14c. Bookworm (Ivy)

[Philulhu]

There was no immediate response to Ivy’s shout.

[jp1885]

Ivy waits as the last echoes of her unanswered yells die down. She sniffs haughtily, briefly considering letting loose another salvo, but deciding to save her bullets.

Faced with either staying put, pressing on or retreating through the darkness, she decides on the latter - heading vaguely upwards, even in the pitch blackness, being preferable to delving deeper into the dark.

Steeling her nerves, she once again retraces her steps. Taking a deep breath and with her free hand keeping contact with the wall, she edges onwards...

[Philulhu]

Which hand? Left or right?

[jp1885]

I guess she’s right handed, so she’ll touch the wall with her left hand and hold the pistol in her right.

[Philulhu]

Can I have a DEX and a Luck check please.

[jp1885]

Ivy slowly feels her way along the passage.

[38] = 38
DEX 50 1d100: [ 38 ] = 38

[10] = 10
Luck 60 1d100: [ 10 ] = 10

[Philulhu]

Moving carefully, Ivy was able to guide he feet around the various stalagmites that may have tripped had she not been so cautious. She must have moved that way for five minutes or even more - without light it really was impossible to tell - when she felt the space around her get bigger. The echo from the tunnel walls was somehow different.

She continued for a while longer then her left hand that she had been using to trace the wall had nothing to touch. It seemed that there was an opening to her left…

[jp1885]

[11] = 11
Listen 50 1d100: [ 11 ] = 11

Ivy stands stock still and listens for any clues about what might lie ahead.

[Philulhu]

There was a skittering noise, but in the dark Ivy couldn’t be 100% sure from which direction it came.

[jp1885]

Does the ground slope upwards in any particular direction?

[Philulhu]

Generally speaking the ground slopes upwards in your current direction of travel but it does level out and also dip from to time. It’s a natural cavern so the ground is uneven.

[jp1885]

Ivy tries to head generally uphill. If she can, she’ll keep her hand on a wall. If not, she’ll crawl as carefully as she can (the time for dignity long being over).

[Philulhu]

Shall we try a Navigation roll?

[jp1885]

Ok, this is going to look suss, but…

[6] = 6
Navigate 10 1d100: [ 6 ] = 6

Normally Ivy has very little sense of direction, but perhaps, when in dire straits, some kind of sixth sense kicks in…

[Philulhu]

Sensibly, Ivy thought to use her foot to keep in touch with the wall behind her as she reached out, trying to find the wall in front of her. At full stretch her fingertips brushed the wall on the other side of the gap so it was safe to assume that the wall continued upwards if she were to cross the gap.

Of more pressing concern, however, was the faint scampering noise that Ivy could hear coming from somewhere ahead.

[jp1885]

Ivy continues to carefully edge forward. She keeps a firm grip on Alex’s pistol. At the first sign of trouble, she will pull the trigger.

While she’s unlikely to hit anything, hopefully the retort will scare off whatever’s ahead once again.

[Philulhu]

The scampering faltered to be replaced by more cautious, padding footsteps, accompanied by heavy breathing. Ivy couldn’t see anything in the pitch black dark - what was it that lay in front of her?!

[jp1885]

The only way for Ivy is onwards and upwards, despite what lurks in the darkness before her.

This fact does little for her nerves…

“Who’s there?” she barks. “Either light the way out or go away!”

[Philulhu]

There was no answer to Ivy’s shout, apart from the breathing continuing and the noise of shuffling feet.

[jp1885]

“Fine, have it your way!”

More irritated than undeterred, Ivy continues to grope her way forward; pistol cocked.