Strange Fortune

[jm_jazzman]

Slowly, your creeping suspicion gives way to the dawn of an incredible realization: This isn't another nightmare. After what seemed like an unending marathon of fear, pain, and terrifying visions, you are actually awake, and alive. You are cold and sore, but there is some small comfort in the knowledge that these sensations are indeed real. With your eyes still sealed shut, you feel that you are laying on a rough, gritty stone floor.

Slowly opening your eyes, the first thing you see are iron bars. You are in a cage, one of many in this rectangular stone room. There are eight cages in total: five side-by-side along one of the long walls, and three cages on the opposite wall which are separated by a large iron door that appears to be the only exit from this dank room. Every cage is held shut by a heavy lock. Next to the door a small, flickering flame casts a weak glow throughout the prison chamber from the cup of a free-standing torch with a round base.

Attending to yourself, you notice that are wearing your usual clothes, but they have been ripped and stained (with what you cannot be certain). The rest of your possessions are missing. You hear a moan, and finally clue in to the fact that you are not the only prisoner here.

The two side-by-side cages next to the door hold a dog each. The one in the corner cage is small and black save for a few patches. The one held closer to the door is a very large dog that looks to be of a northern breed. In the third cage on that wall (on the other side of the door where the torch stands) rests a very young-looking half-elf woman with dark features. Along the wall opposite the door, only three of the cages are occupied. The cage in the corner across from the small dog holds and extremely thin and pale young human woman with raven black hair. In the middle cage, flanked by an empty cell on either side, is a particularly tough-looking dwarf. In the far corner, across from the half-elf, is what appears to be a man (but his face is towards the wall and his features are otherwise hidden in shadow).

Now, your mind begins to race. You realize that you have no memory of how you came to be in this terrible room, imprisoned with strangers. When? How? Who? It feels as if several days of your own memories have somehow been stripped from your mind. Were the nightmares perhaps, not entirely dreams?

[Aeti]

Valette shifts uncomfortably and tries to rub some feeling into her sleeping legs. Speaking quietly, she rasps in an unused voice, "W-where.. are we?"

[Shakedown]

Jacinth sits up at the sound of a voice, fighting back panic. Whoever spoke has a good point - someone thinks they're dangerous, or they would have been thrown in with the drunks. The skinny girl in the far corner doesn't look like much of a brawler, meaning her talents probably lie elsewhere. Too complicated. The man across from her is standing in shadow - watching? - which is what she would be doing if she hadn't woken belly-up like a fish, and dad always says not to trust people who act like you do. Dad also says to make friends with people who are bigger than you, and what the stoic-looking dwarf appears to be making up for his lack of height with a surplus of brawn. He could probably bash some guards around if it came to it.

Jacinth scoots over to the corner of her cell, as close to the dwarf as possible. Leaning on the bars to feign nonchalance - and steady her shaking hands - she says "Some party last night, huh?"

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roll for diplomacy (1d20+6)[8] - I have 3 ability modifier, 1 rank and 2 racial modifier so I get +6 right? Also, HI EVERYONE fun game times ahoy!

[Aeti]

Valette is silent for a moment while she rakes her memories for anything that could provide a clue to what is going on. "Yes," says Valette uncertainly. "It must have been.. I don't remember anything. Was it a party at the Duke's?"

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Valette is making a sense motive to determine if Jacinth has also made an enemy of Natt Farstaff- Sense Motive(1d20+1)[17]

[lando_zeus]

Thårin, slightly dazed and dealing with with a mild head-ache, ignores the human and half-elf and assesses the situation. He assesses how deep underground this dank hole is and also examines the cage to see if he can notice any weak spots.

[jm_jazzman]

Thårin senses that he is about 90 feet underground. The craftsmanship of the prison is rather ugly, but effective. The bars are strong and well-set, planted firmly in the floor, ceiling, and walls wherever they meet. Adjoining cells share the same barred walls. The stonework of the room is that of an underground chamber carved out hundreds of years ago. It was not expertly excavated, and there were certainly no dwarves on hand when that took place.

Jacinth's nerves are showing as Valette inspects her.

[jm_jazzman]

Testing the bars, Thårin finds one vertical rod that he can wiggle up and down a bit, as much as the more firmly-planted bars attached on either side allow (the numerous vertical bars are all connected by a single horizontal bar running through the middle of their height). A scratchy, grating sound is the only result of this action.

[Shakedown]

The duke? Why would there be dukes? They're trapped in cages and this girl thinks they went to a party with a duke? Jacinth notices that the dwarf has started to inspect his cage - a man with a plan! Seeing someone being proactive helps her curb her panic. She also starts inspecting the cage, measuring the gaps between the bars. In the meantime, well, why not dukes?

"Oh yeah, the duke. Totally. What an animal. You guys seemed to be hitting it off pretty well!"

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um, checking for spaces bigger than my head for eventual escape artist use? is there a roll for this?

also, Gather Information on Valette, to find out what a duke has to do with anything (1d20+6)[13]

[lando_zeus]

Thårin, still focused on his cell and not his fellow prisoners, attempts to further loosen the iron bar.

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Strength check (1d20+2)[14]

[DrunkyTheClown]

A rough sleep through the night ends with the sound of people nearby, and Whiskey is compelled to yawn. The moment his eyes open he's on his feet with a confused growl, and is soon gnawing on the iron bars angrily. He pauses to properly have a look about after a moment, ears erected as he looks to the large, already awake dog nearby, who gives him a blank look.

Whiskey emits what can only be described as a grumble and begins to snuffle around the cell thoroughly, an attempt to familiarize himself with his surroundings.

[Aeti]

The half-elf was spouting nonsense. It was clear she didn't have any idea of what was going on. What was her motive? Was she just humouring her? "Yes, an animal is the perfect way of describing him," said Valette coldly. "But no matter. It seems we are stuck here with each other, unless we work together to escape? My name is Valette of Wettonbend, and I... " I suppose I need to trust them. "I am a practitioner of the Magical Arts."

[jm_jazzman]

Thårin continues to jerk the lose bar up and down, filling the room with the echoes of scraping noises and dull thuds. It is doubtful that this effort is having any real effect.

Jacinth measures approximately 6 inches of separation between the bars. Only a very small creature would be able to squeeze itself out of one of these cells.

[Dodge Magnum]

"I've heard of you," says Sam, still facing the wall. "You're that singer that pissed off Farstaff's boy, aren't you?"

He turns to look into the rest of the prison. The only part of the room that surprises him are the cages for the animals, a rare sight in his experiences in such places.

He takes a look around his cell for a bit of bone, a pin, anything with which he could attempt to pick his lock.

[Dodge Magnum]

(1d20+4)[18]

(clutter roll post wooo)

[Aeti]

I didn't realize I'd be known.. idiot, idiot! "We've met. Yes." The crack of whips in the night. Slam of a cell door. Mocking laughter. Bloodstained snow. Ashes. Rage boiled inside Valette, and she embraced it. She spoke icily, her every word chipped from frozen blood. "He took everything from me. My life. My father. My home. I'll see him pay."

Remembering suddenly, she gasped and felt around her neck for where her father's pendant had laid around her neck Everything but my hatred has been taken from me.

[Dodge Magnum]

"Oh really now? Going to do some fancy magicks from that school of yours to get us out of this joint? I'll tell you what; you help me find something to pick these locks and I could probably help you out. Hell, we both get out of here and I'll help you anyways. Never liked that bastard family; bunch of thugs hiding behind the guise of nobility."

Not too sure I want to go home, but potential coin is potential coin - and I would assume the Farstaffs have a nice little pile of it sitting around

[Aeti]

"I'll consider that. I certainly need allies I can trust. But I haven't seen a spellbook in what feels like days, I don't have any.. fancy magics.. at the moment."

[Dodge Magnum]

"Hey, Dwarf. Stop making that noise!"

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Forum y u no all-caps?

[Shakedown]

"Hm. I guess you and this duke wouldnt have hit it off, after all. I'm sure you're also curious as to why we've been treated to such luxurious accommodation Tell you what, if the two of you can 'practition' us out of here, I'll help you find what you need. Or buy you a beer, whichever you prefer. I'm Jacinth. I've been told that I'm very convincing."

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(1d20+6)[26] for diplomacy

[DrunkyTheClown]

Ears perk up suddenly and quickly, Whiskey is staring hopefully at the source of the new voice. Something about picking locks and escaping and such- It's probably wise from now on to keep a few sets of opposable thumbs as company. He approaches the edge of his cage and pokes his nose in between the bars, and it's very apparent that he is paying close attention.

[lando_zeus]

"Everybody check your cells for anything we can use to get out of here. Something you could make a lock-pick out of. Does anyone remember anything?"

He examines the stone wall, floor, and ceiling, and also searches the cell for anything of use.

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(1d20+2)[18]

I presume I don't have to roll to search the cell, do I

[jm_jazzman]

Looking about, the only thing that Sam finds other than small pebbles is a dark, moist rag balled up and jammed in between the stone wall and a corner bar of the cage.

Thårin, re-searching his cell, finds a fresh shard of stone that must have been cracked from the ceiling during his recent efforts. The shard is only about an inch and a half long, but it is solid and has a reasonably sharp edge to it.

The torch flame seems to grow a little dimmer.

Jacinth and Whiskey:

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Jacinth, Whiskey (and his companion) suddenly becomes aware of a sound: some creature is trying to burrow and squeeze its way under the door.

[Shakedown]

"Hey team, be quiet for a moment. I think something's trying to come in."

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[roll]1d20+1[/roll] to listen for more information

[Shakedown]

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GOD DAMMIT ok I ****ed this up so many times, sorry James (1d20+1)[18] to listen

[jm_jazzman]

The scratching sound continues. It sounds to Jacinth like a mouse or other small rodent is frantically trying to force its way through the gap under the thick door.

[Dodge Magnum]

I examine the rag.

[jm_jazzman]

As soon as Sam pulls at the grimy piece of cloth, the rotting corpse of a rat tumbles out. It appears as though the creature had chewed and burrowed its way inside the balled-up rag before it died. The cloth reeks not only of death, but also of noxious fumes, the smell of which brings back the terrible sensations of the endless nightmare from which Sam just awoke.

[DrunkyTheClown]

Both dogs train their eyes and ears in the direction of the new sound, the larger of the two snuffling and pacing his cage slowly. Whiskey is simply quiet and attentive, flaring his nostrils as he smells the air.

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Whiskey's Listen - (1d20+3)[21] Companion's Listen - (1d20+5)[20] Also, both dogs' Scent abilities if applicable, to attempt to determine if the scent is identifiable or not.

[Dodge Magnum]

Oh, okay sweet. Dead rats.

Sam decides to keep the cloth.

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Not because I'm picking up every little piece of crap, but because it could be a clue to what exactly we went through.

Sam flicks the rat towards the dogs. Half because he thinks they MIGHT eat it, and half because that's the direction that gets it farthest away from him.

[Shakedown]

"There's something trying to get in under this door. I think those dogs hear it too. It sounds small, but there could be something behind it. So um... how about those locks?"

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(1d20+1)[12] to listen for something larger behind the door