Ushyle uses a spell of his own and vanishes with a red haze and a whiff of roses , then strides over and executes Plan 66, "Toss the Dead Body Out the Door" shouting Long Live the Twisted Heart! DEATH TO ALL OGRES!
Raen covers Ushyle with the ongoing illusion spell, ensuring that the body does not appear to be thrown but an unseen force. The ogrekin over the side, she has her illusory orc thrust its sword triumphantly in the air and march inside and out of sight.
She relaxes only briefly. "Who do you think said that? 'One more and it's over?'"
"Means we need ta kill one more. Maybe throw out tha butcher's body too? Claim that one for tha orcs?" Vael suggests.
When the body goes off the side, there's a fair amount of shouting from the orcs. It doesn't last though. Not long after is a giant's laughter.
Both parties die down, as if it'll take more than simply that to upset the uneasy truce... for now.
"Well, that is a disappointment," Raen says, stating the obvious. "And quite a bit of magic, too. I can get us to another part of the fort, if you all stay close."
Vael will nod along in agreement with Raen, comfortable with leaving the tactics of subterfuge to others.
As the party exits the tower on the ground, it appears their efforts were more fruitful than first thought. From the larger complex in the southwest emerge a unit of orcs who run past them, through the portcullis that separates the eastern half of the fort, and onward to ...something.
They seemed angry, even for orcs. Raen's magic tricked them into marching right by.
I say we check out the room with the feature that looks like a well.
Once the body is tossed over, Ushyle dismisses the disguise self. He is quiet, almost introspective, as the party sets out in the invisibility sphere.
The courtyard here is empty. If anything it'd be a Perception check at whichever door you choose.
Ham hustles the party to the door on the southern wall, the one on the right. [The Well?]
Perception:
Ham both listens at the door, and looks it over.
I can't beat a 31...
Vael watches the three check over doors and watch for danger. He tries to keep calm, but his nervousness grows. He does keep an eye and ear open for danger though.
Raen is pleased -- and very relieved -- to watch the orcs go marching by, without even a glance in her direction.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The door is both unlocked and unremarkable. Quickly the party enters and closes the door behind them. The circular chamber contains the a well and a rectangular hole in the ceiling opens to areas above.
(Darkvision 60')
(Darkvision 60')
---> (LLV)
(Darkvision 60')
The wall to the east has masonry joints that seem out of place, which can only mean one thing. A secret door! It looks like a simple matter to open it.
Eyeing the hole open above, Raen waves the others to keep to the shadows. She keeps an eye on it while Doxon points out the secret door to Whistle Pig.
Ushyle keeps a vigilant eye out while the halfling goes to work.
It doesn't look like anything is up above. It might just be well access from the second floor. Whistle Pig finds nothing untoward about the door.
Whistle Pig quietly opens the secret door to the east. A heavy layer of dust blankets the cold flagstones of this cobweb-filled corridor.
"Well that's interestin'," the shaman says, looking down the dust-filled hallway. Ta Whistle Pig he says, "Ye dinna miss much. See if thar's more ta find?"
Whistle Pig inches down the hall, eyes out for traps...
And misses it when it comes. A blade flashes from the cracks in the ceiling tiles, arcing its way towards the intrepid halfling
and catches him on the side of the head a bit! .
Raen inhales sharply. "Whistle!" Her cry is muted by a whisper, but her concern is no less evident by the hand the yanks the halfling back from the blade. The blood is fresh and runs freely through her fingers. She looks to Vael with the magic stick.
Whistle Pig edges forward, and quickly decides the pain of the scythe was worth it.
This time you catch the pressure plate ahead, there's a trap that will drop.... something from the ceiling. Additionally, there are a PAIR of secret doors. One to the south and one to the east!
"Go on then," Vael urges Whistle Pig forward. Seeing a door at the other end the shaman waits patiently as his halfling friend checks it over and, once safe, opens it.
Getting to the eastern door will require dealing with the falling portcullis trap first...
It doesn't take Whistle Pig long to disable the trap, and not a moment later, Vael is pushing forward. The Eastern secret door opens into a largely abandoned tower. There are stairs that go to the second floor as well as a door to the eastern half of the courtyard.
Raen points up the stairs. "Up?" she mouths.
Vael nods and gestures for Whistle Pig to keep leading the way.
Whistle Pig leads the party upstairs to the upper floor of the tower. The guardroom offers a splendid vantage of the surrounding countryside. Doors to the east and west give you options here, but the room you're in is empty.
Raen looks at each of the doors, and realizes that they both lead outside to the parapets. She shakes her head, kicking herself for the error. She points back down the stairs. "Down?" she mouths.
Vael again nods, seeing the wisdom in not walking out into the open just yet.
Opting to avoid the open air, the party heads back to the second secret door. the door opens to the back of a large tapestry. It's silent beyond, so Whistle Pig pushes it aside. Beyond is the largest tent in the dry moat from the looks of it. The furnishing is completely spartan, but solidly constructed. There's a bed, a table and a chair.
There is also a chest, padlocked by the table.
Vael mutters a quick chant, asking the spirits to help him find auras of magic. Once granted, he looks over the area from a safe distance.