If we want to go exploring and find out who is behind this travesty, please allow me to tend to Chase first. I can tend his wounds, that way we have another able body to aid us. With that she puts her hands gently on Chase's chest, Lady of healing, stutch this man's wounds
Dominic nods thoughtfully, "We should probably see to Young Chase here first before we continue on. We can come back and investigate further another time, yes?"
After her healing, Chase feels completely back to himself, "Wow! You're amazing!" he exclaims. He turns to Taldo, "Taldo! Hey! You found me! Is my family with you?" He looks and seeing none of them he simply introduces himself to the rest of them and thanks them for rescuing him.
"I don't know about you lot, but I'd much rather not spend another minute in here if I can help it." He picks up his backpack, knife and bow all the same, indicating that he certainly wasn't going anywhere on his own, one way or the other.
The Captain puts in his two cents, "This has been a good bit of fun! I certainly won't back down from continuing the adventure, but I'll understand if it's not the priority of the group."
Yeah I don't want to be here either. Maybe you can tell us what the heck happened to you on our way back to Gisli
Dominic casts a quick eye over Chase, noting his complete revovery. "I was merely concerned with Chase's health, however if he is recovered I think it wise to continue on. Dangerous maybe -" He shrugs his shoulders as he continues, "but Taldo is right - someone needs to stop whatever is happening before it's too late."
I can only do that limited uses per day, so don't count on me to be able to patch everyone up, but I will do my best to provide moral support as needed if unable to tap into my divine bond.
As he moves forward with the torch, Dominic notices something he hadn't before in all the excitement, a demonic face sculpture in the west wall of the room, he sees writing over it.
As the light reaches the other end of the room, you can see an archway toward the north, and a wooden door to the northeast.
"It seems the ayes have it! Where to?!" Iyers is clearly having the time of his life, gaining more and more energy as evening turns to night outside the "cave."
Unhappy about going through the chamber of horrors Maelius grips his sling unhappily and shuffles along at the back of the line.
Dominic stares at the odd writing, not being able to make heads or tails of it. Just as he is about to move away he Sera notes that the carvings mouth is agape. He looks inside and, despite his fears, pulls the switch.
As Dominic's finger releases a latch, a heavy and reluctant groan against great friction can be heard behind the wall. The wall into which the ghastly visage is carved swings out like a door to reveal it's metal composition. The rust and dust and crumbling behind it suggests the portal had been neglected for quite some time.
Through the opening, Dom and Mael can see writing scrawled onto the west wall.
"It is awake"
"Spooky." Dominic says sheepishly as his hand unconciously adjusts his glasses again, "Ah! Curse this nervous tick - I digress, I had though for certain that opening this door would lead to something a little more...dramatic?" He shrugs his shoulders, taking a deep breath. "Let us continue I suppose.
He moves in through the portal timidly.
It says 'It is awake' what's it talking about? Captain do you know anything about what the hell has been going on here? Mael says from the back.
"'Fraid not, young man. I know that Gisli has been around quite a bit longer than many cities in the empire. Almost as long as Attica itself. So there's no telling what this once was, or what's been going on here since when."
Upon entry into the room, it's plain to see that the garish and attention-grabbing writing Dominic saw was written over a statue of an armored warrior. Also, the north wall of the room seems to have collapsed inward. Finally, to the south, Dominic and the others can see an iron door.
Sera stays near the back, crossbow at the ready.
'It is awake', what could it mean? Is there something alive that is watching us? Hmm, hopefully we didn't get in over our heads
Lead the way Captain, to the iron door I guess. Unless there is another way we are failing to realize
Maelius glances at the statue and probably failing to see anything is ready to move onwards.
Iyers approaches the iron door, and checks it.
"This door is locked, wouldn't you know it. Looks like one of you will have to use my contraband again if we want to go this way"
Maelius moves forward and tries to open the door.
Dominic looks around the room and strides towards the caved in wall. He looks it over trying to see if anything seems amiss.
After his eyes wander over the destruction a bit he goes to check out the neat statue.
Maelius makes quick work of the lock, and hands the tools back to Iyers.
Taldo can plainly see that the statue is solid pewter, if the armor and sword ever was real, it's since been welded together and is therefore useless.
Dominic finds nothing out of the ordinary among the rubble.
Upon inspection, Dominic discovers that although the armor and sword are welded together, the sword itself is being held a bit unnaturally. Upon further investigation, Tryst finds a circular scuff mark beneath the tip of the sword.
Rotating the sword to fit naturally in the armor's hand induces a bit of a click. Then the statue, groaning against years of disuse, slides to the left revealing a wooden door.
Chase... Who did this to you?
"Um...this is embarrassing, but I really couldn't say. I thought I heard someone following me, but whenever I looked back there wasn't anyone there. Suddenly everything went black and then I woke up in that room, bruised and bound."
Iyers turns do Dominic and the others, "So it seems we have two options, the secret wooden door or the previously locked metal one. Where should we go?"
Seraphina looks on as the statues moves, on its own accord...presenting another interesting and scary option. She looks around to the others,
Well...isn't this the predicament? Um...what do you guys think?
Father, give me the strength to help my new friends. Although it may be limited, you never flinched or ran. Be with me to give me the strength you had
Wooden door, seems like it wasn't used by the... torturers. Maelius says wanting to delay meeting the violent people responsible for the dungeon.
He looks it over to see if it's trapped or can be opened
Dominic cocks his head to one side, thinking over his options. "Well, the metal door seems as though it might have been in continued use by whoever calls these caves home, so going that way might lead to them. This wooden door however seems to have been missed by the inhabitants of the cave, so going through it will lead us deeper into this mystery. I do love a good mystery, so I suggest the wooden door!"
Maelius sees that the wooden door isn't trapped. Opening and entering it, he finds that unlike most of the rooms, this one seems to be mostly lit, and that from the north.
He also distinctly smells a burning smell, and hears the crackling of a fairly large flame.
There's a.. fire.. here. Maybe a fire elemental like the air elemental we just passed by?
Dominic carefully looks past Mael trying to see if he can make out anything, unable to see much of anything he moves closer into the door way and peaks his head around the corner to see what lies ahead.
Dominic sees a small fire elemental in all it's flaming glory, and luckily it seems not to notice him. The creature seems to be looking for something and is headed straight for them.
Forgot to mention: everyone also sees a staircase leading up the south wall to the east, and an archway back behind the creature.
Iyers, wanting to see what's happening, steps past everyone, "What's everyone whisperin' abou--" he gasps when he sees the creature across the room from them, "now I've seen it all." The big man studies the creature a bit before taking any moves, but keeps his finger on one of the triggers of his musket. .
Dominic racks his brain, trying to figure a way out of this. Suddenly he perks up and smiles a bit, "I read a story of a man traveling through a burned out forest. As he traveled he came across a fire elemental. It chased him ferouciously trying with all it's might to reduce the man to cinders, but the man was quicker. At the exit to the forest was the man's comrades and when he came upon them the fire elemental reared back in fear as it was completely outmatched. If we can get the creature to think it's outmatched then we should be able to cause it to flee."
Dominic takes a deep breath and steps out from his hiding place into the view of the creature. He readjusts his glasses and smiles broadly at the elemental. He locks eyes with it and says "Flee while you still can!" before he begins to hold up his hands in an odd position and mumble a barley audible chant.
Whether by the flail of his robes or the sound of his voice, Dominic succeeds in convincing the elemental that the adept is superior and shouldn't be messed with, it flees.
"Well that was easy enough," Iyers chuckles, "Good call, Mr. Tryst. Where to next?" The question was posed to no one in particular as the Captain looked back and forth between the stairs and the archway.
Dominic lets out a sigh of relief, chuckles a bit, and runs a hand through his hair, "Thank the Gods! I thought I was a dead man for sure!"
As Iyers asks his question Dominic was already moving towards the archway, his curiosity getting the best of him. "Up is a whole new adventure, why start it when we have yet to finish this one..." He mumbles half to himself and half to anyone who happens to be listening.