Quest #1 - The Search for Fonkin

[Eris]

The party sorted itself into a single-file line, with Richard at the front, using his pole arm to poke and prod the floor for traps. He found none. Behind him, Quin and others held torches to illuminate the hallway.

The party continued, eventually returning to the north-facing door — near room #7 on the map — they encountered earlier.

Quinn keeps an eye behind the party as they move along. There is darkness back there and we know there are monsters about.

"We have been here before." Quinn says as the stop outside the north-facing door, "We tried this door yet, though."

[archolewa]

"Miranda, please do your thing," says Richard, gesturing to the door. He takes position just to the west of the door, polearm at the ready, watching the dark corridor extending to our west.

[Nemesis]

Miranda nodded and approached the door, repeating her ritual of carefully placing her tool bag on the floor and fishing out her instruments, one by one.

The door was made of thick wood, with a locked door handle. Miranda glided her hands along the edges of the door. She crouched, tilting her head near the bottom of the door to see if she could peek through an opening near the floor. Nothing. She placed an ear near the lock, closed her eyes, and steadied her breathing.

"Nothing," she said. "I'll go for the lock."

Miranda worked the lock for a few minutes until a soft, satisfying click echoed through the hall.

"Too easy," she said to no one but herself.

She got to her feet and slowly pushed the door open. The party braced themselves.

"Light. Now."

Balteus shuffled over with his torch and held it over Miranda's head, shining the light into the dark room.

Miranda and Richard moved slowly, tapping the floor for any loose tiles.

"Seems clear to me," Miranda said, motioning for the rest to join her.

The room — 3 squares by 3 squares — seemed to be used as a living quarters by someone. The party found a cooking pot and a brazier surrounded by stones, along with a used pair of boots and an empty pouch. Along the east wall was a built-in wash basin. There was also a small statue of little value in the northwest corner.

[archolewa]

Richard will carefully approach the cooking pot and brazier. He will hold his hands out to try to judge if the brazier is still warm, and peek inside the cooking pot.

[Nemesis]

The brazier is cold to the touch. The pot, large and made of cast iron, has some burnt streaks at the bottom. Someone, or a group of people, used the pot to cook, but it's been a while since a fire touched it.

[Eris]

Quinn will examine the walls, ceiling and floor looking for anything out of place or any evidence of hidden passages or hiding places.

[BaltoBruiser]

Gurkidd

Carefully examines the statue it the northwest corner to see what kind of material it is made from and if has any joints or moveable parts which might trigger a trap or secret door.

[Edeldhur]

Balteus

The warrior takes a look at the used boots and the belt pouch - if the boots look in better condition than his own and fit him, he will discard his own and use these.
If the belt pouch is indeed empty, he straps it to his belt.

[Nemesis]

Quinn examined the room's walls and floor but didn't find anything out of the ordinary.

Gurkidd approached the statue, a copper molding of a hooded figure that stood about 4 feet from the ground. It had scratches, likely from being moved from one place to another, with some spots beginning to patina. Gurkidd caressed the statue and checked its underside. He found nothing.

Balteus picked up the boots and quickly realized they were too small for his feet. He tossed the boots toward a wall and picked up the pouch, a leather-made construction that was big enough to hold several dozen coins, a few vials, and a small knife at his hip. He attached the pouch to his belt.

[archolewa]

Richard

"Right, not a whole lot here. Let's continue west down the corridor," says Richard. Barring objections, he will once again take the lead and creep down the hallway, poking and prodding at the walls and floor, and counting on the others to keep an eye on the ceiling.

[Nemesis]

The party left the room and headed west down the hall, returning to the intersection. The party advanced north and found another door, this time one made of hardened wood with a sliding metal latch at eye level.

Miranda approached the door carefully and pulled open the latch. Inside, two figures perked their heads up. One of them, a male elf, approached the opening.

"It's about time someone showed up," he said.

"Who are you?" Miranda said, placing a hand on a blade.

"I'm Ailas." He pointed to another man in the room. "That's Kiyve. Those bastards ambushed some time ago, and we've been locked up here ever since. How about you let us out?"

"How do we know you're not a threat?" Miranda asked.

VonAlric and RiverGreenForest: You can take over from here.

[archolewa]

Richard

"Same way we know you're not," says Richard. He tries to open the door. "By figuring it's less risky to trust them than it is to fight them."

[Edeldhur]

Balteus

The tall man raises an eyebrow, but does not move for his weapon. Yet.

[VonAlric]

Kiyve

Kiyve stands up and stretches his limbs. As he straightens up his clothes and adjusts his holy symbol, he addresses the face at the small window. "It pains me that trust is in short supply in this world. Especially for those who are dedicated servants to their god. I have been praying, much to my captive friend's delight, for someone to come release us from the situation we found ourselves in. Why we were ambushed, I know not. However, I am sure that my god would not mind some divine justice meted out on them. I am not a threat to you but hope to be a boon, especially if I can find that one guy who hit me over the head."

He holds his hands out, palms upwards. "I will be indebted to you for releasing me. Oh, and Ailas as well, shouldn't forget him." He gives a wry smile at that.

[BaltoBruiser]

Gurkidd

Looks at the elf and cleric with a skeptical eye. Ambushed you say? Where are your captors?

[Eris]

From the back you hear a voice speak up, "Hey, just let them out. Anyone locked up down here is much more likely to be friend than foe. I mean if we can call Miranda, here, an ally we can call most anyone an ally, right?"

"I'm Quinn, btw, and did I hear one of you say you are a Cleric? A Cleric with healing skills?"

[VonAlric]

Kiyve

"Alas, my god has yet to place full trust and power in me. I pray that will happen in the very near future. As for where our captors are, the door is solid and doesn't offer a great view of what is on the other side. I'm not even certain how long we been in here, it really feels like it has been quite some time." He shrugs. "I woke up here, never even saw what is on the other side of that door."

[Edeldhur]

Balteus

"Balteus" - the man introduced himself with a nod - "Well met"

[BaltoBruiser]

Gurkidd

Looks for signs of the deity which Kivye follows in an attempt to determine if he is a follower of Hextor. He has never meet an Elf before so he has no idea what to make of Alias especially since he is so short on words.

To Kivye To whom do you pray, I too am waiting for the great Heironeous to bestow the powers of healing upon me once he deems me worthy.

[Nemesis]

"And I'm Miranda." She approached the window and gave a mocking curtsy. "I'm here to make sure this lot returns a gnome about yea high to my employer. Say, you haven't seen one running around have you?"

Before Kiyve could answer, Miranda put her hand up.

"Let's get you out first for a proper shake down. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with this specific lock and don't have the tools."

She pounded on the door, the frame shaking loosely with each thump.