Fin - 

After a moment she continues, “but I made this, maybe that rich professor will pay me my 50 gold coins for this. Does it look convincing?” Bloody Spear openly shows you the cog she's been working on.

Arcana Check if you wanna check the cog.

From where you stand, the door appears not to be designed to be opened. It has no apparent hinges and the sides appear to be bolted to the wall. It appears more wall than door. There appears to be an illegible eroded inscription on it.

"Apologies for my mistake."

Trigger politely steps past Bloody Spear to more closely examine the door. As he looks it over, he explains,

"We are not after a bounty, nor are we connected with House Deneith. We are afiliated with Morgrave University."

(OOC: Trigger's background is archeologist, which gives him some kind of benefit when examining architecture. I don't remember the particulars, nor how it would apply in this situation, but let me know if you think it does.)

J'Sahriel perks up at the mention of a bounty from House Deneith.

"Can you tell us more about this bounty?"

Trigger sees the door and reads the inscription. Written in common, it says 'Restricted Area. Permanently out of bounds as ordered by King Galifar I, Year 32 YK'. He thinks that he might be able to force the door open, but it would take a couple of hours. They could attempt to open it more immediately with sheer force, though it seems unlikely to work given the muscle currently present (meaning even a crit wouldn't be an auto-success). There doesn't seem to be a trick to this door. As Trigger and the students recall, sometimes areas are ordered out of bounds and are simply sealed shut.

"Ah, I think the professor has sent a few people after this schema, though you are the first I've seen. I took this job as a bounty for House Deneith, though I am not a member in any official capacity. The bounty was for 50 gold pieces, but this door is bolted shut. Do you think you have a way to open up the door?"

Trigger turns back to the group.

"The professor did not mention sending anyone else, did he?"

(Reminder: he sure didn't!)

"Are we sure that they were sent by the professor?" Emanuel asks; taking time to examine the door.

"Can I see that?" Berlyn indicates the cog.

Arcana: 11

While looking it over, she says to Trigger. "Give me a moment and I will see if I can figure out how to open the door."

"Of course, Miss Berlyn."

Trigger turns back to Bloody Spear.

"If we are the first you've seen, how do you know others were sent by a professor?"

Emanuel's grip tightens on his sword after hearing Trigger ask the question; cursing to himself inside his head, his face showing a look of anger and self disappointment.

Bloody Spear lets Berlyn take the fake schema. The fake schema looks good to the untrained eye, but you can tell it's a fake from your time studying other schemas. Many of the symbols are fake or in the wrong places. This schema would never work.

The door is literally bolted shut. Unless you have some creative ways to use spells, you will have to attempt to force the door!

"Why else would you come down here? Looking at you guys," Bloody Spear shifts her gaze to each of you, "I don't think most of you would find yourselves down here in the Cogs and definitely not approaching this door. You have such an interest in the door, there is no way you weren't sent by the professor. Especially you," Bloody Spear gestures at Trigger, "you are a special make. I've seen a few like you before. Made specifically for Morgrave University's expeditions. A telltale clue."

Bloody Spear does move out of the way. Nothing about her suggests she is a danger to any of you.

"Hmmm, good job, but I am not sure it will pass muster of an expert," Berlyn comments as she looks over the cog. "You can certainly try." She hands it back to Bloody Spear, with a pleasant face and a tone of helpfulness. She moves to get a better look at the door, maybe to see if there are hidden mechanisms.

investigation plus Deductive Intuition: 22 +4

While checking door, she continues to talk, "Bloody Spear, that's a rather, uh, descriptive moniker. Any particular reference, if you don't mind me asking?"

Seeing no way of opening the bolted door with her lock picks, Berlyn starts to whistle a tune while staring at the door, focusing on the other side of it.

(She casts unseen servant on the other side of the door and commands it to unbolt and open the door. Casting as a ritual so it will take a few minutes.)

"If you're looking into this bounty on behalf of House Deneir..." J'Sahriel begins slowly with a questioning look at Bloody Spear, "...why have you made your own copy of a schema?"

"Ah, Bloody Spear. This was a moniker bestowed upon me by my captain in the war," Bloody Spear comments through their voice seems less upbeat than it had been. "So this cog will get me nothing... ahh..."

Her expression shifts and for just a moment, you could have sworn she resembled a sad puppy that was just told it wouldn't be getting any supper. Bloody Spear sighed at J'Sahriel's question, "I can't get through the door, so I thought I would make a fake to collect the bounty. Now I have learned my fake isn't convincing enough to an expert like Daela. This is a catastrophe... I really needed that gold..." She sulks onto the ground like a heap of junk just out of the way of the door. 

Eman inspects the door and figures he might be able to infringe upon its stability from this side. Maybe if he used his carpenter's tools and relied upon the strength of those here, the group would be able to knock the door down a lot more easily than expected.

(Eman would make me a check with his tools with advantage. Choose an ability score's modifier for the check and explain how it would help you mess-up the door enough to be broken down. Depending on how well you do, the DC to force the door could drop significantly. I would like to do this before resolving Berlyn's spell as it might change things if Eman chooses to do this AND he succeeds.)

Trigger is willing to assist Eman in whatever way required.

 First Emanuel examines every joint, searching for the weakest points.  He then places several stiff wedges at choice points.  He pulls out a large mallet; handing it to Trigger.  He steps back and says; "Swing away."

After Trigger turns down the offer, Emanuel readies the hammer and swings.

 Clanking loudly against the door.

He looks around embarrassed, steps back, and just hands the hammer to Trigger as he passes by.

(I AM MERCIFUL. I will except that advantage crit in order to advance the story!)

Suddenly, behind Eman as looks to his party, a loud THUD echoes. (Wis Save 12, if not, then:) Some of you jump with a start, including Bloody Spear! It would appear Eman had busted the door open. Bloody Spear dips her head solemnly. "Hmm, it's only me and five of you. I know when I am beat..." The warforged begins to make her way back to where you all came from.

Through the door, a dark hallway lies before you after Eman more or less destroyed the ancient iron door. The thick layer of dust on the stone-tiled floor reveals that no one has stepped inside this part of the city for hundreds of years. It appears that Daela's information is precise. The old schema must be inside. 

Three old barrels stand in the middle of the hallway by the eastern wall. The wood appears to be in bad condition. Though the area appears to have remained dry over the years, the barrels have slowly decayed with the passage of time. One of the barrels appears to have no lid. Just beyond the barrels is a closed metal door on the western wall. On the eastern wall appears to be a hallway that leads elsewhere.