Is'Merith - Campaign Thread

[Matthan]

"It's going to be one of those days, isn't it?" Daedarai whispers as he holds up a hand to stop them. He motions and his familiar, Sullo'rhea, appears on his arm. "Isaac and Alejandro, watch our front. Mina and Shen, watch the back. I'm going to send my friend scout ahead for a moment. I'll be able to see what it sees and relate it to you all. Be ready."

[sblock=Actions]
Summon Sullo'rhea and send him to fly down the corridor after the crouching humanoid. I also want to see and hear what it does while its doing this and report it back to the team. If I see trouble (monsters with drawn bows or similar), fly back immediately and prepare with the others.[/sblock]

 

[Sezarious]

With swift speed, the owl moves on after the creature. Firstly through the opening, leading through broken gratings, which look as though they haven't been tended to for awhile, to a large solid stone pipe that appears to run parallel to the tunnels.

The humanoid turns around a couple of times, not too concerned about being followed, perhaps unaware. It then continues to scamper quickly on all fours back up the tunnel. As Daedarais owl gradually follows, occassionally circling, he can feel his telepathic connection to it weakening.

As the owl flies up , he notices a big heavy steel door opposite to the side the owl entered. It does not have a handle. There is some sort of sign on the front of it. Just as the owl turns back to face the creature again, about 60ft away, Daedarai loses his connection to it...

 

[Matthan]

[sblock=OOC]My Baby![/sblock]

Daedarai shakes his head as he comes back to his senses. "I think I can follow it. There's a door with some kind of sign. I couldn't make it out. I didn't see any other creatures, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Keep a sharp eye and let's see if we can surprise them." He begins to follow the route that the humanoid took trying to keep to whatever shadows he might find.

[sblock=Actions]
Luckily, I'm procrastinating from a paper tonight so I'm posting immediately. Thanks for helping my process, Sezarious!
As soon as the familiar comes back in range as Daedarai gets closer (and it's still around), he will dismiss it.
He's attempting to use stealth as he approaches the area.
Daedarai Stealth Check into the Tunnels: 1D20+8 = [19]+8 = 27
[/sblock]

 

[Sezarious]

Daedarais familiar comes back into range soon enough, just after the party has followed it through the side access tunnel. It then leads the way to where it last saw the creature.

The party move up, the owl moving past the door. The sign on it is cast in steel with raised lettering. 'Warning! Authorised Personnel only. Ismerith Noble Council.' The door appears to be made of a thick steel at least an inch thick, containing no handles and no (visible) hinges. On closer inspection, it looks like it must open outwards to prevent water pressure from buckling it over time. Thick grime coats the border of the door. Below it is a very large stone block that appears to be dead flat. No visible crack can be seen underneath.

Following the owl further up, they stop in front of what appears to be a small gap where one of the lower bricks in the arch has sunk into its foundation. You imagine each brick, about the size of a half-orc in foetal position must be shaped like wedges of a round piece of cheese, just with a hole in the middle where the party stands.

This particular wedge, appears to have sunk just enough on one side to create a small gap about an inch wide. According to Daedarais owl, this is where it went after shrinking down in size. About a hundred feat up, the party can see another door.

[sblock=Ooc] Hahah. Sorry mate! Ok, i'm not going to respond after this one today[/sblock]

 

[Matthan]

Daedarai dismisses Sullo'rhea with a thought of thanks before peering towards the tiny gap. "Apparently the creature went through here. It would have to change its size of course. I'm not familiar with were-rats. Can they become rats small enough to fit in that gap?" He walks toward the grime coated door. A warning to stay out usually meant that was a place to explore in his experience. He begins to try to magically clean the grime away to see if he can see more of how it functions.

[sblock=Actions]
Casting prestidigitation over and over again to try and clean the door.
[/sblock]

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Alejandro holds out his palm and Archibald scampers into it.

They converse in a series of squeaks.

[sblock=Mousese]
Al: Ok, can you wriggle in that gap and see what's beyond?
Arch: Sure, no problem. Er. That owl's gone now, right?
Al: Uppity McOwlerson? Yep. Don't worry, he wouldn't hurt you.
Arch: Well you say that...
Al: Archibald.
Arch: OK, OK. I'll go.[/sblock]
And Archibald scurries off through that one inch gap to have a nosey.

 

[Sezarious]

Archibald crawls down the wedge and disappears from view. He comes back quickly enough. Crawling back up to speak with Alejandro.

[sblock=Mousese]

Arch: Okay ummm, cavish and cliffy is about all I can see, oh and yeahhh... It STINKS of rat too.[/sblock]

 

[Matthan]

Daedarai turns from trying to clean the door, "Did Archibald find anything?"

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

"He says, not much of anything other than a stink of rat. Any luck with cleaning that door? Any ideas? Should we just let this one go?"

 

[Sezarious]

Flecks of rust and corrosion flake away from the doorway and around the edges to reveal no trace of a handle, however, there does appear to be a small flat circular plate the size of a coin that he is able to push aside to reveal a small service pinhole the size of a pea. Daedarai further cleans out the pinhole, finding what appears to be a series of cogs. It looks as if a specialised key with a crank at the handle is used to wind the door open. With the right skill, this may be openable by other means...