(012) Beneath the Gatehouse

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
And then there is still the matter of the intact chest. It is a stout wooden thing bound with heavy, crude iron edgings, at the size of a large barrel.

By the enormous weight of it, it must surely be filled to its capacity!

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"Who has my crowbar?" Dieter asks, getting to his feet. "I'll open it for you."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
"What, this?" says Thorgrim, pulling Dieter's crowbar from where it has been hanging upon his belt.

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
Dieter takes back his crowbar and pries open the intact chest.

If there's a trap in the lock, it should be ineffective.

If there's a trap in the chest, it will still activate.

(But if there's a trap in the chest, wouldn't it have killed the Ogres?)

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

Andaros starts collecting the loose coins from the bottom of the broken-open chest, and soon finds that there are a lot more than just a few. By the time he has them all out of the heavy, broken chest he sees that there are enough to almost fill a sack...

"Andaros you are one of us now, so we will all help you carry the treasure we find. I have a spare sack you can use for this treasure", offers Padrig.

Nearby are also The Cypher's possessions; his supple black leather armour, backpack, daggers, bedroll and a waxed satchel containing The Infernal Amicus, an ancient tome bound between thick covers of black velvet, and held fast by a silver buckle upon a belt of supple black suede.

Quite a find...

Talking to the elf Highbough again Padrig asks, "By what name do you wish to be called 'Highbough' or 'the Cypher'?"
"If this here be your gear please equip your self again friend, for that ogre may be anywhere, and we should be ready for anything."

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough the Cypher addresses Padrig: "I am known as Highbough to my allies and The Cypher to my enemies. If there be other prisoners here, I have not met them. But it would not surprise me to find other unfortunates here in this dungeon."

Highbough reclaims his gear, then strolls around a bit to loosen his muscles and survey the party's surroundings. Seeing the Ogre corpses in the hallway, he frowns. "Though it be a grim task, we must drag these bodies into the chamber, leaving nothing but blood. I fear if they are discovered by other denizens of this dungeon, there will be a power struggle to take control of the Ogres' territory. We must maintain the illusion that the Ogres are still in charge, so that we might claim this territory for ourselves."

"If one of you strong men will lift me upon your shoulders for a moment, I have an idea..."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Andaros takes Padrig's sack and collects the coin from the bottom of the broken chest -- in fact, he fills it almost to capacity, 3 stone of mixed copper and silver. It is a hearty find indeed.

But when Dieter pries apart the thick timbers of the other great chest, even more coins spill out in a great rush, clinking and jangling in a most appealing fashion as they bounce upon the floor.

Spurred on by success, Dieter works faster, flexing his enormous muscles to lever off two, then three more pieces of dusty timber. With the lid half prised opened it is clear that the huge chest is full to brimming with tarnished coin -- silver and copper in the main, and wait! What is this? Dieter reaches in a then slowly holds up a long necklace of dazzlingly clear stones that glint and glimmer in the ocher torch light, sparkling like a spring stream.

"Ohh!" gasps the company collectively as they lay eyes upon the glamorous piece of jewelry. "Now that be fit for a fine Lady indeed," huffs Thorgrim in admiration.

And also Gustave spies half buried among the coin a tarnished old copper flask, stoppered and wax sealed and with the verdigris of ages upon its etched surfaces...

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:
Gustave steps past the sweating Dieter, and hoists the flask aloft, holding it to the light of the torches.
"Treasures indeed, it would seem", he says, eyeing the glistening necklace, "I dare say our lady Brigitta in Ket will be most interested in that one", he notes, before returning his attention to the flask, "...but as for this..."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
The old copper flask is weighty in Gustave's grasp, the momentum of some thick liquid sloshing about within. What is it... a flask of lantern oil, or some such?

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"What is that on the flask, writing?" Dieter asks, squinting. "What does it say?"

Then he goes back to admiring the necklace, attempting to appraise its value.