With Hagen and Eldeth standing by, Merric begins a recon of the area.
Berrian studies the ruin. The Eladrin can see no openings, portals, windows, or arrow slits of any kind on the ruin's facade from his vantage point. The gatehouse looks to be about ten feet tall, the flanking towers irregular tops 20 to 25 feet high. He can also see the Keep was once part of a bigger compound, judging from the outlines of walls still visible on the hilltop. It was perhaps a central part of the former castle, although the towers must have been much taller in their prime.
Quinn boldly strides beneath the arch, onto a weed choked cobble path that divides the gatehouse into two parts. Past the crumbling arch, the path is exposed to the sky above.
Halfway down the path, Quinn can see two pairs of closed double wooden doors, each opposite the other, that give entrance to each half of the gatehouse. The doors are stained with age and rust, but look sturdy set within the recess of the thick gatehouse walls. The doors each have a large lock and keyhole; Quinn also can see, in the masonry in front of the doors, a series of 10 small holes that have been drilled into the stone. The holes each contain a black iron bar that rest beneath the surface of the ground. Merric meanwhile, creeps quietly around the perimeter of the ruin. The thief sees and hears no threats; in fact, there are no places atop the barren hill for danger to lurk. The halfling does see two doors, one each on the south side of each tower. The closed doors here are ancient looking, heavy, set into thick walls and have large keyholes.
In addition, Merric can spy no recent evidence or track that anyone (or thing) has been walking around the ruin.
"Well guys it looks clear over here" Merric says as he returns to the group. "There are a couple of doors that don't look like they've seen any use in a long while."
"Well said. They may be worth investigation at another time, though. Let us take - actually, let us get closer, first, our talented investigator may be able to spy recent tracks into one gatehouse door or the other."
So saying, Berrian strides toward the arch. He will pause just before crossing the area in-between the door gatehouse doors, if nothing stops him first.
"It seems unlikely they just vanished without a trace...at the very least there may be some clue within the ruins of the towers. I might suggest loosing a weapon and readying a spell or two, this place just feels wrong."
Taking a hand and resting it on the pommel of his mace, he follows after the mage.
Just reposting the map with coordinates this time to help navigation. The map is pulled out pretty far, but this may aid in describing to each other where you all want to go.
"If you'd prefer you can risk your neck by wandering with us into the wrong building at random," Berrian says mildly. "The idea is to find where we need to go as swiftly as possible, get what we came for, and get out to enjoy a large sum of gold. Of course, if you object to this plan...?"
Berrian is moving to I28 unless something interrupts him on the way.
Merric moves steathily toward the path between the gatehouse, with Berrian and Hagen close by.
The halfling studies the doors, but finds them both nearly identical: both old looking but quite solid; both with the strange recessed iron bars set into the masonry, each with a large lock and keyhole.
This, and silence are all that the halfling can discern from his inspections of the portal.
Map-now with tokens!
By the way, I goofed on my larger view of the map. Since the map is oriented south (at the top), the left side is actually east and the right west. Sorry to be so confusing-I've corrected it for future mapage.
Anyway-here are the positions of those who have ventured forth so far...
Berrian claps his hands together. "Well, then! I shall apply my unequaled intellect to the riddle of choosing between these seemingly identical doors," he says briskly.
He holds out his hand, and a shimmering silver coin - obviously unreal -winks into appearance in it. He flips it in the air, then deftly catches it in his hand. He glances at his palm.
"Left," he says wisely, before striding to the door at H26 and attempting to open it.
"Well aint you just the fancy lad." Merric mumbles.
He then slinks back into the shadows to see what horrors await the cocky mage I'd like to continue to stay in stealth and move to g27 so that when Berrian gets skewered I'm still hidden
With Merric hidden, Berrian pushes the double doors open. The aged hinges shriek in protest as the doors swing inward.
Within, daylight from the doors floods the chamber to reveal a hall 55 feet long. The hall is windowless, but light also streams in from a hole in the ceiling, giving the party enough illumination to see the interior clearly. The walls and floor are made of the same granite that makes up the keep. Dust and some light debris are all that remain of the room's past days; the room is otherwise bare-except for the statue.
In the center of the room, facing the party is a six foot tall stone statue of an armored human male. The figure stands stiffly erect; in its left hand, held close to its torso is a tall shield.
The figure's right arm is held close to its side until the elbow, its forearm and hand extended forward. In this hand is held a mace.
Curiously, you note, the shield and mace are metal, not stone like the statue that holds them.
At the opposite end of the hall are another pair of double doors that seem nearly identical in style and age like the ones Berrian just opened.
"Intriguing, but unless proven otherwise, it seems irrelevant to our current task. Shall we head directly for the double doors, or try our luck on the other gatehouse behind us?"
Many thanks on the new map, btw. Not having the letters and numbers lined up with the squares was giving me the heebie-jeebies.
QUINN frowns at Berrian, gesturing at the statue as he enters the room. "This warrior was important to the builders of this keep. It is disrespectful to dismiss his importance so quickly." Quinn moves closer to the statue, enough to get a better look but giving Merric wide enough berth with which to work.
Quinn moves two squares southeast, then three squares east (to H23), then examines the statue from a distance. History, Perception on statue: 1d20-1141d2014
delroland on
EVE: Online - the most fun you will ever have not playing a game.
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
Posts
Berrian studies the ruin. The Eladrin can see no openings, portals, windows, or arrow slits of any kind on the ruin's facade from his vantage point. The gatehouse looks to be about ten feet tall, the flanking towers irregular tops 20 to 25 feet high. He can also see the Keep was once part of a bigger compound, judging from the outlines of walls still visible on the hilltop. It was perhaps a central part of the former castle, although the towers must have been much taller in their prime.
Quinn boldly strides beneath the arch, onto a weed choked cobble path that divides the gatehouse into two parts. Past the crumbling arch, the path is exposed to the sky above.
Halfway down the path, Quinn can see two pairs of closed double wooden doors, each opposite the other, that give entrance to each half of the gatehouse. The doors are stained with age and rust, but look sturdy set within the recess of the thick gatehouse walls. The doors each have a large lock and keyhole; Quinn also can see, in the masonry in front of the doors, a series of 10 small holes that have been drilled into the stone. The holes each contain a black iron bar that rest beneath the surface of the ground.
Merric meanwhile, creeps quietly around the perimeter of the ruin. The thief sees and hears no threats; in fact, there are no places atop the barren hill for danger to lurk. The halfling does see two doors, one each on the south side of each tower. The closed doors here are ancient looking, heavy, set into thick walls and have large keyholes.
In addition, Merric can spy no recent evidence or track that anyone (or thing) has been walking around the ruin.
Updated map:
"Well guys it looks clear over here" Merric says as he returns to the group. "There are a couple of doors that don't look like they've seen any use in a long while."
"So, not what we're looking for?"
"Well said. They may be worth investigation at another time, though. Let us take - actually, let us get closer, first, our talented investigator may be able to spy recent tracks into one gatehouse door or the other."
So saying, Berrian strides toward the arch. He will pause just before crossing the area in-between the door gatehouse doors, if nothing stops him first.
"It seems unlikely they just vanished without a trace...at the very least there may be some clue within the ruins of the towers. I might suggest loosing a weapon and readying a spell or two, this place just feels wrong."
Taking a hand and resting it on the pommel of his mace, he follows after the mage.
"So you are saying you want me to risk my neck and check out the doors over there?" Merric says as he points towards the gatehouse.
"If you'd prefer you can risk your neck by wandering with us into the wrong building at random," Berrian says mildly. "The idea is to find where we need to go as swiftly as possible, get what we came for, and get out to enjoy a large sum of gold. Of course, if you object to this plan...?"
Berrian is moving to I28 unless something interrupts him on the way.
"Fine, fine" says the halfling "I'll go be your meat shield."
Stealth: 1d20+5 15 - off the check out the west barracks door
The halfling studies the doors, but finds them both nearly identical: both old looking but quite solid; both with the strange recessed iron bars set into the masonry, each with a large lock and keyhole.
This, and silence are all that the halfling can discern from his inspections of the portal.
Map-now with tokens!
By the way, I goofed on my larger view of the map. Since the map is oriented south (at the top), the left side is actually east and the right west. Sorry to be so confusing-I've corrected it for future mapage.
Anyway-here are the positions of those who have ventured forth so far...
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
"It's a door. You turn the handle and they open."
He holds out his hand, and a shimmering silver coin - obviously unreal -winks into appearance in it. He flips it in the air, then deftly catches it in his hand. He glances at his palm.
"Left," he says wisely, before striding to the door at H26 and attempting to open it.
"Well aint you just the fancy lad." Merric mumbles.
He then slinks back into the shadows to see what horrors await the cocky mage
I'd like to continue to stay in stealth and move to g27 so that when Berrian gets skewered I'm still hidden
"Kord looks highly upon those who show such bravery, still I'll be a step behind you, should anything unexpected occur."
Moving to H28
Within, daylight from the doors floods the chamber to reveal a hall 55 feet long. The hall is windowless, but light also streams in from a hole in the ceiling, giving the party enough illumination to see the interior clearly. The walls and floor are made of the same granite that makes up the keep. Dust and some light debris are all that remain of the room's past days; the room is otherwise bare-except for the statue.
In the center of the room, facing the party is a six foot tall stone statue of an armored human male. The figure stands stiffly erect; in its left hand, held close to its torso is a tall shield.
The figure's right arm is held close to its side until the elbow, its forearm and hand extended forward. In this hand is held a mace.
Curiously, you note, the shield and mace are metal, not stone like the statue that holds them.
At the opposite end of the hall are another pair of double doors that seem nearly identical in style and age like the ones Berrian just opened.
Map:
"Intriguing, but unless proven otherwise, it seems irrelevant to our current task. Shall we head directly for the double doors, or try our luck on the other gatehouse behind us?"
Many thanks on the new map, btw. Not having the letters and numbers lined up with the squares was giving me the heebie-jeebies.
Merric moves forward to examine the mace and shield.
"Well they look ok don't they?" he says
Stealth: 1d20+9 21
Quinn moves two squares southeast, then three squares east (to H23), then examines the statue from a distance.
History, Perception on statue: 1d20-1 14 1d20 14
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
"Hmm..." Hagen wonders a loud, "Given it's prominence in the room, it must have some importance."
Moving to I21 to study the statue for any religious significance
Religion on Statue: 1d20+4 = 13