Tests and Trials

[NotStickFigures]

"Can we get a rope around the boulder, and try pulling the most of it away from the stairwell, so that when it cracks more, it might fall not into the stairwell?"

[spiderwrangler]

"Hmm... it's pretty big, don't think I can lift it and throw it clear. Dragging it out, maybe, if the rope's set just right, but it could slip, or the rope could snap. I think we ought to explore the first room or so before bringing the horses down anyway, make sure it's clear. We have kind of been making a lot of noise."

[NotStickFigures]

"Yes, yes we have. I'm sure we've attracted attention from something either down there or in the wilderness."

[The Lost]

Joe looks around the ruins, trying to determine who made it (architectual background) and when. ”Alright lets see if thar be traps o oth’r surprises befer goin’ furth’r.”

(Can you go ahead and roll for me? Unseen is being a butt)

[spiderwrangler]

((Coyote codes been fine.))

[Rodgeir]

Joe looks around but doesn't see much to make her assessment on who the builders of this place would have been, everything above the basement level gone. If there were other buildings nearby she doesn't see any sign of them. Looking down at the stairs in the stairwell she can make out that they seem to have been made to accommodate big and small folk, more steps to help with short legs but also wide enough to allow for bigger feet. The walls in the stairwell are clear of any ornament that would give her a hint of the builders but again the sizing suggests that it was at least designed with tall folk in mind.

If there were any traps at the base of the stairs the rocks and dirt likely took care of them long ago.

((No roll needed at this point, there isn't much to go on topside.

So are you all going to hop down? Leaving the horses up top around the stairwell?))

[Dlover]

"The problem with the boulder now would be where it goes if we break it more, right? Some wizards can make things floaty, or they can have something that holds things, or something like that, can you do that Joe? Catch the pieces when they fall?

No doubt things are aware of us after all that noise, though. And our campfire would have been visible a fair ways off, last night. If there is anything potentially hostile, leaving the horses out here alone would be a risk, as would having them down there with no easy way out."

[NotStickFigures]

"Maybe clear out the first room, then bring the horses down?"

[spiderwrangler]

"Sounds good." Kroshav will light up a torch and clamber over the rubble, making sure it's stuck fast and not likely to shift and pinch anyone as they come through.

[Rodgeir]

((It looks pretty dark, you lighting a torch?))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq will follow directly after Kroshav, he will have his bow ready, cloak hood up.

[spiderwrangler]

"Sounds good." Kroshav will light up a torch and clamber over the rubble, making sure it's stuck fast and not likely to shift and pinch anyone as they come through.

((Yup! I'm aware of his limitations, even if he isn't always aware!))

[The Lost]

Joe will keep up the conjuration of a warm fullbody coat.

”Ah can cast mage hand o tens’rs disk It be take a while fer tha disk thou’”

[Rodgeir]

((Oops, read it too quickly i guess. Apologies!))

[Dlover]

"I suppose we'll just be heading down as-is. Hopefully we don't bring the horses down and later on find something we need to quickly get away from." Lurn will go grab the golem summoner, then return to the hole, ready to climb down with the others.

[Rodgeir]

The part hops/climbs down into the partially opened stairs and heads down towards the dark entrance way. Kroshav takes the lead, testing to see if the path is stable. He finds that most of the rubble has long since settled but a few bits slide or lean when he puts his weight on them and a larger rock rolls off a pile into the gloom ahead with a loud, echoing thunk. Kroshav holds his torch high as he steps past the debris and peers into a large, dusty room. He immediately notes that is warmer than it had been outside and sees rows and rows of floor to ceiling shelves ahead of him that stretch as far as the light from his torch can see. Looking to the left he can see that the shelves go that direction beyond the light of the torch and the same to his right. Taking another step he notices another set of stairs heading further down right next to where he just came in. The stairs further down take a sharp turn so his torch doesn't show where they end.

Jaq follows right behind Kroshav and can see beyond the light of the torch but still doesn't see the end of the rows of shelves.

The shelves are all the same width, about 3 feet and look to stone and have a five foot gap between them.

((Can I get a perception check from everyone that is down in the archives? Jaq and Kroshav are there for sure but I suspect Lurn and Joe are also there?))

[spiderwrangler]

Perception: 1D20+1 = [19]+1 = 20

[Dlover]

Lurn's down there, yeah. With the summoner, in case we need the golem to guide us.

Perception: 1D20+8 = [12]+8 = 20

[The Lost]

Joe goes to one of the shelves to search through it.

Per, investigation: 1D20 = [5] = 5
1D20+5 = [2]+5 = 7

[spiderwrangler]

<Big room down here, warmer than it is up top. We'll check it out and make sure it's safe, then bring you and Charlie down.>

Kroshav peeks into the stairs downward, and moves along the wall in that direction, looking to gauge how big the room actually is.

[Rodgeir]

Lurn and Kroshav both notice that the ground to the right of the entrance is clear of dust. Very recently based on the lack of new accumulation. The dust has on been cleared the short distance between the entrance and the downward stairs and then down the stairs themselves.

Kroshav notes the stairs take a sharp turn to the right so he would need to descend to peer around the corner. Passing the stairs he again notes the presence of dust on the floor, though there are some very faint tracks in the dust. They must be real old. The tracks move up and down the rows of shelves, many times. Lurn also notices this too.

At 60' from the entrance Kroshav still can't see the far wall and his heavy foot steps echoing.

Joe ignores all that and runs up to the nearest shelf and finds the lowest three shelves filled will dust, bits of metal and some moldering leather. Further down the long, long shelf there is only dust.

((Going all the way to the wall Spider?))

[spiderwrangler]

((No, keeping roughly within overlap of torches, so he'll return and report.))

[Dlover]

Lurn's going to use Light on his shield, in place of having a torch. "Something has been cleaning further down. Perhaps some of the golems from lower levels still function? Considering the sealed entrances, it seems more likely that they would function and continue to see to the place's maintenance than a group having found a way in and decided to clean the stairs."

[The Lost]

”But nay tha shelves? Hmm. Lets see tha trail n hope that it be tha golems.”

[Dlover]

"The cleaning stops at the top of the stairs leading up to this floor, so it would be the golems that are responsible for the floor below. The ones for this floor must not be functioning."