14c. Bookworm (Ivy)

[jp1885]

[83] = 83
History 5 1d100: [ 83 ] = 83

History isn’t Ivy’s strong point; not by a country mile.

Nonetheless, she inspects the carvings, just in case she can discern some kind of theme.

[Philulhu]

Serpent motifs predominated in the carvings, some of which were enormous with white crescents engraved on the forehead. The designs were repeated, possibly having symbolic meaning, accompanied by abstract and geometric designs, zigzags, and spirals. Below some of the images appeared to be some form of script, consisting of curves, curls, and more spirals.

The cavern extended for almost 30 yards. The cavern was damp and there were stalactites and stalagmites, slick with water that was fed from above. Besides the glowing lichen that gave off the sickly light by which Ivy could see, there were other forms of fungi on the walls, floors and on the roof overhead. In places, the floor was covered in some sort of soft loam, where unusual looking flora had taken root.

A corridor lead off to the right but it appeared to end abruptly where the roof had caved in. Towards the far end, a tunnel lead further downwards.

[jp1885]

The strange carvings eliciting nothing of use, Ivy pauses. Had she imagined hearing human voices? Is she chasing ghosts, descending into the bowels of the earth for an illusion?

Assuming Alex is coming to her rescue, is he even now fighting the ape creatures, bereft of his firearm?

Coming to a decision, she turns back and begins to retrace her steps.

[Philulhu]

Retracing her steps, Ivy soon found a problem. The creatures who had dragged her down here had obviously known where they were going but she did not. Although the tunnel appeared to stretch before her, the light from the ungodly lichen did not, and it very quickly faded to pitch black.

[jp1885]

“Botheration!” yells Ivy, before turning sharply on her heel and, muttering with irritation, heading back into the carved chamber.

Assuming she reaches it unscathed, she decides to inspect the caved-in exit first, in case this reveals anything of interest (for example, a broken stalactite or wooden spar that she could possibly fashion a makeshift torch with the glowing lichen).

[Philulhu]

Ivy couldn’t see anything of use in the caved-in area and the lichen proved difficult to remove. It came off as dust, which proved almost useless in terms of providing a light source she could carry.

[jp1885]

Her mood darkening by the second, Ivy huffs loudly, stomps into the tunnel and continues downwards.

[Philulhu]

Stomping her feet, Ivy continued downwards. The cavern narrowed to a tunnel but then expanded again slightly into a wider area with more images on the walls. The serpent motif and swirls were there, but there were also murals showing carvings of landscapes, studded with towers and other structures. Robed serpentine figures were depicted; some images showed them worshipping an enormous serpent with a crescent symbol on its forehead. Others depicted the serpent people and their cities being attacked by gigantic reptiles…

Can I have a History or a Know roll, please.

[jp1885]

Can’t remember if Know is INT or EDU, but a pass nonetheless.
[29] = 29
Know 1d100: [ 29 ] = 29

Inspiration strikes!

[Philulhu]

It’s EDU. Unfortunately the realisation prompts a SAN check - 0/1d3.

As Ivy studied the carvings, it became clear what they were. The larger creatures were dinosaurs and the small ones appeared to be some kind of lizard man. But that meant that whoever carved this - presumably the lizard men - had been around at the same time at the dinosaurs and she knew that they had died out millions of years before the first humans walked the earth. The lizard men had been here first! Ivy’s head swam…

[jp1885]

[22] = 22
SAN 71 1d100: [ 22 ] = 22

Ivy gasps as the terrible implications sink in. A pre-human civilisation from the time of the dinosaurs!

She staggers, putting her arm out to steady herself. In doing so, her palm presses against the carvings, perhaps the first time an intelligent creature of any kind has touched them for millennia.

Oddly, the solidity of the rock seems to, well, ground her (if you’ll pardon the pun). She takes a deep breath and, fascinated by the possibilities, studies the carvings some more.

What was the story of these lizard people? How did they live? Did they go extinct the same time as the dinosaurs, were the lumbering beasts responsible for their extinction (as hinted at in the previous carvings), or did the ice-age finish off mankind’s presumably cold-blooded predecessors?

[Philulhu]

Long moments passed as Ivy studied the images carved into the stone. She could only wonder at what had happened to the lizard people - there was no clue as to their fate.

From somewhere nearby there was a scuffling noise, as if something moved…

[jp1885]

Steeling her nerves, Ivy grips her pistol and walks slowly towards the noise.

“Who’s there?” she demands.

[Philulhu]

Silence greeted Ivy’s cry.

[jp1885]

Huffing and grumbling, Ivy presses onwards, alert for danger.

[Philulhu]

There was no sign of whatever had made the noise although Ivy noted some smaller tunnels that creatures might access but would be impassable to her. She moved forwards to towards the end of a cavern where the carved images ceased and the it narrowed down to a tunnel.

A dark, unlit tunnel…

[jp1885]

Feeling something like a broken record, Ivy harrumphs in exasperation. Darkness behind her, darkness in front; why didn’t she go with Alex to fetch a torch? Why did she let herself get surprised by ape-men, of all things?

“I AM A FOOLISH WOMAN!” she yells, hoping that Winscott or at least someone of the same species will hear her.

“I AM LOST! IS ANYONE THERE?”

[Philulhu]

Make a Luck roll, please…

[jp1885]

[23] = 23
Luck 60 1d100: [ 23 ] = 23

Luck is on Ivy’s side.

[Philulhu]

OK, we’ll catch up once Jerry and William have had their actions.