In reply to Thud (msg # 110):


<from inside the cab> "Cut dat out! We gots enough fires out here! Just keep you friends from hittin' me or dis' ting! Don't deez longlegs know what SURRENDAH means? Such PRIMITIVE creatures!"

"What's the big idea of burning down the vineyard?" Regdoc shouted at the goblin operator. "Is this a raid or simply entertainment?"

map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...okrWr3kctTdi1Uc/edit

While Einhard dusted himself off, Erlindale found his bearings and Sasar bravely went exploring, Brodd hustled to the base of the stairs and glanced up.

Events on the roof seemed to be sorting themselves out.  Eager to find a side exit or a cellar entrance, the young priest moved to follow Sasar.

Actions
Move to (B,5) and look in that other room.  If empty, search.
Concealed Door search 3

11:51, Today: Brother Brodd rolled 3 using 1d6.  Concealed Door search.

NOTE I assume there is a door there??
This message was last edited by the player at 19:52, Mon 05 Nov 2018.

In reply to Brother Brodd (msg # 113):

Before Brodd walks over to the west door, Iffy yells "Wait!"

She raises her crossbow and fires into the ceiling. With a yelp, a goblin smashes into the stone floor, and his saw blade clatters to the floor beside him.

[I had to resolve this move before everyone could continue.]

Yes there is a door that's been opened. Roll D6 to search.

None of you have found a door yet, just a large rack on the wall with rows and rows of bottles set to age. You can see the finger prints on the bottles where they've been turned regularly to prevent the contents from turning to vinegar. Except for that bottle in the upper right corner, it's got cobwebs all over it!

"You longlegs took our land! We hunt here til you come in and drive us to de peaks and de sunrise! Cut down de trees and rip de land will all de grapes! We put it back so trees come back like de Druids say! Maybe keep some grapes for bottle or two but de land needs de trees!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:24, Tue 06 Nov 2018.

In reply to DM (msg # 115):

“Hmm. Strange that one bottle is left alone when all others have been tampered with, don’t you think?” Sasar points the bottle to Brodd. “Well, I might just as well fill my wineskin. My mouth feels dry as the dirty road we walked here...”

Despite of possible danger still present he takes one of the other bottles having fingerprints on it and tries to open it.  If successful he will take a sniff of the wine and if it doesn't smell foul will take a mouthful and carefully taste it.

“What do you think? Could be a lever.” He asks and nods towards the untouched bottle.

It's a lighter vintage, with cherry tones, smooth finish. Good choice.

"Bah! Your kind are rodents. Breaking, burning, destroying and consuming. Unable to produce anything you kill or steal what you need and want. There's nothing stopping you from starting your own vineyard, but tribal squabbles and selfishness would never allow that. There are plenty of trees, and there'd be plenty more if fools like you weren't lighting the world on fire!"

The old man was, ahem, fired up, not taking the goblin's druid drivel as any sort of excuse for raiding the vineyard.

"Oh you got us fuzzy wit de orcs, scraggy dog-man! Trees grow faster from de ashes! We leave room for de wargs to hunt wid us! We take what we need and take back what's ours! De goblins ALWAYS come back! You kill us now, we come back! Go home scraggy dog-man before de wargs chase you down! Go before me new shortleg friend here put a rock in you face-fur!"

"Like cockroaches and rats... vermin that breed in dark places and live only to repeat the foul process and consume. And in case you haven't noticed, I have my own short-legged friend over yonder that'll run you through if you even twitch." Regdoc pointed to the halfling.

Chomper's ears were perked and the dog slowly walked over to stand before the old man.

"Ha ha! No. You wrong again. He my friend now. Ain't dat right, shortlegs?"

Thud has an enraged look on his face for the briefest moment, before he smiles and nods.

"Gobbin, Hobbit, one face one race! Dat wat dey say, don't dey? Well maybe no before but I say it now!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:38, Tue 06 Nov 2018.

Except for that bottle in the upper right corner, it's got cobwebs all over it!

“What do you think? Could be a lever.” He asks and nods towards the untouched bottle.

"Aha, this has to be the mechanism," Brodd reasons.  He nods to Sasar.  "I think you've found it, well done."

He gently manipulates the bottle in an attempt to expedite matters.

It sounded like conversation on the roof, and not killing.  I wonder what's going on up there but without yells of murder, he hopes he wasn't needed quite yet to bandage any wounds.

Not sure if another die roll is needed based on your clue, or allowed.  If the latter, consider this my character's novice fumblings and he'll move on in the next post; if the former, then hopefully we got this door open now :)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:43, Tue 06 Nov 2018.

[Do you spin the bottle clockwise or counterclockwise?]

Do you spin the bottle clockwise or counterclockwise?



So naturally, when faced with this wine bottle conundrum, the correct way was the direction the sun traveled in the sky.  Rising in the east as it always was the basis of Solar Order.  Imagine if the sun suddenly moved the other way?  Or rose when it should set?  Those things didn't happen, and Order was preserved.



In full faith, Brodd turns the bottle clockwise, as is Right and Proper.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:09, Tue 06 Nov 2018.

[1 XP bonus to Sasar for concluding the bottle was a lever for a secret door, and for his exquisite taste in wines.]

[1 XP bonus to Brother Brodd for convincing flashback, Grasshopper, and for taking the leap of faith.]

Acting on faith, the cleric cups his hand around the base of the bottle and starts to twist it clockwise. There's a bit of resistance at first, then it moves until it stops with a loud click. You feel a faint tremble under your feet, and the shelves to the left of this contraption slowly begin to sink into the floor, along with the wall behind it.

[It will take a round for the shelf to to be flush with the floor, revealing an passage 10' wide, sloping downward]

As the secret passage starts to open Sasar smiles at Brodd and raises his now opened wine bottle to salute him. Then he turns toward the larger hall and shouts loudly:

“We found a possible way out! Come! Come quickly before the flames get you and leave them goblins at their own devices!”

With the bottle still in his hand he rushes back to get the mule.

“All right, Angie. It seems our adventure has truly begun now. We'll be going to dark and scary places but fear not. Move your bones, old girl!” He leads the mule towards the secret passage and takes a long swig of the wine.

A shout from above.

<DarkRed>"Dis a gnome device, true be true! But I come and help! Nobody know de cave like de goblin! We made for down dere! You get?"</DarkRed>

The door of the cab unlocks and a female goblin climbs out, standing behind Thud protectively.

She wears a human child's red dress which is stained around the collar from arrow lacerations to her face, painted white with chalk like a skull. Her hair is a jumble of dreadlocks and she carries a stick festooned with leather straps, feathers, and beads with a human skull on top.

<DarkRed>"So we's introducin? I is Yagi de ghost talker! And dis here Mistah Wong!"</DarkRed>

Thud turns and shakes Yagi's hand and waves to the skull momentarily before getting back in defensive position between her and the rest of the party.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:28, Tue 06 Nov 2018.

Creston goes in first, in case there are more Goblins, his sword at the ready. He is being careful.

"Yes I get you! You just proved my point! Warrens and foul crawling places... VERMIN!"

"And you halfling, or should I say half-wit? What's gotten in to you anyway!"

Chomper backed up, nudging Regdoc toward the door where Sasar was trying to coax his mule.

"You wanna chew on goblin legs Chomper? That's the one you should be chewing on!"

There are sconces on the walls at regular intervals. The dusty wax droplets on them tell you that they were once used to light the way with candles. The passage curves clockwise as it descends, like a corkscrew.

"You keep sayin' dat like de bad ting! Vermin EBBYWHERE! You no NEBBA stop de vermin! Tasty too!"


The halfling opens his mouth as if to say something urgent, then only shrugs like one of the decrepit adventurers back at the Sword & Board.



She shakes her red finger at Chomper. "Hey! You no take me say too close goggie! Me no vermins! Me know you cousin de warg!"

Creston goes in first, in case there are more Goblins, his sword at the ready. He is being careful.

There are sconces on the walls at regular intervals. The dusty wax droplets on them tell you that they were once used to light the way with candles. The passage curves clockwise as it descends, like a corkscrew.

Brodd gently places a hand on Sasar's shoulder.  "You should rest, you've recently taken a wound."

The least brother is grateful for Creston's stepping forward.  He examines a sconce, trying to tell how recently this passage might have been used.  There was lightly dusty, and then there was filthy dusty.

"I'm not afraid of the dark," Brodd tells the elf.  It wasn't precisely true, but as a sun priest Brodd feared more the darkness in a spiritual sense.  "But I can't see in it as well as you can, either.  We should wait for the others."

To Sasar: "I don't know how we'll get Angie out this.  Unless the fire burns itself out, there are just stairs everywhere else, up and down."

“Oh, stairs won’t be an issue for Angie.” Sasar waves off Brodd’s concern as he stops to rest, puffing and gasping for air. He grimaces, still feeling the wound.

“Back at my master’s tower, we once found her from from the third floor, from the library! Angie had eaten some important scrolls, as we found out later, and he – my master – wasn’t exactly thrilled about it...” He gives Brodd half-smile, half grimace.

“Anyways, as longs as there are actual stairs, I don’t thing it will be an issue. Excuse me, I think I’ll have to rest for a little bit. And enjoy this excellent wine.”

The wizard will stand there and take a breather while he waits rest of the party come.

Hearing the call Amalrik turns and heads back down stairs to join the others before they head out the secret passage.