Wardrobe Games Again has started at Arx - Ward of the Compact - Emporium of Curiosity - Woodluck.

2 Culler Brutes, 1 Culler Boatswain arrive, following Raja.

Display Floor <DF> is now locked.

There is fire. At least, there is smoke. Smoke is pouring out of the wardrobe. Zakhar, Pasquale, and Raja find themselves still in the old man's woodshop. Nina has slipped away amid the commotion, off to seek proper medical attention for her injury (and to escape the potentially impending doom that is the wardrobe). (Which is on fire.)

Okay, there's actually really fire now as Zakhar opens the doors wide. A bit of the man's beard is on fire. Small bits of flaming cotton are falling onto the floor. Raja and Pasquale would do well to watch where they step.

Zakhar stares at the fire as if he might have been expecting some of this. A shake of his head as he pushes with his foot to get a few of the cats out of the way as they come to investigate the cotton and then he's stomping on the pieces on the floor. A stronger stomp than some might expect for a man that walks around with a cane as he is back to shooing the cats away. "Psst. Git." A step back from the doors and a small survey of the wardrobe, "Should still be good to continue."

Pasquale looks at Raja when the wardrobe goes up in flames and then takes first one step and then another back away from the wardrobe. He doesn't look afraid as he makes that space between him and the smoking cotton, beard and other.. things, but he is starting to cough. His eyes scan the situation as he lifts a hand to smother one of those coughs but it seems that Zakhar's words are enough to halt that retreat.

Raja steps back as there is smoke and fire and little flaming balls all over the ground. She moves around to help stomp out the tiny balls of fire. "I am so confused!" She admits. Riddles are not her strong suit! In spite of her growing concern, she is morbidly curious to see how all this turns out in the end. "Should we get some water?" She inquires. "Is this supposed to happen?"

Zakhar checks willpower at hard. Zakhar is successful.

Raja checks willpower at hard. Raja fails.

Pasquale checks willpower at hard. Pasquale is successful.

As the doors suddenly fall off the wardrobe, Raja nearly peels out of her skin! There is a loud yelp that comes from her and she jumps so far back that she nearly trips and falls over herself. "Zakhar!" She yells out the name at the man. "You are tryin' to kill us! I know it! What's next? a dagger in the back! for flying feck's sake!" She is not happy. In fact, she looks as if she is about to find a route of retreat. "This place is gonna burn down.. and you know what? They are gonna blame the Culler. Me! I can hear the chains now! I can hear the town cryer yelling out about Cullers setting fire to the city!"

As the trio looks on, the main doors of the wardrobe suddenly collpase. Rather, they crash from their hinges - distorted from heat and weight. The sound is punishing to the ears, drowning out the music from the Bard's College puzzle for a long moment after the initial impact. The floorboards shake, and, worryingly, so does the ceiling.

Zakhar is slowly aware that his beard is singed and is spending some time to pat at his face to put out the small hairs before his skin is marked further. Turning to look to Raja. "Yes. One of the earlier puzzles would have tripped a small flint inside the pa..." He jumps back as the doors fall off, not far enough back to make much of a difference and perhaps it is the dumb luck that follows him that causes the door handles to stay in his hands as the rest of them fall off and hit the floor in their loud thuds of metal and wood slamming into the flagstones in the shop. "Erm. I'll fix that part. Stronger hinges will be needed. Maybe a better set of metal on the inside of the first set of doors?" He's taking notes on the wardrobe's design and continues to stand before the puzzle that is spitting out the small cotton balls. "And more leather... What?" He turns back to Raja as he's trying to make a note of the pieces. A wave of his hand, "You're fine. No one is going to blame the Cullers..."

"You have to admit." Pasquale says dryly. "That nobody is going to be taking anything from this wardrobe that you don't want them to take." He pauses to waft at some smoke and give another annoyed sounding cough. "And quite possibly anything you do want them to take as well." He moves to make sure the nearest door is not on fire anymore. "Although it would be hell on your clothing."

Zakhar checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Zakhar is successful.

Pasquale checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Pasquale fails.

Raja checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raja is successful.

"That's the point Lord Pasquale." Zakhar looks at the floor as the beams beneath them shake. "On another note, there's at least a small body of water directly beneath us."

An array of darts fling out into the room, about 20 of them, each headed in a seemingly random direction. By sheer chance, one becomes lodged into the meatiest part of Pasquale's left leg. The puzzle at the bottom, the Pravus Ward puzzle, appears to either be the source of the flaming balls of fabric or the victim of the flaming balls of fabric.

Pasquale yelps as a dart embeds itself into his leg and once again skitters back away from the wardrobe. He looks down at the new injury for several long moments before lifting his eyes back to Zakhar. "You did clean these right?"

Zakhar is quick to pat at his body to check for the darts that have sprung off the puzzle and is slow to look at which puzzle they came from. As Pasquale asks about them there's the start of a shrug then he's flicking at their feathered ends. "Would you say that's a red or blue tint?"

Raja is standing quite far away from the wardobe. She no longer trusts it! The hairs are all bristled on the back of her neck like a cat! Her eyes go wide as darts go lying in all directions! Duck! Dodge! Weave! she moves her way around to avoid the darts. "I spoke too soon.." She eyes one of the darts that landed on the ground. "Seems it was daggers to the face. Not back." Brows furrow and she looks to the wardrobe. "So.. how much left have we got to get through?"

Interestingly, the fire doesn't seem to have stopped the smaller puzzles from continuing to d what they do. Mostly. Over in the miniature Grayson Ward, houses move around until Bisland Manor settles in the south of the ward and Badger Boardinghouse settles in the north. The Grayson estate is nestled up to the gate. There are approximately five puzzles remaining, but the Pravus Ward might be out of commission.

"Uh." Pasquale plucks the dart out of his leg, rubs at the spot where it went in, and then presents it to Zakhar "Blue?" He eyes the wardrobe again. "Perhaps it would be wisest to leave it be."

Pasquale checks perception at easy. Pasquale is successful.

Zakhar checks perception at easy. Zakhar is successful.

Zakhar grins to Raja, amongst the carnage and smoke, and shaking of the thatched roof, beams beneath them. Even as a few of the flagstones of the floor start to crack from the heavy doors and fall into what appears to be a dark shadowed cavern beneath the room. Splashes of water heard as pieces fall below. Somehow in it all Zakhar just looks at the doors then the Grayson ward continues its dance. "Oh." A look back to Pasquale and Raja, "There's a few timers within each piece. Um. Maybe duck. Or..." He looks to one of the metal pieces of the door before him and tries to kick at it to make a shield from the piece of steel popping out from the burnt wood. As he peers at the Grayson ward, "There's the Thrax ward, Dock's, Valardin ward... That's three at least. Um. Pravus can..." A tilt of his head, "We might be able to do something there?" He kicks at the puzzle to try and stop the cotton balls from rolling out.

Raja moves back forward to look to the puzzles that remain. She looks to the Grayson ward. "This ain't right." She says, pointing to them. Still being very wary, she reaches out to readjust the houses. The estate is pushed to the back of the ward and then the Bisland is shoved over, then the boarding house up to the north. "Well. I can speak for most of the folk of the Lowers.." She glances to the Pravus puzzle, "The Pravus district can burn." She smirks a devilish smirk.

Raja checks perception at easy. Raja is successful.

"Not quite." Pasquale says after Raja moves the pieces. "The badger should be.. here." he adjusts it.

As that final adjustment is made, no furhter horror comes from the wardrobe, unless one counts the emergence of th Thrax Ward as a horror. At the top of the second set of doors, a cleverly detailed miniature of the Maw can be seen. Shark's mouth, octopus tentacles, and small figures around the square. Nothing is ticking, nothing is popping out. It may warrant a closer look.

Pasquale checks intellect and etiquette at hard. Pasquale marginally fails.

Pasquale hrms and moves down onto his knees so that he might examine the fallen door and its newly presented puzzle better.

Zakhar checks intellect and etiquette at hard. Zakhar marginally fails.

Raja checks perception and survival at hard. Raja is successful.

There's something amusing about the person that MADE the puzzle and carvings, all of the pieces that are now attempting to fling themselves out from the wardrobe being left to stare at the chests within each door. Zakhar rubs at his beard and looks shocked that some of it is missing, 'Ah... right...' then to look at the inner doors and point at the maw puzzle. "It's been awhile. Forgot about that piece. Was actually the first one I carved." He's left to look up above them as the smoke curls around the roof and finds a way out through a few leaves that are burning. "Zoya would have fun with this scenario. She's going to have a fit about the dust tho."

Raja turns to look at what Zakhar is talking about. He looks to the maw piece, then to the Thrax Ward. She shifts from the Grayson Ward to the Thrax Ward. "Let me see it." She asks in polite tones. "I think.." She fiddles with the puzzle a little more, the pink of her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth. It would seem she has replaced the sheer moment of panic with an attidude of determination!

"Is that an otter?" Pasquale asks of Raja before gesturing to it with his fingertip. "And doesn't Victus have one?"

Raja shrugs. "This game here is for silks, I tell you what.. Look." She points to the shark's mouth. "I bet that is.." She pauses and goes to take one of the figures from one part of the puzzle. "Alarissa.." Then the next one is put in. "Victus." She gestures to the smaller figures. "And their offspring!"

Raja settles the pieces into two pinholes inside the shark's mouth.

Raja says, "ahm nom nom"

"If its for silks." Pasquale asks Raja with mild amusement. "Why can you answer it but I can't." he looks up to Zakhar then. "Is your shop going to be alright?"

With the figures in place, a small pop-up olf the Thraxian high lord's family posing for a portrait appears. Further down the wardrobe, an array of brightly colored flags draws the eye. As the puzzle-solvers adjust their attention, it becomes clear that the next puzzle is the docks. Except the Copper flag at the top of the tallest building is not where it should be. In fact, it isn't anywhere. The shop, meanwhile, is groaning at the joists. Just a bit.

Zakhar is lost in his own amusement of watching Raja and Pasquale take to the puzzle, the smoke rising up from rear of the wardrobe continues to roll slowly and he's been poking at the roof above them to give a small chimney for it to go. Only now to look back to Pasquale's question. "What? Oh. She's seen worse. At least there's no pots falling from the sky yet."

Raja instinctually glances up to look at the ceiling. Are their pots and pans ready for an assassination attempt? She swallows and then looks back to the puzzle. "Hmm." She glances around to find the copper flag. She looks to the doors, in the other wards. Though, she is cautious lest she set off another trap!

"Pots?" Repeats a mildly puzzled Pasquale as he too looks up towards the ceiling. "Does that happen often Zakhar?" he looks to the old man before looking back to the dock puzzle. "Maybe there is something inside the shop here?"

Pasquale checks wits and streetwise at hard. Pasquale fails.

Raja checks perception and streetwise at hard. Raja is successful.

Zakhar checks perception and streetwise at hard. Zakhar is successful.

Reaching out to examine the scene better Pasquale has the misfortune to cough, again. His fingers brush a flag..

As Pasquale's fingers brush the flag, it's enough force for the flag to fall from its perch. A very quiet *tick* can be heard. After several seconds, it is heard again. And then again.

Zakhar nods about the pots, "They are these little things, about yea big? If you poke the holes in them at the wrong angle they go flying up into the sky. Then the gods send them back down at weird directions." There's a shake of his head, "Then you're without a Patron again. Put a few holes into people's rooftops. They were super ungrateful about it too!" He looks to the dock's puzzle, "Ah... Oh." He's slow to lean towards the wardrobe as the ticking starts up, and starts tapping at the inner doors.

Raja looks to the flag that Pasquale had brushed. She picks it up, examines it. Then she begins to look around as if looking for something. "Look." She points to the tallest building. "We need to figure out which pieces go here. I think it takes a few pieces.. five maybe.. to be put together to make the flag." She begins to prod at the puzzle looking for more pieces.

Zakhar steps back from poking at the inner doors and nods to Raja. "I'll make a note on that piece too. Maybe something that is not as loud? Though, I had doubts would be thieves would still be prodding away at the wardrobe by now... There was a key..."

Pasquale checks wits and streetwise at hard. Pasquale is successful.

"It is rather impractical." Pasquale admits. "You wouldn't want to go through this everytime you wanted a new scarf." He changes his angle of view on the wardrobe puzzle, pretending he didn't just set something ticking. "I think its just loud enough though." a pause as he considers what Raja said "You think we have to make the flag from components around here.. lets see then.."

Raja checks luck at normal. Raja is successful.

"Maybe.." Pasquale adds after a few moments "We can combine some of the flags. It seems that some are traps though."

Raja furrows her brows. "Yes.. here, this fits there.." She pulls the flags from their spot and works to help Pasquale to assemble them into thier final form! "It goes here!" She gestures to the building with the holes, allowing Pasquale to have the honors. Subconsciously.. she steps back..

Pasquale puts it in place.

Zakhar checks luck at daunting. Zakhar is successful.

Once the created flag is in place, a panel slides out from the second of the inner set of doors. It's the Valaridn ward. At least, it probably is. There is a small dragon stretched out between builings, its tail wrapped around the Sleepless Knights. The details of the ward are immaculate, including a miniature version of the Telmar gauntlet. It appears that the dragon is asleep. However, the ticking that began when that flag was knocked loose in the docks continues.

Raja can't help but to clap for another puzzle finished! She moves back closer.. since pots didn't fall from the sky. Leaning in, she studies the Valardin district and furrows her brows. "You know, I think I have only been to this district like twice ever in my whole life." She reaches out and pokes the dragon. "Does anything seem to be amiss here?"

Zakhar stares at the sleeping puzzle and is quick to step away from the wardrobe. "That's..." He appears to be attempting to look at the doors then to Raja and Pasquale. "Right. Where did the pieces of Pravus go?"

"I'm going to guess that the dragon wakes up and burns us." Pasquale says to Raja before turning his attention back to the district again. "Nothing seems out of place at a glance."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Pasquale before departing.

Everyone is pretty sure that Raja's poke of the sleeping dragon didn't cause the dragon to begin to disappear. Disappear here meaning 'sink beneath the ward to slumber in hiding while its tail winds up around the Valardin estate.' Once the dragon is away, the front panel of the Sleepless Knights falls away to reveal a scene of revelry within the tavern. In all, nothing seems amiss other than the idea of Oathlanders having fun. And a dragon. This piece, perhaps, was just for show. And now, the Pravus Ward is... Still on fire.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Pasquale before departing.

2 Culler Brutes have been dismissed.

1 Culler Boatswain have been dismissed.

"hrm." Pasquale says thoughtfully. "That was unexpected." he shifts to have a better look at the revelry.

Zakhar starts to scramble about on the floor, looking for something small. Finally standing back up with a small toy spider upon a silver slip of wire. "HA. Found the little bastard! Now..." He looks at the Pravus puzzle as it falls apart with a few more cotton balls rolling out of it. "Oh."

Raja shouts from nearby, "Ouch!"

One of those fiery little balls pop out and land on Raja. She pops back and yelps! Narrowing her gaze at the Pravus Ward, then the spider, "Where does that go?"

Zakhar stares at the Pravus ward. "In there. Around the fire."

Zakhar checks willpower at daunting. Zakhar is successful.

Pasquale checks wits at daunting. Pasquale is successful.

Raja checks wits at daunting. Botch! Raja fails completely.

The spider that Zakhar holds IS supposed to be in the Pravus Ward puzzle. But it is clearly not. And as a result, that puzzle is burning. Brightly. It is actually pretty difficult to be sure that the fiery chunk of puzzle was actually a ward in miniature at one point. Worse, the flames have spread and, strangely, the wardrobe seems to cough, causing a large plume of smoke to envelop the Raja and Pasquale. A piece, the back panel likely, but no one can see, falls with a shuddering boom to the floor causing the room to shake again.

Shortly after the wardrobe coughs up more smoke, Pasquale retreats into the corner of the room close to where Zakhar poked that hole. "I." he coughs again. "Think." Cough. "I need." cough "Leave."

As the room starts to shake again, Zakhar continues to take some notes on the puzzle. A kick at the doors on the floor and a stare into the dark shadows below that have been knocked open from the doors. Is he? Yup. The old man steps to stand upon one of the doors as it straddles across hearty beams that hold the room's floor up and proceeds to try to blow at the fire as it curls around the Pravus ward. "Nope burning to strong. Hot too." He looks up to Raja, "Almost strong enough to be its own forge here." Then looking back to Pasquale, "Oh? There's food to be had yet. Less the kitchen is worse off..."

Being a denizen from the Lowers means the growing fire is making Raja uneasy. She glances left and right. "Forget the puzzles! Lets stop the fire before someone gets hurt!" Being the brave savior, Raja goes in search of water. A bucket is found and she promptly grabs it by the handle before rushing back...

Everything is like slow motion...

FWOMPH! Instead of dousing the flames, they erupt!

That wasn't water...

Zakhar checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Zakhar is successful.

The airhole helps a little but Pasquale still ends up shaking his head after a moment. His weak lungs truly apparant for once. He says "Just Outside" and then heads for the exit. Somewhere there is air.

The fire is now all-consuming. Zakhar manages to evade being caught in the eruption from Raja's ill-advised firefighting pursuits. All three are able to escape out into the rest of the shop, which so far is no worse off for all the smoke. Further out, on the street, whenever the three get there, a crowd has gathered and begun assembling a bucket brigade to take on the task of saving the Emporium.

Once out to the street, Zakhar looks at the few apprentices and how they've taken to selling items from the porch. He's quick to look around and spots Waddles sitting on the roof. "Damnit Bird! Get off the Roof. You'll be baked!" Zakhar then simply walks right back into the building as a smash is heard from the kitchen's window looking over the garden where a cat is tossed out to land and look very upset about being dejected from the warmth of the fire. A small horde of cats and kittens come scurrying out of the front door while the old man can be heard yelling from inside.

Raja goes wide eyed as the flames leap upwards. Her jaw drops and wisely turns to flee along with the others. Standing outside she coughs.. "Damn.. uh.. Sorry?" She gives a super sheepish grin. She yells out, "Why was the bucket full of booze?!" More coughing comes from her. "Damn.."

Zakhar checks luck at daunting. Zakhar is successful.

Raja checks luck at daunting. Raja fails.

Pasquale usually does a good job of pretending to have perfectly good lungs when out and about in the city but today any illusion that he can cope with being in a smoke filled building is stripped away. He made it outside, partly because he left early, and now he's sat on the kerb watching the bucket brigade work whilst Alberico explains, yet again, that he is in fact a Nurse and yes, Pasquale is being looked after.

Pasquale probably has a kitten collection given the location he just left.

Pasquale checks luck at daunting. Pasquale fails.

It takes a lot longer than one might expect for the fire to finally be put out. In fact, by the time it is out, the woodshop - and the wardrobe within - isn't really /there/. Damage to multiple rooms is apparent. The shop can be fixed, the things replaced, but it will not be fast or cheap to do. Interestingly, some parts of the wardrobe do appear out in the yard or in other rooms. The whole thing /could/ be rebuilt.

Event logging is now on for this room.