A Dark and Stormy Knight IC [3.5]

[zlefin]

OOC thread is here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...Knight-3-5-OOC

The party begins its journey to check on Hightower, to see if anyone has tried to open up and use the old place as a base.


The sky has been slowly darkening all day, and
the smell of rain has been thick in the air. Now it
has finally begun to fall, accompanied by loud
peals of thunder that seem to roll across the landscape.
The sun is hidden behind massive stormclouds,
and a cold wind blows from the north. As
bolts of lightning begin to slam from cloud to
ground and pieces of hail begin to strike the
earth, the need for shelter becomes obvious.
Ahead in the distance, Hightower rises from the
ground, its form illuminated by the occasional
lightning bolt.
Best get a move on and get there before it gets worse!

[caesar193]

Father Govanan was not the type to travel alone. Usually, he stuck to merchant caravans and the like, offering his services as a healer for a spot on the cart. Such things had guards, and merchants, and more. These groups of people really needed someone like Father Govanan. They were usually serious, and concerned with such serious topics as "bandit attacks" and "selling enough to make it through winter." What they really needed was some fun. Enter the good Father.

But tonight he did, though he did spy a couple others on this dark and stormy night. The rain pelted down on him, like it did them, but he paid it no mind. He had more important things to worry about. He rattled his flask, and finding it empty, proceeded to curse in a manner unbecoming of a religious figure. He had a little something to refill it, naturally. But that could wait- should wait- until he was in the dry.

"Ah, but the anticipation will make it taste all the better!" the gnome half-announced, half-muttered into the wind, and proceeded to walk towards the tower with a fresh skip in his step.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk glanced up at a sky quickly becoming as grim as his own countenance. A flash of lightning drew his gaze down to the group's destination, and he grunted as thunder rolled over them.

"Come," he said to the others, looking around at Govanan, Siannodel, and Lars, "We must make cover before the storm makes the mission impossible."

Though weighed down by his armour, he strides forward through the rain with determination toward the shattered black spire.

[Jopustopin]

The elf that accompanied the group was an unusual sort; unlike the elves that one would normally encounter. This one seemed to have his own agenda and marched to his own beat. He wore studded leather that looked well traveled. At his side he had a short sword and a dagger.

If there was any racial hatred the elf had for the half-orc he had never expressed it. He had an arrogance about him that you hoped was justified. When the hail started he took the lead, pulled out his dagger, and proceeded carefully towards the tower; eyes alert to archers and ambushes despite the weather.

Spoiler: Aareon

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[Morof Stonehands]

Lars looked on as his newly encountered companions made their way out of the storm and toward the tower. "Well, they seem smart and reasonable already!" he thinks to himself. Not one wanting to be left alone, he quickly covers his head with his gong, and makes for the tower as well. Turns out gongs double as good head cover against hail!

[zlefin]

Other than the worsening storm nothing troubles the party as they make their way to the great hill overlooking the lands. As they go up the hill, they find the massive, arched entryway which is at least 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. clearly made to allow for the ogres that once were a part of that ancient kingdom. A great stone door is in the entryway, closed. The area around the entryway has been shaped so as to have an overhang protecting against weather, and to let water flow away, so it will provide enough shelter from the storm for now. The remains of what must surely have been an enormous boulder can be seen scattered around.

[Jopustopin]

Aareon

"Well, no need to be quiet if someone is around; doubt anyone can hear us." the elf yells over the storm. Soaking wet, the elf pushes his hair out of his eyes and begins trying to open the door.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk looks up and around the vast archway as the group passes through it. Normally portals are too small for him; the way that this one dwarfs him is slightly unsettling. He nods to Aareon, setting down his glaive and lending his prodigious strength to the effort of opening the door.

Spoiler: OOC

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If the door is stuck, please make a Strength Test for me, DM. Torokk has a +5 modifier.

[zlefin]

The door opens quite easily. While large, it appears to have been well counter-weighted. The door will swing shut again when you stop pushing it.
Inside you can see a very large hall.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk grunts again. He jams the door open momentarily while he retrieves his glaive, then gestures to the others. "Any signs of life?"

He licks his lips; if there are inhabitants here, there shouldn't be - and that meant conflict.

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't think we have a trapfinder? So maybe just some Search, Spot, or Survival checks to find traces of passage?

[zlefin]

Peering through the door you can't see any obvious foes inside, but it is quite dark indoors after all with only the light that makes it through the storm and the door, and the inner hall is large. The din of the storm makes it impossible to hear if anything is lurking within.

[caesar193]

Father Govanan smiled at Torokk. "I see four signs right here!" The smile turned to a grin, which then turned into a cryptic prayer to Garl Glittergold. Pretty soon the holy symbol that hung from Father Govanan's neck blazed with holy light.

"Hopefully we can find some more, though," he continued jovially, his eyes searching the corners for anything of interest. If there isn't any other signs of life, then he proceeds to fill his flask back up from his gallon of ale (oh, if only there'd been whiskey in the last town!) while humming a very annoying and catchy tune.

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting Light on my holy symbol. But you could've guessed that.

[Morof Stonehands]

"Well at least there is some light now!" Lars says semi cheerily. "Better than nothing at this point." He quickly scans the room trying to see if there is anything interesting about this old, damp place.

[Mr Adventurer]

"Hm." Torokk clearly doesn't seem impressed with the joviality. Instead - so long as nobody else has any better udeas - he simply grips his glaive and strides forward warily into the hallway.

[zlefin]

You enter the hall from the great doorway in the south. The hall is very large, nearly 100' square, and has wooden doors at the east, north, and west. The doors are locked, but show substantial signs of deterioration from age, and bits of the bottom of the doors have fallen off. They don't appear to have been used in ages, and have quite a covering of dust upon them. The hall was well decorated long ago, with many peeled paint chips upon the floor, and the tattered remains of what once would've been fine tapestries.
Outside, the storm continues, getting even fiercer, and hail has begun to fall.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk sniffs and looks about. "Doesn't look like there's anyone here." He shrugs, "Mission completed, then? We're sent to check if anyone's turned this place into a fort. Doesn't look like anyone has."

[Morof Stonehands]

"Well it sure seems that way doesn't it!" Lars says cheerfully. "Easiest job ever! Now that that is done, I think we should just shack up here till the weather improves. No sense in going back out in that storm with this perfectly good and empty shelter right here."

[caesar193]

Govanan nodded sagely. "Hmm, yes, yes, I agree. We should stay here the night." He started wandering over to the east door. "Or, I propose that we do a teeeeeensy bit of exploration." He whipped open the door and peered through the threshold.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk nods curtly. "Aye."

He starts peering at the painting and tapestry remnants on the east wall out of idle curiosity - though staying near to the rest of the party in this large chamber. No sense inviting catastrophe.

[zlefin]

Govanan yanks on the locked door trying to open it, but the door still holds. some of the dust on the door falls off onto him from his attempt. While the door held, it's clear by how the door twisted a bit that it should be possible to force the door with enough effort.

[Jopustopin]

Aareon slumped his wet backpack onto the ground before pulling out a crowbar. Walking over he places the crowbar between the door and the frame and begins trying to pry the east door open.

Spoiler

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Aareon will take 20 trying to break the door.

Strength +6 on the check.

[Mr Adventurer]

"Alright..." Torokk ambles over from his fruitless examination of the walls and joins Aareon straining at the crowbar - where Aareon pulls, he pushes.

Spoiler: OOC

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Assisting for an additional +2, giving a final result of 28

[zlefin]

Aareon is able to pry the east door open with a few rounds effort. There's a hallway around 40' long, which opens up into another room. There's something in the middle of that room, it's hard to tell exactly what from this distance, but it's not moving and it looks like a box or other container.

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk glances at Aareon. "Treasure?"

[Jopustopin]

Aareon shrugs while putting the crowbar away. He picks up his backpack and puts it back across his back. Checking his dagger and short sword at his hips out of instinct he shrugs at Torek, "I doubt it. Let's quickly check each room and then get ready for the night. I'm feeling like a drink myself."

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk nods, "Aye, that's good." He takes his glaive firmly in both hands, and advances down the passageway toward the box.

It's more of a military than casual advance, of course. There's no sign of life, but everyone's heard enough fireside tales of haunted ruins that he's alert and ready.

[zlefin]

The room is empty except for the chest in the middle of the floor. It's a small stone chest that appears to have been built into the room (i.e. is physically connected to the floor).

[Mr Adventurer]

Torokk looks about for a second, then shrugs. He flips the glaive around in his grip, and uses the butt of the weapon to push against the lid, trying to open the chest.

[zlefin]

As Torokk pushes the chest with the butt of his glaive a flurry of darts shoot down! they hit all the area around the chest even several feet away. Even with his cautious distance, one of the darts manages to graze Torokk's hand (1 point of damage). The chest does open as it was pushed, and inside there are a few small items, some of them quite shiny, others not shiny. (more details will be given when you decide to look closer).

[Jopustopin]

Aareon pulls out his short sword and dagger and looks around the room carefully for signs that anyone's been here.

"Someone's been here since the fort was abandoned." Aareon says somewhat quietly.

Spoiler

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What's the room look like? Are there any important features or other doors?