The newcomers find themselves in the high tower of a castle. There are several windows in the walls, as well as two door and a flight of stairs going down.
Looking through the windows, you see a chilly winter scene. To the south a town clusters around the gate and walls of the castle. To the north, you see that the castle overlooks a gorge with a small river flowing through it far below. To the east is a range of high mountains. All about and everywhere else is thick coniferous forest. Everything is covered by a thick layer of snow, and it looks very cold outside. Within the lab the Community Chest magic pile is arrayed, and split up into a number of piles:
1) oils and potions2) scrolls
3) wands (2 of them)
4) rings - 2 rings from 3/17/71
ring - cursed5) rings - 3 rings
6) rings - 3 rings
Pile 5) apparently contains cursed items.
7) everything else (bag, beaker, bracers, brazier, calndle, lyre)8) more of everything else (gem, hat, net, pipes, rope, spade)
Both 7) and 8) apparently contain cursed items.
Morteft, Tully and Chilgith have been preparing the items for identification, and you all pitch in and help. By late afternoon, as the sun is setting through broken clouds, you are ready to begin.