[IC Thread] The Tale Begins: Castle Ward

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con whistles low as he appreciatively scans the volumes.

Bernard frowns and gives hims a friendly nudge towards the rooms door.

"Come on wizard we can browse the stacks after we make sure nothing is lurking up here"

Con nods shamefaced.

"Ah, your right Bernard, Sorry"

Then they advance on the final door working together to check and open the portal.

[eagle]

Old Brick examines one of the weighty tomes.
Millsap stands ready with his Hoko.
A big thanks goes to Aidemar, Dirk, Bernard, and Berek
for saving the day.

And by the way, did we all share the jewels?

[zendog]

Looking through the books, Old Brick is dissapointed not to find any arcane tomes, but he does find one or two mundane books that might be worth something to a collector.

The other room looks to Con and Bernard to have been the Baron's dressing room. There are shreds of clothing on the floor and huge walk in closet in the south-east corner. There is alos a door in the west wall that leads back to the first room where the stair case is.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Bernard pokes around the tattered clothes a bit with the tip of his javelin.

Con eyes the closet appraisingly.

"Bernard, I don't know about you, but if I was going to hide something...or was going to lurk for a unwary victim I'd do it in the closet"

"Lets have a look, then we can do a thorough search of the other chambers, maybe we missed something in our quick sweep"

[zendog]

Bernard and Con poke about in the closet and find nothing out of the ordinary then Con has an idea and starts hacking away at the base of it which reveals a fasle bottom containing a small metal box. After checking to see if its safe he opens the box and finds papers, the deeds to various parcels of land including the castle and its lands.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Suddenly coming from the closet a whoop of glee breaks the silence.

Con comes hurrying out of the walk-in, Bernard following behind with a puzzled expression on his face.

Con displays the papers for all to see.

"Looky here lads, the deed to the castle and the surrounding country side"

The Leprechaun beams with glee.

Bernard smiles a little ruefully.

"You mean the deed to a cursed castle and it's haunted environs?"

"Perhaps we should see if we can free these lands from danger before we start counting our fortunes"

Realization dawn on Con.

"Ah, well, um, true enough Bernard"

"Lets give the library and observatory a thorough search, you never know what might be hidden in some forgotten corner"

[zendog]

Other than the valuable, but bulky astrological gear, and the books Old Brick already found there's not much else to loot on this floor.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con wraps the metal box in some rags and stuffs it in his pack.

"Can't let these beauties get damaged can we?"

"Now should we explore the basement or should we enter the ensorcelled tower?"

[jongjungbu]

Adiemar, still politely refusing to take the enchanted sword from Dirk, responds to Con's question.

"I still say the basement is a good place to look. Even if it might be a prison, people often store belongings below. Maybe they stored people rather than goods, I don't know."

Greqo interrupts, "Have to agree with imbecile here. That tower...reeks magic. Far more dangerous this point than that below."

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Bernard nods in agreement.

Con rubs his chin.

"Alright then, lets head down and see what lurks below"

Con the quickly wraps up a couple of rag bundles and stows one in his pack.

When they get down into the basement he will light the one he is carrying and toss it back into the shadows to clear out the concealing shadows.

[ProfGremlin]

Feb 6, 2010 9:11:49 GMT -5 zendog said:

Looking through the books, Old Brick is dissapointed not to find any arcane tomes, but he does find one or two mundane books that might be worth something to a collector.

"Hey, Brick," Dirk says when he enters the library, "See anything on the Sarnford family or perhaps someplace called Kheldarzhan?"

Meanwhile Flitwing flutters along the library shelves hoping to find a book of languages. There must be something here that will help me learn the Common Tongue. All this sign language is making me feel like a charlatan at a childs Day of Life Gift celebration!

When Dirk rejoins the others he's happy to hear they've discovered the deed and papers to the castle. "After nigh on two hundred years I'm sure an heir would have claimed the estate if there'd been one."

Feb 6, 2010 10:08:16 GMT -5 Toad-Killer-Dog said:

"Now should we explore the basement or should we enter the ensorcelled tower?"

"Let's see, a demon protected tower or the dungeons and possible entrances to the lairs of the monsters who sacked this place." While the words seem sarcastic Dirk appears honestly in thought. "The demons are a known quantity and I'm pretty sure they'll still be there. The monsters below may have moved on over the last couple of centuries. I say we go below."

[zendog]

Looking through the library Flitwing does find a book on the common tongue. Unfortunaetly it's such a massive tome he can't even prise open the cover let alone carry it. Before he can try and mime for someone to open it for him, they're all already hedaing for the stairs in the other room.

You trek down the flights of stairs, pausing to throw lightedd rags in to the basement, where the light reveals nothing threatening. There are several cell around the outer east, west , adn south walls, some hold the skeletons of unfortunate criminals who a re now imprisoned forever.

In the north wall are two large double doors. The doorway is a least ten foot high and ten foot wide. The design and decor of the doors marks them out as being alien to the work found elsewhere within the castle. Rather than lock and key, they seem to be operated witha simple lever latch.

Even those with just a hint of magical talent can sense power emanting from the doors.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con will make a thorough investigation of the room, looking for anything concealed or hidden.

Then he will move carefully to the door and examine it without touching it's surface.

Bernard will look into the cells and see if he can spot anything unusual.

[zendog]

A thourough search of the room reveals nothing, other than cobewebs, dust, and mold. The cells are locked but the locks are so old an drusty they are easily forced open, but as you'd expect from penal cells there's nothing of value in there. The cells contain only the bones of the former inmates.

Other than its size, its difference in design from everything else in the castle, and the power the party's wizards sense from the door there doesn't seem to be anything else strange or different about the door.

[eagle]

Old brick and Millsap Put 1 book in each pack
Old Brick says, "Dirk, we'll look that up later."
Millsap and Brick follow the party to the basement!