Alora waits until the others aren't listening and then sidles over to Neera. "Hello Neera, I'm Alora and this is my party. We're called Alora's Marauders. We're on an important quest to fill some empty bottles with pond water."
With that explanation out of the way, Alora returns to the task in hand. She retrieves the shield from under the table to see if there is anything special about it. If there is not she will leave it on the table.
She will then go to the door round the corner, listen, check for traps, and if she finds nothing, open the door
Neera is about to question the tiny, adorable, halfling but Alora walks away before she can.
"Well, I guess Alora's Murauders isn't the worst name. Though, why are we filling empty bottles with pond water. . .? Is it magical pond water? OH! I know a thing or two about magic! I'll help, if you'll allow me, that is."
It's a long story, but you are more than welcome to accompany us. The pools are considered magical and we are repaying a debt to a priestess of Silvanus.
OOC: As for the cow thing, sooner than you know but later than you want.
"Well, I was just in High Forest just a few moments ago but it looks like a spell I cast just went a little off course. I mean, it's nothing to worry about! It just sort of happens from time to time. So which way should we be heading to find this magical pond water?"
The Shield is in exceptionally good condition… strange, considering where you found it.
There is no trap on the door that you can find. When you open the door, you see a 20' wide by 40' long room. In the center of the room is a half-naked human female statue carved of fine white marble. A huge bench seat runs along the outside of the room, all in sight of the statue. Against the northern wall are several tapped kegs and a line of hanging stoneware mugs depending from a wooden holder at the top of the wall.
OOC: (wait, can I be out of character when I don't have a character?) I'd be interested in participating. I usually visit the forums at least once a day. I like Coran, Kivan, Valygar, and Ajantis but I'm willing to try any character. I'm not sure a paladin is ever entirely a welcome addition to a diverse party so Ajantis might not be the best fit. Let me know what you folks think and if I can still join up.
Jaheira sighed loudly, none too pleased with the strange new mage and her equally odd ways. To make matters worse, the Halfling Halfwit was claiming authority over the group again, when it was clear that she could barely lead a tomato off of a vine. "Ahh," she said, seeing the carving. "A woman in her natural form."
"She looks like a goddess, the way she proudly stands in the center of the room," Aerie breathed, admiring a little bashfully the statue's beauty. She inched closer, hoping to find some sort of holy mark or name plate nearby to identify the supposed goddess.
OOC Edit: I'd be totally down for KC to play Coran or Kivan.
The statue is posed with its arms outstretched, seemingly beckoning the viewer, but there is no name, either to give the artist or the name of the subject. It appears to be worth a good bit of money, but as large as it is, it would not be moveable without magic or a good army of men to accomplish the deed.
Ajantis enters the room, clearing his throat to announce his presence. With an assessing gaze he surveys the party, lingering a moment on each member before speaking.
"Well met, adventurers. I've been sent to your aid by a... well... by a diminutive turnip peddler, apparently. He seemed most insistent that you might be in need of escort. My name is Ajantis Ilvarstarr and I am privileged to serve Helm as well as my order, the Radiant Heart. I see Anomen Delryn among your number which surely means your cause is just. I would be most glad to offer my skills to your party in this evil place."
OOC: Do Anomen and Ajantis know each other? It seems likely that they are at least aware of one another since both have contact with Keldorn. If they don't just disregard that part of the greeting.
"Whatever is so distasteful about it? She is only a woman. It's not as if she's doing something indecent." Aerie gazed the statue up and down again. "The artist must have worked hard on it, too."
Jaheira curled her lip at this newest arrival, who appeared to be a duplicate of Anomen. The balance could not have been any further from center, and she was not very pleased. Leaning against the entrance, she intended to make a snide quip to put the two goody two-shoes idiots in their places, but was distracted by something unexpected. "Any woman would be distasteful to him, as turnabout is fair play," she told Aerie. "Alora, come see." She tapped the wall behind her, which rang hollow. "A secret passage, perhaps?"
It takes Alora only a few moments to find and trigger a hidden latch. A door in the wall swings open, showing a corridor that runs north and east. After a mere 10', the eastern corridor turns south for 40' before coming to a T-shaped intersection running east-west. The northern corridor jinks eastward for 10' before turning north again. North and east, you can see a east-facing door after 20' of corridor to the east, and if you head west, there is a north-facing door down another 20' of corridor to the north. The rest of the hallway leads to the west, back to near where you entered the complex.
Alora looks at the statue. She doesn't know much about art but she knows what she likes. And what she likes is art that is small enough to steal. So the statue isn't of much interest to her.
She is, however, intrigued by the shield and so straps it on to her backpack.
She then goes down the corridor to the east until she comes to the east-facing door, where she listens, checks for traps, picks the lock if there is one, and finally opens the door.
Alora listens at the door and hears the sound of wind moaning and howling. The door is not trapped or locked. Inside, she sees what seems to be an armory, but most of the weapons that would be on racks are gone. A chest shoved into the corner catches her eye as well as squeaky, chittering noises.
"Greetings Neera and Ajantis. I'm Arkanis, welcome to our group. I think you'd come just in time for not miss the fun part of this delving." Arkanis turns to Alora: "May i borrow that shield to test it's properties in combat?"
"I can't see any pools but there is a large chest and I know you like that sort of thing," Alora says to Anomen, "But I don't think it's as big as the one on the statue."
Tee-hee. Alora giggles to herself.
Alora takes the shield off her back pack and hands it to Arkanis. "It looks like a good one."
"If I know a thing or two about magic pools it's that you never look into them. Last time I did the whole lake started to freeze! Or was that because I was trying cast a fire arrow spell? Either way, pools are dangerous."
Neera takes a look at the new shiny armored man.
"Oh, hello! This place is just FILLED with people! You'd never think that it's an abandoned-magic-pool-dungeon-cave!"
Ajantis nods to Aerie. "Yes, we've met, although my duties for Sir Keldorn keep me too busy to get to know anyone very well."
Ajantis smiles at Neera's comment. "Indeed, it would seem to be quite the hub of activity. Call something abandoned and you're just asking for monsters to move into the place. Which of course attracts adventurers. Before you know it, you've got a thriving metropolis of evil and then someone has to smite said evil with mighty swings of his (or her) holy blade. In the paladin world we call it job security."
"And greetings to you as well friend dwarf," the paladin replied to Arkanis.
Noticing the now open secret passage the paladin nods. "I have heard this place is replete with hidden doors. We are likely to encounter more of those and should be on guard for unexpected attack."
OOC just to be paranoid, Minsc still has his sword in hand and is staying as close to Alora as possible while trying to keep an eye for his witch. He's talking a lot to Boo though.
Comments
With that explanation out of the way, Alora returns to the task in hand. She retrieves the shield from under the table to see if there is anything special about it. If there is not she will leave it on the table.
She will then go to the door round the corner, listen, check for traps, and if she finds nothing, open the door
Neera is about to question the tiny, adorable, halfling but Alora walks away before she can.
"Well, I guess Alora's Murauders isn't the worst name. Though, why are we filling empty bottles with pond water. . .? Is it magical pond water? OH! I know a thing or two about magic! I'll help, if you'll allow me, that is."
Where did you come from?
"Well, I was just in High Forest just a few moments ago but it looks like a spell I cast just went a little off course. I mean, it's nothing to worry about! It just sort of happens from time to time. So which way should we be heading to find this magical pond water?"
There is no trap on the door that you can find. When you open the door, you see a 20' wide by 40' long room. In the center of the room is a half-naked human female statue carved of fine white marble. A huge bench seat runs along the outside of the room, all in sight of the statue. Against the northern wall are several tapped kegs and a line of hanging stoneware mugs depending from a wooden holder at the top of the wall.
OOC Edit: I'd be totally down for KC to play Coran or Kivan.
"Well met, adventurers. I've been sent to your aid by a... well... by a diminutive turnip peddler, apparently. He seemed most insistent that you might be in need of escort. My name is Ajantis Ilvarstarr and I am privileged to serve Helm as well as my order, the Radiant Heart. I see Anomen Delryn among your number which surely means your cause is just. I would be most glad to offer my skills to your party in this evil place."
OOC: Do Anomen and Ajantis know each other? It seems likely that they are at least aware of one another since both have contact with Keldorn. If they don't just disregard that part of the greeting.
A distasteful display. It is something that my father would gawk at and it isn't the most beautiful thing in the room by far.
She is, however, intrigued by the shield and so straps it on to her backpack.
She then goes down the corridor to the east until she comes to the east-facing door, where she listens, checks for traps, picks the lock if there is one, and finally opens the door.
OOC: Can Alora see where the sound of the wind howling was coming from?
"Greetings Neera and Ajantis. I'm Arkanis, welcome to our group. I think you'd come just in time for not miss the fun part of this delving."
Arkanis turns to Alora:
"May i borrow that shield to test it's properties in combat?"
"You two know each other?" she asked, to both Ajantis and Anomen. Whoever happened to answer first.
Tee-hee. Alora giggles to herself.
Alora takes the shield off her back pack and hands it to Arkanis. "It looks like a good one."
Neera takes a look at the new shiny armored man.
"Oh, hello! This place is just FILLED with people! You'd never think that it's an abandoned-magic-pool-dungeon-cave!"
Ajantis smiles at Neera's comment. "Indeed, it would seem to be quite the hub of activity. Call something abandoned and you're just asking for monsters to move into the place. Which of course attracts adventurers. Before you know it, you've got a thriving metropolis of evil and then someone has to smite said evil with mighty swings of his (or her) holy blade. In the paladin world we call it job security."
"And greetings to you as well friend dwarf," the paladin replied to Arkanis.
Noticing the now open secret passage the paladin nods. "I have heard this place is replete with hidden doors. We are likely to encounter more of those and should be on guard for unexpected attack."
"By Helm, it's good to be back in the field."