Using the telescope Seraphina sees that there are no dragons in the Outer Ward but 8 human cultists with a slightly different uniforms with a more open back and for a split second you see they have spectral wings of a dragon.
It is clear they created the soft thuds as they landed in the Outer Ward. They begin flying towards the Astronomy Tower with longswords unsheathed
After Dralmorrer reveals a potential route out of the trap they find themselves ensnared in, Thrax looks down at his new companions, disquieted eyes searching for confirmation that the route outlined truly exists. "Do you know the way? The way Dralmorrer speaks?"
"Yes," Ixsas answers Thrax, "I think so. We saw the door to the Dining Hall (Q) when we came through the courtyard to get into this tower. It sounds like it's a pretty straight-shot from there, but it almost certainly means walking through a couple of rooms filled with the cult members and their bullywug or lizardfolk guards." Ixsas expects that the guards and maybe the regular cultists congregate in the Dining Hall when they're not on guard duty. It'll be best if they can use deception to get past them and into the caverns before they're discovered. Of course, that assumes that the party can figure out an alternate exit via the caverns.
"The chests. If they are not trapped. Put the not trapped ones in a bag. I can carry them. We open them later."
((OOC: I think that the chests are linked to one another like pearls on a necklace (post #3711). I'm not sure whether there's a way to take the chests with no trap (#4 and #6) without also taking the chests that are still trapped (#2 and #5). Thrax and Zeds already opened chests #1 and #3.))
@Weathervision - Were any of the cultists who were defending this tower with Dralmorrer or who attacked it earlier wearing the dragon mask, like the one Zeds has?
The young blonde selûnite hurries downstairs again and shares with the others what she saw through the magical tiliskub. "I have the impression they have decided to not leave Dralmorrer to his interrogation any longer. We should move, now. Take what you can and get going." She adds with urgency in her tone.
"Well try to close the roof!" Zeds spits out more annoyedly than he intended, but it also came out weaker than intended as well so it is kind of a wash.
"But even if they get in, least it's not the throng of lizard folk and bullywugs?" he offers meekly. "If the flyers get in I suggest we try to deceive them with Sera's magic first, then use the real Drally as a bargaining chip if we must. Fight as last resort... still less than the numbers below us..."
"Meanwhile, let's see if these contain anything worthwhile... or try to." That said, despite his shaking Zeds goes to the chests once more. The first and third have been opened (300gp and a 1k gold bar - anyone note those yet?). The fourth and sixth chests are only locked at this point, it is believed. The fourth because he took the trap already, the sixth seems untrapped. He tries those first...
((Obviously if Sera or someone doesn't run up to close the roof and/or try to deceive the flyers, then this all is moot and Zeds runs with everyone else or whatever that plan is. But if we're trying closing and deception first, then he has some time for this?)
Attempt to pick locks of #4 and then #6
18 and then 16 (I think I was offered Guidance for these? If so add 1 and 3 respectively?)
If he fails at unlocking either (or both) he calls Ixsas over. "I can't get the lock done... You may as well break it open. No traps so that should be safe enough..."
Then Zeds calls for Thrax to drag Drallmorer over. "Sit him down right next to me. I'll try to undo the traps but if I fail I want him just as in front of it as I am..."
((I'll not roll for the trapped ones yet as I don't want to get too far into the IF this then THAT weeds. This is all kind of theoretical on us not running immediately already...))
The key does not fit into the lock.
Using the telescope Seraphina sees that there are no dragons in the Outer Ward but 8 human cultists with a slightly different uniforms with a more open back and for a split second you see they have spectral wings of a dragon.
It is clear they created the soft thuds as they landed in the Outer Ward. They begin flying towards the Astronomy Tower with longswords unsheathed
"Yes," Ixsas answers Thrax, "I think so. We saw the door to the Dining Hall (Q) when we came through the courtyard to get into this tower. It sounds like it's a pretty straight-shot from there, but it almost certainly means walking through a couple of rooms filled with the cult members and their bullywug or lizardfolk guards." Ixsas expects that the guards and maybe the regular cultists congregate in the Dining Hall when they're not on guard duty. It'll be best if they can use deception to get past them and into the caverns before they're discovered. Of course, that assumes that the party can figure out an alternate exit via the caverns.
((OOC: I think that the chests are linked to one another like pearls on a necklace (post #3711). I'm not sure whether there's a way to take the chests with no trap (#4 and #6) without also taking the chests that are still trapped (#2 and #5). Thrax and Zeds already opened chests #1 and #3.))
@Weathervision - Were any of the cultists who were defending this tower with Dralmorrer or who attacked it earlier wearing the dragon mask, like the one Zeds has?
No none of the cultist in the tower wore masks.
To take 1 chest you would need to break the chain.
The young blonde selûnite hurries downstairs again and shares with the others what she saw through the magical tiliskub. "I have the impression they have decided to not leave Dralmorrer to his interrogation any longer. We should move, now. Take what you can and get going." She adds with urgency in her tone.
"Well try to close the roof!" Zeds spits out more annoyedly than he intended, but it also came out weaker than intended as well so it is kind of a wash.
"But even if they get in, least it's not the throng of lizard folk and bullywugs?" he offers meekly. "If the flyers get in I suggest we try to deceive them with Sera's magic first, then use the real Drally as a bargaining chip if we must. Fight as last resort... still less than the numbers below us..."
"Meanwhile, let's see if these contain anything worthwhile... or try to." That said, despite his shaking Zeds goes to the chests once more. The first and third have been opened (300gp and a 1k gold bar - anyone note those yet?). The fourth and sixth chests are only locked at this point, it is believed. The fourth because he took the trap already, the sixth seems untrapped. He tries those first...
((Obviously if Sera or someone doesn't run up to close the roof and/or try to deceive the flyers, then this all is moot and Zeds runs with everyone else or whatever that plan is. But if we're trying closing and deception first, then he has some time for this?)
Attempt to pick locks of #4 and then #6
18 and then 16
(I think I was offered Guidance for these? If so add 1 and 3 respectively?)
If he fails at unlocking either (or both) he calls Ixsas over. "I can't get the lock done... You may as well break it open. No traps so that should be safe enough..."
Then Zeds calls for Thrax to drag Drallmorer over. "Sit him down right next to me. I'll try to undo the traps but if I fail I want him just as in front of it as I am..."
((I'll not roll for the trapped ones yet as I don't want to get too far into the IF this then THAT weeds. This is all kind of theoretical on us not running immediately already...))
((Grrr, rolls not showing up. Least not as I type this. So will try on character sheet... but I guess use above if they show up?))
Lock #4 is 5 or
8+3 (1d4 from guidance) +8 (dex mod+prof bonus) for 16Lock #6 is 3 or
19+4 (1d4 from guidance) +8 (dex mod+prof bonus) for 15((OOC: Yes, I put one chest with both the 300 gp and gold bar on the Party Inventory. You should be able to see it on your sheet.))