2. The First Delve

"Makes sense to me."

Ricard pockets his earnings and makes ready to head out.

Can I just check that I understand correctly as there are a couple of potential "main stairs" …

Is the plan to retrace your steps to the Grand Foyer where the spiral staircase ascends to the surface?

Or do you mean you plan to look for the "big staircase that leads down" that the Ghost Beggar mentioned, which is somewhere south of the market?

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Day 2, 3:40 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Pickles has a glazed look come over his face as he tries to image the grand foyer, but lacking the attention span he quickly shrugs about it. "I feel heading back to the Grand Foyer and searching the unmapped area sounds fun."

Some behind-the-screen dice rolling ...

And again ...

Leaving the Rat Kebab Kafe, you begin the long trek back towards the Grand Foyer. You retrieve your weapons from the kobold guards at the market’s exit, turn north at the Chamber of the Woods, make your way through the Open Sore Tribe’s territory, and then continue north towards the room with the dwarven masterpiece stonework. You encounter a patrol of three orcs en route, but they stand aside and let you pass without trouble - it seems the chieftain’s promise of safe passage is good.

After half an hour of walking you reach the chamber with the dwarven architect and his entourage.

Here’s a quick reminder of the room description, as not all of you were with the party previously …

Architectural Wonder
A rectangular chamber. Within it are five dwarves. One of the dwarves, a particularly stout fellow with a long braided beard and a balding head of red hair, is deep in concentration, scribing on a parchment. The other four dwarves, all equipped with warhammers and shields, are standing guard. All five dwarves are wearing chainmail armour.

The focus of the older dwarf’s attention is the room’s stonework. The walls are carved with exquisitely detailed images of dwarven gods, whilst the floor is adorned with intricate patterns. All of the masonry within the room is of the highest craftsmanship.

At your arrival, the studious dwarf looks up from his work and peers over his eyeglasses at you. "Back again?" he asks rhetorically. He scans your group, lingering on Jessica, Luther and Pickles. "Although there seem to be a few unfamiliar faces - I do hope your travels haven’t been overly troublesome."

You look towards where you would expect the room’s western door to be, the one that would take you back towards the Grand Foyer. But the door has, quite simply, disappeared. You are certain that it is the direction you originally arrived from earlier today. However, there is no longer a door there. All you can see is a continuous, solid-looking, intricately-carved wall.

I'm still not sure who is carry the party's light-source. Please can you confirm and I'll add it to the party information in the post footer.

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Day 2, 4:20 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Luther stands scratching his head looking at the map and ask the older dwarf Where did the door in the west wall go?

Fenwick begins to re-evaluate her earlier theory that the maniacal dwarf who had messed with them earlier was only disguised as a part of this group to appear trustworthy.

"I love what you've done with the place, have you err, redecorated?

Gabbro stands where the door was and examines the wall: perhaps it is concealed on this side? "I think it might still be here...as I recall, it was very precise stonework that fit the wall exactly, even on the other side." He gives the wall an experimental push in that spot.

Architectural Wonder
"I know, it’s remarkable, isn’t it?" chuckles the dwarf. "The finest example of a one-way door you’re ever likely to see. One to tell the grandchildren about."

Seeing Gabbro pushing the wall in the vicinity of the concealed door, he shakes his head in wonder. "Oh, you’ll never open it, not from this side. Your only routes out of here are either back the way you came, or through the secret door over there." He gestures towards the southeast corner of the room. "Be careful though, it sounds like there are orcs on the other side and, as we’ve not been troubled by them, I’m guessing they’re unaware of the door. It would be good if we could keep it that way."

Luther - thanks. Please add the lantern to your equipped items.

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Day 2, 4:20 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Well looks like the secret door or we backtrack and check out the rubble or dung rooms. What do you all think?

Pickles smiles at the Dwarf as his eyes scan over him, "Greetings Elder. You have yourself a marvellous room to study." a sparkle on mischievous flickers across his eye as he speaks, but gives a courteous bow to hide it. As Pickles head rises again thoughts of comparison between painting drying and studying walls quickly fade at the mention of a secret door.
"A secret door you say." The Halfling says as he turns towards the corner indicated. His body drawn towards the indicated corner, "A secret door?" His eyes scanning the for any indication. . .

Architectural Wonder
The dwarven architect shows Pickles the precise location of the secret door, and the halfling presses his ear against it. He can hear orcish voices, although he cannot understand what they are saying. Pickles estimates there are around half a dozen of them.

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Day 2, 4:20 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"If the dwarves ask us not to give away the secret door to the orcs then I would agree on principle. Between the rubble and the dung, my vote is rubble..."

"I agree with Ricard, there is no sense endangering the dwarves and possibly making new enemies just for our convenience."

"Can you open it from this side?" Fenwick asks the dwarven architect about the door that blends seamlessly into the artwork, curious. "Oh and by the way, you guys wouldn't know anything about a group called the Ghost Beggars and where we could find them, would you? We've heard they may know things about art and artifacts within the caverns."

She turns to the others, "I agree, I'd rather hunt around in rubble than dung."

Rubble is definitely more preferable to dung.

Still listening to the Orcs stomping and arguing behind the secret door, Pickles simply nods his agreement to searching the rubble. Finally he pulls his ear away from the wall with a sigh, "I wish I could understand what they are saying, it would be a wonderful story.". He then moves to the exit out and taps his foot as if he was the one waiting all this time.