Toraim Highhammer |
Finding the door locked, Toraim moves aside to allow one of his companions to break down the door. Carrying the massive wall shield, he stands ready to step in and block the way once the door is open...
Cast Guidance + Ready action to step into the door frame as soon as the door is open or if anything attempt to rush out!
Valjoen_GM |
MariaPerTrap: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
MariaDD: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Perception
Akula: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Maria: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Toraim: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Ysildaë: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Maria steps up next to the dwarf and squats down to peer into the lock. She examines in intently for several minutes then, nods pursing her lips. "No traps", she whispers to herself. Pulling out a smal set of licks, she goes to work. It takes seveal minutes and numerous attempts, but she finally smiles and an audible click can be heard.
The investigator stands up, nods at Toraim and gestures for him to open it up while she steps back. Akula takes hold of the latch and counts quietly to three. When she swings the door open, everyone braces themselves. The loud screech of the rusty hinge echoes through the basement.
Inside only an iron maiden occupies the room. Both doors are slightly open, showing the device to be empty except for the protruding spikes stained with dried blood.
Toraim Highhammer |
Toraim further inspects the device, wondering when it might last have been used, by whom, and to what ends. "There are better ways to learn the truth," the dwarf shrugs, unimpressed.
Cast Detect Magic
Valjoen_GM |
No sign of the Ether is revealed to Valthyra's faithful priest.
Maria Riedgasse |
"Concerning. I do not like this; we should take care. Something is wrong. Why is this here?"
Maria looks puzzled, and cautiously walks towards the iron maiden.
Toraim Highhammer |
"If there was such a monster inside," Toraim responds, "then someone set it free and locked the door afterwards. That seems unlikely."
"For some dark ritual?" the priest thinks aloud, inspecting the clean spike in the bloody iron maiden.
Valjoen_GM |
Perception
Toraim: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Ysildaë: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Knowledge(engineering): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
As your eyes return to the clean spike, you look for the hammer forged weld that would hold the spike in place. The seam is loose and so is the spike. It likely pulls out or perhaps spins in place. This spike is not set firmly in the iron maiden as are the others.
Toraim Highhammer |
Toraim raises an eyebrow, speaks a prayer to the Goddess, and – carefully – inspects the spike, trying to either turn it or remove it entirely.
"This is unusual," the dwarf comments, fearing the worst.
Question: how is the corpse in the other room dressed? Is he an officer? A prisoner?
Valjoen_GM |
He is dressed like the other deputies you found dead in the entry room upstairs.
Toraim takes hold of a spike within the iron maiden and fiddles with it a moment. Suddenly, the spike turns clockwise with a soft screech and a section of the wall to the north dislodges and glides forward several inches.
Valjoen_GM |
Yes, but it will be tight at times and require you to maneuver it in the tunnel.
Toraim Highhammer |
Peeking into the tight tunnel, Toraim decides that, while the wall shield will be difficult to maneuver, it may yet prove invaluable. He steps into the secret passage, praying to Valthyra for guidance...
Perception + Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 1 = 15
Stonecunning: Dwarves gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
Ysildaë Ralomenor |
"This prison holds many secrets."
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
She tries to keep her wits about her as she follows the dwarf into the secret tunnel.
Valjoen_GM |
The tunnels are dark and musty. Toraim inches forward, listening to the silence. Ysildaë follows behind and only hears the dwarfs loud footsteps.
Map Updated.
Toraim Highhammer |
Toraim continues to move carefully forward...
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) + Guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 = 22
Can Toraim ascertain who dug the tunnels? Dwarves?
Valjoen_GM |
The tunnels are old. Old as the deep tunnels of Eastgate, Toraim figures. Carved straight from the solid granite of the mountains, there are some constructed supports made of carved stone. If it was dwarven, they were rushed and not worried about making the tunnel anything other than functional. In any event, it looks very solid and stable.
A pulsing glow of red light from down the tunnel becomes visible as Toraim turns north.
@Toraim - Please move yourself on the map.
@Others - Actions?
Ysildaë Ralomenor |
I keep following Toraim, but I will look to see if I can figure out how to open the door from this side.
Perception (door mechanism ugly tunnel side): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Valjoen_GM |
While Ysildaë looks in vain for any sign of a trigger for the concealed door within the entrance to the tunnels, Toraim creeps ahead. As he moves north a small open area is lit by a glowing red light set into the far wall. He can see an exit heading east and another in the south east corner. The dwarf also notices that an alcove close to him has a raised section filled with loose dirt and covered in straw. It looks like a terrible place to rest, but clearly someone had done so in the not so recent past.
Toraim Highhammer |
"The dead don't sleep and whoever slept here, did so recently," Toraim argues. "They will either need our help or attempt to escape. Either way, time is of the essence."
He incants a prayer and studies the glowing red light.
Cast Detect Magic and Guidance
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 = 12
Valjoen_GM |
@Toraim - It was slept upon in the "NOT" so recent past... a month or two, likely. It could have been before or after the Shaping. You find it difficult to determine.
Looking closely at the light, Toraim sees that it is a uncut crystal embedded within the carved stone of the wall. He looks into the ether and senses the presence of magic within the crystal but is unable to determine the magical properties of it.
Toraim Highhammer |
"Not so recently," the dwarf corrects himself upon further inspection. He looks to his companions for consensus...
Ysildaë Ralomenor |
"Asked we were to secure the prison. Secure it, we cannot if this lets in more undead. Let us see if this goes much further. If these are long halls, we would need to inform the constable first."
Akula the Herald |
Akula pulled a bit of chalk out of one of her pouches. Normally she used them for trail marking, but they'd work just as well down here.
She backtracked into the rooms they'd passed through, leaving large, obvious markings and quick notes for anyone who might come after them.
"Alright, let's go."
Toraim Highhammer |
Toraim continues to lead the way, ever careful and wary...
Perception + Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17
Valjoen_GM |
TorKnowDung: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Toraim slips further down the passage to see it split. Getting his bearings after a minute, he sees one tunnel leading northeast. While roughly hewn, it gets increasingly wide. Looking as far as his darkvision allows, he would estimate that it may widen in parts to 10'. To the right, another passage turns south, quickly descending. Taking a few steps in that direction he can tell that it continues to turn southwestward. Perhaps towards the sewer, I saw in the prison's basement... he thinks to himself.
Maria Riedgasse |
Maria follows the others down the path cautiously, clearly more than a little worried about what they might find.
Toraim Highhammer |
"I think this tunnel leads to the sewer, but let's have a look to be sure," Toraim proposes as he heads down the path on the right. He looks back at Maria, "Keep an eye on the rear?"
Valjoen_GM |
Toraim continues down the tunnel. After another 30-40' feet, he finds a large circular hole leading down to the old sewers. Looking up, he can see the grate from the basement. It becomes clear that the tunnel in which he now stands, while very old, is not part of the ancient sewer system.
The sewer is made from stones intricately set together. It is thousands of years old and set about 40' feet below ground. The sewers are basically round 5-6' diameter "pipes". The group has found a tunnel/passage dug through the rock and soil and braced with old timbers. The tunnel runs above the sewers level. Toraim has found an intersection between the horizontal tunnel and a vertical sewer pipe leading down to the main sewer line.
Map Updated
Valjoen_GM |
Yes, the tunnel continues beyond what you can see due to light and curvature of the passageway. With a DC5 Acrobatics check, the sewer pipe can be leaped over or skirted along the 1' wide ledge.
Looking at the sewer pipe, Toraim can see an abundance of dried mold and moss. Prior to the Shaping when the sewers were in use, the area was likely slimy and jumping the pipe would have been more difficult.
Ysildaë Ralomenor |
Ysildaë moves up the northern passage to see if it continues far. She just wants to figure out if this is a now problem or a later problem.
Toraim Highhammer |
Considering that Toraim is in full plate armour and that he has zero acrobatic skill, could he use the wall shield to simply walk across?
EDIT: if he sees that his companions are not all following, he will head back and rejoin with the others.
Valjoen_GM |
1d20 ⇒ 18
Ysildaë looks down the northeastern passage. It continues onward as far as she can see without change. She listens intently but all is silent except for the huffing and puffing of the dwarf who hustles back to the group. He had laid the wall shield to cover the sewer pipe, but decided against crossing alone and had returned.
Maria Riedgasse |
"We should ensure nothing can pass through here, into the building. Block the entrance from this side."
We need to deal with the sickness before continuing. Risks are high.
Akula the Herald |
"That's a good idea," Akula nodded. "Maybe we could build a barricade from the debris in the jail?"
She eyed Toraim's door-shield. "We could use that as a start?"
Valjoen_GM |
The group returns to the basement and with a twist of the clean spike, close the concealed door. With a little struggle, they then move the anvil to secure the door leading to the iron maiden room. Heading back up the stairs, they return to the first floor and look through the iron barred doorway leading to the stairwell to the second floor.
Map Updated.
Toraim Highhammer |
Toraim leads the way, trusting in Valthyra to guide his way and guard his path.
Perception+Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 = 29
My move is proving far more difficult than I thought it would be, and I've taken on a renovation project that is fast becoming a huge endeavour, but I'm still around! Apologies for the relative silence.
Valjoen_GM |
MariaPer: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Toraim leads the way up two flights of stairs by his astute assessment, followed closely by Akula, Maria and Ysildaë. Coming to a locked, iron-bound door, the dwarf listens intently but hears nothing beyond besides the howl of the wind from the outside. He motions for Maria to take the lead. The investigator examines the lock for several minutes before pulling out her lockpicks. Certain there is no trap, she quickly and quietly opens the the lock and nods. As Maria moves back into position, Toraim readies his massive shield and puts a hand upon the latch.
Valjoen_GM |
With caution, Toraim opens the door and quickly readies the massive shield across the opening. The dwarf braces himself for an attack that never comes. He peaks around the corner to see a pair of beds with small foot lockers sitting closed nearby.
Map Updated with new level.
Toraim Highhammer |
Always wary of being attacked, Toraim whispers a short prayer and enters the room...
Cast Guidance, then move inside while holding an action to step back into the doorway should there be a danger.