I agree with Ranek. Hakon nods
Aldon remains quiet but nods in agreement.
Marcus nods and cautiously heads down the left branch simultaneously trying to follow the tracks and maintain situational awareness.
"Very well. Let's watch our backs, though. Something could come from behind to cut us off."
"Don't fret, lad", nodded Thurvek. "I got it."
The company find themselves in a huge cavern, its far reaches disappearing into darkness. The walls bore the marks of many picks and rotting wooden beams held up the ceiling, just as they had elsewhere. In several places they had given way in showers of stone and dirt. Light glints off an odd, bright blue pool near to the chamber's center and a few darker patches scattered about.
Ari looks over the newly revealed cavern. The parts she can see, at least. They had made it this far unscathed, but she can't shake the feeling that they could be ambushed at any moment.
She pushes her dancing lights forward as far as she can into the dark reaches of the cavern. Before she does, she examines the ground in the new cavern to see if the tracks continue onward.
Ranek sights the strange blue pool, and he looks at the others and asks, "Should we perhaps investigate that pool?" He also casts detect magic, scanning for magic auras.
"Strange glowing pool in an abandoned mine? I'm thinking it's best to leave it be."
Cautiously Marcus helps Ariyana follow the tracks being careful not to get too close to the pool before it's properties had been divined.
Hakon will follow as well, lending his own heavens-blessed sight to his comrades'.
The company pressed into the cavern, Ariyana's lights ahead of them. In the distance they saw a fitted stone passage. Nearer to them, a flat stone next to a green-tinged pool. It bore a scratched inscription: Here lies Corum Mosstoes, dissolved before we could save him. He was a friend and a hero. We know the child was taken to the tunnels above us; we continue on as he would have wanted.
The tracks continued about the cavern, but clustered mainly about the stone.
"Hm. I suppose now we know what became of the Silvers, and of the children. Good news with bad." He touches his hand to his forehead. "Lathander bless. Stay alert, whatever 'dissolved' Corum may still be lurkin'. Keep following the tracks?"
Taking a rock, Ranek tosses it into the side of the pool opposite the group to see what happens.
Marcus nodded at his friend's actions, "Aye Ranek, I was thinking to do the same. Lets hope that's not a pool of acid..."
He watches the results carefully to see if there where any signs of bubbling that might indicate a reaction.
Taking a rock, Ranek tosses it into the side of the pool opposite the group to see what happens.
The rock struck the pool with a wet plop. Nothing further happened to it.
"We shold keep going. we have a duty."
Marcus shrugged when nothing happened to the stone.
"We shold keep going. we have a duty."
he replied, "Indeed, according to the inscription 'the child was taken to the tunnels above us'. We've yet to find any tunnels going up, but it seems we must."
He then tried to follow the tracks but they were so muddled around the stone he couldn't make head nor tails of them.
Scratching his head he suggested, "Perhaps we should check out the fitted stone passage?"
”There may be a way up here. Perhaps we should explore this cavern further?”
"I figure followin' the footsteps would be our best bet for now. If no-one's been back that way it can probably wait."
Ari continues to let the others take the lead, but also tries to decipher the tracks when she sees Marcus struggling with them.
"Let's not let Corum's death be in vain. The children and the others may yet live. We should see if there's another path leading out of this cavern. That seems to be the pattern."
Ari continues to let the others take the lead, but also tries to decipher the tracks when she sees Marcus struggling with them.
[dice=Survival]d20+9
"Let's not let Corum's death be in vain. The children and the others may yet live. We should see if there's another path leading out of this cavern. That seems to be the pattern."
There are less extensive tracks leading off around the large pool and toward the fitted stone passage.
"There aren't as many, but tracks still lead further on and toward the fitted stone passage. Let's go."
Marcus nodded and took point following the tracks towards the fitted stone passage. As he went, he was carful to remain alert for any surprises.
Sighing slightly, Barra follows along.
Aldon keeps his thoughts to himself relying on his talented and perceptive friends to be aware of the surroundings. He follows along still in the middle rear of the group.
Aldon keeps his thoughts to himself relying on his talented and perceptive friends to be aware of the surroundings. He follows along still in the middle rear of the group.
The fitted passage led down a short tunnel to a like room, which looked to have once been an office; a rotted desk stood against the far wall. Another held corroded copper chains and manacles. A stone rack held rusted tools nearby.
A dragon-headed copper statue lay sprawled ont he floor, covered with green corrosion and stone drippings from the red ceiling eight feet above, badly damaged.
"I'm going to suggest not touching the statue..." Barra stage-whispered, staying well back.
Ari casts detect magic as the group enters the room at the end of the tunnel. She's careful to spend time searching for magical auras on the statue.
"I have to agree with Barra on this one," Ari says. "Though I think I would advise against touching anything till we know if this place is free of traps or other dangers."
While he avoids touching it, Ranek still steps closer to the statue, studying it as though trying to tell what caused the corrosion.
He will also detect magic, studying for any magical auras.
”Too quiet. Be on yer guard all. The alarm’s been off an nothin’ has come. I’ve got a bad feelin’ about this.”
The statue looks broadly similar to the statuette, but larger. Its corrosion appeared natural. Divination finds no sleeping Art save for a faint aura within the desk. It was within a drawer, not something they could see with unaided vision.
Ariyana and Ranek saw nothing that seemed dangerous.
Ari relaxes a bit when no immediate dangers present themselves. At the faint aura coming from inside the desk, she walks over and opens drawers and compartments till she locates whatever was generating the aura.
Thurvek continues to stay alert, guarding the group's flank.
Ranek joins Ari in searching the desk.
Marcus opens his god granted senses trying to divine if any evil slumbers here.
Ariyana and Ranek set to the desk, quickly finding that the offending drawer is locked and quite sturdy despite the years. When the pull on it, something does rattle within. They find nothing else of interest about the desk.
It took Bolkvar some time, but he finally sprung the lock. The rotted remains of parchment filled much of the drawer, but a tiny box, small copper figurine that radiated faint transmutation, and a small jar filled with some dark substance remained. The box was safe and unlocked, holding five crystal shards from whence came more radiant Art, this being faint enchantment.
Ari inspects the objects Bolkvar found, trying to ascertain if they're beneficial or harmful.
Perhaps his imagination was running wild but Marcus cried, "Crystal shards in a den of dragon worshipers! Could these be what was implemented into those poor horses?"
Ranek joins Ariyana in studying the magical contents of the drawer, while also racking his brain about the uses of such.
Ari inspects the objects Bolkvar found, trying to ascertain if they're beneficial or harmful.
[dice=Spellcraft Shards]d20+10
[dice=Spellcraft Copper Figurine]d20+10
[dice=Spellcraft Dark Substance]d20+10
Ariyana can't make heads or tails of the shards, but Ranek thinks they hold...something. He believes they're host to small spellfields meant to be released just once, akin to a potion or scroll. He's heard rumors that elves once worked such Art, but human wizardry tends to use gems more for their inherent magical properties or to feed long-lasting enchantments. They're unlikely to be harmful, but to use one someone would have to touch it with their blood to wake the Art. Certainly not the sort of enchanted item one would design for use in a rush.
Ranek and Ariyana both think that the statue has a harmless animating enchantment. If set on its feet it might march back and forth or move its arms. Such frivolous magery is common in Calimshan, Silverymoon, and Waterdeep, and perhaps still among elves, but rarely known elsewhere in the North.
The dark substance does not appear to be any species of arcane reagent. It's also quite dried up, forming a solid mass in its jar.
"Folks, we're in a hurry. Perhaps we can save the analysis for when we see daylight again?" So saying, Barra motions back the way they came and follows anyone who leaves out.
”Aye. Well, at least this more or less proves we are in the right place. Onwards.”
Ari finds herself agreeing with Barra and Bolkvar. Assuming no one protests, she stows what they found with the rest of their gear. Afterwards, she readies an arrow on her bow once again.
"Onwards, then."
The dwarven cleric checks the flanks for any surprises before the group moves out.
The dwarven cleric checks the flanks for any surprises before the group moves out.
[dice=Perception]1d20 + 9
"Left is a good a direction as any..." suggested Marcus. To Ariyana he adds, "Ma'am you have a good eye, lets try and follow these tracks."
Cautiously he headed down the left tunnel.
The company pass up the passage to the east and start northward. For more than a hundred feet they walk through mine shafts, past short side passages that show mined-out seams and little else. They come to an intersection where bodies lay sprawled about, hacked apart and partly burned. Not fast past them stood a large copper door. Time had made it weep green tears.
”Proof we are in the right place.” Bolkvar held has nose as he moved forward to investigate. ”Wonder what it is that killed these, and who they were.”