IX. The Witch Towner - Third Trip

[dmw71]

After parting ways with Ingroc, the group returns to the fallen tower for the third time. After successfully climbing the rubble to the second floor and descending into the basement using the previously secured rope ladder, the group finds itself at the door where they head either east or west.

The area to the east was only briefly explored by Ciar and Festus. The area to the west has definitely been more thoroughly searched, and is the direction in which the slime used to exist, and where the metal guardian was previously spotted by Sylvan.

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Actions?

[Alethan]

"That guardian chap is going to be there for a while, right? Let's check out the hidden door first, maybe. Might hold some clues for who was using this place!" Ciar says, standing at the doorway holding one of the two Everbright torches.

[AleBelly]

"That light source might get in the way of your sneaking, friend" says Sylvan to Ciar. "I'll take the burden off your hands if needed. And yes, let's visit the secret door."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow makes a quick inspection of the ground near the entrance to see if there has been anyone down here other than the party.

I think checking that secret door first is the right move. There is no telling what that iron man is all about.

[Storm11]

Kassel agrees that the secret door is the wiser option. He will hold aloft the second ever right lantern from the back of the party, keeping watch on the rear.

[dmw71]

After determining that there are no new sets of tracks at the entrance, the group takes the familiar route to the west, with Sylvan and Kassal holding the everlit torches. Following beneath the strange protrusion in the ceiling, the group avoids the torture chamber to the north and instead turns south. The group passes four empty cells on the western side of the southern corridor before turning east at its end. Two more empty cells line the northern side of this long east/west passage before the group reaches its destination.

The larger, "haunted" chamber is in the center of the corridor, and remains unchanged from how you left it previously, with a no-longer-secret door still closed in its northern wall.

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Actions?

[onlyme]

Fulp will make sure the door is nailed open to prevent them getting locked in.

[AleBelly]

Sylvan stands 10' back and to the side, leather shield raised and brandishing a brand new spear.

[Alethan]

Ciar replies to Sylvan, "You can see me, so I ain't sneakin! But when I'm looking for hidden doors, I need the extra light."

He examines the door carefully and, assuming it opens like the other, pushes up on the lever.

[dmw71]

Ciar inspects the lock and, believing it to be trap free, moves to slide open the lever to open the secret door. The door opens as expected and reveals a narrow hallway -- only 5-feet wide -- extending north, seeming to open into another chamber at its end some 50-feet out.

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[AleBelly]

"Gentlemen, this narrow hallway seems the perfect place for a pit trap. I've prepared a spell to detect such things. If you'll allow me, I'll cast it here and lead us forward" says Sylvan matter-of-factly.

[onlyme]

Fulp asks the group,
Um... I feel like we are walking in circles here. We made a left, then a right, then a right, then a right. All about 50 feet or so. I think we will find ourselves right to the south of the great centipede massacre. Maybe that strange ceiling ridge runs through the room up ahead.

Unless... did anyone feel us sloping up or down? We could be below that room now.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow

I didn't notice any slope. Too bad the dwarf left us. Perhaps Kassal would know?

[Alethan]

"Bah. We don' need a bloody dwarf to tell if the passage slopes. And let me check for traps before you use your spell, Sylvan. Wouldn't be much good if I couldn't do that..."

Ciar reaches into a belt pouch and retrieves a sling bullet. He holds his arm out and drops it straight down in the passage to see if it chooses to roll down the hallway heading north or if it generally stays where it lands.

[dmw71]

Ciar drops a sling bullet to the floor and watches as it barely bounces upon making contact with the floor, and then falls still in its landing spot, showing no signs of rolling.

[dmw71]

Ciar begins to carefully eye the passageway, studying it intently, as he begins to slowly work his way down it. The rest of the party remains back near the secret door itself, allowing Ciar the space he needs to work, while they watch the halfling work his way down the passageway.

Ciar nears the end of the passageway without incident and is able to see into the room at the end of this narrow corridor. Inside, on the far wall, is a strange metallic contraption of gears and chains. A large lever extends out at a forty-five-degree angle from the front of it.



Note: I will allow some freedom in how the rest of the group is organized behind Ciar, so feel free to declare where your character will be positioned.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow backs up until he is at the entrance to the 5' hall, ready to jump to the side.

Careful Ciar! This has trap written all over it.

[onlyme]

Fulp stays, waiting on Ciar's opinion of what he sees.

[Alethan]

Ciar gets to the end of the corridor without incident, retrieving his sling bullet along the way.

"Naw, no traps. There's some contraption here with a mess of chains and gears on it, though. There's a lever, too. I wonder..."

He looks up at the ceiling to see if that strange circular protrusion from the ceiling they saw earlier is in the ceiling here, maybe leading to the contraption.

He does NOT push the lever down, as tempted as he is to do so...

[AleBelly]

Sylvan follows Ciar, careful not to touch anything. He grips his spear while holding his light source aloft.

It seems that Ciar did transfer the light source to Sylvan, so I'm going with that.