The 20' wide hall stretches before you for 80', ending in a set of double doors.  There is a ten foot wide red carpet the length of the hallway, and a single door about halfway along the eastern wall.  The wall on the west is set with three sets of windows, illuminating the corridor.

When Thraim arrives at the single door on the left side of the corridor, he'll motion for everyone to be quiet.  He'll attempt to listen at the door to see if he can hear anything from the room beyond.

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(OOC- Thraim's Hear Noise roll = 35%)

Heathcliffe, having proceeded before the others, will await to the side of the double doors at the end of the corridor, keeping watch just in case someone should come barrelling into the red carpeted hall.

Semina watches as Thraim passes her up, so he can listen for anything behind the single door.  She has positioned herself on the left side of the door, with her back against the wall awaiting Thraim's commands.  Her hand axe and stance is ready for battle.  Occasionally glancing back from where they entered.

Quote from: Drohem;288739(OOC- Thraim's Hear Noise roll = 35%)

You don't hear anything out of the ordinary.

Thraim will try to turn the knob as cautiously and quietly as possible to check and see if the door is locked.  

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OOC- Thraim will open the door and look in if it's unlocked.  If it's locked, he'll take out his thieves' tools and check it for traps and then try to pick the lock.

Find Traps roll = 100!  (yikes!)
Open Locks roll = 78

The door opens quietly into a room which is luxuriously furnished with plush chairs, polished wood tables, ornate rugs and other fine furniture. The furniture has been pushed back against the walls and the carpets have been rolled up. In the middle of the floor, an impromptu boxing ring has been set up. In one corner of the ring a man stands as still as a statue with his hands raised in the boxing guard position. This man is wearing amber silk trunks. You notice that his skin has an unreal quality. Seated near the boxer is a man dressed in colorful silks, fancy lace and rich velvets. He also wears a large-brimmed hat flaunting a peacock's feather. A jeweled rapier is slung on his right side on a supple leather baldric. He has wavy black hair and a closely trimmed beard which comes to a point. Two men in plate mail carrying halberds stand as guards on either side of the richly dressed man. The guards' flesh has the same unreal quality as the boxer's. The seated man's flesh does not have this quality.

While the chairs have been pushed back, they all face toward the boxing ring. Floating above the center of each chair is a pair of red, unblinking eyes that turn to watch you

Thraim stands there momentarily in disbelief at the scene before him.  However, he recovers fairly quickly and strides into the room casually.

"You, sir," Thraim says to the man with the wide-brimmed hat, "are you the Master here?"

"Terrific!  Greetings to you and your party, Master Dwarf!  I am Jean-Louis D'Amber, and welcome to our humble chateau!" the man cheerfully announces as he takes long strides over to you and extends his hand.

"As all men, I am the master of my own destiny, if that is what you mean.  I was hoping someone would be along to help me test my brute, and when I heard you in the foyer, I could barely contain my excitement!".  He speaks quickly, with a gleam in his eye.

"If you would like, you can have the best of your group come forward to challenge my magen and prove to the others I haven't been wasting my time," he sweeps his arm across the room, indicating the eerie chairs against the walls.  

"Of course, in addition to vindication, there may be some additional rewards for you.  You appear a troupe of modest means, so I am sure I will be able to guarantee any wagers you care to make against my training," he says smiling and winks at you broadly. "What do you say to my offer?"

Naren closes his eyes for a moment in disbelief. Kidnapped for a boxing match? 'Madness takes its toll; please have exact change ready', he thinks wirely.

Thraim watches the man approach him with feigned indifference, and patently ignores his extended hand.

"What do I say to your offer?"  Thraim muses for a moment and then continues, "are you willing to wager your life on the match?"

Semina walks in behind Thraim  to study the room and its occupants further. She watches as a man with colorful silk clothing address the dwarf with excitement.  She glances at the guards that follow his wake.   Semina loosens up her hand axe in case she needs to cleave a skull or two as the man offers the party a match against his discolored brute.  

She over hears Thraim mention his form of a wager, and looks devilishly in his direction.  "Their skin is noticeably different," she whispers.  "Although I assume they can still bleed all the same ," she lightly speaks in Thraim's direction. As she finishes gazing upon the men in front of her,  Semina's attention is drawn towards the glowing red eyes by the chairs.

Semina addresses the man, "The best of our the group," she pauses "meaning more than one?" Semina turns to look at the others behind her and Thraim.  'I wonder who will be chosen for the task,' she leans her head to the side.  "If need be Thraim, I am up for the match."

Hehehe... she sets 'em up and I knock 'em down, Thraim thinks to himself, thank you Semina.  You just pulled me back from the brink of that deep and dark pit of anger.

Thraim chuckles deeply and with a sly grin says, "Mistress Semina, we may have use of him after the match and I'm afraid there'd be nothing left."

Heathcliffe keeps quiet and watches; there is something off with the whole situation - namely the man's sanity.

Quote from: Drohem;288916"What do I say to your offer?  Are you willing to wager your life on the match?"

"My dear Dwarf, on the exceedingly slim chance you would be able to manage such a feat, it would get you no closer to leaving than you are at this moment.  Do take a moment to calm yourself; panic will not avail you here." Jean-Louis sighs.  "At any rate, I am not sure even death would release either of us."

Quote from: Venosha;288991"The best of our the group, meaning more than one?  If need be Thraim, I am up for the match."

Addressing Semina, the sparkle returns to his eyes.  "Gods no, child, I am not currently testing his stamina.  You need only choose one of your number for the challenge."  he looks intently at Semina for a moment, then continues. "You may not realize how brutal pugilism is, my dear, it might be better to have someone a bit more stout meet my champion in the ring.  I would feel terrible if I not only took your money, but left you greviously wounded as well."

"Of course, I will give you adequate time to choose your challenger, if you wish, and decide how much you would like to gamble on this endeavour," Jean-Louis says to the group. "No weapons, naturally, and no armour.  Just two skilled pugilists battling it out over five rounds.  I would even throw in a bonus above the betting, depending on how long your contender can last!"

Looking over your group once more with a hopeful eye, he doffs his hat and bows low before you.  "I shall await your response in my usual seat by the ring."  Turning smartly on his heel, he strides back to his comfortable chair and withdraws a handbook from his vest and begins furiously scribbling on an open page.