A Rather Odd Shovel [Judge: Bront]

Boddynock

First Post

• May 16, 2009

• #671

"Keldar, up here! There's something not right about the floor ahead. Could it be a trap?"

When Keldar comes forward to check, Tarag will accompany him - cautiously, peering at the floor, trying to discover whatever it was that caught his attention.

OOC: Aid Another on Search check to find trap ahead: (1d20+2=18) Add +2 dwarven bonus for searching for stonework traps if applicable.

 

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Trouvere

Explorer

• May 16, 2009

• #672

Keldar takes a cursory look where Tarag indicates. "Don't see anything obvious," he says.

He lies full length with his nose near the floor, blowing dust and probing with his fingers, slowly inching forward. "Well, we might be here for some time. Get some rest, but keep an eye open."

OOC: quick check with aid another 1d20+8+2=16 (I've heard rumours that a d20 actually has a second set of numbers that go all the way from 11 to 20, but I don't believe it); assuming that fails, take 20 on Search. If that shows up nothing, it's plan C, which involves rope and the sack of rocks.

 

Rae ArdGaoth

Explorer

• May 16, 2009

• #673

Blowing dust and pressing delicately, Keldar eventually detects minute changes in the level of the floor and tiny differences in the wooden seams holding this part of the hallway together. Indeed, the next five feet of wooden floorboards seem to be connected by something beneath them, and judging by the ever-so-subtle hollow sound from knocking, this is probably some kind of pit trap.

 

Trouvere

Explorer

• May 16, 2009

• #674

"Pit trap," says Keldar. "It's almost insulting. Simple enough, depending on how big it is, how far down it goes, what's at the bottom, and whether the trapdoor is spring-loaded to close again." He gets up.

"Well, let's just jump over it, light and graceful as deer." He looks over his companions. "Oh. Or.... See, the thing is, it's not hard to drive some wedges under the edge, but you never really know whether they'll hold if someone jumps short. Easier to open it, climb down, climb back up. We have rope. I'll lower the less saltatory of you, jump across myself, haul you back up. Or, we can go back and pull that handle. But I think we'd already decided no one is quite enough the fool to do that."

"Hey! Invisible servant guy! Heed the words of Keldar! Strike the floor over there a bit! I want to be sure it's not hollow further away, where I want to land."

 

Rae ArdGaoth

Explorer

• May 16, 2009

• #675

(Assuming Tommy complies) The servant moves closer, tapping as hard as it can with its staff. Listening carefully, nobody can hear any hollow thudding. And now that you know what to listen for, the pit trap that Tarag noticed definitely makes a different sound.

 

Trouvere

Explorer

• May 16, 2009

• #676

"Good," says Keldar. "Tarag, the sack of rocks and the rope, if you would."

He ties the rope to the neck of the sack and gestures for the others to take hold of the rope a little way back. When all is ready, he tosses the sack onto the suspect floor.

OOC: sack of rocks weighs 50 lb

 

Rae ArdGaoth

Explorer

• May 17, 2009

• #677

The sack of rocks hits the floor like a sack of rocks. The floor opens up, and the sack of rocks falls down. The floor then immediately snaps back up, but the rope catches, and through a thin crack you can see nothing but darkness. Back a ways, you can see the pull cord jiggle just a bit.

[sblock=Listen DC: 25]Very, very faintly, you hear the tinkling of a bell.[/sblock]

 

Trouvere

Explorer

• May 17, 2009

• #678

"That'll do," says Keldar. "Haul back on the rope, everyone. The rocks'll stop the trapdoor dropping, I should think. Over we go, one at a time, heaviest to lightest. But try to jump clean over, if you can. Then I'll bid farewell to my faithful rocks, cut the rope, and join you."

"...I just wish now I hadn't written my name on each of them."

"I didn't! I'm kidding."

 

Rae ArdGaoth

Explorer

• May 17, 2009

• #679

Tarag leads the way over the pit without any trouble. In no time, the whole gang has crossed the trap, and you continue on your way.

Just around the turn, you see another pull cord, dangling, jiggling just a tiny bit.

 

Trouvere

Explorer

• May 18, 2009

• #680

"So the pull cord was connected to the trapdoor." Keldar scratches his head. "That's the least well hidden trap ever, unless I'm missing something. I think I'm missing something. Other than my rocks, that is. Do some of the people who use this tunnel not know where the pit trap is? Are they told to travel in pairs, so one can keep a cord pulled while the other passes?"