1.3b Perama Caves

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Bad Apples
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Curious...what crawling thing made this tunnel? Filthy roaches, they are still at it? Didn't you say they were doing this a dozen diameters ago? Is it stamina...or something else?

Scylax concentrates on his Comprehend Magic skill, to see if there might something more to glean from the outside of the regio. He will scan the holes, he does not fancy thousands of cockroaches suddenly swarming out! He will also scan the roaches, are they...magic roaches? :laughing:

He will draw a circle on the floor, sufficiently large to hold both men comfortably, casting Circle of Beast Warding ReAn 5 Mastery 1 Quick Casting/+9 + _: 1D10 = [1] = 1 , bah, wasted! _: 1D10 = [5] = 5 , cast successfully.
Miklos, do not smudge the borders, do not destroy the circle! If mundane beasts (or roaches!) should get uncomfortably close, step inside, and they shall not vex you.

Andros will cast Unseen Arm ReTe 5 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+9 silently, but with Vigorous gestures (he is invisible), - 5 silent + 3 aura + _: 1D10 = [4] = 4 = 11, success, to move a stone into the regio, in the vicinity of the cockroaches, to see how they might react. If the stone can't cross into the regio, he will try to pick one within the regio. If that doesn't work, he will prepare to enter by casting the following:
At the edge of the regio, Andros will attempt a Spont ReVi Personal ward against magical creatures, R:Personal, D:Sun, T:Ind, creatures with Might 5 or less, extras go to Duration, and then to Penetration, : ReVi 17 + 2 Sta + 3 Aura + 1 Vigorous gestures + _: 1D10 = [5] = 5 = 28/2, 14, failure. He will rest and attempt once again:
_: 1D10 = [10] = 10, bah!, _: 1D10 = [1] = 1, no botch... rest. Andros will sigh. Must put that one in the plan, and it's so full already! Where can Arni have gone?

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[tab][/tab] Scylax does a lot of preparations to investigate this regio hole-in-the-wall, while Miklos patiently waits besides him and his companions (including Arni) stay back at the other side of the caverns near the lake. His magic reveals little (the circle is drawn into the floor of the cavern, different rocks are flung/deposited inside the tunnel), while is senses tell him that there is a strong aura in this area of the cave, folding into this separate regio that Miklos found. The cockroaches themselves (still linked in fornication, back-to-back) are not magical at all, neither the target of a spell, though Scylax manages to detect a faint whiff of magic, like something affiliated 'brushed off' them.
[tab][/tab] Meanwhile, Miklos who has superior senses, can hear a faint echoing sound from deep inside, like something being dragged over stone or gravels. A smooth susurration compounded by the roundness of the tunnel....

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Magus, can you hear that noise, like something being dragged over stone or gravel? Asks Miklos

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Hmm what's that? Listens intently. Is it approaching or receding? Scylax looks to the light outside, how many hours until sundown?

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[tab][/tab] Scylax fails to hear anything (except the tiny sounds of his and Miklos' making). It must be something that only the young slav can hear. Looking towards the 'entrance' fissures at the western side of the cavern, there is still light, although no direct beams can ever pass through the rocks even through those cracks. Miklos, having been outside, knows its still a long time till sundown, probably five to six hours.
[tab][/tab] On the other hand though, Scylax 'smells' something magical, a tantalizing whiff coming from the tunnel...

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Scylax recasts with no words Piercing the Magic Veil InVi 20 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+18, -5 no words, + 3 Aura + 1 Vigorous Gestures + _: 1D10 = [4] = 4 = 21, success, as he had lost Concentration. He will ask with some amusement if Miklos can see him with his keen sight and all. There's something...interesting down there, my dear Miklos. A great bunch of interesting things, if I do not miss my mark. Including perhaps this tunnel's mole. Which given it's size is both fascinating and terrifying! My little charm of invisibility might be useless in this place, as the inhabitants are guided perhaps by their nose or their ears and have scant use for eyes. Let me tell you something: this place that you have divined is separate from the mundane world, and things may not work as usual. I can not ken more, yet I will hazard entering. Please follow and be extra alert. Do you have a sack, jars? More sacks? Waits for the affirmative response Good man! Have them ready to inconspicuously spirit objects of interest here and there that I point out. In case we must away in a hurry, just place them in the exit crack, and we will endeavor to pick them up later. Hmm. I wonder if this thing met and incinerated the other thing in the dry pool. Hmm. I do not counsel physical contact of any kind with whatever lurks inside. Hehe, probably easier said than done. In any case allow me to spare you from my babbling. Help me up, there's a good fellow.

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[I assume both people are entering the tunnel]

[tab][/tab] With some help from Miklos, Scylax takes lead in exploring the round tunnel like structure. Though nearly as tall as a man you still go slightly crouched and careful not to miss-step on the rounded surface. The slightly rough texture of the rock makes little scuffling sound by your passage, while the few large cockroaches that populate the tunnel scurry to avoid you. On top of the usual smell of 'rock' there is a strong scent reminiscent of disinfectant, while moving towards the other end a slight earthy smell with acidic undertones begins to be made present.
[tab][/tab] After some hundred paces of traveling, you reach the end (or entrance) of the unnatural tunnel, exiting into a large cave. Deep brown in color and shaped like a kidney, this cavern is different from those you have encountered so far. While there are some stalactites on the roof, the ground holds no such formations, just pebbles and rubble. Some large stone pillars exist at the edges near the walls, but you have the sense that stone structures on the floor of the cavern have been destroyed, accidentally or on purpose. Only loose stone, sand and dust remain. In fact in three places in this cavern that spans thrice the area of your large hall in the Rotunda there are mounds of stone debris accumulated; on either end of the kidney and just across of the tunnel you just exited, in a slight pit on the other side of the walls. Just bellow the tunnel is a small gravel patch of a different color, matching the tunnel stone you just came from. The cave is littered with clamps of large semitransparent crystals that have a pale blue phosphorescence in their centers. These clumps, reminiscent of sea urchins, have stacks of long trapezoid crystals growing in spikes, the longest of which as long as an arm. All these are located on the floor of the cavern, mostly near the edges where the walls start, giving off a soft glow. Scattered among the rubble of the floor you can see broken pieces of said crystals, ground down to fine gravel and dust. Scylax can smell that these are magical and some of them contain vis!
[tab][/tab] On the animate side, this cavern is populated. To your left, near the end of the cavern, Miklos detects the source of that scrapping sound. A huge worm (of the annelid kind) is crawling through the floor rubble. Tall as a man and longer than six, it will need three people to spread their arms around it to reach one another. Its flaky skin is a rich earth brown with pink undertones, sporting some kind of iridescence, but despite the muddy color you can vaguely see organs and veins moving just under the rings of its skin. Near the front a large area of dirty white slightly raised skin circles the worm like a ring. It seems to be looking for food, you can hear it crunching on crystals and pulverizing them within its mouth. The source of that acidic earthy smell is littering the cavern floor. You can see (and smell) patches of discarded skin, flaked off and shredded from the worm as it grows, littering the area in strips and clumps, swarmed over by the large cockroaches feasting on the detritus. In particular two places have larger concentrations of said skin, near the gravel mounds, large sections of curved skin resembling scales or snake husks. These have the most insect activity. Scylax can also smell vis of a different kind from those skins...

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<OOC Scylax is smiling like a maniac, and occasionally stares at Miklos moving his eyebrows madly like Magnum PI 8) . Of course, he's not sure if Miklos's eyes are quite that keen, but... Scylax will be cautious here. He will stare at the worm's movements and behavior for a bit, trying to Comprehend it all, gauge its speed and awareness. Comprehend Magic 3 Creatures + 1 Per + _: 1D10 = [6] = 6, 10, Comprehension Total, 11 Pen (not adding the aura, as it also adds to magical creatures SR). Difficulty is 15- Magic Might of creature, but still must penetrate. Even if that's not enough to Penetrate, it should detect the presence of Magic.
Is the worm eating indiscriminately, or specifically munching on the crystals? Has it visibly reacted to the light Miklos carries?

Are the clumps of crystals creatures? Comprehend! 4 + _: 1D10 = [2] = 2 = 6, ehh, not so high

Is it the broken crystals that contain the vis? Are there clumps of smaller crystals (younger?) and clumps of larger crystals (older?). Has he ever heard of or read of such a strange environment or phenomena as this cave?

Course of action: after simply staring and trying to Comprehend, and witnessing this bizarre scene, and trying to contain his excitement, Andros will whisper to Miklos that he will cast the Circle against Beasts in the tunnel, just on the edge of the entrance: silently -10 +3 Aura + 1 vigorous gestures Circle of Beast Warding ReAn 5 Mastery 1 Quick Casting/+9 + _: 1D10 = [3] = 3 = 6, spell comes out, but -1 Fatigue to Scylax.
Then silent Unseen Arm ReTe 5 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+9 +3 -5 _: 1D10 = [9] = 9 = 16, complete success, will start picking the ground crystals from afar and the skin flakes, examine them to see if they do contain vis (and what kind). The Circle of Beast Warding should peel away the roaches that cling to the skin, no need for an infestation. Scylax will observe their behavior once they fall off, it seems they can sense vis, most interesting (or perhaps just that the flakes with vis are the most delicious). Does the worm react to slowly levitating things not close to its bulk? Scylax will hand most of these to Miklos for him to store.

How big is the worm in relation to the other tunnels that seem carved by its passage elsewhere in the Perama system? Can its passage be traced, have the spelunkers seen other places similar to how this cave floor looks? It seems as if the worm's found an unending buffet (aura + vis), and this has made it grow ever since. The question in Scylax's mind is if the worm is vital to the vis in the cave, or if it is destroying the clumps inexorably; if the vis in the crystals is there because the worm touched them/ate them. Questions!!! OOC>

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I am away for 3 days now with little access to internet coverage. Please roll for me if required. Miklos will support and fight as directed by magi or the leader.
Aristocles will settle at 4 vis/60 pounds per Item of Quality if pushed and agree to that price for as long as the Redcap desires.

Thanks
John

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[tab][/tab] Miklos and Scylax are examining the strange cave and its inhabitants. The young Pralician is focused on the magic side of the place and though eager, his attention is cannot fully pierce the mysteries of this place. He gleans some interesting facts though: the worm is indeed a magical creature but no further details were gained [ability did not penetrate]. The concentrated vis is in the largest, intact, glowing crystals and there are few of them. The worm is munching on said crystals. The shards and younger crystals have traces of magic, not enough to be useful though. The beast does not seem to be aware of Miklos' light but it does react to the vigorous gesturing of Scylax and later at the levitation of things. It seems it is blind but can sense movement, turning what looks like its front part this way and that trying to sense what disturbed it.
[tab][/tab] Scylax grabs several broken shards and some skin. The cockroaches peel off on contact with the barrier, and skitter around in panic. The broken shards hold traces of magic long gone, the younger intact ones are faintly luminescent with some kind of ambient thaumaturgy. The larger ones contain Vim vis. The skin fragments that he sampled, they too contain magic albeit of the Terram flavour. These are though too small for use, perhaps the two larger carapace fragments hold vis.

[Obviously this is a place that can provide vis. The Covenant will need one season of research to gain knowledge of this site and claim it (officially or unofficially). You can bring some vis now but it might trigger the worm]

[tab][/tab] The worm is fairly large. Perhaps it fits the tunnel you just used, certainly the round shape of it is suggestive. You have not seen other such tunnels in the complexes you have been so far, nor such destruction of the cave floors. It could be that it is confined to this chamber or that there are other entrances/exits, possibly under all that rubble...

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Scylax is enthusiastic, he will definitely volunteer a season to research the vis site and the ways to harvest it...we just have to get to next year! And the worm's capabilities as well.

Did the worm react violently, or did it soon lose interest in the flurry of activity? Scylax will not leave without some vis, that's for sure! He will proceed to lift other inanimate objects and move them nearby the worm, see if it reacts violently. He believes that the worm exudes some nasty humor that may allow it to bore into the earth...and that might have flash fried the creature in the other cave, as well as drying it up. The smell of vinegar means there's some of that nasty stuff nearby.
Perhaps he can get the worm used to such "supernatural" activity.

Depending on what he observes (worm's agitated responses, worm getting used to floating objects, worm moving away to another part of the cave), following course of action:

It is possible that the skin flakes may be still active Arcane Connections to the worm. He has multiple ones, not super fresh though. Scylax will spend an hour creating a horoscope for this creature, Artes Liberales should be 2 (took Ioannes's class in Spring) + 3 Int vs 9, _: 1D10 = [7] = 7 , done! He will then attempt to cast Opening the Intangible Tunnel ReVi 15 Mastery 1 Resistance/+20 on the worm, totally silent and w/o gestures using a totally silent/quiet Facilitate the Stifled Spell (Vim) MuVi 10 Mastery 1 Quiet Casting/+20, +20 -10 silent/subtle +3 Aura = _: 1D10 = [10] = 10, oof, no botch as it is mastered, (only 1 botch die, correct?) = 13, done!
Concentration of 9 to get off successfully 3 Int + 4 casting spells vs 9 _: 1D10 = [9] = 9 = 16, easily done!
Now for the Tunnel: _: 1D10 = [2] = 2 = bah! 22 total, Penetration is 7 + 2 Penetration Vim x 4 (multiple "scales" should be a x 3 connection + 1 Horoscope) = 15, rather pathetic. Can he perceive an Open Tunnel? :stuck_out_tongue: He was planning on freezing the worm to unconsciousness from afar with Winter's Icy Touch PeIg 10 Mastery 2(4) Multiple Casting, Penetration/+20, but of course, there are many things he does not know about the creature!

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[tab][/tab] Though the worm seems to sense different movements in the air and looks 'curious', stopping its voracious eating several times, only once does it react in violence, when something large is brought floating near it. The force of its upper body thumping the ground is humbling, a small earthquake that shakes the complex, dust falling everywhere. This is not a creature that is easily subdued. Still, its attention span seems limited and it goes back to munching crystals. While too far for Scylax, Miklos detects a faint acrid sent coming from the worm when agitated.
[tab][/tab] Scylax manages to gather some crystals and skin fragments. The large carapaces hold the terram vis while the largest crystals hold the vim...and they need to be carefully cut and extracted from the ground. He also does some preparations and spell-casting...

[Scylax does the horoscope, albeit under stressful situations. The scales are indeed a +3 arcane connection. The Tunnel fails to penetrate. MM is 25.]

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I suggest we retreat and reassess our options master, that worm looks like it could chew is up any time it likes. I suggest we go while it stays unagitated. Miklos suggests.

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Scylax laughs Now Miklos, why do you have to go on and make sense? We "Masters" should always have someone like you assigned that can bring us back to earth when we start to daydream! I was thinking of acting bravely, how dire! Gather everything carefully then, and let us away to the other cave.

Miklos, speak little or not at all of what you saw here, ehh? Good man! This should only be shared with the Masters and whoever they deem necessary.

Do you know the village this hill overlooks? I direct you to find out who owns what, surreptitiously, particularly the area near this new entrance, and get back to me, perhaps it behooves Meru Mudi to acquire some cheap woodland.

*edit: to be clear, Scylax has some vis? If he hasn't, he will attempt to acquire some, no matter what. He's not coming back empty-handed! He will carefully harvest one of the clumps, and attempt to grab a skin flake, using Wizard's Leap to get there, and hoof it back quickly if he can't Leap back because the molted skin is too big to be included. As the fauna and flora may be poisonous, he will grab them using the sack as sort of a mitten. To avoid roach infestation, he will trace a quick circle of beast warding near the flake pile, grab the flake and then carry it inside, into the sack. From there, Leap back, or walk slowly, Fremen-like :wink: , this worm is dangerous! If the worm attacks, Scylax will avoid, though he will defend himself with Winter's Icy Touch PeIg 10 Mastery 2(4) Multiple Casting, Penetration/+20, which together with the arcane connections and horoscope should have an ok chance of affecting the thing (on a roll of 5, Penetration 27). Still, he's not particularly brave and does not look forward to being acidified, and he prefers to use the worm as resource, not attempt to kill it, so main strategy is avoidance.
Also, will stay at least the night in the other cave, see if they can witness anything else. Then collect the skeletal remains elsewhere, hide traces of their expedition, and leave.

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[tab][/tab] Miklos is familiar with this village, called Perama. Its the same village you passed-by and on the outskirts of which you made your camp. It is situated at the edge of the lake, just in front of the hill. It is too small to have its own governor or noble, and too close to Ioannina not to fall under that town's jurisdiction.
[tab][/tab] Scylax manages to grab 1 Vim vis crystal and enough large skin remnant for 2 Terram vis from afar. Being pragmatic, he figures that any attempt he makes might agitate the worm; it is quite sensitive to the environment. He should attempt to confront it with at least some more people (magi and mundanes) or send in stealthier people...
[tab][/tab] Returning back to their in-cave camp Scylax and Miklos inform the others of what they found. It is up to the party whether they want to stay the night or just leave through the new found entrance, circle the hill and go back to their outside camp (about one hour, plenty of time before sunset).

[What skeletal remains do you want to take with you?]

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If stealth is identified as the major skill required to pick up more bits and pieces Miklos will happily volunteer to go back in himself and pick up whatever is required. He is much happier only having to look after himself rather than Magus Skylax as well. As to staying the night he will suggest not as caves can easily flood and the worm may roam about at night. He will suggest that they exit after dark so as to be less likely to be spotted from the village. He is skilled enough to lead the group in a moon lit environment as that is his usual time of "work".

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Not so much, Scylax is guarded in his speech, although he is obviously pleased, and keeps the bag with vis with him at all times, unless it becomes unmanageable. He will say that this place is worth exploring some more. He will be more chatty and open with Arni, in a very low voice. If he perceives Miklos as spilling the beans to the other bored members of the expedition (unlikely!), he will interrupt, and engage everyone in an unending barrage of verbosity, all the while staring with unusual intensity at the man.

Here...but it looks like it's firmly embedded, correct?

Now, now, my dear fellow! Let's not be hasty! I wish to observe this pool some more and its environs, there may be something to witness in the night. We can camp higher up, to avoid this hypothetical flood, but I want a good vantage point. I will indulge my curiosity!

Simplicity itself. In my meager repertoire, I do have some relevant formulae, we can exit unseen like owls in a moonless hunt. (when the time comes, Scylax will turn people invisible and spread Eyes of the Cat around, so that they can navigate normally in the night)

<OOC I understand IonianD wants to wrap this up, and I am fine with that, but there may be more things to discover, so we can skip the role-playing and if the SG wants to regale us with a short narrative of what happens next, that would be excellent. Scylax will also try to carve hand/footholds using Perdo Terram sponts in the various cave walls where they have ascended or descended OOC>

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[That femur is way back, second chamber. Easier to reach from the other entrance than go back through the whole cave (and the cramped passages). It is indeed embedded into the rock, but you can easily cast a PeVim and get it out. No vis in it, you will need someone to study it for an Int+ Animal Handling 21 or Int+Philosophiae 15 roll. I will assume that Scylax has his way and you stay the night in. I need Miklos to do a Qui+Stealth 9 and see from there what happens]

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Miklos

Stealth 4+2 + Qik 2 + D10 roll 4 = 12 - success.

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[tab][/tab] Miklos puts his life in danger to bring some more crystals for Scylax to study. He expertly navigates the cavern floor, avoiding most of the rubble. Still the Worm seems to be sensing something, as it frequently pauses and sways its massive front in search of noise. Not risking it, Miklos manages to bring back one more of those light-filled crystals.

[You now have 2 Vim vis crystals, 2 Terram vis half eaten skins and a large femur, plus some arcane connections to the cave and pool]

[tab][/tab] You regroup with the rest of your party at the large underground lake, where Alexios and Bogdan have created a rudimentary camp under the supervision of Arni. Scylax is adamant that you spend the night here, so you try to get as comfortable as you can. However you cannot make a fire, as there is nowhere for the smoke to go. It is a cold, miserable and mostly silent night spent with rudimentary equipment and bedrolls. The magi of course use some magic to make themselves more comfortable, but its a far cry from their usual repose back at the covenant.
[tab][/tab] Some more 'poking around' at the large lake reveals very little else. The 'fish' are almost non-existent, to any sight or physical ploy. They seem to react only to magic, they must be some kind of Thaumavores (magic eaters) since they seem to be attracted to magic and by some means consume it. Perhaps that is why you cannot glean information about these mysterious entities, since magic used on them would probably be consumed. Still, they are an important find, that generates more questions; What do they eat in here? What do they look like? Were they created, transported, evolved here? Who else knows about them? What can they do, or what can they be used for?
[tab][/tab] The rest of the night passes silently without any problems or disturbances. The three mundanes keep a guard up, just in case, while the magi try to sleep. At what you think is morning, you start the climbing to the exit and squeeze through the opening there with some trouble, just as the sun rises in the east. It was a tiring adventure but you are richer in knowledge if not in material things. Still, with sufficient research you could potentially have a steady supply of vis in the future, something all magi treasure.
[Research option opened. Everyone please make a Sta roll 4]

[tab][/tab] The five return to the base camp, this time going around the hill from the north side, avoiding the small village and the lake. It would be best to keep the second entrance secret from others. It takes some time for your grogs to pack things up again and you leave for the covenant, making it in time for a warm diner...

[Adventure is complete. Anything else we need here, besides xp?]