The Colony - Turn 11 - The Return

A relatively short turn, as the party is approaching their deadline to return to the White Tulip.


Start Date: July 20, 1027, Late morning
Start Status: Mushrooms
Start Location: The Old City

The Turn

At the White Tulip: Jinx, Kessel, Maarek, Mendel, One-Eye, Sim

Elsewhere:

Adrienne - shopping for food
Shade - exploring the neighborhood
Xon - wandering the neighborhood drawing maps
Zenobe - unknown

Several party members, Smoke, Hagan, Candle, want to investigate the giant mushrooms. The trio wraps damp cloths across their mouth and nose to reduce the effects of any spores they might encounter. Smoke tosses a few stones into the room to see if the fungi react (they don't). Candle moves up and examines the growths. "They look like edible mushrooms, except for the size and color, of course. They're growing right on the boulders and soil. I don't think anyone is tending them. Natural growth I'd say."

Smoke and Hagan swap places with Candle, and each obtains small samples for further study. They also see that the corridor beyond continues west, with a branch to the north, too. Hagan notices that several of the caps and stems on the far side of the room are damaged. "Perhaps something eats these?" he wonders aloud. Candle moves back up and looks over the damage as best he can without going into the room. "I think so. Those look like bite marks."

"If you're done, we should head back. It has to be close to noon," says Rennard. Everyone agrees and starts back toward the White Tulip. It takes about 20 minutes to negotiate the narrow passages and rubble-filled rooms. When Rennard pokes his head out of the grate, he sees One-eye and Jinx on watch. "We're back!" he says as he scrambles out of the narrow opening. "And hungry," adds Hagan from the tunnel. Once everyone is out of the tunnel, Jinx and Nogg close the grate, and Smoke fastens the lock. Or at least she thinks she does. It's so rusted that it's hard to tell.

Rennard says, "We should probably get a new lock for that."

Aaron says, "Yeah, we probably should."

Once everyone has a chance to clean up (cause you all stink) and get something to eat, most of those in the hostel gather in the common room and get the story on the first foray into the old city. Smoke heads out to try and find an herbalist that can identify the mushroom samples.

Once the group shares what they found, Mendel says he is going to see what he can learn about the old city at his church.

Aaron asks Mosk about who might go into the old city or know about the tunnels down there. Mosk says the same thing he said last time, you asked. The only people he knows of that are supposed to go down there are city engineers. Sometimes beggars use the tunnels nearest the docks for shelter, especially in the winter. When Aaron asks about historians, Mosk shrugs, "Most have no time for lore and such. It's a hard life here. Honest folks spend their days working for a living. Or honoring their agreements." He places a bit of emphasis on that last bit.

Aaron also asks (again) about visitors when the dog and Brakti disappeared, and Mosk (again) explains that there were no suspicious guests, nor did any of the boy's friends do anything. The hostel is locked up at night.

The dungeon explorers spend the afternoon resting after their journey underground and catching up on the news from Sim, Maarek and Kessel. Several party members spend the early evening at the Tipsy Spoon to see if any of the wandering members of the group show up and meet Zenobe, who returns to the White Tulip with them to check the place out. The people who were out doing errands and the like also return to the Tulip. Mosk serves a late dinner, courtesy of Adrienne's generous contribution of meat and food for the group.

End Date: July 20, 1027, Late evening
End Status: Back Home
End Location: The White Tulip