Albus walks up cautiously to the wedged door, looking around for any traps or other difficulties (like the building coming down on his head) then when his is convinced that all is good, will knock on the door saying in Common and Draconic "Hello, anyone there?"
If there is no response and no signs of anything untoward happening on the other side, then he will attempt to force the door.
if more than one needed roll as necessary.
Move the door.
Albus doesn't hear anything from beyond the door and so pushes it open by banging into it with his shoulder.
Beyond he sees an abandoned old tower. The view is blocked though by a large spider that descends from above. It's a lot like the ones they first faced in the basement of the oprhanage.
It tries to bite the young ranger but, even though he's surprised, Albus is able to fend off the attack!
Laro charges in and attacks the spider.
Laro's blade easily pierces the spider's hide and causes it a significant wound. The spider skitters backwards into a corner as blood drips from it. It was obviously expecting easy prey and is frightened by the halfling's swift counterattack. It hisses at the group from its corner, seemingly trying to scare you off.
Albus is oddly shocked at the spider's decent, with all his experience, his natural optimism betrays him. Still when Laro attacks Albus breaks out of it and grabbing his axe's he swings. (Assuming the spider is still within his reach of course).
To hit target. Critical on a 20. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage, Power Attack.
Damage Weapon Attunement, Power Attack with Two-handed weapon
To confirm a critical if rolled. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage, Power Attack
Damage from critical X3, Weapon Attunement, Power Attack Twp-handed weapon.
Right before the spider manages to retreat it gets caught full on by Albus's axe, splitting it in two.
Thick webs cover much of the ancient crates and barrels stored inside the base of this watchtower. A rickety wooden staircase ascends along one wall to reach an open trapdoor above.
Going up the unstable staircase carefully shows nothing of real interest to the group, though Gorat does inspect the contents of the tower carefully.
Tower itself is well made, but a wood staircase not built to last? He mutters to himself. Odd.
Aelerie keeps a close eye on the dead spider and all the cobwebbed nooks and crannies of the tower while Gorat does his inspection. She remembers well the carpet of spiderlings that swarmed their other halfling friend the last time they had encountered the giant arachnids and is not looking forward to a repeat of that nightmare. Thankfully, the Dwarven merchant's search of the tower doesn't appear to disturb any nests.
"Now you see why I let these two go first," she comments, flashing Laro and Albus a brief smile. "Nice work you two. Now"—the arcanist turns again to Gorat—"I think there are two rooms in particular that might be of interest to you. The first is the monastery's library, and the other is the altar room. Which would you like to see first?"
Ah Gorat's eyes gleam Torag forgive me my impertinence, but I think the library first! Lead on though. I am glad to have the four of you keeping me safe. That spider would have bit my head clean off I am sure!
Albus says, "Just a generation ago, much less 750 years, Master Gorat, wood was plentiful and cheap. Mayhap they needed the stairs quickly and planned a more lasting solution later, and well fate did not turn out that way."
Albus nods and leads to a safe as possible path to the library looking more closely for possible trouble or traps along the way.
The shortest and safest route is back through the courtyard and in through the main entrance.
Gorat's attention is distracted as they pass by the altar room and head past it to the library.
The sodden, mildew destroyed books cause the dwarf's face to fall though. The negligence of books is a high depravity he mutters as he surveys the crumbled south west corner and the pool of water that lies stagnant on the floor.
Gorat huffs and turns away. Maybe the altar will bolster my spirits after this sorry scene.
Albus says, "Sorry at the state of affairs here, the price of defeat is often heavy. The altar room should now be purified." Albus leads of to the Altar room, wary but also looking out to see if there are any signs that the kobolds have abandoned this site.
"Ah, sorry... I meant to warn you about that beforehand," Aelerie tells Gorat with a sympathetic frown. "But the first time we visited, we were able to recover a Dwarven hymnal that was still in fairly pristine condition. One of our friends back in town has it, but I'm sure he'd be willing to part with it considering the circumstances," she assures the dwarf book merchant.
As Albus leads them away from the library, Aelerie hurriedly makes mention of the state of the altar room in the hopes that Gorat might not be as disappointed when he sees it. "Unfortunately, the altar room, as you'll soon find out, is in much the same state as the library. No structural damage, but, umm... the ceremonial anvil had been defaced by some of Droskar's zealots." Trying to find the silver lining of the situation, the arcanist quickly adds, "But they did leave the mural untouched, so... small miracles."
A hymnal survived all this? Gorat says a bit surprised. A sign that the touch of Torag remains here. He's not one to abandon the places of his faithful. Even after all these years! Even after filthy Droskarian desecration!
The dwarven trader is led to the altar room. The soft light of the sun dapples through crumbled roof giving the place a yellow glow. The ceremonial anvil/altar sits where you left it last, in front of the broken pews and Gorat approaches it reverently. Ah, this was a holy place once, I can feel it in my bones. I wish a true cleric of The Father of Creation was here to see it and truly cleanse this place. The sight of it has been enough to make the whole trip worth it. Even considering the folly of not slaying giantkin. The dwarf seems to be truly happy. I feared worse to be honest. Droskarans are the most destructive of blasphemers.
Laro walks around the room examining things. "This place was more desecrated the last time we were here. Look! This pew is as if it were brand new!" Laro moves the pew back into position and then starts straightening up the other broken pews.
Albus, looking for threats is slow to examine the room but does so on Laro's statement.
Room
"Yes I see that now, good memory, it's slightly better overall and the pew was definitely broken before or replaced. It's either a miracle or someone is working on this place."
any tracks or similar signs of people moving in or out?
"This is where the Cursed Burning Dwarf was defeated and it's hellish chain of souls broken. Maybe all signs of it's unholy work is being undone."
Aelerie gives a soft smile at Gorat's admission and the emotion he shows in the presence of the altar, letting the slight about their dealings with the giants roll right off her back. At Laro's excited assertion, the arcanist's brows hike upwards in surprise (and a healthy amount of skepticism), but she moves closer to inspect the pew all the same. "Sounds like the work of brownies," she comments idly, crouching down to squint at the bench.
"One second..." After digging around in the pockets of her skirt, Aelerie turns up a small, pinkish gemstone. Lifting it to her mouth, she breathes some moisture on the rock and polishes it on her shirt—the way an elderly scholar might clear a smudge off his glasses—before tossing it up to settle into a gentle orbit over her head. "Huh. Well, I'll be! I can't speak to the Forge Father's clerics, but it seems His carpenters might have paid the monastery a visit since last we were here. What do you make of this?" she asks Gorat, waving him over to get a closer look at the pew in question.
Straightening up, Aelerie takes a look around at the rest of the room. "Maybe I can help with the restoration efforts by clearing away all this dust." Raising her hands up, the arcanist chants a brief incantation, "Pyyhi pölyt!" and claps her hands as if cleaning them of dirt. A tiny vortex of dust forms at one end of an aisle as invisible hands begin sweeping away layers of grime.
Gorat smiles as his guides get to work getting the altar room, abandoned by mortals, but not seemingly by the gods, cleaned up.
It does seem like Torag smiles down on all you have accomplished. Though I would guess that finishing the job would require a proper cleric of his and a righteous rebuild of the whole place! Gorat smacks his hands together with a resounding cla[. Now there seem to be other rooms here as well. Let us continue!
Albus says, "Quite a few, though the Kobolds controlled much of this site downstairs. We did a great deal of harm to them though so it's doubtful they have the warriors left to be much of a threat. Still be careful, they are not smart but often more clever than you would think." Albus is ready to lead to any nearby room.
Before they head to the room where they fought GrayPelt, the group stops by a small door right next to the main entrace of the old building that they had passed by initially. The door is stuck but with Albus and Javell's combined effort the door finally gives way with a crack. It opens, shattering an ancient wooden chair which was propped up against the door on the other side. The room beyond is dark and smells deeply of dust and decay.
In the center of the room is a corpse that has been in the room for so long that it has mummified, in one hand is a shattered glass vial, in the other, a strip of parchment.
Gorat harumphs when it's clear that the corpse is really just a corpse, he kneels down to examine the parchment.
Forgive me, dark father of the forge, my toils shall never be enough he translates shaking his head so rapidly that his beard doesn't quite keep up. A Droskaran disaster through and through, this.. and what's this? the dwarf spies something in the belt of the corpse. He pulls out a wonderfully crafted silver light hammer emblazoned with a symbol of a fire under a stone arch. That's a fine hammer, too bad about the blasphemy on it. That's Droskar's symbol, and if I'm any judge this poor fellow is feeding Droskar's forge fire for all time.
Her eyesight not nearly as sharp as their Dwarven fellow's, Aelerie needs to conjure a quartet of dancing lights in order to see what the room holds, and lets out a squeak of surprise when they light up the mummy. "Oh! When the dessicated body doesn't start moving, the arcanist lets her gaze roam around the rest of the room. Spying the now broken chair, the vial in the corpse's hand and listening to Gorat's translation of the note, Aelerie's mind quickly puts the pieces of what transpired that day together. "Oh..." A small bit of pity wells up in her heart for the long-dead dwarf, regardless of his religious beliefs. "I wonder if this has anything to do with the Forge Spurned we came across underground."
Turning to Gorat, Aelerie asks, "Either way, what should we do with his body? Do your people have special rites for dwarves who have turned away from Torag?"
Ah well... Gorat looks embarrassed as he waves the light hammer about absently. You understand we don't actually like talking about The Dark Smith even amongst ourselves... let alone outsiders. This is cleric business. High cleric business most probably. he says gruffly. We build tombs for preference though. As for this one...
he's waited hundreds of years so a few more won't matter one way or the other. He certainly wouldn't want a merchant like me messing about with him.
Aelerie raises her hands at Gorat's reply, showing she hadn't meant to pry and she takes no offense to his gruff response. "Say no more. I understand." After giving one last look around the small room, Aelerie suggests, "Shall we press on? If I'm not mistaken, there should be one more room on this level we haven't explored."
Staggering as the door gives way, Albus sneezes from the dust rising. As Gorat pokes his head in to take a look, Aelerie conjures a light, revealing the room and its occupant. Albus grips his axe as the light touches the corpse but relaxes a bit when it does not animate. "I would not be surprised if this was the body of the condemned soul we encountered." After the exchange between the merchant and the mage, "May the gods guard us from any ill fortune from this, this one is sadly beyond our aid."
Albus looks around as well, but doesn't do a search unless something more catches his eye. At Aelerie's words he nods and goes carefully toward the next room.
Laro is on his toes as he sees the corpse and is relieved when it doesn't animate. "Let's check out the rest of this place."
The group leads Gorat down the north corridor and bypasses the room that leads to the dank caverns below in favour of the last part of the above ground monastery that they had not explored.
It turns out to be a small chamber. Old cobweb-covered racks and armor dominate much of it. What must have been a well-tended armory once is now completely devoid of arms or armor.
Looters Gorat huffs as he inspects the place. Though I suppose right of salvage applies. Abadar knows this place was abandoned by its guardians long ago and treasures are not meant to molder away.
Albus however locates 4 well made crossbow bolts that had rolled into the north east corner of the room. While he is retrieving them he notices a slight crack in the masonry. Inspecting it reveals a hidden latch! There's a secret door here that leads to the east.
Albus, now paying a bit more attention than before, carefully studies the new room, apparently an old armory, long abandoned. He spots a few well-made crossbow, that are in way to good a condition to be centuries old, unless magic is involved. When his face is withing inches of the wall he notices a small crack, a closer look and he sees a well-hidden latch, it appears that a secret door here leads to the east.
"Master Laro, there appears to be a concealed latch here with a door that seem to lead east, do you think it to be trapped in some way?" Albus continues, "I think it was built this way, but I cannot overlook the possibility the kobolds have laid a clever trap here, or even some ancient guardian is here, though I suppose that's found more in some bard's tale than in truth."
Albus stands guard while Master Laro determines what to do.
Laro walks over to the wall and looks at it "Nice find, Albus! Let me have a look at it." Once he determines it is safe to open Laro presses the latch
Laro finds some metallic implements that might have once been locks or traps, but they have long since rusted away and all that is needed to open the hidden door is a simple lifting of a latch.
On the other side the group finds a short corridor with a wall of bars running down one side. Four rusted doors open in this wall into four cramped cells. None of them are fully closed.
Behind each of the cells lies a dead dwarf, long rotted away into a skeleton.
Kols forgive us. Gorat mutters as he pushes into the room. Not only to die but to be held in captivity of such poor craft? Look, the locks have already rotted away and the hinges are undone. An abomination!
So saying he pushes one of the ajar cell doors and it falls inwards with a loud clang. Almost simultaneously the skeletons inside jolt into unholy life and start clambering towards their descendant.
Ahhhhhhhh! Gorat screams and instinctively retreats to the opposite side of the small corridor. They come for me! Save me!.
Laro moves into the room to defend Gorat. "Get out of here Gorat! We'll move back to the door as it's more defensible."
Albus grips his axe and prepares to swing over Master Laro's head. Albus says, "I'm not sure Master Gorat can make it to us, continue a fast attack. Master Javelle if you can call on the Starsong's favor, we'd appreciate it."
With his usual subtlety Albus smacks one of the skeletons.
To hit target. Critical on a 20. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage, Power Attack.
Damage Weapon Attunement, Power Attack with Two-handed weapon
To confirm a critical if rolled. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage, Power Attack
Damage from critical X3, Weapon Attunement, Power Attack Twp-handed weapon.
Javell moves in front of his friends, brandishing his holy symbol and sending a wave of holy energy out at the skeletons.
Her guard lowered after witnessing no signs of unlife from the first dwarven corpse they discovered, Aelerie is slower to react to the danger than her other companions. But when she does catch on to the peril Gorat has found himself in, she casts a spell to incinerate the skeletons. "Tulta ja valoa, puhdista tämä paha." A twisting stream of fire leaps from her outstretched hand, weaving carefully around her friends to strike at the first undead, before jumping to the next, then the one after that.
The quick response by the group slices, chops, burns, and finally, immolates the three grasping dwarven skeletons in a burst of holy radiance before they can get very close to the quivering live one. Laro, having rushed it to protect the merchant, can feel Gorat shaking in fear but the halfling's gaze is arrested by another skeleton, in the last of the four cells in the hidden prison.
This one isn't moving at all, but is in fact lying on its back with hands crossed over the chest in a state of completely peaceful repose.
Laro cautiously pushes at the final cell door, it swings inwards soundlessly as if the hinges of the cell had been recently oiled, in marked contrast to the rusted locks and bars of the three cells. There is a shining golden ring on one of its fingers and Albus and Aelerie recognize a pair of ironbloom mushrooms growing next to it.
Once the undead have been laid to rest, Aelerie calmly approaches the dwarven merchant, unsure whether he is 'with them', so to speak, or re-experiencing the trauma of seeing his kin's skeletons shambling toward him. "There, there," she tries to comfort Gorat, laying a gentle hand on his trembling shoulder. "You're alright." If she manages to catch his eye, Aelerie offers the dwarf a soft, reassuring smile.
At least someone was able to find some peace in their last moments, Aelerie considers after Laro reveals the occupant of the last cell. While the halfling's eyes alight on the gold ring the skeleton is wearing, Aelerie's gaze is drawn to the pair of ironbloom mushrooms growing beside the corpse and the memories of their first time in the monastery and her mother's sickness come rushing back. Blinking away the sudden moisture in her eyes, Aelerie clears her throat and points out the mushrooms. "Albus, do you think we should harvest these and take them back to your cousin? I know she said they only grow in iron rich soil, but maybe a small patch of them could be cultivated in town. If, Gods forbid, the blackscour taint ever comes back..."
Laro whistles and says "Would you look at that. Hinges in perfect working order and silent as if they've been recently oiled. He's laid out in a peaceful repose and he's got that shiny ring on his finger."
Albus is about to make a admonishment to Master Gorat but is forestalled by Laro's amazing discovery. Albus is filled with reverential awe. After a moment he speaks, "That, that man must have been a saint to have such a state of preservation, protected for generations. A martyr to the Worldbuilder no doubt. May his soul dwell forever in the Endless Halls of the Ancestors."
To Aelerie, "Possibly Aelerie, but I'm not sure we should; it may not be respectful to this holy man. Perhaps Master Gorat could provide some guidance in this matter." Albus turns to the shaken Dwarf, with an inquiring air.
The ring is golden and has a large red gemstone set into it that sparkles with an inner fire.
Aelerie can sense faint abjuration from the ring and determine the wearer of the ring gains fire resistance against one fire attack per day similar. As well making the wearer slightly more resistant to fire spells and effects. It is very similar to the spell Resist Energy.
It takes a little time for Gorat to calm down but when he does he approaches the last cell with wonder. He is overcome with emotion and weeps for a few minutes before retrieving a well tailored handkerchief and blowing his nose.
The shrooms are fine to take I daresay, but I think... all else should be left as is. This cell should be turned into a fine tomb and his name should be remembered. Gorat backs away reverently This is VERY High Cleric business now. I thank you for showing me this. I will do all in my power to inform the church of Torag of this place, I swear by his forge.
The dwarf takes a deep breath. I, ah, apologize for not showing bravery there. Never been so close to a moving dead person Torag knows. Do you think there's more such things around?
As they leave Gorat asks Laro to make sure the hidden door is closed and concealed just as it was before.
Laro stops in the doorway out and looks back into the small prison. "Maybe we should clean this room out and remove the undead bodies to a chamber down below. What do you guys think?"
Gorat thinks about it. Yes, it seems wrong to have the undead bones disturbing the Saint's rest.
Albus says, "I think I can carefully take the mushrooms along with some of the soil, that would be needed." Albus takes out his waterproof bag and spade. He reverently approaches the Ironbloom.
He prays, "I beg your pardon, I do not know your name, but I ask a boon of you, Martyr and Saint, to take these items that they may be used make medicines for generations to come." Albus takes the items and assuming nothing untoward happens he packs them away.
To Master Gorat Albus kindly yet firmly admonishes him. "Master Gorat, your courage is not at fault here, just being here is proof of that. However I would ask that you show more discretion. Please leave any physical investigation to Masters Laro or Javell or myself. We have experience in how to approach such and honed flexes to get ourselves out of trouble, if it comes. Aelerie, in a short time, has learned to respond quickly and correctly, while surprised, in harrowing situations. But she respects the fact the she is not a warrior trained, and leaves the more physical acts to us, protecting all of us."
Albus continues, "Now to the more grisly task of moving the bones of the other, unfortunate victims to the ossuary below. The most important problem is that, having the recovery of the children as a priority, we did not clear it of all the undead, at that time. It is a task that needs doing and it is one of the reasons I agreed to do this and to do so quickly. So be prepared for a long and uncanny fight."
Albus quietly and respectfully gets the bones of all but the saint and waits for the others to get prepared and say anything before leading to the next stop.
Of course, of course Gorat mutters ashamed at the rebuke and still shaken by the experience. Will stay behind your capable blades and magics and the like.
The deeds suggested by Aelerie and Laro completed the group moves out of the final hidden room in the top level of the ruins and moves through the rooms that used to be the den of the worg Graypelt. It still stinks of wolf and rotten meat and Gorat grimaces at the makeshift wolfden the room had degraded into.
He brightens up though as the group prepares to head underground. Ah, this is where dwarves truly shine. Aboveground construction is all well and good but the works we accomplish in the tunnels are what truly define us!
His mirth fades away though as he descends behind everyone else into the cold and joyless tunnels underneath the ruined monastery.
The carvings in the room, of dwarves toiling away in mines and smithes, are intricate but Gorat makes a face as he examines them The work is fine but... this is unholy work. Not of Torag. The shattered obsidian monument in the center especially bearing a dismal mural of dwarven supplicants bowing at a Dark Furnace earns a quick glance and a warding sign from the merchant.
How far it all fell he says sadly picking up a shard with a carving still visible to secret away I have more and more to report to the High Priests. Lead on, Lead on.
Albus says, "Don't worry about it, just be careful, this place isn't safe yet. Let see that room to the east shall we?" Albus will carefully lead to that room if no one objects,axe in hand, ready for trouble.
At the center of the large stone chamber to the east is a deep pit filled with molten slag that casts a hellish red gleam on the walls. Three narrow chutes open in the ceiling directly above the pit. The air here is oppressively hot and thick with ash.
As the group cautiously moves in Albus' sharp eyes immediately focus on a pallid, slimy, worm-like creature hanging in one of the three narrow chutes. Its mouth is a sickening tangle of tentacles and hooked jaws. A tremor from one of the tentacles is the only reason that Albus even noticed it.
Aelerie loosens the scarlet scarf around her neck after only a few seconds in the stifling room. The main feature of the room, the giant pit of molten scoria, piques the arcanist's curiosity. "What purpose would a room like this serve?" Casting her glance down to the stone floor, Aelerie tries to remember the layout of the bottommost level, but cannot recall seeing a stream of slag down there. Then again, they hadn't had the time to thoroughly explore the area when they were there last. Looking up, she notices the chutes carved into the ceiling and her brows furrow. "Some sort of giant incinerator?"
As Albus approaches the room emitting a lurid red glow, he slows and leads the group carefully in, pausing when he notices a very slight movement in one of the chutes seeing a horrid worm creature.
With minimal movement Albus raises he hand to halt the group. "Stop here, there is, in that chute, a large worm-thing. Little in here is friendly, so be very careful. Aelerie, if you can see it, do you know anything about it?" Albus keeps his eyes locked on it, and ready to defend with his axe. He gives enough info to tell them which chute it's in so everyone has an easier time to see it.