Book the Second, Chapter the Eleventh: A Lengthy Trek

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Eliza tries to address herself to the fallen giant. "Can you understand my speech? The voice demanded that we fight you. I presume it made a similar demand of you. But we bear you no further malice, if you are willing to agree the same. Is there anything you can tell us of what lies below?"

The spark of life nearly extinguished, the giant remains entirely unresponsive to inquiry.

[Mr. Handy]

"I can heal him with my Regenerator, if you think it wise," says Henry.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Whilst debating this question, the adventurers hear peculiar hissing and moaning sounds coming from deep within the pit.

[jp1885]

“Waking yon giant might not be a good idea,” Lepus postulates. “They be fierce brutes in the main, yesno?”

He peers down into the hole, trying to see what is making the noise.

“We should descend, but carefully and quietly.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Let us look before we leap," says Henry, activating his Illuminator and shining it into the pit.

[SunlessNick]

"We may need the Regenerator if any of the villagers are hurt," says Eliza, though she obviously feels no little guilt at the observation.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The arcane light produced by the Illuminator reveals numerous translucent pale green wisps, long and thin, hovering above the prostrate bodies of an equally large number of persons. The said wispy beings produce the hissing noises, the people the moans. The green things move through the air, suspended above the ground without obvious means of support, their slender forms bending and writhing in seemingly random motions.

[jp1885]

“Mayhap the green things be spirits,” Lepus whispers. “We should apply the sigil to banish such things, afore we descend.”

Using some giant’s blood, he daubs the rune onto his coat.

[Mr. Handy]

"An excellent idea," says Henry, watching to observe its effects.

[SunlessNick]

Eliza follows suit.

[Mr. Handy]

Henry also applies the rune to himself.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

This preparation being made, it becomes obvious that the effect of the sigil, if there be any in this situation, does not yet occur, apparently due to the fact that the adventurers remain above ground, at some distance from the writhing wisps.

[jp1885]

Tethering the giant-hair rope to the nearest stone, Lepus grunts.

“So protected, let us descend and hope yon ladies are watching over us, yesno?

He shambles over to the hole, lowers the rope and, with a grin, begins his descent.

[Mr. Handy]

Henry keeps the light shining during Lepus's descent so that he can see where he's going. Once he reaches the bottom, he will pull up the impromptu rope, tie the Illuminator to it, and lower it to him before climbing down himself.

[SunlessNick]

Unsure of how the strong the rope is, Eliza waits for the others to reach the bottom before descending herself.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

climbing down the rope, in order Lepus, North, Eliza; dex = 15, 11, 183d20

Perhaps because he was the one to construct it, or perhaps because he is the first to descend, thus placing a strain upon the impromptu rope, Lepus has no difficulty reaching the ground. His companions are not so fortunate, slipping off the rope and suffering mild injury.

take one hit point, reduce str, dex, and con by 1 until able to rest and heal.

Whilst descending, the adventurers observe the pale green forms growing agitated, swirling about madly, although they do not appear to be of a tangible nature, as they pass through the flesh of the newly arrived persons without causing any sensation. Simultaneously, the persons prone upon the ground writhe as if in pain, moaning louder than before.

[jp1885]

By way of experiment, Lepus gently pokes one of the whisps, to see if it elicits a response from anyone below.

“Mayhap the souls have been detached from the flesh, yesno?” he postulates.

[SunlessNick]

"Can you understand us?" Eliza asks the green wisps directly.

[Mr. Handy]

"We wish to parley with you," Henry says to the green wisps.

Can the Regenerator remove the penalties (in addition to the healing effect)?

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

By way of experiment, Lepus gently pokes one of the whisps, to see if it elicits a response from anyone below.

“Mayhap the souls have been detached from the flesh, yesno?” he postulates.

The wisps prove to be quite intangible; one's hand passes through them as if they were less than empty air. Still, the attempt to touch one causes one of the prone person's leg to twitch slightly; an effect similar to that which Doctor North has no doubt observed when galvanic fluid was applied to the limb of a deceased frog.