sorry Cevrik, I began my response without seeing your input.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A) Strong.
B) Good.
C) Human.
D) History.
E) Information. Sort of. A tome of magical knowledge that allegedly holds the key to reversing a curse put on some local noble who will pay mad dosh for it. Seems to fit the god of knowledge schtick I guess.

 

[Iwanako]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

Curses, missed the first vote.
Enfin:
A) Strong
B) Neutral
C) Elf
D) Good&Evil
E) A book/scroll holding some fancy ancient spellwork. Someone in town probably pays top price for it.

 

[Minerve]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A) Strong
B) Chaotic (Neutral/Good is played all the time :s)
C) Human
D) Animals
E) RØse's book

 

[Cevrik777]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A) Strong
B) Neutral
C) Human
D) Beasts
E) RØse's book

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

Yeah, you never were that strong. It's a bummer not being able to lift heavy things, but that's okay, you've got Hadrian around to carry it for you. He's a proper knight and you're a lady... well, sort of a lady, so he's obligated to carry stuff for you. Plus, it's not like you can't fight. Just sticking the pointy end of your drawn steel rapier into enemies works a treat!

Not that you're really a fan of combat. It's a method of last resort for you. You understand that monsters and the undead can't usually be reasoned with, but that doesn't mean you can't try. Like they taught you at the Bard College, a true bard's calling is to be a mediator and a voice of peace. You take pride in being a part of that tradition.

You and your companions are all human, which statistically isn't that surprising. There aren't many elves or dwarves or halflings in the civilized world. Maybe one or two cities have some minor populations of them, but you don't come from those places. This age is certainly the age of mankind.

For you, the tales of strange and unusual beasts and monsters of legend have always been fascinating. You take pride in knowing details of obscure and rumored creatures, but even the more well-known ones you have startlingly detailed knowledge, none moreso than dragons. Though these mighty beasts are notoriously dangerous, greedy, and manipulative, you still don't think your life's tale will be complete until you meet one.

~~~

"And that's where we'll find RØse's book!" You say.

"I thought it was the Rose Book?" Hadrian asks.

"No," says Elise. "Well, yes, but no, it was written by the High Arcanist RØse, and he just happened to have it bound in leather that was dyed the color of a rose."

"RØse was a guy?" You ask.

"Yes, that's why he spelled his name with that naught symbol," Elise answers. "As an arcanist, he was a little vain and apparently got very tired of his readers all assuming that he was a woman with a name like Rose."

"I guess that makes sense," Hadrian says.

"It didn't help that he also had an unfortunately feminine build, long hair, and a soft spoken voice," Elise adds.

"It's a trap!" You exclaim, earning you two lame looks from your companions. You fiddle your thumbs until eventually Hadrian continues the necessary exposition.

"So we get RØse's book, and inside it is the key to undoing the curse hanging over Barrowbridge," he says.

"That's the plan. Of course, there's more in this temple to find besides that one book," Elise says, raising her finger to make her point. "There will be maps here. Maps to the tombs of the elf-kings, pre-dating the Shattering. The secrets we could uncover there will be the most sublime offering to Zerica!"

"And also treasure!" You burst out, unable to hide your excitement. "Hoards of coins and jewels. Lost magical artifacts. Probably guarded by dragons! Can you imagine the songs to be sung if we were to bring it all back to civilization?"

"Calm down you two," Hadrian says with crossed arms and closed eyes. "Our noble quest is to recover the book. That is the agreement we had with the Count of Barrowbridge, and our honor forbids us to return without it. Now come, let us be on our way. Destiny and glory await!"

You shrug and start to move forward, but stop dead in your tracks after two steps.

"Wait!" You exclaim, looking around frantically. Where is it? It has to be here. You can't have lost it! As you search through the muck around where you first fell, your companions glance questioningly at one another. They obviously don't get that you're missing your most important item of all. You're stressing out majorly, until with a gasp, you notice it against the far wall. It must have really gone flying as you fell. Running across the room, you kneel beside it and gingerly pick up your instrument... (A)

Spoiler

Choose an instrument:

Your father's repaired mandolin
A fine lute, gifted to you from a noble
The flute with which you courted your first love
A stolen horn
A fiddle, never before played
A songbook in a forgotten tongue

Fortunately, your instrument is not too dirtied, apparently having weathered the fall better than yourself. You clutch it protectively, unsure that you could properly perform your arcane bardic arts without it. Satisfied that it is safe and that you are prepared to move on with your exploration, you rejoin your two companions.

Though neither of them really understands the finer details of your bardic arts, neither of them says a word in derision about your music. Being devout types, they know what it means to be devoted to something beyond themselves.

You share a bond with both Hadrian and Elise, some detail that connects each of you. What are they? (B and C)

Spoiler

Choose a bond and apply it to Hadrian the Paladin (B) and choose another bond and apply it to Elise the Cleric (C).

"This is not my first adventure with ____." (Give a detail about the previous adventure.)

"I sang stories of ____ long before I ever met them in person." (Why did you think he/she was so great?)

"_____ is often the butt of my jokes." (How do they deal with this and why do you feel the need to tease them?)

"I am writing a ballad about the adventures of ______." (Why them?)

"_____ trusted me with a secret." (Ooh ooh, what is it?)

"_____ does not trust me, and with good reason." (What's the reason?)

The three of you stand before the doorway to the next chamber. The door is wooden, old, and reinforced with iron bands, unadorned with any styling or writing. It is opened by a simple handle, opening outwards.

"Let me go first," Hadrian says, moving to the fore. He unslings his heraldic shield, emblazoned with the griffon crest of his family, and then draws his unblemished long sword, looking every part the dashing knight. "Elise, keep the light held high."

"Be careful," Elise says. "Don't go running ahead and falling into a pitfall."

You look at her crassly and then say, "Remind me again why you two fell in after I had already discovered the trap?"

Elise looks a bit embarrassed by that fact. Hadrian looks over his shoulder and simply shakes his head. "Elise wasn't looking and pulled me with her as she fell in."

"Must you always tell the truth?!" Elise says, going red in the face.

"Actually, yes." Hadrian replies. "Those who seek the truth with Jorn's aide must speak no lies."

You consider this for a moment, wondering if there are any question you'd like to ask Hadrian, knowing that he cannot tell a lie. (D)

Spoiler

Suggest a question for the paladin?

After having gotten your minds back on track, you and Elise give Hadrian the okay to open the door. He grasps the handle with his shield hand and pulls back on the portal, which opens with a loud creak. Stairs lead down into darkness.

With Hadrian in the lead, Elise in the middle, baring light, and you taking up the rear with your rapier drawn, the small party makes its way down into the lower ruins, descending in a spiral until you are probably twenty feet below the pit room, where the stairs end and an archway leads into an very large circular chamber.

Though it is very dark, rays of light shine down through windows in the ceiling from above, illuminating certain areas of the room, specifically the far side of the room, where three giant clocks, all pointing to midday, are visible. The center of the room is bathed in complete darkness, and you can see a railing in front of you, suggesting that the center of the room is another pit, much larger and potentially much more fatal than the one you just fell down.

After all three of you are in the chamber and have taken scope of your surroundings for about five seconds, there is a large booming toll of an iron bell from somewhere up above, followed by the click of gears turning against one another. The minute hand on the right-most clock on the far wall begins to move, shifting along to the next notch on the time marker.

"It's begun," Elise says. "We will not have time to rest. We must finish this part of the trial before the hour is up."

"Which way?" Hadrian asks. (E)

Spoiler

Choose an action:

Go left.
Go right.
Ask Elise if she knows any useful lore about Zerica's trials and act upon this. (Elise makes an Intelligence roll)(costs time)
Try to discern the right course of action by relying on your instincts. (Wisdom roll) (costs time)

 

[Cevrik777]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A) There's just something about fighting by playing a fiddle... Or am I thinking back to a particular song...
B) "I am writing a ballad about the adventures of Hadrian, because of his deeds as he drove off some drunkards/hooligans demanding songs - among other things - from the "sexy bard". So far it's been pretty good... but, given his "Holy Crusade of Truth", it's hard to exaggerate any details about his deeds."
C) "This is not my first adventure with Elise: I perform at a venue not too far from her Temple and they have contacted me before to gather gossip about potential threats or individuals attempting to steal any of their secrets. Every so often I became mixed up in the ordeal, Elise and I having protected the temple more than once."
D) I'm good. :I
E) Ask Elise if she knows any useful lore about Zerica's trials and act upon this.

Please, feel free to change any details as you see fit.

Also:

Spoiler

OOC: Sorry Cevrik, I began my response without seeing your input.

More than alright, as Paladins are awesome as well.

And:

steel rapier
"And that's where we'll find RØse's book!" You say.
"Yes, that's why he spelled his name with that naught symbol,"
"It's a trap!" You exclaim, earning you two lame looks from your companions. You fiddle your thumbs until eventually Hadrian continues the necessary exposition.

I think I'm going to enjoy this story.

 

[maxentius-septimus]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A Flute

everything else I agree with Cevrik on. Unless someone comes up with something for the stuff he didn't answer.

 

[TentanariX]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A Songbook or Flute. I like the Songbook coz ancient tongues and the flute coz sentimental value. Either is fine with me.

Otherwise, I agree with Cevrik on the other things as well.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A.) Gotta go with the classic: lute.

B.) Hadrian is always the butt of my jokes. Because he apparently always tells the truth. I mean, come on, how exploitable is THAT?! If everyone in a given civilization was as honest as him, it would be terrible. But also hilarious... in its own way.

C.) Cevrik's with an add-on of sorts. This is not my first adventure with Elise; I perform at a venue not too far from her temple, which has inevitably had a few shady types making bold attempts to steal their secrets--their really expensive secrets. Well, not all of them are... some are just minor. But anyway, when one of their minor secrets was outed, they enlisted me to spread as much misinformation as possible until the truth was lost amongst the sea of rumors. Thus, it became something of a secret again. Funny how that works! Too bad it doesn't make for that great of a story since the details are kind of uh... well, secret.

D.) Oh yeah. You knew this, but everytime he reminds you, it always provides fuel for the fire of your amusement. "Are you a virgin? How often do you rub one out? Have you ever done it to the thought of anyone we know?" Err. Well, on second thought, some of these could make things very awkward, but I wasn't thinking about that when I asked them. It was all for the shock value!

E.) When in doubt, go left. Can't be eating up precious time with deliberation! If we don't find treasure, we're sure to find some interesting beasties! ACTION!


Also...

There aren't many elves or dwarves or halflings in the civilized world

Excellent Bard's Song reference. +rep

 

[Termite]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A - Lute

B - Hadrian is often the butt of my jokes. While his honesty and devotion are wonderful traits to have in a cleric it leads to no end to the troubles said honesty has caused. Thankfully fate has smiled upon him and left him merely looking like a bit of a fool instead of in serious trouble. And though I bother him I only do so in jest. People would tell tales of his foolishness whether I was there or not. I'm just putting it to good use. Hopefully he understands that. And there's nothing wrong with a paladin making people smile, right? Right? ... Right?

C - I sang stories of Elise long before I ever met her in person. I'd heard rumor that a noble had become smitten with the cleric, and he so enjoyed anything that concerned her that he would give gifts to those that managed to catch her beauty in art. That's how I won my lute.

D - "How often does Elise klutz it up like this?" (whispered but not low enough that Elise can't hear)

E - Rely on your instincts. (Wisdom check)

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

You tuck your flute into its custom holster inside your belt. This little wind instrument and you go way back. You can still recall how nervous you were, playing the notes of an ancient love ballad for that one special boy. You hadn't even really known him that well at all, but afterwards... well, you really appreciated the power of song after that. And the things that flute can do... wowzers! You wonder whatever happened to him. You weren't happy at how things ended between the two of you, but he still crosses your mind from time to time. He was a clever, driven young man, with an amazing charisma about him and a real take-charge attitude that you thoroughly enjoyed. Odds are, he's in a more comfortable place than you are at the moment.

You met Hadrian at a tavern, during a rowdy performance where a trio of young hooligans thought you might be somehow interested in going on a 'date' with them. They were a little tipsy, so you were thinking it might be possible to get away from them without the need for violence, but sadly for them, they made their advances within earshot of the paladin. Hadrian was only too happy to come to the aid of a woman in trouble - it's one of the top 10 things to do if you're a knight of Jorn. He gave them fair warning to get lost, but you had a feeling that they weren't going to back down from a challenge. Men. Am I right, girls? Always thinking they have to lock antlers. Anyways, you digress. The short of it was that he beat them senseless. Despite the bloody way he handled things, he IS a knight, so as a bard, you couldn't help but look at him as saga-fodder. Every proper knight needs someone to tell their tale, and you managed to convince him of this with Elise's help, despite his reservations about putting women in the line of fire.

Ah right, Elise the Seeker. You have to admit, you're a bit hot and cold with this whole Zerica business. You can totally appreciate a religion that pursues knowledge - they're quite the group of artificers, worshiping their trinkets and ancient tomes like they were locks of their Goddess' hair. But they're a bit - ah - zealous about the need to pry where they're not wanted and dive into ancient ruins where tales of certain death abound. You met Elise early on in your career. She was observing the traditional cleric pastime of drinking herself under the table when she heard you sing about a particularly rare pixie dragon. She demanded to know how you had discovered the knowledge of said song, and you two got to talking about all the rare things waiting to be discovered and sung about in this world. From that day forth, she's been trying to convert you to her faith while you use her to find out about potential expeditions for greater glory.

When you two finally hooked up with Hadrian, you decided to strike out as a trio and tackle some of the adventuring to distant lands yourself. The very first of which was to head to the abandoned southern temple of Zerica. Originally, it was just to get at those maps that Elise has been dying to grab for herself, but on the way Hadrian couldn't resist the notice for aid at the village of Barrowbridge, which was supposedly beset by a curse. By happy coincidence, the book they needed was in the temple to Zerica as well.

~~~

"So... you can't lie right this moment?" You say with a rising grin.

"That's correct," Hadrian says, raising his brow and eyeing you, as if daring you to ask something inappropriate. You readily oblige him.

"So are you a virgin?"

"No comment."

"Do you masturbate?"

"No comment."

"Do you think I'm hawwwt?"

"You're a fine specimen of the female form."

"Do you wanna see more of my form?"

"My wants are not important while there is a quest to be completed."

"What about Elise' form? Maybe you prefer chicks in chainmail? Does your helmeted warrior want to plumb her depths and seek the Seeker's secretssss?"

"Hey!" Elise glares.

"My blade thirsts only for valorous deeds."

"So if Elise and I were naked, which of us would you consider the more valorous deed to sink your thirsting blade into?"

"By Jorn, woman!"

"Is Elise always a klutz?"

"Pretty much, yes. Also a rowdy drunk."

"Oh you can both go to hell!" Elise pouts.

Hadrian is a handsome knight, there's no doubt about it. When you two first met, after he 'rescued' you from the hooligans, he... (A)

Spoiler

Choose one:

Flirted with you coyly, but left it at that. He's teased you ever since, the cad.

Stoicly rebuffed your attempts at trying to bed him, but you catch him eyeing you when he thinks your not looking.

Told you about the true desire of his heart: a radiant princess for whom he quests so that he might one day be worthy of.

Seemed only interested in swords. Big, thick, well-crafted swords that he could grasp firmly by their handle and stroke time and time again, before guiding them delicately into his oiled sheath.

Elise is rather into her drink. You've reacted to this by... (B)

Spoiler

Choose one:

Being her designated sober companion, always making excuses for her and trying to not let her embarrass her Goddess too much.

Being her drinking buddy. The two of you hit the taverns like it's Ye Olde Hangovere. You both inevitably get into trouble whenever you stay at a tavern, but at least you share the load of the problems and the two of you have started to look out for each other like sisters.

Being the bearer of bad news to her in the morning. You regale her with all the stupid stuff she got up to the night before, and you incorporate the stories into your growing material for your stand up comedy act. Any dwarf who hears it and finds out about Elise will instantly have a high view of her, but she'll quickly become an embarrassment to her church.

~~~
Back in the circular chamber...

"Elise, does your own temple of Zerica have a level of trials like this one?" you ask.

"It does, yes."

"And do you know the tricks to solve it?"

"Yes..." She says, answering slowly while looking at you.

"Well, is it anything like this one?" You prompt, to which she folds her arms and puts on a scowl.

"That's a secret for followers of Zerica only. I've told you, if you join the faith, I can talk about these things with you."

"Elise! We're in danger. Mortal danger!" You say, frustrated because you knew she'd be like this. "If you know the trick to getting through this place, then you're doing yourself a favor by telling us! We're going to have to solve it anyway."

Still seeming reluctant, she sighs heavily and puts a her shield hand on her hip. "No. It's not like the one at my temple. Each temple has its own secret trial system and we are forbidden from sharing the secrets of our temple with other temples."

"Doesn't that go against the very tenets of your beliefs?" Hadrian asks. "The free flow of information to the masses?"

"To the worthy masses," Elise said, sniffing and turning up her nose. "Knowledge is for those who have the strength to pursue it. We offer it to those who want to learn. The slothful shall remain ignorant, the closed of mind shall remain cloaked from enlightenment. The--"

"Blah bluh blah, blah blah," you say, making a talking mouth out of your left hand. "So you don't know anything useful about the southern temple's trials?"

"Of course I know something!" Elise said indignantly. "Every chamber will have some sort of theme, suggesting a rule to abide by. This chamber has clocks. So probably we will have to abide by something to do with clocks."

"Good to know," Hadrian says dryly, earning him a sharp look and a 'harumph' from the cleric.

"We should probably head left then," you say. "We're on the outer ring of this circular room. It's probably meant to be like a clock. So we should head clock-wise!"

Elise smiles at you. "Not a bad idea. It's that sort of thinking that will avoid deadly traps!"

Hadrian nods to you as well and then advances to the left, his shield raised as you all follow along the wall until you reach another archway. Advancing through it into a new room, you see that it is square in shape, with four pillars supporting the ceiling from the middle of the room. Within the four pillars is a table with an illuminated object resting under an overturned glass bowl. The floor is a grid of colored marble squares, colored white, green and red. A quick glance at Elise shows that she's noted it too, but when she looks up at you, she shakes her head as if to say she hasn't a clue.

Looking around some more, you notice that there are a lot of holes placed about 2 meters apart along the wall, going around the entirety of the room. There is also a scritch-scratching from somewhere behind the columns on the far side, in the shadows where you can't see.

You decide to... (C)

Spoiler

1) Wait for whatever is scritch scratching to show itself. (Costs time)
2) Advance into the room as a group, charging the other side suddenly and ready for combat.
3) Advance cautiously, trying to wrack your brain for some clue from your stories. (Intelligence roll, costs time.)
4) Take out your flute, playing a soothing song to aid Elise' memory, letting her try and decipher this room's theme. (Elise makes an Intelligence roll with your song's aid.)(Costs double time)
5) Have Hadrian charge ahead to the rousing sound of your flute's battle hymn. Hadrian will open himself up to any hidden dangers, but will deal an extra d4 damage on his combat strikes so long as your song continues.
6) Suggest your own zany plan of action. (Anyone daring to choose this option will have the chance of auto winning the vote if I think it's awesome enough. Consider this to be true for future votes as well. I reward out of the box thinking.)

 

[Termite]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A - Swords. Every paladin enjoys a good thrust.

B - Drinking buddy. No bard should ever be the designated sober companion.

C - Wait for whatever is scritch-scratching to show itself. And hopefully whatever is over there is large enough to start testing those floor grids. The look of those holes says anyone stepping on the wrong one is gonna have a bad time.

 

[TentanariX]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A2
B2
C1

 

[the_taken]

Re: Dungeon Crawl

A1&4 Of course Hadrian can't help but compliment a pretty buckler, but he seems to like swords too.
B2 Hadrian valiantly takes his duty as the sober guardian to Ariel and Elise tavern adventures, though he has also garnered a reputation as incurably honest that other bards have taken advantage of. (Hadrian acts as the B1 and B3 in this scenario.)
C1 It has revealed itself! Time to punish it with a well placed ambush.