The Wilds - Nothing Like a bit of Rain

It takes the party over two hours to cover the remaining distance to the Maze. The continued rain has done the imposssible: made the area even more of a mucky mess. As the party gets close to fog-shrouded walls, Ava takes a pass around the ruin. She returns and reports no sign of activity within the walls. The party advances cautiously, well-aware of the steel-jawed traps that might lurk in the mud.


With no signs of life among the huts, the scouts lead the way around the west side of the ruin, then turn east toward the stairway. As he passes the crude structures amid the ruins, Rawon notes that the hut the party set aflame didn't actually burn, it's mostly intact. With a shrug the wood elf moves through the narrow gap between the walls and heads for the stairs down, which are still, surprisingly, not flooded. They are, however, smeared with mud and muck, clear signs that someone or something has used them within the last day or two. The tracks are too rain-washed to make out, but some appear to be fairly large.

The party groups up and heads down the slick, muddy stairs. As they do, Mordikarr orders Mageta and Ava into cover beyond the ruins. The door at the bottom is open, and a good inch of water covers the floor in Pillar Hall. There are muddy marks on the floor here, but they disappear a few paces in, no doubt diluted by the water. The door leading to the Bug Rooms is closed, but the doors leading to the Crevice Room and the Crypt are still open. "I forgot how dark it was down here," mutters Ohwatoo, pulling out a continual light stone.

The First Level of Blackpool (according to party maps)

Ingvild moves to the Bug Room door, gestures for silence, and presses an ear to the thick wooden panel. After a few moments he shakes his head. "I don't hear anything." Meanwhile Raúguey and Grendor have poked their heads into the Crevice Room, which is empty and dry (apparently the floor is a bit higher in this chamber). There are a few muddy streaks on the floor, but nothing definitive. Stubby chunks of burned wood in the fire ring indicate the place has been used, but the it's been a while; the wood is damp and cold.

The small room is also empty, as is the collapsed tunnel/unfinished hall to the west. Ingvild advances a few paces into the crypt and uses infravision, granted by the amulet he wears, to look around the corner. It's as still and dark as a... tomb. He backs out and quietly pulls the door closed behind him. "The floor is dry in there too."

"So, here we are," says Dagmarten. "Are we going to go down the main stair, check the bug rooms or go down the crevice?"

"If those bugs are still there, wouldn't Ingvild hear them?" asks Durego.

The thief shrugs. "The door is pretty thick, and they were quiet until we got in there last time."

"Did you see if the doors leading to the stairs down were closed?" asks Maro.

Ingvild shrugs again. "I didn't see the door hanging open, but it could have been against the wall."

"Well, we need to figure out where to go," says Ohwatoo. "Even though there are no signs down here, the tracks on the steps indicate something has been coming and going here. Let's not stand around."

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