>>6112780“You can roll around in the muck all you like <span class="mu-i">later</span> and by yourselves…” Groans Oti as he continues to levitate above said muck, “Now is there an exit nearby, or should we set up camp? I noticed a delightful pile of rot a few tunnels back…”
“This must be an older tunnel system…” Remarks the Spinner with a hint of embarrassment in her tone, “Normally there are exit ladders all over the place, but… well…”
So what she’s saying is, you interrupt as diplomatically as you can manage, she’s <span class="mu-i">LOST.</span>
“N-nyehh…” The girl replies as her gaze drops to the floor. “W-well look: I can feel a breeze ahead! That’s gotta lead out, right?”
She’s not wrong–taking a few cursory steps forward, you feel a faint, but welcome cool breeze up ahead! It’s only after you slam into a sticky wall, however, that you realize you’ve hit a fork.
<span class="mu-r">STUBBED TOE COUNTER: 12!</span>
To the left your ears definitely pick up the sound of grinding gears and hissing… steam, maybe? Whatever it is it doesn’t exactly sound brand-spanking-new…
Dead ahead is a concentrated pocket of pure <span class="mu-s">STANK</span> if your nostrils are still serving you properly. The sound of foul liquid churning and bubbling also hits your ears… must be a larger canal or something of the sort!
The rightmost tunnel, however, is an anomaly: try as you might to cup your ear and sniff past the repulsive odor around you, you don’t seem to hear or smell anything distinct! A good sign, perhaps?
Relaying the info to your fellow sewer spelunkers, you get some responses of mild use:
“‘Steer clear of silence’: that’s a saying that’s kept me alive for a while now!” Explains Tzah-Tzie as she furrows her brow at the rightmost passage. “Trust me on this, Ant.”
“If there’s machinery running, chances are someone has to be able to maintain it.” Adds Oti in a tone slowly leaking patience, “Golem, technician, it matters not–we should head that way.”
You’re about to carefully weigh their words when another sewer-shaking moan sends the muck jostling beneath your feet… if you had to guess you’d say it came from far behind you… with the luxury of time no longer affordable, you lead your pals…
>To the LEFT towards the machinery!>Down the CENTER towards the gurgling!>Over to the RIGHT into the silence!>Let’s SPLIT UP, gang!>We should go back a ways. This sewer sucks!>Write-In! 