In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 233):

Within the metal clad door is some kind of an artisan's shop. the tool racks are stripped, but
 there are the remains of a forge, and a bellows, and a small pile of coal. There are some
half- carved pieces of stone and wood, and some ingots of soft base metals, but nothing that looks valuable.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 234):

Bat Aoife fly's over and takes Lepricaun form to investigate the ingots types.

In a barely audible whisper, "No ogres here.  The stuff in there belongs to our employer."

Leaving the door open for Aoife, Ardenas turns to investigate the next door.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 236):

A small cot is in one corner of the next room. Dried herbs and lichens hang over a small battered brazier. There  is a small chest of drawers, which are all askew.

Zumone lookin' fer zduff ... an' nod very good ad id I'd dink.

In reply to Oly (msg # 238):

Aoife sighs at Ardenas' comment and resumes bat form, flying ahead no more than a single room at a time.

In reply to Aoife (msg # 239):

Aoifie can detect an opening into a larger space that does not have a door some distance ahead.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 240):

She flies towards it until she reaches it or detects movement.

Ardenas whispers back: "Might have just been in a hurry, Oly.  Weren't the last bunch down here fighting trolls as they went?"

Ummm Maybe...

With bat-Aoife out of the room with the metal-clad door, Ardenas closes that door and quietlyfollows along in the direction the bat is traveling.

OOC: is she bypassing any additional doors we need to check?

[Private to GM: 18:55, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 11 using 3d6.  Stealth (12).]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 244):

No, she is only about 20 yards ahead at most, usually half that. She stops and hangs from the roof until everyone catches up to 5 yards behind her before flying off again.

In reply to Aoife (msg # 245):

There is one more door before you get to the area she found, which has a large bronze gate partly open to the east.

Cringing as he audibly stubs his toe while advancing, Ardenas will peek through the opening Aoife bypassed, before pushing the door further open to view the entire room behind it.

[Private to GM: 18:42, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 13 using 3d6.  Stealth (12).]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 247):

A few stone vats are in this room, and a steady drip of water into a stone sink from a bronze pipe protruding into the wall. Between the sink and the vats is a conical cistern made in three tiers, with a low spigot. An iron bucket lies on its side. Something smells fermented in one of the vats.

Ardenas continues along the hallway to where bat-Aoife has stopped.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 249):

This is a cross corridor, and the eastern fork ends in a large bronze gate, which is unsecured. The wide arched corridor beyond it, running north/south has the look of one of the major conduits Ardenas passed through before with Zeelzeel.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 250):

Bat-Aoife flies ahead to investigate, returning if she sees anything move or that looked alive.

On seeing the bronze gate, Ardenas frowns.  "That should be locked, shouldn't it?" he whispers.

He soft-foots up to the gate, and looks through it before touching the bronze.  If there's nothing alive in sight, he'll pull/push the gate shut (with a startling clang!).

[Private to GM: 19:50, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 15 using 3d6.  Stealth (12).]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 252):

The clanging sound echoes a bit, and there is some noise from the opposite (westward) corridor.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:43, Wed 24 May 2017.

"Oly! Let's get this locked so we don't have to worry about it."  His whisper will carry across the room, if needed.

Ardenas heads for the west opening, where the other sound was heard -- still trying to move quietly.

[Private to GM: 04:51, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 11 using 3d6.  Stealth (12).]

Oly heads over to the Brass gate Ardenas was at when he asked... he makes a quick check of the lock... zeemz odd locking dings inzdead of unlocking dem ... he says to no one in particular.





[Private to GM:  09:22, Today: Oly rolled 9 using 3d6.  Lock Picking to lock. By 7   ]

In reply to Oly (msg # 255):

O,y secures the gate. From down the hall you can hear grumbling and stomping.  Aoife can sense something large moving toward you.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 256):

Aoife quickly returns to the others, resumes her usual form and reports that the ogres might be coming. Something large is, anyway.

Ardenas takes up a position in the T intersection, in full view, the lamp on his helmet shining toward the source of the noise.