Chapter 6: The Iron Door mission

[drpete]

So do you want to go ahead with the original plan (heading down to get the key) or circle back to the iron door now?

[kalstone]

"I agree."

[barkman]

"Down for the key, in case we can't make the door knocker work"

[drpete]

Date: Euryale 12, 1:00 pm (Turn 24)
Season: Mid Fall
Moon phase: First Quarter
Light Sources: Randolpho (Lantern, 3 hrs, 30 minutes remaining), Galen (Lantern, 0 hrs, 10 minutes remaining)
Time since rest: 30 minutes (3 turns)
Location: Empty Room

You backtrack to the east door that the map tells you will head toward the caverns. Torgyr listens at the door and checks it for traps, finding none.

Opening the door, you find that the room beyond extends 40 feet north-south, and 30 feet east-west, with a door on the opposite wall. The door has a hole cut out of the bottom that might allow a small creature to move through it, and you see some light shining through it from the other side.

After a moments further examination, you note that the floor of the eastern 2/3 of this room is wet. It seems to be coated in oil.

[Stirling]

Well I favour lighting the oil with a flaming arrow. It might trigger the trap but alert the kobolds on the far side. Unless we can all get across without getting slicked up and oily. Plenty of metal tables around, could form them into a bridge.

[Zorroroaster]

Before moving forward, Torgyr will look carefully at the room, focussing on the floor and the oil. Does the floor slope in any direction? Does the oil look like its flowing in any particular direction, or is it too thinly spread to tell? Is there a smell?

Torgyr gets out his rope and tosses one end onto the oil, let's it sit for a moment and then pulls it back, inspecting the end of the rope for unusual smells, testing how slippery it is. He's particularly interested in whether or not it's highly flammable, like military oil.

[drpete]

Examining the oil, it becomes clear that the eastern 2/3 of this room has been doused in military oil. The floor doesn't seem to be sloping down into a giant oil lake or anything. It's a level floor, covered in highly flammable oil. There's a door on the other side, with a hole near the bottom, big enough to send a small animal, or maybe a torch, through.

[Zorroroaster]

"Hrmm. Someone doesn't want us coming through that door. If we step in there we'll likely get barbecued by whoever is on the other side. Crude, but effective. How now? Do we torch it ourselves and wait for it to burn off?"

[kalstone]

"It's worth a try. All it will cost us is time."

[barkman]

"Can we push the door open and toss military oil back into there? Bend the jaws of the trap back on them?"

[Zorroroaster]

"We could try, but I have a feeling they are waiting for us to step in the room, and then toss fire through the small opening. If we had a pole long enough, we could try and reverse it, but it looks pretty far. I don't think it would be wise to actually walk into the oil."

[Stirling]

Quinn

just stick a few burning rags or papers on the end of the crossbow bolt and fire the arbalest at it.

[Zorroroaster]

"Yeah. Let's just light it up from a safe distance, and hold missile weapons at the ready for anything that comes through the door once the flames die down."

[barkman]

"Sounds good to me. Hopefully the treasure doesn't melt!"

[drpete]

Alright. Lighting the oil. Who's going to do it, and where is everybody when it happens? Is this an "ignite it from the door and back away" thing? Does anyone want to stay in the room, or in the doorway to watch/see what happens?

[Zorroroaster]

"Given how much oil is on the floor, I think we're better off outside that room, away from the door a bit. No telling how much smoke this will produce. We don't want anyone getting choked out."

Torgyr nods to Quinn about the flaming brand idea, and rips off a small length of fabric from his tunic. He wraps it around a bolt, tying it tightly. Then, after soaking it a moment in lamp oil, lights it and fires it into the room, after ensuring everyone is ready.

[drpete]

From the safety of the door, you light the expanse of oil on fire. The room is quickly engulfed, and becomes like a furnace.

From the other side, the door opens, and you see some kobolds, armed with bows. They don't look happy. You can't reach them without passing through the inferno.

Actions?

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr will try to use the door frame as cover, and fire a crossbow bolt at any kobolds he can see.

[Dogma]

"The little bastards don't look too happy that we spoiled their little surprise."

If possible Ranulf will take a shot at the kobolds with his arbelast also.

[kalstone]

Solaine will shoot her bow at any kobolds that present a clear target.