Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse Ruins

Feb 1, 2021 5:05 pm

Without missing a beat, "The fear is that my new companions will be unable to provide any formidable defense. Greater than you have fallen today, and I worry that the Dwarf here will not be able to bear the load alone. You, barbarian, have yet to prove any worth. Now quit flapping your lips so futilely and find something to poke with your pieces of metal." Eltrezar stands impatiently as Mal searches, and it is clear that he desires more urgency in their exploration this day.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Feb 1, 2021 9:22 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

As the wizard and barbarian continue to jab barbs with one another Mal remains in the room the brigands were holing up in. 30 minutes passes as the party waits for the young cleric to inspect the walls with her keen dwarven eyes.

Mal, for her part spends ten minutes searching the wall to the north first. But after careful scrutiny she cannot find anything of interest. She then moves to the wall on the west. Again she searches the rough stone for any sign of hidden craftsmanship, and after another ten minutes she feels certain the wall is only a wall.
She moves on to the east wall. Another ten minutes elapses and her concentration is frequently thrown off by the grumblings of the wizard about wasting time and his constant bickering with their new companion, coming from outside the room. Just as she's about to give up the room for a waste of time, her eyes catch a pattern of unusual consistency in the stonework, behind a ruined tapestry.
Almost as if the boundaries of each stack of stone all meet up in a set of vertical rows about 4' apart, instead of the usual random placement if the rest of the walls. Something about the stone placement and where they join up here seems too uniform.

Rolls

Mal Search roll (North) - (1d6)

Mal Search roll (West) - (1d6)

Mal Search roll (East) - (1d6)

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

dominion451

Feb 2, 2021 1:26 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"Ah-ha!" shouts the dwarf back to her new companions,

"Wine cellar!"

Mal heads back to the intersection of the hallways with a big grin on her face. She looks around for the others and hot foots it over to share the news.

Angel Purafore

Aldrusian Inactive forever!

Feb 2, 2021 4:33 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Angel hurries back into the room and takes up a position to fire at anything that moves (other than the people he knows).

Eltrezar the Medium

cowleyc

Feb 2, 2021 2:36 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"By Boccob's beard, thank goodness! A little wine would go a long ways after a day such as this." The wizard's shoulders slump in weary complacency as he shuffles towards the voice called out. While he shows little care across his face, the dagger in his hand tells of his expectation for an ambush. 'It is most unwise to partake in such a place as this, but after Coulson and Alice... and with how close Gilly is to the great beyond...

Last edited February 2, 2021 2:59 pm

Loken

TheFoxofFinch Inactive forever!

Feb 2, 2021 6:42 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"’Tis something we can agree on, wizard. Wine, show us dear dwarf" Loken, seeing the grim tenseness in Eltrezars countenance and bearing, readies his new sword too

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

dominion451

Feb 2, 2021 7:41 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Glad to be the peacemaker between parties, Mal smiles wide and runs back to the great room to where she discovered the hidden door. She pushes on the door to see if she can't force it open...

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Feb 3, 2021 5:01 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

As everyone draws near, Maloria pushes on the stone wall, which does in fact have the edges to indicate a door of some sort. It gives nothing to her shoves.

KCC

Feb 3, 2021 6:53 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Gilly pipes up from the back, her head throbbing, eyes sore, not helped by the bickering and the thought of Alice out in the courtyard alone.

"Is there a lock? Or... maybe the big one can break it down?"

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

dominion451

Feb 3, 2021 6:54 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"Everyone search for the catch! There's gotta be a hidden latch or push plate."

Mal tries pushing on the various sizes of the door and searches the stonework around the door for anything that might indicate how to open it.

KCC

Feb 3, 2021 7:02 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Gilly will push up to the front and place her hand against the door. She will rest an ear against the wall to listen for anything that may be behind the stone door.

Having done that, she will follow the wall around, pressing gently as she goes!

Rolls

2/6 Listen - (1d6)

(5) = 5

Loken

TheFoxofFinch Inactive forever!

Feb 3, 2021 3:29 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Hearing Gilly suggest he try and open the wall door, Loken sheathes his new sword

OOC:

does he notice anything special about it?

, and he steps up to test his strength against it

OOC:

Reroll. Typed wrong dice

Last edited February 3, 2021 3:30 pm

Rolls

Strength - (1d10+2)

(1) + 2 = 3

Strength - (1d20+2)

(6) + 2 = 8

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Feb 3, 2021 6:42 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

The stonework doesn't seem to have any keyholes or locks, and Gilly hears nothing behind the thick stone. The barbarian takes his turn at the wall but the stonework seems as solid as any other section of the wall that hasn't started crumbling away with time and exposure to the elements.

OOC:

Just to give you an idea of what were talking about here, this is what the wall looks like behind the old tapestry:

[ +- ] And this is what your PCs see after Maloria's dwarven eyes spot it:

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

dominion451

Feb 3, 2021 8:14 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Mal attempts to manipulate the smaller stones in the door, seeing if she can push them in or twist or even pull them to trigger the opening.

"If we can't force the door we may have to search the room further for a secret trigger..."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Feb 4, 2021 7:55 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Mal spends another ten minutes attempting to maneuver each stone, but none of the stones budge. They remain as solid as their counterparts and the mortar filling the spaces between stones seems solid and intact.

Angel Purafore

Aldrusian Inactive forever!

Feb 4, 2021 9:11 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Angel watches what Mal and the others are doing for a few minutes then makes a suggestion. "Maybe you should take a step back and visualize the space. Maybe take a walk around the moathouse so you can tell how large a space might be behind that door. Is it a room or maybe only a wardrobe?"

OOC:

I can't visualize it myself since I don't have the map memorized

OOC:

Went back through all the pages and looked at all the maps and the room we are in appears to be the entry room where Gilly ad Angel first entered the moathouse. So, the apparent doorway is on an outer wall. But it also seems that there are a couple of rooms that we have not even entered yet.

Last edited February 4, 2021 9:28 pm

Eltrezar the Medium

cowleyc

Feb 4, 2021 11:22 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"Given that we are at the ground floor, it is possible that this secret door opens only out, as a secret means of escape. I would propose that we continue searching this floor, and return with fresh eyes in the morning. Otherwise, we may waste valuable daylight on something that cannot be opened." Eltezar says this with some regret in his voice, likely related to the lack of accessible wine.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

dominion451

Feb 5, 2021 12:27 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Wiping sweat from her brow, Mal steps back and nods to Angel and Eltrezar.

"You're right, let's finish the top floor before we go crackin' open any casks. I'm much less thorough after wine."

Eltrezar the Medium

cowleyc

Feb 5, 2021 5:39 am

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

"Aye. And there will be wine aplenty in the tavern. Please, given your unfatigued state, lead the way. We have a few rooms left to clear before we can happily call it a day. And do be careful, I cannot bear any more loss on this day." Eltrezar's eyes don't leave the secret door as he talks, and you might get the impression that an unhealthy amount of wine might be on his to-do list.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Feb 5, 2021 6:57 pm

Re: Part 3: Investigating the Moathouse

Elmo watches Eltrezar looking longingly back at the prospect of a wine cellar, and nods. "'Tis a a heavy heart for us both to share, wizard."
He leaves the room to follow the others with their inspection of the castle.

OOC:

Assuming everyone has left the room and section of wall that appears to contain a hidden door for now, there are probably only three remaining areas of interest (at least that are readily evident by casual inspection):

At R9 the Great Hall leads to what appears to be a room without a door. Down the hallway a closed door remains unexplored at N12.

Finally, in the southwest corner of the castle, at location I27, the castle tower remains. The party was so busy fighting the brigands in the Great Hall it was passed over after combat so that the brigands' room could be searched.

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