Logresia stands perfectly still and closes her eyes as she listens to the world around her, seeking out what can be gleaned from her ears instead of her eyes.

Thorgrim heads for the dais, checking to see if there is indeed a throne on it like the gnome said.

Marthohtar stays with Doherti and his torch.  He whispers, "Should we check that door?  Or maybe light the brazier so we can see?"

Doherti whispers back, "I'm not in charge and you don't need my permission. Do what you think is best and I'll follow your lead." As he says this, he moves to the brazier to light it.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:02, Thu 20 Jan 2022.

The brazier still holds ages old coal mixed with some chemical with sweet oily scent. It doesn't require more than sticking the torch into the brazier and the contents of it ignite and quickly turn into an intense flame with bluish tint on it. The large flame illuminates the area enough to see most of it among the dancing shadows of the party.

It's a rectangular chamber roughly 100 feet east to west and little longer north to south. On the west east side of the hall a several wide steps rise onto a wide dais. A 6' tall massive throne of dark stone, a deeply shadowed contrast to otherwise light colors of the chamber walls, sits alone on the dais. Otherwise whole chamber is completely barren and empty apart from other tripod-supported braziers in each of the other three corners.

A path of frequent travel has been formed on the dust of the floor here from the door where you arrived to the nearby door to the west. It looks like something the lizardfolk could have made while moving through. There are also rather clear tracks of one small humanoid coming from the throne's direction.

Approaching the dais and knowing now what to look for Thorgrim can see lines, or seams, on the smooth stone floor immediately behind the throne; outlines of a 3 by 3 feet trapdoor made of the same stone as the floor. The trapdoor is closed and there isn't visible ring on it for pulling it open and the stone hatch itself must be quite heavy. The small humanoid tracks end near the trapdoor where the dust has been disturbed, likely by Vavrus climbing out of there.

Two more familiar wooden decorated doors become visible on the south wall; one near SW corner and the other near SE corner.

(So in addition to the door whence you came, three other exits with normal doors; one to the west near the now burning brazier and two on the south wall. Plus the trapdoor behind the throne.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:27, Fri 21 Jan 2022.

Marthohtar smiles.  "It's not about being in charge, just cooperation.  We are stronger in consensus, and in unison.  For example, we should decide - are we better served by getting to the lower level by the gnome's route, and attacking the demoness directly?  Or by being cautious and making sure all her guards are dealt with first?"

"The better action is the one we are prepared to do quickly, and with the least amount of discussion. If I must decide, I say we take the gnome's route and attack directly." Doherti starts moving toward the trapdoor. "If anyone disagrees with that, fine. All they have to do is state another action, and I will follow that. But talking is not action."

"Hear, hear!" says Thorgrim, whose beard gets tangles from the very thought of being cautious. "Let's go smite her for the greater glory of Hyemgald! We can mop up her flunkies later."

Logresia shrugs. "Gnome's route I guess. ". she starts moving.

Marthohtar nods.  "Let's go, then."  He follows as well.

You gather near the throne. In proper torch light it appears to be of great workmanship. Thorgrim can appreciate the stonework put into its crafting and in fact Throgrim thinks it's perhaps dwarvenhand made and transported here. It's carved from single block of obsidian stone and is perfectly smooth, plain but massive. Two deep red and beautifully cut rubies, about size of a man's thumbnail each, have been skillfully embedded in the front facing part of the each arm support. It would likely take same time and effort to carve them loose, but they look valuable.

The trapdoor hatch on the floor behind the throne is clear for all to notice, but there's no visible handle or opening mechanism for it.

What do you do?

Lady Magister moves up to meet the others and she looks at the trapdoor. "So which one of you are able to open it without a latch? she asked softly.

Wondering for a moment what all was she able to do to speed up this moment.

Doherti sets about looking for a trigger Tha releases the door. He checks the Throne on the assumption that the person who is seated there would want to control it.

Thorgrim, who is never one to try subtlety if there's a chance that brute force will do, tries to get the edge of his axe into the crack of the trapdoor so as to pry it open.

Logresia joins Doherty in checking the throne for controls to the trapdoor or any other doors come to think of it.  Then she tries to imagine where she might place a trap were the 'trapdoor' designed not to open to a room below, but as a trigger for a trap.

Thorgrim's attempts of prying the trapdoor open with his axe are unsuccessful. The seam, while visible, is too narrow for the blade to sick deep enough to get proper leverage to be applied with force. The axe's blade gives and breaks leaving a small dent on its sharp edge.

Doherti and Logresia search the throne and realize the placement of the ruby stones seems suddenly very, very appropriate. As you fiddle with the one on the right hand side, it suddenly clicks and sinks into the armrest. For few heartbeats nothing else seem to happen. Then there are faint sounds of mechanical gears grinding and speeding up, coming from the throne itself, and the trapdoor sinks a bit and opens downwards and sideways quietly on strong metal hinges. A gust of warm air flow out from the hole. Once the trapdoor is fully open, it stops and the gem in the armrest clicks again and pops up to its natural position. The sounds of the mechanism die out.

Flickering light shines from below through the opening. Rusty metal ladders are bolted on the wall below and they descend some 30 feet straight down into a small 20 x 30 feet chamber. In the chamber below a tired looking young half-elf female looks up to you, her mouth agape in surprise. Her delicate narrow face is dirty and her shoulder long flowy snow white hair is greasy and dusty. Her once better quality travelling clothes are torn and worn. She is unarmed, but has a simple broom in her hands and she seems to have been in the process of swiping the chamber floor. There is a lit oil lantern placed on the floor few feet from her, the source of light for her here.

The room is clean, much cleaner than the chambers you've encountered so far and also much warmer. In the NW corner there's a stack of boxes, crates, saddles, harnesses and filled sacks - looks like trade goods - haphazardly stacked and thrown in there. A simple wooden door, closed, marks an exit towards south in the SE corner.

Doherti assures the girl that he and the others aren't a danger to her. Then, having stowed his bow for the trip down the ladder, he takes out his hatchet and moves to the wooden door, guarding it and preparing to open it once they had learned all they could from the girl.

---

Group: Inside room at bottom of ladder, judging by DM description of what we can see.
Doherti: Armed with hand axe, guarding door in the corner.
Light: ? Someone could have held the torch and then dropped it down to Doherti.

Thorgrim clambers down the ladder.

"We're here to rescue you!" he declares. Doherti has already clarified that, but a paladin should never let redundance get in the way of making heroic declarations.

Logresia frowns, looking down at the girl and asking, "Do we think that's one of the children we're looking for?"

Then she let's herself down the ladder and asks the girl, "How long have you been down here?"

Lady Magister is the next to climb down the stairs and she looked at the half-elf woman with deeply concern but she also knew that they didn't have much time and needed to move forward to complete the main part of their mission.  Ridding the people of those that captured and kidnapped these people.

With everyone reassuring her that they were there to help her, she didn't feel the need to speak as well.  But she did allow her eyes to scan the rest of the room making sure there was no other hidden surprises.

"Rescue?" the half-elf female blinks couple of times and there's a delay before the message gets through. Her eyes widen. "Oh."
She swallows hard and her shoulders start to shake as uncontrolled tears start to run down her cheeks. It's rather clear that either she's severely stressed or can put up an incredible performance. "Please, be very, very careful! The dog-headed monsters will kill you if they find you. They're sadists, just looking for a smallest reason to get violent."

"Oh, it's been 7 or 8 days, I think. It's hard to track time when not seeing the sun."

She looks at Doherti at the door. "There are people in the next room. Some of them are still... under the spell, I think, and some who have come out of it have freely joined our masters, trying to get an edge over the rest of us. They may challenge you...

And don't step into the circle and touch the handle! Nobody who's done it has come back."

Doherti at the door leading out can hear mumbled conversation from the other side of the door. Several humans or humanoids. The tones are low and serious, no laughter or joy can be heard.

Nothing seems to be hidden in this room and the half-elf girl just stares at you wide eyed, tears running on her dirty cheeks.

Logresia raises a hand and says to Doherti, "Please wait a moment."

Then to the half elf, she says, "Climb the ladder.  We've taken out all patrols, so if you run to the exit and make your way to the village, you should be safe."  She smiles and says, "But leave me the broom.  It will be helpful."

In reply to Logresia Skrieven (msg # 196):

The half-elf's yes widen even more. She quickly steps forward and hands over the broom to Logresia. When her and Logresia's eyes meet, she says: "I'm Pririla. If I ever see you again, I own my life to you, miss. May the High Druid bless you all." Then she grabs the lantern and starts to climb the ladders as fast as she can. It's not easy with the lantern.

Logresia smiles.  "This should help with mopping up said flunkies.  Are we ready now?"

"For smiting the ungodly with righteous steel?" Thorgrim says. "Har! Always!"