Storms of Change IC Part 4

[Sado]

Goven picks up the sword and examines it, studying and appreciating the fine craftsmanship. "It certainly looks worth keeping," he agrees. "Let us leave it in a safe place for now, Manzanita, along with the horses and supplies.

"As for which path to take, I am still of a mind to follow the two who came ahead of us and try to discover their intentions," he continues. "That route has the advantage that they will have already encountered any dangers that may lie ahead of us."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"'Secret ways are the best ways,' I always say. And if no one's been down this way, then no one will be there to greet us either, eh?" Zook says with a chuckle. "Now how do we get this thing open..."

*Zook starts looking about for a way to get the door open.*

 

[silentspace]

Goven puts the bastard sword with the mounts and finds a spot to leave them, some distance off. [Is Zook keeping Goldtooth with him?]

Clearing away the area reveals a stone platform, about 10x10 feet, with fine joints in it that seem to be double doors. The stone around this section is nothing but crumbled ruins, but this section is well-made. After a thorough search, no operating mechanism can be found.

 

[Someone]

Dunathar´s finding reaches a frustrating end when he can´t open the stone doors. "What kind of moron makes doors that can´t open?" but then calms a little and thinks. "Maybe they´re meant to be open from inside" says "Or, like some dw... some of I´ve heard over there open with a password. In any case, we should try with a wedge"

"do any of you have one?" ends, looking around.

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita

"No. Let's not force the door. The noise could attract unwanted attention. There may well be a magical key, but I have not the means to discover it. Instead, let us hack away the weeds, and see if we have another entrance at our disposal."

 

[Sado]

Goven still believes it would be best to follow the trail of the other party. Nevertheless, he nods in compliance with the others' wishes and takes to hacking away at the overgrowth with either his axe or his kukri, whichever seems to be the better tool for it.

"Now that we are here," he asks, looking in Manzanita and Dunathar's direction, "can anyone provide any more knowledge of what we are looking for?"

 

[silentspace]

Yes, what are they looking for? Whatever it is, Goruka was looking for it too. A weapon? Or something that could be of tactical or strategic importance? It must be something of importance. But not important enough to send Shillen's elite scouts and troops? It seemed to be something that required the use of outsiders, and stealth... could the Warden be concerned about spies?

What of the Warden? Warden Ricsten didn't seem to know what it was they were looking for. And from what Goven can gather, the Dharnans themselves were unclear. All they said was to investigate and report back.

* * *

These thoughts go through Goven's mind as he steps down into the vine-filled depression and starts hacking at the undergrowth. As he chops, his footing on the vines, dirt and rubble gives way, and he slides down into the hole! As he slides, he grabs the vines to slow his fall, and he lands gently twenty or twenty-five feet below.

Light pours through the hole he made in the vines above, illuminating a 20 x 20 ft chamber, its crumbling stone walls choked with vines.

In the west and south walls are openings leading off into darkness, with just the remnants of decayed wooden doors hanging on rusted hinges.

Testing the vines, Goven finds it will be quite easy to climb back up, or for the others to climb down.

 

[Someone]

"Now that we are here," he asks, looking in Manzanita and Dunathar's direction, "can anyone provide any more knowledge of what we are looking for?"

"You, I don´t know" says Dunathar. "But I´m looking for gold. If in the way I find something the Warden finds interesting, then great."

The dwarf carefully climbs down the hole after it´s cleared (climb +4), then loads the crossbow and readies it. Moving quietly, he peers into the dark corridors and advances a few meters through them, looking for any danger, before coming back to the hole to wait for everyone to climb down.

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita

"Hopefully we'll know what we want when we can find it. If Goruka overruns Shillen, we all lose, no matter how much gold we've found."

"Goven, what say you? Shall we all descend?"

 

[Sado]

Goven tests the vines, which seem sturdy enough.

"As long as we're down here, we may as well have a look around," he replies, taking stock of their surroundings. "We should be able to get back up without any problem if the need arises."

He turns to Dunathar. "This is more your territory, I imagine. You'd best take the lead in here. Can you see anything down those corridors?

"Does it look like we'll need a torch?"