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Bunkers and Krakens
"The mansion's entry hall closer resembles a ballroom, covered in shimmering black tile. It has a bright orange carpet through the center, leading up to a sweeping staircase that separates in two, leading to balconies on either side. Each balcony has three doors leading to the rest of the mansion. On this level there are patio doors leading to a moonlit path."
"Ay? (Wasn't it just noon?)"
"Of course it was. The pumpkin general must have a powerful mage."
"Won't be powerful enough to stop my sword!"
Marie rolls her eyes and adds some stickers to the board. "Two pumpkin torches light both sides of the stairs, right at the bottom, and the moonlight illuminates the area by the patio doors, but the rest of the room is in shadow."
"So what you're saying is, we've got a search on our hands." Shiver links their hands together and pushes them forward in a stretch. "Or I could burn the place down with one fireball."
"You can't!" Frye lifts the visor on her knight costume's helmet. "Remember the third gourd scroll we found? Fire makes pumpkins stronger!"
"Ay. (I'd like to search the room.)" Big Man rolls two dice and takes the larger number, then checks his character sheet. "Ay! (Twenty!)"
Marie ducks behind her DM screen to write something. "The shadows at the back of the stairs look highly suspicious."
"I'll go first," Frye says, moving her figure. "If it's a trap, they'll be able to see you coming." She rolls a fifteen.
Marie adds a sticker. "There's a space behind the stairs with a locked door behind it."
"Ay? (Can I pick the lock?)" Big Man's figure joins Frye's
"I could burn down the door." Frye, Big Man, and Marie all fix Shiver with a silent glare. Shiver crosses their arms. "You two are spending too much time with Boss Marie."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Marie looks at Big Man. "There's no keyhole. When you touch the door, six unlit torches drop from the ceiling. There are eight flames emblazoned on the door. Two are lit up."
"Ay. (But there are only six torches.)"
"Two more in the main room," says Shiver. "I put one out."
"Two of the torches in the back area light up." Marie writes the numbers 1-8 with a pen, then circles the numbers 1, 4, and 5 with a pencil. "One light on the door goes out. Two others light up."
"And if I relight the first torch?"
Marie erases the circles around 4 and 5, then circles 2.
"A puzzle!" Frye claps her hands. "We should—"
"I cast fireball on the torches. All of them." Shiver smirks as they move their character over. "Not my fault you're in the way."
Frye grabs the popcorn bowl and throws the entire thing at Shiver. “Oh come on I don't wanna roll a new character!”
“Not my fault you're wearing that big armor. Gonna cook you alive in that.”
“Shiver, just roll,” Marie says.
Just then, Marie's phone goes off. “Oh, boss, not again!” Frye grabs for the phone, but Marie yanks it out of the way. “It's just getting good.”
“Sorry, but you know I can only do this for four hours.” She sighs as she looks at the time. “I've got to prep for an interview. Let's continue this next week."