Karl glances back and make sure that Thoradin and Nadarr aren't looking, draws his vanguard's shortsword +1 and carefully uses the point to pop the gems out of the wall into his hand, and from there to his pouch. Sheathing his shortsword, he returns to the group.
"Shall we continue deeper through the workshop area then?"
You deface the engraving with your shortsword. (16+1) You succeed in getting the gems out. Unfortunatley, a couple of them have a really mediocre looking engraving plastered onto them of a group of dwarves praising a dwarf that strongly resembles the skeleton that was in the pit if you gave him flesh. You cut out 4 small rough bloodstones and 2 small rough Citrines. You leave the engravings and head back out.
"I guess that pit stopped any further progress towards that area. Let's see what else is in this place. I bet it's like a walk through time for you, Thoradin."
Thoradin nods.
"Aye lad. I remember down these halls I always came to work... I worked in the kennels before they drafted me into the army. They got rid of the kennels after awhile; they didn't think it was necessary since we could train the animals anywhere."((Because I know most of you don't give me confirmation that you agree or not, I'm rolling with Karl's decision))
You head down the corridor. You pass by a farm on the left, the mason's workshop, the carpenter's workshop, a mechanic's workbench, a crafting room and a jewler's room on the right. As you go deeper into the halls, you see piles upon piles of bones, followed by rows upon rows of discarded coffins. Some coffins are made of stone, some wood and some made out of solid gold. Some are pried open, but many are closed or sealed up. Some even have corpses in them still. After you hit the end of the hall, theres a door a little bit back and to the left of the end. Inside, as there are no doors seen in these rooms, you see a massive stockpile of skeletons, bones and corpses that appear to be devoid of flesh. Another opening at the opposite end of this room. Thoradin quickly explains that in the last years, death tolls rose as some grotesque monsters and other horrors appeared from the depths of the fortress. He says well over four hundred corpses should be accounted for in that room. He also says the coffins were likely abandoned when the final siege took place, some still holding commoners and nobles.
(?) You spot one odd looking coffin that's solid iron, which stands out. Thoradin reads the inscription on the coffin and says this was for the ruler of the fortress at the time, who was considered a Baron. He pries open the coffin and sees the body. He promptly takes the skull and boots it down the hallway.
"THAT ONE IS FOR YER DAMNED MANDATES!" He shouts.