RQG 42 - Feet of Clay

## Content Warnings

Claustrophobia, trapped underground, buried alive, drowning, suffocation, crushing, graphic description of injury, scarring, loss of limb mobility, medical shock, being hunted

## Summary

The party get trapped in a cave-in. Although they are able to escape from the initial cave-in, Hamid and Zolf are hurt, and unable to move easily. Sasha hunts further into the tunnel and hears an echoing underwater scream.

## Synopsis

Hamid manages to struggle out of the cave-in, and is able to get Sasha out. Zolf, however, is buried deep in the collapsed rocks. Hamid, panicking, accidentally transforms his hands into claws, he and Sasha dig through the rubble as Zolf attempts to wriggle free.

After critically failing to move the rubble, a rock falls and crushes Hamid's arm, as well as Zolf's leg. Eventually the whole party get out of the collapsed rocks. Hamid's arm is destroyed and can't be healed by Zolf, and neither can Zolf's leg.

As the rubble now blocks the way they came, Sasha decides to head off into the tunnels so she's not slowed by her injured party members. As she heads off, Hamid goes into shock. As Sasha heads off into the tunnel, she hears a sound like screaming underwater. She goes a different direction and hears the same sound. The third separate direction, she hears no noise. Returning to the party she suggests they move and they hear a distant scream. Zolf casts 'Hide Undead', disguising the party for thirty minutes from undead.

## Quotes

"I flow like the water. I am an eel, in a muddy swamp. This is my natural home."
―**Lydia**

"It's not an episode of Rusty Quill unless Hamid cries. Or vomits!"
―**Ben on the nature of Rusty Quill Gaming and Hamid**

"Yeah, it crunches down onto your shoulder and your entire arm, and all you've got is a white hot agony in your head and you're unconscious."
―**Alex, about Hamid**

"You know that one good leg you’ve got? Sorry, sorry, sorry, I should rephrase. You know that one good leg you used to have?"
―**Alex, about Zolf**

**Zolf**: "Clear my back!"
**Sasha**: "You're all right, you're all right, you're all right. I've got you."
**Zolf**: "Clear my back."
―Sasha getting Zolf out of the rubble.

**Hamid**: "You okay?"
**Sasha**: "Can you heal your leg?"
**Zolf**: "What?"
**Sasha**: "Can you… can you heal your leg?"
**Zolf**: "Uh… not… not enough. Um, is your arm all right, Hamid?"
**Hamid**: "I can’t, I can’t feel it and I ca... I can’t move it."
**Zolf**: "Come over here."
―Zolf, Sasha, and Hamid check on each other after the cave-in.

**Hamid**: "Shouldn't we stick together? Is that really safe? I mean..."
**Sasha**: "Yeah, but... he's hobbling along on a trident and a peg-leg, if we walk the wrong way for ten minutes, like, he might-"
**Zolf**: "We should- Okay, take a bit of scout, take a ten minute scout, then come back here."
―Hamid, Sasha, and Zolf making a plan after the cave-in.

**Zolf *(gently)***: "Sit down here."
**Hamid *(shakily)***: "Okay. Is it cold? It seems… seems… seems really cold."
**Zolf**: "Uh, no. It’s not… well, it’s a bit cold. But, um, look, you… take a seat."
―Zolf comforts Hamid after the cave-in.

**Hamid**: "Oh, ohh no, ohhh no, oh dear, um…"
**Zolf**: "Calm down, Hamid."
**Sasha**: "It’s, it’s all right. Hamid, maybe, like, just hands over your ears? And I think there’s a crash position? I hear that’s good. Hamid? Hamid? You all right? Hamid?"
**Hamid**: "I’m, I’m covered in filth. I should fix that."
**Zolf**: "Yes. Yes. You do that."
**Sasha**: "That sounds like a great priority."
―Hamid is out of it and in shock from the cave-in.

**Zolf**: "Sasha, go look. Just try and find a way out as quickly as possible. We’ll be all right. Okay? We’ll be all right."
**Creature**: "*[Roars]*"
**Zolf**: "Hold up, one second."
**Sasha**: "It’s all right, Zolf."
**Zolf**: "No, I can hide you from that thing if it’s undead."
**Sasha**: "Cheers, Zolf. I, uh, I guess I’ll see you guys when I see you."
―Sasha goes to find an exit out of the cavern.

## Dice rolls and Mechanics

Everyone makes a strength check to get away from the debris: Zolf gets a nat 1, Hamid gets 7, Sasha gets 5

Everyone makes a strength check to get away from the debris: Zolf gets a 6, Hamid gets 18, Sasha gets 7

Zolf takes 10 to get out of the rubble.

Sasha makes a strength check to get Zolf out - Zolf and Hamid aid: Sasha gets 2, Hamid gets 2, Zolf gets 18

Sasha makes an escape artist check for Zolf: 17

Zolf heals 8 points of damage on Hamid

Sasha makes a perception check on the compass: 20

Zolf casts create water to fill their water bottles

Zolf makes a heal check on Hamid: nat 20 (Hamid is in shock)

Sasha makes a perception check as she explores: 10

Sasha makes another perception check to explore: 13

Sasha makes another perception check to explore: 10

Zolf casts Hide Undead on Sasha

## The Gang Gets Buried Alive Breakdown

Initiative order: Zolf (11), Hamid (10), Lydia (4)

Zolf fails to struggle out of the mud on a strength check of 11.

Hamid pulls himself out of the rubble on a strength check of 16.

Sasha attempts to get out, but doesn't on a strength check of 7.

Zolf tries to move, but can't on a strength check of 14.

Hamid listens out for the rest of the party and hears Sasha on a perception check of 13.

Sasha starts to escape from the rocks, rolling a 22 on an Escape Artist check. managing to get her hand out.

Zolf makes some progress on getting out of the dirt with a strength check of 15.

Hamid helps pull Sasha out.

Sasha is pulled out by Hamid.

Zolf fails to struggle out of the rubble on a strength check of 16.

Hamid holds his action, stepping back.

Sasha throws a bomb where Zolf may be, rolling an attack roll of 10 - it doesn't seem to help.

Hamid steps in and tries to find Zolf, listening. He doesn't find anything, digging on a strength check of 5.

Zolf fails to get out on a strength check of 3 and holds his breath on a fort save of 10.

Sasha senses where Zolf is with a perception check of 23.

Hamid scrabbles through the rock, digging on a strength check of 5.

Zolf continues to push rocks on a strength check of 16 and continues to hold his breath with a fort of 12.

Sasha digs on a strength check of 15.

Hamid fails to dig on a strength check of 5.

Zolf doesn't make much difference, rolling a strength check of 7.

Sasha fails to dig more (roll isn't said).

Hamid critically fails at digging, burying Zolf more.

Zolf makes progress with a strength check of 17, and successfully makes an air pocket.

Sasha digs more on a strength check of 8.

Hamid begins to panic. His hands become claws and scrabble, critically failing at moving rocks.

Zolf makes no progress on a strength check of 10, but takes 1 damage as Hamid's claw scratches his Achilles tendon.

Sasha digs and doesn't make much progress on a strength check of 5.

Hamid critically, for the third time, fumbles a stone. He fails his reflex save with an 8. Pulling out a structurally critical stone, above him, a rock smashes onto his arm and he loses consciousness (damage roll isn't said).

The same rock crushes Zolf's leg, dealing 10 damage. He casts 'Positive Energy', healing the party for 7 damage.

Sasha continues to shift rocks on a strength check of 14.

Hamid regains consciousness and attempts to move the rock off his arm, failing on on a strength check of 7.

Zolf realises his leg is pinned whilst trying to struggle free on a strength check of 15, but nudges Hamid with his peg leg.

Sasha continues to pull the rocks out with a strength check of 12.

Hamid pulls his arm from under the slab on a strength check of 15, which is extremely painful. He cannot move it.

Zolf, critically, breaks his head out from the rubble.

Sasha starts to pull Zolf out, on a strength roll of 4.

Hamid, with a clawed hand, tries to pull Zolf out with a strength check of 4.

Zolf continues pulling himself out with a strength check of 13.