Running the Monster Gauntlet: Escape (5e)

[spiderwrangler]

((I'm still doing a bad job. I'll have to re-read what I put and maybe sketch things out a bit. Putting on pants for the first time in days to go run some errands while maintaining maximum distance from fellow humans.))

((Slem, give me an Investigation check in the meantime.))

[spiderwrangler]

Slem opens the door revealing a huge open space, the interior of a stone walled cylinder that makes up Master's compound, maybe two hundred feet across. Your hallway seems to be somewhere in the middle, as the walls rise up and descend below. The hallway extends a ways, forming a balcony that juts into the inner shaft. Above and below, you can make out other similar balconies that presumably lead to their own hallways. In lieu of stairs, there is simply a stone archway at the end of the balcony your hallway exits onto.

You're looking out into a big vertical cylinder, like if you drilled a hole in the side of a tin can and peeked in. Or kind of like Professor X's Cerebro chamber, but the walkway only goes out 10 or 15 ft. There are dozens of other similar balconies jutting out into the inside of the cylinder, both around at roughly the same level as you, but also above and below, but none of them are connected by stairs or walkways. Each (intact) balcony has a stone archway at the end of it. There is nothing on the other side of the archway except a drop to the bottom.

[Quarg]

Fred decides to slide down to the archway and slides through the archway with the gual of wrapping around the arch and then climb to the top of the arch...

However if Slem approaches the archway he will either slide back out or wait...depending on who gets where first...

[spiderwrangler]

Underslem investigation of cerebro: 1D20+2 = [4]+2 = 6


Huh

Slem is struggling more and more as Underling's memories become more distant with time. He notes a series of glyphs on the archway, but can't recall what should be done with them.

Fred slithers up to the top, where he has a slightly better perch than on the ground where he's looking at everyone's legs.

[Quarg]

Fred will slide off...since apparently they are trapped and see if the rock wall is climable by a snake...

[Rodgeir]

Shrugging it's meat shoulders it looks around for other glyph thingies to give it an idea. Maybe the simian book has ideas?

Underslem perception of cerebro: 1D20 = [9] = 9

[spiderwrangler]

The wall is pretty smooth, without any snakeholds to grab onto.

He doesn't recall reading anything about them in the book. They are all on one side, five glyphs in the shape of a " + ". An inkling of Underling still tickling around int he back of his head suggests that they need to be touched...

[Rodgeir]

Underslem touches them, the one with the least sharp edges first because sharp edges are unnatural.

[spiderwrangler]

Underslem touches the one on the left (they are left, right, up, down and center), and with a *pfwiung* the archway glows a bright white. At the same level as your balcony, the archway of the balcony to your left also lights up.

[Rodgeir]

Underslem notes this and touches it again. If it turns off the light Underslem will turn it back on by pressing the left one again then then pressing the center symbol.

[spiderwrangler]

The glow above their arch stays, but the one above the neighboring one goes out and the next one farther to the left lights up, about a third of the way around the open shaft.

[Rodgeir]

Underslem presses the topmost symbol hopefully.

[spiderwrangler]

The other lit up archway goes up a level.

[M0rtimer]

Gris is coiling up somewhere nearby. All these lights are not good for snakes, no sir...

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Gomz pads up and looks curiously at what Underslem is holding.

• "What is Slem doing?"

[spiderwrangler]

((Gomz can give me an Int check!))

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

iintelligence: 1D20+1 = [8]+1 = 9
Gomz is only paying partial attention. He's busy playing with his fingers.

[Rodgeir]

Underslem gets the idea that the glyphs move the light around and demonstrates for Gnomz by pushing the down glyph and then the glyph twice so that hopefully the archway next to them lights up.

<It moves the light around...> It then presses the center glyph. <And it lets us move there?>

[spiderwrangler]

Down once and then ?? Twice?

[Rodgeir]

Right...right glyph twice. Sorry

[spiderwrangler]

Down and right twice I think moves it back to your hallway, and the light goes out. Going for left or right of your balcony?

[Rodgeir]

Just left of the archway Underslem is standing on is the target.

[spiderwrangler]

Underslem navigates the arch selector, then tries pushing the central button. The entire stone arch lights up and trickles inward, filling the archway. It ebbs to a muted glow, flickering with a reflective purple. You can no longer see through your archway, but note a similar flickering purple on the balcony to your left.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Gnomz cocks his head, grins, and dashes through the arch.

[Rodgeir]

Underslem will stand at the spot and usher its siblings through,

<Come! More food! More bodies!>