The Game Thread

[Juramenta]

''You better run'' black dog thinks watching the ghost retreat into the statue.
Her low growl fades as she goes quiet and becomes calm once more while waiting for her companions to make their next move.

[tibbius]

Looking around you see there are no exits from the nursery other than the passage back to the forge.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon peered about for valuables. Not turning the room over, lest ghosts appear again, but a visual. Surprised a nursery’s only entrance would be through a forge, he walked the perimeter searching for concealed or secret doors while quietly humming ‘rock a bye baby.’

[Grognardsw]

Have we hit a wall, Elcroon wondered.

[jemmus]

Delx joins Elcroon in his light search of the nursery, heading toward the door they entered from. He takes a little time to fashion four salt arrows by tying salt-filled patches of baby blankets around his arrows' heads.

[tibbius]

No hidden doors are found - they would be an odd thing to find in a nursery, after all - and you return to the Forge. There is a door back to the Foundry, the door from the nursery, and two other doors that you haven't tried.

Denizen? [_3d6]=(5+2+2)=9

[Juramenta]

Black Dog walks over to the unopened doors, nose to the ground as she sniffs intently for any scent of interest.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon consulted his map, wondering where he went wrong.

“Explore the rest?
North or west?”

[jemmus]

Delx
It looks like there's a room at the end of the other balcony. The one we didn't explore. Should go back to the main hall and check out that balcony? I'm sorry, I obsess a little about things left undone or unknown.

[Grognardsw]

“Aye, verily
try, merrily!”

[tibbius]

Black Dog smells stone dust at one door, old metal at the other.

You move through the Foundry (Depletion [2d6]=6 -> your noses drip from dust and cold) and the Smelter (Denizen? [_3d6]=(3+3+1)=7) through the heavy double iron doors onto the balcony above the Great Hall (Depletion [2d6]=10 -> you're a bit snackish).

Traversing the balcony, you come to the double golden doors. The panels of the doors are embossed with intricate scenes of dwarfen war and craft. Even, tucked in corners, beardsy romance scenes ...

[Juramenta]

Black dog keeps on sniffing the ground near the golden doors.
This is the same metal as the coins. They should bring them along.
Black dog turns towards master even if he cannot understand her thoughts I can't rip those apart for you master. I would if I could black dog thinks slightly disappointed she can't increase the wealth of her master by ripping the doors out of their hinges.

[jemmus]

Delx examines the doors, the floor below and the ceiling above (as best he can with a torch), looking for trips, pitfalls, and other hazards. Nice artwork, done well, he says.

If he finds no signs of traps, he'll pull open the door to the right.

[Juramenta]

Black dog looks directly at Delx with a questioning look while he examines the doors.
Master is fearless; master takes charge. Let me protect you, master, that is where I will be safest she thinks as she jumps in front of him as soon as the door starts to open. Never giving either of her companions the chance to enter the room before she does.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon, bow at the ready, watched Delx search the door area.

[tibbius]

Delx test ST 9 w advantage for knowing about traps [_2d12]=(2+11)=13

Delx detects the yielding flagstone at the threshold and divines that one needs to press the slightly protruding block in the wall in order to secure the pressure plate against triggering.

This done, he tries the hanging ring handle of the door - first cautiously, then with a heave that swings the heavy golden structure ajar.

Beyond is darkness with a smell of gold.

[Juramenta]

No lock can keep master out. Master knows all she approvingly thinks as she watches him work.
As soon as the door opens she moves in.
Master may defeat any lock, but I will defeat any trap waiting to ambush its prey she thinks as she move in cautiously.
Cautiously, yet always ahead of the pack. No matter what.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon extended the torch light to reveal the room.

[tibbius]

The room is big and dark. The floor descends in arced steps like bleacher seats. The ceiling appears to may be vaulted. The bottom of the floor cannot be seen by torchlight from the entrance.

[jemmus]

Delx sweeps his torch around left and right, for everyone to see what they can. A dwarven auditorium for musical or dramatic performances? Or an arena for gladiatorial fights? Neither seem very likely for dwarves to me. Mayhap a place for the city to gather and hear debate, or speeches from its king? The resonances of notes and chords the beats of drums in this dwarf-fashioned stone chamber might be wondrous indeed.... Elcoon, what do you think? About the sound inside this hall, and its purpose, both?

Then, looking into the dog's loyal eyes, he scruffs her neck and says,You as well, Black Dog, what do you think? Go on, then. Careful and softly, and don't get outside our torchs' light. Or much beyond. Here is a wide place for bow shot. But the torches light only a small circle. He holds onto his spear and descends a half dozen steps, eyes wide and torch aloft.