Immersive Ink

coffee wrote:
Dieter will volunteer to open any doors that need opening.

(He's getting bored since there's nothing to fight...)

ehiker133 wrote:
Desmond's yearning for adventure tells him to follow Dieter back into the dormitory to see what is behind the doors...

But his halfling treasure lust makes him maintain no more than a one foot distance from the lockbox he found.

"Hurry up and open it, Wibur!", he says, bouncing back and forth on his feet.

waysoftheearth wrote:

tombowings wrote:Having not heard any noises penetrating it, Pelenwin opens the door.

Pelenwin turns the crude door knob, and with a bit of shoulder to force the stiff door, opens it inward...

...beyond is a gloomy ante that leads into a stair well which ascends and descends -- and a small stone chamber to the right which contains a large winch of some sort which is wrapped in heavy looking chain. Two lengths of chain extend up into round holes in the ceiling, and a single arrow slit looks out into the gate arch.

Pale daylight falls into the room from the stair-well above, and also through the arrow slit in the adjacent room...

tombowings wrote:
"I think I've found something guys." whisper's Pelenwin, "Someone get my back, I'm going up the stairs."

coffee wrote:
Dieter will rush over to cover Pelenwin.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dieter follows after as Pelenwin the Bold boldly clambers up the steep stone stair in a rattle of mail and bravado. The single-file-only ascent turns at right angles twice before Pelenwin spies an open hatch above... and then emerges upon the roof top of the south-eastern tower.

Ulric and Highbough are upon the catwalk nearby, overlooking those still in the courtyard.

tonneau wrote:
Gustave raises his weary and damaged corpse, brushing off remnants of metal-bits from his now well ravaged livery.
He glances up at his fellows running up and down the walls and sighs with fatigue, deciding to inspect the gate and mechanism rather than join their frantic activity. Perhaps, if it can be made to work, they could for once secure themselves a safe house for the night.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Gustave dusts himself off and then goes to the front gate and inspects the raised portculis.

It seems to be a heavy, iron grill almost 10ft wide that moves up and down in a 1ft wide slot made into the gate arch itself. The portculis is raised high into the arch so that only the lowest 2ft or so of it is visible. There is no obvious mechanism for operating the device in the courtyard or the gate arch... whatever it is, it must be within the gatehouse itself.

waysoftheearth wrote:

ehiker133 wrote:Desmond yearning for adventure tells him to follow Dieter back into the dormitory to see what is behind the doors...

But his halfling treasure lust makes him maintain no more than a one foot distance from the lockbox he found.

"Hurry up and open it, Wibur!", he says, bouncing back and forth on his feet.

Wibert snaps out of his daydream and takes the lockbox from Desmond and then Dieter's crowbar enthusiastically.

He holds one end of the box steady under one foot, and then wedges Dieter's crowbar between lid and side at the other end of the box and prepares to lean on it.

"What?" he asks, pausing not a moment too soon when he notices everyone else in the courtyard staring at him incredulously.

Then he puts his weight behind it and CRACK splits the lid of the lockbox long-ways so that the busted lid hangs awkwardly from lock and hinges. At least he sees what is within...

"Ooooh," he smiles, and Desmond crowds closer to see the box is brimming with gold and silver coins.

Professor P wrote:
KOCH becoming impatient as well, introduces himself to Desmond, "Ho, another halfling, I am KOCH, formerly a captive of Saxxon and recently set free my Nidhogg here. Wibert has fed me well and now I'm ready to take revenge on Saxxon. Good work stealing back some gold. How can I help the venture?"