Immersive Ink

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan will clear the desk of papers and scrolls. Then he will proceed to examine the desktop more closely, looking for any hidden switches or catches that might trigger the opening of a secret compartment he's now confident exists.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan sweeps aside all the clutter on the desk, sending much of it tumbling to the floor. His eyes are alight with curiosity as he now prods and pokes at every piece of joinery, nail, rivet and timber in the desktop.

At last he is rewarded when he presses down upon one section of the desktop there is a satisfying click, and the timber board sinks slowly an inch into the desk, and then recedes beneath the adjacent timber revealing a secret compartment over a foot long and almost a foot wide.

The whole company sigh "Oooh," as they lean over the opening to see what is within...

waysoftheearth wrote:
The secret chamber is plush compared to the desk itself, lined with dark blue velvet.

Inside there is a plump coin purse surrounded by a scattering of gold and silver coins, a beautifully made dagger in a leather sheath, and a well used pipe and tin box. The pipe and tin box look well used and there is a smell of tobacco about them.

Attached to the dagger sheath on a leather thong is a small glass vial stoppered with a cork.

doctorx wrote:
"A fair hoard," Josiane muses, "but it leaves us little the wiser as to what has been occurring here. However, if you wish to appropriate it it will, I should think, meet the wishes of your merchant friends and inconvenience this Grumolg, not to mention compensating our good dwarf here for the loss of his purse."

She herself will collect some of the papers, both those in the common script and those she cannot understand. Perhaps a more detailed examination later may provide some insight.

"Let us see what lies behind yonder door, then move down. I wish to see what lies within that tent."

sulldawga wrote:
Dorgan will grab the purse, as well as the scattered coins, and toss them in his pack. He'll also place the dagger/vial in his pack.

"I care not for 'inconvencing' this Grumolg. I aim to have a talk with him about keeping the undead about to bother the living. And don't be surprised if'n the talk ends with me axe in his skull!"

He gestures at the pipe and tin box. "If any of ye want the pipe, ye'er welcome to it."

He starts to turn away, stops as if thinking better of it, looks back down, and takes the tin of tobacco.

"Ain't gonna smoke a Man's pipe but there ain't no reason to leave this behind."

waysoftheearth wrote:

sulldawga wrote:"Ain't gonna smoke a Man's pipe but there ain't no reason to leave this behind."

Josiane, Mads and Percy have it on reasonably good authority that Grumolg is no Man at all. In fact, a rather successful merchant Goblin.

waysoftheearth wrote:
The various coin and sundries are requisitioned (ahem, looted) before Josiane steps over to the interior door and opens it.

Within can dimly be seen a room almost three times the size of the office. This seems to be a lounge of sorts, for a ring of half a dozen old, but comfortable looking single and double arm-chairs and sofas circle the perimeter of the room, while in the middle is a low coffee table. There is a thick scent of stale smoke, old booze and something... less pleasant on the air.

doctorx wrote:
"Where Grumolg and his friends retire once their 'entertainments' are over? Or before they begin?" Josiane speculates.

Is the strange scent reminiscent of the charnel room above or of something else? Can she identify it?

waysoftheearth wrote:
The undertone to the scent is not immediately identifiable... perhaps it is some unidentifiable spice? Perhaps it is merely the stink of unwashed Men... or Goblins?

Whatever it is, it contributes to the generally unclean feel of the place.

sulldawga wrote:

waysoftheearth wrote:Josiane, Mads and Percy have it on reasonably good authority that Grumolg is no Man at all. In fact, a rather successful merchant Goblin.

I know that, and you know that, but does Dorgan know that?