Sgt. Hal continues to show you on a map where everything is.
The stables dominate the western section of the fort with a separate room for the horses' tack. Several arrow slits in the wall look toward the courtyard, a feature in most of the interior walls.
Next to it is the smithy and workshop .
Guard rooms and privies are also dotted through the fort at strategic spots.
You've already been in many of the first-floor rooms on the east of the fort.
The kitchen is connected to a storeroom with cooking supplies such as grain, flour and oil.
Next to that -- where you've already been -- are the mess halls. Tables and benches fill the soldiers' dining room. A giant banner featuring the garrison's coat of arms — an iron shield between two sandstone pillars — dominates the northern wall.
Off of that is the officer's mess, which Sgt. Hal is now using as a war room, sketching out the fort on a piece of paper. Two round tables stand in this room, surrounded by padded chairs and paintings of mountain scenes line the walls.
A short ways away is the muster hall/armory, where weapons — swords, axes, polearms, bows — and barrels of arrows and bolts line the walls.
It connects to the barracks -- where an assortment of mismatched rugs cover the floor below dozens of bunk beds with a pair of small chests at the foot of each one. A huge banner on the north wall features the garrison's coat of arms surrounded by dozens of smaller, tattered banners. -- and infirmary, now filled with injured soldiers, the floor a mess of bloody bandages.
"Hmmm," Illa says as she looks the map over. "About that dungeon room I asked about, sergeant... How soon could you have a portable forge and a desk moved in there? Provided such things are available, of course. And possibly a cot. I may need to meditate on-site once we get started."
Once Illa has finished issuing orders, Galvrin will personally inspect all areas adjacent to earth (floor level, basement, basement walls, etc) for possible points of access other than gates. (drainage grates and the like) to see if there are any signs of comings and goings from within them.
"I don't think we've got a portable forge, but you'll have to check with Barcrith to be sure. He'd know, though he's probably still trying to fix the catapults. I suppose we could find some sort of desk and there should be cots in the cells."
Galvin, other than the bath and well, which appear to access a natural underground stream, you don't find any points of entry.
However, you do find two dozen ceramic vials marked "Dragonfire" behind a pile of sacks on a dusty shelf far to the rear of the storeroom below the stables.
Before he leaves to search, Sgt. Hal outlines the rest of the keep for you.
Above the stables are the barracks for the cavalry and the guest rooms, where we put you up .
Above the front and rear gates are the mechanisms for the portcullises and guard rooms .
Near the rear is the shrine , next to Father Minos' room and Saria's former quarters , which have been empty since she married the Commander.
Above the barracks and dining areas are the commander and Saria's room , the great hall , the library , the war wizard's quarters and his workshop , the officers' quarters and the officers' hall.
"And of course there's the war room," he growls. "Which reminds me, if you can recover the bodies, they've got some valuable armor and weapons. Makes no sense to leave 'em there, since you were able to go in and out safely. I know they'd rather have the things used to help save as many men as possible, and I suspect you're best suited for that. I know the rest of the garrison would agree."
Galvrin will report his findings, especially as pertains to the dragon's fire, to Dyalg and Illa. I suspect that we will be able to put them to good use.
"The bodies... will have to wait until we have completed our initial setup," Illa says. "I need to make accurate measurements on the room."
So for the bath and well that access an underground stream, how big is that opening? could someone potentially swim through there (assuming they could hold their breath?
Galvrin, you don't think someone normal size could swim through it. The holes are no bigger than the palm of your hand, plus they would probably need to be able to hold their breath for a long time, or not need to breath.
---
As you begin your efforts to set up the false trap , you suddenly hear the alarm bell begin to ring furiously in the keep.
Racing to the courtyard, you discover two of the cooks running into the courtyard, followed by a writhing carpet of black ants.
Corvus:
Dyalg:
Galvrin:
Graah!:
Illa:
Antagonist:
Galvrin moves to where he saw the dragonfire. Depending upon how long that takes, etc., it may be a few rounds before he gets into actual combat.
Corvus runs to where the action is. She looks around for some higher ground, drawing her short-bow at the same time.
Graah dashes straight up one of the courtyard walls, gaining the defender's positions once up at the top. Casking his gaze around for what he is seeking, he snatches up a bucket of pitch from near the cauldron that is slowly simmering more of the same viscous goop.
Galvrin races for the basement as Corvus looks for high ground and Graah rushes up to the top of the Ironwall.
Below, the ants move toward the center of the courtyard, ignoring the fleeing, screaming cooks.
Illa remains in the trap room, hiding behind the door -- with her wand at the ready in one hand, her blade in the other.