"Honestly, at this point I think nothing would surprise me," The paladin mutters softly to Drethen as he considers the bridge before them and all that they had already seen. Still, Gabriel admits softly, "Still, I am sure you have seen even more before I got here.".
Edited: Thomaslee on 25th Jan, 2017 - 11:13pm
Hunter calls out his bluff and waits. After a short moment, he hears the gruff deep voice from under the bridge call out, "Duh, okay! You may pass!"
Crossing the bridge, the party finds the path turns north. After a short 40' the party comes to what must be the center of the indoor forest. It is adorned with a circular pool of water. The pool is fed by a stream which wanders through the forest. In the middle of the pool is a fountain. The fountain is shaped like three interlinked gargoyles. The gargoyles spray water from their mouths. Embedded at the base of the trio of statues, you see the lid of a metal chest. The lid is padlocked.
"I can't believe that worked," The paladin says with a suprised look and a smile, before commenting after having left the bridge behind them, "Perhaps it is true what they say about trolls under bridges, they aren't very bright."
"Hmm, now there is the question of what is in the chest, what surprises may happen if we try messing with it, and even if we can open it," Gabriel says, possibly guessing what may come based on his experiences so far with the mansion. Looking to the others he asks, "What should we do?" The paladin had some reservations, considering the gargoyles.
Edited: Thomaslee on 25th Jan, 2017 - 11:37pm
Hunter looks back after crossing the bridge and says, "See, not everything is about combat." He points to his head and continues, "Sometimes it takes a bit of this that's all."
In front of the fountain he says, "If I ever did see a trap this is one. Please tell me that you are not thinking of opening that chest."
He waits for replies from the others while having a closer look at the stream to see if it has anything living within it.
Davik searches the immediate area for traps.
"If there are any, I'll find them, but I agree. Leaving the chest for now seems like the best option."
Davik doesn't find any traps in the area. The water in the pool is murky and the bottom of the pool, where you can see it, is covered in rotting and decaying vegetation that has fallen into the pool.
Inspecting the area of the river that leads up to this point and away from this point, Hunter can spot several creatures in the water and sunning themselves on the banks of the small river. He can tell that they are crocodiles and that they seem to be rather plentiful in the river. Despite their numbers, they avoid the paved path that the party is on.