PBEM, Episode 9 - Hall and Kobold Library

NINE

(I/C)

Kovid gave the door a bristling snarl and grabbed his pick as if ready to knock it down when Lannis stepped forward, laid his hand on the dwarf’s arm and shook his head. “Not worth it. Please. Quiet.”

Meanwhile Brendon turned to Wyn and said, “For a swamp elf, you are either very brave or very dumb. Don’t go alone.”

“I only want check dis way to know paths. Just in cases. I no go witout com-pan-yons. Dat be stupid. Like eatin dee gator teet first."

The scout grunted and the party looked at the two passages. “I’m not sure what all of you are thinking, “Lannis said, “For now it would seem more strategically sound to try the hallway with less potential vectors for attack."

Lyra agreed. “The north west path leads to a bunch of paths and you smells like water? If it's worth anything, if we have to investigate an area first, I'd also prefer it to be the one with less paths to explore. Less of a chance we could get blindsided."

The party agreed and lined up with Brendon in the front, followed by Kovid and Wyn walking abreast, the dwarf holding the lantern aloft. Then came Lannis and Lyra together, the Cleric with her sling at the ready. And finally Abraxis, “I'll protect our backside. My shield is yours!"

As a group we began walking down the NORTH and EAST passage, the Fighter watching behind us with care while Brendon took his time, scanning for any loose stones, leaning debris, or anything untoward that might cause a problem. Wyn and Kovid followed close by, eyes peeled and running their hands on the castle stones as they travelled. Kovid was giving the walls a solid thumping, scraping at the mortar with a thumb nail and sniffing it.

“Wot you doing, Dwarfriend?” Wyn asked.

“I wonder,” Kovid muttered, “I wonder who built this place. The stonework is…solid, but the wear on it is centuries made. This is an old Castle.”

“Halgafar was a well loved elven lord. And elves do live a long time, mon ami. I could see easily 400 years this castle be old.”

“450.”

Wyn frowned. “Perhaps. But I would trust a more conservative figure of 400 years old.”

“Maybe, if you wanted to practice being wrong. 450 is the better age.”

Lannis’ staff thumped out, lightly smacking both the Dwarf and Elf in the head. “What part of quiet, and shut the hell up, don’t you dickweeds understand?”

The party walked down the long hall to the east for some time, 60, 70’ easily, before it turned to the north and some 15 paces or so away there was a door on the WEST wall as well as the CORRIDOR continuing to the NORTH to the limit of the lantern light and then some. Kovid held the lantern higher while Brendon gave the WEST DOOR a once over (>Find, Red 56) and listened carefully (<Hear Noise, Red 17).

“Well?” the dwarf asked.

“The door isn’t trapped, it opens in and to the right, and I would guess it’s been used in the recent past as the knob is clean of dust and grit. There is no key hole so it is not locked. And although I listened long and hard, when we first arrived at the door I thought I heard something shift inside the room, soft and gentle – but it did not repeat and I am confident that I did hear something but nothing since.”

“It’s up to you guys. Are we going to try this door and go in, or keep going down the hall?”

Time now is 10:36 AM.

(OOC)

Nothing left to say about the door and no further listening will change anything. So far no secret doors have been found and unless there is a fight, no Wandering Monster Checks for at least 2 more turns in the halls – if you continue down.