Ales looks around,  looking for trap doors or hidden entrances.

(Ooc: Perception roll passed on an 11 of skill 13.)

"The coin from this room, along with witness accounts identifying us, will complete our mission.  There is no need to do more, or take more risk.

"My remaining power is limited, and I am badly burned; even if there is nothing more to fight on the way out, I am uncertain if I can magically move that wheeled chest up the stairs, and it is likely too heavy to carry physically in that narrow space, even with Jin's strength.

"I think we would be foolish to seek further trouble here; we should take the chest and coin, and make our way back to the Omo's palace as quickly as possible."

"We have several men with us."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:22, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

"There could be more women, or even children chained up in this place."
Chye put in his two farthings.

Chou-Zhen lets out a pretty convincing semblance of a heavy sigh, and holds out an arm, where the lacquer on his armor is blistered and charred, though at least it has stopped smoking.  The flesh of his hand, as well as some of his face, is blackened.

"As you say, Chye.  There may be others held here against their will.  This is not uncommon.  However, we do them no favors if we fall in the attempt to free them.  They will be no worse off tomorrow if we leave now, and we may renew our resources and leave the decision whether to attempt their rescue to the Omo.

"What we have been tasked to do, we have done."

"You could go on ahead, and tell the Omo we are returning with the money, and seek immediate treatment, seeing as you are injured and taxed on energy..."
Iskander reasoned.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:17, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

"And if I encounter Akira Kumo No's followers on the way, alone?  It might be that I could escape them, if I detect them with sufficient notice.  Or it might be that I would fall to them, if I do not see them in time.

"Whatever the decision, I will remain with the group.  Perhaps we will find healing magic nearby, or a cache of paut, or both.  Given the nature of this place, I think it unlikely, however, that such resources would be kept here."

Iskander helps Chye gather up the money.
"Anything's possible. I can tell you, I didn't expect to walk in on this scene, here."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:33, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

"OK, I will go and look for people. I can't leave innocents here"

Chye looks at the keys and scratches his head a moment, and then tries the other chest.
"We may need Jin-san to break these chains loose."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:25, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Chye Isuel (msg # 642):

Please review posts 627 and below as some of you got ahead of yourselves and I had to make some edits.

Airis is checking the hall, Chye and Iskander are gathering the loose and scatterd coin.

All of the silk is wraped around the demons body and none is left for the head.
The keys on that ring open the prisoners chains but not the large chest.
No one has checked the collection chest.

Iskander takes the bag of assorted liquors, he valued at $120, and leaves them on the table, except for the two strange bottles, which he keeps. Having made room in the burlap sack, he places the skull on top of one of the bottle's necks, to keep it from knocking about. he places his bag in his pack, and dusts off his hands.
"Això ha acabat..."

(OOC: Did I find any sort of hidden door or trap? I will assume I did not...)

Ales goes to the collection chest and inspects it very closely. "What's in this?", he wonders to himself.

He turns to the others.  "Anyone able to pick the lock on this?"

"Wait.  A strong box that cannot be moved out of this room, and has no simple way to put coins in or take them out?  What purpose does this serve?  How might it be protected?"

15:27, Today: Iskander rolled 9 using 3d6 ((3,1,5)). (merchant 14)
Familiar with mercantile practice, and how money is dealt with, Iskander surmised...

In reply to Chou-Zhen Mou (msg # 646):

Now that the chest is being inspected, it is an elaborate meteoric iron fitted puzzle box, without any immediate clue as to where to start opening, and whether or not a keyhole exists.

The other chest on wheels is a crude meteoric iron strongbox with a one way drop lever on the top like a mailbox. It is heavy, has a complex looking lock, but the keyhole does mot match any of the keys the dragonmen carried. It was obviously emptied in this room, so a key must be somewhere. Likewise, someone in this room oversaw the filling of the large chest...

"Maybe the demoness had it upon her "mortal-husk"..I dare not call it her "person". Iskander begins poking at the silk wrappings and bones, with the hooked end of his sword.

"Come. We check other room. Maybe key in there, maybe more prisoners, maybe a store room, or slave quarters."
Chye joins Airis in the hall, to investigate the other room.

In reply to Iskander (msg # 649):

A flock of starlings erupt from the silk bubdle, swarming you and filling the room!

18:18, Today: Iskander rolled 16 using 3d6. (Acrobatics-15.)
Iskander tried to tumble towards the exit, but only manages a prat fall.
"Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing—
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?

The king was in the counting-house
Counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey,

The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes.
Along came a blackbird
And snipped off her nose! Hahaha!"
Iskander was an oddball, taking the strange day within his stride.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

Chou-Zhen steps back from the swarm of birds, whirling his lightning whip around himself (mainly in hope it will repel the starlings, rather than any expectation it will strike them).

OOC: are there any windows in this room, we can open, and shoo them outside?
"In the white room with black curtains near the station.
Black roof country, no gold pavements, tired starlings...
Yellow tigers crouched in jungles in her dark eyes.
She's just dressing, goodbye windows, tired starlings..."
Iskander remains prone, spouting his prose, laughing.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

Airis will look for any windows to open and will back up against the wall as she brushes away any birds.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:54, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

20:44, Today: Chye Isuel rolled 7 using 3d6 ((1,1,5)). (will - 12 *curious*)
Chye hearing Iskander and the commotion, and probably seeing a few birds emerge into the hallway, shrugs, remaining in the hall. He was curious about what all the hubbub was about, but hearing laughter, he not alarmed, and his concern for those in need of help, was far greater.
He ventured down the hall towards the other doorway.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

Ales starts searching the meteoric iron box and searches it intently to see if he can figure out anything else about the box.

(OOC:
20:53, Today: Ales Konstantin rolled 13 using 3d6.  Perception 13. Roll passes.)