The Unseen Servant forums

jemmus wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2024 2:06 amHe holds onto his spear and descends a half dozen steps, eyes wide and torch aloft.

Delx's torch light falls on a flat space at the bottom of the stepped bench seats. Taking another step forward and down, the light glints on gold. An ornate throne, set center of what seems to be a stage. One sitting there, most likely, could be heard clearly throughout the room, which seems a sort of auditorium or amphitheatre.

Elcroon, seemingly distracted, had been troubled by a thought brought on by the gold door. How were they to carry what was hopefully to be a staggeringly heavy load of treasure out and across the chasm? One could only hope there was another secret exit out to the mountain beneath the chasm. That must certainly be the case, for the dwarves would not make the import and export of materials and goods through an inconveniently placed mountaintop aerie, to be struggled up and down a treacherous path in inhospitable weather.

A second troubling thought presented itself in his map. How to account for the overlapping location of the nursery and this hall? Was the hall beneath the nursery, or vice versa? Such cartographic mysteries.

Deciding that he was overthinking the matter, Elcroon stepped down the stairs after Delx. His comrade was asking if he wanted to sing, or something like that.

“What say you Delx?
My mind did wander
This place yields few results
Except a sense of wonder.”

“Doubtless a hall for oratory
And kingly proclamations,
For dwarven songs of glory,
Conversations, congregations, indoctrinations!”

The musicmancer resisted the temptation to test the acoustics of the hall, lest ghosts be stirred. He studied the floors and benches to see if dust patterns were disrupted, or tracks shown.

Approaching the throne, Elcroon said:

“The throne we should search,
Should treasures in secret perch.”

You can count on me master she thinks making absolutely certain she remains within range the light, while staying in front of them.

That was some nice verse, friend, Delx says. He goes down the steps to the golden throne. He first checks it for traps, then for any doors, drawers, or apertures.

Delx knows about traps and tricks. (Dis)Advantage [_2d12]=(3+10)=13 As he inspects the throne, he notices hinges along the back of its base.

Elcroon watched about for any surprises while Delx dealt with the throne.

Black dog stands guard, making sure they won't get surprised as they search the room.

Denizen? [_3d6]=(6+6+5)=17

Black Dog smells a now-familiar scent and her sharp ears locate scurrying along the back wall of the sunken stage. A cockatrice is moving in the shadow.

Black dog moves in for the kill.

I'm giving Black Dog "rage" advantage

(Dis)Advantage [_2d12]=(11+9)=20 SK 9 v level 1

Black Dog's swift and powerful jaws clamp down and crush the spine of a scurrying cockatrice. She tosses the limp vermin into the air and catches it again. Tail wagging, she hurries back to Delx and Elcroon.

“Good boy! A new toy!”

Black dog wiggles her tail in excitement hearing she did good.
She places the meat down in front of her companions hoping they might even be willing to pet for her a job well done.

Well done, Black Dog! Delx says. The prudence of the volume of his voice in the auditorium doesn't diminish the earnest enthusiasm of his praise. Good we've got a cockatrice killer with us eh, Elcroon? A cockatrice is not to be sniffed at. We could be like the poor stone dwarves here without her. He ruffs the fur at the back of the dog's neck and scratches her behind an ear. Then guts the valuable thing and hands it to Elcroon. Don't worry, it won't go foul and stink up your pack. The one in my bag is already frozen stiff.

He goes to the golden throne and examines the hinges at its back. Let's see what's under what a king sits on. Well, under what he sits on sits on. Give me hand, eh, Elcroon? He starts to tip the throne back on its hinges, aware that it might become very heavy when it passes the midpoint of the arc backwards. They probably don't want a heavy crash at the focal point of a vast auditorium.

Elcroon made a face at the cockatrice hide. It was not his idea of treasure.

After observing that Delx’s search of the throne and initial handling of the hinged area did not trigger a trap, the musicmancer helped with its opening.

“Let us hope under the throne
Glitters gold not piles of bone.”

The throne is heavy. (Dis)Advantage [_2d12]=(9+1)=10 Elcroon and Delx, together, heave it up. And then, as expected, it's very hard to ease it down onto its back.

Under where the throne usually sits is a square hole in the stage, about six feet deep and four feet across. At the bottom of the hole are steep stairs leading down under a low ceiling. There are ladder steps cut into one side of the hole.

She will go into the hole if she notices her companions planning to move in.
Always making sure she stays in front of them.

Well, I guess it's in we go, eh? says Delx. But how to get Black Dog down? It's only six feet deep, but that could be enough of a jump for a sprain. How about this? Elcroon and I go down first by the ladder and then reach up and lift you down. He starts down the ladder, torch in one hand.

missed it was a ladder
Black dog planned to go in ahead, until realising she was dealing with a ladder. She calmly waits for her master to find a way.

“Aye, that solves the matter
Now down the ladder.”

Elcroon tested each rung before putting his full weight upon it, in case they were weak from age.

There are only six steps to the ladder, footholds cut into the stone wall of the hole.

The landing is moderately big, Elcroon and Delx don't feel crowded as they help Black Dog down. She immediately takes point at the top step.

Black Dog smells something like stone and also something lizard-y. Strange smell she doesn't know.

The steps go down into darkness. They are not quite wide enough for two people to go side by side.

Black Dog will go first, who's next? Who holds the torch?