"Wut now den?" Hugo asked looking around at their fallen enemies with what looked like disappointment. "Wes gunna tie em up an' keep lookin' around, or maybe go get da awtoreteeees?" He looked around expectantly after struggling through the last word.
Tomid looks for that brand on any of their wrists as he removes weapons, armor, tools and valuables from the bodies. Go ta what? Tomid says looking confused at Hugo. I don't wanna put um in the room with that lady thief. I'm already worried she is gonna 'scape.
The Jonas brothers have no markings. The woman and the half-orc each have the same tatoo on their hands, which is slightly different from the one on the mystery lady you locked up. In fact, these look like a smaller part of what she had, as if with a few additional marks these can be made into the one the first lady had.
Jacob, in the crates and barrels and piles around the room you find clothes and boots that (generally) fit you and are (relatively) clean.
There are two other passages leading out of this chamber - one to the west and one to the north.
You collect the following items from these four miscreants:
alchemist's fire (4)
arrows, masterwork (5)
bone-and-tooth necklace unholy symbol
chainmail (2)
dagger (3)
darts (10)
healer's kit
leather armor (2)
light crossbow with 20 bolts
longbow with 20 arrows
longsword
potions (1)
sap
scrolls (5)
shield, heavy wooden (2)
smokestick
spell component pouch
tanglefoot bag (1)
thunderstone (2)
tindertwig
waraxe (2)
74 gp
Having looked the assorted equipment over quickly, Hugo didn't find any of it at all interesting. Strolling around the room while the others discussed it, he leaned on one of the sconces to wait. The thing gave way under his weight, turning in its setting and sending Hugo flailing into a fall. He had just about managed to steady himself, when the surprise of the hidden door opening sent him back into an out of control stumble.
Hitting the southern wall, he grasped at the tapestry in an attempt to catch himself, tearing it from the wall and falling to the floor, armor and weapons making a loud clattering as he did.
Looking from one hidden door to the next, he shot the group an equal parts embarrassed and surprised look.
"Uhm...I found sumfing..."
Jacob had just donned the new found boots when Hugo stumbled through the secret passageway. Forgetting, for the moment, the remanding gear, he tromps over, pajamas and boots in a fashion faux-pas, and peers into the new area. "I say lad, mighty perceptive of you! Perhaps you'll have a job at my book shoppe, I could use keen senses like yours to keep those grubby handed children from soiling the fine books!"
Once the initial surprise at the new room passes, Jacob will turn back to the gear and outfit himself with the available items, selecting the leather armor and heavy wooden shield. "Ha! Like a hard bound book I am! Let's see those dastardly buggers beat their way through this thick hide!" Jacob thumps his own shield, with much less force than any actual attack would impart, and stands proudly in his claimed fortification.
"I say, are those scrolls, maybe the ones I found for those nere-do-wells?"
The healer's kit he'll pack away without thought, as a second nature action for the inner-nuturer that resides in Jacob.
Aha! I knowed it. Tomid exclaims, feeling vindicated when he finds the tattoos. They is all in a secret guild o' thieves an assassins. I betcha they was tryin ta 'cruit these here Jonas brothers. We mighta just saved um from a life o' crime. He goes on to explain his theory that the lady locked in the room is the leader because of her more intricate tattoo, quite sure in his own mind that she is likely a grand guild leader or the like, and wants to go back and check on her.
Tomid will make sure that someone is carrying all the loot, and will assemble himself a set of alchemicals to carry, unless someone else wants to carry some of his "kit". He will gladly hand out the extra alchemist fires and thunderstone but wants to hang on to at least one of each.
alchemist's fire (4)
smokestick
tanglefoot bag (1)
thunderstone (2)
tindertwig
He will also try to help examine the scrolls but cannot help with the potion as he lacks ranks in spellcraft for now.
When Hugo finds the room behind the tapestry Tomid will check it out, specifically looking for traps on the chest and area around in in addition to his Trap Spotter ability.
Zinny whistles when Hugo 'finds' a secret room, and whistles again at all the gear contained within.
"Oh, lookit this sword...!"
As for what to do with these fellows...
"I'd say take 'em to their momma an' poppa an' let 'em get their hides whupped.... but for now, can't we just take what's useful on 'em and put 'em in the room with that lady? I don't think they can get out, not if we got enough weight on the other side of the door..."
Tomid finds no traps on the lock or the chest in the concealed room to the south. The box and lock are sturdy, though. (Disable Device DC(20))
The tattoo on the half-orc and woman bandit looks like an eye of some sort. The other lady's tattoo is the same eye-like pattern but with additional markings...
Jacob, you recognize that the scrolls are divine magical writing.
What do you want to do with the remainder of the gear not claimed for wear/use? Distribute it? Stash it for later retrieval? Right now you have a vote to lock everyone up in the stone room with the inlaid circles. You are pretty positive the barring device will keep them inside until you let them out.
Tomid wants to go check on the lady thief anyway so he is good with taking them back there.
"I say, what's this garbage, a trinket to evil!"
"Hmmm, not sure which of the foul gods it may be, but I can look through a tome back in my shoppe, wonderful things, books, keeps our brains from overflowing."
Grizelda says little, peering at everything intently and scribbling notes and sketches in her leather bound journal. Gregor lights a few of the wall sconces, refusing to let the spell expire without setting something aflame. She scratches the little owl fondly, pleased with his enthusiasm.
She was about to approach the off-kilter tapestry, more in an effort to restore it to proper order than anything else when Hugo tumbled into yet another discovery.
She quickly became flustered at still so many things to document, but found herself smirking unconsciously at the bookseller's quips. She rarely appreciated anyone's sense of humor beyond her own, but here she was, very nearly smiling... and at something a man said! As soon as she realized it, she cleared her throat and deepened her perma-frown. Now positively scowling with concentration, she mumbled under her breath and again cast Detect Magic, looking over everything to be sure nothing interesting is over looked.
She examined the potion and then cast Read Magic and looked over the scrolls to identify them. Finally she sketched the tatoo symbols in her journal and tried to think if she had seen anything like them before.
The party marches their new prisoners to the stone room holding the (supposed) ring-leader, tossing them in the room with only their clothes but no boots or shoes.
Zinny feels vaguely sorry for them, troublemakers that they are, so she digs out the bucket from her pack and fills it with water, setting it inside the little prison-room, along with some of the food from her pack.
"Y'all don't deserve alla this, but I dunno how soon we'll be back, so I guess 's only... you-mane an' all in case y'all get hungry or thirsty."
She digs out a bit of her own jerky and some of the cookies she's brought and nibbles thoughtfully on them.
"So we still got a few halls to check out, right?"
Continuing to be one step behind Zinny, Hugo also drew forth some of his food, suddenly feeling rather hungry.
"Yah, dere is a few more I finks." he agreed, nodding vigorously.
"I dunno if I can break this chest open, it looks kinda sturdy... if someone wants to give it a shot 'fore I start smashin' it in, go for it."
She hefts her big stick all the same.
Also, she wonders, how do the heroes of stories manage to carry alla their weapons? She's runnin' outta room on her belt to tie and hook things.
I'll take me a look. Tomid says as the group goes back to the room where they fought. Pulling out his tool set he cracks his knuckles and goes about trying to open the lock.
Hugo crouched down behind Tomid, following his little fingers work with interest. Once or twice when Tomid paused, searching around with the lock picks, Hugo would point a large finger at the lock and wiggle it in the opposite direction Tomid was moving the picks "Maybe if ya go dat way."
When the lock clicked open , he pick Tomid off the floor and placed him on his shoulder, turning to the others. "Aint dat sumfing!? No key or nuttin'!"
With a satisfying click, the big iron lock opens for Tomid with hardly any effort at all! When you open the lid to the large chest, you discover the gang was keeping their treasure horde in it. 260 gold pieces, 19 platinum pieces, a ring, a wand, and a finely crafted greatclub made from a dark wood that is strong as metal yet lighter than wood! (Darkwood Greatclub - masterwork weapon that is half the weight)
Smiling up at Hugo with a sheepish grin Tomid Acknowledges I got a thing about gettin into stuff. Hey, money!
Zinny sees shiny coins and shiny rings and... doesn't care about them at all. Look, guys, a really big stick!
"Ooohhh... lemme see that club..."
Lifting it out, Zinny sets her worn fence-post down against the wall and swings the big stick around a few times testingly.
"It's so light! Feels real strange... I like it, though.... Gossamer, look! I found a stick!"
The faerie dragon chortles. Very good, now fetch!
"Hey, that ain't nice," Zinny says, but she's grinning despite herself. "Nice work, Tomid!"
"Those greedy little buggers! Kidnapped me at night when they had all this gold already! Humph! How much can a single man need? Those coins would keep a family fed for a year!" Clearly disgusted by his former captors more than ever, Jacob takes a wary step back as Zinny starts swinging the club about the room. "Careful there, don't be knocking our heads with that thing."
Grizelda again casts Detect Magic now looking over the contents of the chest.
"Were you given any specific instructions on what they wanted you looking for, Master Grimm?"
Grizelda, you are able to determine the wand is Cure Light Wounds and has 25 charges left. It has a simple command phrase written in the magical language. The ring has a transmutation aura, but you are unable to determine it's exact properties. The greatclub does not have any magical properties.
By the time you are done tying up your prisoners, eating a quick lunch, and exploring the main room and treasure chest, you figure it is probably in the early afternoon. In the piles of crates, barrels, and sacks in the main room you find ordinary items needed for a living area, including foodstuffs, pots & pans, wood for fires, cusions and pillows for seats, etc. It looks like they were planning on moving in!
Tomid votes to try the secret door, and heads that way unless someone redirects him. I wonder what is behind this door here.
"I say, what secrets could be worth hiding behind this door?" Dropping the armful of books onto the shelf in the old library, Jacob turns his attention to the secret chamber along with Tomid.
Passing through the secret door into the 60' long and 7' wide passage carved through the earth you feel a unique tingling on your skin, like a thousand small insects walking on the fine hairs of your body. It is not painful – but pretty unnerving for the second or two that it lasts. The passage is covered by at least a quarter inch of dust – it is obvious no one has been here for at least one hundred years! And yet, there are no spider webs or other signs of vermin in the area. Perhaps the magic you felt keeps the bugs out? There are four black stone doors along this passage – two on the north and two on the south side. They are, of course, locked. At the end of the hall is an intricate carving in the wall, depicting an epic battle with a dragon.
Walking to the end of the hall quickly at the sight of the carving, Hugo dropped all pretences of being a big strong man. Bouncing on his toes like a little boy, giggling like a little girl, he fawned over the thing. "Look at dis! Dis rite 'ere is wut its all about! Brave 'eroes fitin' dragons an' monsters! Dat mite be us one day!"
Going over the piece with an appreciating eye, for a moment something stirred in his brain, telling him that there was more to see here. Pausing, he took a step back to look at it all at once, but found nothing he hadn't already seen. Shrugging, he continued to admire it.
Woah. That was a strange feelin. I betcha it was magic. Wonder why they carved the passage so wide? Tomid wonders aloud.
Hey guys, check this out! Tomid says in an excited voice as he points out the well hidden door.
"Wut is it Tomtom?" Hugo asked, leaning in to get the indentations pointed out to him. Realizing he had managed to notice them himself, but somehow pass them by anyway, he muttered under his breath "I knew I saws sumfing!"
Helping Tomid press the indentations, he gawked as the carving gave way to yet another hidden passage. "Makes ya wonder 'ow many doors wes missed...Wut about dese udder doors Tomtom? Ya fink ya can take em?"
I like this one. Tomid choose. Its the coolest so lets to it first.
Grizelda gawks at their latest discovery. As she senses the magical field, she again casts detect magic to scan the area.
"To think this place has been so close to us this whole time! Mistress Walsh will be flabbergasted!" She examines the carving and then peers through the secret door.
Jacob does his best to unfurl an old scroll to use for a wall rubbing on the strange carving, but before he can even find something suitable the secret door is revealed. "I say lads, your cleverness exceeds yourselves, very talented indeed! Have you ever worked in a book shoppe?" Following his newfound companions, Jacob scuttles along after them into the new chamber.
Grizelda detects an aura of abjuration and evocation, and deduces it was most likely some type of warding force wall set to keep out vermin. It is possible you met some other conditions of the ward and were allowed to pass through...although what those conditions might be are beyond her ability to discern.
Grizelda also remembers a book she read about the dragon masters of the past, and their link with the ancient order of Blades. Wait...the unique magic items you received had a strange symbol on the note, the Silver Daggers...supposedly a branch or descendant from the Blades.
Standing in the center of the room is a black stone statue of a human fighter in half-plate armor. Its hands rest on the hilt of a 5’ stone greatsword, resting tip down on the ground in front of it. The details are amazingly lifelike…almost as if it were alive. The stone resembles the four doors in the previous passageway, and the key you found earlier.
Once the party is in the room the secret door closes and locks behind you. (Silas somehow managed to be on the wrong side of the door...) The black eyes of the statue glow with a bright white light and it speaks, ”Choose your champion.”
"Nawh misser Jacob, I aint dat gud wit books." Hugo said, looking more than a little embarrassed. "My Papa used to read book fer me." About to turn back to the hallway, he suddenly snapped back "Uhm, I can read dough! I just aint dat gud at it."
Entering the room and having the statue suddenly seem to come to life, Hugo jumped back a few feet in surprise. Raising weapon and shield, he looked over his shoulder at the others, searching for someone to tell them what to do. "Wat do wes do?"
Zinny shivers at the weird tingling, and while the sight of the carving is very impressive and has her gawking, there's a part of her that would much prefer to be back above ground, in sunlight, instead of in creepy old buildings.
"...Gossamer, you stay close to me," she whispers to the faerie dragon. "I dunno what we're gettin' into, but... I don't like it none. You, uh, stay near me where it's safe."
Because it's easier to be brave if you're bein' brave for somebody else.
She trails after the others, her eyes like dinner plates in her head as she stares around at all the stuff. Hugo's right, it is like something out of a story, but... she don't know if she likes this story.
When the door shuts behind them, she yelps, hands tightening on her club. When the statue speaks, though--
"Oh, Erastil preserve us!" she breathes.
Gossamer settles on her shoulder, whistling reassuringly. The little dragon pipes up in a melodic tone: "Zinny can be the champi--"
Except she now has Zinny's gloved hand clamped firmly over her little dragon muzzle. Zinny stares aghast at the dragonling.
"Nuh-uh. No way. No how. Hugo, um, Hugo, he's th' one who wants to be a big hero!"
Tomid swallows hard and looks concerned but does not back down. I ain't scared. You got someone my size ta fight?
Map has been listed at the top of the page, under the campaign name and quote, for a while now =) Click on the 'Current Map' link!
"Hmm, what a strange place this has turned into, what with secret doors and black stone what-nots and aggressive statues. What purpose could this serve any good folk?" Jacob studies the statue, looking for clues to its meaning.
"The purpose of this thing escapes me, but I don't think I'm the champion." Jacob eyes the massive stone sword warily.
Hugo nodded slowly at Zinny, a determined look on his face. "Yer rite as usual Zinny. Aint gunna be no 'ero 'idin' behind ladies an' librarians." He smiled, his spirits uplifted by his little "wordplay" "Oh an' little folk...even da big 'earted ones."
Stepping towards the statue, he took as good a defensive stance as he could muster, and addressed it. "I is da Champiun. Whenever yer ready..."
Unseen by his friends behind him, Hugo swallowed hard.
Once Hugo declares himself the party's champion, the statue sinks into a battle stance and holds its greatsword at the ready! Everyone else in the party is frozen in place, as if by a Globe of invulnerability - all you can do is watch as Hugo and the stone statue begin to circle each other...
Round 1
The statue moves more like an expert swordsman than an animated stone statue, striking quickly at Hugo. vs Hugo's 19 AC. As swiftly as it attacks, though, Hugo deftly blocks its attack, taking no damage.
Hugo does not get an attack this round (Total Defense).
Round 2
vs Hugo's 24 AC. Again, Hugo easily blocks the mighty swings.