"I'm willing to risk a deeper incursion, but we need to be ready to fall back if we can't keep John out of melee."
Since no one speaks up, Taranis urges the party forward, though he's ready for a retreat.
”Sorry for my lack of words, my Duke. I’m just trying to consider a course to run when we lack proper gear. I’m sorry to inform you that my spell selection is limited and in my research I did not prepare one that would have proved extremely useful in this situation called mending. I’m just hoping this doesn’t ruin our expedition. I will endeavor to learn this magic at my earliest convenience. I’m just sorry that I could not be more helpful now.”
Taranis ushers everyone onward. To the west, the locked and rusted iron bars continue to stand in your way.
I don't see anything else living in this area, so let's try to break it down again...
Unrak takes the lead again, using his rage.
TRY 2
is that enough??
The bars resist the first effort, but not the second, yielding at last with a loud screech.
The passage continues westward, slowly climbing uphill. Some fifty feet down the tunnel, a small cave opens on the north. A rusty lever stands near the eastern wall of this cave.
"Hang on for a moment, let me scout." Gozrek then checks out the side passage:
"Ahead to the west is a much larger limestone cave, with a tunnel exit to the northwest the looks like it ascends. I do not see anyone in either cave. Let's go. Juuuuust in case, I'm going to throw this level. since Uncle Unrak broke it, I'm assuming it's the gate. Better to have an easier escape."
West
Gozrek pulls the lever and, as expected, hears a pained metallic crunching noise from near the broken gate behind you.
You traverse the large limestone cavern and take the northwest passage. It dead-ends in a rock wall after some thirty feet.
Gozrek goes over and confirms, it's a dead end.
"My dear boy. It can't POSSIBLY be a dead end. It would be silly."
"Huh. he's right. It's a dead end."
”You sounded so confident. Are you sure? Sometimes they are just concealed extra carefully.”
Bytor looks even when the others could not find anything.
Bytor spots a small keyhole tucked in a fold of the rock!
"I have to say, this one was cleverly hidden, but look here in the fold of this rock. Anybody have a key?"
If no key is available, Bytor takes out his pick tools and attempts to open the lock.
"I AM a key!" Gozrek approaches the lock, eager to get past his blindness.
Bytor's lockpick breaks on the first try. Gozrek thinks he has the mechanism, but a damned spindle pin stymies him at the last moment, and the entire tumbler resets.
Bytor feels better knowing that he was not the only one to fail at such a difficult mechanism. This time he attempts to only aid Gozrek in the attempt.
Bytor and Gozrek combine their talents. After all, the fate of many innocents is at stake...
Bytor and Gozrek combine their talents. After all, the fate of many innocents is at stake...
After dutifully trying different rakes and picks, and conversing over strategy while Gozrek holds down the tension tool, the tumbler clicks and door swings wide.
On the far side is a finished room---no longer mere cavern walls. An L-shaped table sits in the southeast corner of the dusty chamber, its velvet-lined surface displaying a number of small, precious stones and pieces of jewelry. A couple of large, ornately carved cedar trunks take up the other corners of the room.
The room appears to have no other exit than the one you just opened.
"Loot it. All of it. Everything will see use either to build the Marchlands or be given directly to the people. Bytor, is any of this magical?"
"Easy there your Gracec." Gozrek looks about for alarms and traps.
Bytor, goes through all of the loot detecting magic on all of it.
In his eagerness, Bytor does not wait, but fortunately Gozrek does not see anything to alarm him. He does, however, find two more hidden egresses: one in the western wall, the other in the southeast corner.
The table is rich in treasures. Resting on the velvet are a golden yellow topaz gem, a deep-blue spinel gem, an amethyst, a chrysoberyl, five freshwater pearls, and eight moonstones . A fine golden circlet rests on a velvet cushion nearby . There are also two necklace stands on the table, both of which are empty.
The heavy cedar chest in the northwest corner contains the following:
- Breastplate (magical)
- Longsword (magical)
- Masterwork composite longbow (Str +3)
- A quiver of 20 arrows
- Masterwork dagger
- Dark blue potion
- Inky black potion
- Pale white potion
The breastplate, longsword, and dagger are each marked with the insignia of a noble house (three roses arrayed in a fan ).
The chest in the southeast corner contains the following:
- A large assortment of torcs, goblets, necklaces, rings, earrings, horns, daggers, axes, statuettes, and other artifacts, most made with worked gold or silver, others made with carved wood or stone, many depicting animal or sun motifs
- A ring of green wood carved to depict a snake and a lizard locked in a tangle (magical)
Gozrek looks at the insignia quickly and points it out to Bytor before moving to help identify and distribute anything that will help.
Resting on the velvet are a golden yellow topaz gem, a deep-blue spinel gem, an amethyst, a chrysoberyl, five freshwater pearls, and eight moonstones
A fine golden circlet rests on a velvet cushion nearby
A large assortment of torcs, goblets, necklaces, rings, earrings, horns, daggers, axes, statuettes, and other artifacts, most made with worked gold or silver, others made with carved wood or stone, many depicting animal or sun motifs
Breastplate (magical)
- Longsword (magical)
- Masterwork composite longbow (Str +3)
- A quiver of 20 arrows
- Masterwork dagger
- Dark blue potion
- Inky black potion
- Pale white potion
A ring of green wood carved to depict a snake and a lizard locked in a tangle
Bytor tries to recall where he has seen the three roses arrayed in a fan.
Next, Bytor investigates the dark blue potion to try and determine its properties.
- Golden yellow topaz
- Deep blue spinel
- Amethyst
- Chrysoberyl
- 5 freshwater pearls
- 8 moonstones
- Golden circlet
- Breastplate (magical)
- Longsword (magical)
- Dark blue potion
- Inky black potion
- Pale white potion
- A large assortment of torcs, goblets, necklaces, rings, earrings, horns, daggers, axes, statuettes, and other artifacts, most made with worked gold or silver, others made with carved wood or stone, many depicting animal or sun motifs
- A ring of green wood carved to depict a snake and a lizard locked in a tangle (magical)
Bytor finds that the crest is of a noble house unknown to him.
Gozrek whistles at the magical breastplate.
"I see libraries, shops, and homes when I look at this. Some of the combat gear may be of immediate use. Bytor, it looks like Gozrek is stumped by a few more things."
"Hey, while we're at it. Let me try that rod we found on Flytrap Island again."
Gozrek still cannot make heads or tails of the rod.
"We should put these things to use immediately. John, maybe store your broken armor for now? That ring should see immediate use as well, maybe Bytor or John. Brother, take that healing potion. the other potions would see use mostly when we can decide to use them, so I'll hold them, though remember we have them. The unknown items will simply stay stowed until we can do something about them. Everyone ready?"
There has to be at least one hidden way past this point. It'd be illogical for there not to be."[/b]
In his eagerness, Bytor does not wait, but fortunately Gozrek does not see anything to alarm him. He does, however, find two more hidden egresses: one in the western wall, the other in the southeast corner.
Gozrek looks over the door to the south and checks it for traps after listening to it :
The southern secret door, like the western, is not trapped, but it is locked. He hears no sound coming from the other side of the southern door.
Working with Bytor, Gozrek eventually gets the southern door opened. On the other side is a well-stocked wine cellar boasting over a hundred bottles, including several bottles each of Taldan fire-brandy, Andoren whiskey, and delicate berry wines from Kyonin.
"Dad, take this. We'll celebrate later." He takes and gives to his dad 2 bottles of brandy. He keeps the whiskey for himself.
The lad motions to the others to take what they want before heading to the next door south and checking it before opening it.
Unrak takes a whiskey!
”I love how treasure comes in so many different forms, and each of us have our favorites.”
The door to the south, ironbound and made of heavy wood, proves to be locked. Is every door in this place locked?
Bytor moves in to assist Gozrek with opening the lock. He holds picks in place and helps him to overcome the most challenging aspects of the lock.
Despite Bytor's help, Gozrek does not think he even got close to unlocking the door.
Gozrek settles in and takes his sweet time with Bytor and assistance from Taranis.