Episode 2

Moving carefully through the west exit, the group follows Iasu. They move tactically in full battle readiness, looking for any sign of ambush or confrontation.

After moving through several underground halls and down one stretch of stairwell, Iasu leads into a room that breaks open larger than the rest, with the ceiling raising high again, similar to that in the great hearth room.

This room is a mix of high design and natural stone, as if the large chamber was mostly finished, finely cut in the bedrock of the earth beneath the palace above. But then parts of the room are still large outcroppings of uncut rock. It is impossible to discerned if this was intentional by design or a result of a halted project. It was built in a past age and its story is lost.

Littered on the ground are huge rectangular blocks of stone, all of which have etching upon them. The enormous weights are cast about in disorder, some laying tilted atop of one another. Most would be waist or chest height if stood up straight next to a man. It would take a team of pack animals or dozens of slaves with rope and chain apparatus to move even one of the blocks. It is hard to imagine what would have knocked them all astray here in this space as they are.

But whatever happened must have happened long long ago. As with the other rooms in the Adriyalet House, everything in the room is covered with dust, grime, webs, filth. Signs of rodents and bugs. Another setting of neglect and degradation.

In a back corner, offset from center on the lengthy western wall of the grand chamber, Iasu points it out...

The Eagle Door.

The two groups rejoin and assess results of both missions.

One of the biggest developments is that Namtur, the hulking armored warrior, is injured. He has been stabbed in the belly. The wound is serious, but surprisingly he is dealing with it. He sits in pain, with Adar-Malic doing his best to treat him. He was injured in combat.

There was a battle against Naram and his beasts. Adar-Malic's alchemy worked and the entire pack of hounds and most of the spiders were destroyed. Naram himself was almost defeated, but Ubaratu intervened and stabbed Namtur with a great spear. The Rabisu were able to escape back to their fortifications.

Everyone takes a short time to organize, but soon all eyes turn to the imposing Eagle Door.

Optional Action: Safe cracker Bryn can attempt to check traps and open the Eagle Door. Must use the Halonian Master Builder's tool set.
Two checks required for technical result determination. Checks will be Intelligence based. Expertise in Thieves' Tools can give double Proficiency Mod.
Check 1 is made at Advantage.
Check 2 is made normally
Warning: roll of Natural 1 on Check 2 will be extremely detrimental.
Will require ability to reach multiple points on the door for tool use, so plan must include gaining access for all spacing of the door, including high points beyond reach from the ground.
Add Arcana Check last.

Bryn takes off the backpack of newly captured Halonian tools and sets to work. To onlookers, the effort looks strangely similar to Bryn's last task of opening the box safe within the hearth column. But this time the task is on a larger scale with the larger set of tools. Where before they were hand-held pocket tools, these are large-sized levers, rods, and fulcrums. He inserts them at different ports, uses other tools to connect to them and turn, pull, and tilt them. After a few minutes, several handles and rods are sticking out from different openings in the great door.

Bryn steps back and looks at all of his work, and then references his book. He is lost in study. Totally focused.

He then pulls out another bag and draws out another one of the pod-like cocoons and breaks it. A creature peels out. It' legs, antennae, and small tentacles writhe as Bryn holds it by its back. He looks closely at the creature as it squirms and then … places it on his wrist. Without delay the small creature locks on and seems to pierce Bryn's wrist with its small snout!

Bryn shows no surprise though. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He sits down on his knees in front of his book laid out before him. For about a minute, he breathes in and out in me measured breaths.

When he opens his eyes, he scans the entire door for several seconds then shifts back into motion. Meticulously he gathers every tool and puts them back into the leather backpack, each in its place.

He looks at the large circular center of the door carefully. He draws out two tools, one in each hand. One is a straight handle with a strange thin fitting at the base. The other is some sort of screw with a cross grip handle on it.

Bryn asks for a lift from Maeriks to reach the high center of the door. Maeriks easily hoists him up on his shoulders.

With a deep breath Bryn slides the straight handle into a near invisible slot on the left side of the cylinder rim. He slides the tool around clockwise, stopping at a low left position. Holding this point steady, he inserts the cross handled screw tool directly into the center of the cylinder with his right hand. A twist gives a loud click.

Bryn looks over at Kray briefly, then looks up in the air off to the side, as if picturing the interior of the door where his hand is extended. He closes his eyes and heaves a strong turn. A deep loud clank.

Bryn pulls straight back. CHOCK!

And then a rumbling chugging sound within the walls, a rumble and clatter. Somewhere a weight is moving. A chain is rolling. It last for about 12 seconds and the stops with a thud. A last BOOM and CLACK rings out. Huge structural sounds inside of the threshold around the door.

Bryn climbs down. Breathes heavy and nods to Kray, but then looks down at the ground. He is sweating profusely. He reaches over and carefully pulls the small creature from his wrist, drops it to the ground. It lies there wrangling and squirming.

Using a hook handled tool, Bryn moves over to the right side of the door, inserts on the edge, turns, and pulls.

With no sound whatsoever...the giant door glides forth into the room, pivoting on the great hinges on the opposite wall as it swings open.

On the inside center, designed in great glory - an elaborate polished bronze eagle, it's wings spread the length of the entire door in its majesty.

Bryn wobbles and nearly collapses, but rights himself and puts away his last tool in the bag.

Bryn suffers Disadvantage Ability Checks for next 10 minutes.