Immersive Ink

waysoftheearth wrote:
####################################
##################??################
##################++################
###############.......##############
#############.portculis.############
###\|up####...............##########
###=#####...................########
###/M...U_.D..P...........+..\?#<- door
#########........weapon.+..+########
###########......rack.+..+##########
#############.......+..+############
###############...+..+##############
#################..+################
#################?\##<- door##########
####################################

tombowings wrote:
"Hm...did you guys say that there was a similar portcullis below the goblin-taken keep, Ulric?" asks Pelenwin.

danhem wrote:
"A portcullis? No I don't recall that. Spiders, zombies, a bizarre demon of water, a horde of heavily armed hobgoblins, yes, but no portcullis."

Ulric looks around at the assembled company.

"Only four here? There seems to be a sizable dungeon to this place. Shall we explore or try to round up the others?"

As they consider the options, Ulric moves to the portcullis and shines his lantern down the corridor beyond to see what there is to see.

waysoftheearth wrote:
As Ulric approaches the "portculis" and illuminates it more brightly with his lantern, he realises that it is rather a great iron gate styled in the fashion of great vertical bars with horizontal works. The hinges are well concealed in the gate arch, and a heavy, rusted chain runs through all the bars at about belly height. A great iron lock box, nearly the size of a Man's face binds the chains and the gates.

With the orange light flickering into the passage beyond, Ulric spies a long, wide passage. It is roughly hewn -- and the stone work end a dozen or so paces beyond the gate. Thereafter it is made more from earth than worked stone, and timber pylons can be seen haphazardly down the passage. The whole of it side wide enough for three Men abreast and seems to slant somewhat downward. It carries on more or less directly ahead for as far as the light does carry...

coffee wrote:
"We're not going down there without the rest," Dieter proclaims. "Some of them have skills for such things."

waysoftheearth wrote:

coffee wrote:"We're not going down there without the rest," Dieter proclaims. "Some of them have skills for such things."

It may not be beyond the measure of Dieter's muscle to attempt a bend bars roll. It'd be great to finally see one of those in action [img]images/smiley/wink.png[/img]

danhem wrote:
"I agree Dieter," Ulric says after looking down the foul smelling corridor. "That way may have been blocked off for a reason. But there are two doorways. Perhaps Saxxon's men are hiding behind one of them?"

Ulric moves over to the eastern door and examines it quickly looking for an opening mechanism, direction of opening, sturdiness, and any signs of recent use. He then puts his ear to the door and listens for any sounds on the other side.

verhaden wrote:
Mads the Fair

"Yes," he says quietly, turning to the doors. "I would not want to see that gate raised before we explored the rest of this area." Gripping his axe handle, he continues "I hate being surprised."

Mads moves to one side of the door Ulric examines, standing against the wall and at the ready.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Ulric is no Dwarf but he moves in the direction he believes is east and investigates the door on his left hand side of the weapon rack (the one nearer to the gate).

There is a stout but rusty looking door knob on the door, as well as a simple but effective knocker above it. The door appears to open into this chamber, and looks to have done so relatively recently -- there is a clear arc scratched in the mud on the floor cobbles where the door has been opened before.

Seeing this, Ulric bend down to listen...

(1d6)

...and perhaps makes out a distant echo of... laughter? It is a foreboding sound with little enough humour, that much is assured. However, it does not sound near.

danhem wrote:
"There is someone beyond this door," Ulric says quietly after pulling his ear away. "I thought that I heard laughter, and not the good kind."

"Look here," Ulric points to the arc cut into the dirt on the floor. "Someone has been here recently. Perhaps Saxxon?"

"Let's have a look at the other door. Someone should examine those spears."

Ulric walks over to the other door and duplicates his process of investigation.