CHAPTER 3: Into the Vaults

[Norjax]

...

Arya pulls the stone door open to the limit of its rotation. Einstein positions himself behind the elf and she peers into the 4ft-wide corridor. It extends 10ft before opening into a 10ft deep chamber that turns to the north. Anne amd Zeek join their comrades at the entrance to the exposed passage.

Tony and Betty carefully examine the remains of the Mummy Chief. Betty collects more wrappings and skin, while Tony prods the husk with his longsword. Imbedded in the dried skin of the kobold’s upper chest are five bronze keys, their leather cord long since rotted away.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

MAP 74

Actions!?

Light Sources: Torch (Zeek), Torch (Anne), Glowing Ball (Einstein), Torch (Tony)

Hit Points [Luck Points]

Einstein 1/1 [0]

Tony 2/2 [14]
Betty 4/4 [15]

Zeek 2/5 [0]
Anne 4/4 [14]

Arya 1/4 [11]

...

[Ardak2000]

Tony, proud of his discovery, hefts the keys aloft in his hand with a slight jingle. Glancing at the rest of the group with a smile, he flexes his eyebrows and says "Keys to the Kingdom!"

[rossik]

Zeek is feeling brave, so he goes first, just taking a peek at the corner (well, not so brave then).

Anne will remain in the throne for now, with sir Honksalot

[Urson]

Arya
Arya is right behind Zeek, her staff in hand. She's on a hair trigger, watching for any sort of trouble.

[drpete]

Einstein will stay near the door, encouraging the others in their search for treasure.

[Norjax]

...

Zeek and Arya enter the exposed corridor. Zeek stops and peers around the corner, looking north. He sees a large, hollow bronze sculpture of a frog with gaping mouth and a dozen assorted weapons inserted through holes in its back. The weapons give the appearance of quills jutting out of the metal amphibian. The pupils of the sculpture’s eyes glint of pure gold. The 4ft long frog sits on a 1ft high fire-preserved, oak dias centered on the north wall.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

MAP 75

Actions!?

Light Sources: Torch (Zeek), Torch (Anne), Glowing Ball (Einstein), Torch (Tony)

Hit Points [Luck Points]

Einstein 1/1 [0]

Tony 2/2 [14]
Betty 4/4 [15]

Zeek 2/5 [0]
Anne 4/4 [14]

Arya 1/4 [11]

...

[rossik]

(ooc: but the weapons are not pointing to us, are they?)

[Urson]

Arya
Arya crouches, studying the weapons and the frog. She's checking to try and determine if she can slip along the wall without getting in the line of fire of the weapons. IF so, she'll slip along the wall, getting behind the statue.

[Norjax]

...

The weapons are in a vertical orientation.



There is enough room to slip aside and behind the sculpture.

...

[rossik]

Zeek will go by the left side, examining the walls , roof and floor for traps (lighting with his torch). Anne remains in the throne room.

[Urson]

Arya I see. I misunderstood before.

When Arya gets beside the frog, she looks inside the mouth, ready to jump back if things go south.

[drpete]

Einstein will enter the vault room far enough to have a look at the frog. He'll keep back as the others investigate closer.

Do the "weapons" on the frog appear to be actual ... swords pointing out from the frogs back, or just metal spikes? Do they look like it might be possible to pull one out?

[Norjax]

...

Do the "weapons" on the frog appear to be actual ... swords pointing out from the frogs back, or just metal spikes? Do they look like it might be possible to pull one out?

The weapons are bronze and highly ornamental with geometric patterns and spider motifs. There are 4 spears down the middle, tips up. 4 short swords are blade first and lined down the right side. 4 axes, handles in the holes, are down the left side.

The weapons are loose in the holes, easily withdrawn.

...

[Urson]

Arya


It is interesting that everything else has been spiders- spiders- spiders, but then we have this frog.

[Norjax]

...

Zeek examines the walls, floor and ceiling along the left side of the frog for traps and loose panels.

Einstein examines the frog from a distance, keeping back as the others investigate. The bronze sculpture is finely cast and is covered with geometric symbology. Embossed on its head, between the eyes, is a spider icon.

Arya slips aside and behind the frog, studying the weapons and the hollow sculpture. Finding nothing extraordinary behind the metal amphibian, she carefully looks into the gaping mouth of the object.

Inside the hollow bronze frog, Arya notices a layer of metallic dust covering the inner bottom. The lower portions of each weapon are imbedded into this dust.

Action Details:

Characters:

Monsters:

MAP 76

Actions!?

Light Sources: Torch (Zeek), Torch (Anne), Glowing Ball (Einstein), Torch (Tony)

Hit Points [Luck Points]

Einstein 1/1 [0]

Tony 2/2 [14]
Betty 4/4 [15]

Zeek 2/5 [0]
Anne 4/4 [14]

Arya 1/4 [11]

...

[Urson]

Arya
Arya spits on the end of her metal staff and reaches into the frog with it, collecting a bit of the metal dust. She is careful NOT to enter the frog's mouth herself. What is this dust?

[Norjax]

...

Arya applies some spittle to the end of her staff and pokes it through the mouth and into the metallic dust. When the end touches the dust, it creates a small wisp of foul-smelling vapor that rises out of the sculpture’s mouth. She examines the tip after withdrawing the staff and notices the spit has disappeared and no dust adheres to the rod’s end.
...

[Urson]

Arya
It appears this is some sort of trap- don't let any moisture touch the dust.

[rossik]

(ooc: Anne is next to the throne. just saying)

Zeek think about that crazy "electricity" thing he heard about in the tavern. Maybe thats what this trap is about, and maybe the weapons had the same magic. He came here for treasure, not weapons. Beside, he already had "Vipers Bite", his spear (he couldnt remember the name, but have no problems changing it from time to time). That said, he returns to the mains room, and asks the group to trying the other orb, maybe to open another door.

And Anne do so.

[Ardak2000]

Tony and Betty move to examine the other door behind the throne.