Jack after a bit goes to work on the door, pulling picks out he spends a few seconds and looks back and shrugs.
"It's creepy that it's locked after all this time and supposed vandalism." Briar Rose says, highly suspect of this whole entire situation. She trades her glaive for shield and scimitar in case she needs to shove her way betwixt the ranger and... whatever lies beyond. "By dawn's light I banish shadow, by serene grace I unbind sorrow, by starlight's path I call the spirits home..." She mutters a short prayer under her breath, hoping to stave off the worst of the curses they are no doubt calling down upon themselves. "Oh dear... I was always more useful against corporeal bad guys..."
"Okay, I got this. I'm telling you." He goes back to work.
"Ugh! Are you kidding me?!" He tries again.
"Argh! I hate this &*^$ door!" He growls between clenched teeth and wants to destroy the door. He wants to hit and kick it, but he knows that'll just hurt. He takes a moment, waits until he's calmed down some, and then attempts it once again.
"Okay. I'm gonna get it this time. If I don't, we burn it all down. Just sayin'." The none-to-pleased ranger takes a deep breath, and attempts it once more, this time with feeling.
As he works the lock, he feels he's pretty close. With one eye nearly squinting as he thinks he's just about got it, he hears that *click* sound and the door opens. With a mighty fist pump, "HECK YEAH! FIRST TRY! I told you I had it!" Mighty proud of himself, "You all didn't think I could do it, did you? I saw the look of doubt on each of your faces, OH YEAH! Never doubt Jack Ryder. He always comes through in the end, m-kay? It's okay, though, all is forgiven," he says with a mighty grin, winking. "Okay! Let's go check this place out."
Briar Rose enters the room from outside Fortunately that door was unaffected by whatever occurred. She utters a prayer as Jack goes to work on the door. Carla and Qincey stand outside in the foyer watching whats going on.
Long seconds go by as jack tries to unlock it, and finally he feels the lock give way and he stands and tries to open the door, and some supernatural force keeps it from moving....Carla knows in a few seconds her lights will wink out.
Pushing the door, Jack finds only resistance. "What?! Are you freaking kidding me?!" Shaking his head in frustration, he turns to the others. "Well, now what? Should we try another door?"
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Carla says "Well, it's usually a bad sign if there's a supernatural force keeping doors from open. You can try other doors, but maybe there's something in this room that needs to happen to unlock the doors."
She renews her lights spell and starts to search the room. She says "Lawrence, don't just stand there, help me."
Nodding, "Another door it is then. Time to get to work."
Jack moves to the door to their right and checks it over before attempting to unlock it.
And again...
*click* he hears once again. "Got this one. Let's see what this one does, shall we?" Jack attempts to open the door, wondering if this one is going to shut in his face.
Jack moves across the room and as he is working on the lock, he hears all the doors unlock ...Carla enters the room and looks around, seeing nothing unusual. Only Quincey remains outside.
Opening the door, Jack looks into an area with a podium separated from another area by a chain link mesh screen..
Raising an eyebrow as every door unlocks itself, "Okay, this place is weird. I'm starting to think we are allowed to unlock what we unlock." With his sunrod in hand, Jack steps inside the room, extending the sunrod in front of him.
Looking around to the depth that he can, "We gotta big empty room in here," he tells the others. "Looks like they might have held meetings in this room."
Several rows of wooden benches, all spotted with mold and sagging with neglect, face a stage walled off from the rest of the room by a wall of iron bars. There are multiple doors exiting from the 'auditorium' 4, 2 on either side beyond the mesh fence. then 1 more straight across from Jack.
"And we've got more doors and a wall of iron bars that we can't get through." Cracking his neck, "Oh yeah, this place is gonna be a challenge. I do love a good challenge. I'm gonna try the only door I can in here." Jack checks it for traps, then checks to see if it is unlocked, and if it isn't, then he works on it with his tools.
Concentrating a little better this time...
"Got another door open, I think, anyway." Looking back to the others, "You all wanna check it out? Whaddaya say?"
Balurk immediately walks in to the room and takes a look around.
Jack moves over to this door and notices it is quite stronger than the others. Its entirely of metal. a very complex locking mechanism is on it.
Balurk moves in and looks around, looking at the podium, and seeing noting of note. just a sense of age.
Trying to open the door, he realizes he did not get it open. "Nope. Never mind."
He attempts it a few more times...
Shaking his head, "Yeah, I'm not getting past this door. It's way more complex than the normal ones. This one is beyond my capabilities." Looking around, he shrugs. "I'm gonna go check what's behind another door. At least they're unlocked. If either of you finds anything of interest, let me know," he says to Balurk and Barek.
He's just about to leave before he realizes Barek will be left in the dark. "Hey, Barek, you want my sunrod?" he offers. "I've got another. And I can use Carla's lights." Whether or not he takes him up on his offer, Jack moves back into the other room and checks out another door.
"This door looks safe to me. But just in case, you all might want to step back. No sense in all of us getting blown up." Jack will open the door as soon as everyone else is in the clear.
"Balurk, you seem like they type of fellow that dislikes doors." Briar Rose observes. "Maybe there's a key in an office or something."
Barek shakes himself, realizing he wasn't as over the images of flaming ghosts coming for him as he thought. "No, no, I'm good. Let's just try to stick together. I'm hoping the doors don't try that nasty trick with some of us on the other side..."
Saying such, he steps back and lets Jack open the door, ready to advance.
Balurk stands looking around as Jack leaves him in the dark after offering the sunrod, but Balurk knows he can see fine as the Kellid Trapper leaves. As Jack remarks on the balls of light, Carla knows she has to renew it again or they wink out.
Jack goes to the first door going into the auditorium from the other side of the mesh. It opens easily enough.
Balurk sees Jack struggles with the metal door, and the meathead got an idea. An incredible idea.
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Balurk takes a look at the large door, walks away, then roars and charges at it,
He slammed hard into the metal door…but didn’t seem to do anything to it. The orc stumbled back, a little dazed.
“Balurk tough…door…tougher…”
"Oh dear." Briar Rose winces as Balurk attacks the door. She pats his shoulder. "There there. It was a nice try, dear. I'm sure you scared away any spooks waiting for us on the other side."
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Carla renews her dancing lights spell.
Carla furrows her brow and says "As much as I enjoy watching you be deterred by a piece of metal, how about we exhaust all the other easier ways before we hurt ourselves on this. My recommendation as a healer is that the best healing is not getting hurt in the first place."
She complements "I think Barek is right. It will be much better to find an office with keys somewhere." She thinks for a moment, then says "But a set of keys could be found in the warden's little house outside." She does remember how fragile it is, and says "Maybe we can find something if we don't disturb the foundations too much. Perhaps the help of someone very very small. Like the size of a rat?" She strokes Lawrence's head.
Barek stops and thinks for a moment, then postulates, "While it is possible the key is in the Warden's house, I think it is more likely he had it on him when the fire consumed the building. It is a good idea," he offers up, "but this place is already oppressive enough, and I'm not sure it would take kindly to letting us leave and return."
He steps past Jack, walking through the door just opened and looking around. Unfortunately, his choice of spells did not include light sources this morning, so he cannot see to the end of the room he finds himself in.
Balurk tried to force the door down with brute strength and found this door to be very secure. Briar Rose nodded at his attempt.
Carla came in and looked at the podium and beyond the wire mesh the benches and came to the realization this is likely where the Waren might make general announcements to the prisoners, or where a priest could over a service to the inmates without being able to be assaulted. She brought her lights in with her, which made it easier to see as Barek entered the side with the benches and looked around. but he couldnt see into the depths of the room.
Jack stood in the doorway with Quincey a little behind, and as Barek mentioned the prison not liking it if they leave, Quincey gave a glance at the open doorway leaving with in trepidation.
Barek takes out one of his own sunrods and cracks it against the ground, before holding it high and taking a good look around the room and at the seats, holding his rapier in his dominant hand.
Barek activated the sunrod as he moved towards the front center of the room. suddenly he felt the temperature drop severely. it became freezing cold.
Everyone watching could see frost form in a circle around where Barek stood.
Quincey enters the room after Barek to see if he can assist in any way.
Quincey walks in and looks at where Barek is, and see's hes not restrained at all. Hes not sure if its a trap? or a spirit like thing...a Haunt?, but it seems to be centered on an area where prisoners might've had to stand to be 'punished'
Jack moves in and looks curiously at Barek. "What the...?!?! Yeah, Barek, do what Carla said! Get the heck out of that thing! You're gonna freeze to death, buddy!"
Barek quickly steps out of the circle, teeth chattering, and hands shaking. He stows his sword and rod, missing the sheathe once, then claps his hands together to get some feeling back. "W-w-well, I'm s-s-s-s-surprised to s-s-see that magic is s-still working." He shakes himself off and keeps rubbing circulation back into his limbs until he can feel everything again.
He clears his throat, and looks warily around. "It doesn't look like there is anything else in here, I say let's move onwards."
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Briar Rose gives Barek a biiiiiiiiig hug to warm him up. "Sarenrae offers her warmth!"
The group gathers at the far doors in the auditorium, making the decision whether to go through them or go back to one of the other doors where the doors slammed shut.
Briar Rose gives Barek a biiiiiiiiig hug to warm him up. "Sarenrae offers her warmth!"
Looking at the doors next to them, "I guess I ought to check out these doors real quick. Or do you all think we should go back to the main hall and go through one of those doors?" he asks, pondering which to do first. "You know, there are a lot of stinking doors in this place. Way too many, if you ask me."
Shaking his head, "These doors look perfectly fine to me. I am 100% confident neither of these is trapped." Turning to the others, "So, what do you all think? These doors or the main entrance doors?"
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Carla says "Well, if you're sure, open them!"
She says "An old building that burned down is unlikely to have working traps in their doors. Also, I don't think that's how a prison operates. Traps are meant for unguarded doors. This place was guarded, I can guarantee it."
As the others discuss, Carla starts to have some philosophical questions. She asks to whoever would care to indulge her "Say, if we were to carry a torch, how would that affect the spirits of this place. They are clearly trying to escape the fire and, until we figure out how to free these spirits, do you think they'd react in a particular way if they see fire? I mean, do you think they'd run away from it? Or charge it with all their, uhmmm... might?" She looks at Lawrence and she swears he shrugged.
At the mention of doors, the orc immediately asks, "You want Balurk to break down more doors?"
At the mention of doors, the orc immediately asks, "You want Balurk to break down more doors?"
Shrugging, "Works for me, buddy. Let's see if it opens first, though. If not, you can bust it down all you want." Jack will test the door directly across from Barek.
Briar Rose gives Barek a biiiiiiiiig hug to warm him up. "Sarenrae offers her warmth!"
Barek is a bit stiff, not expecting the hug, then tries to return it as best he can with his hands full. "Thank you, Briar Rose, that is much appreciated. I hope Sarenrae is watching over us as we continue through this cursed place."
"Say, if we were to carry a torch, how would that affect the spirits of this place. They are clearly trying to escape the fire and, until we figure out how to free these spirits, do you think they'd react in a particular way if they see fire? I mean, do you think they'd run away from it? Or charge it with all their, uhmmm... might?"
Turning to look back their way, Barek posits, "It will probably depend on the individual spirit, though I expect the ones that are still about are the more hate-filled and vengeful minded. They'll likely charge and still be," he swallows around his suddenly dry mouth, "on fire."
Jack will test the door directly across from Barek.
As Jack opens the door, Barek steps forward again, poking his sunrod through the opening. He steps cautiously inside looking around and stopping a few feet from the entrance. "It looks like the fire ravaged this part of the building well, there are scorch marks all over the floor."
Barek walks in after Jack opens the door and light from the late morning sun is shining into the room from the far side. The northeast wall of this room has partially fallen, revealing the dark, murky waters of the pond outside. Moldering training dummies and other similar equipment hint that this room may have once been a training area for the guards. In the northeast part of the room, the floor around a dark, jagged hole is
surrounded by black scorch marks. Smoke damage is apparent everywhere.
Briar Rose pulls Barek into the sunlight, weak though it may be in Ustalav. "There you go, sweetie! Let Sarenrae wash all that icky ghosty coldness off of you." She seems to be more preoccupied with saving the souls of the still-living from the darkness of the dilapidated building than finding answers to the mystery surrounding them. Nevertheless, she beams at Barek, satisfied, and brushes off his robes, as if evil spirits could simply be waved away like so much dust.
Jack follows after Barek, stopping right next to him and looking about. "What have we got here, hm? Looks like a big empty room to me. Well, outside of that pit over there. I'm gonna go check it out. C'mon, this'll be fun." He winks, giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder with the back of his hand.
Moving up near the pit, Jack peers within, holding his sunrod out in front of him, wondering how far he can see down. "Looks like a pretty deep hole. I guess it can't be too deep, right? I mean, I don't know."
Jack moves to the edge of the pit and looks down, and Carla directs her globes of light over the pit and starting down a few feet as her vision allows from her vantage point. The pit yawns over the basement cells of the Prison. This cavernous chamber may have once been an underground
cellblock, but it has long since collapsed. The crumbled walls are thick with mold and stained with soot, and heaps of fallen stones and charred wooden beams line the area. Water drips and seeps along the walls, collecting in a dark, murky pool in the middle of the room. Right below, the twisted remains of a wood and iron lift lie in a heap in a shallow portion of the pool. This jagged hole yawns twenty feet above this ruin. To the west, a partially blocked opening seems to open up after
several feet into a dark but stable tunnel.
A mere few seconds after the lights hover into the pit. The party see's
five humanoid heads rise silently and ominously into the air, bits of flesh still hanging from their faces and graying teeth clattering slightly as it bobs in the air. Suddenly they all ignite into flame.
Start Combat. Round 1
Initiative
25 Quincey
21 Carla
21 Lawrence
20 Briar Rose
17 Flaming Skulls (x5)
15 Balurk
13 Jack
13 Barek
Durations
Balurk The Jawbreaker AC:14 (Ff:11/Touch:13) CMD:16 HP:12/12
Saves: Fort+4, Ref+3, Will+1, Init: +3
Brawler 1 M Orc Perception +5,
Senses: Darkvision. Defenses: Ferocity, +2 vs Fear
Barek Noson AC16 (FF:13/Touch:13) CMD:13 HP10/10
Saves: FO:+3 RE:+3 WL:+3 Init: +3
1 Magus [Bladebound] m Human (Kellid)
Senses:Perception +1 Defenses:+2 vs fear, +4 Endurance
Briar Rose AC:18 (Ff:12/Touch:16) Cmd:16 HP12/12
Saves: FO:04 RE:03 WL:00 Init: +4
1 Warrior [Warrior] f human
Senses:Low-Light Defenses: +2 vs Death Effects, +1 dam from cold iron
Carla Hiibus AC:12(T-12/FF-10)CMD:12 HP:7/7
Saves:F:+3;R:+2;W:+3 Init:+2
Witch [Hedge] 1 F Human
Senses: normal. Defenses: None Perception: +1
Lawrence AC:15(T-15/FF-13)CMD:6 Trip:10 HP:3/3
Saves: F:+2 R:+4 W:+3 Init- On Carla's
Familiar T M Rat Magical Beast
Senses- Lowlight, Scent Defenses- Alertness, Improved Evasion. Perc:+1
Jack Ryder: AC:15 (FF:12/Touch:13) CMD:15 HP:11/11
Saves: Fort:+3 Ref:+5 Will:+3; Init:+3
1st level Ranger(Trapper); Male Human
Senses: Perception +5; Defenses: +2 vs death effects, +2 vs fear effects, +2 vs negative levels
Quincey Harker AC:14 (Ff:10/Touch:14) Cmd:15 HP:6/6
Saves: FO:+0 RE:+3 WL:+1 Init:+5
1 Adept M Dhampir
Senses: Darkvision 60ft; low-light vision 120ft Defenses: +2 saves v. disease and mind-affecting
vs
Flaming Skulls AC:13 (FF:12/Touch:13) CMD:8 (cant be tripped)
HP:9/9,9/9,9/9,9/9,9/9 Saves: FO:+1 RE:+1 WL:+2 Init:+1
1 HD Undead Tiny
Senses: Darkvision, Perception +0 Defenses: Immune to Fire, Undead Traits.
Briar Rose, with scimitar and shield in hand, doesn't hesitate to move up to protect the curious ranger from... whatever these are. "Don't worry, Jack! Sarenrae stands with us!" She's not the most scholastic of paladins, but these are clearly undead.
Before Barek has much chance to do anything, the skulls rise from the pit and burst into flame. Well, at least they're on fire, not me. Nonetheless, he extends his sword arm out a bit more, intending to keep them the full distance away from him through his blade.
The second Balurk sees the flaming skulls, he gives out a hearty laugh-shout, "Finally! Jaws to break!" and storms inside.
Balurk scans the skull closest to him, and swings his fist in a wide arch. Too wide in fact. In such his excitement he only punches the wind and does a small spin, looking confused once he stops.