Ben:

”Yes, let’s keep moving.  Whether we fix our issues ourselves or freeing the queen fixes many of the for us, all I can think to do is help the people we can as we go and keep faith,” suggests Ben as he heads towards the stairway to look for another room—perhaps hidden.

Perception:  23

Puds face puckers at the taste of whatever this drink is.

"Didn't someone say something about something or another hidden behind a mirror?"

Ben and Pud wander off, followed by anyone who wants to join them – out of the waspy kitchen, through the study (of which Bavlorna's remains have become little more than a stain on the floor), and into the hallway. The mossy wooden floor creaks, groans, and bends underfoot as they pass.

The walls of the dark and dank hallway are covered with dozens of portraits depicting grumpy, sad, frightened, and angry people (humans, elves, halflings, bullywugs, and goblins, among others.) The portraits are rendered in a variety of mediums, including paintings, etchings, and sketches. All are displayed in gaudy, gilded frames. A framed oval mirror two feet wide and five feet tall hangs in the middle of one wall.

Ben:

”Let’s check the mirror,” says Ben, trying to understand if it is unusual in and of itself (can he touch it/reach into it) or might it hide a portal behind itself?

The mirror is cold to the touch, and plenty solid. It doesn't seem to have any latch or mechanism to open or move it. Gazing into the oval mirror, he notices that it alters his reflection subtly, rendering his reflected face bereft of any expression or emotion. Ben: make a Perception check.

Quote from cbaer8 >>

The mirror is cold to the touch, and plenty solid. It doesn't seem to have any latch or mechanism to open or move it. Gazing into the oval mirror, he notices that it alters his reflection subtly, rendering his reflected face bereft of any expression or emotion. Ben: make a Perception check.

 Perception:  22

" Do we think the portraits are actual people.....like the masks were?"

Ben's sharp eyes spot the edges of a door behind the mirror. But there are no obvious means of opening it.

Ben:

”There is a door behind this mirror, but I don’t even see a keyhole or a latch,” says Ben.  He pulls out his magic key and holds it near the door in case it might reveal something useful.

”Does anyone else want to help me get this open?” he asks.

Horatio pulls out a prybar and offers a hand.

Holding the key in front of the mirror does nothing, Ben finds. His reflection looks flatly back at him.

Horatio's prybar doesn't even begin to budge this mirror – whatever the mirror and door are made of and adhered with, it will not seem to give to any tools. Horatio suspects magic.

Examining the portraits on the wall, Matilda finds that the figures all look miserable, upset, or depressed. And while some are professional, realistic depictions, most are stylized, rendered in a variety of media, and some are actually quite amateurish – even childlike in their execution. 

Somewhat relieved that the portraits don't....look....like they are people Matilda moves up to Ben, " We have an axe? We can just go through the wall instead?"

Pud walks over and takes a peek into the mirror to see how he looks.

"I might be able to use some magic to figure out how this thing works. Y'all might wanna back up a bit in case this thing is rigged."

Pud nervously touches the mirror and casts identify

Pud touches the mirror. The first thing he senses is the aura of transmutation magic around this mirror; he also senses something magical about the glue that adheres the mirror to the wall. But the mirror itself, he learns, alters the reflection of any creature that gazes into it, rendering the reflection bereft of expression or emotion, except if a creature smiles into the mirror. In that case, the creature’s reflection also smiles, and the secret door in the wall holding the mirror swings inward.

Pud closes his eyes tightly and focuses his arcane wit on the mirror for a few brief moments. His head suddenly jerks back and his eyes snap wide open. 

"I got this, guys!"

Pud stands in front of the mirror, staring at his own expressionless reflection and then he makes huge funny looking smile revealing his yellowing teeth.

The mirror-covered door pops open with a squeak. Inside is a dark, L-shaped hallway. A moldy scent hangs in the air.

Joining the others, Titaani claps her hands together excitedly as the mirror squeaks open. "Well done, Pud!" 

Slipping through the others, the curious gnome takes a look around. Perception: 20

Ben:

”Well-done indeed!” agrees Ben, clapping Pud on the back as he follows Titaani into the secret hallway.

Perception:  8

Titaani and Ben (followed by anyone who wants to join them), walk forward down the ill-smelling secret hallway behind the mirror. The dark passageway is a bit larger than it first looks. Turning the corner, it initially looks like a solid wall blocks the way ahead, but you quickly notice a very small door at the base of the wall, barred on this side by a thin steel rod. 

Horatio puts away the prybar as he follows into the dark hallway.