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Kell nods upon hearing Takumi's announcement of finding the possible entrance. I'm ready to head into the depths of the tower once everyone is ready. I recommend that we form a traveling order.
I would also suggest that if anyone is going to run ahead, like with the initial investigation of the ruins, that you let everyone know your intentions before leaving the safety of the company.
He makes a final check of his gear before turning back to the D'Novan. You appear comfortable with taking charge of the situation, I'll follow your direction.
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I nod to Kell... Baroness, we shall return when our search is complete.....Friends, secure your gear, its time to venture into the tower and see what can learn.
Now, I need the more crafty scout types to check out the entrance, I doubt there are any remain traps yet, but we need to secure a foot hold, and then push in from there...
I can see very good in the dark, but I can hold a light source to free up our closed quarter fighting types....so I would think is we move in a column of twos....Kell and Gabby up front...Mitch and I behind...with the scout out front...
I ready my gear.
Iomeade guide us, I think we just might need it.
I nod and woman up secure my gear.
That's right D'Novan, let a woman lead and be your shield...not a worry here fella. I'm ready to earn some gold, and maybe bash something's face in if it tickles my fancy. [b/]
As I move into position at the entrance ready to go in: [b] Hey Takumi....be careful...I really don't want to haul your dead butt out of this place despite that I might get a piece of your kit to sell off or remember you by.
The former caravan guards unite and decide to seek the reward offered by the Lady Devy and head to explore the downed Witch Tower.
A small crowd has gathered around the rubble of the collapsed tower. Only fragments of the first and second floors still stand. Black stone and broken wooden debris lie scattered down the hill’s southeastern slope, and a rocky ramp of sorts leads up to the tower’s second floor.
Entering the ruined building is actually more difficult than it first appears. Though the tower’s ancient iron front door remains in place, all the rubble blocking it from the other side prevents anyone from using it to enter the tower.
An enormous heap of cracked stone and splintered wood from the tower lies in a low mound here, tumbled partially down the hill to the southeast. The mound of rubble forms a natural ramp that leads up to the now-exposed second floor of the tower above.
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Takumi runs D'Novan's statement though his mind and mumbles to himself Those two up front...those two in back..scout takes the lead. Hey, who's the scout? Takumi looks to each of his companions as he points and counts Oh, I guess that would be me. I don't have much training in scouting but I guess I can give it a go. Just be mindful of the loose rubble, I don't plan on pointing out every obstacle.
Takumi checks over his things
I have all my gear since I prefer to travel light and I am ready to scout ahead. The slope up the second floor looks to be our best way in. I'll go take a look and let you know if it is safe.
Takumi works his way up the pile of rubble and checks his footing as he goes
The party surveys the area and find no immediate hazards or dangers. Takumi quickly realizes that the ruble forms a perfect ramp to the exposed second floor and easily makes it across. He notes that while the climb is not terribly hard, a slip could send someone on a nasty fall. The walls look to be harder to climb but also a way up.
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Whoa! Wait a minute! The footing is a bit unstable and all that heavy armor will make getting up here a bit more difficult. Let me toss down a rope to aid the rest of you.
Takumi removes his rope from his pack, wraps a section around a stable block, while holding onto the end, and tosses the other end of the rope to the others below
Here..give this a try!
Kell tries to navigate the rubble, but some if it shifts under his feet causing the half orc to lose his balance and fall. Luckily, he catches himself before tumbling over the side for a nasty spill.
Takumi is able to secure a rope allowing those to follow better stability on the climb.
Well best to get up this thing
Well, hope this rope holds up.
The rest of the party attempts to make their way up the rubble to the second floor. Mitchell makes the climb without trouble. D'Novan and Gabrielle are not as lucky. Both of them slip as the rubble shifts under their feet but luckily are able to grab the rope provided by Takumi, saving them from a very nasty fall.
With combined aid, the party, though perhaps not as graceful as they might like, eventually hauls itself onto the exposed upper floor.
Open to the sky above, this exposed upper floor contains only some smashed furniture and a sprinkling of rubble. A trap door is set in the floor against the northwest wall, but a stout timber has fallen across it.
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Takumi rolls up his rope and stows it in his backpack and then searches the upper floor with the rest of the group.
This investigation is not starting out easily. That looks to be a hefty timber but I think we could move it if we work together. We could try chopping it down to size, but I don't know if the force of the chops could make anything more unstable. What do the rest of you think?
Takumi searches the area for any information about the tower
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Kell moves alongside Takumi and inspects the timber which is barring the entrance.
I agree.. with our combined strength, we can move that timber off the door. I hope it isn't trapped or we cause more trouble by moving the beam.
He takes a quick look at the door and then tries to find a good position to move the ruined beam.
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Looking around I pause a moment, reaching out...searching for evil use the skills taught to me...taking my time.....breathing....using 3 minutes to reach ourt and feel.
Let me ....see if there are creatures or things of evil manner.....before we move anything. While I cannot detact mechanical traps and ther pitfalls, the baroness’s warning about this place killing her late husband makes me wonder what lies beneath us. After that count me in to thelp move the timber. I bet if we use some rope, we can all join in to move it.
After that....I search out and work to detect evil.
Kell, D'Novan and Takumi succeed in lifting the timber off the trap door. The group cautiously descends to the next floor...
The tower’s large ground oor has mostly collapsed under the rubble, but along the western portion of the room a section remains clear of debris. An iron trap door set in the oor is directly below a companion door in the ceiling above. Shattered wooden furniture lies scattered around the corpses of two small, green-scaled creatures.
The only source of light is what sifts in through the open trap door above.
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I am prettty sure that the path for us is below us, that said...Takumi, take a quick look above us, I want to make sure there are no more of these kobold creatures above us...a trapt living one might give us some additional information....and regardless I would better that we do not have an immediate that could come in behind us.
While I await for a response, and nod to Mitchell about using light on his shiled as a good idea, I once again rachout using the War Priest talet of detecting evil.
Thinking what War priest guy said: Yeah, I dont want anything to com bite me in the arse...but .I am pretty sure he meant for the sneaky guy to go take a quick look.., otherwise, somebody shine a light and I will take a looks below us...
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I agree it would be wise to look above us first. Kell, lend me your strength, and your height, to give me a boost to the trap door in the ceiling. It is odd that they would would be directly in line, unless they were designed to be a trap of some sort.
Takumi will examine the door in the ceiling. He will also look for a piece of timber that he can use to apply light pressure on the door to see if it lifts up. If it does move, he will attempt to open and look inside as he gets a boost.
Looks at the boys and shakes my head. Heh!....Men!, you all get so confused and stupid like at times....I say lets go down below...unless you boys are afraid to do gown any further. Looking confidently at them I shake my head and move the iron trap door....waiting for the war priest and the Ninja.
Say..err..Nijago guy...is it safe?....Fr. D' anything?....if not I say its time to woman up and head on down!
Takumi looks down into the darkness of the ruined tower. He sees no issues with the trap door leading down. The ninja opens the door and sees complete darkness below, no natural lighting at all.
Takumi descend into the darkness below...
The walls of this chamber have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor— the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.
Takumi is able to make out the basic features of the room using his ability to see in black and white in complete darkness. The ninja sees no other movement in the area. He can see the room opens up to the east and west.
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Takumi climbs up the ladder and pokes his head through the trap door to the room above. The room below is free of any creatures. There is a door and statue that look interesting and it may be better if the rest of you are down below before I explore any deeper. The walls are a bit scary looking, I would avoid making any significant contact with them if you can. Takumi looks about the upper room from his position on the ladder By the way, any of you inspect that lizard thing for clues while I was below? If not, someone should take a look for any markings or coin. I will wait for you all down below Takumi climbs down the ladder and waits for the others.
Kell descends into the dark rom as Takumi searches the north west portion of the room. Kell can see the iron statue is actually an iron maiden. As Takumi looks about the room to the northwest. He silently skulks, searching the area when he hears a scraping of something scurrying on stone...
Watching the boys go down, I then walk over to the trap door and go down it, looking searching.....battle ax and shield at the ready one I am the next floor....peering through the gloom that the others seem to remarkably see right through.
