Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Vapourware [Play-by-post] Lamentations in Averoigne

SoupNazi

Guest
Finn observes, genuinely impressed by how finesse can outdo reckless brawn.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Each of the other three boxes have an identical configuration: a pivoting false bottom that slides out of the way when pushed on, and a single black lever laying down horizontally inside of a small recess underneath.
 

ERYFKRAD

Barbarian
Patron
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
28,237
Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Each of the other three boxes have an identical configuration: a pivoting false bottom that slides out of the way when pushed on, and a single black lever laying down horizontally inside of a small recess underneath.
Were Requin or any other dude to run their gloved fingers across the surface of the boxes, would they find any marking/scratching/engraving that indicates their purpose or order or usage?
 

SoupNazi

Guest
Can we tie a bit of rope to the levers and pull one from outside of the room?
 

SoupNazi

Guest
Should even that not work, Finn will try to pull one of the levers - first with the glove off, then with the glove on. And he'll keep his ear pressed to the pedestal while doing it, listening to any mechanisms, if they get stuck after moving (like when a the wrong key hits the spools even if it can turn), or if the mechanism doesn't move at all.
 

AdamReith

Magister
Patron
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
2,109
Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is.
And if that doesn't work Grima will suggest that the group pull all levers together simultaneously.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Trial and error, trial and error. Nothing seems to work . . . Until Grima offers up the idea of everyone donning a glove and pulling all of the levers simultaneously. Suddenly a part of the eastern wall in the northeast corner grinds and slides inward, revealing a portal to another room. Peeking through the open door reveals a room choked with cobwebs and dust. There is an elevated bier in the middle of the room decorated on its side with bas relief spirals designs and intricate carved leaves of holly and oak around its edges. On top of the bier is an ancient corpse, withered and desiccated. It is still wearing a mostly intact robe of linen, that is yellowed with age. The robe is hemmed in thread-of-gold embroidery, and held in its clasped hands is a polished shillelagh made of gnarled wood, and there is a torc of gold around its neck. Most notably, the skeltal remains have a large rack of a hart affixed to the skull by wires. Thankfully, it does not rise or do anything that skeletons aren't supposed to do (under normal circumstances).

Marcus takes a quick look at the revealed room and mutters very softly, "Hmmmm . . . a druid of the Gauls, I think?"

There are no other objects in the room. All you can see is an unadorned, featureless stone door in the south of wall of the 20' X 10' chamber. Next to the door is a stone lever set into the wall, on the right hand side, that is looks as though it can be pulled down.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Guillemin carefully searches and examines the room and finds nothing unusual or threatening about the floor or the ceiling. He eventually reaches the edge of the bier and looks down on the reposing skeleton. Thin wisps of ancient brown beard still cling in a ruff around the corpse's chin and he sees a little sprig of ancient, dusty mistletoe clutched in his fingers that are wrapped about the perfectly preserved cudgel resting on his breast.

Upon closer examination, Guillemen also finds a thin wand of willow tucked into his rope belt on his side opposite to the secret door and sees that his white robe isn't made of linen after all, but appears to be woven from some kind of fine silk. Very odd, he can't help but think
 

Grimgravy

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
3,469
Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire
"Clearly a high status fellow. And one of wealth." Ganelon looks over the corpse checking for tattoos and signs of injury or organ removal. He tries to void touching the corpse and its belongings with his bare skin.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
The skin on the corpse (what remains) is very dark and like dry parchment, so there is no way to know if it was tattooed in life -- no more than scrips and scraps here or there. You peek under the room and see a skeleton. If organs were removed at any point it's impossible to tell, and there are no obvious signs of injury or trauma from what you can tell.
 

Snorkack

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
2,975
Location
Lower Bavaria
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
"May I have a closer look at the wand," Daphne asks and meditates a bit about its nature.
Didn't expect to be afk for so long, pardon.
 

SoupNazi

Guest
"A rich man with a cudgel? I don't know, I'd expect a thug skulking around the back streets of Vyones to have one, at best, not a noble. Anything special about this one?" He lifts the cudgel off of the corpse carefully and passes it along to Requin. Remembering how much they party got for the curtains from the other tomb, he also lifts the cloak and dons it around his shoulders, straightening his back and giving a twirl. "Do I look rich now?"
 

AdamReith

Magister
Patron
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
2,109
Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is.
Grima snaffles the torc and looks about the new room for anything else of value that could be removed by the group and brought to the surface.
 

L'ennui

Magister
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
3,256
Location
Québec, Amérique du Nord
Guillemin leans closer to examine the wires affixed to the skull.

My reading comprehension fails me... not sure what we're supposed to be looking at here - can't fathom what a "rack of a Hart" could be.
 

ERYFKRAD

Barbarian
Patron
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
28,237
Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Guillemin leans closer to examine the wires affixed to the skull.

My reading comprehension fails me... not sure what we're supposed to be looking at here - can't fathom what a "rack of a Hart" could be.
Deerhorns
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
The cudgel breaks from of the dead man's iron grip, as you break finger bones to get it to come loose. The thing is polished, and hefty and doesn't appear to have aged a day in this dusty, moldy place. Finn, strips the raiment from the corpse and jokingly throws it over his head. He doesn't look rich, but he does get a strange expression on his face.

Daphne takes up the wand and spends several long minutes concentrating on it. Her eyes go wide and a little gasp escapes her pursed lips (Snorkack I'll send you a PM with deets)

Guillemin leans over the dead man's face and looks at the wires affixing the antlers to his crown. Marcus comments, "Cernunoss, the Gallic Horned God, I'd wager. We spent many a month battling some holdouts who rebelled against the Empire in my youth. These me thought they could transform themselves into beasts. I never saw such a thing, but they certainly fought like beasts."

Grima gently lifts the heavy gold torc and pockets it, while scanning the room for anything else of value or interest, but sees nothing.
 

AdamReith

Magister
Patron
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
2,109
Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is.
Grima also turns his attention to Finn. Attempting to attune with the silk garment to determine any magical qualities.

"You best not damage that, it is likely very valuable."
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Grima walks over and grabs ahold of the hem while Finn is still wearing the raiment, and after several minutes of concentration decides that there's nothing about it that he can detect as unnatural. Meanwhile, one of your torches burns out.; it's probably been about an hour since you crawled down here and started to snoop around, which means you are getting very close to needing to turn back and head for home if you want to avoid getting caught out in the swamp after dark.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom