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"Well, we do have three large cabinets here. Maybe we can slide one in front of it?" Estelle suggests, and begins sliding one of the non-trapped ones towards the firebolt mouth. "Oof... This one's *pant* pretty heavy...! Can anyone give me a hand?"
If the party gets back to the hole with cabinet in tow, she then attempts to slide it in front of the 'trap' from the side.
Great idea, Estelle. Let me help you with that.
She attempts to assist Estelle in moving the cabinet.
The cabinets, solid wooden, are heavier than they seem to be, and a tad over 5 1/2 feet in height.
Serena leans against the waste high cabinet already near the door.
"Hrmhrm."
(She shows a smirk)
"Soldier boy did mos' of the shoving already by himself."
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Daniel will help Estelle with her endeavor.
I doubt it would last long, but I wager we don't plan on returning? Wood doesn't hold to fire very well after all.
Estelle grins, pleased at the at least temporary success of the contraption. "True! Then we'll just have to find another cupboard, won't we?"
She says, and quickly runs doen the hallway to the other, unexplored end.
Somewhat but unfortunately not entirely avoiding the next bolt, Estelle finishes her run to the other side and looks around as she waits for the others. Was there anything noteworthy on the other end...?
The trap hits Estelle for a minor 1 fire, which she quickly slaps out.
The cabinet takes a hit for , leaving but a small stain, for now.
Estelle notices another wooden door, similar to the one in the other section.
Listening at the door, you can hear two voices, maybe three?
Not seeing or hearing anything in particular, and probably at least slightly distracted by quickly slapping out the fire on her tunic, Estelle looks back at the others and gets an idea.
She takes her bedroll from her backpack and attempts to jam it in the other hole! It probably wouldn't last long, but just maybe it would block it long enough for the others to make it across?
She then tries to keep the burning sewn-together blankets in place by pushing them back into the hole with her halbard.
The opening is about the width of a longdrink glass,
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The waterskin seems to hold for now, allowing Estelle's allies to move.
She notices though, that several fire discharges discolor the end of the waterskin.
Moreover, by the time Rowand and Briarsting make a run for it, smoke is hanging in a section around it, before it collapses.
"I didn't hear or see anything. But there are a lot of traps around..." Estelle says, drawing back the waterskin when everyone reaches her and still holding it out on her weapon to allow it to cool. "Any volounteers for the door?"
I was never particularly great at spotting... traps... Not despite attempts to teach me otherwise mind you. I've... I've uh, had many up close meetings with the dirt due to wires. And more than a few scrapes. He gives a chuckle.
Perhaps I'm just not patient enough to deal with such things.
Astella follows everyone into the new area and goes to examine the door.
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The two of them smell like smoked meat.
Astella hears 2, perhaps 3 people in the room beyond the door. What exactly is spoken of, she can't quite make out.
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"I suppose this means we should go and introduce ourselves," Estelle answers, looking at her scorched waterskin somewhat remoreseful, but it had been the best she'd come up with.
Rest in pieces, waterskin. Songs would be sung of your valor!
When everyone is ready, she opens the door and looks inside.
Astella motions to everyone that there are people on the other side, and then steps back as Estelle takes over.
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Estelle pushes open the door, which sends a metal object set behind it rolling. The noise attracts the attention of three men, who look towards the door.
Estelle sees similar attire, though a bit diverse from, to the outfit the man with the dog was wearing. Two carry a whistle, the third does not.
The 3rd's nose is slightly crooked.
She recognizes them as the remaining three of the quartet from the inn.
Only the man with the dog is not among them.
The room itself looks like an archive, with bookcases against its walls.
A few glowing lanterns light the room.
The most muscular of them, a man with black short hair and sporting a beard that could rival a dwarf's beard, speaks up. He seems less surprised by your arrival.
"Ah. I was informed we had other people searching this place. On top of another group that was met earlier. You're too late though, we arrived here first, so you can move along."
He says this in a neutral, but firm manner.
”Place is big enough for all. And besides, how would ye know how long we’ve been here? Would ye leave if it was longer?” She said with crossed arms. ”And nice beard, by the way.”
Place is big enough for all. And besides, how would ye know how long we’ve been here?
"Big enough for sightseeing. But when it comes to sorting through a find, not the place specifically, first come first served."
"I am fairly certain we were in this place before you were.
If you come all the way here, you couldn't have missed the occassional dead vermin, for one. Lookout for another."
Would ye leave if it was longer?
"That, miss, entirely depends on circumstances. Right now, though, first salvage is ours, anything left when we're done is yours to search."
Dead? You mean the very much alive bats and... spiders.. we had to fight? Perhaps we reached this spot from different paths, which could mean we entered at similar times... though I wouldn't argue that you have first rights to anything in this room, or others you have passed through. Daniel tries to reach a common ground.
”Aye. We can leave ye here in this room. Though ye’ll need to show the same courtesy.”
Astella shrugs, not interfering with them, but moving into the room to see if there are other exits, and then seeing one, moving towards it. If they try to interfere with her she says
Watch yourselves. You are here first, and I'm not interfering with you, but I'm headed that way. If you try to stop me, we'll have a fight on our hands.
Astella sees no other exit, as she gets to the center of the room.
Dead? You mean the very much alive bats and... spiders.. we had to fight? Perhaps we reached this spot from different paths, which could mean we entered at similar times... though I wouldn't argue that you have first rights to anything in this room, or others you have passed through.
"You must've entered a different passage than we did, at the intersection. Prior to that, however, that'd be us."
Aye. We can leave ye here in this room. Though ye’ll need to show the same courtesy.
The man nods slightly. "Then all is well."
Watch yourselves. You are here first, and I'm not interfering with you, but I'm headed that way. If you try to stop me, we'll have a fight on our hands.
Having said that, Astella notices a look in the guy's eyes as she comes closer to the center of the archives. Somehow an unease as if staring at someone twice her size. He still is a head taller than she is, but all the same.
"A piece of advice. Be careful whom you speak boldly to. There are people who'd not maintain civility."
He grabs a thick book and looks in it, while his comrades skim through a few tomes.
Meanwhile, Estelle, stricken by running into the same guys twice - even if it should have been expected -, throws an uneasy glance at Serena behind her.
She did the math in her head: '4-1-1= ... 3?'
That either meant this group of four soldiers wasn't a group of four soldiers, or that they'd dug out the hogtied guy from the chest. And if the latter were the case, they'd probably want revenge on the dwarf the moment she stepped into view. Had Serena's group also broken his nose? She couldn't well remember.
It felt like this alliance was getting more complicated by the second, even if Serena and co seemed like much friendlier people than these military guys.
Fortunately, the others seemed to be taking tow on negotiations for now.
She decides to step forward slightly to see into the room. "Sure. I don't mind your right of first salvage. We're here for the race and probably looking for different things than you anyway. Huh. The archive looks pretty well-maintained for a lost temple..."
In truth, she had no clue to that. She just wanted to quickly check the room for other exits.
And without one, and Serena right behind them, it seemed a fight was inevitable.
Unsure what to do, she glances to the others.
Astella sees nothing, and although she is seething from the threats, she walks back out of the room, not wanting to start a fight.
Where to now?
None of the men make motion to stop anyone from leaving.
Serena was wondering what was going on, why did Estelle show a doubting face, looking into the room, then back at her?
(thought bubble: Tha's wha' happens when a shield kisses someone's nose)
Serena takes a slight peek around the corner, and immediately steps back into the corridor, out of sight.
"Huh, guess one of em mus' have scou'ed and found his buddy. For our sake, i'll be where i am now."
--------------------
The Beard finds a book he finds interesting, and puts it and a scroll in his backpack.
The medium length blonde haired man of the trio lets out a small "Ah!", and finds a finely crafted candle holder. He shows it to The Beard, who nods approvingly and it is put into the blonde man's pack.
The Beard calls out to you. "We're done. You lot can search if you want." You hear books closing and boots starting to walk towards the corridor.
"They're coming back! Quick - What do we do? That nose guy is the one Serena's group attacked and bound earlier. If he sees her, it's a fight. Either she has to run all the way back by herself, or we try jumping them here. I don't see other options."
She says, tightening the grip on her halbard, and looking to the others. "Personally... I say we fight. I like Serena and her team more than them."
Serena looks at Estelle.
"Yes, i saw.
I'm fine one way or another. Bu' i can easily make i' towards the other room before they would see me. Or hide on the plateau behind the pillars a' minimum."
When Estelle starts speaking softly, Astella leans in to hear. She responds:
These are some of the ones that were going to hurt the bard. I won't initiate hostilities, but if they do, I'm not against taking them down. Let them see.
Estelle looks at Astella and slowly nods.
"Then we'll get ready. If it comes to it, don't hold back."
She waits to see what happens when the other group sees Serena. If they appear hostile to her, especially when they draw their weapons or threaten her, she strikes first rather than answering. Talking was fine and all but given how unfriendly these other people were and how likely it was that this third guy would want revenge, in addition to them being military hardasses, they'd have to grab any advantage they could get.
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The Beard looks towards the two others.
"You were just asking for trouble before. I won't look for you if you do so again."
*grumble grumble*, comes from the crooked nosed guy.
The blonde guy merely nods.
Brunhild and Daniel see The Beard drop a glare at the guy, whose grumbling ceases.
Them not knowing any of you recognized their sign language, he makes a few gestures, which Daniel recognizes as general meaning of Calm. Walk. No. Fight. Start.
From the words, and specifically the tone of how he says this, you get the impression these guys are only a cooperating group, with the beard as lead man. The Beard doesn't seem to appreciate reckless behavior.
The three walk with sheathed weapons.
The Beard walks out of the room first, followed by the blonde haired guy.
The moment crooked nose comes into the doorway, he sees a glimpse of Serena. He holds pace and leans slightly right to see clearly, then recognizes her.
While you see anger in his eyes and his nostrils flare, causing him discomfort clearly, the number of people around him, as well as the berating he got prior, he seems to keep his anger in check. He hastens is pace to be keep up with the other two.
Serena keeps silent, not wanting to needlessly provoke something.
Once they are gone, Astella casts Detect Magic and moves back into the room to see if they missed anything.
See, we can all get along, even if we don't particularly like one another. I'm glad it didn't come to blows, I don't think this competition is worth bloodshed... I've seen plenty of that truth be told. He shakes his head and breathes a sigh of relief as the group marches past. Even if they had attacked, he wouldn't have felt -quite- right about fighting them.
Daniel will follow Astella, though he is more concerned with taking in the scenery, trusting his keen eyed companions to find anything of note.
There is something unusual about the section at the red line.
A faint discoloration, compared to most of the wall.
Detect magic pings on all lanterns present in the room.
The bookcases old a variety of old books and tomes.
Some are delicate, and pages flake off when turned. Some are sturdy and merely collected dust.
When the men are out of sight, Estelle breathes a sigh of relief. "It's a good thing that guy seems to fear his leaer more than he cares about getting even."
She follows the rest into the library and begins searching it.
"Hey... something's not quite right about this wall here..." Estelle mumbles, and pokes it with her reach weapon from a safe distance.
Astella is still studying the books to see if any look interesting or valuable as Estelle mentions the wall , so she just says
Hmm, maybe a secret door? Do you see anything that could be a latch or a trigger... odd indentation or anything sticking out a little maybe?
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Estelle searches the southern book cases, seeing a variety of literature and items such as small boards to keep open scrolls or paper for writing.
Nothing that sticks out, though.
There is a particular book on a top shelf, adorned by a thick layer of dust. There is no title on it, and the writing within is in a dialect.
Skimming through, it's something of a philosophical text, relating to the faith of the moon.
Astella goes for the west side. She ticks aside a book on occasion, to see its title. The books are in the common tongue.
There is another book, that is thinner than its neighbors and almost missed. It doesn't budge much, but when pulled, it only tilts partially, evoking a clicking sound, and the sound of stone sliding upon stone, coming from the dead end she saw prior.
Hey, excellent job. Seems you all are far better at ruin delving than I could hope to be. He gives a soft chuckle before walking over to the new, now open, doorway.
Brunhild finds an old scroll case tucked behind a row of books.
The scroll itself is one of CLW. A candleholder she finds collecting dust, is one of low grade silver. Polished it would be nice, perhaps even pawned off for half decent coin to the right buyer.
Daniel is first to move into the now open secret passage, it leading to an old door, which has fallen into disrepair, with a few holes in it to see into the room. It takes little to see it is mundane and not trapped or locked.
Serena follows Daniel, having not much to do otherwise.
The room is like a small working chamber, for writing and restoring items. A variety of tools and instruments lie on wall mounted shelves.
But most of all, on a pedestal, tilted like a speech table,
there lies a smaller tile, with a depiction of a crescent moon above a lake, seemingly only just completed, before the place was abandoned.
Brunhild moved along, searching for and collecting anything of value. She still held no hope for this competition, but if there was any profit to be made then they would have it. She stopped though, when they came across what they were after. The elusive, mythical, legendary...tile. Her eyes widened, as a flutter of hope entered her heart. A dangerous thing, hope. It didn't always die easily, but when it did, it was crushing. It made hope both a very useful and dangerous thing to have.
Daniel's eyes flow around the room until he spies the tile.
Oh. Interesting. He says as he moves towards it.
As both Daniel and Serena see the tile, both move to get to it. Serena's only the slightest bit quicker a start.
"Dibs!"
Se wipes off the dust that is on it. Observing the picture on it, she nods approvingly.
"The association of i' aside, no' too shabby made."
She opens her own pack, and places the tile in it.
She looks back up to Daniel.
"Well, we now both go' wha' we came here for.
Now jus' to find my friends."
As everyone makes their way back,
An altar near the wall, while pretty mundane at first sight, looks a little different in color, compared to the wall it seemingly is connected to.
An inconspicuous button is just behind the base.