Quest #14 "Hidden Fortress of the Poison Spider Monsters"

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag reaches into his beltpouch and produces a stick of charcoal. He studies the walls for a moment and wipes the dirt off the lightest colored spot he can see. He writes:

Wot

Then holds out the stick to whoever would like to answer his question.

[Storm11]

Saracen takes the stick. The spell lasts only about six minutes. We don’t have long.

[wolfpack]

Gramble motions for jaxson to go through and will follow behind him.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag takes his place with Saracen, holding on to the rope around Jaxsen.

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jax nods, takes a firm grip on his halberd and slowly enters the mist.

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Wooden Structure
What's Behind The Wall?
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

In the magical silence of the hallway, Maag tries writing on the wall to ease their communication difficulties. Saracen reminds the group, in writing, that his spell only lasts so long.

After a bit of prodding and some rope tying, Jaxsen disappears into the cloudy doorway. Gramble follows the young monk shortly thereafter.

The hallway remains deathly silent once they vanish through the misty portal.

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second Silence 15': 5

[Storm11]

Saracen gently tugs on the rope three times, and sees if he gets a tug back.

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen matches Saracen's tugs in number and strength, just to let him know he's OK.

[Storm11]

Saracen will motion the others forwards with a beckoning hand once he feels the tug, and grasps hold of the rope tighter, taking up the slack by repeatedly wrapping it around his arm as he moves forward into the misty barrier, inside if he should be entering, given he’s the only one who can seemingly open the doorway, and who knows if it will work on the other side. He will step within, and then quickly trya jd step back out again once he sees what’s inside.

[OGRE MAGE]

Saracen moves forward next, taking up the slack in the rope as he enters the portal.

Once inside the square room, he sees Jaxsen leaning over what looks like a short stone pedestal or alter, as though he is reading something. Gramble is standing behind the monk, trying to get a closer look at the pedestal himself.

Neither man looks distressed or injured, though Jax appears to be thinking very hard.

The warrior priest then backs himself out through the misty doorway again with no ill effect.

[Storm11]

Saracen hands the rope to Maag and grabs brother Gilbert and Avalaa, and tries to draw them to the edge of the sphere of silence, and steps beyond it with them both.

Jax is looking at some plinth or other, Gramble protecting him. The silence spell won’t last much longer and we don’t know what will happen to the misty doorway once the spell lapses, or whether casting silence from within the chamber will work to recreate the misty doorway. I think I should wait without in case you have to cast the spell from outside the passageway. It’s possible the monk may need your magic wizard to decipher what’s upon the pedestal! What say you both? Your wisdom and your intelligence on this matter would be most welcome.

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

We have come this far, we may as well go in. I shall go, although I dislike leaving anyone behind.

He will go up to the portal and step through.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Though Maag can't hear anything, the thought that the door might disappear and that the spell might only work on this side of the wall, does cross his mind. He decides to remain in the hallway for now.

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

Avaala steps up and walks through the doorway. He nods at Saracen's words and waits until the Warrior-Priest steps back out before approaching Jax and the pedestal.

'I'm glad Saracen thought to step back out,' thinks Avaala. 'It never occurred to me that the spell might have to be cast from that side.'

Once he looks over Jax' shoulder and has a look, Avaala, likewise, begins to concentrate. Unlike the Monk, however, the Mage soon raises his head and looks away, having memorized what's there. He moves away so that others can see what is written there.

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Wooden Structure
What's Behind The Wall?
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

Saracen moves beyond the spell range to speak clearly and quickly to the others. Brother Gilbert and Avaala agree to enter the mist if Saracen and Maag stay out in the hall, just in case.

Once inside, they see Jaxsen and Gramble looking over another copper plaque sitting atop a short stone plinth in the center of the square room. Both men move in for a closer look. Everyone can check their private threads again.

Maag and Saracen are glad when no unexpected surprises present themselves out in the hall.

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second Silence 15': 4

[Storm11]

Saracen will take back some of the rope from Maag and brace himself against the pull of the novice. He will face the tunnel back along the way the party has just come. If he sees the approach of enemies he will tug hard on the rope to alert those within, and tap Maag and point up the corridor at the enemies approaching. Otherwise he will keep watch and stay braced.

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

He ponders the message on the plaque and sighs, At least it is not a riddle.

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Stone Room
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

Maag and Saracen remain out in the hall as the others look over the new puzzle.

The copper plaque reads as follows:


Only the sharpest mind will free my dearest Treasure.

————————————————————————————————

4

14

1114

3114

132114

_________?

Avaala memorizes it quickly and starts to mull over hundreds of numeric math problems in his mind.

Brother Gilbert shakes his head, uncertain of the answer initially. He mentions that at least it isn’t another riddle, but nodoby hears his words through the magical silence.

Jax looks it over for a moment before a wide grin slowly develops on his face. He is about to shout out the answer when Gramble taps him on the shoulder. The large fighter bends down to scribble a lengthy number in the dust for the monk to verify. Jaxsen knows that Gramble is on the right track, but the number he writes seems slightly off to him. Gramble can see in the monks eyes that he must already know the solution.

Actions?

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second Silence 15': 3

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen stands up beside the small altar and begins slowly clicking his tongue against the back of his teeth noiselessly. He waits patiently until he hears the clicking and knows the spell has passed. Then, Jaxsen leans over the altar and says softly, "One one one three one two two one one four." (1113122114)

[OGRE MAGE]

Inside The Stone Room
Sunday, 7th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Stagnant

Maag and Saracen wait on the other side of the misty doorway for a few minutes while the others think. They start to get worried when there is no indication form any of them.

Gramble, Avaala, Brother Gilbert, and Jaxsen remain inside the room. They make a note of how clean this area is compared to where they first entered the structure. With clean stone walls and ceiling, this place seems more secure than any other place they have seen so far. They eventually realize that this room is also somehow magically lit.

After Gramble scribbles in the dust on the top of the plinth, Jaxsen nods at the man, waiting for the silence to run its course. After a few moments pass, the cloudy doorway disappears altogether, allowing free access in and out of the room through the open portal. Once the monk can hear himself again, he decides to give his solution a try.

Quite certain that he is correct, he leans over the plaque and softly states his answer.

Nothing happens.

Actions?

map:

IMG_2332.JPG (533.34 KiB) Viewed 366 times

Marching Order:
Jaxsen 10/10
Gramble 10/10
Maag 9/9
Jeevus 3/3
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first
Avaala 12/12 CL DM RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Saracen 21/25 1/4 first 0/1 second