Some of you watch with amazement as Frankie appears to suddenly develop phasing powers, simply disappearing inside the statue, only to poke his head back out and then withdraw it back like some sort of turtle-like prankster. Either you've stepped into the Twilight Zone or there's something else going on here...right?
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"Looks like the ring and dagger can by pass some kind of ward."
"Dalen, watch it. That's an illusion. I never touched it before, so it looked real."
"Boss! Dalen and Frankie can burrow through the earth! I'm so jealous!" Denair runs behind Meredith and shouts, pointing at the statue. "Also I think you owe Frankie money or something?"
Meredith shakes her head. "Come on, everyone. We're going down."
"Wow, he's really good at burrowing. He didn't even leave a mark! Can all humans burrow like this?"
Meredith has to drag Denair through the doors. "Whee! Now I can burrow through it like he did!"
After a few moments of intense misunderstanding, all becomes clear as Meredith informs the rest of the group that the statue is apparently nothing more than an illusion. With this revelation, the statue disappears and in its place you see a pair of metal doors - now standing open as Dalen shakes her head and pushes through them. On the floor nearby is a chain and padlock that must've been keeping the door locked until Frankie came along. Etched into the doors is the image of a serpent.
The serpent is the symbol of the archdevil Geryon. The stinking swamps of Stygia, the fifth layer of Hell, are the dominion of the Serpent—Geryon — source of all great heresies.
While perhaps one or two of you pause to examine the carving, the rest of you proceed through the metal doors. Shadows cast by a blazing brazier behind a metal lattice to the south flicker across the wall paintings here, granting the images the illusion of haunted animation. The paintings seem to depict battle between two armies; one of the armies boasting div among their ranks and the other, artificial constructs. A seven-foot-tall statue of a hunched, robed figure with three eyes and a mouth ringed with tentacles stands before the lattice.
The paintings are depictions of the armies of Ancient Osirion and the Jistka Imperium, who clashed for several hundred years around -3000 A.R. with the Jistkans eventually losing the conflict.
The tentacled-mouthed statue is a stature of Barbatos, one of the archdevils of Hell. The current ruler of Avernus, the first level of Hell, Barbatos holds the keys to the gateways into Hell. He has dominion over birds that feast on the recent dead.
Closer inspection of the metal lattice reveals it to be rusted and no longer properly anchored into the walls. It would take some effort but it should be possible to pull it aside and continue onward.
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The antics of Lil Frankie finally enable Lazarus to recognize the statue of Abadar is merely an illusion.
"Look, the doors have carved images. The serpent is the symbol of the archdevil Geryon. The stinking swamps of Stygia, the fifth layer of Hell, are the dominion of the Serpent—Geryon—source of all great heresies."
"The tentacled-mouthed statue is a stature of Barbatos, one of the archdevils of Hell. The first level of Hell is called Avernus, and its current ruler, Barbatos, holds the keys to the gateways into Hell. He has dominion over birds that feast on the recent dead."
Once again, the wizard-priest lends his strength to a companion, but he has no more luck helping Dalen lift the metal lattice, than he did aiding Jan earlier. "Sorry." He rolls up the sleeves of his robes and points at his pale blue biceps. "I'm a samsaran."
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"Well, this is inviting." Meredith's sarcasm emerges as she drags Denair downstairs.
While Meredith isn't able to get her footing, Denair finds purchase in the ground and helps Dalen push the statue aside. "Dalen, why don't you and Frankie could tunnel through this thing just like you did to the statue? Or do lattices fail against it?"
"I suppose it's my moment to shine," Jan remarks, seemingly quite serious, as he steps forward and attempts to help Dalen and Denair move the rusted lattice aside.
With an ungodly scraping of metal on stone, the lattice finally gives way and the trio slowly swing it around and out of the way, allowing entrance into the small corridor beyond.
With the lattice no longer an issue, you're able to press on and into another small chamber. A fiery brazier at the east end of the chamber makes the air uncomfortably hot and acrid. An eight-foot-tall statue of a devil with large, curved horns stands at the west end next to a stairwell leading down. Across from the metal lattice is another descending staircase, buried under a pile of rubble. An ancient skeleton is partially buried under the rubble.
As you cautiously look around this small chamber, you notice a carved, broken rod lying among the rubble near the skeleton.
The statue here represents Dispater, another of the archdevils of Hell. The immense, iron-walled city of Dis, the second layer of Hell, is ruled by Dispater, Hell’s greatest politician and jailer. His followers revere hounds.
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As soon as the heavy lattice is moved about 3' off the ground, Frankie scuttles underneath thanks to his small stature "Sweet a new room to explore!" He squeals in excitement and begins poking around in the rubble around the brazier.
"Ack, this thing is hot and smoky" He gags a bit and covers his mouth with his sleeve as he bends over to pick up a carved wooden rod. "But at least I found this thing!" He mumbles from behind his sleeve as he starts waving it around like a wizard in battle. "Pew Pew Pew! Take that you dang skeletons!"
Just in case it is actually magical I'll roll a UMD check and let you sort out the fun (if any) from there.
Dang, bad dice bot.
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Lazarus peers at the large statue near the staircase. Somebody hired an interior decorator from Hell.
"This statue represents Dispater, another of the archdevils of Hell. The immense, iron-walled city of Dis, the second layer of Hell, is ruled by Dispater, Hell’s greatest politician and jailer. His followers revere hounds."
Seeing the skeletal remains buried under the rubble, Lazarus casts detect magic.
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Dalen keeps an eye out for monsters. The infernal motif going has her on edge, so much so that she finally snaps at Frankie.
"Are you a blitherin' idiot?! Don't go rushing off like that unless you're lookin' for a quick, horrible death," she snaps as she looks at the skeleton for a moment before becoming satisfied it wasn't going to rise up again.
"So what is this? Some cult that worshipped archdevils?"
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Frankie stops in his tracks when Dalen hollers at him, a twinge runs down his spine as he's taken back to a place long ago (to him at least). Mom is out of wine and mad.. again. He'd been rough housing with the stray dog he brought home. Her favorite mirror now broken, and she was on a rampage (it wasn't even a very nice mirror!). "Sorry, I'll find you a new one" He blurts out to Dalen, cringing a bit away from her and quietly moving over to investigate the statue on other side of the room, or hide, or both.
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"Statues of lions, devils, and... ugly hunchbacked creatures. This place has it all," Brayden muses. The samsaran cringes when Frankie is remonstrated with, but stays out of it.
There was a time you would've stood up for the child.
"Let's press on, then, before one of these statues comes to life. Just a hunch."
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Hearing the incongruous words and the panic in Frankie's voice, Dalen feels the anger slip away. She was worried for the young boy, but the way his antics had gotten to her made her feel as if she were a harried nanny, not a woodsman of no mean skill. Seeing Brayden cringing at her loose temper douses any embers left and leaves her feeling cold despite the hot, arid weather. Her face colors in shame as she goes looking for him, as much to make sure he was okay as to apologize.
"Frankie," she calls out gently as she searches the small alcove. When she doesn't find him, she grows down the stairs a little ways.
"Frankie," she calls out a little louder, and a lot more worried, "are you down here?"
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(Jan realizes that several of his companions are easily distracted), This lack of discipline is going to get us all killed.
"This place just got a bunch more interesting."
"Devils are not creatures to be trifled with. WE need to keep our wits about us and stop playing like fools! If YOU are ready, we should be on our way... and all be mindful of the taint of EVIL that lingers upon this place."
May Gozreh protect them... by the gods they certainly need it.
OOC- moving on the current map.
Lazarus and Meredith puzzle over the strange, broken rod. While it does radiate an aura of magic, neither one are able to make heads or tails of it. Further examination of the rest of the room, including the ancient skeleton, yields no further magical auras nor anything else of interest.
Perhaps it's claustrophobia, perhaps it's lack of sleep, or perhaps it's the increasingly disturbing and worrying decor, but it seems the further you explore into the ruins the more tense and frayed your nerves are becoming. Chastised by Dalen, Frankie quickly darts away into the shadows. Overwhelmed with guilt and shame, Dalen is but moments behind him while Jan, fed up with almost everyone, strides away down the winding staircase to see what lies below.
Once Jan (and possibly Dalen) reach the bottom of the stairs they see an echoing, lightless hall stretching before them, featuring a dark pool that extends most of its length. A walkway runs above the pool, but much of it has collapsed, leaving only the support pillars below. In the south, upon a platform at the end of the hall, stands a seven-foot-tall statue of a horned humanoid with a large, cryptic disc mounted upon its back. The hall turns to the west before the platform.
This statue represents Mammon, yet another archdevil of Hell. Hell’s treasurer and accountant, Mammon lurks in the dark, rat-infested sewers below Dis — a lightless realm called Erebus that is the third layer of Hell.
Frankie's really good at Hide and Seek. Really good.
"I'll look for Frankie. Tell Dalen not to worry about it."
Denair begins searching, fruitlessly.
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Meredith knows when she has no chance of helping. All she can do is move downstairs.
And she sees another statue. "Dalen, Denair is looking for Frankie. Focus on scouting for now, yeah?" Meredith is calm and a bit reserved.
It's not easy taking care of your subjects. I mean, what?
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It doesn't take long for Frankie to reappear once Dalen makes her way down the stairs, and he notices Denair skulking around. He jumps out of his hiding spot behind the statue and slaps the Eidolon on the rump "Tag! Your it!" He giggles and uncovers his ioun torch once more. He's either moved past the scolding or completely forgotten about it already. It's hard to tell which.
"We ready to head down stairs? Lets go... I'll race ya!" He takes off down the stairs like the flash, trying to keep his footing. He bounces from step to step, skipping every other, even with his tiny strides.
He races down the steps and past the others, skidding to a halt as he reaches the pool of water and ominous statue. "Hey, I found an underground swimming pool! Pretty sweet to have this out in the desert huh?" He begins looking around, hoping to find a rock or two to skip across it.
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Lazarus sends dancing lights floating over the pool, and illuminates a seven-foot-tall statue of a horned humanoid with a large, cryptic disc mounted upon its back. He recognizes it. "This statue represents Mammon, yet another archdevil of Hell. Hell’s treasurer and accountant, Mammon lurks in the dark, rat-infested sewers below Dis—a lightless realm called Erebus that is the third layer of Hell."
The wizard-priest surveys the chamber and glances down at the wands of bless and magic missile he's carrying. I'm beginning to sense a theme or pattern to this place...
The rest of you make your way down the stairs, coming to the large pool of water that stretches most of the hallway. Looking around, Frankie doesn't notice anything that looks like it might be dangerous - but then again, Frankie's idea of 'dangerous' isn't likely to line up with anyone else's. However, he does find a small rock and flicks it out across the water.
*Splish!* *Splish!* *Splish!* *Splorsh!*
The stone skips down the water a few times before sinking into the water with a small splash, perhaps 2/3rds of the way down the hallway. Nothing else seems to happen, which is probably a relief. Still, it's clear that you'll need to traverse the water in order to continue your explorations...
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Wincing as the 'boy' tosses a rock across the water, Lazarus cautions, "Let me see if I detect any magical auras, before we proceed." He casts detect magic, scanning for anything his cantrip might reveal and attempting to identify their type and power.
The samsaran elects to wait until some of the hardier members of the party explore the pool, before he follows.
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Meredith pulls out a scroll, and then reads it. Small vines crawl out of her hands and feet.
"Do you guys need some Spider Climb? I can use it two more times today. Me and Denair are going to just climb across the walls. Yeah, we're cheating a bit. Sue us."
Meredith and Denair begin climbing across the pit. The Unseen Servant will wait for everyone else to cross before winking out of existence.
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(Jan smiles at Meredith),"That magic is very impressive. I would be in your debt if you could place that enchantment upon me."
OOC- Jan has his Ioun Torch activated.
(Looking at the statue),
OOC- Assuming Meredith casts Spider Climb upon him. If this allows him to take 10 or not have any chance of failure (+7 base Climb), Jan will carry someone to safety. Lazarus or Dalen would be his first choice.
(Jan will move over the least dangerous route possible).
(looking at Dalen), "Thank you for remaining serious to our task while the others have become needlessly distracted."
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Frankie hops along the broken pillars with the balance of a cat boing boing boing boing waving the others along "This reminds me of that obstacle course I had to run on the Plane of Earth! Well, sorta. This one isn't any harder either." He sounds pretty disappointed with this fact.
After he reaches the far end he takes a look around while the remaining cross.
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"Neither were mine, I'm afraid," Brayden sighs at Lazarus, turning his sword so the hilt faces outwards. He looks for a softer spot in the wall and pulls out a piton, using the hilt to hammer it in. Assuming it works, he pulls out a rope and ties it into the loop, then uses momentum to swing from pillar to pillar.
Brayden tumbles triumphantly into the water below. "I suppose I could use that spider climb of yours, Meredith," he calls.
While Lazarus examines the pool ahead for magical auras, Frankie shrugs and hop-skip-and-jumps across the pillars to the far side with all the ease of someone who routinely eats such obstacle courses for breakfast. Lazarus' scanning of the water doesn't reveal any magical auras, either from the water itself or from anywhere within it. Meredith grants Jan the opportunity to get in touch with his innate spidey powers and the Ulfen hefts Lazarus across to the other side, then returns for Dalen. Meredith and Denair also have no trouble spider-climbing their way across to the other end of the hallway.
Brayden, on the other hand, decides to try rigging his own jungle vine in order to swing from pillar to pillar. It was a good idea and probably would've worked...if it weren't for the crumbling wall where he'd hammered in his piton. Right at the height of Brayden's first swing the small section of wall crumbles, sending him flailing through the air and into the pool with a resounding *SPLOOSH!*
Upon hitting the water, Brayden notices two things - the first is that his feet don't touch bottom which means the water must be several feet deep. The other thing he notices is that the water is surprisingly oily, leaving a film as he rubs his fingers together. With his dignity perhaps a little bruised for the experience, Brayden is able to swim the rest of the way to the far end of the pool and heave himself out, leaving small puddles of oily water on the ground as he does. In fact, his entire body is now covered head to toe in a slick, oily film.
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The woodswoman gives Meredith a nod and moves along.
"I grew up in the Border Wood by my uncle's side. Being careless was a good way to wind up dead," Dalen mutters in reply to Jan. "That's why I can't decide if I want to hug Frankie or strangle him. What kind of parents let their child go off with strangers into dangerous tombs?"
Dalen looks at the pillars and then at the enchantment on Jan.
"Do you think you can carry me across," she asks, feeling a little self-conscious.
Once everyone makes it to the other side of the pool - whether by climbing, jumping, or bellyflopping - you turn your attention to the corridor that heads west from the statue of Mammon. This corridor has staircases leading down to the north and west. The wide staircase to the west leads to a room illuminated by the warm glow of a small, fuel-less forge next to an eight-foot-tall statue. The statue depicts a handsome, winged humanoid, though one side of his body is notably angelic and the other half fiendish. Skeletal remains in a red uniform lie in the middle of the room, a gaping but cleanly cut hole visible in the ribcage. A bracelet glimmers one on bony wrist.
Something hot seems to have burned through the torso.
This forge appears to be dedicated to Belial, whose likeness is depicted by the winged state. Desire and adultery are the areas of concern for Belial, ruler of the molten layer of Hell’s fourth circle, Phlegethon. His followers considered goats sacred.
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(Jan gives a nod of acknowledgement to Dalen), Those of us who have both men and the elements understand the risks this adventure poses.
(Jan offers in an elevated tone),"The OIL from the water may be some kind of TRAP with this FIRE!"
(Taking a moment to examine the skeleton, Jan determines the following): ,
"This creature was BURNED to death...This BURNING FORGE is dedicated to the Devil-Lord Belial- the foul, tyrannical ruler of Hell's 4th plane. All vices of desire and excesses of the flesh are his delights."
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Frankie waits (more or less) until the others make their way past the water hazard before excitingly skipping down towards the next scary statue and the forge "Huh, its burning but where's the smoke?"
He looks around a bit before bending down to pluck the bracelet from the bony wrist "Woot, today's my day! I found more treasah!" He holds it up and waves it around a bit before tossing it to the man with the bunny for a closer inspection.
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As Brayden exits the pool, covered in an oily film, Lazarus casts prestidigitation to begin scrubbing him clean.
While that effort is underway, the wizard-priest turns his attention to the rest of the chamber. He studies the small and glowing, fuel-less forge and the eight-foot-tall statue next to it depicting a handsome, winged humanoid, with one side of his body notably angelic and the other half fiendish.
"This forge appears to be dedicated to Belial. Desire and adultery are the areas of concern for Belial, ruler of the molten layer of Hell’s fourth circle, Phlegethon. His followers considered goats sacred."
He stoops to take a closer look at the skeletal remains and, casting detect magic, the gleaming bracelet on one of its wrists.
"All this infernal statuary. It's as if the Author of our Fate were foreshadowing our futures with a dwarven longhammer." Not one to tempt such a fate, the samsaran draws his wand of mage armor, activates it, and then stows it back in his handy haversack.
Lazarus, picking up what Jan is laying down, gives Brayden a magical makeover to clear the oily residue off of his person. Meanwhile, his study of the bracelet reveals it to possess an aura of abjuration just as the raven-headed dagger and the hound ring do. There's also an undeniable animal motif as he notes the bracelet bears the image of a goat.
As you mill around and explore this room, Meredith becomes aware of a strange vibration emanating from her pack. Upon checking, it seems that the broken rod from earlier is trembling slightly...and it grows stronger the closer the rod is brought to the strange forge. She realizes that it might be possible to repair it...
Meanwhile, Frankie eagerly looks about for a cool fire trap but sadly (?) doesn't find anything promising...though maybe dropping on a torch on the pool of water would be close enough?
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At first, Brayden runs his finger along the oily sheen and sniffs it, but the slickness quickly fades when Lazarus magically cleans him. "My thanks. Do you suppose I was flammable in that state? I'd prefer not to find out, but I can't help but wonder..."
As the rod begins to vibrate, Brayden taps Meredith on the shoulder. "I believe you left your courier dove on silent."
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(Jan remains resolute and offers a silent prayer to his gods), Gozreh, the Father of Storms, Winds and Seasons guide and protect us as we travel in this unholy place. To the Fates, bless and guide us as we travel on the journey which lays ahead. To the gods of my father and all of the Ulfen people, protect us, give strength to our bodies and purity to our souls.
(Interrupting Lazarus' inspection of the statues), "Is it possible that this place is some sort of secret site when those fanatics who call Devils their gods have worshiped them?
"Maybe, it is some kind of unholy Chelaxian refuge before the fall of Taldor's control of the region or the rise of House Thrune?"
With a little bit of luck and elbow grease, Meredith is able to pound the rod back into some semblance of working order. She still doesn't really know what it'll do, nor does Lazarus, but the pair are at least able to figure that the repair is good for one usage of...whatever it does, before it breaks again - likely for good.
As Meredith plays blacksmith and some of you mull over the meaning of what you've discovered thus far, Dalen and Frankie take it upon themselves to scout ahead a little further. The pair move up the staircase to the north, which opens into another long hallway. On the east end of this dim hallway, two staircases lead to the north and south but the one to the north has collapsed. A painting on the eastern wall depicts four figures guided along a path by a rat, a goat, a raven, and a hound. A rounded tunnel extends to the west, and glowing runes on the floor divide the floor into four areas. Stairs at the far end of the hall descend into a larger room, and a decrepit corpse wearing a silver amulet is splayed precariously across the upper steps.
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