CH 10: The Tharkadan Towers

[JadedDM]

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Stepping through the secret door, the party finds themselves in a large cellar. Three tunnels lead forward through a maze of crushed stone and broken timbers. The tunnels have been cleared from an area that was once totally caved in. A thin, undisturbed coat of dust covers the floor.

"Looks like we made it," Eben says. "Surely, this must be the Pax Tharkas."

"We better keep on our toes then," Caramon suggests.

Once everyone has stepped through the door, it closes again with a click.

"Guess there's no going back," Tika adds with a frown.

[Kafen]

"Right, where shall we go, now?" Tas asks with a huge smile on his face as he looks upwards. "I bet there are lots of dragons, here. We can have all kinds of fun."

[Jenara]

"Left, right or straight on?" Laurana asks as the door closes behind her, "And yes, it appears we are in the Fortress, we should all stick together, Tas, take the forward path, keep your eyes open and your ears ready.."

[JadedDM]

"I really doubt they have dragons in here, Tas," Caramon states.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Eben comments. "Verminaard is said to ride one of them as a mount. It's a massive one, big enough to blot out the sun and can breathe fire hot enough to melt stone and steel. No telling how many dragons they might have up in here. We best tread carefully."

"Oh," Caramon says. He frowns, not sure how to process that information. They only survived the last dragon attack because of Goldmoon's staff; a staff they no longer possess. The big warrior wonders how they could possibly hold up against another dragon, much less several.

[Breila]

"If we meet more dragons, surely we will need the help of the Gods" Goldmoon says, touching her symbol. Her lips continue to move for a moment as she says a silent prayer. "Perhaps in this old fortress, there are more wondrous weapons like Wyrmslayer.

Let us try the left tunnel first. We have no information on any of them, so it doesn't matter which one we do first."

[JadedDM]

Assuming there are no objections, they take the left tunnel. It leads them to a large cellar room with rough and rocky walls to the east, but a finely crafted smooth stone wall to the west. A large wooden door stands near the center of the west wall. There are two additional tunnels leading back in the direction they came from, suggesting that all three of the tunnels led here.

To the heroes' left as they enter is a pile of wooden crates, nailed shut. Also in the large room is a deep well.

[Breila]

Goldmoon cautiously approaches the crates. Are they marked in any way, or do some of them look as if someone had tried to force them open?

[JadedDM]

The crates are nailed shut, and there is no indication anyone has attempted to open them. However, they are marked in Common. Some say 'Gateway,' some say 'Solace,' 'Haven,' or 'New Ports.' It occurs to the plainswoman that these must be goods that the dragonarmies looted from those towns.

=============

Goldmoon makes a WIS check (1d20): 7, pass. Goldmoon realizes these are looted goods from the various towns of Abanasinia.

[Jenara]

"Well we are in the Fortress, perhaps we could see if those crates have anything useful?" Laurana says as they come across the crates. "But we appear to be in the storeroom."

[Breila]

"Yes, this probably is loot from the different towns" Goldmoon answers Laurana. "But if would be difficult to find anything useful for us, and take a lot of time."

[Jenara]

"You are probably right, I am a little worried about looking in that well, remember the last time.." She agrees, "Tas, Magpie, could you check the door please."

"Me check." Magpie pipes up, drawing her little knife she moves towards the door, her eyes and feet looking for a trap of some kind. "Me find nothing." She announces.
1d100=37 Fail.

[JadedDM]

This well is nowhere near as large as the one that Onyx used to reach the surface. Eben, who has no idea what Laurana is referring to, heads to the well and peeks inside. "Just water," he mentions. "Probably useful during a siege."

Magpie carefully checks the door for traps and finds nothing. She does, however, hear muffled voices on the other side of the door while she is searching.

[Kafen]

Helping check the door, Tas looks for both traps and locks. He hums in idle thought as he peeks back at the boxes once in a while.

[JadedDM]

Tas does not find any traps or locks either. He also hears muffled voices emitting through the wooden door, however.

[Nuke]

Riverwind follows the lead, keeping his bow at the ready. Once they reach the door, he whispers "I suppose the time for stealth is over. But we mustbe sure that none sounds the alarm."