[Completed] - Bertram/Dwarven Ruins II - 19 April, 1 VC

[Keehnelf]

Continued from the first part of this expedition:

viewtopic.php?f=163&t=4204&start=380

Members include:

Bertram (expedition leader)
Krysta
Galen
Abi
Martin
Constance
Ulf
Seadu
Mokata
Bromric

Action picks up at 12:50pm on April 24, 1 VC in the former dining hall of the dwarven hold that was converted from an ancient tomb.

[Zhym]

"Are you thinking of looking behind that door before we move on?" asks Ulf.

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram stares at the door. At first he was planning on letting it go. But the more he thinks about it, a survivor might have been able to live for weeks if trapped in the kitchen.
"Someone bring a torch over here, I think we should give it a look."

[Zhym]

Ulf takes position behind Bertram and readies his spear in case anything nasty jumps out of the kitchen.

[hedgeknight]

Krysta brings her lantern closer and takes up her mace in her other hand. "Ready when you are," she whispers.

[Keehnelf]

Bertram tests the door and discovers that it appears to be locked from the other side.

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram knocks on the door, and calls inside. "Is anyone in there?" Maybe someone wants to speak in dwarvish?
If we don't get answer, he will try to break down the door.

[Zhym]

Why did I think Bertram was a dwarf? Must be confusing him with Bromric.

Ulf calls out in dwarvish:

"Hello? Is anyone in there? You can come out—the walking dead are gone. We're friends."

[Keehnelf]

After a long wait, there is no answer.

[Zhym]

Kick in the door?

[Marullus]

Bromric frowns, stepping forward to examine the door and frame wi h a discerning eye and probing fingers. "Never met a door the Wardiggers couldn't breach..." he mutters.

[Zhym]

Ulf has a crowbar. That might make it easier to open than kicking it in.

[Keehnelf]

The door appears stout and made of steel, but probably nothing an hour's work couldn't manage at the very most.

[Zhym]

"How very strange," says Ulf. "A kitchen with a sturdy steel door that locks from the inside. Why?"

Unless anyone objects, Ulf starts working on prying the door open with his crowbar.

"Then again, I might as well ask why a tomb has a kitchen. Maybe it was added later, or maybe the room had some other function. Does anyone want to keep an eye on the entrance hall while I do this, in case there is someone in there who has a back door out?"

[Spartakos]

Galen nods at Ulf's request. "I can, but two would be better than one." He looks around at the rest of the group questioningly, as he starts for the door.

Galen will be watchful not only for anyone trying to slip out of the kitchens by an alternate route, but for any signs of life...or unlife.

[KingOfCowards]

Not trying to slow things down with another argument, but I don't think the advantages of splitting the party outweigh the risks. Just because we haven't encountered enemies, it doesn't mean we're alone in here.
There could be nobody behind this door. (Advantage not splitting the party)
There might be no other exits from the room we are breaking into (Advantage not splitting the party)
If there are exits, they might not lead back to the great hall (Advantage not splitting the party)
There could be an enemy inside who escapes out the back and we put one or two of our party in danger (Even)
Finally there could be a friendly inside who has access to an escape, that leads to the great hall, and they decide to use it and then our guards do what? Capture them? (Advantage splitting the party)
If whatever guard we set could stay hidden (with Abi's cloak for example) at least they would be out of danger. But we haven't heard from Abi in a while and I'm not sure the cloak would work all that well against undead anyway.

[Marullus]

As Ulf and Bertram set their muscles to the door, Bromric steps out of the way. Instead, he takes up a post at the other entrance to the room, sword and shield at ready, watching for any coming foes roused by their noise.

(No need to split the party... just watching the other way.)

[Spartakos]

Solid points, boss. DM, please ignore my previous action...Galen will stay here, and alert.
Or if it's too late to 'not do it', Galen will have a sudden change of heart and return to the others before he's gone very far.

[Dogma]

"At least the door is barred from the other side. That indicates they wanted to keep something from this side getting in. That would lead me to believe there shouldn't be anything too dangerous on the otherside of thedoor. It should all be..where ...we are..." the cleric trails off. With a nervous look around he quickly joins Bromric to guard the doorway.

[Keehnelf]

April 24, 1 VC - 1:40pm

Thanks to the presence of the two dwarves, removing the door via crowbar goes slightly faster than expected. The door falls loose and immediately a foul black cloud rushes out into the room from the space beyond, dead air thick with ash and noxious vapors.

Everyone except for those "guarding" the far entrance, please make a save vs. breath weapon.