Chapter 04: Torpor and tremendum

[Rex]

Tiny

"We could try bashing it in."

[sastaz]

Thorelf

"Good thinking Tiny, but remember that might destroy any fragile stuff in there, like flasks or art. So I think only as a last option we should resort to violence. Or, let me rephrase that. Only as a last resort should we resort to violence, unless we encounter that witch, where violence would be our first choice, lest she puts us all to sleep and sells us as slaves. Or worse."

With that Thorelf lets Korin check the might-be loose bottom of the chest.

[Nordbo]

what roll do we need here?

To try to verify that there really is a secret feature in a place where you suspect it might be: roll 1d20 and spend one (1) round of time searching.
If a secret opening/door/mechanism/compartment/etc is definitely identified in this way, then try and determine how to open it (as in guessing that the found wooden finger was used to open Krooda's spell book compartment). If that leads nowhere, thieves may also attempt a 'Find/remove traps' roll. One could also try brute force, at which the item is allowed a saving throw.

[DareDevil]

Richard tries to verify that there really is a secret compartment or some such in a place and feels a 7 rolling in the mana-verse while examining the bottom, that is if he is allowed access to it.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin shakes his head at Tiny "Hold up lad lets do the less violent method first eh?" he keeps searching the bottom of the chest.

Requested Roll [1d20]=16

[Gebex]

Eaton

[1d20]=14

[sastaz]

Thorelf stands back since there are more than enough people surrounding the chest as it is anyway.

"Do you see it? It's too thick, right?"

[DareDevil]

Richard realizes he is in the way, and leaves room for Thorelf, who is obviously better at this

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin searching the bottom and tapping around nods his head "Aye Aye. I'm tryin ta concentrate, eh yeah i see it...now shush please can dun hear if it be hollow with all the yammerin'."

[Nordbo]

Room 22

Richard and Korin

unexpectedly discover they share a surreal streak, as they engage in discussions about goblin-head bowling in the mana-world, a sport apparently invented by dwarves.

Thorelf

brings them back to earth by asking Korin for help in checking that wooden chest over once more. Putting all bowling thoughts aside, he intensely focuses on inspecting the structure. It is, however, the highly perceptive

Richard

who over Korin's shoulder spots that there must be a hidden compartment in the chest - what seems like a false bottom underneath the mace, torches etc.

What's more,

Eaton

to his surprise, discovers that the mace lying in the chest is indeed his! The one he has been looking for since he woke up in jail.

[DareDevil]

Richard to Eaton.
Is it a magic priest's mace?
Ultima ratio Deum?


Translation: Final thelogical argument.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin gets up and moves away from the chest. "Yup, well at least someone dun got their weapon back."

[Rex]

Tiny

"Where too now?"

[DareDevil]

Richard
Master Korin, I shall accompany you to the western door.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin nods his head "Aye, lets get goin' less there be anythin' else anyone is gonna grab in ere." the dwarf says as he heads for that western door he checked earlier, opens it and walks out down that passage to see where it goes. (Western door in #17 on the map)

[Nordbo]

Ehm...reposting in case what I wrote might have been unclear.

Richard (...) spots (...) a hidden compartment in the chest - (...) like a false bottom underneath the mace, torches etc.

[DareDevil]

Richard says absentmindedly Ah, yes, there was something I forgot to check... he pretends to himself,
as he turns back from the western door, walks to the chest, goes carelessly to open the false bottom without checking, but stops himself at the last moment,
and checks for anything suspicious before he tries to open the false bottom that he had recently detected, and then, if all seems safe, he opens it.

Sorry and thanks, Nordbo. I misread.
At least I finally have the dice working so I can roll check-for-anything-suspicious, open-false-bottom rolls, and trap-saving throws for poor careless Richard.
And yes, I changed the text from "carelessly opening" to "checks" hoping that nobody read the initial careless version.
Trying them out now:
Check for anything suspicious [1d20]=20
Try to open secret bottom [1d20]=12
Saving throw against evil false bottoms [1d20]=15
I expected the three lines above to be displayed in red.

[sastaz]

Thorelf

"You find anything there?"

[DareDevil]

Richard

To Sastaz:
I am just guessing wildly about which dice rolls might be appropriate, rolling everything I can think of, so I am strictly speaking not even sure Richard survived, let alone whether he was able to open the secret bottom.

[Rex]

Tiny

Watching Richard work on the chest, "I can smash it if you need me too."