Its "A" Dungeon (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Niversal finds the two rooms in this hall are quiet, the doors are unlocked, and show no signs of traps, a quick look into each reveals they are completely empty.

Niversal will check the dead end of the hall to see if there is a secret door (take twenty)

Keryth watches as Niversal meticulously gropes the wall at the end of the hall...

After several painstaking prods, pokes and scratches, Niversal discover it is in fact a dead end.

Yawning, Ballar watches the wizard watching the elf poke things. It is mildly entertaining but...pointing a thumb down the hall towards the ghoul's room (H-22) Ballar asks, Oi! Nivers, where'd ja think those stairs go?

Suggested response

Niversal smirks and says they go up... no really I have no idea let's go find out El Nacho and Niversal heads back to the stairs and will inspect those also for traps
trap?: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Somewhere, (is it even the same world?) through the West Portal #1: A countryside, with grass, small trees and low hills. The basement of a castle on Bone Hill

Day 15 (by the adventurers counting) (turn 73) approximate time of day, 12:00 pm

After what seems like hours of wandering around in the sub level below the castle ruin, Niversal and Ballar lead the team back to the small, odd shaped room in the southwest corner of their adventurers map. A flight of stairs is here, made from thick wooden beams and slabs of worked stone. There is no light from above, but Ballar can tell that they are just below grade here, and these stairs must go to the first floor of the castle itself.

Pausing for a moment, Niversal examines the stairs for signs of devious traps, and after he is through searching, finding nothing, he listens for any curious sounds from above, but all is quiet.

The stairs groan and creak as the part ascends and at the top of the stairs the group comes right to a wall and an opening on their left. Turning this corner the group moves into what appears to have once been a storage room or perhaps an armory. Racks line the walls where rotting spears and long bows rest askew. There is a single great sword, but it is thoroughly rusted to nothing more than junk. On the south wall hand four wooden tower shields, with thin metal beaten around the edges and crossed over the deteriorating wood. Leather straps are practically eaten away to nothing and one of the shields has fallen to the floor resting like some huge diner plate.

At the opposite end of the room, the east wall stands a wide wooden door with bands of iron across it in four places. The door appears old, very old, but there are no holes in it and it stands closed.

A simple flip of the hand and Keryth is looking over the room with eyes now tuned to see the subtle signs and traces of magic that can be seen when spells are active.

Seeing the wizard stare off into space, Ballar glances around the room to see what the elf's looking at, then does a little cross-eyed trickery of his own.

Seeing Keryth stare intently at the large door, Ballar squints and examines it himself

Squinting at the door Ballar blinks hard then rubs his eyes. Magic stuff is not really his forte, unless of course it has divine origins. In that case he'd feel a bit more confident in making assessments but seeing as this door doesn't seem to have any other whammies bound to it he shrugs, Open'n doors tis not in ma contract. Thas why we 'ave profession'ls. Looking over at the roguish elf Ballar flatly says, Tha door's jas lock'd. Noth'n ta worry 'bout Nivers. Go on, 'ave at it!

Niversal takes a look at the magically locked door and sees if he can disable and make his way through

disable: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15

pretty tough Ballar, can't seem to get it, will try again in a bit.

Niversal fiddles with the lock on the door, but he soon realizes that the lock almost seems to work to counter his every trick, almost as if magic were at work keeping the door locked.

If the party cannot overcome the Wizard Lock on this door (Arcane Lock Spell on a DC 25 lock, making the DC 35 to open it, Niversal cannot do this even with a Take 20, then you will have to go back the way you came and try another route

If one were to dispel the magic upon the lock, Niversal might be able to defeat just the mechanical portion, Keryth offers helpfully.

"Breaking in might also work if we are not prepared for such a task as dispelling."

That is also an option. It will of course be quite noisy, not that that discourages most of you. And I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the magic upon the lock also makes the door more difficult to break down.

Ballar wrinkles his nose in protest to Kyras' reference about being a noisy group, Ah'm sure Niver's is do'n his best ta keep quiet. Judging by the sincerity of defense for Niversal, Ballar has completely missed any reference made to his own skills of stealth.

Standing back and out of the way, Ballar awaits for the elves to do there thing, magical or otherwise, and open the door.

The name is Keryth. And you are the one with a scroll of dispel magic. :P

All the sneaking around is completely undone by collapsing part of the castle is what I meant. Might as well hack a door down. Nobody here seems to care.

Niversal raises a hand I care and then stands back from the door with a shrug unable to get it unlocked

This time I was actually referring to the denizens of this castle, but I understand how you could think I was still talking about those present.

So dispel, break down, or move on. Anyone care to make the call?

"Well I only have the ability to move on. So let us be off then."

The dwarf finally notices somethings up. There'd been lots of talk, but little action and since Niversal has not had any luck with the magically locked door, Ballar had half expected the wizard to have magiked the door into, well, something. A rabbit perhaps? Yes, that's what magicians do. Ballar snickered to himself.
But as nothing of the sort had transpired, Ballar was fairly certain neither Keryth nor Zae had any tricks up their sleeves, or they'd have used them. Ya no outta hocus pocus, are ya? Sizing up the door, Ballar tuts to himself as he reaches a hand into his fabulously red cloak and retrieves a roll of parchment. Sighing he unrolls it and the dwarf confesses, Ah had hope'd ta use thas on someth'n else...
In a seriously dull monosyllabic voice, Ballar reads the magic transcribed on the page causing the door to glow softly. By the time he finishes the soft glow flashes several times before finally releasing the magic locked into the barrier.

Casts Dispel Magic on the door.

There is a roll required for dispel magic.

I guess reading the spell helps :P
Dispel Hocus Pocus: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

If dispelled Niversal will take a twenty and unlock the door.

When Ballar finish the words of the scroll he senses a stirring in the magic surround the door, a large number appears to float a few inches in front of the door for a moment in soft blue glow and then fades away

502

Realizing the magic has been suppressed Niversal goes to work quickly on the lock and disables it easily

As soon as the lock is defeated, the door, which appears to be badly hung in its hinges, swings outward revealing a room lit by the light of the day coming in through a high window on the right.

A pair of gruff voices calls out in a barely recognizable goblin tongue. First one speaking and then a second.

Who comes this way? You must be lost, go back before you get yourself into trouble.

Keryth, not having learned learned the goblin language (and likely never will, the stupid creatures who speak it likely have nothing to offer a wizard), waits for the others who do to react.

Zae shrugs from the rear of the party. "No comprehend. Do you know another tongue?"

Goblin? Ya've gotta be yank'n me.
Ballar scratches his head as he looks to the bookworms. One of them must know this language, it's simple enough. Ought to take no more than an afternoon for someone as bright as Keryth or Zae to master it.
When neither of them seem to what to respond Ballar turns his eyes to Niversal and whispers, Yar closest lad, then gestures for the rogue to say something sneaky and charismatic like. Niver's probably good a'bluff'n his way through this sorrta thing. Besides, Ballar distinctly remembers a clause from Teirist's (the group's previous rogue) contract specifying him as the group's purveyor of gibberish.

Niversal shrugs at the language having learned goblin in the thieves guild he belonged to and says in goblin:

castle inspectors here. Simply need to have a quick look around, no need for alarm

bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

When Niversal announces himself as a castle inspector, he gets a quick response

Oh, alright then, go about your business

Will you enter the next room, where the goblin voices came from?

Niversal turns to the group and writes in the dust what he told thw goblins and if they want to go ahead and enter or move past?

Wha ya draw'n for? Less get in there!
With a stern look on his face, Ballar tries to act like he owns the place and strides forward. He tries not to look the goblin's(?) in the eye but casts his gaze over the walls and floor of the room instead as though he really were inspecting the place... just with an iron sphere in the shape of a balled up fist attached to a long chain in his hand.

Nothing funny going on here, go about your business. (Bluff): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Keryth watches with curiosity as Ballar puffs up his chest and strides into the room ahead.

Niversal follows him in pointing at this and that and looks and says in goblinyou guys have been keeping this place a dump, what do you have to say for yourselves, eh

bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

This should be interesting at least...

As Ballar enters the room he immediately sees two of the biggest, hairiest, goblins he’s seen before. These two brutes stand well over seven feet tall, and each stands a full five feet wide, and the two of them take up a considerable amount of space in the small chamber.
The first one looks down at Ballar and snarls, as the dwarf avoids his gaze, and the second peers over the first one’s shoulder with a contorted look of confusion on his face. The two brutes are not sure what to make of the small humanoid, but then the tall elf, Niversal, barges in right behind Ballar loudly announcing himself as a castle inspector.

He sounds very convincing.

The Bugbears, stand up straight when Niversal strides in, and look aghast at each other. They mumble a few words between themselves, and move as far away as they can from the pair of castle inspectors

The room has three other possible exits, a small wooden door on the left, next to it a small stair going up, and on the opposite wall from where you come in, a set of large double wooden doors. The Bugbears back up so that they are crowded together in front of the large double doors.

Zae waits to see where the group is headed before committing to revealing herself and her feline companion Kamstra.

Keryth remains out of sight as well. I think the jig will be up if we show ourselves, he whispers to Zaehyra.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

that's right the wizard is fed up! I have two more castle inspectors with me and a special stink detecting tiger and let me tell you I don't need that tiger to tell it stinks around here. Look at the two of you, gear all shoddy, hair all unkempt, and no cleaning up at all. You better take all of us to Brudak before the wizard decides to turn you into gnomes or pixies and cross dresses you and let's hobgoblins have their way with you or something worse for god's sake!

Niversal calls for Zoe and Keryth telling them what was said and what is going on especially Kamstra's stink detecting role barely suppressing his mirth

The large goblinoids cower at Niversal's shouts, and turn away from him each moving to open one of the two doors on the opposite wall

Zae casts detect magic and slowly will join up with Niversal's ruse and Ballar looking looking around the place with her nose up at everything and calling out anything of a magical sort.

Keryth follows Zae, saying nothing but does his best to look disappointed at what he sees.

As Keryth and Zae move cautiously into the room, the large goblinoids shove open the two doors, and move right into the next room.

The next area appears to be an entry hall, twenty feet wide, and thirty feet long, the wall to the right (south) was once lined with a bench, and pegs are driven into the wall above the wreckage of the bench.

Ahead of you is another set of double doors, while on the left there is a ten foot wide archway that opens to a passageway of the interior of the keep.

The Bugbears head straight for the archway, and pass through into the hall beyond and then they turn left, going west.

Twenty feet to the west this hall turns to the north and there is a door on the right, but the Bugbears pass it by without stopping.

Forty feet further to the north there is another door on the right and the Bugbears stop here. One of them pounds on the door and calls out.

Brudak! The Wizard sent castle inspectors and they want to see you now!

The door is pulled open with a jerk, and a massively fat Bugbear stands in the doorway and shouts back.

You idiot, there are no castle inspectors. Where are …

He then sees your group and his mouth drops open.

Bugbear Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Round 1 Init 21
Before Brudak can say another word, Ballar launches a solid ball of decoratively finished iron his way. While the dwarven weapon does little to harm Brudak, Ballar's aim is pretty good and he uses this to try and intimidate the bugbear adding in goblin, Careful wha'ya say Brudak! Most inspect'rs have a nasty temp'r! Giving a quick wink to Niversal, Ballar hopes the elf will catch on and do some more of that tricky word stuff.
Dorn Att.: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Dorn Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

SA Dorn att. vs. Brudak, MA to ?? I'll wait for the map to finish updating

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Zae doesn't do anything accept ready herself to act and giving Kamastra signal to hold until she acts.

delaying

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Keryth is lost in thought as he considers the two BOUS.

Bugbears Of Unusual Size :)

init: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Niversal steps to the side of one of the poor escorting bugbears and stabs him twice in the bad places where stabbing should not occur...

attack one: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
attack two: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

dam one: 1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
sneak one: 3d8 ⇒ (1, 2, 4) = 7

dam two: 1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
sneak two: 3d8 ⇒ (3, 6, 7) = 16

Seeing Niversal's obvious signal, Zae speaks a word to draw "divine" energy into herself and points at the most injured Bugaboo, launching purple darts of guided energy into his or her chest.

Holy (magic) missle: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4, 2) + 3 = 11

Round 1 Init 5

Keryth watches as everyone crowds into the room with the bugbears, content to just observe for the moment. (delay)

Round one…

Niversal’s blades flash as he stabs one of the guards next to the door, and then Ballar launches a ball of iron into Brudak’s face.

The guard gulps air, and falls to the floor, dead, while Brudak throws his hands up to his bloodied face.

The injured Bugbear leader, steps back from the door, and cast a spell, extending his hand toward Niversal

Brudak will attempt to cast a spell, only Keryth’s delay has a chance of interrupting it, if he chooses to act nor=w, resetting his Initiative to 4