Talor discovers that there is a magical trap on the steel chest, associated with the lock. (This is confirmed by Ralklain.)
Ralklain studies all of the chests very carefully, but does not gain any more clues as to there The three chests detect as magical, although you are not sure what schools are involved - probably illusion for the copper-banded chest, evocation for the red lacquered chest, and the universal school for the steel, but all are faint.
The neither the jar, the keys (the one in the jar or the one in the basket), nor the basket detect as magical.
under Elements of a Trap ... Magic
Magic Trap: The DC for both Perception and Disable Device checks is equal to 25 + the spell level of the highest-level spell used. Only characters with the trapfinding class feature can attempt a Disable Device check involving a magic trap.
The wicker basket, and the cloth and key within it, do not detect as magical.
The door you came through does have a lock and a key-hole.
Alia doesn't notice anything about the wadded cloth, but realizes she can't see within every fold, and so it may still contain something (something shaken up, certainly).
|
As Ralklain says, perhaps we should figure out where the blue key goes...Also, we might use the caustic solution to melt the steel cube. It should bypass the trap, but might destroy what is inside. Otherwise, I have a way to break open the jar from a distance.
At this last line, Talor taps the gun at his side.
A small, but very angry green viper, retreating and still hidden in the folds of the cloth, strikes out at Alia, but fortunately misses.
The small green viper is poisonous, but not severely so, and its poison is very rarely deadly.
[/dice]
[spoiler=Initiatives]
Indeed, the snake does not pursue its attack.
Thanks to Pizzmic's timely acts of prestidigitation, you now have a blue stone key covered with runes.
As Ralklain turns the blue stone key with runes in the copper-banded chest he realizes that the chest is just an illusion, and it seems to fade to only a faint outline to his eyes.
Ralklain then tries the key in the red-lacquered chest (perhaps you notice that the runes on the key match the pulsing runes on the chest...), and the chest opens.
Although not directly nearby, Pizzmic and Wuliem hear a small, clicking noise come from the chest. Looking around, you see a small, golden key was released from a slit in the ceiling, dropping 6 inches down from the 15-foot-high ceiling.
There is also a key in the chest, forged into the end of a jeweled scepter.
Ralklain detects that the scepter is note magical and that the gems, while pretty, are merely costume jewelry. He also sees that the chest is, indeed, an illusion and he can reach right through it, finding nothing else. (The key hanging from the ceiling is also non-magical.)
|
If this is a test, then this all seems a bit...simple. But not having anything else that I can think of, at the moment, I am game to try.
Hrmmmm.
Pizzmic, can you fish out that key from the bottom of that jar with your Prestidigitation?
The viper appears to be deep in thought while looking at Wuliem.
Pizzmic magically tugs on the suspended key, but is unable to pull it down...
But, Pizzmic can easily so cause the jeweled brass key to rise from the bottom of the jar and be collected, presumably with a rag.
|
Gimme a minute.
Ralklain takes a knife and a crossbow bolt. He uses the knife to make chips on the tip of the crossbow bolt, making it similar to a screwdriver point.
I'm improving my chances of hitting the wire.
He then arms it on the crossbow, the edge horizontally aligned, takes aim and shoots at the wire:
|
|
Talor draws his dagger, looks up at the string, then at Pizzmic, then at the dagger, then at the golden key. Those watching him can easily imagine a hamster, frantically galloping around a steel cage inside the dwarf's head.
Perhaps if we try to open the steel chest first, we can get closer to the key near the ceiling.
Twang! goes Ralklain's crossbow and the string snaps and falls to the ground.
Fortunately, the key - potentially soft, especially if of real gold - seems undamaged by the 15' drop to the hard stone floor below.
|
Wuliem begins to reach into a pocket, looking for his tools.
....Wuliem then checks a second pocket.
...Wuliem begins to look into a third pocket.
..Wuliem--after his 10th attempt--glances sheepishly at the group, shrugging his shoulders.
Wuliem then smiles suddenly reaching into his backpack.
I knew that I put them somewhere! Now for the door?
|
|
Wuliem glances wistfully at his new--unused--tools.
He--absently--places them into a pocket.
I...uh...well...suppose that we could attempt to use the keys provided, although Alia is probably correct in that this 'test' has been too easy!
He then looks at the door.
Wuliem mumbles:
Maybe they won't notice if I just...
...as he fishes back into his pockets!
Trying the keys in the door first, the only key to do anything is the jeweled scepter key, which causes a *click* and the door is now ajar.
Wuliem very carefully pours some of the fluid on the trapped part of the chest, and it sizzles as the acidic solution eats some of the metal. (Hopefully, none of the contents of the chest!)
The chest is able to be turned over, too, and Alia does so.
Because of the acid, however, it is now difficult to tell if the trap is working still or not.
The air in the room, too, is starting to become a bit acrid, however, and your eyes are starting to water a bit.