Fully restored, Ta'ruk rises ready to tackle the tomb again. "This time, let's head through that misty archway," he suggests to the others. He casts Mage Armor on himself and heads back into the tomb avoiding the pit traps that they found earlier. He makes one last scan of the archway, before entering.
Wakes up from dreaming Huh what...
Ta'ruk: The archway is full of swirling mists that completely blocks vision. The arch features 3 large crystals: a yellow crystal on the left base-stone, a blue crystal on the top of the arch and an orange crystal on the right base-stone. As you approach within 1' of the archway the stones begin to glow.
Following Ta'ruk.
Upon seeing the glow. "That's interesting. "
Ravens watches, wondering if now is a good time to go through the mists.
"Don't we want to go check on the lich again? We had to run away so fast, I bet a thorough search would turn up the book."
"We should double check the Lich room before we take any more calculated risks. "
Shields up and headed to the lich room.
Ravens follows Simon.
"Yeah, this is the right call in listening to me. Simon, you seem like a bright fellow...how ever did you end up here?"
Simon:
You make it back to the lich room without taking 7d4+7(Due to your shield spell) and through the fear gas just because...You search the room thoroughly and do not find any books.
Good catch Ta'ruk, I forgot about that.
Yes you do find it, upon examination outside the tomb. It turns out to be a mace +1.
While the others search the Lich's room, Ta'ruk tries to figure out what the glowing stones do. He tosses rocks through the opening to see if anything happens.
Ta'ruk: The stones you toss go into the mist and disappear from sight. The stones make no sound of impact.
Jeneva: I have moved you next to Ta'ruk.
Ravens follows Simon.
"Yeah, this is the right call in listening to me. Simon, you seem like a bright fellow...how ever did you end up here?"
"Gin and poor decisions mostly. "
Simon says offhandedly in a deadpan tone.
"Good talk, Simon."
Ta'ruk strains to hear the rocks strike something on the other side but hears nothing. "Well, there is only one way to figure this out." Ta'ruk casts shield and mirror image on himself in case there is something on the other side waiting to strike. "Here goes nothing Jeneva." He passes through the archway with images.
Ta'ruk strains to hear the rocks strike something on the other side but hears nothing. "Well, there is only one way to figure this out." Ta'ruk casts shield and mirror image on himself in case there is something on the other side waiting to strike. "Here goes nothing Jeneva." He passes through the archway with 1d4+3 images.
Ta'ruk: I will be sending you a PM
Jeneva: Ta'ruk walks into the mist and disappears.
Ta'ruk sneaks up behind Jeneva as she peers into the mist. "BOO!" He waits for her to turn around. "Well that was an eventful little journey. Nothing that will help us find the book. However. Time to check out our Green friend here at the end of the hall."
Ta'ruk begins his investigation again.
Ravens follows Ta'ruk somewhat disappointed.
"What happened? What was beyond the mist?"
Perception
Ta'ruk/Ravens: There is a large mosaic of green tile in the shape of a demon's face. It's mouth forms a large, gaping hole about 3' wide and dead black.
Simon walks up next to Ravens and examines the wall. With arms crossed he then nudges Ravens slightly with an elbow and says casually.
"I dare you to stick your hand in it."
Simon grins slightly
As Ravens and Ta'ruk look at Green demon, Ta'ruk answers Ravens question. "Nothing past the mist but more empty rooms and a dusty crawl space. I managed to get out through that pit trap over there." Ta'ruk nods behind them.
Returning his attention to the mosaic, Ta'ruk says "Well this looks unpromising as well." Let's see what happens." Ta'ruk picks up a nearby rock and tosses it into the black void.
Ta'ruk: The rock goes in and once again makes no sound of impact
Skiron: As one worm enters the portal, it vanishes from sight and there is no contact with the other 2.
"So, no communication from your creature, eh? Another one way trip it seems. I think we've exhausted every other path. I'm ready to go through. Who's with me?" asks Ta'ruk.
Ravens puts his hand on Ta'ruk's shoulder.
"I'll go. You went through the mists, after all. I should take this risk," Ravens says. "I'll be right back."
He jumps into the portal.
Gr. Longstrider = 9 hours
Magic Vestment = 9 hours
Wand of CMW (32/50 left)
Ravens: I will be sending you a PM.
Simon watches to see the result.
Simon: How long do you wish to wait?
Simon: How long do you wish to wait?
Just a few minutes.
Nothing happens
Ta'ruk grows agitated as the minutes pass with no sign of the worm or Ravens. "Damn that Ravens. Where is he?" He says to the others, "We don't all have to wait here for Ravens to return. IF he is even still alive. Why don't we split up. Some stay here in case Ravens returns while the rest retrace our steps. We must have missed something along the way. I guess its back through the tormentor. Simon, are those magic missiles still active? If so, only those of us capable of protecting ourselves from them should head in that direction? Do you agree? I know Simon and I have that ability? Anybody else?" Ta'ruk gets ready to head back to the second great hall.
"Well, keep an eye on that devil mosaic. I'll go back and search that other great hall." Ta'ruk heads toward the great hall. He casts [i]shield[/] on himself before going through the magic missile rooms. When he reaches the second great hall, he starts a thorough search.
The hallway here is painted with a variety of figures and monsters each holding or interacting with large brightly colored circles or spheres. Scattered between the figures are various odd symbols and abstract designs.
Ta'ruk: You find a crawlspace below the figures knees concealed by an Illusionary Wall at 1W.
At 8E you find that below the sphere is a crawlspace covered by an Illusionary Wall.
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Ta'ruk sneaks up behind Jeneva as she peers into the mist. "BOO!" He waits for her to turn around. "Well that was an eventful little journey. Nothing that will help us find the book. However. Time to check out our Green friend here at the end of the hall."
The dancer manages to keep from jumping in surprise at the unexpected return of Ta'ruk behind her despite his disappearing into the mist at her front. Still, he is here and alive, and seemingly not too out of sorts, so she has few questions and follows him back as they return to the mosaic for further investigation. The explanation of the pit exit suffices later, when it comes, and any desire for solving the mystery that remained after has for the time being been quelled.
"I will remain with the portal," she answers when the inquiry rises. "Shout if something animate tries to kill you, no doubt I'll be able to hear. In the meantime if Ravens returns and something returns with him, I'll be there able to put it down. And it seems unfortunately that as far as mysteries and puzzles go, I've little I can contribute in comparison. Best I station myself somewhere useful and allow you to work unimpeded."
Without waiting for further argument, she returns to the portal where Ravens vanished, draws her blade, and puts herself in a position where she can both see the portal entrance itself and the route around it in both directions, hopefully preventing herself from being ambushed while she waits for Ravens's return or a call from the rest of the party of either hostilities or discovery.
Ta'ruk turns to Skiron. "Well, here are two promising paths. Let's check out this one in the corner first." Ta'ruk kneels down and enters the crawlspace at 1W. He keeps his senses on alert for trouble or traps.
Ta'ruk: The room here is fairly small and contains only a large 8' tall stone statue of a horned and clawed gargoyle. The statue once had 4 arms but one is broken off and laying in front of the statue
Skiron: The statues 3 hands have small egg-shaped depressions in their palm.
Ta'ruk ponders the hands of the statue and the riddle. "Well I'm drawing a blank on what we've found that matches that shape. Let me try this." He pulls out three of gold coins he found in the pew, and places one into each hand. He steps back to see if anything happens.
Simon/Ravens: Now that combat is finished, you will notice that the the gargoyle has a huge bronze collar studded with 10 blue stones, the size and shape of robins eggs.
Ta'ruk: You have the right idea, just the wrong material...then you remember this above post from 2 days ago. 8>)
Ta'ruk watches the statue for a moment and sees that nothing happens. He takes back his gold and pockets it. Pondering for a moment, he suddenly breaks into a smile. "I know where I saw that shape, it matches the blue stones on that Gargoyles collar. Now, I'm trying to remember if someone kept that collar?"
"I remember who has it, Simon. He didn't seem to follow us, so he must be back with Jeneva. Before we go get him, let's check out that other crawlspace." Ta'ruk turns and heads back out the crawlspace and goes to the other one at 8e. He enters the same as the last crawlspace, moving slowly and watching for traps.
Ta'ruk; At the end of the other crawlspace is a secret door you easily discover.
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Perhaps unfortunately, the dancer's patience only lasts so long. Eventually she tires of merely waiting for Ravens to rematerialize of his own initiative and instead decides to take matters into her own hands.
She withdraws rope from her traveling pack and ties it off to a stone, then drops the weighted end into the portal, making sure none of her own extremities pass through the aperture in the process. She allows the rope to slip into the portal a few feet at a time, letting it descend slowly into... whatever waits on the other side. Meanwhile she stands ready in case something begins pulling on the other side; while she is fully prepared to pull back and haul something through the gap should the need arise, if the object or entity reveals itself to be something other than Ravens, or if the pull begins drawing her closer to the portal rather than pulling out whatever has hold of the other end, she's quite ready to simply release the rope and call it a loss.