TBSI Episode 4: The Scholar Tunnels

## The Story

The Bake Shop Irregulars enter into the Scholar Tunnels, which smell of damp and mold and have spider webs. Phoebe brings a broom along to knock down spider webs at Valen's suggestion.

When Phoebe was originally told about the scholar tunnels, her regional manager warned her not to go down there mostly as a formality. Phoebe has only been a small distance within the tunnels and has never gone on her own.

Misha suggests to Mira that they leave a note for Lyra, who is due to find them for the scroll rods, to meet at The Rotten Goose. Valen, overhearing, immediately repeatedly says no, breaking up that idea.

Out of game, it is determined that Valen has decent dark vision as a result of their background and Misha has limited dark vision as well. Fortunately there are magical orbs that line the tunnels in some areas, making things at least mostly visible for those without dark vision.

In game, Phoebe suggest bringing a light source of their own along. Mira suggests bringing some of the magical lanterns from. the library along with them. Together they head into the tunnels, which are narrow at this point. Phoebe heads up the group, with Valen going second for trap detection, Lumi in the middle, Mira following behind, and Misha bringing up the rear. Misha closes the door behind them and they are cast into the full darkness of the Scholar Tunnels. After the stairs end, the ground is well paved with cobblestones and lit with dull orange-white light from magic orbs that line the tunnels.

After traveling a short way, they come to a room similar to the Hall of Marks where there are names and sigils recorded on the plastered walls. Phoebe places the letter P on the opposite wall so that the party can find their way back if they return using the tunnels. Valen once again carves their name into a ceiling beam. Mirabella draws a cupcake. Misha takes a look at the area for signs of tracks, but it appears to be fairly unused. She collects a small piece of moss for safe keeping.

They continue straight along the path about 25 ft. They come to a T where the right passage way leads to The Basement Tradesman Temple which is a dead end with no other connecting tunnels. Phoebe uses the map of the city and the map of the tunnels to try to navigate which direction they should travel and leads the group forward, going straight through the T, knowing they need to move in a left-straight, southwesterly zigzag pattern. She explains to the group that the right tunnel leads to the temple and that it isn't getting much funding due to it belonging to the little people, by which she means the working class. Mirabella takes a slight offense at the term, poking fun at Phoebe's height, resulting in Phoebe giving the group a little too much information about her earwax situation. Valen assures Phoebe that Mira is mostly kidding and that they poke fun at Mira regularly (as this has happened before in the test play sessions).

They eventually come to a T in the passages, leading to the farthest point that Phoebe had ever been before. Phoebe again marks the path so they can return the way they came but also possibly in a way that might confuse anyone that might follow them. The sound around them has more of an echo that previously, amplifying the sounds.

The passage way begins to widen a bit and Valen notices an unusual change in the flagstones and pauses the party, sure it's some kind of a trap. Valen asks if there's anything on Phoebe's map about a trap here and there isn't anything marked. There are also no obvious symbols anywhere on the walls around the suspected trap. Mira looks around from a lower vantage point while Misha keeps an eye out on the path behind them, as well as picking up a few pebbles. Mira is able to identify a stone on the wall on the left about a foot above her head that doesn't fit in properly about 15 feet from the flagstone trap and appears to be a false stone. Lumi volunteers to try to strike the false stone with a throwing knife in case it's a button of some kind. They determine the false stone is not triggered by someone walking past it, since Phoebe and Valen have already done so.

Mira asks Phoebe about their map and how traps are marked. Phoebe replies that the map only indicates where traps were found, and some basic clues about what they might have been like a letter marking - such as W for water or F for fire. Phoebe goes off on a tangent about the fatal traps that are down there and how fascinating they are.

The party retreats enough to give Lumi clearance to throw her dagger, which she does in a very stylish flourish. Valen is impressed with the style involved. The dagger misses and spins off down the hallway past the floor trap. Valen decides to smack the rock with the back of their hand to try to press it from a distance and it wobbles rather than pressing in like a button. Valen then tries to pull off the cover and lifts up the hinged rock cover, clicking into place. Within the fake rock is a gear wheel with a handle about 4" in diameter. Mirabella stands up on her tippy-toes and chooses to rotate the gear clockwise. It results in a clicking sound. Mira tries to go in the opposite direction and it won't move. Mira resumes turning in clockwise and Phoebe notices a pinging, stressed metal sound coming from further down the hallway. Lumi learns to mimic the clicking sound followed by the ping.

Valen creeps closer to the floor tap and notices that the flagstones twitch as the gear is turned, indicating some kind of tension under the two longer flagstones on the right. Valen knows it's likely a pressure pad system based on their knowledge of traps. Phoebe notes that the sound of pinging is coming from the ceiling and starts probing the stones on the ceiling using their broom, looking for the source. Phoebe discovers there is a trench in the ceiling just past the flagstones and points it out to Valen.

Mira asks someone to push one of the pressurized stones while she holds onto the gear handle. Phoebe uses the broom to press it, causing the trap to pressurize. The gear wheel spins rapidly counterclockwise, forcing Mira to remove their hand or lose fingers, and a portcullis drops down from the previously located trench in the ceiling stones. Phoebe records the nature of the trap on the map and Mira gleefully gets back to resetting the trap but rotating the gear clockwise to reset the gate. The group decides to leave the trap alone, hoping if Lyra follows behind them, she might set off the trap. They reset the cover and walk on the left hand side of the trap to pass through their first trap safely. Phoebe waits until they're further down the hallway to leave another one of her marks. Lumi recovers their throwing dagger.

As they continue to travel, Pheoebe makes note of some small freshwater streams on the map. They eventually come across a large, cavernous room with stalagmites hanging from the ceiling. Phoebe and Valen notice movement and two small, blue-glowing forms jump from a ledge down to where they can hide behind a rock. Phoebe is delighted while Valen wants nothing to do with it. Valen whines to Misha. Misha is also delighted, knowing they are a rare thing to see. Mira passes Phoebe a cupcake to offer the glowing mushroom beings. Valen stays back in the doorway, as does Lumi, who begins plucking on their small harp. After Misha warns the party that these creatures can put off spores and that it might be best to cover their mouths with cloths to avoid any defensive spores, Misha indicates that she is going to try to talk to the Mooshrim. Valen tells Misha that she should warn them that if anyone else comes, they should hide, worried that Lyra would hurt them if she is following them through the tunnels.

Misha joins Phoebe near the rock, assuming a peaceful, meditative position. Misha speaks in Druid to the Mooshrim behind the rock, saying, "We mean you no harm." Mirabella uses magic to boop Misha on the ear, making her fully capable of speaking and understanding how to speak the language of the Mooshrim. The Mooshrim in the room are very startled to hear her speak their language, causing half of the Mooshrim (about fifty) to glow bright blue and flee out the other passage out of the cavern, while the others wait within the room. Valen is horrified watching that many mushrooms drop from the ceiling and go down the path they need to follow. They release small puffs of blue spores as they flee. The two mushrooms behind the rock jump out as if ready to fight.

Lumi begins to play soft, ambient music to try to create a more relaxed atmosphere. Phoebe counsels Misha on how to calm things down with the Mooshrim. The Leader Mooshrim that had hidden behind the rock begins speaking with Misha about how she speaks their language. Misha requests that they let their party pass and warns them of others that might come that might harm them. They ask where the party is going and Misha tells them the Drachenfeld Surveyors Guild, but has to clarify down the path to the left. Misha asks if there is danger ahead and clarifies if there are things that harm you, to which the mushroom being laughs and says, "Yes." When asked how long they've been down there, they reply that they have been there for 20 blooms. When Misha says they have also been there for 20 blooms, the Leader Mooshrim gasps and says that's a long time. When Misha asks how many of them there are, it replies, "Lots," and tells them that a friend brought them down here, a friend called He-That-Carries.

The rest of the party can only understand what Misha is saying and cannot understand the Mooshrim. The smaller of the two Mooshrim who had hidden behind the boulder takes a small piece of the cupcake that Phoebe is offering. Phoebe mirrors the action, eating a pinch of it too. At Misha's suggestion, Mira offers half a dozen cookies from her pack. The Mooshrim unleashes about six tendrils to start picking the rest of the cupcake apart into tiny pieces and absorbs it into its body. The Leader Mooshrim scolds the smaller Mooshrim but it seems too late to stop its friend from eating the cupcake. Phoebe drops the cupcake, mildly horrified by the tendrils. Misha sets the cookies out further away from her in different spots, and a few of the other Mooshrim begin to approach.

The Leader Mooshrim tells them their gifts are accepted and that the party can now go, which Misha relays to the group. The Leader Mooshrim tells them that "He-That-Carries will know you."

Meanwhile, the other Mooshrim have reached the cookies and have begun absorbing them. Valen makes a joke to Lumi about mushroom bards being decomposers, and Lumi laughs soundlessly as she continues to play. Mira teases Valen about not liking them, saying they grew on them. (So many shameless mushroom puns were made this episode. We do not apologize.) The Mooshrim listening to Lumi's playing are glowing and swaying. Lumi begins moving very slowly to try not to step on any of them, the ring following her. Two Mooshrim begin fighting over a cookie.

The Leader Mooshrim tells them, "Thank you," and tells them to go. Misha tells them the group is The Bake Shop Irregulars. The Mooshrim struggles over pronouncing that and then introduces either itself or the group of beings as Oomlang'tai and reminds them of He-That-Carries.

Cookies now devoured, the Mooshrim approach Phoebe for more food, waving their little tendrils in the air. When Phoebe waves her hands to indicate the cookies are all gone, the Mooshrim wave back and come closer, to which Phoebe replies, "Oh dear!" Misha says they should go, so Valen walks between Phoebe and the approaching Mooshrim and acts as a buffer to usher Phoebe away. Valen tries to help Lumi as well but Lumi is very in tune with her performance and shrugs off the efforts to assist. As she reaches the door, she gives a big bow, finishing her performance, and goes to leave the cavern. The Leader Mooshrim orders the other mushrooms to leave them be, releasing spores in its frustration, and the party continues on as the Mooshrim let them continue down the passage. Lumi plucks at her harp as they continue traveling, which would soothe any of the Mooshrim who ran ahead to some degree if they're still uncomfortable with the party. It also chills out the party a little as they walk. They keep an eye out as they walk, but don't see any more as they walk. They do see a few glyphs on the wall, giving Phoebe the ability to match up with things on the map and navigate correctly.

They come across a four way intersection of passages in what they think is a little over half way to The Drachenfeld Surveyor's Guild and someone is ominously standing in the intersection with a cloak on. Valen confers with Phoebe and they agree to ask if they're He-That-Carries. They reply that they aren't and asks who they are. Phoebe says they're travelers. He asks where they're going. They confer again about whether or not to answer and decide to do so. The figure then replies, "Augustus wants to talk to you." Valen asks why and the figure responds that his friends told him that they were coming. Valen asks what to call him, and the echo messes with the sound a bit, resulting in them first mishearing his name as Evan and Heaven before they correctly understand his name to be Tevin. Tevin turns and walks down one of the hallways. He then backtracks, clarifying where they were going.

Valen, undaunted by what they assume is a kid, approaches and realizes Tevin is just a 16 year-old human in raggedy clothes and a cloak. One of his eyes is completely white and he has scarring down one side of his face, possibly a burn. He tells them they're close, but seems to indicate getting there might be a challenge if they can get there at all without offering details as to why before reiterating that Augustus wants to see them. Tevin says that Augustus takes care of them down here. Phoebe asks if he lives down in the Scholar Tunnels and he replies, "Maybe." When Phoebe questions if there are others living in the tunnels, he tells them lots of things live in the tunnels. "Some of 'em aren't so great," he warns them and then again tries to have the group follow him to Augustus. Valen argues Augustus and the other people living in the tunnels might have better knowledge of the area so they can get to where they need to go and suggests they follow Tevin. The other party members agree, but Mira asks the most important question of all: "Do you prefer cookies or cupcakes?" Tevin opts for cookies. Mira ducks around legs to offer him a variety of cookies. Lumi tells him that the group is The Bake Shop Irregulars. Tevin asks if they're poisoned, not trusting their reassurances that the cookies are definitely not poisoned, but seems tempted even so. Valen bonds with Tevin momentarily over the Mooshrim being creepy and they follow him down the tunnel toward Augustus.

## Notable Characters

* Lumi
* Misha van Dyne
* Mirabella Rosehip Heartblossom
* Phoebe Leandre
* Valen Aloro
* Leader Mooshrim
* Tevin
* Augustus

## Notable Locations

* Scholar Tunnels
* The Basement Tradesman Temple
* Mooshrim Cavern

## Watch Here

* Twitch
* Youtube