The door has a knob, so logic says it should pull open, but pulling on it makes no difference and it doesn't feel stuck - but locked. Romund reviews the door and decides there must be an 'unlocking' mechanism somewhere in the room.
Hmmm. The mechanism to open this thing is in this room... somewhere... looking around. Crap.
The half orc walks around searching for a way to unlock the door.
Doc helps search for a method to open the door, making sure to avoid the same tiles as before.
Romund quickly finds a switch on the first wall he searches. Doc appears to have missed it!
Xavier will go to the door and look back at the others.
Get your attacks ready. I'll open the door and if there is something in there that needs taken care of do it.
Xavier will wait until the others are in place and ready then he will open the door.
Grob readies his blade.
Shorga stands a bit to one side of Grob and back a few steps and nocks an arrow, waiting with tense muscles for Xavier to open the door.
Xavier flicks the switch. A mechanical whirring can be heard from within the door and the sound of a bolt opening. The whirring continues as Xavier attempts to open the door. It still seems locked.
After a few seconds the whirring stops and the sound of a bolt closing can be heard from inside the door.
Xavier looks oddly at the door.
Well it.seems there is more of a puzzle to opening this door than meets the eye. Look around to see if there are any other switches
Xavier will go back to the door into the room and examine the brooms and backpacks for clues.
There's got to be a reason for the brooms and packs
Doc assists in looking for other levers, switches or anything that looks like it may effect the door. His deft footsteps bely his stout frame.
Having checked over the room thoroughly, you find three separate but identical switches on the wall.
The backpacks yield no clues and there is nothing extraordinary about the brooms themselves.
I guess it is time to hit all three switches at the same time
Xavier will go and stand next to a switch and waits for others to cover the other switches.
On the count of three. one... two... three!
Doc also moves to take one of the switches, manipulating on Xavier's count.
Grum follows suit, one eye on the door and his other hand holding his bow and a single arrow in order to be able to rapidly turn and fire. "I have a bad feeling about this... Perhaps we just knock it down"
Grob also readies a switch to flip when directed, though clearly he sees his brother's point in maybe just breaking the damn thing
Positioning himself flat on the wall right beside the door Romund nods to his companions. Ready to attack anything that comes through the door.
The whole process works like clockwork - much like the door mechanism. As all three switches are thrown, the door unbolts and opens without even being pulled.
Behind the door is...nothing except a corridor. It branches left and right. To the left, the mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward a door at the end of the dark hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken.
Doc pulls the vial from his belt again, and moves to the door. "Well, lads, 'at's enough dawdlin'! Le's keep goin'," he suggests, cane and bomb at the ready.
Grum lets out a silent sigh, "Agreed Doc, lets continue. Everyone, lets smash any 'dead' skeletons we find, agreed?" Grum moves out first, wincing against the wailing sound, checking behind him every few feet to remind himself that he's not the only one moving towards the horrible sound in the dark crypt. Getting to the end of the hallway, Grum presses himself against the wall and peeks out quickly, trying to get an idea what they're headed into.
Xavier looks at everyone.
If you all won't mind I would like to pray and ask for my gods guidance on us all
Xabier begins to pray and glow and one by one puts a hand on everyone shoulder.
Xavier agree about smashing as we go and is prepared to channel at the first sign ofbones rising
Silently Romund follows Grum with a fearful expression, axe on hand and looking for anything out of the ordinary.
Grob bows his head while Xavier prays, and then readies his blade when it is done, "Let's go be heroes."
Doc chuckles at Grob's declaration. "Sounds loike a plan, lad!" he laughs, smiling at the half-orc.
As you approach the door, the wailing stops and then, without warning, a crossbow bolt is fired out from a crack in the door, passing you all harmlessly.
A wavery voice calls out. "Begone you tricks of the dead one, or you'll suffer the same fate as your bony friends." The speech descends into a strained cackle before falling silent.
Xavier will watch as the bolt goes by.
we are no trick of the undead. We are her to obtain the evrflame and take it back.
I am Xavier Cleric of Iomedae. Do you need healing or any other help?
Xavier casts light on his holy symbol and holds it up.
Grum, not wanting to appear threatening... but equally uncertain how to pull off the friendly-look, just stand near Xavier but a little to the side and behind. Hopefully whatever crazy loon is back there doesn't shoot at them again! "Aye, it's so. We're here to help you."
"Yeah, we're good guys," Grobradon says, "Heck, I even work with a local militia to protect the town."
There follows a short pause. At least the man on the other side of the door has stopped wailing.
Then...But what of Dimira? As he speaks, his voice descends into sobbing again.
Grum, feeling a little more sure this isn't a dangerous monsters, puts up his bow and spreads his hands, "And who is Dimira good fellow? Do come out so we can all speak freely, and so we can better assist you!"
Feeling empathetic at a love one lost Xavier speaks.
I have lost my love to skeletons some time ago and by Iomedae I will do whatever I can for you to help. please xome out and let us help you.
After a long pause, you hear the sound of the sobs abating and the door being unlocked from the other side.
Standing in front of you is someone you recognise. His name is Roldare and he is a cobbler in town. Some of you remember that he has a sister, Dimira.
He looks at you, pleadingly, and his eyes regularly dart to the void behind you, as if expecting someone (or something) to appear at any time.
Grum steps forward slowly, hand out in a placating manner, "Roldare! Come man, are you alright? What happened here?" He tries to look the man over, to see if he's been hurt. Roldare's constant looking over Grums shoulder starts to make him feel nervous, and he glances back warily as well.
"Roldare? What are you doing here?"
The half orc kid looks at the cobbler unsure if he should express some sympathy or even how to do it. In the end he remains silent.
Roldare finally exudes an aura of calm. But as soon as he speaks, his voice quickens and you struggle to hear every word.
"Dimira...still alive...dragged off...skeletons...not dead...the voice took her..."
Grum looks over at his brother, exchanging a worried and knowing look. He grips the bow a little tighter, "Which way did they go Roldare?"
Doc strokes his beard, nodding. "A'roight 'en, which way'd 'ey take 'er? I' we're lucky, we c'n still save th' lass."
"Definitely, I'm not letting any more townsfolk die down here if I can help it," Grobradon announces fiercely.
After a few false starts, you begin to get some sense from Roldare.
From his story, you piece together the following:
- He arrived with the others three days ago.
- There were six villagers total, but he believes only he and his sister are left alive.
- The role of the villagers was to set up simple traps that wouldn't hurt the adventurers but give them a fright - all part of the pageant of the ceremony.
- After setting up the traps on the first level of the dungeon, they were attacked by the “walking bones” in the middle of the night.
- There is a leader of the undead, “one with the voice of death, who stalks these halls in ancient mail.”
- He can offer no advice on how to overcome the perils of the crypt, as he simply does not remember most of them.
- He knows that you will need “the shields and the keys” and he also mentions that you will need to go for a swim, but he cannot remember where.
- Dimira is still alive. He witnessed her being dragged off by the skeletons during the fight and he is convinced she is not dead.
That is all the information you can get from him.
Grum listens to it all with an urgent intensity, the thought of what happened to the villagers making his half-orc blood boil, and he forces himself to take three calming breathes before he says, "Thank you Roldare, did they kill the horses outside as well? Regardless we must be off to find Dimira and put an end this Dead-Voice creature. You can come with us or wait here or wait outside, I honestly do not know which is safest. But coming with us is surely the most dangerous. I'd rather you head back to town to tell the others what has happened here, but the roads are hardly safe... I leave it up to you."
With that, and when the others are ready, he sets off in the indicated direction weapon readied and eyes searching every corner for a new foe.
Grob seems disappointed to hear that this wasn't meant as a 'serious' test after all. Well, it's gotten serious, hasn't it? His jaw sets and he nods as his brother takes the lead.
Doc follows after Grum, weapon held tightly. "Le's find th' lass, git the E'erflame and git outta 'is place. Th' less t' do wit' th' walkin' dead, the betta!"
Xaviers face goes slightlty pale as the blood rushes from it at the tale being told. The story sounds way to familiar and strikes deep at Xaviers heart.
This can not be happening again. I will not allow it to happen again
As Xaviers face contorts from pale disbelief to complete resolve he begins to talk.
Sir if there is any more you can tell us to clarify please do it quickly. If you are able to assist in the rescue and have skills that will help it would be an honor to fight by your side, but if you are not able to due to the ordeal you have already suffered you should find your way outside.
Looking around at the room Xavier seems to be looking for something
We need to find any clues or anything that might help us defeat the undead and then quickly be on our way.
Roldare looks Xavier in the eye. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather lock myself back in this cupboard and you can find me again when you've rescued my sister. I don't know nothing about the horses but if this helps anyone, you're more than welcome to have it. Some down on his luck adventurer type needed the cash and it looked so pretty.
He almost apologetically offers you a beautiful crossbow, clearly masterwork.
Lets go back the other way and check the first door we come to and we should ponder what he has said for the tests were laid by him.
Savren looks to Xavier, eyebrow raised. "I' ya think so, lad. One o' ya big fellas should lead th' way," the Dwarf suggests, gesturing to the three half-orcs.
Grum leads the way back to the first door they past, moving a bit faster through the now semi-familiar territory back to the entrance room. Once there he waits till everyone's gathered close, and pushes open the door.
Reluctantly Romund follows the other half-orc to the door.
I dont wanna die on this dump! Dammed villagers. What did I got myself into?!
He examine it closely.
Grobradon is right behind his brother, or even by his side if there's room