(060) A Burglar About?

[ehiker133]

Desmond slips out of the room and makes his way down to the first doorway on the left. He counts the doors to see how many there are on the left wall. Then he listens at the door nearest him to see if he can determine if anyone is on the other side. If he hears nothing, he will check the door for any obvious traps before attempting to open it.

[waysoftheearth]

Desmond counts three doors along the left hand passage wall.

He sneaks up to the first of them, silent as a shadow, and gives it a good long listen d6 but doesn't hear anything at all. He open the door a crack, and peers into another dim room. It is lit by a narrow, dirty window on the courtyard side, and appears to be another basic, domestic quarter. This one is larger than the room he just left, and oriented longways along the passage. It contains four bunks rather than two--and it's a good guess that the next door in the passage way Desmond/Mondes is in also enters into the same room.

All seems quiet about the abbey.

What now?

[ehiker133]

Closing the door quietly behind him, Desmond enters the larger quarters and gives it a quick once over, looking under the beds, lifting up the mattresses, to see if anything may have been left behind. If he finds nothing, he will leave the room, close the door behind him again, and check the last door in the hallway, listening at it first, to see if he hears anything.

[waysoftheearth]

d6=?

A quick check around the bunk room reveals it is bare of any belongings... seemingly stripped and abandoned some time ago. There's nothing under the beds or stuffed-straw mattresses. Nothing at all.

Desmond/Mondes leaves by the far door and re-enters the dim passageway. He checks the last door on the left wall, and once again hear's nothing at all on the otherside. There is a faint but odd smell, however... something, that was once a tang, is now a vague hint that reminds him of scrubbing kitchen pots...

He checks inside the finds it to be a tiny, dark water closet. There is no window. There is a circular wooden cover over a drop hole in a wooden bench which is doubtless over the sewerage. It has a faintly "cleaned" smell about it, but can't have been used for some time.

What now?

[ehiker133]

Desmond wrinkles his nose at the discovery of the loo. He is about to close the door and head to the end of the hallway when he catches a whiff of something that reminds him of... His mom doing the dishes?

First he looks up at the ceiling, to make sure nothing is lurking above. Then, using the tip of his sword, he gently lifts the lid of the privy and takes a peek inside.

If he finds nothing of interest in the potty, he exits the room, closing the door as he leaves, then moves to the door at the end of the hallway and examines it for traps and listens at the door to see if he can hear anything on the other side.

[waysoftheearth]

| It's not a problem; but don't tell them precisely what's going on--this is a "secret" thread after all |

Desmond/Mondes both check "up", but there's nothing to see on the low, plain ceiling.

That done, our brave Halfling boldly uses the tip of his sword to lift the cumbersome lid of the privy... it give a modest creak, then reveals the typical drop hole. But wait now... what is this? There is apparently a dull-metal hook on the lip of the hole. Perhaps something is hanging by it? It's too dark to see without pulling it up...

[ehiker133]

This is not something Desmond can leave alone...

He carefully takes up the hook and starts pulling up on it slowly. He occasionally pauses to see if whatever is on the end moves or makes noise. If nothing, then he pulls it all the way up.

[ehiker133]

OOC: ugh! Suspense. Is. Killing. Me!

[waysoftheearth]

OOC: ugh! Suspense. Is. Killing. Me!

| Sorry; real life demands cannot long be ignored |

Desmond/Mondes takes the metal hook and finds it connected to a short metal rod, and that to a length of stout cord. Essentially, it's a small grapple. Judging by the inertia he feels lifting it, there is something of sword-like weight hanging from about 10ft or so of cord...

Desmond/Mondes carefully draws it up, and is soon rewarded when he sees a squarish box about as wide as a dagger coming into view... what ever could it be? A treasure chest??

With a final effort he draws the box up and finds it to be a 9in square, metal bird cage containing a very disgruntled miniature person! It glares at Desmond/Mondes petulantly.

[ehiker133]

| yeah, I know. No worries. My "time sink" turns four later this month... Speaking of, need to get him to bed. Then I'll post more. |