Chapter 5: Let's Rock!

[drpete]

Round 1

Torgyr is first to shoot, before the thing can come more than a step toward Galen. His shot strikes the demon dead center. It vanishes, perhaps somewhat anti-climactically.

[Dogma]

After a moment of stunned silence Ranulf speaks. "Well now. That was over quicker than a two-copper whore and less satisfying to boot. Hopefully theres some good loot in here to make up for it."

He cautiously moves into the room and takes a look around.

[Zorroroaster]

"Wait, what?"

Torgyr is momentarily confused. He recovers, and calls out.

"Galen! Stay where you are for a moment! Ranulf, stay within Galen's protective sphere and look into that room, in case there's something we can't see from out here."

[sulldawga]

Zim waits and then waits some more. Then he waits.

[drpete]

Ranulf sees the dead body of an adventurer lying on the ground. It's a man dressed in Chain mail and holding a shield. He has a sword a few inches from his hand. He looks to be dead a few weeks, and flies are buzzing around on him. He looks like he was killed by a massive sword cut that split the front of his armor open and spilled his guts on the ground.

[Zorroroaster]

After Ranulf relays what he sees, Torgyr scratches his beard a moment.

"Anyone else smell a trap? Be careful in there, Ranulf."

[kalstone]

Solaine says, "Torgyr, perhaps you and Randolpho should check the area out first."

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr is still shaking the image of the flaming demon from his mind.

"Yeah, good idea. Come on, Randolpho."

He moves towards and past Galen, looking left and right into the room. He will check for traps, paying attention the body (but not moving it out of place) and looking around as to what might have swung out of the walls, ceiling, or the floor to cut the adventurer down like that.

[drpete]

Ok, so the room is 20x30, with the secret entrance in the center of the 20 foot wide east wall. The center of the north wall is open (but the space beyond is in darkness).

The corpse is a bit less than 10 feet into the room, a bit north of the center of the room (so in the northeast 10x10 square). Each 10x10 square takes a turn to search, so where do you guys search? It'll take the two of you a half hour to search the whole room...

[Zorroroaster]

"Does anyone have a grappling hook? I have a cunning plan..."

Torgyr outlines how he intends to swing a grapple, catching the body and dragging it through the door, while standing in the Table Room. Once that's done, the corpse can be looted by someone else while he and Randolpho continue to search. If that action doesn't trip any hidden blades, he will limit his search to the perimeter of the room northeast of the secret door, to establish a safe corridor around the centre to the opening in the north wall. From there, the party can investigate the space beyond.

"I realize it's an abundance of caution, but bear with me."

[drpete]

It is rapidly determined that nobody has a grappling hook.

[bobloblah]

It is rapidly determined that nobody has a grappling hook.

The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agly...
Brother Galen stays where he is, maintaining his concentration.

[Stirling]

Quinn

"Does anybody recognise the sigil on the shield? A Templar of some god or a knight of some noble house?"

The chess ghosts were some kind of 'hologram', a visual reminder of something that happened before. Maybe this hero was indeed sliced apart and we see the last grim action of that. We shot an image, broke a mirror as it were. Quinn will check the door threshold for traps, if failing to find any he will step in the room.

[thirdkingdom]

Plud the Panivorous

Plud enters the room and begins searching it, including the body of the dead adventurer.

[Dogma]

Ranulf looks at Quinn shrugs as Plud pushes past into the room. If no terrible consequences erupt for Plud's actions he will follow him in and start searching also.

[Zorroroaster]

So the plan was for Torgyr and Randolpho to search the room, and Plud is just going to barrel in on his own now? Ok.

Torgyr will caution Randolpho to wait, and watch from the outside of the room with Ranulf and Quinn.

[thirdkingdom]

So the plan was for Torgyr and Randolpho to search the room, and Plud is just going to barrel in on his own now? Ok.

Torgyr will caution Randolpho to wait, and watch from the outside of the room with Ranulf and Quinn.

We're running short of time.

[Zorroroaster]

How so? The combat we had been prepared to engage in took the span of one crossbow bolt. Torgyr's idea to search only the one corner of the room and drag the body out would have taken, what? Two turns?

[thirdkingdom]

You know what, I don't think I'm such a good fit for the group. I'm going to bow out. Puppet Plud as needed, pete.

[drpete]

Date: Euryale 9, 5:30 pm (Turn 51)
Season: Mid Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Light Sources: Randolpho (Lantern, 1 hrs, 0 minutes remaining), Galen (Lantern, 0 hrs, 0 minutes remaining), Climent (Lantern, 0 hrs, 0 minutes remaining)
Time since rest: 10 minutes (1 turns)
Active turns past 8 hours: 5
Location: Room 34 (Long Table Room)

The group arranges itself, with some debate. The group opens the door.

Torgyr shoots the illusion, and it disappears.

The group is shocked, and hesitates to enter the room to search the body. Galen and Climent's lanterns sputter out.

just to be clear... combat and the stuff around it takes "a turn". This can include binding wounds and a search of the bodies after, but generally doesn't include a search for traps type search.