2. The First Delve

The fragments of crystal are of no monetary value - they are little more than shards of glass.

The bedroom through the western door appears to have lain undisturbed for a long period of time. Everything is covered in a thick layer of dust, and many of the furnishings are showing signs of decay. Nevertheless, there are three intact pieces of good quality wooden furniture - a four-poster bed, a desk, and a chest.

Mapping information: square chamber, 20’ x 20’. You enter through the southern half of the eastern wall. There are no other visible exits.

Who is going to carry the torch following the demise of poor Johann?

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Day 4, 2:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Luther will take up the torch."Yes, we should inter Johann with Sister Jessica."Looking at Gabbro"Could you make use of his spell book?"

At Luther's question, Gabbro pokes his head back through the doorway to respond: "Yes, I can make use of it, given time. I'll hold onto it in case we can find some next-of-kin to pass it on." He looks back behind him for a moment. "There's a chest in here; it doesn't seem like anything has made it past the statue for a long time, so chances are there might be something in the chest. Do you think whoever left it would have set up additional security on their belongings, other than the statue?" Gabbro goes back to examine the chest. He has no idea what he's looking for, unfortunately. What does a trap look like? Nothing in his upbringing has prepared him to answer this kind of question...

Looking at the chest hefting his mace "I say we smash it. I will volunteer if the is what we decide."

Ricard examines the chest before the smashing, checking for obvious locks or latches.

Dusty Bedchamber
From the outside, Ricard can see nothing unusual about the chest. It appears that the hinged lid is secured with a latch, but there is no visible lock.

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Day 4, 2:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"Anyone have a long pole we can try to flip the latch with?"

Pickles ears prick up at chest and enters the room to have a look around. "We still have our spears to flick the latch, and maybe we could lay Johann to rest here. For one the bed would be a lot more comfortable that cold stone." The Halfling then proceeds to examine the rest of the furniture within the room, pulling out his hand axe and beating the bed a couple of times to test the mattress.

Ricard ushers everyone back and uses his spear to open the latch and then, the lid...

Dusty Bedchamber
With the point of a spear, Ricard carefully flips the chest's latch. He’s then able to manoeuvre the tip into the gap between the lid and the main body of the chest and leverage it open. Peering inside, the contents appear to be the ragged remains of mouldy clothing.

(This is just your visual impression of the chest’s contents; I haven’t assumed that you’ve gone rummaging around in there).
Sure, with the usual 1 in 6 chance (checked on a per arrow basis) that the arrow is lost or broken. Actually, for your magic arrows, which are more robust, I’ll say it’s a 1 in 8 chance.

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Day 4, 2:20 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Gabbro steps back from the chest as Ricard works his spear on the latch. Instead, the elf helps Pickles arrange Johann's body on the bed. Following the suggestion from Luther, Gabbro hesitantly retrieves Johann's spellbook.

As the group search the chest Pickles will remove a blanket from the bed, drag it over to Johann and start wrapping the Gnome.

Ricard uses the spear to carefully remove items from the chest until it is empty and then taps the inside of the lid and the floor of the chest to check for hidden compartments. When he notices the others preparing the gnome's body he seems unsure,

"If we leave Johan here he'll just rot in that bed, we should take him to the shrine, he was one of us and deserves the protection of the statue don't you think?"

Dusty Bedchamber
Whilst Gabbro and Pickles respectfully wrap Johann’s body, Ricard continues to investigate the chest. With the aid of the spear, he’s able to remove the various items of old, mouldy clothing, one by one. Once the chest is empty, he notices that the bottom responds with a hollow sound when he taps it with the tip of the spear. A couple of quick, forceful jabs later, and the evidently false bottom of the chest gives way to reveal a hidden stash of gold pieces - 600 in total!

Luther - your torch fizzles out, plunging the room into darkness for all but Gabbro.

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Day 4, 2:30 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

Gabbro resists the perverse impulse to grab the gold in the dark, and instead asks Ricard: "Do you want that oil flask back for your lantern now?"

Luther will light another torch. It takes him a bit fumbling around in the dark with his flint and steel.

"Let us use up the abundance of torches we have first, they are cumbersome and take up pack space better spent on gold!"

Ricard cannot help but to grin at the sight of so much treasure! It is a greater sum of money than he has ever seen in all his life.

"This is a fortune! How does it divide? A hundred gold each? Amazing! If we didn't have to contend with those damn pirates outside I'd suggest we make a trip back to town for some much needed R and R and some decent armor!"

Dusty Bedchamber
Maths clearly isn’t Ricard’s strong point!

Also, remember, as far as Gnast and the Ghost Beggars are concerned, you are currently in an alliance with them - you've been tasked with driving the goblins out of Stonehell so that the Beggars can move in. As part of that deal, you’re not currently subject to their "canyon security fees" (i.e. tax).

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Day 4, 2:30 pm
Gabbro, Elf 2: 10/10, 90’, Sleep, (+1 1st level spell)
Horath, Cleric 1: 4/4, 90’
Luther, Cleric 3: 6/10; 90’, Cure Light Wounds (Torch)
Pickles, Halfling 2: 10/10, 90’
Ricard, Fighter 3: 7/18, 90’
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Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...

"Mm...I think it's more like 120 gold," Gabbro says, trying to distract from his excitement with the calculation. It's more money than he's seen in decades. He begins to divvy up the coins equally.