"Down is likely to get dark, I hope you can see without torches. It is hard to catch them by surprise when you have a shining beacon in front of you."
"It is likely they have the same encumbrances we do in that regard, so I assume lighting will be present."
Krovax leads everyone to the stairs down and checks to see if anyone is below. There is not so you make your way down the winding staircase until you reach the bottom. Dimly lit this room appears to be a large warehouse several times larger than the kitchen above. As you each split up and move about searching the room.
The room is full of cooking supplies and dried goods.
At the far side of the room there is a part of the wall that looks different from the rest of the wall. It may be a secret door.
"Halt, take a look at the wall just here."
Ezra walks to the wall, and examines it closely, being careful not to touch.
"What is it do you think? Just discolored? Or perhaps a secret door of some kind.."
"Scan it for traps...it's doubtful, but they may have secreted the items away there."
Mordecai raises an eyebrow and scans the door for magic. He then bends over and searches for any footprints or disturbances in the dust along the floor which would indicate the wall has moved in the fast.
With Ezra's help you all now see a small section of the wall, roughly three foot wide by four feet high is a lighter shade of stone than the rest of the wall, almost like its newer. You can't see any seams or gaps so I may not be a trap door but there is definitely something odd about it.
Meanwhile, Krovax stands at the stairs watching for anyone to come down and can hear an argument at the top of the stairs. He can't make it out due to distance and one person's heavy accent but a few words catch your attention, Statue, spy, desert and midnight before you can move closer to hear better they move on probably out through the kitchen.
And yes you can sense magic but due to the thickness of the stone you can't tell what kind.
"If you can find a way to open it, do it quick so we can move on, I think we just had some people move for the side exit. They were talking about the items, and a spy. Whatever they are planning to do with them, it is going down at midnight, so this may be our only shot before the move."
Ezra reaches out and pushes against the discolored walls edges, seeing if it will move manually.
strength check please if your trying that.
Mordecai attempts to assist.
Opal looks at the area, trying to discern anything else unusual. She'll take her hands from behind her back and use the metal manacles to tap on the stone of wall and try to figure out if it sounds more hollow over the newer looking stone than the rest.
Yup hollow. Unfortunately the two of you can't budge the stone from the mortar. Its roughly seven at night so you reasonable have five hours while they prepare to complete your business. Based on what you have heard from the interrogation, rumours and eavesdropping after midnight the traitor and with him the items will probably beyond your reach or will require you to fight an unwelcome number of powerful agents of the various churches and far more soldiers and guardsmen.
"Which ever of you is biggest, give this wall a shot, otherwise we move on. Time is not on our side."
"Take watch," Krovax says as he turns to the door.
Ezra moves stealthily to the watch position abandoned by Krovax.
Watching three of you trying hard to pry the stones out of the wall, Leon steps up. "This is getting us no where. Opal, Silence please." as he pulls out his greataxe and waits for the silence spell to hit. Opal casts silence and he swings his axe again and again until the new section of the wall is gone revealing a deep hole that looks vaguely like the sewer but much older. The inside of the hole is quite dry and dusty showing that it hasn't been used in a long time. When the spell ends, "Hmmm, a possible escape route?
You all agree to take a few minutes to quickly hide the reopened hole before venturing back up and resuming your search. You have several doors on the main level as well as two stairs leading upwards.
[edit] so that's what being ninja'd feels like[/edit]
With the wall covered, the party continues down the stairs.
Krovax steps back to the stairwell once the new escape route is secured, and says "Well, we tried down..."
He then leads the group back to the main floor and to the stairs up.
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"I vote for the left"
"I'll vote for left as well."
As the party heads up the stairs to the left, Ezra hangs back a bit, trying to be stealthy, keeping an eye out for anyone who may move up behind us.
Krovax leads the group up the leftmost set of stairs to the second level into a rounded corridor with six rooms on the outside or left wall while the interior wall holds many paintings and sculptures. Standing before the third door from you are two guards in full plate, polished to a brilliant sheen and standing rigid. They haven't noticed your arrival yet while you remain in the stairwell.
Via Message to the group: "I have another casting of Silence if we wish to take these two down quietly."
"Opal, would you make it a little more quiet over there?"
Ezra prepares to launch her Slumber Hex at the furthest guard as soon as silence lands.
Opal will relay via message the moment that she casts the spell.
Premature. Leon grumbled inside his head. No patience.
Walking forward with his axe on his shoulder, the big knight made no pretense about what his intentions were once the spells started flying. Once within a few paces he surged forward, never losing his unsettling mask of calm.
Opal quickly casts silence upon the hallway, catching the soldiers off guard. It takes a few seconds for the soldiers to realize that all sound has stopped. During that time you each have a chance to act.
Surprise Round: Slumber Hex the furthest of the two guards.
yes you can act Opal
Mordecai surges forwards, hand outstretched.
Alright, two guards, we may be able to...wait...what?
Krovax charges forward with Leon and Mordecai, targeting the nearest guard as well, (unless the furthest guard does not succumb to the spell).
[ooc]
Initiative Order:
Ezra 21
Mordecai 19
Krovax 14
Opal 14
Guard 2 13 (surprised)
Guard 1 8 (surprised)
Leon 7
As Opal's silence spell falls on the the two guards leaving them mute and unable to react. Ezra's hex falls on the distant guard who slumps to the ground asleep. Mordecai prepares inflict moderate wounds and holds it. Krovax charges the still standing guard but is unable to penetrate his shining plate. Opal moves forward vautiously and draws her rapier. Lastly Leon charges forward with Krovax, profane energy rippling like black lightning across he head of his axe but his axe merely grinds across the armour and an unseen barrier just above it.
"Don't attack them if they are asleep please."
Ezra focuses her gaze on the second guard, hexing him to slumber.
"Mordecai, if it all the same to you, perhaps we could let our burly companions decapitate these, then you can animate your pet." Thinking a second longer, "and perhaps it is time to summon back your dragon sir, if he can be summoned in to such a small place.."
Mordecai shakes his head sadly. "Unfortunately, my particular brand at necromancy is more effective when used on great beasts and creatures. My human 'pets' are somewhat... ineffective. Should we come across a few dragon corpses however, I promise you will not regret my presence."
Leon's eyes narrow as his blade glances off the mystic barrier.
Fine.
Reaching out for the man's face, black energy coursed up his arm.
Krovax glares at the man, and gets a snarl on his face. He then whirls his mace around for another attack.
Ezra again draws upon her dark arts to put the remaining knight/soldier to sleep the her hex has no effect. While Mordecai and Opal hang back, Krovax lunges towards the man swinging his flail mightily hammering the man's shield arm and crushing his shoulder guard sending thick red lines across the formerly mirrored finish of his plate. Quickly recovering from Krovax's blow the man swings his sword at Krovax and Leon in turn but cannot get past your guard. Seeing his earlier attack stopped Leon reaches out and grabs the man's armoured face with a hand wreathed in brackish green flames burning an imprint into the metal and hearing the satisfying sizzle of meat cooking underneath but the man remains standing defiantly.
"I am so sorry. That was rude of me, here take this. It will quench your thirst, sir.
Mordecai kneels and presses his hand into the dirt, sending a ripple through it that culminates in the emerging of a green-skinned slavering figure behind the guard, which tries to bash him.