GM Rednal's Rise of the Runelords: AE (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Shalluk looked at the lock in confusion. Who needed to guard a mill this badly? Moving over to Rixa, he murmured, "The lock is...extremely good. I think we might need to look for an alternative entry point, or it will take some time to open."

"You aren't doing anything illegal, are you? I can't condone breaking and entering without overwhelming evidence there's wrongdoing happening." Rixa says, with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing is broken, and we have not entered," Shalluk replied after a moments consideration. It was true enough. He moved to look around the building and see if there was another entrance - a loading bay perhaps.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Looking up, you don't see any windows here, nor any entrances besides the two you've already found. It seems like logs are normally taken in and out through the front doors, rather than floated through the entire thing.

You've tried the locks for long enough to have a sense for their toughness - they're a DC 30. They are within your ability to open by Taking 20.

Unhappy with the idea of simply tinkering until the door popped open Shalluk tried one last time to open the door more quickly.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

Rixa continues her patrol as Shalluk manages to make his way in, not looking at them entering the building.

Zelani didn't respond, just moved to help block Shalluk as he tried the lock again.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

As luck would have it, Shalluk managed to pop the lock open. The entirety of the first floor consists of a loading area. An opening in the ceiling into the floor above is filled with a tangle of ropes and slings for lowering timber. Nearby, stairs ascend to the next floor. Two sturdy wagons sit to the south, next to a bank of machinery accessed by four low doors; the grinding and creaking of the machinery fills the room.

Making sure his crossbows were loaded with blunded bolts, Shalluk examined the area before moving to the wagons. He moved slowly, using his abilities to scan the area carefully before advancing.

Perception + Sense Magic, Sense Life, Detect Undead: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Zelani was wary with all the machinery, wasn't really her thing. Walking quietly in the shadows, she peered around...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Rixa continues her walk, but stands ready to turn around and run at a moment's notice.

Looking around, you see that the various ropes and chains hanging down would make for a relatively easy ascent to the floor above - but frankly, the stairs are easier (and untrapped). The partially walled-off alcove in the northeast section of this room contains several large mounds of filthy hay. Lingering evidence suggests a large creature - about the size of an ogre or giant - rested there for a time. The evidence isn't good enough to identify the exact type of creature. Aside from that, there doesn't seem to be much else to this chamber.

Shalluk moved up the stairs, once again using his magic to hunt for any problems.

Perception + Sense Life: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Rixa keeps walking, though keeps casting her gaze back in case they call for aid.

Zelani wasn't sure what she had expected - maybe busy workers surprised by strangers or gloom and horrors - but a large amount of hay and signs of something large having lived here recently was not really part of it. She quietly started on the stairs, cautiously rising up them, listening out for signs of other people or creatures or whatever...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Ascending the stairs, you come to a small landing area. The stairs continue upwards, but just to the south, there's a door in the solid wall that leads to the rest of the floor. Shalluk senses four auras of life in the area beyond the door (though it's not clear what other walls, if any, are behind it). Going by their positions, they don't seem to be aware of your presence.

Shalluk frowned beneath his hood. They needed evidence of wrong doing before they could bring Rixa in - and before they could confront anyone in this place. Since his magic hadn't detected anyone above he continued up the stairs, moving quietly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Rixa, in a shocking turn of events, keeps walking around, but does double back and starts walking towards the mill instead of away from it.

Zelani quietly moved near Shalluk, looking for signs or evidence of interest - or maybe something that might be office where such information would most likely be kept. She was wary of the people - there was no way to know how much they might be involved in the Brother's plans and she would prefer not to involve innocent workers.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Rixa doesn't notice anyone moving around outside - although, in fairness, it is fairly dark out.

Meanwhile, continuing up the stairs, you come to another landing. One door leads to the east, another to the south. Shalluk notices four more life signs beyond the southern door here. The pathway loops around to the stairs, which continue to go up (as well as back down to the previous floor).

Moving as quietly as he could, Shalluk tried the Eastern door.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Zelani glanced each way before following Shalluk towards the east.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Rixa continues her walk, coming closer to the lumber mill again, casting her gaze towards it, but mostly focusing on the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Opening the eastern door, you find a small closet full of mill-working tools. Several of them might be suitable as improvised weapons - especially the sharp-looking saws - but there doesn't seem to be anything especially valuable here.

Meanwhile, the outside of the tower remains quiet.

Shalluk frowned. He didn't dare enter the other door, yet, and so backed out of the room and headed up to the next floor.

Perception + Sense Life, Detect Undead: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Rixa passes by the lumber mill with a glance, but keeps walking past all the same.

The druid looked over the tools with consideration before quietly and cautiously shutting the door and following Shalluk up to the next floor...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

On what seems to be the top of the normal floors, a thick layer of sawdust covers the floor, mounded nearly a foot deep in places. Workbenches sit here and there in the room, their surfaces cluttered with saws, hand drills, planers, and other woodworking tools. Doors to small rooms are visible to the southeast, and one of them looks to be made of much heavier wood than the others. There's a single living figure inside.

Shalluk rubbed his eyes - he wasn't used to using them this much - and headed for the door with the life sign. The fact it was so heavily reinforced meant it was either a prisoner or someone very important. Not opening it, he tried to work out which it was.

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Zelani walked carefully as she tried not to leave too much a trail in the sawdust as she admired the tools and followed Shalluk towards the interesting heavy door.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Rixa starts to move on from the mill, but still mindful of any shouts from the mill that might draw her back.

Checking the handle, you see that the door here is locked - a sharp contrast to most of the other doors on the inside. It looks of similar quality to the exterior locks, meaning it will take some time to pick if you want to be careful - and that does leave you rather exposed if someone starts moving around. Alternatively, you could try to lure the inhabitant out of the office somehow.

Rixa, as you look around the area, you count your steps and note the distance up the tower. If someone does shout for help, you expect it will take half a minute or more to arrive, during which time your friends might be without your air.

Shalluk avoided sighing in frustration. He was on the verge of giving up with the building, as he wasn't even certain that they had done something wrong given they only had the word of those two impostors, and Rixa couldn't join them without some kind of evidence of wrongdoing. He wasn't willing to enter an occupied area, or lure what he had to assume was an innocent man out to ambush him.

Instead, he tried one of the other doors that wasn't occupied as far as his sense could tell.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Zelani looked around with annoyance and a soft sigh. This was not living up to hype of evil-masterminds-secret-lair. Unable to detect anything like the others, she followed Shalluk to the other door.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Rixa starts returning, trying to minimize the time needed for her to respond to her friend's call.

After a few moments, you open another door - and find another closet stuffed full of tools. A few moments later, you hear a door open downstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps coming up the steps towards you (and away from Rixa, who's at least getting closer).

Looking at Zelani for a moment, Shalluk sighed and attempted to locate a suitable location to hide, while flipping up the hood of his cloak to make absoloutely sure he wasn't identified if spotted.

Perception (Good Hiding Spot: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Zelani took a moment to look around to find a hiding place before she tucked herself away. Once in hiding, she shook loose Şenay and sent the snake to keep an eye on the incoming footsteps.

Zelani Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Zelani Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Şenay quietly moved in the pile of wood shavings, finding a comfortable spot to lie in wait and watch.

Şenay Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Şenay Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Rixa ventures ever-closer to the mill, but keeping a keen watch on the surroundings as well.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

After a moment of consideration, Shalluk and Zelani pile into a closet. Inside, you can't see much, but you do hear a pair of footsteps approaching the large door and knocking.

"What?" called a voice from inside.

"Maintenance in the undermill is complete, Sir Ironbriar. We're ready for tomorrow. We're also ready for the patrol in the city - the doppelgangers need their reminder that we are ever watchful."

"Good. Get to it, then." You heard the main office(?) door shut a moment later, and the footsteps started to head away.

Undermill, huh? Well, there was little more they could do up here without running into people. They'd confirmed the dopplegangers, too.

Waiting until the noise was gone, Shalluk snuck back out and headed down to find Rixa. Hopefully the news would be enough to allow her to join them.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Şenay remained in the piles of sawdust as the conversation went on. The snake slowly slinked in the direction the underlings were going...

Şenay Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Şenay Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Zelani nervously hid in the closet for a few more moments, it had been a while since the aasimar rogue had done such a thing and she had quite a few mixed emotions about it. She listened for a few more moments and, if there was no sign the thumping feet were returning, she would slide out and find where Şenay had gone.

Zelani Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Zelani Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

"Dopplegangers?"[/b Rixa asks when Shalluk meets her, [b]"I wonder if that's what the couple we met were. But..."

she contemplates the will of Shelyn....

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 ...Pfft. It still beat Senay's, but I'll give it to ya because one person biffing - narrowly - shouldn't blow a whole group's cover. And 1's aren't auto-fails on skills, but in this case, it seems appropriate. XD

Rixa, you're fairly sure that Shelyn believes in treating all creatures with love (most famously in her interactions with her brother, Zon-Kuthon, the evil god of pain). She's not above smiting when necessary - but generally only as a last resort, as taught in her code. (If you don't have that on-hand, I can give it to you.)

Meanwhile, Shalluk and Zelani narrowly managed to sneak past the figures still occupying the mill and meet up outside.

"I assumed that they mean 'dopplegangers' in a less literal sense, but yes, actual dopplegangers could be the answer for that household. They also mentioned that they were going to be patrolling the city, and that there was a subbasement. If you don't feel it's enough to investigate here, perhaps we could try finding one of there patrols?" Shalluk was fairly certain there was something in the lower areas, but didn't wish to risk them being divided any longer.

Zelani found and carried Şenay, the snake finding it's way to a comfortable resting place on her druid as Zelani approached Rixa with Shalluk.

"With what we've seen, literal or not is a possibility. I'm fine with looking into either the patrols or undermill, though the patrols has more appear of not heading back in there yet..." Zelani said quietly, looking around as she spoke.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

"Personally, I would love to rush in and hold them at swordpoint, but that's not Shelyn's way." Rixa said, "I'll wait here for you to investigate the basement, then we can try to find a patrol."

Unless you wanted to try digging a hole through the floor, you were pretty sure the only way into the sub-basement was the thoroughly-locked door down the outside steps. Oooor maybe down through some of the machinery, which seemed about as safe as jumping into a meat-grinder.

Although not thrilled with the idea, Shalluk nodded and headed to the basement entrance, hoping to achieve entry.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Disable Device: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

Zelani looked around nervously as she followed and went to block Shalluk from any passing eyes while he worked on the door...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13