2. The First Delve

Seeing that everyone is ready, Gabbro nods to Ricard and attempts to open the doors.

Audience Chamber
Like most of the doors in Stonehell, the aged and warped timbers require a little coaxing, but you manage to open them without too much difficulty.

You find yourself faced with a large rectangular room. It has a high ceiling (30’) with exposed timbers. The walls are adorned with rusted shields and empty cressets*. At the far end of the chamber is a raised dais upon which an imposing throne sits. On either side of the throne are piles of grimy lounging pillows. Somewhat disturbingly, one of the piles is clearly moving.

*if, like me, you didn’t know what a cresset is, it’s an "iron vessel or basket used for holding an illuminant such as oil, grease, wood or coal". Every day is a school day.

Mapping information: rectangular room, 30’ x 40’. The double doors that you have opened are in the middle of the northern wall. There are no other visible exits.

---
Day 3, 9:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Correct. The dais with the throne and cushions is right on the edge of your lantern's range.

"Is it my imagination, or is that pile of pillows moving!?"

Stepping first into the room, Ricard immediately turns his posture towards the writhing pile.

"Not your imagination, unless I'm having the same dream."

Ricard takes a few steps towards the pile to see if proximity will offer any insight into what may be moving...

Strangely quiet Pickles slips into the room hugging the wall, bow raised and pointing the moving pile of grimy lounging pillows. His companions can hear the familiar breathing techniques the Halfling employs before a well aimed shot.

Audience Chamber
Ricard advances cautiously towards the moving pillows. From a distance of around 20’, he gets his first inkling as to what is causing the disturbance. Slithering amongst the pillows he can see a number of long, green, hairy bodies with a myriad of tiny feet. Surely the "big senty-peeds" the kobold guards warned you about?

At the moment the critters are showing no signs of leaving their nest, but they are clearly irritated by the light from your lantern.

---
Day 3, 9:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Careful not to drift towards the movement the others are inspecting, Fenwick examines the closest of the hanging shields. Do they bear and heraldry or any features that would link them to organizations outside the prison?

Slowly, Ricard backs away, silently indicating to the others to do the same. He waves off the lantern bearer and looks around the room as he resigns to leave.

Audience Chamber
A quick inspection of the shields on the walls reveals that they are decorative rather than functional - really just thin metallic discs. Although they are all quite rusted, you can see that they have been uniformly painted to depict the black silhouette of a wolf/hound/fox (it's not entirely clear) on a white background. This heraldry doesn't ring any bells with Fenwick.

---
Day 3, 9:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 4/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Luther, Cleric 1: 5/5 (Lantern)
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 2: 12/14

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"How old is this prison? Is it me or does it seem like things here decay faster than normal?" Fenwick asks. "Shields and thrones everywhere rusting away into nothing. Just seems sort of creepy."

Without taking his eyes away from the squirming pillows Pickles comments to Fenwick, "This place has been around a while and must have seen the coming and going of many a pretend ruler. What we see is the collection of time."

Then turning his attention back to Ricard, "Hey Ric whatever that is in the pillows, they seem to not like light. Perhaps take a torch or lantern up with ya."

Ever present in Gabbro's mind is the ignominy of penury and starvation, and so he's always looking for a way to find something of value. "Anybody know a way to distract centipedes, or draw them away?" He considers the wriggling pile of rags in the receding light. "Or maybe there's nothing of value in there...?"

"I'm afraid my centipede lore is uh...lacking," admits Fenwick. "It doesn't really look like where I'd keep my valuables. Are centipedes are known to collect shiny things in their nests?"

She shrugs at the other elf, feeling a sudden embarrassment that she'd generally overslept for her Nature lessons; but wasn't that really Dunwin's fault for making them all about harmony and balance and not enough about things that could explode or phase through walls or turn invisible?

You will know that it is over 100 years since Stonehell was last used as a prison, although, as Pickles suggests, it has been used for many a nefarious purpose since then.

Ricard shakes his head vigorously,

"Centipedes are poisonous! Best to move on before they swarm."

"I can't believe they would have anything of value. I say leave them alone."

"Works for me," says Fenwick, heading back out into the hall. "We've got other doors to check."

"And just close the doors behind us."