Delve the 8th

[kipper]

How is the case fastened? Does it look locked or is it just latched in some way? Does the case itself look valuable (eg high-quality wood) or is it more functional in appearance? What does he hear when he jostles the case?

Basically what I'm getting at is that Maloof would like to open it, but he's not going to simply sit the case on his lap and open it while leering over the lid like a mooncalf.
If it's simple latched, he will attempt to open the latch using some sort of small tool/item, and then open the lid with his mace while standing well back and keeping the box pointing towards a wall. If the box is locked, but looks not to be valuable in and of itself, he favours turning the box upside-down on the floor and prying apart the individual wooden planks with a sword blade or smashing it open (unless he can hear the sound of glass or something otherwise fragile when shaking the case). If the box is locked and valuable, he will save it to open when we have more time, perhaps hiring a specialist back in town.

[Makofan]

How is the case fastened? Does it look locked or is it just latched in some way? Does the case itself look valuable (eg high-quality wood) or is it more functional in appearance? What does he hear when he jostles the case?

Basically what I'm getting at is that Maloof would like to open it, but he's not going to simply sit the case on his lap and open it while leering over the lid like a mooncalf.
If it's simple latched, he will attempt to open the latch using some sort of small tool/item, and then open the lid with his mace while standing well back and keeping the box pointing towards a wall. If the box is locked, but looks not to be valuable in and of itself, he favours turning the box upside-down on the floor and prying apart the individual wooden planks with a sword blade or smashing it open (unless he can hear the sound of glass or something otherwise fragile when shaking the case). If the box is locked and valuable, he will save it to open when we have more time, perhaps hiring a specialist back in town.

It is a very nice maple case, with a simple brass clasp, no lock. He hears some slight knocking, as if there are some wood pieces or something inside

He carefully prises the lid, and inside sees maybe a dozen cylindrical objects wrapped in lamb's wool. The objects are maybe four inches long

[acodispo]

Wiglaff & his hirelings will stand guard while the investigation is made.

"Are they potions?" he asks, glancing down at the objects.

[coffee]

"It sounded like wood," Rhod says. "Do you get potions in wooden containers?"

[kipper]

Maloof more carefully investigates the objects (visually). The lambswool bedding seems to imply that they are both fragile and valuable.

He moves the lambswool aside if necessary to get a better look (although being careful not to touch the cylinders themselves). What sort of material are they made of? Do they have any distinguishing features? Can he see their approximate diameter?

[Makofan]

The first one he reveals is an exquisitely detailed figure of a priest brandishing a sacrificial dagger, done in teak, about four inches high

[acodispo]

"Let's take the case with us, and examine it at our leisure next time we're on the surface," suggests Wiglaff, glancing sharply up & down the corridor.

[kipper]

Maloof agrees, he closes the case and carefully packs it away.

[Makofan]

Continue with this plan?

... follow the wide hall south till it turns east, then take the smaller north passage to get to the area marked "no one returns". And see if we can manage to return!

[Makofan]

Having penned up the zombies for the next unfortunate adventuring party to discover, the party stashes their treasure and heads down the corridor, politely greeting the statues. All is still, and they meet nobody in this familiar corridor.

The party gets to the spot where "no one returns" and there is a door in the north wall

Immediately to the east of the door, the corridor is so web-choked that the lantern light does not penetrate. There is no sound at the door