PBEM, Episode 8 - Sitting Room and Armory

EIGHT

(I/C)
Abraxis continued to look over the Ballista, running his hands over it and murmuring. Meanwhile Lyra cleaned off her club and then unlooped her sling and wrapped it around her right wrist. She bent down and picked up one of the giant rats and dragged it into the WEAPONS ROOM while Lannis, Brendon, and Wyn listened down the halls. “Mon ami, you should check out the west door,” the elf whispered to Brendon who nodded absently, ears cocked down the halls while Lyra dragged the rats and Abraxis continued to check the machine.

Kovid had moved back into the hall, standing near Brendon, head tilted and trying to hear as well.

“Abraxis,” Lyra whispered. “Is that thing loaded?”

The Fighter reached lower and lifted the tail end of the rust heavy BOLT. “No. Not for some time. The rats were…malo…bad. But we should be ok, not like this can go off without some loving work. And even then it’d only go off once.”

“How much work?” Lannis asked.

“Monsieur Luc,” Wyn cocked his head west. “The door, eh?” Brendon again waved his hand and then held up a finger, looking at the NORTH and EAST passage. “Hmmph. Grossier,” the elf said, heading to the NORTH and WEST passage.

“Twenty minutes and a full FLASK OF OIL,” Kovid answered Lannis, Abraxis echoing his answer a moment later. “It won’t go off without some effort to make it happen and then loaded and even then, you’d be lucky to get a single shot out of it.”

Wiping her hands clean, Lyra moved back into the middle of the room, sling unfurled and took out a sizable stone, loading it up. Lannis went off to the WEAPONS ROOM door after Abraxis left it, made sure it was shut, and then wiped some dirt on the bottom of the door to hide our presence.

Meanwhile Wyn stepped eight paces of so down the passage to the turn off, far enough away from the party for his infravision to kick in. The passages were the same temperature, bluish green and featureless, and went as far as he could see. It appeared there was an additional turn off down each passage – from the NORTH the passage continued NORTH and had a side passage going WEST. And from the WEST, the passage continued WEST and had a side passage going NORTH.

Meanwhile Brendon satisfied nothing was nearby, finally went to check out the WEST DOOR, giving it a full once over (<Find Traps, Red 24) confident that it wasn’t trapped, neither was it locked as there was no keyhole on the door. Kovid nodded to Brendon and stepped forward, Abraxis bracing the dwarf, his sword out and ready. Wyn meanwhile came back into the room and Brendon had his bow out.

With a nod, Kovid went to open the door and was surprised to find it stuck. Turning the handle and steadying himself, he shoved and pushed at the door (>Open Door, Yellow 4) but failed to budge the portal. Brendon dug in his backpack and handed the dwarf his Prybar, “Use this.”

Thanking the thief, Kovid worked the prybar into the jamb of the door and push, twisted, and shoved as hard as the dwarf could, veins sticking out of his neck and forearms and he shoved (>Open Door +1 Bonus, Yellow 5) and the door failed to budge. He gave the portal a critical look (>Stonework, Yellow 4) and then shrugged. “Manling, I don’t know why the door isn’t opening but it has been closed for some time and I would guess it is blocked from the other side somehow.” He returned the prybar. “I don’t see how we can open it.”

Wyn shared what he had seen down the NORTH and WEST Passage. “There was faintly the smell of water down there, an’ I gotta say, it reminds me of home. But, it splits into at least 4 different choices after a bit and I am not sure which way to go.”

Time now is 10:26

(OOC)

Door to the WEST cannot be opened, 2 attempts. Only if someone stronger than Kovid attempts and would only get one attempt – or if anyone in the party goes up in level – then you would get another chance. Otherwise all further attempts will end up no result. (Kovid has a 15 Strength).

Alternatively you can attack the door with hammer, picks, and axes and break it down that way.

You have the NORTH and EAST passage which turns to the EAST after a short distance, and the NORTH and WEST passage which eventually splits into 2 choices after 15’ and then 2 more choices each way after another 35’.