~The Dark Tapestry IC ~

[CWater]

Jheren is not only a little surprised how well his first arrow hit. Trying to focus, he carefully aims another one and sends it flying.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move action, using Bullseye Shot for +4 to hit.
Attacking C1: (1d20+7)[12]
Damage: (1d8+1)[4]
(shooting into melee penalty, PBS and BeS bonuses included)

If the critter is still up, I believe Barnibus should keep hacking at it.

[RolandDeschain]

Cal smashes his morningstar down on the centipede's head shattering the carapace with a loud *CRACK*. The writhing beast, staggers momentarily, but is still standing when Barnibus drives the spiked end of his two-handed hammer through the cracks Cal opened. Rolling sideways, it sinks to the ground and its leg twitch momentarily before it falls completely still.

Spoiler: OC

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200 xp each.
MAP

The walls of this chamber have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor— the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.

[razorback]

Wiping the gore from his weapon, Cal makes a face but doesn't say anything. He begins looking around and, seeing the statue, he comments under his breath "Not creepy at all." as he continues his inspection. "Keep an eye on the door and I'll look around over here." he says to no one in particular as he walks to the northwest room and checks it to make sure it's clear.

[RolandDeschain]

Before heading off to check out the centipede nest, something about the iron statue catches Cal's attention. There appear to be seams down both sides and hinges on the left hand side. The rusted, grinning statue is, in fact, and old iron-maiden torture device.

[Kish]

"Oh, lovely," Aerlya comments sarcastically as she sees the torture device.

[RolandDeschain]

Searching the rubble in the western wing, Cal uncovers several rusted weapons and ruined fragments of armor and a tightly latched iron case.

[CWater]

Jheren shudders as he realises what the statue is. He's seen only one such before, in the cellar of the manor of a lord he and his father worked for when he was younger. The old gardener had been happy to explain its purpose and share old horror stories of screams echoing from the dungeon. The device and others of its kind had been in disuse for a long time then, and Jheren hoped it had remained that way.

He asks Barnibus to watch the ladder back up, and approaches himself the iron door, looking for anything noteworthy on the way.

Spoiler: Perception?

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(1d20+7)[17]

[RolandDeschain]

Jheren spots a piece of old cloth sticking out of the seam of the rusty iron maiden.

[razorback]

Upon realization of what the statue is, Cal turns away and ignores it. Walking around and finds the rusted weapons and the locked case. He fiddles with it a moment to see if it's locked and looks back at the others. "Anyone have any skills with such? My talent would be to smash it open."

[RolandDeschain]

It turns out the case is firmly latched, not locked, and after a couple of seconds of fiddling with the mechanism it pops open. Inside the case Cal discovers a matched pair of fine mithral daggers with a strange series of notches carved into the flat of each blade.

[RolandDeschain]

Barnibus moves back to the trapdoor and peers upward cautiously, then gives the all clear sign.

The eerie light from Aerlya's spell casts irregular illumination around the room creating areas of shifting shadows as Jheren approaches the southern doors. A quick check reveals that the rusty iron doors are locked.

[razorback]

A self-satisfied grin makes it way across Cal's face as he manages to finagle the chest open. Removing the silvery daggers, he twirls them in his hand, feeling the weight before pricking his finger on the point. "I think these are mithral. Anyone good with a dagger? And what are these strange symbols?" as he takes a closer look.

Spoiler

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Knowledge Arcana, Religion and the Planes are +8.
(1d20+8)[9]

[RolandDeschain]

Cal studies the notches on the flat side of each blade, noting that they are not sharp like the serrated side of a buck knife, but rather have notches much more akin to those you would find on a key....albeit a very large key.

[CWater]

A self-satisfied grin makes it way across Cal's face as he manages to finagle the chest open. Removing the silvery daggers, he twirls them in his hand, feeling the weight before pricking his finger on the point. "I think these are mithral. Anyone good with a dagger? And what are these strange symbols?" as he takes a closer look.

Spoiler

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Knowledge Arcana, Religion and the Planes are +8.
[roll0]

"Not really. Well, maybe at throwing them, but those look too valuable for that."

Jheren tests the door. "Yup, locked. I don't suppose there was a key in that chest?", he eyes the door again, "It looks too strong to break, or what do you say?"

He's walking back towards the ladder when his eyes catch the piece of cloth sticking out from the iron maiden. Morbid curiosity drives him to inspect it more closely, before his better judgement can interfere.

[RolandDeschain]

Closer examination of the iron-maiden indicates that the rusty patina on the morbid device is, in fact, extremely old blood. The ratcheting handles used to tighten the mechanism and lock it into place are free of rust, and the scrap of clothe seems to be tell-tale evidence that something or....someone is trapped in side.

[razorback]

Seeing the Iron Maiden for what it is, Cal says "I have no interest in looking into that.
Feel free any of you. Key... well, these knives have a look of a key, kind of, eh?" as he walks up and see if either might fit.

[RolandDeschain]

As Cal approaches the door, it becomes obvious that the daggers are much too large to insert into the keyhole.

[CWater]

"We uh... might have a corpse on our hands", Jheren says and carefully backs away from the torture device, as if it could suddenly come alive and start moving.

[RolandDeschain]

From near the trapdoor you hear Barnibus, "Hmph! Corpse you say?"

He strides over to the iron maiden, sets his hammer down, and grabs a hold of the handles with both hands. "Let's take a look shall we?" The rusty hinges give way reluctantly with a loud, piercing screech and out of the torture device tumbles a pile of dusty bones and rotting, molding clothing. Everyone takes a step back as the dust settles...it is clear to all, that whomever it was that died in that thing, did so many, many years ago.

Spoiler: Perception Checks

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Barnibus (1d20+1)[19]
Aerlya (1d20+5)[14]
Cal (1d20+7)[16]
Jheren (1d20+7)[13]

Without even disturbing the remains everyone immediately notices that lying amidst the jumbled pile of bones and rotting clothing is a large rusty ring with a number of keys.

[razorback]

Cal shakes his head. "Well, that would be one place to hide 'em, eh?" with a small laugh but a slightly disgusted look on his face as he reacheds down and grabs the keys.
"Let's give these a try, if your all ready." as he walks to the door and prepares to try the keys.

[CWater]

"Curious hiding place to be sure." Jheren supresses a shudder and follows Cal to the door. He has his bow in hand again.

[RolandDeschain]

Cal picks up the key ring, and the party follows him to the iron door. After a moment or two checking keys, he finds one that slides into the lock smoothly. With a reluctant *click* you feel the mechanism slide, and the door opens.

A dusty, long-abandoned corridor is bathed in the light of Aerlya's spell. Numerous cobwebs hang suspended from the door jams and corners, but even they look to have been abandoned by their eight-legged denizens. The corridor splits left and right, before disappearing into the darkness around each corner. To the left and to the right are small, cramped rooms, with solid iron doors that hang ajar. From where you stand, peeking into the corridor, there seems something odd about the doors themselves.

MAP

[razorback]

After a bit of struggle with the door, Cal manages to get it open. Looking at the long forgotten area, he gives a quizzical look to the rest of the group.
"I'm going to look over to the left first. Give me a bit of cover, eh?" as he stows the keys and pulls his morning star back out.

Spoiler

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Making his way to AL-31
Perception
(1d20+7)[14]

[RolandDeschain]

Cal enters the dusty hallway, as Aerlya sends one of the dancing orbs of light ahead of him. As he approaches the open iron door he quickly ascertains that design of the doors are indicative of a dungeon. The doors are quite heavy and solid and include both a peephole at eye level, covered with a piece of sliding metal, and a smaller slot for food and water at floor level.

There is, however, nothing at all of interest in the small cell other than what appears to be the tiny, desiccated husk of a long dead rat resting in the far corner.

[Kish]

Aerlya looks into the cell and shrugs, turning to look south.

[RolandDeschain]

Aerlya sends a floating orb of light down the dusty corridor to the south, revealing another empty cell, another corridor leading off to the east, and a bend in the corridor just beyond that.

[razorback]

Cal nods at Aerlya as he moves past her, moving deeper into the dungeon area, keenly aware that the light could mess with his vision.

Spoiler

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Move to AK-40

[RolandDeschain]

Barnibus follows a safe distance behind Cal as he moves deeper into the dungeon. Aerlya's lights plunge into the inky darkness down the eastward corridor, revealing another opened cell door standing silent sentinel in the dark. Shadows dance behind the door and along the dusty walls in a manner that sends a shiver up the grizzled warrior's spine, "I don't think I want to hear the stories these old cells could tell. Damned creepy place, this." Beyond the open cell door, the hall terminates with twin, closed cell doors.

Cal moves cautiously in to the curved passageway ahead. Leaning forward slowly he spies another open cell door, its rusty patina marred with what appear to be desperate scratches and ancient blood stains.

Spoiler: Perception DC 16

Show

Distant and hollow wails, moans, and even screams play upon the far edges of the deafening silence that pervades the abandoned dungeon complex. The harder you concentrate and listen for them the more distant they seem.

MAP

[CWater]

Barnibus follows a safe distance behind Cal as he moves deeper into the dungeon. Aerlya's lights plunge into the inky darkness down the eastward corridor, revealing another opened cell door standing silent sentinel in the dark. Shadows dance behind the door and along the dusty walls in a manner that sends a shiver up the grizzled warrior's spine, "I don't think I want to hear the stories these old cells could tell. Damned creepy place, this." Beyond the open cell door, the hall terminates with twin, closed cell doors.

Jheren grimaces. "Me neither." He shudders.

Cal moves cautiously in to the curved passageway ahead. Leaning forward slowly he spies another open cell door, its rusty patina marred with what appear to be desperate scratches and ancient blood stains.

Spoiler: Perception DC 16

Show

Distant and hollow wails, moans, and even screams play upon the far edges of the deafening silence that pervades the abandoned dungeon complex. The harder you concentrate and listen for them the more distant they seem.

MAP

Jheren follows Cal, taking an arrow out from his quiver and setting it in place, just in case they run into something hostile. Suddenly his face pales. In a silent voice he says, "Uh... don't want to alarm you, but I fear this place might be... haunted. No wonder, really." He throws a glance at the cells.

[razorback]

Cal makes a face at Barnibus and Jheren's comments, doubt evident on his face, but he keeps his tongue as he moves forward and spies in the two areas he can see.

Spoiler

Show

Move to AM-42

Perception
(1d20+7)[13]