2. The First Delve

That might help. She smiles, "And I was hope'ing the tax collect would catch up with us outside. I like to do some collecting."

Fenwick watches this exchange with renewed interest. "Is this salt circle some type of ritual death magic? How does it work?"

"Oh, but sure why not check that door while we're here?"

"Bugs hate salt" mumbles Ricard as he listens at the southwest door...

Swan doesn't question wingman warrior Ricard thoughts and goes with them. She has her trusty sword & shield out and ready to address whatever comes from the southwest door. Her ribs still ache a bit from that previous fall, but she is ignoring them.

" provided enough silence, I can try and listen to that door before we open it"

You retrace your steps to the Grand Foyer and deposit Bea’s body.

Lanhkmer heads through the south-west archway and listens at the door beyond. All is quiet.

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Day 2, 10:10 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

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Lanhkmer draws his short sword carefully and says "I can't hear anything from behind, anyway let's be ready... ".
He then looks at the fellow adventurers, waiting for somebody with much more strenght than his, to volunteer for the door.

Ricard eases the door open (method 2)

"Hmm, I love learning new things," says Fenwick. She pauses to make a quick note in the back of her spellbook "Beetles don't like seasoning their food with salt. "

She then follows the others to the door, tapping the butt of her spear on the floor before her, and readies herself to charge in a part of the second rank when the door is thrown open.

Swan is right there with Ricard to address any immediate problems.

Lanhkmer keeps himself last in line, short sword in hand, eyes wide open

Portcullis Room
Ricard eases the door open to reveal a square chamber. Skeletal remains litter the floor, and there are numerous old bloodstains on the floor and walls.

An exit to the west is barred by a rusted portcullis. Opposite this, in the eastern wall of the room, is a door.

Mapping information: square chamber, 30’ x 30’. The door you are looking through is in the middle of the northern wall. The portcullis is in the middle of the western wall. The other door is in the middle of the eastern wall.

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Day 2, 10:20 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

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"...might be the case to search for deadly devices in here" Lanhkmer looks around to see where he could start to search for any trap..

"Hm. I'm not delighted to see a room full of corpses and signs of murder. Can you two up front see any clues about what killed all these people...?" Gabbro looks to the left. "At least we know where the door to the east leads."

From what you can see from the doorway (I’ve assumed you’ve not entered the room yet), whatever happened here, didn’t happen recently. The blood stains are brown and faded, and the skeletal remains are semi-complete - as if they have subsequently been disturbed.

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Day 2, 10:20 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Swan says before she walks into the room to see what is beyond the portcullis, "Looks like an old combat scene. As long ago as that rusty portcullis over there."

Swan strides across the room to the rusty portcullis. Beyond, she can see a short corridor heading 10’ due west before it arrives at a north-south T-junction. She can’t see how far these passageways extend from her side of the portcullis.

As she turns to relay this information to the rest of The Hellions, out of nowhere a strong wind rises in the room, buffeting the bones on the floor and causing them to rattle. This is accompanied by a booming voice: "Fools! Flee before your bones rest here evermore!" followed by a sinister, cackling laughter.

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Day 2, 10:20 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Ricard immediately assumes a combat ready stance at the sound of the ominous voice.

"Sorcery! We should flee this room, take another path!"

As much as Ricard would like to pull back and slam the door he instead maintains his position and waits for Swan to move...

Ricard doesn't have to wait very long as Swan quickly scuttles out of the room. She says as she is moving, "That is wrong."