"Hallo! What have we here?" Nicholai asks aloud from on is knees behind the stone throne. Carefully he removes the stone jars from their hiding place, and examines them with a raised eyebrow.

"KAjetan, take a look at these!" The dandy hisses excitedly, holding up a rune covered clay jar for The wizard to see.

"I'm afraid that ancient languages are not my forte'. Do these markings mean anything to you?" Her asks with obviously feigned indifference. He waits anxiously for an answer, doing all but biting his tongue trying not to interrupt the young mages' examination.

Kajetan warily moves over to Nicolai and the jars, "I am afraid I don't speak the language and I have no way f telling if they are magic today" he comments, but examines them never the less.

"Ah, No worries there my friend! I can detect if they possess a magical aura easily enough. I was hoping that you could translate the runes. They were fairly well hidden, I was merely wondering if they were hidden to protect them from others, or to protect others from them!"
Nicholai says with his usual small smirk, then concentrates and makes a simple gesture. His eyes begin glow with a faint inner blue light, and he stares at the jars as if hoping to see inside of them,...

Cast Detect magic

Pharris waits en garde near the corridor. She listens for any danger approaching.

"Alton, you fine up there?"

The contents of all six jars radiate magic to Nicolai’s gaze.

Pharris waits en garde near the corridor. She listens for any danger approaching.

"Alton, you fine up there?"

Never one to think first, she shouts. "Alton can you hear me?"

I doubt anything is going to hear us down here, well nothing alive that is.

Kajetan leaps out of his skin when Pharris shouts and spins round looking for any trouble she may of attracted, his crossbow once again clutched tightly to his chest.

"Well, these jars are definitely mag-eyaaaaah!" Nicholai jumps in surprise as well, partially from Pharris shout, partially from Kajetan jumping, and partially because being down here has made him tense as a long-tailed cat in room full of rocking chairs!

"Well," He says more calmly, "Beauty, brains, brawn, and fearless! Her list of attractive qualities continue to grow!" He adds wryly, taking a deep breath to calm himself, he turns back to Kaj with a smirk.

"As I was saying, the jars are most certainly radiating magic. Give me a moment to get my heart back in my chest where it belongs, and I'll attempt to identify what kind."

Stare at jars some more, three rounds total, to id the auras.

"Sya-Negan," whispers Keildrithe to himself. Looking over his shoulder at his companions, he reiterates, a little louder: "I think these skeletal beings were once Sya-Negan... a tribe of savage narog raiders, fierce warriors who were even more fearsome given their knowledge and use of necromantic magic. They dominated this area some seven centuries ago, under the leadership of the infamous narog sorcerer-warrior Tamiach. They were foes of both Karands and elves in the region. Their power faded after Tamiach was slain by the Karandic chieftan Turiew, who, legend has it, was assisted in his battle against Tamiach and the Sya-Negan by his lover, the elven maiden Deleflin and the unicorn Iriandel." The bard's gaze lingers on Cympharrisong as he utters the last words.

"Sya-Negan," whispers Keildrithe to himself. Looking over his shoulder at his companions, he reiterates, a little louder: "I think these skeletal beings were once Sya-Negan... a tribe of savage narog raiders, fierce warriors who were even more fearsome given their knowledge and use of necromantic magic. They dominated this area some seven centuries ago, under the leadership of the infamous narog sorcerer-warrior Tamiach. They were foes of both Karands and elves in the region. Their power faded after Tamiach was slain by the Karandic chieftan Turiew, who, legend has it, was assisted in his battle against Tamiach and the Sya-Negan by his lover, the elven maiden Deleflin and the unicorn Iriandel." The bard's gaze lingers on Cympharrisong as he utters the last words.

Laithe listens to Keildrithe's account with interest. "If a unicorn aided in his battle then Turiew must have been a good man" he comments, his voice demonstrating the reverence held for the noble unicorn. "I think this tale makes our search of this cairn all the more worthwhile - we cannot allow any evil necromantic magic fall into the hands of those who may take it up where the Sya-Negan left off." He eyes the potions uncovered by Nicolai warily in light of the story.

When Pharris calls out to Alton above, Laithe wuickly runs over to the mouth of the second tunnel (the one not being watched by Pharris currently). He looks and listens intently, hoping to hear if anything responds to the echoing shout.

Spot 17 + 9 = 26, Listen 8 + 9 = 17

Still staring intently at the small clay jars, Nicholai nods his head at Keildrithe's words.

"You my friend, are a veritable font of fascinating information." He says with a smile, never taking his eyes from the jars.

"Give me a few more moments, and we'll know if these jars are necromantic or not at least. I don't suppose those tales might have described any ancient funeral rites? Or perhaps mention if they liked to place their essence into small clay jars? I for one don't fancy accidentally reviving some ancient necromantic sorcerer!" He adds flippantly, but he slowly holds the jars in his hands just a little farther away from him, and more gingerly.

Pharris’ shout echoes around the chamber. A moment later she hears a loudly hissed reply from above; “Yes, I’m here,” comes the halfling’s voice, distorted by echoes from the bare stone chamber above.

After the elf maiden’s shout, Laithe hurries over to the mouth of the tunnel that leads away eastward, behind the throne. He can see that the passage ends at a stone door after about twenty feet, and can hear nothing from that direction.

Nicolai, it takes a spellcraft check to identify the school of magic within an aura seen through detect magic; but you have a decent spellcraft modifier and could likely identify all of these by taking 10, so I’ll give them to you without the check.

Two of the bottles radiate transmutation magic, whilst the rest seem to be from the conjuration (healing) sub-school. All are faint auras.

Oops! Thank you Moth! I knew I forgot something!

Nicholai smiles in obvious relief as he let's the spell fade, and his glowing eyes return to normal. he blinks quickly as if to clear something from his eyes.

"Well, No necromantic residue here. Merely faint auras of what is most like a minor healing magic, and simple transmutation charms. They would appear to be potions. Not too shabby castership if they're still potent after all these years!"

Although you can’t read the runes scribed into the clay bottles, you do notice that two of the bottles (two of the ‘healing’ ones) bear near identical runes, whilst all the rest are quite different from each other.

Nicholai studies the runes with Kajetan with a furrowed brow. He sits on the lip of his floating disk, examining the runes. He absent-mindedly winces as he pulls the wound he received from the recent fight above.

"Hm. Really only one way to tell." He says to Kajetan.
In a swift, decisive, action, NIcholai pulls the stopper from a flask,(one of the two identical ones), and sniffs cautiously.

"I don't suppose that you have any skill at alchemy?" He asks the bookish mage.

"If not, I've got a wound. Let's see if it closes it?"

If you drink the potion:

What now?

I'll go ahead and drink the potion, the suspense is killing me! :)

EDIT- I'm glad I did!

Nicholai puts the ancient flask to his lips and tilts his head up swiftly, as if trying to drink it before he changes his mind. Kajetan notices that his little pinky stands out straight as he does.

Nicholai grimaces and flaps his tongue out several times rapidly. For a moment it looks as if he might contemplate throwing up. He recovers fairly quickly, and takes a look at his arrow wound, now completely healed except for a small white scar.

"Well,... the bouquet is unbearable, the body is atrocious, and the taste is deplorable. But the after-effects are worth it!" He declares.

"And the good news, I won;t be tempted to waste them! I'd have to be near death to contemplate trying THAT again!" He adds with a wry smirk, still opening his mouth in an attempt to get the taste out.

"Well, what next? We have a supply of new potions, distasteful, but efficacious, and two paths to chose from. Which way shall we explore?" he asks as he steps back up onto his floating disk and reloads his crossbow.

Kajetan looks on with equal disgust and fascination as Nicolia drinks the centuries old potion, for a moment he almost forgets the heart churning fear that has gripped him since they got down here.

"Lets go down there and get this place explored as quickly as we can, I don't like it, but we would be fools not to check it all out." he indicates the passage ending in a door with a point of his crossbow.

Pharris watches Nicolai in case he changes into something foul and undead, then she shrugs and nods to Kajetan.

"I have tried twice o walk the other way with no success so why not." Changing from bow to sword, the lithe warrior stalks off towards the door, cloak sloping down over her graceful thighes.

The short, stone clad passage ends in a heavy looking stone door. A rusted iron bolt sticks out from the door in about the position a handle might be located. There is no visible lock, but the door does not easily open – it might be locked, barred (from the far side) or simply stuck.

Nicholai floats down the hallway on his mystic disk following Pharris, Keildrithe and Laithe. From his raised veiwpoint, he looks at the door with the others, holding one of the glowing copper coins high to provide light. I lost track of who has the other one.

"Well, do we push, Or pull?" He asks softly, looking at the door hinges trying to see which way the door should open.

"Its a pity no one can tell if the door has magic on it," says Pharris as she holsters her sword and spits on both hands, making ready to give it an almighty heave.

Keildrithe follows his companions, apparently lost in thought...

Would he know anything about funerary customs that involve turning bodies into clay figures with skull for heads, whether the Sya-Negan or someone else might be responsible, and why such a practice was followed? Bardic knowledge: 13 + 3 = 16; Knowledge (arcana): 20 + 2 = 22; Knowledge (history): 7 + 3 = 10; Knowledge (religion): 9 + 1 = 10.

"Its a pity no one can tell if the door has magic on it," says Pharris as she holsters her sword and spits on both hands, making ready to give it an almighty heave.

"Doesn't seem like such an old, rotten door would be the recipient of guardian enchantments, but then there's no telling what the habits of the ones who built THIS were. Would you like me to check? I warn you, I can only do so a limited number of times before I exhaust myself, but if you think it prudent,...?" The dandy leaves the question hanging, looking at the others for their input.

Pharris doesn't wait any longer. She shrugs at Nicolai's question and just pushes the bolt and lock down and then up hoping to free the door.

Strength check, if needed 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Someone may hear the words spat out under her breath, "..precious spellcasters." Before she stops trying the rusty bolt and heaves at the door itself.

Strength check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Pharris doesn't wait any longer. She shrugs at Nicolai's question and just pushes the bolt and lock down and then up hoping to free the door.

Someone may hear the words spat out under her breath, "..precious spellcasters." Before she stops trying the rusty bolt and heaves at the door itself.

Laithe follows the other group down the hall. While the others chatter he does his best to listen for any noise on the other side. He then moves to aid Pharris with the door.

Listen check 17 + 9 = 26. Assuming he hears nothing and the door doesn't yield to Pharris' attempt, he will add his shoulder in aid.... Sterngth check 2 + 2 = 4...or not.

Maybe we need a rogue?

"Come on gentlemen, this will take some real muscle. How about you Kajetan, didn't you open the stone trapdoor above for us?" She shakes her head at the druid's "help".

Maybe we need a rogue?

"Come on gentlemen, this will take some real muscle. How about you Kajetan, didn't you open the stone trapdoor above for us?" She shakes her head at the druid's "help".

Strength check 12 + 2 = 14

Kajetan does not make any attempt to aid in pushing open the door, he has enough of a low self esteem of his body image as it is with out adding to it by scrabbling around failing to open doors.

Is there room for three at the door? Or just 2?

Nicholai gets down from his floating disk, and squeezes in to try and help.

"The more the merrier, my father always said! My father said a lot of odd things,..." He mumbles, leaning his shoulder against the door,...

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Grumbling as his foot slips, he resets his shoulder, but silently casts a simple spell with a small gesture. He passes his hands over the door hinges, presuming that I can see them! and they glisten with a faint sheen.

"Maybe a little oil will help, can't hurt,..."

Cast Prestidigitation, I thought a little cooking oil might loosen the hinges. (???) Never know if you don't try! :)

Keildrithe follows his companions, apparently lost in thought...

Would he know anything about funerary customs that involve turning bodies into clay figures with skull for heads, whether the Sya-Negan or someone else might be responsible, and why such a practice was followed? Bardic knowledge: 13 + 3 = 16; Knowledge (arcana): 20 + 2 = 22; Knowledge (history): 7 + 3 = 10; Knowledge (religion): 9 + 1 = 10.

The door appears to be designed to open away from you. Laithe listens and hears nothing, then he and Pharris attempt to push it open – with no success. Bracing themselves, the pair, now with Nicolai also assisting, try again. The heavy stone door creaks, shifts, then swings slowly open beneath their shoulders.

It opens up into a circular chamber, unlit apart from the group’s light sources, about twenty feet in diameter. The room is clad with square stone blocks, except for an area of wall about ten feet wide and the same high directly opposite the doorway, which is made up of smaller, irregularly shaped stones. The chamber’s ceiling is dome-like, constructed of stone slabs.

The room is bare apart from a circular stone plug in the middle of the floor, about six feet in diameter. The surface of the stone plug is carved into the likeness of an ugly, leering female face with monstrous features.

The door appears to be designed to open away from you. Laithe listens and hears nothing, then he and Pharris attempt to push it open – with no success. Bracing themselves, the pair, now with Nicolai also assisting, try again. The heavy stone door creaks, shifts, then swings slowly open beneath their shoulders.

It opens up into a circular chamber, unlit apart from the group’s light sources, about twenty feet in diameter. The room is clad with square stone blocks, except for an area of wall about ten feet wide and the same high directly opposite the doorway, which is made up of smaller, irregularly shaped stones. The chamber’s ceiling is dome-like, constructed of stone slabs.

The room is bare apart from a circular stone plug in the middle of the floor, about six feet in diameter. The surface of the stone plug is carved into the likeness of an ugly, leering female face with monstrous features.

Meanwhile he scans the room closely for any further clues.

Spot check 9 + 9 = 18. Mothman, Just wanted to clarify; is the room spherical or is it more like a cylinder with a domed roof? Am I right in understanding the walls, floor and rough are smooth stone apart from a 10' x 10' section opposite the door (and the plug)?

It’s a cylinder with a domed roof. Walls are relatively smooth (apart from the afore mentioned area). The plug is a raised section of stone, circular, in the middle of the floor.

Kajetan can't see much over the broader and taller shoulders before him, so he stays at the rear of the group and keeps a watch behind them.

Pharris takes the hint from Laithe and steps back out the way so that those far more knowledgeable than her can get a better view.

Mentally she looks from bow to sword but cannot decide. "I wish we had Stonty here. A dwarf would know what this means," she murmurs.

Waving the coin about, Nicholai peers about the chamber as well, also being careful not to actually step IN, yet.

"The wall opposite looks like, it was built after the rest of the room? Perhaps it was a doorway like this one, but they sealed it off for some reason? The stone plug on the floor,... Hm, Kaj, what do you think?" He asks the wizard, stepping back and handinghim the coin so that he can look for himself. Nicholai returns to his floating disk, and sits on the edge of it, pondering if he's seen anything like the stone plug before.

Knowledge: Arcana & Religion, and Spellcraft if applicable:

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Pharris takes the hint from Laithe and steps back out the way so that those far more knowledgeable than her can get a better view.

Mentally she looks from bow to sword but cannot decide. "I wish we had Stonty here. A dwarf would know what this means," she murmurs.

"A plug in the floor would indicate this room has the capacity to fill with water or some other substance, wouldn't it" he asks. "If so, the the rough rock on the far side of the wall might be where such a substance would enter from?"

Without entering the room, Laithe will study the rough patch of wall for signs of water or other erosion. Is it rough because it was made that way, or is it rough from some sort of erosion? Knowledge Nature 16 + 11 = 27

Nicolai, the face on the plug looks vaguely demonic, but you can’t pick it as representing any particular fiend or type of fiend (if indeed it is supposed to be a fiend at all).

A plug could just indicate that there is a hole in the floor – not necessarily a drainage hole, although it could be.

Laithe, there are some signs of moisture in the room – stains and a few patches of mould on the walls and floor, but water seeping through the soil from above after periods of heavy rain may well account for that. The irregular stones in the wall opposite do not appear to have been shaped or eroded by water, and look like they were deliberately placed, more than likely after the rest of the room was built as Nicolai suggested. There are small stones that would likely be swept away if large quantities of water or liquid swept through this chamber.

If I was Spider man, my spidey senses would be tingling.

Kajetan eventually gets a good look at the room, "I would suspect a trap of some sort, but that will only work if they can seal this entrance as well," he muses out loud, "lets see if this door contains any sort of closing mechanism, or if it is design to swing shut under the weight of rushing water." he takes to studying the door they have just opened. "Careful of any triggering mechanisms," he warns the others.
Need any rolls off me?

If I was Spider man, my spidey senses would be tingling.

Kajetan eventually gets a good look at the room, "I would suspect a trap of some sort, but that will only work if they can seal this entrance as well," he muses out loud, "lets see if this door contains any sort of closing mechanism, or if it is design to swing shut under the weight of rushing water." he takes to studying the door they have just opened. "Careful of any triggering mechanisms," he warns the others.
Need any rolls off me?

If I was Spider man, my spidey senses would be tingling.

Nicholai muses aloud as Kajetan begins checking the door for triggering mechanisms.

"Why go to all this trouble, building a nice room around a special hole on the floor, then go to almost as much trouble to seal the hole and room again?" His fingers trace his chin, as if stroking a goatee.

"Unless, whatever is in here turned out to be dangerous? In that case, the sealing of the hole and door wouldn't be to keep us out, it would be to keep 'whatever' IN!" He looks around nervously.

"Do you guys see any way to move the stone plug? A rope and pulley? Mechanism? Maybe even crowbars or slots to put them? If not, I'm guessing that whoever sealed this room wanted it to STAY sealed!"