Ithelion walks up to the door and looks at it -- and at the ground -- for signs of past movement and hinges. Does she see signs it opens inwards or outwards (scratches on floor, less dirt etc)?
She will try with either Mage Hand (or fingers, if more effective) to pull or push the edge of the door as appropriate based on her investigation. Does it move at all?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Krom shakes his head as they study the door, "The stone's got some magic in it from when the Elves built the thing. Only reason this buildin' still standin' and a hammer ain't gonna break a stone door down easily, nor quietly fer that matter. Them knife ears got no respect for proper stone work." He says the last part under his breath and walks over to the wall next to where the door was pointed out. "If ye ain't seen a way to open it on the door, ye should look around the door next." He starts running his hand around the frame of the door looking for any oddities in the stonework.
The door does not move with your mage hand, Ithelion. Krom, feeling around, there doesn’t seem to be a frame per se, just a seam where the door seems to be. Both you gather it doesn’t open outwards. On either side of the door, however, you notice two blocks protruding slightly, one on each side. There is an accumulation of dust and dirt at the base of the door, but no different than the rest of the room. You notice boot prints in various places around the room. Krom and Daemyar, you notice the same.
@daemyar - oh, I definitely know what you meant! :)
@garnet - the goblins died rather gruesomely, with puncture holes, ugly and ragged slashes, and broken limbs , and deep gouges made by claws characterizing the bodies. And of course, there are the marks made by the rats. Because they have not been fully eaten, you reason that their deaths may have occurred within a month or so. A couple have been beheaded though you’re not sure if it was pre or post mortem. Whomever killed them must have really hated them - mere death didn’t seem to be enough. There is blood elsewhere that doesn’t seem to belong to the goblins as well, but only the goblin bodies remain. The goblin that has bee skewered by the spear stands upright, pinned to the western wall. Hers was a long death it would seem, as the spear entered through the belly and, if the wounds are anything to go by, seems like death did not come quickly to this one. Curiously, it seems like something is written behind the body...
@ithelion - you try both blocks with your mage hand. They both move ever so slightly but then stop. Your mage hand is not strong enough to push either on further....
@daemyar - you leave the secret door for now and walk over towards Garnet. You walk up to the goblin pinned to the wall and pull on the spear. It takes a couple of seconds but with a heave, you yank it out. The body slumps to the ground and reveals Draconic runes on the wall behind it. [anyone speak Draconic?]
@ithelion - you push the block on the left first, shrugging. You carefully push and because you do so carefully, you see the needle coming and jerk your hand back quickly, avoiding the needle. On the right side, you replicate your actions and with this block being pushed, the door swings inward, revealing a small forgotten room. This pocket chamber is damp and cold and dark. The skeletons of three long-dead archers slump against rubble-filled arrow slits along the east and south wall. Cobwebs decorate the room, which exudes a general air of menace.
Ithelion takes a few steps back, wary of the newly discovered room, "From the scent to death, to the threat of death." she says, hoping for bulky warm bodies to stand between her and whatever she senses in the room.
She glances over her shoulder to the congregation of said 'warm bodies', and notes the now-exposed writing on the wall. "What, more kobold scriblings?"
@garnet - I can’t remember - did you share what Corkie said about Ashardalon with the rest of the group? There was a bit of time when garnet went to the shrine of chauntea in Oakhurst a while back - I can’t remember if she intended to share it with you or not...
Garnet's eyes widen at the name. In her haste to catch up to her company she had forgotten to relay the information she had learned from trip to the shrine.
"The Chauntea keeper told me Ashladan is dragon god. The ancient elves who built this place worshipped him."
Garnet tries to quickly recount what the old mother had told her to the others.
“All children’s tales find trace their roots to some truth. Heroes are created, never born. I’ve had visions recently to assist some who will pass by, who ask about the darkness that plagues Oakhurst.” Her face turns serious, “We all made a mistake long ago of not hearing the madness of one who came through. It’s a mistake we have suffered for and long to be released from. Belak was his name and he came with strange thoughts and words, him and his twisted pet frog. I am old enough to remember tales of an ancient castle, built by misguided elves looking for a quiet place to worship their dragon god - Ashardalon was its name though chaos, terror, and calamity are better words for him. After to eruption of the mountain, the magical castle fell into the earth, its magic twisted all things - living or otherwise. It is said that years later an evil creature of the night ventured into its depths and was killed upon a tree, which continued to grow in a malignant way. The magic of the castle ruins warped the life around it and grew even more foul and perhaps sentient. It was this tree - named the Guithias Tree - that calls out to unwary fools like Belak. The difference is that I think Belak did make it to the source, unlike so many others. I believe this is the source of the evil and decay we face. And I believe it has come to a tipping point. To right the evils you must confront this tree and Belak. So you see? It sounds like a child’s tale yet is anything but. This is the assignment I have been given - to assist you in finding it. You will need to travel several miles to the north and east - a few hours hike - to begin your task.”
Krom looks inside the new room, "Ah, poor souls probably got trapped in here." Krom walks over to the group catching Garnet's recount. "So, it is lookin' like were dealin' with goblins, kobolds, and some crazy human."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Ithelion stares at the writing a little longer before turning back to the open door, "That room does not feel right...should I try to close it, or should we investigate? I don't like leaving an unknown threat behind us."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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The door is not wooden nor is it on hinges that you can see. The description of the door (post #999 above) might help you.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion walks up to the door and looks at it -- and at the ground -- for signs of past movement and hinges. Does she see signs it opens inwards or outwards (scratches on floor, less dirt etc)?
She will try with either Mage Hand (or fingers, if more effective) to pull or push the edge of the door as appropriate based on her investigation. Does it move at all?
I was trying to say we should get a strong person to knock it in with a hammer
Paladin - warforged - orange
Krom shakes his head as they study the door, "The stone's got some magic in it from when the Elves built the thing. Only reason this buildin' still standin' and a hammer ain't gonna break a stone door down easily, nor quietly fer that matter. Them knife ears got no respect for proper stone work." He says the last part under his breath and walks over to the wall next to where the door was pointed out. "If ye ain't seen a way to open it on the door, ye should look around the door next." He starts running his hand around the frame of the door looking for any oddities in the stonework.
Investigation: 12 if needed.
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Ithelion raises her eyebrows, "Knife-ears? I haven't heard that since I was a child."
The door does not move with your mage hand, Ithelion. Krom, feeling around, there doesn’t seem to be a frame per se, just a seam where the door seems to be. Both you gather it doesn’t open outwards. On either side of the door, however, you notice two blocks protruding slightly, one on each side. There is an accumulation of dust and dirt at the base of the door, but no different than the rest of the room. You notice boot prints in various places around the room. Krom and Daemyar, you notice the same.
@daemyar - oh, I definitely know what you meant! :)
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion will try to move the blocks using Mage Hand, and then her hand if it proves too weak.
" If ya'll can figure out which way it opens,maybe Krom and I can move it."
Garnet will allow the others to investigate the door. In the meantime she will investigate how the goblins died, looking for signs of attack.
( Arrows, blade marks, claw marks etc)
Investigation: 18
@garnet - the goblins died rather gruesomely, with puncture holes, ugly and ragged slashes, and broken limbs , and deep gouges made by claws characterizing the bodies. And of course, there are the marks made by the rats. Because they have not been fully eaten, you reason that their deaths may have occurred within a month or so. A couple have been beheaded though you’re not sure if it was pre or post mortem. Whomever killed them must have really hated them - mere death didn’t seem to be enough. There is blood elsewhere that doesn’t seem to belong to the goblins as well, but only the goblin bodies remain.
The goblin that has bee skewered by the spear stands upright, pinned to the western wall. Hers was a long death it would seem, as the spear entered through the belly and, if the wounds are anything to go by, seems like death did not come quickly to this one. Curiously, it seems like something is written behind the body...
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
@ithelion - you try both blocks with your mage hand. They both move ever so slightly but then stop. Your mage hand is not strong enough to push either on further....
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion cautiously pushes one stone, then the other if nothing happens. "These seem to move..." she says.
Daemyar will pull the spear out and see what’s behind the body
Paladin - warforged - orange
@daemyar - you leave the secret door for now and walk over towards Garnet. You walk up to the goblin pinned to the wall and pull on the spear. It takes a couple of seconds but with a heave, you yank it out. The body slumps to the ground and reveals Draconic runes on the wall behind it. [anyone speak Draconic?]
@ithelion - you push the block on the left first, shrugging. You carefully push and because you do so carefully, you see the needle coming and jerk your hand back quickly, avoiding the needle. On the right side, you replicate your actions and with this block being pushed, the door swings inward, revealing a small forgotten room. This pocket chamber is damp and cold and dark. The skeletons of three long-dead archers slump against rubble-filled arrow slits along the east and south wall. Cobwebs decorate the room, which exudes a general air of menace.
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion takes a few steps back, wary of the newly discovered room, "From the scent to death, to the threat of death." she says, hoping for bulky warm bodies to stand between her and whatever she senses in the room.
She glances over her shoulder to the congregation of said 'warm bodies', and notes the now-exposed writing on the wall. "What, more kobold scriblings?"
(( She can speak draconic ))
@ithelion - written in draconic runes, this was no writing done by kobolds. you read the word - word, for there is only one - "Ashardalon"
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Ithelion does a doubletake, her attention focusing on the writing, while the door that she just opened is temporarily forgotten.
"Ashardalon. That name keeps cropping up...the Kobold's last words were ''Ashardalon, Meepo, the red fruit. Ashardalon, Meepo, the red fruit..."'".
She looks at her companions, "Does that name mean anything to anyone?"
@garnet - I can’t remember - did you share what Corkie said about Ashardalon with the rest of the group? There was a bit of time when garnet went to the shrine of chauntea in Oakhurst a while back - I can’t remember if she intended to share it with you or not...
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons
Garnet's eyes widen at the name. In her haste to catch up to her company she had forgotten to relay the information she had learned from trip to the shrine."The Chauntea keeper told me Ashladan is dragon god. The ancient elves who built this place worshipped him."
Garnet tries to quickly recount what the old mother had told her to the others.
“All children’s tales find trace their roots to some truth. Heroes are created, never born. I’ve had visions recently to assist some who will pass by, who ask about the darkness that plagues Oakhurst.” Her face turns serious, “We all made a mistake long ago of not hearing the madness of one who came through. It’s a mistake we have suffered for and long to be released from. Belak was his name and he came with strange thoughts and words, him and his twisted pet frog. I am old enough to remember tales of an ancient castle, built by misguided elves looking for a quiet place to worship their dragon god - Ashardalon was its name though chaos, terror, and calamity are better words for him. After to eruption of the mountain, the magical castle fell into the earth, its magic twisted all things - living or otherwise. It is said that years later an evil creature of the night ventured into its depths and was killed upon a tree, which continued to grow in a malignant way. The magic of the castle ruins warped the life around it and grew even more foul and perhaps sentient. It was this tree - named the Guithias Tree - that calls out to unwary fools like Belak. The difference is that I think Belak did make it to the source, unlike so many others. I believe this is the source of the evil and decay we face. And I believe it has come to a tipping point. To right the evils you must confront this tree and Belak. So you see? It sounds like a child’s tale yet is anything but. This is the assignment I have been given - to assist you in finding it. You will need to travel several miles to the north and east - a few hours hike - to begin your task.”
Krom looks inside the new room, "Ah, poor souls probably got trapped in here." Krom walks over to the group catching Garnet's recount. "So, it is lookin' like were dealin' with goblins, kobolds, and some crazy human."
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
"...and a long-dead -- I hope! -- dragon cult."
Ithelion stares at the writing a little longer before turning back to the open door, "That room does not feel right...should I try to close it, or should we investigate? I don't like leaving an unknown threat behind us."