Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Intelligence Check:[3d6] = 11

Spoiler

I passed. INT 16

 

[nikolokolus]

Cormac turns the smooth wooden rods over in his hands and it finally dawns on him, these are scroll rods - dowels that are used to affix scrolls and provide rigidity and an easy way to handle the delicate papyrus paper that most scrolls are made of without damaging them with handling.

As for the book and its symbols you too can make out their astrological nature, but their significance or what the book might be recording eludes you.

How do you all wish to proceed?

 

[Grimgravy]

"If we've run out of options here, lets continue exploring. The ticks seemed to appear just before the the other doors, so we must be cautious. Did anyone check the window in the guest room?"

Rhenmyr inspects the window.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr uses the hem of his cloak to wipe away a heavy layer of soot from the window pane. The glass underneath is filmy and slightly opaque - as if it were made to let light in, but not to allow viewing outside - tapping on the glass produces a deep resonant metallic sound, like hitting a bell.

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr returns to the others.
"Seems the window lets light in but blocks sight. Wont be of use airing this place out. Unless any of you have other ideas, lets go through the second door."

 

[nikolokolus]

After a bit more exploring you move to the door towards the center of the tower. The door is firmly shut and there doesn't appear to be any sort of lock.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Cormac, what are we expecting beyond this door?"

 

[nikolokolus]

FWIW, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Cormac has never been beyond this door.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"I wouldn't know, I've never been past this point. I just hope it isn't ticks or rot grubs."

 

[Grimgravy]

"Into the unknown then. When I open the door, watch that spot. The ticks seemed to appear there."

Rhenmyr indicates the spot then inspects the door more closely. (does it open into this room or the other?) If nothing appears out of the ordinary he tries pushing the poor open with his spear if it open into the other room or eases it open if it open into this room.

 

[nikolokolus]

The door is hinged so it will swing outward. further inspection reveals a simple, if stout iron-banded, door with a pull handle. You grasp the door and pull lightly and it swings open fairly easily, but the hinges must be dry and it makes an audible screech - loud enough to fill the room you are all standing in, but difficult to say how far the sound may have traveled.

The chamber within is circular and about 20 feet in diameter. There is an open archway dead ahead and a shut door to your right. The room is spartan and devoid of adornment; the only notable features are a pair of hogshead barrels up against the wall to the left and a short table with a couple of empty wooden serving platters stacked at one end, next to the shut door on the right.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Damn that noise. The maintenance staff really needs a stern talking to."

OOC

Awaiting the map before further decisions.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Map updated

 

[Grimgravy]

Question

How far around the tower's perimeter did we go as we went up the stairs? I trying to pinpoint where the chasm behind the magic door would be on this floor. It looks like we would have gone over it as we went up. Is that accurate?

 

[nikolokolus]

Question

How far around the tower's perimeter did we go as we went up the stairs? I trying to pinpoint where the chasm behind the magic door would be on this floor. It looks like we would have gone over it as we went up. Is that accurate?

Answer

By your reckoning the shaft should intersect on this floor somewhere in the guest chambers, but the more you think about it the less it makes sense. You go partway down the stairs to the ground floor and size up its relative position in the tower as best you can. When you ascend the stairs you are convinced that there should be a "bulge" in the wall of the guest room that just isn't there.

 

[Grimgravy]

"Something is wonky with this tower and the mysterious shaft. I wonder if certain parts of the tower can only be accessed through it. We'll worry about that later." Rhenmyr says as he carefully makes his way across the circular room (testing with his spear and inspecting walls and ceiling as he goes) to check chamber with the stairs going up for possible enemies.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"That is unsettling, there could be more ticks at the end of that shaft."

 

[Helly]

Ker checks the barrels as he passes by the chamber
"I wonder if there is more booze around... For religious purposes of course."

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker stoops down and turns the spigot on one of the hogshead barrels. An Amber liquid surges out. It smells sweet like mead.

OOC

EDIT: Sorry about the typo, typing on a phone sucks

 

[Grimgravy]

If his inspection of the chamber with the upward stairs turns nothing up, Rhenmyr returns and inspects the door in the central chamber.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr enters the chamber through the arch and finds a sitting room with furniture the like of which you've never seen: to the right lounging chairs made of rich fabrics stuffed with batting and flawless seam-work, and to the left three writing desks arrayed around a lectern. Additionally, there are shelves along the wall full of oddities: preserving jars full of amber liquid with specimens composed of at least a dozen different forms - tentacled, winged, multi-headed, asymmetrical, etc. Also on the shelves are perhaps a half-dozen intricately wrought brass devices of unknown purpose, save that one clearly looks to be a sextant. Lastly, mounted on the wall is a giant sapiens skull with three eye sockets and canines as long as your index finger, next to it is a stuffed bull's head with a mouth full of wolf-like teeth.

You hold your torch aloft at the base of the stairs and they wind up along the outer wall into the darkness, at the edge of your vision you think you sense a faint phosphorescent glow filtering down from above.

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

Are any of the specimens recognizable or are they all unknown?

"Interesting things in here. Not sure yet if any of it will be useful. Maybe a hint of light further up."

Rhenmyr checks the room with the mirror paying special attention to the mounted heads and brass instruments. If nothing looks strange, he does a more thorough search of the the writing desks.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac, upon hearing Rhenmyr, enters the room and takes a look. Then focusing in om the desk, walks over and looks at the desk and all of the papers.

 

[Siveon]

"Gotta be better than a nature-loving drunk." Marcán says aloud to no one in particular, following Cormac.

"Oh, don't think I'll make it through the night, now. " Marcán says upon entering the room, staring at the jars. He walks near the odd brass trinkets and coyly inspects them.

 

[Helly]

Ker takes a tankard (or uses his hands) and starts gulping some of the barrel's mead-like liquid.
"Don't be shy, come get a drink Marcán, it smells pretty sweet!"
Afterwards, he goes to check the creatures with the others.
"By Cernunnos, is that the same liquid as in the barrels?"