tobago ♔ the key is our vice

[everyredcent]

WHO || Thoster, Christos, Aedan, Penelope, Hook
WHAT || The Knights follow a lead on potential Slovechnian slaves
WHERE || The Devil's Fire Tavern, Tobago
WHEN || May 22nd  [forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

The tavern the Knights have been sent to is located on the impoverished lower west side of the city. It derives its name - The "Devil's Fire Tavern" - from a red glow that magically escapes the tavern's windows after the sun goes down, an ornament added by the current proprietor. The inside of the place is inhospitable, to say the least. The floor is made of irregular stone tiles that are covered by a damp sludge of ash and mud, and the rarely used fireplace reeks of some unknown substance. The furniture is old, but serviceable. Still, they serves good ale for a fair price, has an irregular supply of local and exotic wines and other delicacies, and serves up a cheap ploughman's lunch to nearby workers.

The clientele seems mostly composed of beggars lucky enough to have money to spare; dockworkers avoiding their wives after a day's work, and representatives of the city's various criminal elements. A cook and serving girl are visible, and there are a few open tables scattered about. Christos, glad to be off the sunny streets and in a locale that feels much more familiar to him, heads towards one in a corner immediately.

Comments

[unhand]

I may be able to assist. [But that crit fail climb check isn't gonna do him any favors so I guess he can't...]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope will go explore the contents of that simple-looking chest while she waits on the rest of the team to make their way up the ladder ]

[ex_noble101]

[Aedan just ... watches Hook try to climb the ladder?]

You realize the lock is up here, don't you? [But he reaches down to lend Hook a hand (strength 16). Hopefully Hook won't respond to the friendly ribbing by using his actual hook to take Aedan's hand tho.]

[everyredcent]

[ christos rolls his eyes at y'all as he pops the lock with ease. the chest penelope checks out holds only two pairs of clothes and a silver chain at first glance, although below them sits a ring box with an amethyst ring, and what looks like a potion of some kind.

christos opens the wooden trapdoor, looking down into it with a frown. there seems to be some kind of shaft leading down to a tunnel. a set of stairs leads down. ] There's some manner of trap at the bottom. The bricks on the wall look rigged to fall out.

[unhand]

[Hook looks moderately embarrassed, but stands up and starts to climb again, ignoring Aedan's hand because ~pride,~ okay. But apparently it's enough to get him climbing more solidly (climb 18). So that's cool.]

[bluffcheck]

[While the ladder debacle is happening, Thoster goes over to check on Penelope and that chest. He like chests and treasure so this is of interest to him.]

Find anything good? [he says with arched eyebrows, ignoring the boys for now.]

[ex_noble101]

[Aedan, meanwhile, moves over to where Christos is peering down beyond the trapdoor he'd just opened once Hook has pulled himself off of the struggle bus and up onto the loft.]

There must be some way to avoid it, if not disarm it altogether. [It made sense that Corwyn and/or his men used this entrance to move down below, right (wisdom 17)? Unless they didn't...]

[everyredcent]

I can disarm it. Just make certain that Corwyn doesn't barge in on us, will you? [ and he'll climb halfway down to set to work on that. ]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope is definitely down for guard duty, which seems a much simpler task than disabling some trap. she'll stand at the top of the ladder, a step or two back for some cover, her hand on the hilt of her sword. ] I'll take watch.

[everyredcent]

[ it doesn't take very long, and no one comes to bother them on penelope's watch. christos pops up to wave them on down into the room. one door is located immediately across from the entrance, while there are two doors located on adjacent corners to the right. a large tapestry hangs on the southern wall, and several rugs cover the floor here. ]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope readily makes her way to the ladder, handling the climb down fine (climb 10), although her armor is a little noisy. she looks between the three doors, waiting for the others and seeing if anyone jumps for a door specifically. ]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster climbs after Penelope, making his way down with similar ease (climb 10). As he reaches the landing, he glances at the three doors, then at the tapestry. He takes a longer look at that, scanning it just in case it's one of those with a story detailed into the fabric that he might have caught wind of (bardic knowledge 20 total).]

[unhand]

[Hook's gotten over his earlier clumsiness, and climbs down easily (climb 14). He glances casually at the other doors, trying to see any traps or hints about which way to go, but he's not looking very carefully (spot 7).]

[everyredcent]

[ well he knows a lot b/c the tapestry is about oghma, patron god of bards???.

christos pushes open a door to the north, revealing a small dry-goods storage room. the boxes and crates have a thick layer of dust, and christos narrows his eyes, but closes the door, uninterested. ]

[righteousmight]

[ Well then, penelope will just push open the door opposite that one, not doing much in the way of hiding ]

[bluffcheck]

How much do you know about the fellows that run this place? [Thoster directs to Christos.] Seems they may be some of my own- bard, I mean. [He points to the tapestry.] This is related to Oghma- the patron god of many bards.

[ex_noble101]

[Aedan tackled that ladder like a boss, I guess (climb 18). But he's still here hanging near the back of the group in case anyone else comes down after them. Plus he was the last one in so it makes sense he'd cover everyone's asses.]

[unhand]

[Hook's gonna go open the third door because they might as well tackle them all.]

Think bards might be behind this nonsense?

[everyredcent]

[ penelope notices the wood is cold to the touch on the door she opens. she finds a variety of meats and cheeses there, and a cask of chilled wine, in a room that seems nice and cold.

hook finds a room filled with barrels, and casks of ale, wine and beer.

christos frowns at the tapestry. ]

I hardly see what difference it makes.

[righteousmight]

[ wait. isn't that all the doors? penelope looks back to the tapestry with renewed interest. ] Is there anything behind it?

[bluffcheck]

Could be. [Since he was near it and studying it, Thoster lifts the fabric to see if there's anything behind.]

[everyredcent]

[ well what do you know - THERE'S AN ENTRANCE TO A TUNNEL BACK THERE. it looks about ten feet wide. christos moves that way, frowning into the darkness, and then brushes past thoster without a word to either of them about finding it. it's also... dark down there but he doesn't care because #drowlife. someone else might want to use a light of some kind though. ]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope draws her sword and casts light on it. it glows in a 20-foot-raduis around her, shedding light into the dark tunnel as she too pushes back thoster to lead the way for the others. ]

[bluffcheck]

[Wow shoving wasn't really necessary. Guess it's just Thoster and the boy leading up the rear.

That didn't come out right.

Not changing it.]

[everyredcent]

[ as they move through the tunnel, it grows smaller and tighter, narrowing to about two feet wide, and coming across a locked portcullis. eight interconnecting metal bars just across the hall, and the door set in them is closed with a simple lock. ]

Rather paranoid for bards.