(004) The Dunjon Door

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Anwyn, followed by Taines, Ulric and finally Caine, descend cautiously into ruined tower's dunjon...

The stone stair is scarcely 2ft wide and uncomfortably steep. It quickly drops some dozen or so yards into a dark, silent underworld.

At the foot of the narrow stair, the dunjon is claustrophic, silent and damp. Before Anwyn is a narrow passageway hewn roughly into the earth and shored-up by questionable masonry. It may well have been closed to the world for years -- or even decades. Not a rat nor any insect scurries from sight.

By the flickering yellow glow of Taines' and Ulric's lantern fires, Anwyn sees a row of stout looking wooden doors facing one another across the narrow passage, two to the left and two to the right, perhaps some dozen yards ahead. Further beyond these, at the limits of visibility a similar door stands defying your progress.

As the party creeps forward in silence Ulric and Caine find their heads almost touch the low ceiling...

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
"Well this looks like a death trap," Ulric mutters quietly. "At least this narrow corridor will keep up from being overwhelmed by superior numbers. I suggest we slowly work our way down the hall. Perhaps the first door on the left?"

[waysoftheearth]

makofan wrote:
"Sounds methodical" mutters Caine

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
"At least until we have to run back up the stairs," replies Ulric.

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
At this time, Rodrick is going to begin his evening prayers to Thuul.

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:
While Rodrick is praying, I suggest that Deiter watch out of one arrow slot while Olaf watches out of another (different directions) and Mads stand guard at the stairs leading up to the room where we are camping.

Olaf will hobble his way to an arrow slot and leans against the wall. He keeps watch on the area outside the ruins for any creatures that might have been drawn this way by the smoke, but mostly he is resting.

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"That's a good idea," Dieter says. "It'll make me feel useful, if nothing else..."

[waysoftheearth]

TheMyth wrote:
Anwyn carefully steps toward the first door on the left, keeping an eye out for trip-wires and an ear open for footsteps.

When (if?) she reaches the door, she will first listen at it to see if there are any sounds inside, then she will check to see how it opens.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dieter shuffles over to the south facing arrow slit and props himself up against the wall so that he overlooks the ruinous courtyard and the heathlands to the south (from whence you came) as well as the narrow stair down to the ground level. Olaf positions himself similarly by the north facing arrow slit, overlooking the wilderness to the north, including the lonely road. Both Men observe that late afternoon is dwindling, and that a bank of heavy cloud is gathering overhead. A light rain has already begun to fall, and only looks like getting heavier before evening. At least there is no sign of anyone (or anything) else approaching the tower, as yet...

Meanwhile Rodrick has rolled out a prayer mat and lit a small candle of scented wax. He has abandoned his helm, shield and other gear, and kneels, reading to himself from the thick tome he carries about.

Victor and Mads poke about the remainder of the burned out room and make themselves as comfortable as possible in the circumstances.

There is maybe an hour or so of daylight before dusk, and pretty soon any firewood you might gather will be getting wet...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Below, in the dunjon, Anwyn checks for trip-wires as she creeps ahead, but spies no such thing. Soon she reaches the first door on the left -- directly opposite the first door on the right.

It is a thick, timber door of low, square construction -- barely high enough for the Elf to pass under. It set half a foot back from the passage in a stout wooden frame, and articulated on basic but very sturdy looking iron hinges. Near the top of the door is a small, closed trapdoor some 6 inches square.

Anwyn divines that the door would open outward into the passage-way but for the solid timber-beam that rests across it to prevent it from doing so. Though it looks heavy, it should be reasonably easy to remove the bar.