Chapter 11: The Parallax Reality

[SilverBen]

Finver carefully scans the remaining cave floor for similar disturbances or heaps of sand where eggs may be laid. He mve along the edge of the cavern wall searching for tracks or patterns. If none are found, he returns to the party to rest.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"I will take, first watch. Who should I wake for second?"

[ChubbyPixie]

Draupadi

"I will take, first watch. Who should I wake for second?"

A sleeping Fiefo raises one finger.

[jemmus]

Mungo emerged from a deep sleep and had a troubling dream. First of all, a buckle of his leather apron was digging into his side (which was true, because he was lying on it). Second, he was in a dark cave with reptilian bad guys, maybe the mother of sand eels around, and some unseen horror swimming around in a nasty dark lake. Third, meanwhile the entire party was lying down fast asleep. That part transformed into that he was back in school, and woke up late and had forgotten he had a math test that day. Fourth, everyone had rejected his offered marinated, smoked, and dried earthworms. "Too salty? Yes, that must be it.... Too much salt.... Used too much salt again...." That part transformed into trying to decide whether to soak the cuisine in the nasty dark lake, with the risk of the unseen underwater horror swimming around. ::Snort! Uhnnn.... Uhnnn.... Zzzz.:

[Inferno]

The City of the Sleestaks, Deep Beneath the Forbidden Zone
The Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Ten. Night? April 5th, 912 CY








Having discovered the terrible secret of the Sleestaks, and narrowly escaped with their lives, the adventurers find a hidden, foul-smelling cave in which to hide and recover (19).

By their flickering torchlight, Finver and Ko-Nan scan the adjacent, air-filled cavern (20) for whatever gigantic horror laid the sand eel eggs. Finding no sign of it, both retreat and join the others in much needed rest. Ko-Nan provides first aid to the untreated injured: Fiefo, Finver, Mungo, and finally himself. (+1hp each)

The adventurers can barely stay awake long enough to set a watch. The night passes without further mayhem and slaughter.

In what they believe to be the morning, Connak awakens at last.

"Now what?" asks Ambrose, clearly afraid to hear the answer.


Actions?! (Everyone heals another 2hps in the night, due to first aid. Casters may now memorize, or pray for, new spells.
Please subtract one day's rations each from your sheets, and one flask of lantern oil from one of your sheets. Thanks!)


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.
PCs are purple. Altrusians are orange. Sleestaks and Eels are green. Doppelgangers are blue. Ambrose is brown.

Behind the DM Screen:

Wandering Monsters? (on a 6): [1d6]=5, [1d6]=2, [1d6]=1, [1d6]=3, [1d6]=3, [1d6]=1 None!

PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 2/19
Draupadi: Human Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 19/34, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 11/26
Finver Karstlander: Dwarven Fighter 3: Move 6", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/31
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/39
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 3/14, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
Mungo: Mole-Man Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 9/34, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl, Lantern

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan realizes after administering what field dressings he can, that they have someone missing. "What happened to Yul? Who saw him last?"

"we can sneak back across the water and continue looking for a way out that way."

[SilverBen]

Finver gasps as the realization dawns on him and repeats woefully, "Yul!" He grasps at his beard in dismay tainted with guilt, as he ponders aloud to himself, "Where did we last see him? I regret, I cannot recall exactly! It was all too fast paced ta remember, but I do remember he managed ta make it through tha portal in tha floor, but when them eels attacked, I just focused on them..." He continues muttering under his breath in concern.

Responding to Ambrose and sharing his thoughts with the party he offers, "I say fer next steps we take a look at what we have in our own inventory. These googles and that odd piece a jewelry may help us. Hey, gnome, let us see that contraption again and maybe it can open a portal ta get us outta here, eh?" referring to the wristwatch that Maskelyn found.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"A missing Yul is not good at all. Should we look for him? Where?"

rations subtracted, she doesn't have any oil.

Sheet updated for spells.

[redwarrior]

Connak gets unsteadily to his feet. Yul? My friend! What has become of him?! Wasn’t he right behind us?

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo looks around the room uneasily not having even noticed the robit man was missing. "I don't remember seeing Yul up here at all - I don't think he came up the cliff" he says as he finishes munching one of his two remaining rations. He glances at the pouch where Mungo keeps his worms with a look half of trepidation and half of curiosity...

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan, short on food supplies, applies his experiences of all to often having little to nothing to eke out an existence with. He examines the dead remains of the cave worms with his survival skills to see if they could provide some sustenance.

[jemmus]

Mungo briefly wakes up at the sound of the discussion. But he's determined to sleep long enough to restore his ability to connect to the mighty and holy power of the Professor. zzz.

[Urson]

Maskelyn
Maskelyn jumps to his feet, still half- asleep. Huh? What? I was awake! Just... He trails off, then settles down to study his spells.

updated sheet...

[ChubbyPixie]

Ko-Nan, short on food supplies, applies his experiences of all to often having little to nothing to eke out an existence with. He examines the dead remains of the cave worms with his survival skills to see if they could provide some sustenance.

Fiefo sees Ko-nan eyeing the sand eels and hands him his last ration.

"I just really don't want to watch you eat that thing," he says.

[Inferno]

The City of the Sleestaks, Deep Beneath the Forbidden Zone
The Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Eleven. Morning? April 6th, 912 CY





In the secret cave, hidden from the reptilian insectoids that hunt them, Ko-Nan examines the gruesome remains of the land lampreys.



When his stomach grumbles, Fiefo quickly shares his rations to avoid witnessing a ghastly feast.

Draupadi and Mungo pray to their mysterious gods and Maskleyn studies his arcane spellbook. Their awesome magical power is replenished.

The fugitives from the City of the Sleestaks discuss their next move as Finver reviews the bizarre assemblage of their unearthly inventory. He examines the strange bracelet taken from the wrist of the first insidious doppelganger they exposed.

Suddenly it sparks to life with writhing electricity! Shocked, Finver drops it.




At his feet it flashes with a bright, magical light!





When the flare subsides, a luminous cobalt hole in the floor has taken the bracelet's place! Finver falls right through it!




The portal speaks in the voice of a woman! "Attention. Your wristwatch has malfunctioned. This entryway is temporary and will disappear in 20 seconds. 19. 18..."


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.
PCs are purple. Altrusians are orange. Ambrose is brown.

Behind the DM Screen:

Time passes as the casters pray and study to replenish their spells...
Wandering monsters? (on a 6): [1d6]=1 No.

PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 2/19
Draupadi: Human Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 19/34, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 11/26
Finver Karstlander: Dwarven Fighter 3: Move 6", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/31
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/39
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 3/14, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Mungo: Mole-Man Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 9/34, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, Lantern

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[jemmus]

The reverend and hobbyist tinkerer Mungo fairly quickly rouses from his meditation position, which is being sitting cross-legged on the ground, snout upright, and arms held forward and apart. Spreading and closing, closing and spreading, as parting a series of mystical curtains. Or digging through soil, It's hard to tell which.

Suddenly he bolts upright to his full 3 feet height. Finver! His mind races. "Another hole! Something's wrong with that nice bracelet thing, and Finver has fallen through! Verne and Wells, not sure that I want to go into it too! But no choice!" He races over and grabs the bracelet, listens to the countdown, thinks once, twice, and once again and decides there's time to scoop up the long, snout-shaped bandana with the earthworm provisions. Everyone, can't tell you how to decide! See you on the other side!
Or, the big Other Side! He jumps in, and again forgets to land on his shoulder and roll.

[redwarrior]

Connak grits his teeth, hoping it's not a big drop - because he can't likely survive one right now and follows through the hole.

[Rex]

Draupadi

Draupadi rushes to the hole and drops through.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo sighs in resignation, stands and walks to the hole.

"We'll probably die soon even if we don't jump in. Best to get it over with, I guess," he says. He steps off the edge and plummets through the hole.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan recoils, as once again, artifacts of the manipulative wizard reveal themselves. He watches the others drop through. His drive for revenge overwhelms his revulsion at such tricks. He drops through with a last thought for Yul, "Kill or be killed..."