PBEM - Episode 245. Doors and Decision

TWO HUNDRED FORTY FIVE

(I/C)

Lannis stepped back and whispered as low as he could, "The door’s already open; let's take the opportunity while we can. As long as Brendon is up to it, we should find out what's behind those doors."

"Si Señor, I agree con Cabeza Grande." Abraxas joined Lannis in stepping back, keeping a ready eye behind the party at the opposite end of the hall and the secret passage leading to the Throne Room.

Brendon nodded, pointing to Kovid and mimed lifting the lantern higher. “If you don’t mind,” he whispered.

Kovid agreed, waving forward with an ‘after you’ motion, as he looked over the interior of the secret door. Thanking him, the Scout entered the former Ispan’s teleportation room and made his way with care (>Move silently, +15% alone, Red 67) across the chamber. The stones made only the faintest of gritting noises under his steps as he picked his way to the south door first.

Wyn was looking over the floor while Lyra was pursing her lips and checking out the room itself.

The Dwarf sighed, looking on the opposite side of the secret door and then back again repeatedly. “We have a problem,” he muttered low under his breath.

“What is it?” Lyra asked.

“The secret door? It’s one way. There is no way to open the passage unless it is from in this hall.”

Lannis nodded. “That makes sense. Ispan doesn’t want people sneaking into his sneaking hall.”

“So, eef we close de door from ‘ere, we cannot open eet again from dis room?” the elf was talking very quietly. The dwarf shook his head no.

“One way.”

“Hokay, let’s see wot de Scout learns afore we do anyt’ing.”

Brednon had finished leaning against the south door, listening for a few minutes (<Hear Noise, +15% alone, Red 41) and had crossed the chamber to the north door where he was doing the same.

“Can the room be made to teleport again if we fix the paint?” Abraxas asked, voice pitched to a low rumble.

Lannis and Wyn shook their heads. “De room itself did not lend any magical ‘Bility to teleporting or de summoning. It acted as a loci point TO de summon or TO de teleport to and from,” the elf said.

Lannis agreed, “Can clean the room to Asgard and Olympus and put down 6 coats of phoenix brand paint and it won’t make any of us summon the rando dude or cut 10,000 steps off your cardio workout.”

Brendon was finally finished and was heading back (>Enemy Hear Noise, -2 penalty alone, Black 17) where he joined us in the hall and released his pent up breath. “South door is fully closed, opens towards us and to the right. It’s well used and used often enough that the hinges are greased – so that is quiet. I heard nothing beyond it, but it isn’t locked.”

“Excellent. And de udder door?”

“North door is where the orcs are. I could make out at least 6 distinct voices, and some of them are female.”

“Good. They should be smaller and easier to manage,” Lannis suggested.

Kovid, Lyra, and Wyn all chuckled. “You are not going to happy then.”

Brendon continued. “There is a curtain in front of the door, but it’s partially pulled aside. Door beyond is closed, and opens away from us and to the right. No keyhole, can’t tell if it’s barred. I don’t speak the language but they weren’t excited or worked up sounding. Just seemed to be conversing.”

“Great job,” Kovid said. “Ok, so what’s the plan?”

Time now is Day 7, 8:50 AM

(OOC)

Ok – so far dice are in your party’s favor. What’s the plan?