“Can’t say I know much bout disarming traps, maybe we should ask the guard, he must know somethin bout it or the Lady Walder.”
Go back and ask if there is a pit trap in front of the vault and if they can deactivate it. Also ask if we need a key for the vault door.
Lady Walder-Indeed, but the pit trap only operates if you activate the pressure plate inside the vault. It didn't appear that anyone got inside so I wasn't that worried about it and didn't think to let you in, but I suppose it's best to be thorough. Here's the key. Please make sure you bring it back. She describes how to deactivate the trap once you enter the vault. Clearly her grief is overwhelming-you can't imaging her ever telling you all this, much less giving you the key unattended otherwise.
Back to the vault with the key and deactivate the trap and enter the vault and inspect it.
Rodion is suspicious of how easy it was to get the key. He helps Grimm look around the vault.
Check out the inside of the vault.
His suspicion heightened by Rodion....Weed
will stand watch outside the vault....
Beyond the heavy steel door, this darkened chamber is lined with shelves, including freestanding shelving in the center. There is ample room in the vault, but labeled boxes, bags, weapons, and armor are spread throughout.
It appears that the vault contains the Walder family's better collection of items, gems and jewelry, and masterwork weapons and armor that were not on display upstairs. As well there are stacks of various coins minted both in Andoran and in neighboring countries. It appears that there are even a few secure cases belonging to well-to-do citizens of the town that are paying to keep there precious belongings stored securely.
After about 30 seconds or so the doors to the vault begin to close on their own!
Weed yells out....
quicks throw me the keys!!
“What the hell?”
Throw the keys to Weed.
Grim panics and the keys bounce off the doors and back into the room, clanking across the floor, as the doors continue to close.
Weed looks about for something to block the door with as it closes...
Weed sees the small chair by the stairs but isn't sure he can get to it in time? Weed also realizes he has a massive piece of steel strapped to his back.
Take my battleaxe and wedge it in the door to keep it from closing.
The closing doors come to a halt, shivering slightly, as hidden gears attempt to fulfill their purpose.
Is there a way to open the doors from the inside (particularly with the key)?
Rodion picks up the keys. If Rodion doesn't notice an internal opening mechanism, he will try to toss the keys to Weed.
Rodion easily sees a keyhole on the inside of the doors and remembers the Lady Walder's instructions about how to disable the vault trap.
Rodion disables the trap.
Rodion locates the secret panel inside the shelves just east of the vault entrance. He flips the switch inside and the vault doors swing open once more.
The party hears some muffled cries for help from beneath the floor in front of the vault doors. Simultaneously, a smooth-skinned humanoid bolts out a hidden spot from within the vault and races up the stairs towards freedom.
Party action.
Weed gives chase.......
As does Eterran
Rodion casts Grease on the stairs, ahead of the runner.
Grimm follows at the slower pace allowed by his smaller stature.
The creature somehow keeps its balance as it races through the grease slicked stairs and rushes out into the room above.
Saves for the 3 chasers should they try to move through.
“Get’em Weed!”
Grimm stops short of the grease.
Eterran?
Stoopid paizo, lost my post.
I'll try again.
The humanoid's miraculous sprint through the area of grease is followed by Weed's equally miraculous performance and then Eterran's as well. Rodion questions his spell selection for the day!
The silver-grey skinned moves quickly through the upper level of the store and dodges past startled guards before breaking out onto the streets.
Weed/Eterran roll d20 to see if you make up any ground on the fleeing foe.
Slow down sneaky weasel!!
Well, Grimm. Should we try to follow? Or look around here?
“Let’s wait here, let the lads chase down the skulk. Besides we need to figure who’s crying for help, maybe someone’s in the trap.”
To the person under the floor.
“What you be doing down there?!”
Despite Eterran and Weed's best efforts, after a few brief moments, the fleet-footed foe escapes their pursuit on the streets of Belric.
Back at the vault-A muffled voice cries out from below the hallway floor.
weed curses.and slowly and more discreetly continues along in the direction the fleet footed foe continued in...keeping a sharp eye all about him....
Stunned Below the floor?
Rodion looks around for any sort of vent or other switches that look like they could open secret secrets.
After one last glance, head back
Wait for Eterran to return. Do we know how to open the trap? If not go back to the guards and ask them.
Weed continues on what he thinks is the trail, looking for any trace. Eterran gets a good look at the fleeing figure and thinks he should be able to positively identify him if encountered again.
Back at the Vault:
Grimm and Rodion can see the clear outline of a false-floor pit trap. The muffled voice pleading for help continues to make noise from time to time.
“Can you make sense of this thing Rodion or should we get the guard?”
"Sorry, Grimm, I haven't read much about safe design. I guess we should get the guard."
weed continues.....
Rodion and Grimm arrive at the front office about the same time that Eterran returns. The guards have no idea about the vault as they are never allowed in that area, but the Lady Walder tells you that if you enable the trap you can trigger the false floor opening it and then kill the switch again to keep it open. The party feels highly confident that they can open it and see the contents without mishap.
Screen wash to Weed: Weed continues to look for the fled antagonist. Looking down an alleyway he does see:
A pair of stealthed archers fire down on you from their sheltered position on the roof of an immediately adjacent building.
Let's go . . . and we'll guard the door this time?
13/20 hp
Weed takes cover and takes the arrow out for examination later...if he survives....and quickly...very quickly....makes his way back
We follow the instructions provided by Lady Walder and see what/who is in the pit.
Weed makes his way back towards the shop, arrow wound bandaged as well as he can manage. The roof snipers give him no further trouble, although he does receive many curious glances from folks on the streets.
Meanwhile, the remaining three party members return to the vault and open the trap floor revealing another strangely skinned skulk lying about 20' below. The creature looks to have at least one broken leg and is in bad shape. The shouting for help has clearly drained any remaining reserves of energy that it might have had.
It weakly cries up-Help me...
on his way back, weed examines the arrow...anything he can discern about its make?
Make an appropriate roll for some type of skill. Otherwise it looks like a bloddy arrow of average quality.
shoulda used my survival skill (+5) when looking for being...dang...
...additionally....ask guards and/or lady walder as i enter shop
Detect magic.
What is strange about the skulk's skin?
If nothing seems suspicious, Rodion lowers his rope to pull the skulk out.