Chapter 6: The Iron Door mission

[Zorroroaster]

I agree. Rest first.

[drpete]

Date: Euryale 12, 11:50 pm (Turn 17)
Season: Mid Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Light Sources: Randolpho (Lantern, 1 hrs, 20 minutes remaining), Galen (Lantern, 1 hrs, 20 minutes remaining)
Time since rest: 20 minutes (2 turns)
Location: Workshop

The group rests then heads down to the door across the hall from the area where they encountered the demon and shadow wraith. Torgyr listens at the door and checks it for traps. He hears and finds nothing, so the group opens the door.

The room within seems to be a work room of some kind. There is a large iron table in the center, and many iron shelves along the walls. The south wall has three large bronze boxes about 4 feet tall spaced out along it. They have several brass knobs and dials on them.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr looks intently at the brass boxes, attempting to discern their purpose.

"This is where that damnable machinist would come in handy, I reckon. Can anyone make out what these are for? At least, before we start monkeying with them random?"

[drpete]

Visual inspection of the boxes reveals the dials and knobs, the purpose of which is not immediately obvious. You also see that the floor around the boxes is stained with silvery, metallic splotches. You also notice that the area around them is charred.

Taking time to study machines will give you a chance of figuring it out, as can trial and error. Having relevant skill, like being a machinist, can help, but is not strictly required. The chance is not super high, but you can keep trying as long as you want, I guess

[Zorroroaster]

Although from the look of the charred one...we also stand a decent chance of getting zapped or fried in the process.

Torgyr will spend some time comparing the dials and knobs, not experimenting but really looking at things and seeing if there's any lettering or symbols that might help understand the purpose of the boxes.

[drpete]

There are 5 dials which seem to have markings on them. The two on the left seem to let you select from 0 to 10, and the two on the right left you set from 0 to 50. There is one in the middle with 5 marked "settings" but these correspond to little symbols... an X, an upside down V, a circle, some dots, some wavy lines.

The knobs can also be turned, and they seem to have two settings each. There are two horizontal rows of three, with colored vertical lines connecting them into pairs. On the left is green, in the middle is silver, on the right is yellow.

[barkman]

"So, do we twiddle some knobs and release untold horrors, or explore more of the level, and see what the changes in levers bring?"

[Dogma]

"I can't see what it might serve us to mess around with this so I say we don't touch a damn thing and we move on." answers Ranulf.

[kalstone]

"We can ask the oracle about it tomorrow."

[drpete]

So where to? There's a door to the north (to 47) and a door to the east (to 50). I'm not quite sure what the game plan is... head directly toward the room indicated by the oracle, or clear out/explore the side rooms along the way?

[kalstone]

I vote to explore the side rooms.

[Zorroroaster]

Sounds good!

[drpete]

Torgyr listens at the door to the north, and he several voices speaking in dwarvish. They seem to be playing some kind of rhyming game in dwarvish. The rhyme he hears involves how the other guy picks his nose, wipes it on his clothes, has a life full of woes and will get beaten up by his foes. There is a lot of cursing and laughing going on, too.

[Zorroroaster]

As he listens, Torgyr begins mouthing the words to the rhyme game, having played it many times before. He cracks a smile and jerks his thumb towards the door. He whispers.

"We may have found what's left of our lost dwarves, but let's take care in any case."

Suggest we stack up with missile weapons at the back and melee at the front. Perhaps we should knock?

[barkman]

"Sounds like a plan... Any chance something else would use the rhyme? Kobolds maybe? Let's not be too prepared to see friendlies"

[Stirling]

Quinn Coburg

Quinn agrees, taking his spear and shield. He will be ready to throw at any singing kobold inside.

[kalstone]

Solaine grips her Voulge tightly, ready to attack.

[drpete]

The group arms up, gets ready, and opens the door...

Inside, you see a room with about a dozen little men, kobolds, standing in a circle doing their rhyme battle. They are dressed in leather armor.

The room they are in seems to be an old storeroom, with lots of smashed-up crates and barrels. The middle of the room is relatively clear, except for the kobolds and several blankets strewn around the floor.

One of the kobolds was in the middle of a rhyme when you entered...

"I'm Boranz, and I like violence. The things I do'll make an old man wince... aiiiiieeee! Get them!"

The kobolds draw their short swords and run at you.

[barkman]

Randolpho lets fly with his sling at Boranz.

[kalstone]

"Stop him before he rhymes again!" yells Solaine as she swings at one of the oncoming kobolds.