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Post by moralhazard on Aug 4, 2019 23:42:38 GMT
Miri watched as Kieran pried the wine rack away from the wall.
“Any sign of traps?” Miri asked, cheerfully. At Kieran’s negative response, she reached up, sliding her fingers into her hair, and fiddling with her scalp beneath her curls. After a moment, she withdrew her hand, two lockpicks held between her fingers.
“Let me juuuust…” Miri winked at Kieran, and nudged past him, not at all shy about the way her body brushed against his as she worked her way into the narrow space. She tucked the lockpicks between her lips, crouched, and examined the door carefully. After a moment, she took the thieves’ tools into her hands, and started to work, doing her best to lockpick the coin slot.
(note: rolling with advantage due to use of 'help' from Kieran, as discussed with sojourn) Thieves’ tools: oZ5VfwyR1d20+2or 1d20+2 1d20+2·1d20+2
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Jarovbees
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Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
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Post by Jarovbees on Aug 5, 2019 0:52:25 GMT
Despite the joint effort, there was no resulting click or opening of the door, which remained steadfast. Warden shifted her weight, trying to remain patient though it wasn't easy with the lack of progress. She looked it over and shook her head. "A door gilded like that is going to make breaching it as difficult as possible, I bet. Clear the way for me, and I can see about rushing it. Brute force might just work, you know."
Which wasn't to say that she thought it a certainty. Warden just knew her strengths, and they weren't with lockpicking. If the group needed some muscle, that was how she could contribute.
(Crispin, make an Intelligence check.)
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Post by vorpal on Aug 7, 2019 6:12:48 GMT
"And not a drop of wine was spilled... superb!" Crispin remarked as he watched Kieran deal with the rack. He'd assumed they might find something else useful once it was out of the way, a further clue perhaps. It figured there was another of those written clues, and he again wondered how it might tie in with everything else they'd seen. If strength wasn't the answer, then what was? Though it probably made a certain sense, since they'd had to get clever to figure out many of the traps throughout this place.
He sighed wistfully, looking at the wine, taking one of the bottles in hand as he moved in toward the door to get a closer look. "I only wish we could carry more... Why not, after all, if it's here for the taking?" He was more focused on the door now as he got closer, rather surprised that a simple picking of the lock didn't work. Could it be forced open as Warden suggested, or was that little phrase about strength an all too obvious hint? Hmmm. He decided to have a closer look at the door. "How fancy..."
Intelligence: m5KlkqwY1d20+1
Crispin took a few moments to look over the door closely. Force probably wouldn't cut it, given the message there. He wasn't so sure it would make any difference to have another go at picking it, not when that slot seemed so specifically designed for something else. "Unless anyone's got something to fit in here, I've got a feeling this thing won't budge otherwise... and I somehow doubt we can cram that key or jewel through there." He shook his head. "Maybe we should keep searching elsewhere."1d20+1
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Jarovbees
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Post by Jarovbees on Aug 7, 2019 17:29:05 GMT
vorpalCrispin's sharp mind could piece together that the unfolding riddle probably wasn't about the golden door itself. As for what was needed to open it without force, the answer might be elsewhere within the ally. The place for the ivory key hadn't yet been found either, after all.
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Post by 3personal5me on Aug 7, 2019 17:37:49 GMT
Stephen slipped his own lockpicks from his pocket, moving to take position in front of the door. He knelt down, and went to work.
Thieves Tools:CC3y8VS01d20+21d20+2
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Post by sojourn on Sept 1, 2019 20:25:01 GMT
"W ell, fuck 't. I'm outta ideas." Kieran grunted, glaring at the golden door, violet gaze lingering on the coin slot for a few moments, "It wouldn't be th' first time we've doubled back so far, so let's just stick a pin 'n this spot an' see 'f we don't find somethin' useful later, hmm? M'haps we'll find—" He mocked a gasp, fingers up to his dark lips and everything, "—another fuckin' key." Laughing, he rolled his violet eyes and tugged on Miri with an unashamed playfulness to get out of Stephen's way, watching him work for a moment. Once it was obvious that the man's attempt at picking the lock wasn't working either, he gave him a firm pat and hooked a thumb over his tattooed shoulder, trying not to chuckle unnecessarily at Crispin's comment. Oh, he was sure a dagger or two would fit just fine in that coin slot, but it wouldn't solve the problem. "C'mon. Let's keep lookin' 'round this damn place instead. Seems t' be a few more clues we're missin' an' there's no golden unicorn in here, anyway."Kieran would lead the way back out into the hall, staring back down the way they'd come and aware of pretty much everything they'd seen since they'd chosen this path instead of the other. He huffed stray strands of pale hair from his face, reaching to run fingers through it all to shove it away, and then turned to head further up the hall away from where they'd come from ... only to run into another dead end, "Gods, I'm tired 'f this hidden door shit. Can't it jus' be all clear an' stuff, even if it's tryin' t' kill us? If there's nothin' here, we'll have t' go try th' other not-gold path." He grunted, clearly as impatient as his companions, and began to search the walls just to see if anything was hidden here just so that their entire group didn't have to backtrack entirely, "Might as well have a couple other folks lookin'."
Perception Check: cjrrddbs1d20+4If anyone else wants to assist, I'll roll a second time for advantage, I guess. 1d20+4
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Jarovbees
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Post by Jarovbees on Sept 1, 2019 21:51:30 GMT
On the west wall of the alley was a relief sculpture of a humanoid skeleton, with outstretched arms and a mouth open as if screaming. On the right-hand side are parallel passages.
The stone walls were decorated with colorful frescoes depicting a skyscape filled with all manner of flying creatures, from bumblebees to rocs. The ceiling stretched some twenty feet, and about fifteen feet above the floor, a row of short copper rods protruded from either wall. Lightning arced between these rods the entire length of the corridor.
The other corridor had walls of dressed stone and thick cobwebs covered everything. An open pit blocked the way, ten feet deep and twenty feet long. The bottom of the pit was lined with jagged and menacing spikes.
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Post by sojourn on Sept 1, 2019 23:44:29 GMT
"O h, that's nice— real welcomin' wouldn't y' say, Miri? Promisin' for th' rest 'f this side 'f th' alley." Kieran gave the skeleton a sneer, violet gaze sweeping over its outstretched hands. He might have half-heartedly attempted to prop the wine bottle there, sloshing it and its contents in front of the screaming face before leaning forward to examine it further, wondering if perhaps there would be a clue there. Looking toward the two passages and their various differences, the half-drow scowled, "Why don't y' pick our poison—" He took one last swig from the wine before setting it down and waving his calloused fingers toward both options, "—'cause neither 'f 'em look like they're fuckin' safe. No' unless this here dead friend 'f ours has some better option, eh?"
Rolling a Perception second time for "advantage" because Miri agreed to "help" in chat: hhkQGPEw1d20+4 "Ah—look't there. M'haps we don't gotta take either 'f those horrible hallways after all." Kieran pointed first, indicating the button in the skull. 1d20+4
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Post by moralhazard on Sept 1, 2019 23:59:25 GMT
There were certainly plenty of distractions to be had, crouched on the ground next to Kieran; he didn’t seem terribly interested in moving away, Miri thought, despite the cramped narrowness of the space. All the same, she would have said she’d made a pretty credible attempt at the door – but nothing. No traps, no great gouts of fire or spikes of electric current, but neither did anything yield to her clever, dexterous fingers.
Well, the lock didn’t yield, anyway.
Miri was still squinting at the lock when Kieran tugged her back. She rose, and grinned back at him, not-so-accidentally brushing against him once more as the shifted to let Stephen do his best. Miri felt a little better when he failed as well.
It went against the grain to give up when there was a lock, right there, waiting to be teased open, but Crispin and Kieran’s cooler heads prevailed. “All right,” Miri agreed. After a last, lingering look at the tempting lock, she turned and followed the almost-as-tempting half-drow out into the hallway.
Two paths, then, equally terrifying. Miri glanced between them, and grinned, broadly. “Oh, this is great!” She laughed, somewhere between a chuckle and an actual giggle. “Oh,” she told Kieran, “don’t be so quick to judge! Maybe he’s screaming with pleasure.”
To Miri’s surprise, Kieran actually seemed to take her joke seriously. He squinted at the skeleton again, and pointed to its skull. Miri followed his finger, and raised her eyebrows.
“A button!” Without a single thought as to the consequences, Miri reached forward and pressed the button.
Action: Miri helps Kieran!
Object interaction: there is a BUTTON.
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Jarovbees
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Post by Jarovbees on Sept 2, 2019 2:32:25 GMT
"Should we--" Well, it was already too late. Kieran and Miri had doomed them all. Warden had a second of horrible imagery, spikes coming up from the floor or down from the ceiling, or maybe the walls close in to squish them all flat. Fortunately, none of those extremely vivid and gruesome visions ended up happening. Despite her concern (and completely ignoring that she could have done the exact same thing, given her own impulsiveness), the result wasn't anything so dramatic. The secret door quietly swung inward, revealing a corridor beyond. Warden stared at it in relief for a moment, then glanced back to the parallel corridors behind them and narrowed her eyes. She wondered if it was really that easy. This place had a history of trolling them, after all. "No one makes a path or two that difficult without having something worth guarding, like our prize...but the same thing could be said for the secret door. Let's see where your button-pushing takes us, Miri. I guess we can double back, if we're wrong." Hopefully, the gods wouldn't be intent on proving her wrong in that respect. She waited semi-patiently for Miri and Kieran to enter before following them, more eager than ever to see this through. vorpal
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Jarovbees
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Post by Jarovbees on Sept 3, 2019 4:20:43 GMT
The corridor soon lead to another room, fully furnished and similar to the study where they had encountered the will-o'-wisp. At one time this room was exquisitely luxurious, but it had since fallen into disrepair. Even so, the overstuffed couches appear very comfortable and the carpet has obviously been cared for (even if there was an obvious travel path worn into it). There were two doors, one to the north and one to the east.
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Post by vorpal on Sept 4, 2019 5:35:31 GMT
The room looked nice enough, if a bit old and worn... though it was a bit disappointing not to see any wine hidden about anywhere. Still, it all looked much less immediately threatening than some of those other options had been. It was always a bit unfortunate when everything was a little too obviously rigged as a trap. This room was definitely far more subtle than that. What would come of it, though, Crispin could only wonder as he made his way inside and glanced around curiously.
"I suppose we could make right for the doors, unless there's anything to be found under the couches. Spare coins, who knows? I'll check out the door over here." He headed to the eastern door to take a look as to whether it would need any lock-picking or anything to open, or if it was in fact trapped in some way.
Perception: jc33Md2o1d20+11d20+1
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Post by 3personal5me on Sept 6, 2019 20:44:17 GMT
While the door did not yield, Stephen was not concerned. Surely there was a key somewhere to be found regardless. Having finished with his attempt to enter the secured door, he chose to stick with the group as they traveled. He was certain that sticking to the heavy armor would prove effective. The new room proved a new challenge, and he was eager to test himself again. He drank in the details, wordless, as the others went about their business.
Perception: mpC_pO3B1d20+61d20+6
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Jarovbees
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Post by Jarovbees on Sept 6, 2019 21:55:38 GMT
Crispin would note that the door was stuck shut; there did not seem to be any visible traps, with lock or door. Stephen wouldn't note anything particularly off about the room, likewise containing no traps or hidden areas. sojourn
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Post by sojourn on Sept 7, 2019 3:47:21 GMT
D id Kieran chuckle at Miri's joke while his violet gaze wandered over the skeleton in obvious curiosity? Yes, definitely. It was an awkward laugh, honestly, something weighed down by a particular sense of, uh, private knowledge that brought a warmth to the back of his neck that meandered down his spine and made his amused sound almost breathless. Did Kieran also wince as he felt Miri sidle next to him and reach to press the button? Maybe slightly; teeth against the ring through his lower lip, his lithe body coiled in self-defensive preparation for danger, but instead of anything horrible happening, a secret door opened instead. He exhaled, glancing over his shoulder to grin at Warden, "We can come back an' try onna these deadly lookin' halls next 'f this way doesn't pan out t' much 'f anythin'—promise. I'll even let you go first, hmm?" The half-drow huffed, clearly wary of anything that well-guarded, but aware that they were there for something of seemingly arbitrarily decided importance: that damn unicorn thing. The group flowed in their own way into the secret hallway only to find themselves in another too-comfortable looking room. "What kinda sick asshole puts rooms like this one 'n this place? Damnit. At least th'other one had some wine, but this one doesn't have any flyin' swords that I can see. Win some, lose some." Kieran grumbled, investigating the doors with a cursory glance. He noticed the eastern door had Crispin's attention and then Stephens, noting that from their body language the door wasn't trapped or locked—maybe it was just stuck? "Is th' north door locked?" He questioned, moving first to try his strength against the stuck door. If it proved too held fast for his more agile self, he'd turn and move toward the other door instead.
Athletics check for Eastern Door: VugHK6sQ1d20+2Investigation around the Northern Door: 1d20 1d20+2·1d20
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