(062) The Basal

[flightcommander]

Armando and Beringar peer by lantern light at the heap of rip-rap and discarded tools — when suddenly ominous sounds and cries of alarm reach their ears!

"Quick! Grab what implements you can, Beringar, I fear we shall need them!" Armando relies on his brief and eye-opening career as a sapper to pick out some choice tools from the heap for himself and Beringar. They then make haste toward the commotion ...

[Olroda]

Indeed they do.

"Clear a path", shouts Beringar as they rush towards the trapdoor.

[waysoftheearth]

[pp Maiden,leather+helm,sword,torch,12,9/9]Josiane[/pp] dives toward the trapdoor d6=1 but alas she is too slow, and the wretched thing seals shut before she can wedge her shield into it to prevent exactly that happening.

But [p Man,leather,spear,hand,12,7/7]Beringar[/p] and [p Man,leather,short-sword,hand,12,7/7]Armando[/p] now come rushing up the short passage with picks and shovels!

What is the plan?

[Eris]

Olaf starts to grab the rope lying on the floor then realizes it is the one he tied off up the stairs and stops.

He will try to find a rope before going forward to see what the ruckus is all about.

"What has happened?" he asks as he sees Joss lying on the stones, "Where is Dieter...Dorgan?

[mushgnome]

"They've been swallowed by the dungeon!" cries Highbough. "The chute seemed to lead them that way." (He points down and to the right.)

[flightcommander]

Armando assesses the situation while drawing his trusty crowbar from his pack. He notes the outlines of the trapdoor indicated by Josiane. How broad is the aperture, and how deep?

"We might pry open the trapdoor and wedge it with spikes, or some of these iron chisels here, or perhaps jam it open with one of those rough-cut timbers yonder. We can then call down to Dieter and Dorgan, or indeed lower one of the party by ropes to investigate."

[Olroda]

Beringar is not a man of many words, and especially not in a situation like this one. He´ll do his very best to execute the sapper´s plan, and gets on with it right away.

[Eris]

"Well, do what you can." Olaf says, "I'll stand guard least we be attacked while you are busy opening the trap."

[mushgnome]

Highbough steps off the trap!

[waysoftheearth]

[p Man,leather,short-sword,hand,12,7/7]Armando[/p] assays the trapdoor with [p Old Elf,leather+helm,spear,hand,12,10/10]Highbough[/p] and [pp Maiden,leather+helm,sword,torch,12,9/9]Josiane[/pp]'s help, and between them they discern that it is about 6ft wide and maybe 10ft long. It occupies most of the width of the passage--sparing only a narrow ledge to the left where [p Old Elf,leather+helm,spear,hand,12,10/10]Highbough[/p] found himself standing when it opened.

The eyes of the wolf-effigy in bass relief seemed to have rolled over as the lid snapped shut again; as if it knew what had happened.

[p Young Man,leather+helm,sword,shield,12,12/14]Olaf[/p] takes watch at the stair-room end of the passage, where everyone else is gathered by [pp Man,robes,lantern,hand,12,9/9]Ulric[/pp]'s lantern light.

Nobody has yet circumnavigated the edge of the pit trap to look around the corner and what lies beyond...

It's almost a minute since Dieter and Dorgan vanished!