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<blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 1769245" data-attributes="member: 2292">Grroulth held his breath as he stepped off the ladder, trying to avoid the heady smell of fermenting grape in the air.&nbsp; Tavoritch jostled against him, a sharp elbow rapping against the stiff leather of the gnolls.&nbsp; It was tight quarters in the small room, barely large enough for Grroulth to stand.&nbsp; The length meant that he was forced back into the alcove with the ladder, the rungs pressing against his shoulder blades.&nbsp; Evanna stood on the rungs above him, her knuckles white as she waited for enough room to descend.&nbsp; &quot;This is very strange, da?&quot; Tovaritch said.&nbsp; His caloused hands ran over the curving wooden walls, trying to find some evidence of hidden catch.&nbsp; Grroulth didn't comment, simply squeezed himself to one side as the northerner moved past.&nbsp; Hop was muttering something from his position against the front wall, his belly pressed against the round wall.&quot;What?&quot; Grroulth asked, gritting his teeth as another elbow caught him in the snout.&quot;We be inside a barrel,&quot; Hop said, his voice muffled by the press of bodies.&nbsp; &quot;A fairly large one.&quot;Grroulth heard Evanna moving nervously on the rungs above him, the ladder creaking as she shifted her weight.&quot;Then open it,&quot; she demanded.&nbsp; &quot;I want to come down.&quot;Hop said something in reply, but Grroulth couldn't make it out.&nbsp; Once the circular wall swung open and spilled them into a darkened cellar, he didn't much care either.&nbsp; The air was blessedly cool, although the scent of beer and wine was stronger now.&quot;Beer cellar,&quot; Hop said needlessly.&nbsp; He pointed at a row of giant barrels, all tall enough to hold a few good-sized men or a single Hop Barleyman.&nbsp; &quot;Those brands are me families mark.&nbsp; Probably Barrel's work.&quot;Evanna emerged behind them, stepping carefully out of the barrel used to disguise the secret door.&nbsp; She examined the opened doorway for a moment, taking note of its unusual thickness, then tested the spiggot with an experimental hand.&nbsp; Red fluid spilt against the flagstone floor.&quot;Disguised as a barrel,&quot; she pointed out.&nbsp; &quot;And it actually works.&quot;&quot;That's probably Barrel's work too,&quot; Hop announced.&nbsp; &quot;Always did wan't to do strange thin's to his barrel's, ol' Barrel did.&quot;Everyone considers this for a moment, then wordlessly splits up to start searching the dozen other barrels in the cellar for secret passages behind them.Grroulth finds one behind the third barrel he checks.&quot;Here,&quot; he announces.&nbsp; The others gather and look the barrel over - noting the lack of a space between the end of the barrel and the wall it rests against.&nbsp; The spiggot spews fresh ale when turned, but it does little to allay thier suspicions.&quot;I'm sure there's a door there,&quot; Grroulth says.&nbsp; &quot;We just have to figure out how to open it.&quot;&quot;You use a key,&quot; a deep voice announces from the stairs.&nbsp; &quot;And if ye were half the men your forebears were, you'd know enough to leave it alone.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="arwink, post: 1769245, member: 2292"] Grroulth held his breath as he stepped off the ladder, trying to avoid the heady smell of fermenting grape in the air. Tavoritch jostled against him, a sharp elbow rapping against the stiff leather of the gnolls. It was tight quarters in the small room, barely large enough for Grroulth to stand. The length meant that he was forced back into the alcove with the ladder, the rungs pressing against his shoulder blades. Evanna stood on the rungs above him, her knuckles white as she waited for enough room to descend. "This is very strange, da?" Tovaritch said. His caloused hands ran over the curving wooden walls, trying to find some evidence of hidden catch. Grroulth didn't comment, simply squeezed himself to one side as the northerner moved past. Hop was muttering something from his position against the front wall, his belly pressed against the round wall. "What?" Grroulth asked, gritting his teeth as another elbow caught him in the snout. "We be inside a barrel," Hop said, his voice muffled by the press of bodies. "A fairly large one." Grroulth heard Evanna moving nervously on the rungs above him, the ladder creaking as she shifted her weight. "Then open it," she demanded. "I want to come down." Hop said something in reply, but Grroulth couldn't make it out. Once the circular wall swung open and spilled them into a darkened cellar, he didn't much care either. The air was blessedly cool, although the scent of beer and wine was stronger now. "Beer cellar," Hop said needlessly. He pointed at a row of giant barrels, all tall enough to hold a few good-sized men or a single Hop Barleyman. "Those brands are me families mark. Probably Barrel's work." Evanna emerged behind them, stepping carefully out of the barrel used to disguise the secret door. She examined the opened doorway for a moment, taking note of its unusual thickness, then tested the spiggot with an experimental hand. Red fluid spilt against the flagstone floor. "Disguised as a barrel," she pointed out. "And it actually works." "That's probably Barrel's work too," Hop announced. "Always did wan't to do strange thin's to his barrel's, ol' Barrel did." Everyone considers this for a moment, then wordlessly splits up to start searching the dozen other barrels in the cellar for secret passages behind them. Grroulth finds one behind the third barrel he checks. "Here," he announces. The others gather and look the barrel over - noting the lack of a space between the end of the barrel and the wall it rests against. The spiggot spews fresh ale when turned, but it does little to allay thier suspicions. "I'm sure there's a door there," Grroulth says. "We just have to figure out how to open it." "You use a key," a deep voice announces from the stairs. "And if ye were half the men your forebears were, you'd know enough to leave it alone." [/QUOTE]

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