4. The First Expedition

Ella will take some time to examine the 20’ section of the northern wall, tapping at it to determine if there seem to be any hollows or irregular features. This room has little apparent purpose, it might have served as a node with concealed doors. Ella imagined that the north wall would be the one most likely to connect to the chamber beyond the door the party had left undisturbed in the hall of columns.

Whilst Ella examines the northern wall, Thrud roots around in the trash pile with his boot. As he sweeps the top layer of debris aside, something catches his eye … a cylindrical object, about a foot long, with a diameter of 2 inches, that looks like it has been carved from bone.

Ella’s search for the northern wall comes to naught; it appears entirely solid and unremarkable.

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3:10 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Onward," Jacky says mostly to himself, pressing an ear to the doorway in the southeast. If there's no sound, he'll give it a push.

Grim backs up his halfling friend. Hammer at the ready.

Thrudmarr bends over and picks up the bone cylinder carefully, setting his lantern on the floor as he does so. He inspects the object, twisting it in the lantern light to view it from different angles. He taps it against the lantern, listening for what sort of sound it makes.

"This special? Look like wand." He waves it around in a grandiose gesture and points it at the nearby wall. "Hocus, pocus!"

Ella looks ar Thrudmar as he roleplays being an arcanist.

"Well done, Master Halvorsson! Do you want me to inspect that?"

Thrud frowns after waving the bone cylinder to no effect. He shrugs his shoulders before handing it over to Ella.

"Thing not work. Stupid bone."

The bone cylinder makes a hollow sound when Thrud taps it against his lantern. It’s plausible that it could be a case for a scroll, map or some other document.

Jacky can hear nothing on the other side of the door to the east, so he attempts to open it. However, he finds it is stuck (it will require a successful "open doors" check to open it).

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3:10 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Once the axe-wielding warrior proffers the cylinder to Ellagel, the elf will examine it quickly, trying to discern if it can be easily opened. There might be a map, or something else useful in the case, so she decides to examine it immediately.

Jeremy, is the door stuck? Let me try says Zacharias.

From inside the bone tube, Ella retrieves a scroll. She unrolls it and can tell immediately that it is a spell scroll. Unfortunately, it’s for a branch of magic that is unfamiliar to Ella.

It’s a scroll of phantom armor, a first-level illusionist spell. It’s not in OSRIC, but you’ll find it in Unearthed Arcana. Though no one in the party (at the moment) can use it, it can be sold for 300 gp/xp, so it’s worth taking. Mark it on your character sheet if you decide to do so.

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Zach steps in to open the door for Jacky. With a shudder and a scrape it swings open to reveal another square chamber, the stone walls of which are decorated with peeling yellow paint. Stone benches line every wall of the room. There is an open exit, a 10’ wide corridor, in the eastern wall.

Mapping information: square room, 20’ x 20’. You enter through the southernmost section of the western wall. The only other visible exit is in the northernmost section of the eastern wall.

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3:10 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Jacky takes a quick peek under each of the benches, in case there's anything interesting that might have been dropped beneath them by a previous sitter.

Ella was slow to join the party in the next room, as she carefully analysed and then stowed away the bone scroll case in her backpack. She entered after the others and gently slapped Thrudmarr’s back : "The thing you found might not be enchanted, but it is worth quite some coin. Well done, Thrudmarr Halvorsson."

There isn't really any space beneath the benches that might be harbouring lost goodies. The benches are of a simple design such that the space beneath the seat is continuous stone. It's also clear that the benches are attached to (i.e. presumably carved from) the walls.

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3:10 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Thrud good finder! Leave it to Thrud!" Thrud breams with pride at the complement as he enters the room. He stars searching the room with Jacky, prodding at the stone benches and inspecting the walls, eager to find more hidden treasures.

Jezebel, maybe this was a theater for the ancients? Could that be why there are so many benches? DO the actors come out of that tunnel? Zach says pointing to the opening in the far wall.

"It's as good a guess as any, Zucchini," Jacky says. "Though why someone would build a theatre here is beyond me!"

Since it seems the room holds little of interest, the halfling approaches the subsequent exit. If it's a door, he'll check for noise. Otherwise, he'll keep his back to the wall and sneak a peek.

Thrud’s on a roll! Inspecting the benches he finds that the one closest to the door has a cleverly concealed hinge. The seat lifts to reveal a 3’-square hollowed-out cavity. Inside is:

- a bolt of carefully folded yellow silk (value 100 gp);
- a bulls-eye lantern;
- a flask of oil; and
- a leather-bound book - there is no obvious title on the cover or spine.
It looks like the walls were originally painted solid yellow, although there are multiple areas where that paint is now peeling badly.

---

Moving to the eastern exit, Jacky’s infravision lets him see that a 10’ wide corridor continues due east for 50’ before opening into a larger space. After 20’, he can also see a 10’ wide side passage leading south.

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3:20 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Look! Secret place!"

Thrud holds his lantern over the cavity, illuminating the treasures within. He reaches in and gently pulls out the yellow silk, running his thick fingers over the smooth fabric.

"Pretty yellow. Like wall!"

"Impressive! You have a knack for finding, Thrudmarr Halvorsson. Thrudmar the Finder, I name you!"

If the warrior is uninterested in the non-descript book, Ella will examine it quickly.