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Beilin pulls at the door a moment after the loud noise comes from it and it swings open on creaky hinges. Within a few seconds another loud thunk echos out of the door and chunks of wood slide out from it from three sides, extending into the air. They obviously would have held it shut previously.
Beyond the door is a hallway that winds around to the left and right, ending in several different doors. The wailing seems to come from beyond the far eastern door(V20).
Manduzi peeks warily over Beilins shoulder and smiles."Shall we?"
"We shall....But after you naturally."
Beilin grips his quaterstaff with white knuckles a hint to his nervousness which he attempts to keep hidden behind a cool facade.
Naria pretty much happily skips into the hallway and begins to head down the corridor towards the sound of the wailing.
"Shall we gentlemen?" Velios adds as he walks up behind Beilin and Manduzi. "If you would like, I will go first." Velios suggests, seeing a hint of nervousness on Beilin's face. "Well, next to Naria I guess."
As the other party members check out the next room, Drosk composes the bodies of Gerol and Vark as best as he can and administers last rites. As he finishes his prayers, he hears Beilin call out:
"You coming mate?"
Scanning the room one last time, the dwarf priest hurries up the stairs to join the other party members as they leave the trap-studded chamber to advance down the hallway toward the sound of wailing.
Velios walks up to the left side of the door readying his guisarme and motioning to Manduzi to check out the door.
Naria simply walks over to the door and knocks
Manduzi smiles"Of course Velios." he declares as he springs nimbly to the door before kneeling. His eyes search the door for any traps. After determining to the best of his abilities it's safe, he leans his rapier against the door and pulls out his tools to pick the lock.
perception
disable device
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When Naria knocks at the door the wailing goes completely silent for a moment, and then a man's voice cries out with an obvious madness to it. "Get back, angry bones! I know you, you are a trick! A trick of the dead one, the dead one who speaks!"
When Manduzi looks at the door, it doesn't appear to be trapped in any way, but the lock is obviously one of quality. It is within his skill to pick, but it will take a great deal of concentration to manage to get it undone.
As he looks over the door for traps, Manduzi will notice that there are breaks in the light from the inside along the edges which suggests that the door is probably barred from within.
Upon hearing the man's shouts from the other side of the door, Drosk is momentarily taken aback, and then begins to ponder the situation.
"You know," he comments to the others as Manduzi examines the door, "Gerol and Vark were killed at the entrance to the crypt, and from the pillows in those pits in the last chamber it's pretty obvious that more townsfolk were here. Do you think maybe that another of our neighbors is behind this door? Does anyone recognize the voice?"
"I can assure you that I'm A, not angry bones B, a trick or C, the dead one who speaks I'm Naria I'm from the village which i'm guessing you are from as well."
"What is your name? I am Velios. We are a group from Kassen. Please unlock the door so we can help."
This is Turning out quite odd indeed Beilin thinks to himself while concentrating on the voice from behind the locked door for any hint of deception.
When his initial attempt fails he turns quietly to the rest of the group and whispers through a sullen frown." I can pick this thing if I take a little time but it looks like it's barred from inside so we're not getting in unless he lets us." Standing now and sheathing his rapier he leans against the door and clears his throat." What you've heard is true, We are neither angry bones, a trick, or talking dead." He scratches his chin for a moment before continuing." We're here to carry the light of the Everflame back to Kassen. If you'd let us in we'll do our best to help you friend."
Diplomacy
"In Torag's holy name, we speak the truth!" Drosk shouts through the barred door. "I am Drosk Ironhame. If you are from Kassen, then you know of my uncle, Braggar the blacksmith, and that I serve at the temple with Father Prasst. Please. Open the door and let us help you."
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The man goes quiet again as you start to talk to him again, trying to gauge his intentions. There is a real madness in his voice that comes through as he speaks, even as he tries to sound calm. "Who... Who are you? What do you want? Why do you spirits taunt me so?"
Manduzi and Beilin
Naria and Drosk
Naria turns to the others and whispers in a low voice. "I think were going to have to talk him out otherwise he is going to try and shoot us. He is most certainly not playing with a full deck of cards if you know what I mean."
"Roldare..." He begins, recognizing the urgency of the situation With Naria's warning. "We are not Spirits. Wouldn't spirits simply walk through this door if they wanted to get to you?" He inquires softly" No, We are from The Village." He emphasizes the end of the statement." Kassen." He clarifies. " Your home." He says strongly, hoping to make something click within the mind of the man behind the door." We are friends of the Mayor, just as you are Roldare." He is nearly pleading with the door in front of him.
He clears his throat and adjusts his Collar." Now, What we want is for you to open the door for us so that we can help you."
diplomacy
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Roldare's voice begins to pick up in pace and wildness again as you try and convince him you are flesh and blood "Not spirits of bone, not the one who speaks, this door holds them well, it has for days!!! 1, 2, 3, 4, I don't even know how many, but days!"
He trails off however as you speak more of Kassen, growing quiet and almost subdued. He mumbles to himself as much as to you. "Home, yes home. You would be wise spirits to know of such things, much smarter then those who I have seen before. Perhaps you are true though, maybe you are here to save me! Me and Dimiria. Oh, poor Dimiria! He speaks to her now..."
The man takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling and then you can hear the scraping sound of things being moved from the other side of the door. [b]"If you are spirits, then I will make you regret this trickery! But if you can help, Dimiria... Take her back to Kassen... Then I will try."
After a moment of movement the door unlocks and slowly creaks open just a touch, revealing a gaunt wild-eyed man who most of you may have seen around the village a time or two. He holds a powerful looking crossbow in a trembling hand as he looks out at you through the crack.
" It is no trickery sir." He smiles as the door opens and he advances confidently into the room despite the bewildered look of the man." We have slain those shambling bones of which You Speak Roldare." He states, wearing his warmest smile he places a hand upon the shoulder of the troubled man." There is no need of the crossbow now, you may put it down my friend." He glances over the shoulder of the man and about the room." Now what of Dimiria? Is that your dear sister? Where is she?"
"Hey there Roldare, surely you recognize us, It's Beilin remember that time when you were up re-thatching the roof of your house and I "borrowed" your ladder." Beilin glances at the loaded crossbow after that statement, and gulps, maybe reminding him of that now is not the best idea.
"Did you say something about Dimira, is she here as well?"
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Roldare's hand clenches the crossbow, but he does lower it so the bolt points only at the ground. Asking him of Dimira causes tears to run down his face. "The voice of death in mail, it took her! I saw the others, they were cut down. It grabbed my sister, pulled her away! There was nothing I could do... I ran, locked in here. Been here a long time, I don't know how long now..." He shakes with a sob for a moment before looking up at you all again with the wild eyes. "Please, please, you must find her!"
Now that you are inside the room you can see that there are piles of some general supplies around. Stacks of bedrolls are against the wall, a pair of bullseye lanterns sits on the table next to 4 flasks of oil. A stack of rations and two potions with labels that say 'healing' also sit on the table.
"Do you have any idea where it may have taken her?"
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Roldare swallows and shakes his head slightly. "I don't, don't know where they came from. They set upon us at night while we were sleeping. I don't know where he went. I have not been here before, so I don't know much of the rest of the place. I heard the others speak of needing shields and keys, but I don't even know where those would be used..." He shudders a bit again, looking dejected as he realizes how little help he can really offer in her recovery.
Roldare swallows and shakes his head slightly. "I don't, don't know where they came from. They set upon us at night while we were sleeping. I don't know where he went. I have not been here before, so I don't know much of the rest of the place. I heard the others speak of needing shields and keys, but I don't even know where those would be used..." He shudders a bit again, looking dejected as he realizes how little help he can really offer in her recovery.
Seeing how dejected he looks at not being able to help much Naria decides to try and make him feel he is being more useful "Do you have any items here that would be able to help us out?" She asks pretending not to notice the items lying about the place.
Drosk clasps Roldare's shoulder in a comforting grip. "We will bring Dimiria back to you, and bring you both back to Kassen. You have my word on it, by Torag's Hammer and Forge," the dwarf priest solemnly swears as he looks into Roldare's eyes, attempting to convey a sense of peace to the troubled man.
"But we will need your help, Roldare," Drosk continues calmly. "We will need you to hold this room as our safe redoubt, should we need a place to rest and recuperate as we battle those who stand between us and Dimiria. I know that you are strong enough to do this for us, and for Dimiria, Roldare."
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The man nods his head quickly at Naria's request, motioning around. "Please, take anything you need, please. We were using this as the storage room, though many of our supplies haven't made it here. You can have anything you need if it will help you. Here..." He holds out the crossbow he had in his hands. "Even this, its yours, perhaps it will help you somehow."
Roldare slowly nods his head at Drosk's words, taking several slow and deep breaths, obviously trying to hold it together and keep himself in control. "Yes, ok. I will make sure you have this room if you need to fall back to it for any reason. If it helps Dimiria, I will do whatever you need."
The room contains:
6 Bedrolls
2 Bullseye Lanterns
4 Flasks of Oil
5 Days Rations
2 Potions Labeled Healing
1 Masterwork Light Crossbow(Roldare's)
10 Bolts
Naria will take two of the flasks of oil and if none of the others object one of the potions of healing
"Nah I don't need me any o' this. Well, maybe a bit o' that food and a nice bedroll"
"Velios, why don't you take the other healing potion," Drosk says as he hands the potion to the fighter.
Velios grabs the potion from Drosk. "Thanks, I'm going to need this if it is as bad as Roldare says." Velios looks over at Roldare and pats him on the shoulder. "We will do everything in our power to get Dimiria back."
Beilin grabs a bullseye lantern and the other two flasks of oil, filling the oil reservoir of the lantern and lighting the wick.
Beilin has become unusually quiet since they have entered the chamber, clearly he is affected by the dismal condition of Roldare, and the fate of Dimiria. He spends most of his time well away from the wildman eyes on the floor or walls.
Once everyone has taken the supplies they need, Drosk turns to the group and asks, "Well, shall we be off to find Dimiria? I daresay that time is of the essence. The only thing is - which way do we go from here?"
"Well If Roldare came this way to escape the undead they must have came from the other door in the entrance crypt."
"That makes sense Naria, still those other doors are considerably closer, maybe we should check them out on the way back, they might even connect to chambers or passages on the other side. Let's leave Roldare his weapon Drosk so that he can defend himself and this room."
Drosk draws Beilin away from the others and whispers so that Roldare cannot hear, "I don't want to leave him undefended, but I worry about leaving him with such a deadly weapon. If he slips back into his madness and forgets who we are - or that we have even been here - then he may present a greater danger to us when we return. Besides, that crossbow will be of little use against skeletons - he needs a bludgeoning weapon."
Drosk takes out his sling and remaining bullets as he returns to the rest of the group. "Roldare, we thank you for offering us the use of your fine crossbow. Please, take my sling and bullets to use in case you need to defend yourself while we are gone. We can trade our weapons back when we return."
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Roldare frowns, his brow furrowing as he tries to remember something he obviously doesn't want to think about. "I don't know where the creatures came from. When I woke we were already surrounded by the things. I fled blindly down the hallways and ended up here."
He'll nod at Drosk's offer, not questioning at all. He hands over the crossbow easily and takes the sling in return.
Before heading out, Drosk gathers the other party members and Roldare together and invokes Torag's blessing:
"Torag Forgefather, creator of all that is just and good, watch over these good folk and give us the strength to destroy the vile abominations that infest noble Kassen's tomb. Grant Roldare the courage and clarity to guard our redoubt, and keep Dimiria safe until we can return her to her brother. By your Holy Forge, amen."
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Manduzi moves down the hallway and checks over the door at its end. It doesn't appear to be trapped or locked, but he can hear something moving on the other side of it but can't say just what it might be. Even a casual listen gives the idea that something pretty heavy is walking with quick footsteps on the other side of the door.
I would assume the front line types would enter the room first, perhaps Beilin could open the door and cast dancing lights in the room to best illuminate it for the others then press himself against the wall so the fighter/monk types can rush in.