Chapter 10: Secret of the Sleestaks

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan scans the room and notes the might lizard king on his throne. He listens to the groups planning and offers his own. "The die has been cast - the time for stealth is over. We should press on"

[redwarrior]

Connak listens to the back and forth and adds his piece. I agree with Mungo and Ko-Nan. We have done enough that they will know something has happened. And we're the only people who could have done it. It's best to press on in the remaining time we have.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"Where to next?"

[jemmus]

Mungo's mole-man eyes behind the thick lenses of his goggles closely observe all steps of Yul's operation of his light beam weapon gadget. How does it work? Focusing mirrors? Crystals? Perhaps Yul will let him try to reverse engineer it someday. Then he squints at the distant Sleestak king on it's weird throne. That Sleestak oligarch there might make a good hostage for when the Hours of Mystery end. "Any threatening moves from you Sleestaks, and Ko-Nan's axe makes your king's head leap from his shoulders." Who here has the best grim and ominous voice?

[Urson]

Maskelyn

The Gnome shakes his head at Mungo. We're waaay outnumbered here, Doc. We don't wanna scare them into tryin' to be heroes for their king. I think we're a lot better off trying to vanish. Let's head for the lake now- see what this big bad thing under the water is.

[redwarrior]

Connak Water... Why did it have to be water. I hate water.

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul

"Going to the water next to explore is fine but how do we get there. Just look at the maps, so many locked doors and portcullis that you want to sneak by. I don't think your keys open every door.

I think playing it cool is best. They will only know something is up if the come through the cell door into the room Ambrose was kept in.

Can we go back to our room. But we shaft the prison cell door in some way so that it can't be opened. That delays their discovery of the dead Sleestak and maybe they will just pass food to the supposed prisoners through a cell door hatch anyway rather than enter the room.

The longer any ruse can be maintained, the more exploration you can perform unhindered."

[jemmus]

Mungo
If we do that, I think we'd have to lock Ambrose back up, unlock the guards and return their keys to them. Then I suppose when the Sleestaks wake up they'll take us back to where we were before the Hours of Mystery. I.e., near the house of the Altrusian with the Sleestak baby. They're expecting us to continue on to some exit to the surface, right? If they do that, it would leave Ambrose locked up with the dead mutated Sleestak thing. Or I suppose we could leave the door unlocked and he could pretend that it's locked.

I'd bet there's another door exiting the throne room. They wouldn't leave His Royal Highness Sleestak in a dead end room.

Staying and playing dumb is hazardous, continuing on is perilous. Sheriff, I'm sorry to be contrary, but I'm going to vote for continuing on. What do the rest of you ladies, gentlemen, constructs, primates, et cetera think? He takes a yellow grease pencil out of his belt pouch and marks one vote on his left forge glove.

[Rex]

Draupadi

"All our options are dangerous, but I prefer moving forward."

[SilverBen]

Finver overhears the debate among the party on his way back to the guest quarters and prison cell. He addresses Sheriff Yul, "Sheriff, I gotta reconsider yer plan. I now agree with the Mungo and Lady Draupadi. Moving on free is better than hoping fer tha best playin a game of trust in captivity with those reptiles... sorry, to change my opinion like a lump of lead on a scale."

[Urson]

Maskelyn
We don't have a lotta time. Let's move on.

[jemmus]

Mungo
To King Sleestak's throne room, then. I'll bet he looks just like the beauties on these wall hangings. By the way, it looks like we have to find a door for exiting the room or this is the end of the trip.

[ChubbyPixie]

"I say we move on," says Fiefo, "Don't like to be at the mercy of weirdos."

He'll sprint to the end of the throne room, scan the king quickly with his cybernetic eye, then peer behind the throne for any secret doors or compartments.

[jemmus]

Mungo enters the throne room following the usual marching order, panning his headlamp around. He turns right and searches the south wall for any doors or anything of interest. Including behind the three quiescent Sleestaks. Pardon me, sorry to invade your personal space. I just need to take a little look behind you. His fur rises a little from the weird experience of being so close to a rigid dormant Sleestak. Out of equal parts prudence and revulsion, he's very careful not to touch them. He also breathes through his mouth and tries not to smell them.

[SilverBen]

Finver moves quickly, staying close to Fiefo, with the sack held over his shoulder. He withdraws a dagger in the other hand anticipating the noise, movement, or something else may unexpectedly awaken the reptilian king and his court.

Finver examines the walls with a dwarven eye for engineering and construction flaws that may reveal a concealed exit Fiefo may have otherwise missed. When his eye catches sight of the throne, the roots of his beard bristle. "Fiefo, " he cautions in a hushed voice, "I don't like tha looks of that throne. Don't get near it! It's definitely outta place in this city. Looks to me like little tentacles of somethin' wicked, somethin' bigger."

[Rex]

Draupadi

Draupadi moves in, she scans the area as she searches the southern wall (towards the cavern) going west to east, looking for a secret/concealed door or anything of value.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan hovers near the doors, watchful of the sleestaks for any sign of awareness.

[Urson]

Maskelyn
If only I had a basket... Maskelyn grins at the idea that hangs in the back of his mind. He moves to the throne, searching it for hidden compartments, levers, whatever. He starts on the North side and works his way around.

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul

I'd bet there's another door exiting the throne room. They wouldn't leave His Royal Highness Sleestak in a dead end room.

The sheriff studies the floor and walks, trying to see if he can spot footstep prints in the dust that lead to concealed portals or doors or other exits the King might use to go to a private vault or chamber.

Sheriff Yul uses his 'as ranger' tracking skill [1d100]=80

[redwarrior]

Connak moves in with the party as normal. Once inside, he will check the walls (and the floor next to the walls), moving counterclockwise from the door we just entered methodically looking for secret doors/traps. Based on Finver's comment, he will give the throne a wide berth as he checks the wall behind it.

Depending on what happens during the first circuit, his intention is to examine the rest of the room, working in a grid pattern going from the SW corner (1,1) north (1,N) and then coming back south (2,N to 2,1). I get the feeling that something will happen before that, but that's his plan.