GM Blood |
Kilthian stealthily moves north
The central hallway opens into a large chamber with wings leading to the east and west. Across the chamber to the north yawns a twenty-foot-wide open arch draped from top to bottom in translucent cobwebs. An eerie green light flickers from beyond the webs, casting strange shadows about this room. The place smells of animal spoor and wet fur.
To the west
To the west, three short stairs lead to a wide marble dais, but the far end of the wing is obscured by darkness. You can make out part of the north and south walls of the dais and can see a faded fresco on each. Oddly, each wall appears to have a painting of hallways on them, but you’ll need to get closer for more detail.
To the East
To the east, huge slabs of cracked masonry and irregular piles of scattered debris choke much of the passage, but unlike the passage to the south, this one does have an area that, while not free of debris, looks passable.
Aarakess Halcorn |
You did not use your DM Blood alias if you want to change it before it locks in.
Seeing the area, I cast Detect Magic and scan all three alcoves to determine whether there is anything we should be aware of.
Cast - Detect Magic
Lets take it slow and not get surprised as before. Also, something obviously made those webs, everyone look carefully to make sure that we don't get surprised.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
EDIT - I will move around the area so that the Detect Magic covers the entire area. It has a 60' range cone.
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin gestures to Kilthan pointing to his eyes and then east.
He directs Scout's attention to the east.
Scout Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
I would not want to leave an undiscovered lair behind me.
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
After noting his dogs behaviour, "It looks like something to the east, possibly a lair. Any chance of making me larger before Kilthan I head in?"
Justin unslings and readies a greatsword and prepares to find out what is causing his dog's agitation.
Aarakess Halcorn |
Justin, right behind you. As soon as I see anything, I will make you larger. I can only do it twice and it only lasts for a minute or so, so I would prefer holding off until we need it.
Expecting the worse, Aarakess casts Mage Armor --> +4 to AC for 1 hour.
I follow right behind Justin in case we meet anything and I need to enlarge him.
GM Blood |
Just a note, to get on the other side of the rubble you have to crawl if medium sized or duck slightly if small sized. Large sized would not fit and squeezing wouldn't work in this case. I believe enlarge has a range so it could be once on the other side.
To the west on the dais the rest of you see this when checking it out
A wide dais spanning the back half of the western wing calls attention to the faded fresco upon the south, west, and north walls. From a vantage point at the center of the dais, the wall painting makes it look like you stand within a massive room with seven short hallways radiating outward from a central point. A chain dangles from the ceiling at the end of each hallway, and each chain bears a gleaming colored lantern. Clockwise, the colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Crawling to the other side, Justin and Aarakess sees
The far side of the rubble is rank with the smell of wild animals. Irregular piles of rubble litter the den, as do hundreds of bones and bone fragments. Most look like they belong to animals, but some are unmistakeably human.
Justin and Arakess see an old leather backpack half buried under some bones in the north end of the room. Arakess sees something sparkle in the south end of the den.
[ooc]Perception Aarakess Halcorn[ooc] 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin nods, "Let us see what is on the other side. Kilthan, I'll go first this time."
Justin concentrates for a half minute to see if there are any evil auras and then continues through the opening.
In Hands:greatsword.
Rohara Acharya |
Rohara follows behind the the group as the continue deeper into the cairn. There is much of interest within this place... many dangers too I suspect.
The woman follows a decent distance behind the the lizardman and teifling, having to rely on her light spell to see in the darkness.
AC: 20 (18 Flat-footed / 12 Touch)
In Hand: Mace and shield
Conditions: none
Spells (0-level, DC 13, at will) Create Water, Detect Magic, Light; (1st level, DC 14) Bless x2, True Strike (d)
Channel Energy (1d6, DC 12) 6 of 7 remaining
Bit of Luck 6 of 6 remaining (Any time the target rolls a d20, he may roll twice and take the more favorable result)
Agile Feet 5 of 6 remaining (ignore all difficult terrain for 1 round)
ActionsFollows behind at about 25-30 feet
Aarakess Halcorn |
There is something sparkling in the south end of the den. Lets see what it is, probably something one of these poor souls was carrying when the wolves got him.
I cast Detect Magic and scan the room, concentrating on the sparkly thing in particular.
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
"I have seen nothing to indicate why Scout is so upset. He has shown no previous enmity for elven craftsmanship before."
Justin calls Scout and sees if the dog can provide more clues to any threats in here.
"Kilthan, want to come look and see if keen eyes trained by dwarves can see something we are missing?"
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
"Oh, it is the wolf smells. Well, shall we explore the west alcove and the pretty colors on the wall next?"
Justin motions to the exit and makes sure Arakess gets safely out before following.
GM Blood |
Repost of the West description
A wide dais spanning the back half of the western wing calls attention to the faded fresco upon the south, west, and north walls. From a vantage point at the center of the dais, the wall painting makes it look like you stand within a massive room with seven short hallways radiating outward from a central point. A chain dangles from the ceiling at the end of each hallway, and each chain bears a gleaming colored lantern. Clockwise, the colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Aarakess Halcorn |
Interesting, and very pretty. One does not see many items of such fine elvish workmanship in this area. And that lantern is very interesting, I wonder whether it has some other use?
Appraise on Armband: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Appraise on Lantern: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Knowledge(History/Arcana/Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 <-- do I know anything about either the lantern or the armband that might indicate their origin or usage?
I walk over and look at the paintings more carefully. This is very interesting. I wonder whether the strange indigo lamp that we just found might be connected with this. These are the colors of the rainbow. Perhaps the lantern is some type of a key.
Kilthan Hammerstone |
Kilthan scans the room one additional time, just to be sure. After missing the wolves, I'd best keep on my toes..
He then looks up at the paintings, and nods, "That does seem likely."
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
GM Blood |
You appraise the armband and think it worth about 75 gold, but could be worth up to 100gp to an elf. The lantern worth you are not sure.
Nothing about historically comes to mind about the armband or lantern.
The design of the indigo lantern matches the design of the lanterns depicted in the painting.
Kilthan scans the wolf den once more and discovers a marble index finger. It looks like it could have been broken off a statue.
Aarakess Halcorn |
I carefully look at the paintings seeing whether there are any places to put the lantern. I also look for any holes that the finger might fit into.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Kilthan Hammerstone |
Do the hallways depicted look at all like the hallway we came in from (minus the collapse)?
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin produces two torches and uses his flint and steel to light one. He places it in the lantern and makes sure the light shines into the painting with the indigo lamp.
No real chains exist, just paintings of lanterns on chains in each hallway?
Rohara Acharya |
She watches and waits to see if anything will occur with the lamp and then suggests, "Perhaps this depicts another room, or rooms, within this place somewhere. Otherwise, where would the lamp of come from in the first place?"
"The colors," she points to those about the room in the painting, "Seem to be similar to that of a rainbow.
AC: 20 (18 Flat-footed / 12 Touch)
In Hand: Mace and shield
Conditions: none
Spells (0-level, DC 13, at will) Create Water, Detect Magic, Light; (1st level, DC 14) Bless x2, True Strike (d)
Channel Energy (1d6, DC 12) 6 of 7 remaining
Bit of Luck 6 of 6 remaining (Any time the target rolls a d20, he may roll twice and take the more favorable result)
Agile Feet 5 of 6 remaining (ignore all difficult terrain for 1 round)
Actions
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
With one hand on his holy symbol the other one holding the lantern and a belief bordering on the mystic of what magic and faith can do, Justin puts his hand out and walks down the indigo corridor half believing he can do it.
Aarakess Halcorn |
After watching Justin walk into the wall, Aarakess lets out a brief giggle. At some point in the future, I am sure we will have the ability to walk through stone, for now though, I am afraid we will have to find another way in.
I believe that if we eliminate these webs, there are stairs leading down, that appears to be where the green glow is emanating from.
Aarakess takes the torch and carefully begins to wave it to burn away the cobwebs.
GM Blood |
The cobwebs burn away easily scattering the tiny spiders. You cautiously head down with Kilthian in the lead.
A wide stairway descends into an immense domed chamber. Seven short tunnels branch from the room in all directions, extending some thirty feet before ending in rounded walls. At the terminus of each passage, a thick chain dangles from an unseen high ceiling. Five of the chains bear colorful lanterns, but two hold nothing at all. Opposite the entry stairs, a bright green lantern containing what looks like a torch casts a weird, murky light about the room. Countless chips of glass and shiny metal inset into the chamber's domed ceiling reflect this light, giving the impression of starlight and falling snow. The dome starts about ten feet off the ground and reaches an apex about thirty feet over the center of the room.
Below the dome's peak, a long dais holds what appears to be a marble sarcophagus. A milky white bas-relief figure, perhaps of a human, rests passively upon the sarchophagus lid. Unlike the rest of the tomb, this room is completely silent.
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin hands the pack and the lantern to Ingrid and speaks to her,"Lady, maybe you can figure out more about this, I'll stick more to what I know."
Justin draws his sword and follows Aarakess and edges past her without being rude when the first opportunity presents itself.
Aarakess Halcorn |
Starting left to right - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. It looks like five are already in place with two remaining. The green one hanging there I am assuming that it is not in its passage. and the indigo one we found upstairs. How very interesting. I wonder what will happen when all of them are in place.
We should be prepared for something arising from this sarcophagus if nothing else.
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin concentrates and wrinkles some scales on his forehead then speaks carfully, "Let us look at the hallway again that the red and indigo lamp go in so we do not mix them up when we hang the lights. There has to be some feature to distinguish them. Maybe Ingrid can make some charcoal sketches. We can go back to town when we need to rest, but right now we are fine."
Aarakess Halcorn |
Well, as I said, there were seven alcoves on the upper floor. But we were unable to look at one of them because of the cave in. Let us head back up and carefully search the whole area. But also, lets search this sarcophagus to see if it holds any hints.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Justin D'Rite aka Sluuth |
Justin gets agitated at the suggestion to search the sarcophagus.
"I think we should carefully look in the alcoves in this room before disturbing the sarcophagus. Restoring these lanterns could be critical to defeating whatever is in there."
Justin shivers in fear and then anger as the sarcophagus reminds him of the death to his tribe visited by the worms.
"I wish to be as prepared as possible when we open that. I would be tempted to soak the entire surrounding area in lamp oil before opening that sarcophagus."
Rohara Acharya |
"I could cast a light spell within a lantern. It will last tenn minutes or so, but should work well enough to give off light for our purposes." Rohara comments.
"Sure, lets take a quick look at this thing while we are here. I might feel a bit safer if we searched all of the area we came from before going into somewhere new.." The woman says in support of Aarakess' suggestion.
Kilthan Hammerstone |
Kilthan looks around carefully, picking up on the paladin's stress, "I agree. Let's look in the alcoves first." He barks a laugh and adds, "I think I've had enough unpleasant surprises for one day."