Open says-a-me.
Vera readies her axe in case something comes at them when the door opens.
The door is locked. When you try the door the voice on the far end goes completely quiet.
As Moira tries the door she realizes that it too is locked like the other one. Just as she is about to look for another switch she hears something. Holding her hand up to quiet the others she listens and indeed she hears something. It was faint but it sounded like the click of a crossbow string being caught by the trigger. Whoever was on the other side was ready to shoot whoever came through.
"Hello? My name is Moira Renet from Kassen. Are one of the villagers sent to test us as we retrieve the Everflame? Did you come with the other two? We saw the skeletons. Are you okay? We're here to help."
"Hold on, hold on," Cotton mutters, frowning. "This seems a bit... off."
"It's true," Dyrm adds near Moira, "and I'm Dyrm Ironhame, cousin to Braggar Ironhame? You must have heard of him if you've been in the area: Fantastic smith, terrible temper."
"There were three horses outside but only two corpses. This COULD be the last rider." Vera suggests. "He's more than likely a bit shell shocked though. He may not listen to us."
Sa'sori listens... then frowns when the yelling stops suddenly.
"Well THAT's suspicious! We should be prepared for battle...!"
Sa'sori Casts spell.
"Open the door whenever you're ready Moira." Vera tightens the grip on her axe.
Sa'sori your mage hand moves the pillow and finds 5 platinum pieces as well as a scrap of paper. The paper reads in common, "Three to open, but be quick. Teamwork is the trick."
There is no reply from the other side of the door.
"Teamwork is the trick? Multiple switches at the same time perhaps?" The dwarf inquires
"I have an idea. Hang on." Moira rushes back the way they came, through the trap and into the first room where they fought the skeletons. She disregards them for the quiver of blunted arrows. Grabbing that she heads back to the others. "We're going to have to break the door down but I would rather we not kill whoever is on the other side. I think their just scared. So when it opens I'll try to take them down with one of these," she says holding up the blunted arrow. She then stands behind whoever decides to break the door, bow ready to fire at the crossbow wielder. If someone else wants to take a shot she hands over some arrows.
+5 if within 30 ft. well nevermind.
+1 if within 30 ft.
"Why don't we just stand clear of the door when we open it so we don't get shot?" Cotton suggests, shruging.
"You've never tried to break a door down. Well, not for lack of trying anyway," Moira says smiling at Cotton.
"Yeah, me and my big, burly body," Cotton agrees, grinning.
"Alright, I'll try and get the door, I'll leave what's behind it to you." Vera is going to give her compatriots a moment to prepare themselves and then attempt to force open the door.
Vera slams hard into the door. The wood gives a loud crack as the lock breaks the frame and the door pushes open a crack before being caught on a barricade behind the door. Vera's push slides the barricade back a hair but not enough to get through. When the door is cracked open the voice behind it screams out, "You won't take me you monsters!" A crossbow bolt shoots out piercing Vera's armor and drawing blood.
"We're not monsters," Cotton calls back. "Just humans and Half-Elves and Half-Orcs and Dwarves and Gnomes. Seriously. If you stop shooting for a moment and take a look, you'll be able to see. None of us have bones sticking out anywhere, although you may have caused Vera to leak a bit with that shot."
Vera ducks out of his line of sight as well as possible, but holds off on breaking the door anymore to give Cotton a chance to speak with him.
He can only fire through the crack so keeping away from the door keeps you safe. The voice calls back, "I won't be tricked anymore! You won't take me alive!"
"This crypt has enough dead in it, we aren't trying to add more. You came here with the others to test us right? We're the candidates this year."
"We have the map pieces as well if that helps."
The voice calls back with some hesitation, "ase just leave me alone!"
"That'd be stupid," Cotton says. "We can't just leave you here for more skeletons to find. Look, if you promise not to shoot, I'll walk into view, even hold out my hand. You'll be able to see we're not undead. Sound fair?"
"You're nother trick of one, the dead one that talks."
"No, I'm not!" Cotton says, clearly offended, and she stamps her foot. "I'm Cotton Majet! I'm not dead nor undead, nor am I someone else's trick, I'm alive! I do my own tricking!"
With slow, deliberate movements, Cotton walks out where the man can see her, her hands raised in an inoffensive gesture.
"See?" she says. "If you're from Kassen, then you know me. I live up at the old goat's mansion -- or I did. I'm not going back there anymore. Come on, is there anyone in Kassen who doesn't know about me? I'm the crazy little Gnome that pranks people." Cotton grins in a disarming manner.
"And I've just put my life in your hands," she says. "So the least you can do is tell me who you are, when you're at home."
"I told you to stay back! is the only reply you get before another bolt shoots through the door. Luckily, he aimed at human height through the slit in the door and the bolt clinks harmlessly off the wall.
"I can prove we aren't your enemies. I am a cleric of Gorum. I can heal you if you're wounded. Undead can't produce the positive energy possible for that. Alright?" Vera is going to try channeling, but is going to wait for his reply first.
Moira grabs Cotton and pulls her out of the way after that last shot. "I have half a mind to shoot him back whether he opens the door or not," she whispers into the little Gnome's ear.
"Listen to the other half, then," Cotton says to Moira, seriously. "He's just a scared man -- scared enough to go crazy. Vera, just light him up with the good healing."
Vera, having not heard the man reply will fire off her channel positive energy healing 3 to everyone in range.
"See? Undead can't do that. You can trust us. We're here to help."
"Put the weapon down, you maniac. You're wasting ammunition on people trying to help you!"
"Cleric? Clerics hunt the undead. I'm safe in here, but my...a girl named Dimira the dead who talks took her she's still alive!
"Much as I want to help him, I think he's right. We can come back for him, if someone else is in danger they take priority."
"Look. I know this was supposed to be a test but I think we have moved beyond that by now. We'll go find this Dimira but any help you could give would go a long way towards rescuing her. Do you happen to have a map or know about the traps further in?" To show her sincerity to help, Moira puts her bow away and steps into the line fire from the crack but far enough away to hopefully react if he raises the crossbow again. She also holds the sunrod high and her other hand to show she is unarmed.
Sa'sori listens watches and grows annoyed at the cowardly fool in the barricaded room.
Though she expects this will be fruitless Sa'sori... swallows her growing desire to pound the fool's face in with her fist for shooting at people who are clearly NOT undead she asks...
"What do you mean by talking dead? Is there some intelligent master undead ... like a ghoul lord or vampire directing the skeletons?"
"We can't help very easily if you do not tell us what you have seen... we might get fooled by the undead to and fail to save !"
- Mostly to hide her disdain for the fool. Fortunately he cannot see her expression like the rest of her companions!
- An actual attempt to reach him with reason and charm.
While Sa'sori is talking, Vera is going to begin fixing the door through repeated castings of Mending.
"I...I don't remember much, you'll need those, and you need to swim for one. I don't remember where though." As the man is speaking you can hear him rustling in the room. "Come...come in. This is suppose to be a safe room for you to rest. Take what you need, but hurry, my sister is still with that monster!"
It sounds as though he has removed the barricade, does anyone want to approach the door and see?
Since Vera is in front she will gently try to open the door, fully prepared to get attacked again.
Dyrm takes a deep breath of relief as the situation seems to settle I thought we would have to hammer him into unconsciousness for his own good at this rate
"As Sa'sori asks, do you remember much about 'the monster' in question? We know you don't remember where, but the more know about the foe, the more likely we can save your sister."
The door pushes open with ease. The room here was set up with 5 bedrolls spread across te room and a number of supplies laid out in plain view. Among them are a pair of bullseye lanterns, 4 flasks of oil, 5 days worth of rations, and two potions labeled "healing" in common. The man inside is a mess. A sandy haired man, in worn padded armor. Dirt covers his hand, clothes, and face. The edges of his mouth are stained wet from the man blubbering upon himself.
"The, the leader, yeah, I saw him. He has the voice of death and stalks the halls in ancient mail. They took my sister to him I think. We're the only two left. They got the rest a couple days ago. Oh gods has it been a couple days. No, she's fine, don't even think that she won't die like the rest. She's probably thirsty, we've been here three days already, didn't plan for more than two. No the bones took her for a reason they'll keep her alive. They didn't keep the other 4 alive though, wonder why her? You can help though, you have magic. You can save my sister. Here it's all I have take it and promise to get my sister and I back to Kassen." As the man speaks, he shoves a high quality crossbow and his remaining bolts into Vera's hands.
"We'll do our best to save her," Dyrm assures the man and pats him on the shoulder.
"We'd best take these, just in case," Cotton says, grabbing the healing potions and tossing one to Moira and one to Sa'sori. "You guys go into the front line a lot, so... Yeah. I'll take this." Cotton grabs one flask of oil and tosses the other to Dyrm. "Feed your pyromania," she says, grinning.
"I know you may not want to, but if we see you to the exit can you make your way back to Kassen for help? Should something happen to us we may need the reinforcements. Gregor and the mayor should know about this what happened here. And we could really use the help of Sir Dramont if we are dealing with undead."
Moira gladly takes the potion.
Dyrm smiles at the gnome, "I prefer to think of it as 'communing with the fiery muse of nature', but that will do."
Vera takes the crossbow solemnly. She can't really use it, but it's more the principle of the thing. "We will do everything we can to save your sister. To that end, we should move on quickly. There's no time to waste."