Simo snorts, It's fine, everything is fine. Sonya survived into womanhood, she can survive into spinsterhood without me changing her nappies.
Kraven seems a bit perplexed at everyone's fairly casual attitude towards their quest, Perhaps you are right, but I believe caution to be prudent. We've already walked into one trap, and this is supposed to be quite a dangerous foe we face. What if the next trap isn't as easy to work around?
"Well, if the stone wall trap is the kind of thinking that the creator has, then I'm not too worried."
Simo's cheeks grow red and his brow furrows, Well maybe not everyone dressed in robes knows mage hand, did you ever think of that?
Some people and their assumptions!
"I have the spell, and if I need to use it I will. It was not neccessary there.. Who's going first? Because I'm not a front man.."
See? She's got a handle on it, Simo says before he blinks and his eyes change to orange with a black slit in the middle. He falls silent and is concentrating on the bond with his familiar and seeing through its eyes down the hall.
I'll go, I normally kinda just barge through anyway...
Seeing Simo focus inward, Kraven elects not to continue this fruitless argument. Go with Ilmater, Arrak, I will have you back
Sen and Morgan move through the makeshift tunnel on the stone and inspect the doors at the end. Sen discovers that they are fake and do not open.
At this point you suspect whomever built this tomb was not only evil, but also a real jerk as well.
Morgan bypasses the trapped needle on the chest and opens it. It appears to be empty.
Simo summons a lizard familiar and sends it to walk down the long hallway, magically observing through its senses.
The lizard follows the red tile path about 100 feet forward from the trapped chest, at which point it can go no further without Simo losing contact.
Just as it reaches the limit, the red tile mosaic on the floor splits in two, with one path leading directly to an archway filled with a cloud of impenetrable mist.
The southern fork of the red-tiled path leads to an 8-foot-tall devil face carved from green stone and set in mosaic at the corridor’s end. The face’s gaping mouth is O-shaped and dead black.
Arak moves forward to explore the corridor, followed 10 feet behind by Kraven.
"I'll go in the second row, so I can look for possible traps.."
She falls in line behind the meat and moves slowly, looking as they go..
"I would suggest taking the same pah as the lizard since no traps befell him.."
Erik, Elrick? Wolf-guy! My familiar didn't set off anything ahead, but about 100 feet up there is an obvious trap face carving and a dangerous doorway filled with thick fog. Make sure to put some weight on those tiles before stepping use a staff, sword, or pole before each step! Let us know when we can approach, I'll send Sparkle to get the others.
Sparkle winks out of existence and back on Simo's shoulder, Got that, gorgeous? Go get Master Deathsteel and Madam Wildwalker. Bring them here.
Sparkle skitters off.
Morgan looks over the group and the moves to the front, his keen eyes wary for further shenanigans.
Sen falls in behind the others, studying the mosaics on the walls curiously as she follows. The tiny dragon, still perched on her shoulder, meanwhile watches her steps as if they were its own, making sure she does not step off the red path.
Ah, I'll make sure to stop. Be ready to run on my mark, well, if we get the chance.
Arrak then does as told using a pole to find a solid path and way through the small tunnel entrance. Stopping after reaching 100ft.
What do we do about the mist? he goes to stick the pole into the mist, but stops if someone attempts to stop him.
Morgan will walk straight forward from 00.14 to 13.14, checking for traps ahead before he moves.
Arak:
Arak moves forward carefully following the red path.
Just as he moves past the chest, he triggers a pit trap in the floor .
Arak successfully avoids falling into the trap and continues around it and forward.
He misses and triggers another pit trap in the floor further on .
And again, Arak successfully manages to avoid falling in and continues forward.
He stops when he's 100 feet in, just as the red stones diverge. As he steps before the archway to observe the mist, the base stone glows yellow on the left and orange on the right, and the keystone 7 feet above glows blue.
Probing the mist with a pole does not appear to do anything, and the vapors do not clear. You are not able to see into in.
Morgan:
Morgan plots a course straight forward.
Morgan is able to detect another pit trap 50 feet in and is able to avoid it.
Ten feet forward, he detects another trap, this one laid in the middle of the passage and again avoids it.
He fails to detect the pit trap ten feet ahead and triggers it, but is able to avoid falling into it.
He then joins Arak before the archway, and stands before the devil face carving .
The pits all appear to be ten feet deep and concealed by a counter-weighted trapdoor.
At the bottom of each pit are five iron spikes.
Simo follows a safe route and inspects the doorway full of mist.
He then starts patting his robes a pit looking for something.
You aren't able to see into the mist at all, but you do observe that the base stones on the archway change color when you stand before it, as well as the stone above. The stones look as though they can be pressed to trigger the glow, suggesting an activation sequence.
The stones appear to be magically enchanted.
Well, someone certainly doesn't want guests! He breaths out at the end with a sigh.
Ok, next hallway is someone else's turn!
He then turns towards the archway, he noticed the stones, then looks around for any words or the like. Some hint to the door if any.
It's a door... a sophisticated one. It uses these stones, Simo says pointing, to allow those with the knowledge to bypass it. I suggest this may be the best path forward over whatever trap nonsense is going on with that face. Simo stares into the mist for a time, But how deep is it?
Simo pulls the iron pot many a crappy stew has been burned in and thrusts it out, Can someone take the flat end off this to make a big tube? I doubt you'll miss my night to cook.
Sonya pulls a wand and uses it, detect magic, inspecting the green statue and its black mouth..
"I'll take point from here on.. As much as I hate to admit it I'm pretty good at detecting things."
Sonya inspects the green face but cannot see into the mouth. The wand indicates it is a magical darkness, and something more powerful behind it.
The darkness seems like it will be impervious to darkvision or light spells. Even your devil's sight is not able to penetrate it. But the wand tells you there is some powerful magic behind it, unseen. It is a legendary and ancient item, likely a sphere of some kind.
As we expected.. Best not mess with that thing..
One other thing you notice, as you observed the red path. The runes set in the stones spell out the following message,
ACERERAK CONGRATULATES YOU ON YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION. SO MAKE OF THIS WHATEVER YOU WISH, FOR YOU WILL BE MINE IN THE END NO MATTER WHAT!
Go back to the tormentor or through the arch,
and the second great hall you’ll discover.
Shun green if you can, but night’s good color
is for those of great valor.
If shades of red stand for blood the wise
will not need sacrifice aught but a loop of
magical metal — you’re well along your march.
Two pits along the way will be found to lead
to a fortuitous fall, so check the wall.
These keys and those are most important of all,
and beware of trembling hands and what will maul.
If you find the false you find the true
and into the columned hall you’ll come,
and there the throne that’s key and keyed.
The iron men of visage grim do more than
meets the viewer’s eye.
You’ve left and left and found my Tomb
and now your soul will die.
Morgan will reach into the pouch at his side and pull out smithing tools and then take the pot from Simo. The sound of metal beating metal echoes through the halls for several minutes, and then he hands Simo back a tube, having made a hole in the middle of the bottom and then pushed the sides out while simultaneously narrowing the pot into something more resembling a tube than a pot. He then stows his smithing gear and re-equips his weapon and shield.
"That do for ya?"
Time for some expirementation! Simo yips with a bit too much glee. Holding the edge of the pot he inserts it into the mist to try and create a small hole around the metal. He is careful not to touch the mist.
Sparkle is on his forearm ready for action if it works.
The mist parts around the pot, but beyond it you see only more mist.
Well that didn't work, Simo hurrumpfs, I was hoping I could make a small window, but I will have to use less refined methods.
Simo sets the pot down and gestures while speaking the words of unmaking, casting dispell magic on the device.
Simo's dispell magic spell fails to clear the mist.
Well, then, Simo exclaims angrily, You're the last hope, Sparkle! He holds the pot and paces Sparkle inside. He hangs the pot from a 10-foot pole and says, OK, now you extend that pole into the fog and I will try and see the other side.
And Simo will concentrate on sharing Sparkles senses as the pot is extended through the mist.
Sen looks at her dragon: "Care to take one for the team?"
She pauses for a moment before continuing with an exasperated tone: "You know as well as I do, that you will just disappear and then I can safely summon you back."
Another pause.
Yes I understand it might hurt, but you're the one who definitely won't die in there!"
After a third pause she looks at Simo: "Sinjin thinks you should send your lizard into the fog, see if it can reach the other side."
The dragon then stretches it wings and takes off from her shoulder, flying back down the corridor and inspecting the walls.
The lizard vanishes when it's put into the mist.
Your senses black out for a second, then a moment later when the lizard reappears ... somewhere, you see that it's in a small enclosed room.
Looking up, it Sparke sees he's in a dusty cubicle that's 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. Three 1-foot-long iron levers protrude from one of the walls. Each lever is in a neutral position but looks like it can be moved up, down, or sideways in either direction.
The area looks otherwise closed off with no doors or windows.
Well.... he's f%@&ed. Don't touch the door. Simo says, It teleports you nearby to an enclosed room with three levers of some kind. I doubt he can operate them at all. Should I bother trying or just bring him back here?
You don't see any corresponding markings to the glowing stones, but you notice that it looks like they can be moved or pressed.
"You probably shouldn't be sending off creatures that are connected to your soul without a concrete plan." says Morgan disapprovingly.
"Well, bring him back if you can Simo. and seriously, clean your clothes."
Simo winks Sparkle out of the plane and has him appear on his head, It's just a familiar. This is why people say dwarves are no fun.
"Hmm... nothing." Sen murmurs before turning her attention to Simo and Morgan again "Three levers? Do they have any markings on the...?" she stops as the lizard appears back on the gnome's head. "Alright, hold this." she stretches har arm out and Sinjin lands on it. Sen then hands the dragon to Simo.
"DON'T eat the lizard, okay?", the dragon just takes a look at Sparkle and then drops its gaze, disappointed.
"Everyone wait here, I have an idea." Sen turns and walks into the mist.
Assuming she gets transported to the room described by Simo, Sen will inspect the levers closely, for any markings, and how they are arranged and in which direction they are set.
Kraven sits idly by while the others poke and prod the mist, not having extraplanar creatures to use as guinea pigs, but when Sen herself decides to try, Kraven is barely able to start saying I don't think th... before Sen is swallowed by the mist ...at's a good idea! Sighing heavily, he resumes waiting, hoping the half-elven lass has a plan.
Wreckless! Simo grumps.
Turn to the others, Anything comes from investigating the face?
Sen vanishes into the mist.
Everything goes black for a second, then a moment later you are in a small enclosed room.
It's a dusty cubicle that's 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. Three 1-foot-long iron levers protrude from one of the walls. Each lever is in a neutral position but looks like it can be moved up, down, or sideways in either direction.
The area looks otherwise closed off with no doors or windows.
Is there light in this room, or am I perceiving only with darkvision? If there is no light, I take out a torch and cast faerie fire, so that only the torch is affected. I don't want to actually light a fire in this room, just the dim light of the spell is enough.
The dragon in Simo's hands suddenly speaks, its voice sounds identical to Sen's: "So these levers appear to be movable up, down, left, or right. They're all set neutral. Let me see what else I can figure out."
It continues after a moment: "Oh, and I can hear and see anything Sinjin hears, so just talk to him, if you have something to tell or show me."
Sonya investigated it, and then recommended we not "mess with that thing". My guess is it has some form of nasty trap replies Kraven, brow furrowed in thought. Am I correct in thinking that with the other two doors being fakes, this area is our only option?
"Of all the stupid...you're looking at a lot of permutations there. A lot of them. Can you return to where we are, without touching anything?"
"124 if leaving a number of the levers neutral is part of the solution. Yes I can get back, but I won't just yet. There is only so much magic i have before I need to take a break. See what you can find. These levers may be a part of the answer." the dragon responds.
The room is unlit aside from any source you provide.
You aren't able to perceive anything other than what you've already seen.