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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 431614" data-attributes="member: 6294">Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 12Ming Li discovers a long coil of silk rope under the remains of the skeletons, which she loops over her shoulder before clambering out of the pit.  It doesn't seem much in the way of spoils for their troubles, but the group is not inclined to waste any treasure, no matter how scant."There's always those levers and buttons." Mantreus suggests, his fingers plainly itching to try one."Why don't we try the other doors, first?" the Padre is evidently unenthusiastic with Mantreus' suggestion. "I'm sure you and Rose will be up to the challenge of unlocking them."With his talents on the line, Mantreus cannot afford to appear reluctant, and quickly kneels before the middle of the five doors.  Rose moves to the other unopened door, and they each set to work.Mantreus makes short work of his chosen lock, but Rose's choice proves a much more difficult challenge, and even after utilising every ounce of their skill, neither rogue is able to unlock it (Dm's note: in other words, Rose - who has the better skill bonus - tries taking 20).Still reluctant to try the mysterious levers and buttons, the group readies to open the door that Mantreus succeeded in unlocking.  As always, everyone is braced and ready, weapons to hand.  Had there been any monsters in the tunnel beyond the door, they would surely have been intimidated.As it is, however, the door opens onto a short corridor, at the end of which a stone face has been carved into the rock.  To the left and right of the face are closed doors.  There is another long discussion about whether it is safe to proceed, before the group heads into this corridor.As they advance, the face animates - its eyes open, and it speaks:"One door to lead you out, the other, to nothing.  Answer this riddle and I will show you with way: what is bound, yet helps others to escape?  You may each have one guess."Someone opens their mouth, but the Padre clamps his hand across their lips and points silently back the way they came.  Everyone dutifully filters back into the room, where the priest explains his action,"I was concerned that anything we said might be taken as an answer, so I wanted to move out of earshot."Although it's not clear how far the 'hearing' of an animated stone face would extend, the others agree that this seems like a reasonable precaution, and they settle down to the task of solving the riddle."A book." Elspeth says almost immediately. "It's bound, but it helps people to escape into their imaginations."The others think this is a good answer, but they decide that it is better to come up with some alternative ideas before heading back into corridor.  They do eventually come up with three more options, but none seem as strong as Elspeth's original suggestion, and the Elven ranger seems determined to give her answer a try, so the decision is made to try "a book" and see what happens.The face smiles and replies,"You have answered correctly.  The left door is the way out."Having successfully answered the riddle - and pointedly ignoring the extremely smug look on Elspeth's face - the group considers its options."It said that was the way out." The Padre frets, "But we don't want to leave yet.  We still have to find the missing monk.""Ai Ling." Ming Li reminds him of the young man's name. "Before we entered, my teacher told me that there was only one entrance to these caves.  This seems strange if this door truly is the way out.  It is not the path by which we entered."Further discussion ensues as to the relative merits of trying the door they have been told is the "way out", but it seems no-one is willing to risk that it might truly be the exit.  They all remember Ai Quan's explanation that the complex can only be entered once by each person.Finally, with no other obvious path forward, the group returns to the bank of levers and buttons.  Surprisingly, when it finally comes to the moment to try one, it is not the eager Mantreus who steps forward to do so, but the sceptical Padre.Faced with no discernible clue as to the function of any of the levers or buttons before him, the Padre takes a deep breath and grabs hold of the most conveniently-placed lever.  After a quiet word of prayer to his god, he pulls the lever down ... and promptly vanishes.</blockquote>

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