(026) Happenstance in Ket

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan blocks the second door in a similar fashion to the first, and then he and Mads inspect the room in some detail while Percy takes his ease for a few minutes, tended by Josiane.

In summary, this appears to be a moderately plush gambling den. The chamber is maybe 60ft long and 40ft wide, with the (recently barricaded) exits being central in the shorter walls ends.

Around the room are a series of bulky dark tables, dozens of plush leather chairs and stools surrounding them, and a scattering of brass stands that support ash trays, spittoons, candelabra and drug bowls. There are several very large and lavishly framed paintings upon the walls, and also a clutter of smaller ones surrounding them. The remainder of the walls are draped by long furls of deep red velvet which hang from the ceiling, some 20ft overhead.

Mads quickly notes a series of brass braces which support torches along the long walls, and holds his own flame brand, which is even now beginning to burning low, to two of these to illuminate the room more brightly. There are six all told -- three along each long wall.

Meanwhile Dorgon takes to inspecting the tables. There are seven of them, each being of a deeply stained hard wood. They are made with a reasonable, though not Dwarfish, craft and carved in bass relief with patterns of chains, scales, coins and dice. It wouldn't surprise Dorgan at all if these were custom made for this purpose less than a year ago -- he fancies he can almost smell the varnish near some of them, beneath the stink of stale tobacco and spice.

The tables tops are dark red and green felt, and have the markings of various card and dice games painted upon them, again rather artfully. however, the surfaces look oft-used and there are stains of drinks and candle wax and other unknowables, as well as many small scratches and cuts. Beneath each of the tabletops he find a wide, narrow drawer. All of them seem to be locked.

[waysoftheearth]

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan will try to pry open the drawers with the tip of his dagger. If any fail to yield to his letter opener, he'll take a more... robust approach to opening them with his axe.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan tries to pry a drawer open with his dagger, but the thing just won't give. Each has a cunning little lock built into the face of the drawer itself, and it is apparently preventing any unsolicited entry.

Dorgan shrugs indifferently -- there are other ways of opening a stubbourn drawer. He sheaths the dagger and takes to the desk with his axe, hewing one, then two, then three stout blows before he splits the desk top properly and can pull one half of the broken timbers free of the structure proper to reveal the content of the unopened drawer. All this makes no small noise, but considering the racket the dog made earlier, and the missing Snork, it probably doesn't matter.

Inside the drawer, Dorgan finds a neat wooden tray rack containg scores, if not hundreds, of coloured wooden, coin sized discs. There are also a half a dozen or so thick decks of cards, a box of large, bone dice, an hour glass full of white sand, and something that looks to be a back-scratcher.

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
"Goodness!" says Josiane, examining the curious horde; "What purpose can such strange things serve?" (Her young life has been spent in the convent or on the road. Gambling dens are something new to her entirely...)

Once she is satisfied that she has done all she can for Percy, she moves to the door the goblin appears to have escaped through and listens for any sound emanating from beyond it.

"We should move on as swiftly as we may. It wouldn't do to become trapped in here..."

[waysoftheearth]

sulldawga wrote:
"The tools of ignorance, my lady," replies Dorgan as he jabs his axe at the assorted cards, dice, and chips. "My people call gambling a tax on the daft but some have more gold than sense in this world."

The dwarf will commence opening up another table with his axe, dispensing with the subtleties of the dagger for now.

In between blows, he says, "I fear we've lost that cursed Gobbo for good but 'tis worth it to go forward a bit more afore we leave. We could get lucky and find him cowering in the closet or some such thing. In my experience, theys often cowards... 'specially the fat ones."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan has another drawer open by axe blows before Percy is back on his feet; this one contains much the same as the last.

"I would hazard that these others contain much the same, wouldn't you think?" asks Mads archly, as he discards his exhausted torch and takes another from the wall, then proceeds to light a third one so that there are three torches burning in the room all told.

Percy climbs stiffly to his feet (1d6=4) feeling much relieved for the short rest.

"Shall we continue?" he asks resolutely, hefting his crossbow once more.

(Percy now has 6 of 8 hit points)

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Josiane puts her ear to the door (1d6) but doesn't hear anything over the noise her companions are making.

[waysoftheearth]

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan nods, "Aye, we continue." He will cease his defacement of the game tables and walk over to the unopened door, moving the blockade aside.

Already knowing it's locked, he'll take a step or two back and then put his shoulder into the door.

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane, sword drawn, shield on arm, stands to one side of the door to give Percy a clear field of fire should he need it. She smiles at the bloodied but unbowed marksman.

"You are a hardy fellow, good Percenier, and a gallant one. Yes, onward! My Lady tells me in my heart there is much here for us yet to do."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan removes the blockade and put his shoulder to the locked door.

(1d6=3)

Alas the stout door will not budge! It might be that it is barred from the other side.