Brynn does a deep look around the cave, but can't find any evidence of any key what so ever.
But... but.. As she is looking around the cave, she is thinking about the various chests. While she has no idea about the 3 smaller ones, the large one.. Its locking mechanism brings back some memories.
The Brass key they found on Hunclay's body... It might just fit the bigger lock.
Inside this very large decorative chest is another darkwood case. Atop the case are 4 packets of some strange black powder. To anyone detecting magic, they are giving off faint evocation magic.
There is also a scroll. Quickly determined to be a Scroll of Permanency inside a mithral scroll tube.
Inside the nice darkwood case are five books. Four of these are written in some strange language. The last book is a massive tattered book. Easily several hundred pages long and bound in black leather. This looks to be written in another strange language. Extremely dense handwriting with what looks like star charts and maps of strange worlds. There also seem to be illustrations of eerie monsters and alien gods.
"Hunclay's key" Brynn remarks. She takes it from whoever has it. "Thank you."
Brynn moves to the big chest, pops the brass key in the lock and gives it a turn.
She reaches into the now open chest and pulls out four packets of a strange black powder, a magical scroll inside a mitral scroll tube, a dark wood case containing five books. She then gets to work examining the contents.
After reading the scroll Brynn pops it back into the scroll tube and puts it in her backpack. "I'll keep that for later."
She flips through the books... ...and determines she can't read any of them.
"Are you any good with languages, Verik?" she asks, passing him the case of books.
If Verik hasn't examined the other chests yet, Brynn will do so, using detect magic and spell craft to see what kind of abjuration is working its magic on the locks.
The packets of powder are Dust of Darkness. Though they seem to be enhanced in some way, beyond what you would normally see. Maybe they have some other specific property.
Verik pulls out his scroll case Hand that scroll here, Brynn. If we get into another scuffle im sure this will be a better place to keep it than your pack... the Ratfolk then goes to the books and starts to decipher them.
Verik takes a look at the books. The 4 smaller ones are in a language you do not understand, but the big, dense, one.. You recognize it as Aklo, but it is so dense with words and diagrams, you would need to spend days looking it over to get a grasp on what it is.
Though you can make out the title: Secrets of the Dreaming Dark
This one is titled Secrets of the Dreaming Dark ... I don't know what type of book it is, might be about one if the outer gods, but I'd have to do research to be sure, and I don't have my reading glasses. Although I'm sure that even if I did these tiny letters would be a nightmare to read.
Still not quite past her near death experiences Bethany only registers that some books were in the chest.
"Greeeaaaat. A lot of fuss for some must old books. Probably his financial records, I could see an old wizard hiding his records. So are we going to bring the other chests with us?"
Raising an eyebrow at Verik, Brynn smiles (not so) sweetly. "It's fine in my scroll case, thanks. But catch." She tosses him the four bags of magical powder. "These are dust of darkness. You can keep those."
Noticeably, although Brynn gives him four sacks of magical powder, she does NOT hand over the scroll and the scroll tube it's contained in.
Accepting back the key from Brynn, Grilnik comments "Good guess about the lock Brynn, I wonder if any of these keys work on the other locks..."
Grilnik goes ahead and tries both of the keys found on Hunclay's body on the remaining three locks. While doing so, he thinks aloud.
"I think the newest member of our group can carry a chest or two. We might keep an extra chest just to collect the reward money, heh." Grilnik beams at the thought of even more treasure.
The two keys on Hunclay's keychain are the Brass key used on the big box, and another unknown key. It does not seem to unlock the smaller ones.
The 4 other boxes are pretty small, but when someone goes to pick it up notices each one is about 100lbs each. As if filled with metal of kind.
When moved, you hear what you would very distinctly know as coins. Lots of them.
"If someone takes my armor I can carry one of the chests back. The others can go with our cute friend right?"
Though a combination of trading gear and using your mule, you are able to transport the 4 different small chests as well as the contents of the larger one. The large chest, itself is a bit too large and cumbersum to travel, but you know where to find it.
The trek down to the town is slow and a bit hard, but it is only about a mile away, so you stick it out, even after the rough fights.
Once you get back to down, you have to decide what to do. Back to the inn with your spoils, do you want to go talk to anyone in town?
How to open these small chests? Pick locks, find key, or smash?
Also you have been tasked with taking care of the Kobolds, the Baroness will not want to wait too long on that!
How do you proceed?
Once they're all packed up, Brynn looks around. "Oh, we need the big wolf's head, as well. We'll have to prove it's death to the rancher."
She waits a short while to see if anyone offers to go chop the head off the wolf for her.
Once we've got the wolf head, she's ready to head out with the others.
---
As we pass the farm on the way back to town, Brynn drops the dire wolf head on the man's porch.
"One massive wolf, all taken care of and clearly dead. That will be 800 gold." She smiles sweetly and holds out her hand, clearly expecting payment immediately.
"Thanks so much. You have yourself a lovely day."
---
You are able to transport the head of the big wolf as well.
Eager to get rid of the head, you go to Abrassus ranch. After showing the wolf head to Abrassus.
"Oh my, to be honest, I didn't think you could do it. I was sure you where just a group of charlatans. Let me gather the reward. Give me one second."
He heads into the house for a few minutes and comes out with a small bag of coins.
"Again, thank you! If you need anything else, just let me know. Not sure what a farmer can provide a group such as yours, but please let me know."
--------------
"Care to try your hand, Vors?" Brynn asks, once the chests are safely back in our rooms.
"I am sure I can find a set of tools in town. When I was an apprentice to my father I had to take things apart to learn how they are built. Of course metal might be much harder then wood to work with."
Her smile falters at the end when she realizes her carpentry skills are probably useless.
"Care to try your hand, Vors?" Brynn asks, once the chests are safely back in our rooms.
Sitting down i front of one of the chest, Vors rubs his chin in thought.
"I mean, of course, I'll give it a try. But with magic in the mix..it's..gonna be tricky."After telling everyone to either stand back or wait in the hallways, the half-orc retrieves his thieve's tools and gives it a try.
Verik fiddles with the multi-tool until ha has a hand drill. Well, if it's only metal, we can always drill the locks, might take a while but if we focus on just the locks it should be easy... As for the arcane locks on them my only solution would be to buy a scroll to dispel them with.
Verik fiddles with the multi-tool until ha has a hand drill. Well, if it's only metal, we can always drill the locks, might take a while but if we focus on just the locks it should be easy... As for the arcane locks on them my only solution would be to buy a scroll to dispel them with.
After not bypassing the lock, Vors nods, "I agree. Whatever's in these chests, someone went through an unbelievable amount of effort to make sure no one go in".
Grilnik frowns and gently puts down the treasure chest he was hugging.
Annoying as a beard knot
"Well, if Vors can't open it up without risking the contents inside, I say we wait. Patience is a virtue, after all.
...or perhaps we could find better tools for the job?"
Brynn seems a bit disappointed. "Thank-you, Vors. We'll open them in time, I'm sure."
"Shall we take the night off, then?" Brynn asks her companions.
"That might be good. I need some time to recover form nearly dying and I am hungry. I'm always hungry really."
The group of you settle down in the inn another night. You get a few looks when you carry up the 4 iron chests into your rooms, but no one seems to stop you.
This evening they are serving baked fish on a bed of greens and some sort of grain.
After dinner you have a quiet night.
Brynn bids Bethany and the others farewell, before heading off to buy MORE HOLY WATER.
Your night goes well. Morning you wake to the smell of pork pies. They are available for you to grab and head out with.
So, what are your plans today? Head to the Kobolds? Anyone you want to talk to? Something else?
As the group walks out, Vors asks Grilnik in a slightly higher-than-normal tone, "So Grilnik, have any problems placing those curses on the chests upstairs?"
Grilnik, distracted while making sure that his Longhammer doesn't hit the door frame on the way out, seems slightly startled as he replies.
"Huh? I don't remember cursing out loud..."
Grilnik steps aside so as to not block the doorway.
Wait a second
"Don't worry, the chests are thief proof. Why d'ya ask?"
Vors shakes his head, hearing himself and the dwarf's inconvincability.
"Nevermind." The half-orc murmured.
At the mention of curses on the chests Bethany turns to Grilnik, impressed he could do that.... until he speaks.
"So what are we going to do today, Kobolds? Sounds safer then that spider was."
"Personally I'm okay with any activity that doesn't put a target on your back", spoke the half-orc to the barbarian. "As one of your healers I have noticed a pattern of Bethany getting bloodied and falling down".
Well, honestly I'd prefer Kobolds over undead any day... the rat says, coming done the stairs, pipe smoke smelling of Tabbaco. Although First things first, we need to eat he grabs his food, and begins to eat.
The main floor of the inn is not filled too much this morning. People are heading in and grabbing the meal to go today. Seems like it may be more of a working day for the town, not a lot of people sitting in for a longer meal.
Though you do get a few looks as you banter on the way down the stairs. Hopefully your ruse worked.
You all grab your pork pies and head out.
Having bought what you needed, your group heads out to the kobold lair.
You all make your way through the tower, through the shortcut you have provided yourself. Your mule transport is unable to follow along though these tight tunnels and drops.
Reaching the tunnel that has been dug out under the tower, it leads into a long tunnel. Heading down the tunnel you start to approach a light source. Peaking out of the exit you notice this seems to exit out onto a ledge that overlooks the old quary, the base of which has turned into a man made lake.
There is a path that leads counterclockwise down to the far shore.
As you start to approach a set of cave entrances, you can see 6 Kobolds. 4 are near the entrance closer to you, and 2 more farther down the path near another entrance. You are currently far enough away they are unaware of you. They seem to be adverting their eyes from the sun quite a bit.
As they overlook the quarry, Grilnik frowns and shakes his head. ”Sully my beard, what a waste of good stone.”
---
As they get closer, Grilnik whispers to the others "I want to go in swinging, how about you guys?"
"I'm still feeling it, lets try out that wand and make sure we got what we paid for."
"Swimming. No...... Ohhh I could maybe knock them in!"
Bethany will not act until the others do thinking she will charge in to cause maximum disruption after the opening volley.
Brynn nocks an arrow on her bow and focuses her magic into it.
"Time to get to work."
As Brynn starts launching arrows, Grilnik moves closer.
Arrows rain down and miss the kobold by inches. Grilnik runs forward ready to strike.
Round 1 - Surprise round- All PCs can go who have not yet
K2, K6, K1, K3
Vors, Brynn
K5
Verik, Bethany, Grilnik
K2
Vors advances toward the kobolds, keeping to the cave wall, at the same time, looking for traps.