Ch. 1: Trying to get inside the Tomb

[Stirling]

With others like Urdak and Tics coming into the cramped confines of the tunnel, McCloud will back off out the entrance to give the experts a bit more room to explore. With the 'maglite' and Urdaks torch we have plenty of light. I'm not expecting any grim monster to jump out so I'll pick up the spade again in case I'll need to dig someone out?

[Alethan]

... so I'll pick up the spade again in case I'll need to dig someone out?

[Stirling]

Seeing the shock on Skiiratchs' face, he holds up the shovel in a friendly wave....

"just trying to be prepared and pragmatic Ski, your cat has nine lives but you've only been blessed with one!...a good spade can be as usefull as arcane arts or trusty blades!".

With that McCloud will fidget in anticipation of wielding said trusty spade blade and be meditating through his spell book list to figure out which he could perform in a hurry if need be, his mind a blur of thoughts interrupted by left door, no go for the right door, no left, no right, okay open both together, no wait the ceiling, aaarggh! where's my flask..Urdak.

[tkrexx]

Once he has the torch lit, Urdak can more closely examine the floor & walls for signatures of traps, secret doors, slopes & other irregularities. He'll still need to conduct visual inspections of the ceiling, of course. Go slow. No hurry. Cats good eatn.

1 torch marked off.

[Alethan]

Skiiratch hisses, "Anyone touches my cat and the traps will be the least of your worries..."

[Bhart]

The three of you progress slowly and cautiously down the hall. You find no signs of traps or other hazards until you are about 20' down the hall.

Something about the east wall catches Urdak's eye. With closer inspection the dwarf can see a 10' section of wall (marked in green on the map) that looks like it might move. The stone work is excellent and the seams are very cleverly hidden, so much that they almost escaped the skilled eye of a dwarf.

[tkrexx]

The Dwarf ends up staring at a section of wall entirely too long. Cat nr Elfn see hiddn door? No? Den det be trappins. He gestures with the business end of his pick. See? Det gonn move.

[Alethan]

Skiiratch takes two steps back.

[Stirling]

"so the walls a bit 'shifty' eh? but which way? How does the block move Urdak? out to squish those in the passage or in to the reveal a hidden entrance? "

McCloud will stroke his ginger beard in deep thought. "if neccessary I can enchant a Hold Portal spell if it can give you guys time to gain access to the doors?"

[tkrexx]

Urdak will attempt to discern (I didn't say "figure out," because with a 6INT that would be an exercise in futility) the manner of movement of the section of wall in question, and hopefully what would be the catalyst. Halfn-Elfn Cloud, needn some rocks. No, not toy rocks fr Dwarfn babies, more big rocks, like head-bone. Gonn' play some 9 pins. While awaiting his rocks, Urdak will attempt a compliment toward Skiiratch. Ya smart, Elfn, like Dwarfn. We take cats, dogs, birds n mules to mines. Sometime pigs. Dogs n pigs av good nose, smell bad thing. Cats av good eyes n ears, see n hearn bad thing. Birds n mules, zey just knoz. Just knoz bad thing. Sometime in mine for weeks, run dry a foods, so we eatn what we bring. Don' blame ya fr not wantn t'share. Cats good eatn. When his rocks arrive, he will roll one on the floor across the suspect area at a medium rate of speed, so it passes at least 10 feet. If nothing, he will bounce the second rock across the same area.

[AQuebman]

Bindle continues to watch in quiet meditation.

[sparkles]

Tixs senses that there might be some pockets outside that need pick'n. Since he did not notice anything, he backs out of the tunnel, taking up position behind McCloud.

[Stirling]

One would hope we have formed some sort of party chain to pass down some 'bowling' boulders for Urdak to lob along the floor? If nothing is triggered by these, McCloud will venture forward to be level with the 'shifting wall' and and try to help Urdak in discovering the way it moves... backwards to reveal hidden pasage, sideways, forwards? Are there any kinds of indentations on the opposite wall to show it would come crashing there? blood imprints? Can the block be wedged to not move?

(I'm presuming the stone block is going to be at least 10x10x20ft' to cover the 'corridor' from your pic', that's going to be pretty heavy).

OOC: here's hoping Tics don't get itchy fingers and tries to 'lift' something from under me kilt!!

[Mondego]

Quinn waits impatiently outside the tunnel. “The last rap was triggered by opening the door,” he reminds his comrades.

[Bhart]

The dwarf has a closer look at the section of wall. The seams are too tight for it to rotate on a hinge of any kind, so he figures it must slide. But, In, out, up ,down? Which way you can not determine. There are no visible marks on the floor or the wall itself to give any clue.

When the rocks arrive Urdak rolls the rock 10' across the floor. Nothing happens.

He bounces a rock across the same area. Nothing happens.

[tkrexx]

Hmnn. The Dwarf grunts. Uu wann' try disnarm trappins?

[Stirling]

"Well I figure that if it is a 'mechanical' trap and the trigger is not here then it'll be further up by the door or like last time, activated when the door opens. If it is a magical trap...? perhaps a higher student of the arts might be able to dispel it? or even some divine inspiration?", McCloud looks around over shoulder to those standing outside......"of course on the other hand the block may just shift to cut the passage off when the door opens to allow those on the other side to pass through but not others this side...?"

McCloud will stand near to the block and check for traps, triggers, floor depressions. If nothing found and Skiiratch wants to try the door, McCloud will offer to incant a 'hold portal' spell on the block to give time to access and assess the door...

[Alethan]

Skiiratch sighs and says, "Look... everyone stay here. And when I say, 'stay', I mean stay. Not follow closely behind me."

Mage-Lite in hand, Skiiratch steps past the section of wall that appears unusual and approaches the doors. He takes his time examining the doors for traps and anything unusual or out of the ordinary. He also examines the carvings above the door to see if he can make them out.

[AQuebman]

Bindle Yells from the outside. Why don't you tie a rope to the door handle and give her a yank from out here? Lose a rope rather than a life. Bindle snickers to himself which leads into a coughing fit. He hacks up some phlegm spits it on the ground and takes another long swig of his ale only to find that it's his last and his brew was completely gone.

Damn it all! Who here has more alcohol?

[Bhart]

When Skiiratch steps close enough to the doors to inspect them, the floor under his feet suddenly glows with mystic symbols. The hallway rumbles with the grinding sound of stone as the 10' wide section of wall found by Urdak begins to protrude at a rapid pace.

What do you do?