Tyranny of Dragons

[Syvvaris]

Sherwood
You heave, you ho and you manage to loosen then pull the iron bars from the stone.

About 20 feet in front of you, you can see a ladder that goes up.

For whomever goes up the later first, you will notice a trap door that is currently locked.

(Kinda rushing and trying to get the other two to be able to enter. Also at work)

 

[Sherwood]

With a satisfied nod, the Dragonborn warrior steps back and reclaims his torch. "There. I see a ladder up ahead that leads up. Shall we?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du looks at the ladder, and once more asks for someone to hold his torch. "Unless someone can pick a lock, I will try to muscle the trap door open to get through it."

 

[Zotar]

"Thank you Mor'du." Xinnia said. "Do what you can." Xinnia decided to let the dragonborn go up first. She took his torch and watched him go. When it became apparent that Mor'du was struggling to get the proper leverage on the trapdoor she suggested, "We could knock?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du nods. "I can try. I just don't have very good leverage to force the door open." With his fist, he pounds on the trap door hard, trying to make enough noise to alert anyone on the other side that there are people down here that want up.

 

[still watching fma]

Elizabeth Tsin

She felt the torch ripped from her dainty hands, friction burns coursing across the surface of her palms and fingers as she blew on them. " ooo ahh ouch", she said under her breath. With no light, she took her quarter staff out and tapped it on the ground to use the cantrip, " light". Immediately the area for 20 feet from the glass ornament illuminated the area. " careful sir lizard".

 

[Syvvaris]

Mor'du's landed mighty blows on the trapdoor, deep and loud enough for anyone near to hear. Shortly after he knocks on the trap door; he hears a door open with a dwarven accent. A few seconds later wood creaking and sliding amongst the floor and fiddling with keys inside a lock.

"Ello! Who's down t'ere?!" A male dwarven voice came through the trapdoor. At the same time the sounds of him fiddling with the lock on the door continued.

The family and the others stood just behind Elizabeth in the light.

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du calls out, "I am Mor'du, a warrior escorting several civilians that are in need of some shelter! I promise to you that we mean no harm to you or yours. Will you please open the hatch to allow us entry?"

 

[Syvvaris]

"What do you think I'm trying to do!" The dwarven man shouted through the trapdoor, still messing with the lock and key. "We haven't used this door in centuries. Wait, how do I know you're not lying to me!"

 

[still watching fma]

Elizabeth Tsin

Elizabeth felt her skin crawl the longer she stayed down there. The people behind her, nervous with their pleading eyes didn't help alleviate her unease. She gulped and stepped forward, standing just below the lizard man. " uhh hello mister umm we're cold and scared down here. can you help us"? She paused and scratched her chin before adding, "mister lizard is a good guy. he beat up some bad guys and tinier lizard men that attacked us"!

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du let out a little chuckle at Elizabeth's description of him as 'mister lizard'. Well, I have been called worse. "I can only give you my word that there is not any ill intent on our part. You have us at a sizable disadvantage, since if we do pose any threat, you can just shut the door and leave us down here."

 

[Zotar]

Xinnia motioned to Linen. "Does the man upstairs sound familiar?" She asked. Just then she found herself smiling at Elizabeth's earnest testimony. The young wizard had more than one kind of magic about her.

 

[Syvvaris]

Zotar "Yes, there's not many dwarves in Greenest. That's Castellen Escobert The Red. He's the Master of the Keep." Linen whispered to Xinnia.

"Who is that? Is that a little girl down there?" Castellan talked through the trap door, "I am trying to get this dang lock opened, but the lock must've rusted! Just give me a moment."

 

[Zotar]

Linen's answer satisfied Xinnia. She held back to allow everyone else up the ladder ahead of her. "That dwarf is in for some good news I expect. I wonder how many more villagers we can bring in this way."

 

[still watching fma]

Elizabeth Tsin

Elizabeth sighed, almost too liberally as all the tension escaped from her at once. She stumbled about and used the wall to regain her footing, while wiping the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. "Phew it worked ashen one and mister lizard! We may yet escape this wretched abyss"!

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du waits patiently on the ladder for the dwarf to open the trap door, and as he does, he says up to the dwarf, "Yes, you hear one of the travelers with me down here. Is there anything I can do from down here to help out?"

 

[Psychie]

Andarra was talking to Castellen about being able to offer up her services as healer when he was suddenly distracted by the sounds of someone knocking on a trap door in a supply closet. Curious, the elf maiden follows along to see what Castellen uncovers, and to offer up her aid if it is needed. "Master Castellen, is there anything I can do to help?"

 

[Syvvaris]

"If either you or Mor'du below can cast the spell knock, I wouldn't haf ta deal with shoddy lock!" Castellan voiced. He paused for a moment and looked up and Andarra, put his chubby finger up to his weather worn lips, then pointed to his weapon. He counted down on his fingers from five and on one, with a swift turn of the lock he opened the trapdoor and withdrew his mace.

"Come on up, one at a time with your hands up!" He demanded. "We'll see if you are telling the truth when everyone comes up."

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du nods. "Very well. I am coming up now, please do not attack." Slowly, he climbs up, keeping his hands away from his weapons. "Greetings, neighbors. As I said before, I am Mor'du, and I thank you for opening up that trap door. Can I step out and make way for the rest of the group to come up?"

 

[Psychie]

Andarra steps back to give herself some room to fight if things go badly, aiming to back up Castellan with her magic if need be. "Just so long as you behave yourself, you may do so." She eyes the large Dragonborn warrior as he climbs up, looking for any signs of danger from him.

 

[still watching fma]

Elizabeth Tsin

Elizabeth crept closer to the light, just below the hole and looked up. As she did, the villagers all crept behind her just a few paces back in anticipation. She could hear bits and pieces of the conversation, but was unsure of what was going on up there. "Yoo ho--oo mister lizard, are you okay out there"?!

Sherwood

 

[Sherwood]

Mor'du continues to keep his hands free of his weapons, and glances back and calls out, "Yes, I am currently fine, thank you. There is a male dwarf and a female elf up here, and they are going to be keeping a close watch on us as everyone comes up from below. Make no sudden moves, keep your hands away from your weapons, and we should do just fine."

 

[Zotar]

Xinnia heeded Mor'du's words. "Elizabeth, you can go up next. Linen, I'll go last. Take your family up there. You're safe now." Xinnia offered reassuring smiles to each person. To the injured man she asked kindly, "Are you going to need any help climbing?"

 

[still watching fma]

Elizabeth Tsin

A wave of relief washed over the girl. She paused for a moment, taking in what Mor'du said and looked to the heroic elf with tear filled eyes as she went about, checking on the others. She looked down at ol reliable, shaking for a moment, before handing it over to Xinnia. " S-s-sorry for being selfish, but I will take y'up on that offer. Hold onto ol reliable, so you can have light down here", she said with a solemn bow.

 

[Zotar]

Humans, Xinnia thought. So emotional. She accepted the torch fondly. She couldn't help wondering if the wizard wouldn't mind being adopted. Here in this dark place, Xinnia was glad to be a light for someone. She'd never considered herself a good person. She didn't even know a the standard by which she would call herself that. She just knew she wasn't a bad person.

Inwardly she blessed her mother for saving her from her heritage. She also wished her siblings had survived to gain such a wide perspective. The stirring of memory shook Xinnia out of her reverie. Keep it together.