The chest resists the slender insinuations of Cass's picks. Some other means will have to be deployed.

18:00, Today: The Host, on behalf of Cassandra, rolled 58 using 1d100.  Pick locks.

You can make your thievery rolls, Cass. But you won't be able to attempt to pick this lock again until you gain more expertise.

Brant puffs his cheeks in frustration.
"Ornwin, can I borrow your axe? I'll shimmy up there and see what happens when I give it a whack."

Cass hears the conversation below.

“Brant! Hold on! We could try to pull the chest down with ropes and catch it in the net or, as you suggest, just break it open. But I’m assuming there are some valuable potions and other glass or jewelry in here that might break if you whack the chest. It’s not going anywhere - and we might find a key that fits the lock if we search a little more.”

She hopes Brant will accept her suggestion.

Archonia doubted that the others cared much about potential potions breaking, or they would have put a cover over or cloaks on the net to keep such small things from passing through.

She called up, "Are there hinges on the back that could be pried off? Then the lid could perhaps be ripped or leveraged off. That would not damage the items inside, unless they are fragile and fall."

She was not sure if they had anything up to the task of prying, but it could not hurt to ask.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Mon 06 May.

Bart thought Archonia’s suggestion was a perfectly good one. “If anyone would like to offer up their cloaks to drape over the net before Cass takes the next step, be my guest!” he calls out to the rest of the party.

Rasxif offers his short sword. ”It is magical. Shouldn’t break.”

Cass looks at the rungs on either side of the chest. With a rope tied to the handle on each side of the chest (there are handles, no?) and passed through a rung on its respective side and dropped down to one of the strong men, two men can hold the chest with the ropes and slowly lower the chest after 2 or 3 others pull the chest loose from the ceiling using a rope tied directly to the chest and not threaded through the rungs. Once it’s in free fall, the two strong men can then slow its descent to the net or floor.

If the chest has handles, Cass will explain her idea to the party to slowly lower the chest to the ground.

Hieroman speaks her mind to those also standing around looking up.  "We don't want to be lugging a chest around if it turns out to be full of coins, at least not until we leave.  For now we probably only want to see if it contains usable magical items, or maybe a map of this place.  I agree with Archonia, Cass should try taking the pins out of the hinges or smash a looking hole in the top.  If it's heavy most of what it holds is probably safest left up there."

She then raises her voice to make sure Cassandra up above can hear her.  "Cass have you tried moving the chest?  How heavy is it?  If it's too heavy it's pointless bringing it down.  Just pull the pins or smash a hole in the top so you can rummage around inside to see what it holds."

She will then stop looking up at what Cass is doing and begin searching the room and the straw mats in particular.  It's unlikely, but perhaps there is a key just waiting to be found.

"Right," says Brant.
Scabbarding his sword and slinging his shield over his back, Brant takes hold of the intestnal rope and, hand over hand pulls himself upward. As he reaches the chest he reorients himself to a standing position and commences stomping the chest lock with his fiery appendage until something breaks.

Update:
21:12, Today: Brant rolled 6 using 1d6.  Minor: 1-3/d6. – 6
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Wed 08 May.

“Put it in the bag, bring it down, and let Ornwin try.” Cass implores Brant, after his weak-ass feat of strength test.

Brant's face darkens in a reddish hue as beads of sweat mar his otherwise comely face. With a string of cuss words punctuated by a final stomp, he gives up his assault on the chest and retrieves the bladder of holding. He carefully stretches the bag over the chest and gives it a final heave. Once he has the chest secured he makes his way back up/down the instestinal rope.

Humiliated, Brant completes the rope shimmy of shame in full view of all of the guests.

When Brant reaches the ground, young Bercy greets him with a pat on the back and a sheepish smile. "Welcome to the club," he says softly, in a show of commiseration.

In reply to Bartholomew (msg # 261):

Brant answers with a dark glance and grimace then carelessly dumps the chest to the floor, not unlike a night-cart-man emptying his load from the night.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Yesterday.

Rasxif steps forward, short sword in hand, and attempts to force open the chest.

20:06, Today: Rasxif rolled 2 using 1d6.  Minor Strength Test.

Minor Strength Test: 1-3

In reply to Rasxif (msg # 263):

Brant glares then looks down and mutters something before trailing off in stream of perjoratives.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:06, Yesterday.

The chest coughs politely before opening. Tucked neatly within are 1,000 silver pieces, 60 gold pieces, and a jade key (worth 3,000 gold pieces) (that's a lot of jade concentrate).

Hieroman places a hand on Rasxif's shoulder for balance as she stands on her tippy toes to peer over him into the chest to see what's inside.  The gold and silver doesn't seem to do much for her, but she smiles without saying a word when she sees the key.

OOC:  Does the key look like the key for the door ahead?

Having recovered from his bout of sulking, Brant returns to give Rasxif a pat on the shoulder."Well done, sir." He peers into the chest to take inventory.

In reply to Cassandra (msg # 258):

Ornwin offers helpfully, "Ready to whack when the chest reaches the floor!" But when Raxsif succeeds in opening the chest, he gives him a congratulatory pat and says "Shrewd is better than crude." Unlike the others, he is very interested in the precious metals. He looks eagerly into the chest, murmuring "The heart is bold that looks on gold."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:39, Today.

Cass assumes the jade key goes to the door in this room.

She will search for and attempt to disarm any traps on the door.

We won’t try the jade key or go through until we have stored the chest back in the bag and otherwise are prepared to move forward in this dungeon.

She will give Hieroman the honor of using the jade key on the door after she has finished the trap process.

11:41, Today: Cassandra rolled 47 using 1d100.  Detect traps. – 47
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Yesterday.

After having peered at the jade key long enough to exhaust the patience of the other guests, Rasxif shrugs and passes the large key (so much jade!) on to Hieroman for insertion in the large door at the end of room, the one with the large key hole. It fits like a charm.

Orwin opens the door and fresh, if sultry, air wafts in, redolent of creepers and nitre although there are no creepers to be seen.

Just on the other side of the door lying in the mud is a moldy silken pouch.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:39, Yesterday.

Brant pounces on the silken pouch then, with exquisite care, opens it away from his face before attempting to determine its contents.

After opening the door, Ornwin stands ready with his axe just in case some physical peril appears.

Observing the sudden flurry of activity by his fellow adventurers, Bart glances at Bercy, shrugs his shoulders, and raises his eyebrows.