Looking up from the payroll box, Tyndal will let the other two decide on if we take it or not.
"I guess its time to hit the crapper"
T'would be wrong to steal from the mouths of people earning a living, but if we find that this operation harbors a darker professional lifestyle then we can come back and take the box, using the gold to lessen the hardship of others in need.
Yes, to the latrine it is.
"I guess its time to hit the crapper"
Looking up from the payroll box, Tyndal will let the other two decide on if we take it or not.
"I guess its time to hit the crapper"
Seann drops the papers back onto the desk. "There isn't anything here. I'm loath to agree, but I fear ...we must check the, erm, privies for some sort of ...secret doors. Or something."
Harven trusts more to his stealth ability than to his climbing ability, and so would attempt to go through, rather than over (especially given his difficulty in climbing aboard the ship earlier).
Neri stops talking to Eldin mid-sentence, whipping her head back and forth as if attempting to detect something. “Did you see that?,” she asks .
Her brother responds with a negative, adding, “Seeing things again, eh Sis?”
“Shut it Jera. Oh well, I don’t hear anything anyhow, especially with your jabbering.” She turns to Eldin, “Did you see it?”
Meanwhile, Harven slips quietly around the small group and through the double doors into the compound. Just prior to secreting himself within, he daringly throws rabbit ears behind Neri’s head in full view of Eldin.
While this is occurring, Anders continues to wander the streets, pondering the significance of mimes and desperately attempting to plunder the inner secrets of Sassarine’s engineering designs.
The second door, unlocked, opens smoothly into what is most definitely the privy.
Surprisingly, when you first enter, the stench isn’t as bad as you imagined, though this may be because the opening into the sitting area is nailed down tight. Located within the modest 5 foot by 5 foot room is a stone commode, a washbasin, and an open, torn ledger.
Looking closer, you see several strong metal clamps hold the commode in place, slightly scummy water partially fills the washbasin, and though the ledger is bereft of writing, fully half of its pages are missing.
Heh, seems a harsh paper for ones delicate regions *gesturing towards the Ledger*. I think Mr. Crowbar may need to make a repeat appearance....
“Er, sorry, see what my dear?” Eldin asks. “I was just about to look for my companions, I must have missed it. Now, where were they…” Eldin quickly turns away, and rolls his eyes. Right, well Harven was in anyway. Eldin scans up and down the road by the canal, seeing if he can spot Anders.
These are cumulative:
Spot DC 10:
Spot DC 15:
Spot DC 20:
Having successfully crept inside, Harven will try to find a hiding spot within sight of the door, waiting for his companions to make their way in.
spot=14
Look, there are deep 2-inch gouges in the wood, roughly chest high on opposite sides of the doorframe. Wonder if a beast may have made these...knowledge:nature=6 If so, I can't ID them....
"Yeah, I see em."
Tyndal slings his shield and sets the lamp at the far end of the room (or alternatively hands it to one of the others). He pulls out the crowbar and gets to work on the privy.
The recently greased clamps swing out easily, eliciting a sharp squeal of protest from the iron hinges securing the backside of the commode to the floor. The pedestal quickly resettles, though now a tiny gap exists between the floor and the base of the dais.
A malodorous fume blows out from the crack, causing the lamp flame to gutter and spew thick puffs of soot.
The recently greased clamps swing out easily, and the iron hinges on the back of the commode briefly squeal in protest as the pedestal resettles.
Seann blinks. "Well. I wasn't expecting ... that ... to happen. Whoever designed this place was clearly disturbed in the head."
Truer words were never spoken.
Terin pulls out his scimitar and stands ready, saying "Looks like you almost got it Seann, just a bit more...."
A few trial attempts are enough to glean that it will take two of you to push it backwards, and it will need some propping up if you intend to keep it that way (the room not being large enough to accommodate completely flop the dais over).
There appears to be a large opening beneath the pedestal, but it is difficult to make out at this time. What does become easier to distinguish is the deep line gouged into the floor beneath the commode, leading into the opening.
Terin pulls out his scimitar and stands ready, saying "Looks like you almost got it Seann...
Tyndal will attempt to prop it open with the crowbar.
Looking at the deep line, is it worked into the stone or does it look like a rough scrape?
"I'll be back in just a moment," Eldin tells the siblings.
"Anders! Anders! Are you around?"
Anders, who has been pondering the possibilities of climbing under a bridge, realizes that somewhere not too far away, someone is calling his name.
He looks back down the block toward where he and Eldin had been waiting for the rest of the party, and sees Eldin looking around for him.
Anders heads back to the alley. Along the way, he pauses to make a count of just how many mimes are visible to him at the moment.
Heading towards the alley mouth, Eldin sees Anders walking quickly back towards him, apparently looking around and counting quietly under his breath.
Ensuring that they are out of earshot of the two guards, the cleric quickly appraises Anders of the situation and then, assuming the other man is willing, heads back towards the depot gates, intending to meet Harven once inside.
"Yes, let's go."
Working together, Seann and Tyndal manage to force the stone block backwards while Terin stands ready, primed to react should something nefarious leap out and devour his comrades. Bracing the now elevated commode with Tyndal’s crowbar, you can now clearly see a very recent line scored into the floor, made by a rounded, straight, but thin object. The line begins just before the edge of where the block rests, and leads directly into the hole in the floor. Similar but flatter gouges also appear on the sides of the hole, as if someone had attempted to jam an object into the opening in the stonework. The hole itself doesn’t match the construction around you, appearing to be much older stonework, perhaps part of the original construction repurposed. You can hear the sound of running water below, and a wet, rank odor swells up from the cavity.
As Seann, Tyndal, and Terin are lifting the block inside; at the gate, the twins peer about warily, then clandestinely permit Anders and Eldin to pass through. As you go by, Jera adds, “Be careful, and be quick! When it gets dark the workers will report for shift, and I don’t want to be forced to explain how you got inside.”
Once inside, they begin peering about intently for their errant Gnome compatriot.
Hey Seann, is there any magic you could use to maybe remove some of the disgusting matter that seems abundant in the hole? A minor Prestidigation would probably suffice. I am reticent to descend and cover myself in excrement due to the simple fact that if there is anything to encounter down there I would like them to not detect us by our odiferous emanations.
Bending over to peer into the roughly four foot opening (as it’s only as high as Tyndal’s crowbar) of jagged stone, you see a slimy rope service ladder descending into darkness.
Tyndal grimaces, but is ready to descend into the filth.
"We should get the others. I've heard tales of giant albino gators in these sewers. Be best to have the rest of the group if we're going in. Besides, I don't want to be the only one covered in sh$t if I can help it"
He looks at his crowbar, which he doesn't want to leave behind.
"Need to find some boards or something to prop this thing up"
I'll check the warehouse for some boards or small crates that we could use to prop open the device.
Seann, if you would, I REALLY don't want to climb down a slimy, crap-covered rope ladder. If you know the spell, cast it and please get that thing cleaned up, at least. I know we will be slogging through the $hit but I don't want to roll about in it, or have my hands covered in it.
You locate several pallets lying about that come apart easily enough. With some grunt work, you should be able to shove enough of them underneath to prop it up about 3 feet.
I REALLY don't want to climb down a slimy, crap-covered rope ladder.
Once inside the compound, Eldin looks around the desolate yard, seeking out their elusive gnomish companion, or any sign of the rest of the group.
“I would suppose they headed that way,” he says to Anders, indicating the open door of the warehouse building with a nod of his head.
“Now, from what I have gleaned from the gate guards, Vanthus and his companions have been within this compound lately – and have not emerged, at least not through the front gates. Workers have also been disappearing lately – the guards fear sewer monsters, but I am wondering if they may not have fallen afoul of this smuggling ring we suspect Vanthus to be funding.”
Hey Seann, is there any magic you could use to maybe remove some of the disgusting matter that seems abundant in the hole? A minor Prestidigation would probably suffice. I am reticent to descend and cover myself in excrement due to the simple fact that if there is anything to encounter down there I would like them to not detect us by our odiferous emanations.
"Ask and you shall receive." Seann smirks, making a sweeping motion with his hands. Much of the filth disappears.
Hey Seann, is there any magic you could use to maybe remove some of the disgusting matter that seems abundant in the hole? A minor Prestidigation would probably suffice. I am reticent to descend and cover myself in excrement due to the simple fact that if there is anything to encounter down there I would like them to not detect us by our odiferous emanations."Ask and you shall receive." Seann smirks, making a sweeping motion with his hands. Much of the filth disappears.
Once inside the compound, Eldin looks around the desolate yard, seeking out their elusive gnomish companion, or any sign of the rest of the group.
“I would suppose they headed that way,” he says to Anders, indicating the open door of the warehouse building with a nod of his head.
“Now, from what I have gleaned from the gate guards, Vanthus and his companions have been within this compound lately – and have not emerged, at least not through the front gates. Workers have also been disappearing lately – the guards fear sewer monsters, but I am wondering if they may not have fallen afoul of this smuggling ring we suspect Vanthus to be funding.”
Harven appears to almost materialize right out of the shadows in front of you. "Sounds likely" he says in response to Eldin. "This Vanthus character sounds capable of anything really. Let's go." As he heads off towards the warehouse.
Eldin tries not to jump at the sudden appearance of the whisper gnome – it was little wonder that the stealthy fellow had managed to slip his way through the guarded gates.
Following the gnome through the open doorway, Eldin surveys the maze of aisles and stacked crates in the dim light. “We’ll probably need a lamp,” he mutters, noticing several half full oil lamps resting just inside the doorway, and picking one up. “Now, which way might they have gone?”
There appears to be two main aisles, to the left and right, although Eldin considered the possibility that his companions may have slipped through one of the narrow passageways between the stacks. Keeping half an ear out for any sounds of his distant companions , Eldin begins examining the area for any tell-tale boot prints or other signs of passage that might help tell whether the others went left or right.
Once inside the compound, Eldin looks around the desolate yard, seeking out their elusive gnomish companion, or any sign of the rest of the group.
“I would suppose they headed that way,” he says to Anders, indicating the open door of the warehouse building with a nod of his head.
“Now, from what I have gleaned from the gate guards, Vanthus and his companions have been within this compound lately – and have not emerged, at least not through the front gates. Workers have also been disappearing lately – the guards fear sewer monsters, but I am wondering if they may not have fallen afoul of this smuggling ring we suspect Vanthus to be funding.”
"Indeed. I caught sight of a bridge over a canal nearby, and was wondering if there might be some tunnels under it large enough to fit a small boat. I do wander what Vanthus is up to. Let's find our companions and see if they have uncovered anything."
Harven appears to almost materialize right out of the shadows in front of you. "Sounds likely" he says in response to Eldin. "This Vanthus character sounds capable of anything really. Let's go." As he heads off towards the warehouse.
"Quiet as a field mouse, our Harven."
While the sound of voices and pallet breaking doesn’t carry this far (at least, not to your ears), fortuitously enough Eldin locates several sets of footprints in the light sawdust of the otherwise undisturbed flagstone floor, heading down the right fork. The left path holds a single set of tracks, accompanied by an unpleasant fishy odor.
Seann smirks, making a sweeping motion with his hands. Much of the filth disappears.