"Huh." Morg says, seeing the very handsome reliefs.

He checks the slabs for hinges, locks, and traps, and waits for the others to catch up before pointing to the southern slab, and making a pushing motion before raising his palms in a questioning manner.

---

Move: to AK37.

23:58, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 15 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 12.  Perception check on slabs for hinges, locks, and traps.

Edit: pointing to southern slab instead of northern.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:05, Fri 19 May 2017.

As the others hang back, Morg advances deeper into the tunnel. The slabs don't appear to be trapped or locked, but it does seem like they are meant to open inward when pushed. Through the gaps around the southern door Morg sees another tunnel headed south.

---

Map updated.

Asano moves close to Morg, not wanting to let the group split too much.

OOC:
Move to AH36

Mayon follows quietly, staying a bit further back and quietly casts a faint shimmer of magic over top of his leather armor, just to be on the safe side.


Mayon uses his Armor of Shadows to cast Mage Armor on himself AC is now 13 for the next 8 hours.
Moves to AG37

Bramwell followed Morg down tunnel's long slope, and stopped dead in his tracks when the driftglobe's sunlight illuminated the ancient stone sculptures of stern-faced dwarves.  He gasped audibly at the sight of them, and hurried over to inspect them more closely, and muttered in awe, "Incredible!  This accords too well with Bruldenthar's records to be coincidence..."  Suddenly animated, he began speaking rapidly in an urgent whisper, "My friends, in the tome I recently acquired from Vallivoe upon the Histories of Dwarf Clans of Mirabar, there was a thousand year-old record of a group of miners sent to aid the dwarven kingdom of Besilmer in the construction of Tyar-Besil, a stronghold built into the Sumber Hills.  That ancient fortress was lost since time out of mind, and its location unknown... until now, I believe!"

As Bram brings the light source down the tunnel, more of the passageway is illuminated. At the end of the passage is another stone door with an iron pull ring in it. It stands slightly ajar with darkness beyond. About five feet up, the door has a two-inch-wide, foot-long horizontal slit.

---

Map updated.

For those who haven't posted recently or haven't moved into the tunnel, I'll assume you want to stay roughly with the group unless you make it clear you'd like to remain behind. Otherwise I'll move you to close behind where ever the group goes next.

"While it's an easy walk to the Sumber Hills from here, I think it's too far away to tunnel to." Morg whispers.

"Should we check if the slit above that open door contains a missile which could be launched by opening one of these side doors?"

---

Can I make history checks to figure out if this could be the stronghold, and if the slit looks like something a dwarf would recognize?

The door slit looks like something someone would look through to see who was approaching.

---

Morg and anyone else can make history checks re: the stronghold Tyar-Besil or Besilmer. Morg has advantage on such a roll.

Bram expounds at length upon the lore he'd studied regarding Tyar-Besil and the old dwarven kingdom of Besilmer, including a few potentially relevant facts to the current situation and many more that were not.

His spirits being much improved by the promise of archaeological discovery, Bram felt motivated to press on.  He approached the door and peered through the viewing slot.

---

Bram knows all the dwarf-lore!

14:37, Today: Secret Roll: Bramwell Caulder rolled 24,23 using d20+4,d20+4.  History: Tyar-Besil, Besilmer.

---

11:21, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 6 using 2d20, keeping the highest dice only with rolls of 6,4. History check with advantage to see if this is part of the stronghold Tyar-Besil.

It's been so long since he's left home, that Morg's forgotten what dwarven strongholds even look like ;)

Bram relates that Besilmer was a realm of pastures and cropland over a thousand years ago. The dwarves of that realm established an underground stronghold called Tyar-Besil beneath the Sumber Hills to defend against the trolls and giants that plagued the region.

The Besilmerians dwelled in their stronghold for several generations before it was deserted. The reason for its abandonment is unclear - some historians believe the dwarves dug too deeply beneath the Sumber Hills; others believe the trolls and giants simply broke the realm of Besilmer with their unceasing attacks. Whatever the case, the dwarves abandoned the place altogether.

Morg checks the floor to see if the dwarf slabs have left any scuff marks on the floor indicating that they've ever moved towards each other.

He then walks over to Bram and whispers, "I'd like to borrow that book some time if possible. "

---

00:38, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 5 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 2. Perception check for scuff marks left by dwarf slabs.

Asano remains near the rear of the group, following along as quietly as he can manage. His eyes drink in the history the party is traveling through, awed at the sights that haven't been seen by any known living creatures in recent memory.


OOC:
History- 13

Mayon listens quietly to the stories, fascinated by these sorts of historical accounts. He was a bit curious about what the purpose of pushing them might be, and if there was a risk of magical trigger should it happen.


17:28, Today: Secret Roll: Mayon Graycross rolled 21 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 17.  Arcana--Magic Trap Trigers?

The hinges on the dwarven slab indicate the "door" opens outward, by being pushed. There are no scrapes on the floor of the corridor.

Mayon hasn't heard of any magical traps triggered by pushing open stone doors, but many things are possible with magic.

---

I'm not quite sure where on the map everyone is now - is the group heading down the corridor to investigate the door with the eye slit at the eastern end of the passage?

Hearing nothing in response to his question after the light semi-rebuke about the lighting, Jak gave a shrug and slowly followed after the group, taking his time to catch back up to them. He motioned for Dweeble to follow but wasn't going to force her if she wasn't comfortable with coming.

He held his hooded lantern up and looked over things as he walked slowly forward. He gave a nod to himself. It was very interesting down in the underground area. It was a good thing he wasn't claustrophobic.

He walked up beside Asano and glanced over. "Now what? Door? Seems int'restin'."

"If we go back to the slabs, I think I should try to open them in case there's some magic that requires stout folk to do it." Morg whispers as he follows Bram to the door at the end of the passage.

---

Move: to BI36

Asano nods at Morg's suggestion. "Agreed. Pick one and we'll back you," he says, confident in the dwarf's ability to navigate caverns and tunnels.

Before the group can make it to the end of the corridor, a screeching of metal from above echos through the tunnel. Suddenly a ten foot square metal cage crashes through the ceiling behind Jak and Dwee, blocking their escape. A second cage falls right above Bram.

---

Map updated. The cages fall where I've marked the red square outlines. The metal cages are 10 feet tall, and the ceiling above the cages is 25 feet tall. The ceiling elsewhere in the corridor is still intact, and is 10 feet above the ground.

Treat your next post as if we're in combat - one action, one move, etc. This will be Round 1.

Bram, if you want to try avoiding being trapped by the cage you can make a Dex save as a free action. If you succeed you can choose either column AY or BB to move to, also as a free action. If you fail, however, the cage may hit you. If you choose to stay still you'll be safe (no save roll) but the cage will trap you.


This message was last edited by the GM at 13:41, Tue 23 May 2017.

Bram stopped in his tracks to look curiously up at the screeching sound, then was startled when a metal cage slammed down around him.  "Oh!  This is... not ideal." he reflected.  Putting away his axe, Bram squatted down next to the bars between himself and his comrades and attempted to lift the cage from over him.

---

Bram has a -1 Dex mod, so I figure his reaction time is too slow to even try to dodge out of the way :P

Athletics check to attempt to lift the cage:

• 18:03, Today: Bramwell Caulder rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Athletics to lift cage.

"Crap!" Mayon had been mostly quiet, absorbing the discussion and scenery around him when the cages had fallen, catching him off guard and blocking the way out. Immediately he begins looking for a way to aid Bramwell in his escape, as well as what had triggered it so they knew to look out in the future.


19:08, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 19 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 15.  Investigation.
Looking for mechanisms to open the cage, or trap triggers for what caused it in the first place.

As the cages crash to the stone floor, Asano groans, hands flying to his sensitive ears. As the echoes die out, he looks up, moving to the cage holding Bramwell. He bends to help the paladin shift the cage, even if it's just enough to get free of the makeshift prison.


OOC:
Just helping Bramwell, should give him advantage on the check.

Thanks for the assist, Asano!

23:09, Today: Bramwell Caulder rolled 16 using 1d20+5.  Athletics advantage second roll.

"Och, forgot to check the roof again." Morg says as he takes out a torch and puts it on the floor next to the cage. He then takes out his crowbar, placing it on the torch at a right angle to try and use it as a lever to lift the cage. "Let's all try to lift together."

---

Move: 5' to AY37.

Interaction: take out torch.

Action: use an object, take out crowbar and place it.

If I can next turn, I'll try to lift the cage a bit, and will get a strength check advantage if there's enough leverage using the crowbar.

Jak was surprised by the cages falling. He hadn't been up at the front looking for traps like maybe he should have been. It wasn't really his job per se, but he wasn't bad at spotting them sometimes.

He frowned and began looking around with Mayon trying to find out if they could spy a way to help get the cages back up or something.

OOC: Since he's already rolled, giving Mayon advantage.

Also are there any doors or pickable locks on the cages? I assume not but thought I'd ask.